Just like Abbie Greaves’ debut novel, The Ends of the Earth is a unique and moving love story with a mystery at its heart. The Penguin Post spoke with Abbie about her favourite character, balancing the past with the present and writing everywhere from planes to trains.
PP: What is your connection to Ealing Broadway station, and why set up Mary there?
AG: I knew from the off that Mary would need to keep her vigil somewhere busy and public and as I was living in London at the time, commuter train stations were at the forefront of my mind! I cycled through a few different stops near to where I had lived and worked but none of them felt right. Then, one day I went to a meeting in Ealing and everything fell into place – it was such a buzzy transport hub, I could just picture Mary sticking out like a sore thumb, with her steadfast refusal to move with everyone else’s flow.
PP: Your debut novel used past and present timelines to incredible effect (we loved The Silent Treatment). Why the decision to use this technique again with The Ends of the Earth?
AG: In The Ends of the Earth, Mary is by nature very private. In order for readers to connect with her, I knew they would need to understand how she came to be this way, and the key to that lies in her past. Balancing past and present timelines is so tricky though and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel frustrated that I keep getting drawn to this technique! That said, I believe that there is no present, no future, that isn’t shaped to some extent by our past, so I’m sure it will remain a feature of my writing.
PP: What draws you to addressing the themes of depression and loss in your work?
AG: It’s hard to think of anyone in my own life who hasn’t been affected to some extent by mental health struggles, and as such, depression and loss have always felt a part of the stories I want to tell. My hope is that the more these themes are discussed in fiction of all genres, the more the issues themselves will be normalised, and readers encouraged to seek help, should they need it. For me, the best books always strike the balance between light and dark, so I always strive to ensure that there is brightness woven throughout my books too.
“I’ve worked in so many different places over the past few years, innumerable flats and cities, planes and trains and beds and lawns and sheds – you name it, I have probably written a chapter there at some point or another!”
PP: Where do you draw creative inspiration from?
AG: It varies! For The Silent Treatment it was a newspaper article that I read whereas for The Ends of the Earth, it was the freneticism of my daily commute. I’ve had sparks of other ideas from images, locations, snippets of overheard conversations… If there was one common denominator, it would be aspects of my day to day life. I’m a magpie for personal experience.
PP: What’s your writing routine like, and where do you work from?
AG: If I had to summarise it in one word I would go for ‘random’. I’ve worked in so many different places over the past few years, innumerable flats and cities, planes and trains and beds and lawns and sheds – you name it, I have probably written a chapter there at some point or another! I do my best and most focussed work in the mornings with no internet and complete silence. Currently, I have a desk set up in my sitting room in Cambridge, UK.
PP: We read that you’re a plotter rather than a pantser; in what way does this technique help you with writing? And why not the alternative?
AG: I tend to work with a broad outline (the beginning, the end, maybe a few major events in-between) and perhaps a line or two for each chapter, although these are always subject to change. For me, it helps sustain narrative momentum. I don’t trust that I wouldn’t go off-piste and round in circles given complete liberty. I suppose it also reflects the sort of books that I like to read myself; I get nervous if I don’t feel like the story is going anywhere.
PP: Do you have a favourite character in The Ends of the Earth?
AG: I know I shouldn’t have favourites but I do and it’s Kit. I love his madcap charm, his inability to think before he opens his mouth, his boundlessly good heart. It wasn’t until I saw him in my mind’s eye, doing Duolingo, shoehorning titbits of random Spanish that he had learnt into conversation, that I really nailed his character. I feel I could write another novel with him as my protagonist!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abbie Greaves studied at Cambridge University before working in a literary agency for a number of years. She was inspired to write her first novel, The Silent Treatment, after reading a newspaper article about a boy in Japan who had never seen his parents speak to one another before. Abbie lives in Brighton with her boyfriend.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  |
by Abbie Greaves
 |
 |
|
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY…
Extract: The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves
For more on our latest and greatest titles, read The Penguin Post, our magazine about books for book lovers.