Philip Whiteley: A Romantic at Heart

Philip Whitely tells us about his love of Romantic Comedy.

I believe you are a fairly new member of the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA). What prompted you to join and can you tell us a little of your experiences so far?

I’m an experienced writer, but Close of Play is my first novel. I wanted to join an association as I find talking with other writers to be so rewarding, so I just Googled something like “UK association for romantic novelists” – of course the RNA came top of the search list! My experiences so far have been very positive: lots of encouragement, and a great first event – Eloisa James on 7 March.

It isn’t unheard of but it’s more unusual for a man to write a romantic novel than for a woman. What made you choose this genre?

It was more by accidental evolution than conscious design! I began Close of Play many years ago. Originally it was going to be a more ambitious, philosophical work. That was beyond me, though maybe there are some more thoughtful elements that have been retained. I realized that, by making the male lead more verbally clumsy, more fearful of loneliness and in need of rescue by the love of a good woman, it could become a romantic comedy. So I focused on making it more heartfelt and with more sweet moments.

Has writing always been part of your life? When did you begin ‘putting pen to paper’?

I’ve always had a little commentary running in my head about things. So I’m always ‘writing’ in a sense; but I only began doing so as part of my work in my early 20s when I did some press work for the charity I was working for. I quickly realized that this was my real calling and I’ve been full-time as a journalist and author since the 1980s.

Today is publication day for your debut novel, Close of Play. I’m wondering if you struggled with choosing point of view. Do we read through the eyes of a hero or a heroine?

Brian ‘Colin’ Clarke (there’s a story behind the nickname) is the central character and it’s written in the first person, but he’s quite an eccentric character and I imagine the reader will often view his actions through the eyes of the female lead Elizabeth, who’s more rounded and in touch with the modern world, but also rather troubled in a different way.

Writing is a pretty time-consuming occupation. Are you otherwise ‘gainfully employed’ and, if so, how do you fit writing into your day – or night?

I earn my living full-time as an author, journalist and ghost-writer. I’ve written eight books on business management. It may seem a world away from romantic fiction, but there are some common points around how our beliefs affect our decisions. Close of Play was a hobby for many years, so I had to prioritize fee-paying commissions and fit my fiction work around them.

We’ve all heard the expression ‘Oh, that’s a girl’s film’. Would this prevent you going to see one?

Absolutely not! I love romantic comedies, and I think the last action movie I saw was Jaws in 1976, which I hated. I have a sentimental heart and one of my favourite movies is Serendipity, with the lovely Kate Beckinsale. I’m fascinated by the excitement of a new love affair as two people struggle to understand one another. I do struggle to empathize with our heroine if she’s drinking red wine and eating chocolates (what a ghastly combination) but overall I prefer relationships to car chases. Ideally there is some humour. Bad Teacher was funny.

Finally, did your novel involve much research and is this an aspect of your writing that you enjoy?

I’m firmly of the ‘University of Life’ school. There are things I need to check, but I mostly draw on my own experiences, without (intentionally) basing a character on a real person. It helps that I’ve studied personality types for management books; also that I’ve had an eventful life, involving travel and having my heart broken. I write about the world that I know about. I focus more on strength of emotion than detail of place. You can have both, but I’d prioritize listening to a Joan Armatrading song like The Weakness in Me over studying the Ordnance Survey maps of the novel’s location.

Close of Play by PJ Whiteley, published Urbane Publications April 2015

Brian Clarke has a life of weekend cricket and careful interaction with those around him. Then he meets Elizabeth, a caring soul who breathes hope into his heart. Dare he risk falling in love? Close of Play is a thoughtful, funny tale of missed opportunities and a chance at redemption. 

About Philip

PJ Whiteley becomes a first-time novelist in April 2015 with the publication of Close of Play, a romantic comedy. As Philip Whiteley, he is an experienced journalist and author of business books. He is a member of the Society of Authors and of the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Links:

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Thank you for joining us today, Philip, and good luck with Close of Play

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If you would like to appear on the Blog please contact us at elaineeverest@aol.com

RNA TALK: Eloisa James

Our thanks to Linda Chamberlain who reports on the talk given by Eloisa James at the recent RNA General Meeting.

New York Times best-selling author Eloisa James is a great supporter of literature.

It’s something she does in her day job as Professor of English literature specialising in Shakespeare at Fordham University in New York – a job she would never give up.

And it’s something she does by osmosis as a prolific writer of historical romantic fiction. We all know that it’s the ‘role’ of hugely successful authors to effectively bolster those further down the earnings ladder. With a smile, she reminds us that the entire literary department is included in this scenario.

She is disappointed that so little nurturing of careers goes on in the industry, saddened that so many mid-list authors are thrown out through a perpetually revolving door if their sales don’t improve.  As the writer of, she thinks, 23 books, which have sold in their millions she says a thick skin is essential. Eloisa had some brilliant advice for her RNA audience in London.

Be Machiavellian – know your strengths, your weaknesses and read books that are selling. Stop reading and you lose sight of what is at the heart of the market. Study those ‘reader pleasure moments’ that make a book special and keep the pages turning.

Get in the Zen – she admits to a strong ego. She’s left a publishing house that wasn’t serving her well and she won’t suffer an editor who’s not up to the job. She has sufficient clout to say NO but sometimes she has to accept that she might be wrong and re-write. Remember, she says, ‘Your editor doesn’t own you; your agent is there to serve you.’

Have a thick skin – she describes herself as the queen of such scenes as near-death and outside sex but ‘not everyone will like what you are writing’. High sales increase your chances of nasty reviews and vicious blogs. Never respond. She keeps a book at hand featuring bad reviews for good writers as an antidote.

Be a businesswoman – you have to understand royalty statements and contracts.

Writing can be high risk and humiliating – there were murmurings of understanding from her audience at this point. Writing about relationships and sex bring the inevitable questions of what does your husband think? Have you done all those things? Remember that romance is a fantastic genre; its triumphs may be small but it helps people through the bad times.

Beware of critique groups – they can iron out ‘that voice’, the thing that makes your book original. Better to have one critique buddy.

She finished her talk with a reminder that will resonate throughout the RNA with its remarkable New Writers' Scheme.

‘You have to nurture the bottom if there’s to be a top,’ she said. ‘Readers need great books to read.’

Eloisa is prolific but she can’t write all of them.

Report by Linda Chamberlain

Thank you, Linda

The RNA Blog is brought to you by

Elaine Everest and Natalie Kleinman.

If you would like to appear on the Blog please contact us at elaineeverest@aol.com