Cathy Hayward Interview: “I read a lot of historical fiction because I love reading about different times in history and it also helps my own writing”

Check out my interview with The Girl In The Maze author Cathy Hayward, who talks me through how she came to create her debut novel and what’s next for her writing career.

Please let me know about The Girl In The Maze. How did you find the process of getting the novel written and preparing for publication?

The Girl in the Maze is historical fiction about three women, generations apart, linked by one terrible tragedy. It explores the theme of mothering and being mothered. I started a creative writing course in 2015 and somewhere in the second year, I realised that what I was writing was not lots of smaller pieces but part of a greater whole, which eventually became The Girl in the Maze. My mother, with whom I’d had a difficult relationship, had died while I was on the course.

It was while I was clearing out her flat that I was inspired with the main part of the plot – a woman discovering something in her late mother’s possessions which sets her on a trail of discovery about her mother’s life. I didn’t discover anything in my mother’s flat, but writing the story was a form of therapy in itself and I now feel at peace with our relationship which is why the book is dedicated to her. I tinkered with it in 2017 and 2018 but it was only in 2019 that I started to properly work on it and I finished it in the first Covid lockdown. My old writing tutor, who had helped me get it ready for publication, suggested I enter the Lost the Plot writing competition which I went on to win. The organisers, Agora Books, then offered me a publishing deal – an amazing moment. But that was after I’d had loads and loads of rejections from agents and publishers.

Tell me about how you came to define your writing style. What drew you towards history fiction and darker themes?


I didn’t consciously set out to write a dark book. I think you just write what you know. At the time I started writing in earnest, I had just lost both parents and was struggling to come to terms with my relationship with my mother and the fact that could never now be fixed. I knew loose details of my mother’s life and ended up writing a fictionalised account of her experiences to help me with my grieving. I also did an English and History degree back in the 1990s, so writing historical fiction allows me to explore both elements.

What is your career background and how did you come to write a novel?

I trained as a journalist and edited a variety of trade publications, several of which were so niche they were featured on Have I Got News for You. I then moved into the world of PR. I’ve been around writing all my life but hadn’t written creatively since I was at school. It was hitting 40 in 2015 which made me realise it was now or never. I signed up for a creative writing course with the intention of writing a novel and went from there.

Where do you take your inspiration? Are there any rituals you do to get yourself in the mood for writing?

I love a routine. I used to try to fit writing in and around work and life and it just always fell by the wayside. But once Covid hit, I used the time I would have been travelling to London to write and quickly got into a really good routine. I now write between 5 and 7am and then get the kids up and get on with my day job. It works really well, although I do have to go to bed early. My first two novels were inspired by old family history. I came up with the idea for my third while watching a documentary.

What style of writing do you enjoy yourself? Are there any particular writers you admire?

I enjoy a mix. I read a lot of historical fiction because I love reading about different times in history and it also helps my own writing. I’ve just finished all three of Stacey Halls books and particularly loved The Familiars. But I can’t resist a good thriller – the sort of book you read in one sitting because it’s just so good. This year I’ve been reading many fellow debut authors books, both to support them and see what else is out there. It’s been a great opportunity to read outside my usual genres – Neema Shah’s debut Kololo Hill about Ugandan Asians fleeing from Uganda after Idi Amin ordered their expulsion was incredibly moving and gave me real insight into the refugee experience.

If you could collaborate with any person, living or dead, on a writing project, who would it be and why?


I’ve always wondered what it would be like to collaborate with someone on a writing project. I see fiction books which are co-written and wonder how it’s done. Writing is such a solitary and personal thing, I wonder whether the co-writers fight about where the plot is going! That said, I’d love any opportunity to work with Kate Morton because I adore her epic books about family secrets.

Have you got any projects coming up that you are particularly excited about?

I’m just starting to go through the edits for my second novel, provisionally titled The Fortune Teller’s Promise, which sees university student Rosie home for the holidays to finish her dissertation which is about the Great War. Her mother suggests she talks to her great-grandmother Edith. Rosie reluctantly visits the old lady but is quickly drawn in by her vivid recollections of the start of the war and her father and brothers joining up to fight. But when Edith repeatedly slips up on dates and locations, Rosie starts to wonder whether her memory is beginning to fail her, or if their family history is not what it seems. 

