Eva Verde: My fear has always been that the drive for more inclusivity will fade away
So thrilled to kick off more author interviews with this thought-provoking conversation with Eva Verde. Eva’s debut novel Lives Like Mine explores family dynamics, casual racism, fidelity, motherhood and mixed race relationships in contemporary life and she is also a story contributor in the Stories to Make You Smile Anthology for World Book Night 2021.
Very grateful to Eva for her honesty and thoughtful answers here.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes. And I’ve always been a writer. I’ve notebooks in the loft filled with stories that date back to my childhood. My teenage years were spent pouring my guts into writing plays and novellas. Writing’s forever been a very natural part of me, yet always dismissed because, who gets to be a proper actual writer really? I truly never saw it for myself until most recently.
What led to your offer of representation with The Good Agency?
The moment I learnt that an agency specifically for underrepresented writers was opening for submissions I applied. It was at the point where I’d enough belief in my book to wonder if it was because neither me nor my story fitted the mainstream that no one was “getting it”, rather than my writing that was the problem.
I still got rejected on my first time applying to TGLA, though! Well, a revise and resubmit! This coincided with me landing some incredible mentoring, so I was gearing myself up to resubmit anyway when I met Abi Fellows, a new TGLA agent at a festival. Our meeting was unplanned, and, as I dread any sort of networkiness, a most natural introduction - we didn’t even talk about books! But she messaged me the following week and asked if I was represented or working on anything. I wanted very much to jump in and send her my manuscript immediately, but I finished the rewrite and sent it only when it was absolutely ready. About a week later she sent me an email I’ll never forget. At last! She loved Lives Like Mine from the off.
Before then I’d not realized how important it was to get the right agent, someone who loves your writing but also has the same ambition for it – to gel and get on is invaluable, especially at the start of your career. I needed someone I could trust, who I could throw all my questions at not worry about feeling stupid. I got very lucky with Abi.
What has been the best part so far and what has been the toughest?
I think the toughest part of publication has been not knowing what to expect. It is quite a strange thing when your lifelong dream comes true, when the years of emotion and graft are suddenly out there for...others to read! It felt a bit like, what now? How do I feel? Is this as I expected? Why not? This past year has been very much about learning on the spot - and staying brave. I’m not the most confident of souls and really hadn’t anticipated having to be a public person as part of my journey to publication, although saying that, the response I’ve had after events have been incredible. It is a juxtapose I don’t think I’ll ever truly get my head around; how one moment I’m the bookish classic introverted little hermit who only leaves the house to walk the dog, to suddenly running a writing workshop or on a panel with a full audience. It is as brilliant as it’s terrifying, and if I’m truly honest I still can’t believe it’s me when I do any sort of public speaking!
The publishing industry concedes that it has a problem with a lack of diversity. It often seems intransigently white, middle-class (and further up the ladder, male). Would you share your experience with us?
I think this is absolutely the case and I thank my lucky stars that at last the lack of diversity in publishing is being acknowledged. How it gets properly resolved is a massive grey area, however. I was most fortunate to benefit from being part of Kit De Waal’s Common People Anthology of Working Class Writers, an opportunity for new writers who, being working-class, didn’t fit the mainstream. There are untold barriers; from the fact that the top decisions makers as to what gets published aren’t the most diverse group of people themselves, and it begs the question what marvelous stories slip through the net just because the decision makers can’t connect / resonate with these stories.
Awareness remains so important. But it is an ongoing process and exhausting. I give much thanks to the writers like Kit who have opened the doors for the those of us who knew nothing about these often-invisible barriers at work and it’s something I very much hope to be able to do for others new writers. I am always conscious to be the best support I can for new underrepresented voices trying to break through.
How do you think the industry can be more inclusive going forward?
