Living in the wilds of Dorset with her family, Clare - writing as Clare Empson - gave us two gripping domestic noir thrillers. Now, with Broken Country, her US debut under the name Clare Leslie Hall, she explores a forbidden love affair with catastrophic consequences, inspired by the timeless The Go-Between by LP Hartley. We caught up with Clare to chat about her writing process, what fuels her creativity, and the books that continue to shape her world.
What’s the book you always gift to friends?
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Which book have you reread the most?
Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively. I will never tire of it.
What are you reading at the moment?
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The prose is breathtaking.
What are your reading habits like?
Obsessive. I always have several books on the go and can’t seem to stop buying or borrowing new ones. And if a book really has me in its grip, I have to cast everything else aside until I’ve finished it.
What was your path to becoming an author?
I spent the first half of my career as a journalist before I began writing fiction. The route to publication was long-winded with a fair few bumps along the road but I got there in the end. My first novel was published nine years after I wrote the very first sentence.
What is the importance of telling stories?
It’s such a powerful form of human connection. I love the history and tradition of it from telling tales around a campfire to that feeling of absolute immersion in someone else’s imagination. There is nothing like it.
How would you describe your writing process in five words?
Retreat to a parallel universe.
Which 3 other authors or literary characters would you choose as housemates?
Jay Gatbsy for his cordial nature (and ideally in his house), Jane Austen’s Emma to keep it interesting and Charles Highway (from Martin Amis’s The Rachel Papers) for his wit.
Which stationery item is your secret for getting super organised?
I have a whiteboard in my office - a new addition which has been a life saver.
How much of your writing process happens with pen and paper?
I am always jotting down sentences and ideas in notebooks - the act of writing them down means I am less likely to forget. And if the words aren’t flowing, I switch to a pen and paper, and it seems to free me up. I don’t know why but it works.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers wanting to start?
Just plunge in and start writing. Give yourself permission to be bad - you can fix it later. Perfectionism is your enemy at the beginning!