I studied the Great War at university and loved it, so it’s been wonderful to revisit some of that literature again and do more research. But the story was also inspired by our family history. My late grandmother was engaged to be married to a man who was killed in the Great War.
I’ve also started my third book which is set in the 1970s and explore post-natal depression.

Are there any new books or writers that you are looking forward to later in the year?

One of the judges for the Lost the Plot prize was Laura Pearson, who also published her debut with Agora Books a few years ago and has since had two more books published. She’s been very supportive of me and is very active on Twitter. I’ve just bought all three of her books and am getting started on Missing Pieces, another story about family secrets and intrigue. I’m looking forward to Emily Gunnis’s new book The Midwife’s Secret, which comes out in October and also the second instalment of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. I tend to read about two books a month and have a hefty to be read pile!

Huge thanks to Cathy for answering my questions- I’m also reading The Man Who Died Twice and it’s awesome. I’m excited to add The Girl In The Maze to my TBR pile!

The Garfield Conspiracy Review: A Creative Tale Of Mid-Life Madness

As part of acclaimed Irish Author Owen Dwyer’s blog tour, I’m proud to share my thoughts on his latest novel, The Garfield Conspiracy.

At first, I genuinely thought the ‘Garfield’ mentioned in the title was the lasagne loving cat! After all, the advanced copies are bright yellow and feature a surrealist-inspired image of a man with his face inside an old-fashioned TV. I’d also read the synopsis and knew that the book was about a man going making a series of unfortunate choices and reassessing his life.

What I didn’t realise was that this man, the protagonist Richard Todd, is an academic turned celebrity author who’s popularity is dwindling. His publisher, as a last resort, sends in an ambitious young research assistant, Jenny, to help him polish his latest book and conduct research into his next project. Richard’s next book will be an exploration of the assassination of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the USA, who was the second, after Lincoln, to die by assassination, and the man who was killed after being found guilty of the murder.

It has to be said, from the first chapter, I was expecting something a bit different from The Garfield Conspiracy. I thought that the historical conspiracy theory would take precedence over the modern tale of a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis. I also thought that the past and present would stay separate.

Instead, the novel focuses on the protagonist and his young research assistant, as the pair battle with their feelings. At the same time, Richard is dealing with voices in his head and the frightening implications that comes with. He has a family to protect and care for, including three kids, ranging from teenagers to a younger kid. So, he’s facing a crisis that threatens to upend not only the stability of his own life, but also that of his family.

So, as you can see, I was wrong, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t an engaging and enjoyable read. On the contrary, despite being completely different to its initial promise, the novel quickly transforms into something even more relevant and relatable. With varying perspectives, the book is able to give the reader an insight into how we all see the world differently.

What I especially like about The Garfield Conspiracy is that Dwyer doesn’t sugar coat the predatory nature of his protagonist. The guy is, essentially, a sex pest. But Dwyer doesn’t try to portray him as anything else. He doesn’t do that cobblers where he tries to put a higher purpose to his character’s creepiness. Richard is still a well-read, educated man, but he’s also shown to be a cretin.

He’s going through a lot, and Dwyer gives us a unique insight into his character’s mind. I love the author’s portrayal Richard: he’s conceited, self-obsessed and dealing with a lot of catastrophes, only some of which are self-inflicted. As the novel goes on, we see him battle with strange dreams in which the man who allegedly killed president Garfield comes to him and says that he was framed for the crime, all while dealing with the impact of the fallout as he leaves his family behind and starts a new life with a girl young enough to be his daughter.

The ‘action’ as it were, takes place in the Richard’s palatial home in a posh neighbourhood in Dublin, where Richard and Jenny, his new young assistant, work on his upcoming work together while family life goes on around them. Dwyer sets the scene amazingly and creates a unique juxtaposition between the stuffy setting and the snappy dialogue that takes place in it.

All in all, I thought that The Garfield Conspiracy was an insightful book that acts as a unique combination of critique of modern life and historical fiction. I learned a lot about the past and enjoyed meeting Dwyer’s host of characters. If you’re looking for an intriguing read that keeps you on your toes, then I’d recommend checking out this latest example of amazing Irish fiction.