My fear has always been that the drive for more inclusivity will fade away as a passing phase or a trend. That’s why keeping the focus on awareness is so important. And change is happening. It is important to acknowledge the many excellent advocates in the industry making brilliant positive changes – Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nikesh Shukla for example. These days I find myself surrounded by an excellent team of brilliant women, all from very different backgrounds. It’s lovely to be part of the change within publishing.
What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting out?
Learn to believe in your gut and accept rejection as part of the process. Hand on heart, getting published is as much to do with sheer bloody-minded perseverance as it is talent. Plus, the more you keep trying, the better the writer you become and the greater the chances of your stars aligning. Also, don’t listen to those who want to pop your bubble. If I’d listened to the nay-sayers who made fun of my dreams, I’d not only be miserable as hell, but likely still stomaching their negativity! It is SO much better to believe in yourself.
What are you writing at the moment?
Book number two - which has been a whole new learning phase in itself! When Simon and Schuster pre-empted Lives Like Mine, the deal was for two books, so for the past six months I’ve been very involved with writing my newbie. It’s been challenging to say the least, and there were times when I thought LLM might’ve been my one hit wonder moment! It’s been odd to write knowing it’ll be published, and hard to write with a book already in the world that people are reading and judging. There’s nothing quite like checking Goodreads before settling down to some writing, only to have your confidence kicked by a bad review.
I’ve learnt that the best parts of writing are when you forget your hopes for it and just lose yourself in the words. I’ve just had my edits back from Clare my editor who I'm relieved to say loves this second book. So, there’s good work to do, and I am keen and boosted to get going again. Fingers crossed it’ll be out in the world late next summer.
And just for fun…
Your most anticipated reads of the year?
One of the most beautiful things lately has been getting to know other writers and sharing in all their excitements – which means my reading pile’s reached giddy and dangerous heights! The Call of Cassandra Rose by Sophia Spiers sounds darkly intriguing and my cup of tea, as does Erin Kelly’s The Skeleton Key. I am also quite partial to an audiobook and am looking forward (perhaps a little too much) to Paterson Joseph’s voice filling my kitchen with his debut novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho.
A favourite book you’ve read recently…?
I just loved Is This Love? By C.E Riley – proper punch in the gut emotion from page one. I am currently reading The Cure for Sleep by Tanya Shadrick which was recommended by my bestie and is absolutely living up to her praise.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I am a great fan of doing nothing. Away from books and reading my loves are telly, cooking and sleeping all the way. As a greedy girl, getting glammed up for a meal out is always lovely, and I do so adore staring into my husband's eyes while I stuff my face!
I love spending time with my friends, though I’m surprised to find that the older I get, nothing about me really changes! I still love sleepovers and gossip and laughing at shite as much as I always did - we just get to do it a bit more sophisticatedly at spas or Airbnb's than our old tiny teenage box-rooms!
Your dream weekend would…
Begin with a good night’s sleep! Then, an unhurried day mooching around London, perhaps taking in an exhibition or performance at The Southbank Centre, lots of good food and laughter, then a gorgeous hotel to refresh before a lush meal and a bit of theatre – or a jazz club. Any excuse to wear a fancy frock! Company could be family or friends, though perhaps the kids could magically vanish off to the grandparents before the jazz club part, because I couldn’t rule out turning into a very poor role model!
A TV show you’d recommend…
God, I love telly. My not-so-secret dream is to write for television, so I view binge-watching as honing my future craft! Brilliant things I’ve demolished recently include Black Bird, Severance and Shining Girls – all astonishing television. As a family we smash through Cobra Kai and Stranger Things the second a new series drops. And Eastenders. Through good times and the dreadful, EastEnders remains my steady source of entertainment since 1986 which I’ve proudly passed down to the kids. I may be an Essex girl now, but the old east-ender in me reigns supreme!
Thank you Eva. You can find out more about her books here and chat to her on Instagram @evakinderwrites.
I’d also recommend reading the report on the state of the books industry, published in June 2020 by the development agency Spread the Word, which highlights these issues across the publishing board, from literary festivals and prizes to publications and personnel.