Adele Parks, multi-million best selling author will be opening the Alnwick Story Fest at The Grand Opening two weeks today in the Market Place with music and magic. Here's our exclusive interview:
Join bestselling author Adele Parks as she takes centre stage at Alnwick Story Fest, offering a candid and compelling look at her extraordinary career. From her early dreams of becoming a writer in Teesside to publishing 24 bestsellers in 24 years, Adele has captivated readers with her sharp, thought-provoking novels tackling the messy realities of love, family, and fidelity. With over 5 million copies sold and her work translated into 31 languages, she is one of the UK’s most celebrated storytellers. Expect a lively, no-holds-barred conversation on the themes that drive her fiction, the power of books to change lives, and her unwavering commitment to making reading a right, not a privilege.
Here’s our exclusive interview:
24 novels in 24 years - wow! Where do you find your inspiration - where do you start in your writing process?
It’s a really tricky question to answer, I come up with dozens of ideas for stories all the time. I don’t know where they come from, it’s just the way my brain works. I’m curious about people, we can be both incredible and terrible. No one is simply good or bad, we’re complex and I like digging into why that is the case. I’m interested in extremes and I’m constantly asking ‘what if?’ I’m lucky that I love my work, even after all these years. Whenever I sit down to write I feel excited. I hope that translates into compelling g stories.
Who or what inspired your latest book First Wife’s Shadow?
First Wife’s Shadow is the story of jealousy and obsession, friendship and love. To find out exactly what inspired me you have to come to my event. I’ll tell you all about it then!
What are your favourite memories of growing up in NE? (How often do you come back?)
My parents and sister still live in Teesside so I’m back about once a month. I also work with Teesside University and sometimes lecture there, which gives me another excuse to visit the area.
I have endless great memories from growing up in the NE, most of them are firmly based around family as I was lucky enough to grow up by a huge extended family. Bank holidays spent at York, Whitby and Harrogate were so much fun. We always went for days out and I liked spending my pocket money on Lyon’s midget gems (the hard ones) they are not easy to find in the rest of the country and I find myself searching them out now (the black one are the best) and they always make me think of home. I remember enjoying a lot of space and freedom to grow up, grow bored, find amusement, imagine the future. I think that was a typical 70s/80s childhood.
I also really enjoyed my time at school. I went to a local primary school and a local comprehensive, both were brilliant. We were offered a lot of opportunities and support providing we were prepared to graft.
My first big tip for writing a novel is ‘get writing’. So many people say to me that they want to write a novel but in fact never write anything longer than a shopping list! Harsh but true. Try to write something every day, even if it’s just for ten minutes and even if you’re not in the mood. If you’re stuck for something to write about set yourself tasks, such as describing what you can see if you look out of the window, or your earliest memory or how a new dish tastes. It doesn’t matter what you write, or even if you ever use the exercises in your big novel, it simply develops discipline. I also recommend that you read a lot because that’s essential for all good writers. Averagely, I read a book a week. I have more tips for budding writers on my website www.adeleparks.com (under contact me).
Who inspires you in literary world and what are you reading right now?
I’m very lucky and I often get sent books before they are even published. At the moment I’m reading ‘The Death of Us’ by Abigail Dean. It’s out in April and it’s absolutely tremendous. It’s about a couple coping with the aftermath of a home intruder and a vicious attack. It’s beautifully written, managing to be tender, sensitive and suspenseful while dealing with a very dark subject. I’m a big fan of Abigail’s work.
Join Adele Parks at Alnwick Story Fest for an evening of gripping conversation, and take home her brand-new thriller, First Wife’s Shadow, included with your ticket—saving you £3 on the combined price.
📖 "Had me in a chokehold from beginning to end… A true five-star read." — Lisa Jewell 📖 "Devious and dizzying, with twist after twist after twist – I loved it." — Louise Candlish 📖 "Wonderfully dark and sinister." — The Sun 📖 "Skilfully written and gripping." — Lynda La Plante
