About the Author:

Jessica Ruston was born in Warwickshire in 1977.  She lives in London with her husband. LUXURY is her first novel. To find out more about Jessica visit her website: www.jessicaruston.com.

Interview with the author

Was your childhood ambition always to be a writer? If not, what inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always written in some form or another, but no, I never wanted to be a writer when I was growing up. I suppose growing up with a mother who was a working novelist took some of the glamour away from the prospect (and I have always had a stubbornly rebellious streak so whenever anyone asked if I was going to follow in her footsteps I said no!), but secretly I always felt that it was what I would end up doing in some way.  I steered clear of writing fiction for a long time though – my first foray into writing professionally was screenplays, and then non-fiction – and then I eventually worked my around to being brave enough to start writing a novel…

Are the characters in LUXURY inspired by anyone that you know or any celebrities?

No, not at all.  There are, of course, little fragments of people I know in some of the characters, and people who know me well might recognise anecdotes or lines that appear in the book as being from my own life or stolen from friends or family, but essentially, they’re entirely figments of my imagination. 

What do you enjoy most about writing?

The moments where you are writing and things that you hadn’t planned or envisaged or imagined just appear on the page and plot problems that you had been fretting over all suddenly slot into place.  Magical; there’s nothing like it.

How does the writing process work for you and how has it changed over the years?

It basically involves a long period of reading and research and making notes and what are essentially procrastination and diversion tactics followed by intense periods of working really hard in a slightly panicked way.  When I’m writing it works best if I write lots at once, quickly – it’s something to do with keeping the momentum going, keeping it all in my head.  I’ve been the same since I was young – I was always the one cramming outside the exam room.  I think I need the adrenaline.

What / who are some of your favourite books and authors?

Patrick McGrath – Asylum is my all time favourite book.  F. Scott Fitzgerald – Tender is the Night is another favourite.  Jay McInerney, Brett Easton Ellis… I am a bit obsessed with novels set in the Deep South, and so things like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  Also foodie memoirs – I have an enormous crush on Anthony Bourdain, and his book Kitchen Confidential is the most brilliant insight into professional kitchens.  John Irving.  Pat Conroy, Penny Vincenzi, Susan Howatch’s massive chunky sagas, Shirley Conran’s Lace and Savages… My bookshelves are a very mixed bag!

What the last really good book that you read?

I absolutely adored One Day by David Nicholls.  It’s just such a good read – a great concept, so well executed.  It opens on July 15th 1988, when the two main characters meet on their final day of university, and it follows them through the next twenty years.  It’s funny, heartbreaking, brilliantly observed, touching and big-hearted.  Definitely my book of the year so far.

Have any films influenced your writing?

Actually, TV series have probably influenced it more, at least recently.  My first foray into writing professionally was writing screenplays, and I do still think very visually when I’m writing.  But one of the things I like to do in my novels is have multiple strands and characters all intertwining, holding lots of things up in the air at once (or trying to), and TV series – especially some of the American ones from the last few years – just do that so, so well.  Things like 24, Lost, Entourage, ER, The Wire, older ones like Dallas and Dynasty… I’m addicted!  I buy the DVDs and then have marathon TV binges where I watch 8 hours all at once.

If LUXURY was turned into a film who would you choose to play the lead characters?

Oh, this is a fun game… Lucia is Lindsay Lohan in my head, absolutely. Johnny Depp for Nicolo, definitely.  He’s got that wicked twinkle… George Clooney for Logan, please – he has the right combination of charming and rugged.  Maryanne is the one I find the hardest to cast – she is so clear in my mind as herself, that I find it difficult to see her played by anyone; maybe Michelle Pfeiffer? Or Rene Russo.  Both would be excellent opposite George (as I will be calling him after he stars in the movie, naturally…). Possibly Naomi Watts as Elise. 
I think Hugh Grant is a natural Mark Mallory.  Charlie needs to be someone floppy haired and a bit surfy - Chase Crawford, maybe?  I am desperately trying to think of a role for Keifer Sutherland. Maybe he could be Johnny…

Can you tell us a little about what you’re working on next?

My second novel, which is going to be out next year. It’s another big story, with lots of characters.  This time it moves from a small seaside town in 1960s England to Swinging London, St Petersburg, Italy and East Africa.  It’s a bit of a modern-day rags to riches tale, and features an obsessive and destructive love affair, a family beset by bad luck – or is the family cursed?  And lots of beautiful hats…

What advice would you give a writer just starting out in their career?

Don’t sit around waiting for ‘the muse’ to strike.  Writing generates writing, so make yourself do it.  And while internet stuff is fab – Twitter is a great way to find other writers to connect with in what can be a lonely job, and websites and blogging are all useful tools – make sure you’re not using them as a distraction or procrastination method (which writers are all brilliant at…).  Make them work for you, but don’t use up all your words on Twitter!  Oh, and leave the house at least once a day.

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