My Everything - Katie Marsh [Q&A]

Katie Marsh's debut novel My Everything was released yesterday (27th August 2015) and I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader's copy from Hodder Books! The book focuses around a married couple, who are having difficulties. Just when Hannah has had enough, Tom suffers a life-changing stroke and his world is turned upside down. I devoured the book, eager to see what was around the corner, and once I was done, I asked Katie some questions...so here you go!

1.    The character of Tom Ellison suffers a stroke - why did you choose to focus on this type of condition in particular?

I thought of the idea while working with stroke survivors in south London in 2010. I was very familiar with the symptoms of stroke and of its potential impact on both the stroke survivor themselves and on their families. I was also preparing to get married and the two things fused in my mind and became the premise for ‘My Everything’.

  2. Tom and Hannah are very relatable in the case of workaholic vs ambitious traveller - what would you say was the most difficult thing to write about in terms of their conflicts with each other?

I found it very challenging to really give the reader a balanced picture of their relationship and how it had evolved and fallen apart. Initially I didn’t have any scenes seen purely from Tom’s perspective and so every conflict was interpreted from Hannah’s point of view, meaning the reader was inevitably on her side. I wanted to make the reader care about both characters and I worked really hard to make that happen. The published version of ‘My Everything’ was the eighth draft of the book, and it took that many drafts for a reason!

3. The character of Julie is extremely deep, how did you end up giving her such a powerful story?

I really love Julie. I think she’s had an incredibly tough time and that she has been - to a certain extent - failed by those around her and not been given credit for the good things she has done. Therefore I wanted to give her a storyline that forced her to get her act together and make the most of the (many) talents she has. I am excited about Julie’s future and frequently find myself wondering what she’ll get up to next.

4. What do you hope for readers to obtain from My Everything?

Obviously - like any novelist - I hope people care about the characters and keep turning the pages to find out what happens to them. But I also hope readers have a greater awareness of stroke and its impact on families and individuals and - crucially - that they see that there can be hope after stroke and that people can reshape their lives and redefine themselves afterwards. I hope the book leaves people uplifted and hopeful about what their own lives and relationships might have in store.

5. And finally, who would you say was the strongest character in My Everything and why?

I find that impossible to answer as in my mind Tom and Hannah are equally strong. Maybe that’s a question I need to leave readers to decide…?

Thanks so much for your time Katie, and to Hodder Books for sending me this fab book!