Alexandra interviews Joanne Hichens, author of Stained, reviewed here. Stained is published by Ransom.
What’s your favourite thing about living in South Africa?
South
Africa, with a developing democracy, has an incredibly diverse
population, with all sorts of people living side by side – we call it
the Rainbow Nation! It’s a very exciting place to live in, though there
are many problems here, including a high crime rate. As a writer, there
is so much to write about, which also excites me. Whether I’m writing a
fiction story or journalism, there is so much to explore through
writing.
Stained tackles some difficult topics. Did you find it emotionally hard to write at times?
I like to tackle hard-hitting topics. There is so much we need to be talking about, young people face so many challenges these days that I don’t want to gloss over any issues that come up in my writing. Surprisingly, I didn’t find it difficult to write about. I worked as a therapist at a psychiatric hospital for a number of years, so I think I’m used to hearing all sorts of really sad and horrific stories. There are also lots of newspaper reports about rape and abuse here in South Africa. I think people are a little desensitised to it – and that’s why we really need to be saying, hey, look what’s going on! And what ask, what can we do about it?
Where did you get the inspiration for Stained?
As a mother of teenage girls myself, I think we have to be honest about some of the terrible things that are happening out there. Everyone likes to read lovely stories – but maybe there’s a place for more hard-hitting stories so that teens and parents and teachers can use them as a springboard to discuss some really important life issues. I think parents often don’t realise how exposed children are to all sorts of horrific stuff. To be honest, I believe parents need a wake-up call. It’s important to set boundaries and to look after our children. Too many parents don’t look after their kids, and sadly some are abused. And of course I wanted Grace – the main character of STAINED – to appreciate her mother, and realise her mother is there for her in all sorts of ways.
I had written a piece for a local newspaper on teenage pregnancy and I started to play around with the idea. How do young girls deal with abuse? How do they deal with pregnancy? What if I create a story and used both ideas? What could possess a young mother to hurt her own child? So as I asked these questions and started writing, the characters and story started to develop.
You write adult crime fiction as well. Do you have any time left for other hobbies?
Not at the moment! I work as an editor as well, and I have three children – two teenage daughters! And a seven-year old son – so I’m pretty busy at the moment! (Especially being a taxi service and an Automatic Teller Machine to my daughters!) But I love swimming. I live in a seaside suburb of Cape Town, called Muizenberg, and I love to swim in the sea especially. Muizenberg is a world-famous surfing spot, although there are a few sharks there, so it’s great to frolic in the waves. And I have a view of the sea from my home. I also do a bit of crocheting. I make baby blankets while I’m watching my favourite cop shows on TV (like Law and Order, and Wire in the Blood), which is a very granny-like thing to do, but I find it relaxing.
Do you have any advice for our readers who may want to write cutting edge fiction themselves one day?
My advice is to write from the heart. Write about something that really interests you. If you feel excited about something on a gut level, then carry on writing. Be true to yourself, and to your voice too. And remember, it takes a lot of effort sometimes to find that voice, so you have to keep at it! Don’t ever compare yourself to another writer – we are each unique, so trust in yourself and in what you have to say.
Interview by Alexandra
