Bath Spa and Beyond! Sophie Kirtley Q&A

Sophie Kirtley, author of The Haunting of Fortune Farm and The Wild Way Home, is a storyteller who writes about nature, folklore and the supernatural. She tells us how the Bath Spa MA helped her discover the sort of books she wanted to write.

What brought you to Bath Spa?

I had been eying the MA from afar ever since my daughter became a big Julia Green fan. Reading Julia's bio at the back of one of her books put the MA on my radar and at that time we'd just moved to the Bath area... it seemed too serendipitous an opportunity to waste!

What story did you include in the anthology?

It was an extract from 'Hartboy' which then grew to become my first published novel - The Wild Way Home. The story sprang from one of the workshop tasks we were set and I remember knowing instantly that this was territory I was keen to inhabit.

Can you tell us about your route to publication?

I had already signed with my then agent, wonderful Nancy Miles, by the time the anthology went to print. Together we reshaped the story - giving it a more streamlined structure and more commercial appeal. This process took about a year, but it was worth it as we then got two publication offers and I opted for Bloomsbury. 

What was the best piece of advice you received during your time on the MA?

To play. The MA was such a joyous, liberating experience for me. It allowed me to experiment, playfully, and by doing so become the writer I wanted to be.

Did you write anything on the course that you would like to return to one day?

Several things. No writing is ever wasted writing. There's one piece in particular about two sisters escaping from a war zone that has never really left me. Often it's the characters in abandoned writing who refuse to be forgotten - 'Hello! Remember me!' they say. 'I'm ready for my story now!' 

Visit Sophie Kirtley’s website. Her latest book, Swanfall is published by Bloomsbury in November