Five Incredible Books About Real-Life Political Scandals

After seeing the trailers for the most recent series of American Crime Story, which centres on the Monica Lewinsky, and I couldn’t help but think about the impact that the scandal had on the world, both in terms of politics and popular culture.

Monica Lewinsky has become a byword for risky sex in the music scene, but in literature she is the perfect example of a young woman who finds herself faced with sexual harassment and contempt in a political arena.

The scandal has been covered extensively in books, both fiction and non-fiction. When I was at University, I read a fair few books about the scandal, and about other political disasters that have helped to shape the world that we live in today.

Real-life political scandals are a fascinating way to learn more about a society and the values that it holds dear, as well as the ways that it holds its politicians accountable for their transgressions.

If you’re eager to check out some intriguing non-fiction books about political scandals, some of which you may have heard of and want to know more about, and some that you might never had heard about before, then here’s a list of five awesome texts to start you off.

I’ve tried to choose books from political arenas and authors from around the world, so there’s something for everyone, wherever you’re from and whatever aspect of politics you’re interested in learning more about. This list is just a brief intro: hopefully it’ll wet your appetite and get you wanting more books about real-life political scandals.

5. Putin’s Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia?: Vladimir Putin is one of the world’s worst living dictators who has caused incredible hurt to minorities and wealthy oligarchs alike. While his rule over Russia is not one specific scandal, but rather one long-running grift, this book is still about the evil that this disgusting man has committed and the lasting legacy that he will leave on Russia, the USA and the rest of the world. Russian Scholar and Writer Karen Dawisha uses a variety of different sources, including insiders from Putin’s regime, Stasi archives, newspapers, journalists and more to put together a comprehensive overview of the impact that Putin’s regime has had. The book was published in 2014, so it is slightly dated, but it’s still a very well-researched insight into how Putin’s Russia has affected the global stage and had an impact on the lives of individual citizens as well.

4. A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President: The book that inspired the latest series of American Crime Story is definitely worth a read if you want to learn more about how Bill Clinton’s affair with a young member of the White House staff destroyed his political power and ruined the trust that the American people once had in their leader. Initially published in 1999, not long after the impeachment trial that bought the scandal to light, Jeffrey Toobin’s book is a full overview of the allegations made by Paula Jones and his affair with Monica Lewinsky. The book has since been updated and expanded to include more information on how the scandal evolved and developed over time. Toobin offers a complete timeline of the allegations and how they led to Clinton’s impeachment and the legal ramifications of his actions, both those that can be proved and those that were alleged. It’s an intriguing read that will give you a complete account of the scandal that you can’t really find elsewhere.

3. No Expense Spared: The UK’s MP expenses scandal almost tore Gordon Brown’s cabinet apart with its wild allegations of immense greed during a time of economic austerity for the rest of the country. Robert Winnett and Gordon Rayner were the Telegraph journalists who led a team of reporters who studied the expense reports and eventually broke the story, so their book is a first-hand account of how they came to realise the true scope of the information they had and how the story changed the way that the British public views its politicians. The book covers everything from the funnier side of the expenses reports, such as the costly duck house and moat cleaning through to the tales of house flipping, downright lies and fraud, all in an engaging and understandable way. The writers break down the scandal and explain the impact it had on the UK’s political world and what has changed since the scandal broke.

2. No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison: This incredible autobiography by Behrouz Boochani is brilliant and poetic even before you learn the true cost to the writer that the book came at. It was written on a phone as WhatsApp messages and was smuggled out of the prison to be translated and then published. Following on from the recent American withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and a rise in prejudice against refugees of that country and many others, this book about the writer’s desperate journey to Christmas Island and subsequent imprisonment in a facility run by the Australian government on Manus Island is a timely reminder that displaced people are not the enemy. It is a deeply human and heartbreaking tale that is all the more vivid and scary because it’s entirely true.

1. The Man Who Sold America: Joy-Ann Reid’s incredible book is a timely reminder of how the Trump administration worked to profit from the presidency and privatise as much as possible before his defeat in the 2020 election. The book, written before the election and updated later, gives an in-depth insight into America’s national accounts and how Trump and his cronies plundered them. It also explores how the former president made it clear that America was for sale and the ways in which he desperately tried to buy foreign favour before he was ousted. If you’re interested in a very recent political scandal and how it could impact the future of what was once the greatest nation in the world then this could be the book for you.