Q&A: Jenny Colgan, Author of ‘Christmas At The Island Hotel’

Another heartfelt and delightful Christmas tale from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas on the Island.

We had the pleasure of chatting to author Jenny Colgan all about her new novel Christmas At The Island Hotel, book recommendations, and much more!

Hi, Jenny! Tell us a bit about yourself!

Hello! Well, I’m a novelist, I live with my husband, three kids and two dogs in Scotland, and I love to write romantic comedies about my home country, as well as some sci-fi and I write a bit for Doctor Who.

With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day? 

Well, we’re all just trying to keep positive. Thankfully our schools are still open so the children are all right. The masks and so on I don’t mind at all, but I really really miss going to the cinema and I cannot WAIT to throw a party again. God I do love a party.  Fortunately, I work on my own from home anyway so that didn’t change too much. Sending love to all your readers though, it’s tough.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

My mother used to say my primary 1 (kindergarten) teacher said I was a writer from the first thing I ever wrote but I don’t know if that is true or not. But I always loved reading, was always addicted to books.

Your new novel, Christmas At The Island Hotel, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Funny, glittering, winter holiday romance!

Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?

Well it takes place on the remote Scottish island of Mure, where the inhabitants are trying to open a wonderful hotel in time for Christmas, with a very grumpy french chef and a Scandinavian pot boy who doesn’t seem to have ever been inside a kitchen before…. lots of high jinks ensue.  

What inspired you to write this novel?

Funnily enough, my daughter. She loves those Netflix Christmas movies and we watch them together every year and she said, ‘can you write something like that’, and I said, well, probably not exactly like that, but the hero is a rich Norwegian who has been banished for misbehaving and has to redeem himself, so it’s quite good fun in that way.

Did you face any difficulties while writing, such as writing a scene or conducting research? If so, how did you overcome them?

I had to construct a large art work on the island and without giving too much away, that was as much of a headache to arrange for me as it was for the characters in the novel but I think we got there in the end.

With Christmas At The Island Hotel obviously being set during the holidays, do you have any favourite holiday-themed books or movies?

Oh yes, I just love The Dark is Rising, which is my absolute favourite Christmas book; I am not as crazy about Elf as everyone else but I have a massive soft spot for Scrooged as my late mother just loved it and anything Bill Murray was in, and I love Sleepless in Seattle which I know is not exactly a Christmas movie but I think counts. And Die Hard of course.

What is your writing process like? 

Banal and tedious from the outside I should think! I go to a coffee shop, stare into the middle distance, type for two hours then eat a sandwich. I’m a fast typist so I just kind of watch the movie in my head and type it out.

You’ve published numerous novels over the last 20 years. What would you say is the most important thing you have learned when it comes to writing and publishing?

Get your words done without worrying what it’s like. If you’ve got 90,000 words, you can fix them. If you haven’t because you’re worried they’re not good enough, a book will never happen. Also  don’t think about how long a book is because they’re REALLY long. Don’t think, I have to write 90,000 words. Just think, today I have to write 2000, or whatever your word count is. Then do it again the next day. Oh, and back up. Please back up your work. For me, please.

What’s next for you? 

I have finished my new novel, about a girl who is in search of peace and quiet, and accidentally moves in next door to the world’s noisiest person. It’s fun, I hope!

Lastly, are you currently reading anything, and do you have any book recommendations for our readers? 

Oh yes, I’m always reading. Currently I’m reading Girl A which I think is going to be a big book next year, it’s like Room. And Who They Was which is a ferocious novel about London gang culture by Gabriel Krauze. My favourite book this year was Piranesi by Susannah Clarke, it’s like a half-remembered dream.

Will you be picking up Christmas At The Island Hotel? Tell us in the comments below!