Ahead of the publication of her new novel, The Story Collector, we caught up with Evie Woods to discuss her literary influences, writing process, and belief as an incredibly powerful thing.
Evie Woods’ first book, The Lost Bookshop, has sold one million copies worldwide, was a chart-topping success, and remained a Sunday Times bestseller for three long weeks. Her books tread the intriguing line between the every day and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
Her new book, The Story Collector, will be published on July 18 and is described as an evocative and charming novel full of secrets and mystery.
In a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everything… One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteered to help an American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life.
In present-day New York, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the west coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets.
Read on for our interview with Evie…
Did you always want to be a writer?
I’ve always been a storyteller. As a kid, that was my party piece. I would sit in front of my audience (family members who were basically held captive!) and just invent stories. I loved that feeling – just knowing that the words would come to me from somewhere and entertaining people with my imaginary characters. But I never thought I could be a writer. It seemed so unattainable to me.
So I suppose I was a frustrated creative – always looking for ways to bring creativity into my office jobs. I began by self-publishing in 2013 and I’m so glad that I did because I got to learn a lot about the industry from the ground up. I submitted my fourth novel, The Lost Bookshop, to One More Chapter (Harper Collins UK) and the rest is history!
What inspired you to start writing?
It’s hard to put my finger on it. I was living in Canada at the time and borrowing every Maeve Binchy and Marian Keyes book from my local library to ease my homesickness. I just loved the joy I got out of those stories and wanted to create my own. It was only when I left the corporate world and returned to Ireland that I really started taking it seriously, trying to learn the craft of plotting a novel, characterisation, and pacing. Writing has always been a form of self-expression for me and I suppose the real catalyst to becoming a professional author was the desire to create alchemy on the page and give back to readers what books had given me.
Tell us about your new book. Where did the idea come from?
All of my books are inspired by the world of the unseen and so it was only a matter of time before I explored Irish folklore and the superstitions I grew up believing in. I was far, far down a rabbit hole on the internet, researching Knockma in county Galway (home to Finvarra’s Castle, King of the Connaught fairies) when I came across a book by an American anthropologist. Walter Evans Yeeling Wentz came here in the early 1900s to study the fairy faith, as well as France and Britain. His findings were the catalyst for my story and after that, the stories just began to weave like threads into what became The Story Collector.
What do you hope this book instils in the reader?
A sense of curiosity and a connection to our past. Our past tells us who we are, and where we’ve come from. It’s so meaningful to me that one of the first organisations our government set up after Independence was the Irish Folklore Commission. So much of our cultural heritage was stripped away and as we see today around the world, this is used as a weapon to eradicate people. That is why our stories matter and hold such inherent value.
What did you learn when writing this book?
That belief is a powerful thing.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m a bit of a procrastinator, so I find it difficult to get started. But once I do, I don’t want anything to interrupt me. I even resent having to get dressed or make myself something to eat! I just want to stay with the story while it’s working and I’m in the flow. But you have to take a break from it and let the ideas germinate. Writing is such a strange thing because it’s frustrating and satisfying in equal measure. I read a quote once that said, I hate writing but I love having written and I hard relate to that.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I tend to draw inspiration from my imagination. I was like that as a child and thankfully never lost the joy of making things up. History also plays a big role in my storytelling and I often find myself inspired by historical figures and obscure tales. Literally anything can set off an idea, a place, film, music, newspaper articles, inanimate objects!
What are your top three favourite books of all time, and why?
This question should be illegal! For now, I will answer as follows:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is a total treat for the senses.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman hits the perfect dark comedic notes.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë will forever be my first love.
Who are some of your favourite authors, Irish or otherwise?
Angela Carter, Dorothy McArdle, and Nina George.
What are some upcoming book releases we should have on our radar?
I’m sure it’s already on everyone’s radar, but I’m really looking forward to Sally Rooney’s new novel, Intermezzo. The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins looks intriguing and I was a huge fan of The Binding. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for my next release, The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris in March 2025!
What book made you want to become a writer?
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron was like a personal guide for me and I will always credit that book for showing me how to pursue a creative life, prioritise my passions and give myself permission to do it. It showed me that becoming a writer wasn’t just about getting published, it was about living my truth.
What’s one book you would add to the school curriculum?
The Power by Naomi Alderman. This book radicalised me! I don’t normally read speculative fiction, but the premise of this book grabbed my imagination. It basically asks the question – what would happen if women ruled the world? It’s thought-provoking, compelling and makes you question everything – the perfect read for students.
What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?
Leanne O’Donnell’s Sparks of Bright Matter. I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book (perk of the job!) O’Donnell’s writing is just so seductive and if you’re a fan of The Essex Serpent or Golden Hill, I think you’ll love this book.
What’s some advice you’ve got for other aspiring writers?
Never give up! I’d been writing and publishing for ten years before I got a publishing deal and during that time I had countless rejections and near misses. It can be bruising, but let it make you a better writer. As the kids say, you need to be a little bit delulu (or a lot delusional) to get where you want to be. You have to keep believing in yourself and in the possibility. I tried to see other Irish authors’ successes as a sign that my break was coming soon. Eventually, that turned out to be true.
Lastly, what do the acts of reading and writing mean to you?
This sounds a bit dramatic, but I feel more myself when I’m writing. If I’m not writing I just seem to be a bit adrift. This has only become clear to me since I became published. I worried that being a commercial author would turn my love for writing into a job. But it hasn’t at all – what it has done is made me realise that when I’m not writing, I’m not myself. Reading takes me out of my little world, with my familiar problems and complaints. Books just elevate your thoughts to a different place where anything is possible.
The Story Collector by Evie Woods is out July 18.
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