Where did you get the inspiration for the book from?
Monica Carly: The fact that people are not always what they seem has long fascinated me. One day I found myself working out a particular scenario, where a husband had adored his wife for many years of what he believed to be an idyllically happy marriage, but in reality the wife fell well short of his image of her. The characters gradually gained flesh on the bones and began to come to life. I started delving into what might motivate a woman to pretend to be something she was not, and to act in an underhand manner, betraying a husband who had been so good to her. On the other hand, why might the husband be blind to what was going on about him, refusing to face unpalatable truths? When I had found answers to these questions I broadened the picture, adding other members of the family, and thought about the effects all this might have on their lives. I suppose you could say the inspiration came from my interest in what makes people behave the way they do.

What made you decide to write a book?
Monica Carly: I have always loved writing, and took a creative writing course many years ago, when my children were growing up. I produced several short stories, including some children’s stories, but it never before occurred to me to tackle a full length novel. However, my husband has been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for some time, and now, at 82 years of age, his immobility is such that he is virtually housebound, and I have found myself in the role of full time carer. I needed some means of mental escape from the daily routine, and discovered the therapeutic benefits of writing a novel.

Who is your book aimed at?
Monica Carly: Readers of both sexes tell me they have enjoyed my book, and younger and older people too. However, probably because I am one myself, I would say my target audience is the more mature woman.

Which author would you most like to be compared with, and why?
Monica Carly: My novel may appeal most strongly to women readers but I like to think that it perhaps transcends the genre generally described as ‘women’s fiction’, as do those of Joanna Trollope. I enjoy her wry observations and her insightful understanding of human psychology. I think she, like me, is intrigued by human behaviour and she has the ability to create characters that, although flawed, cause the reader to identify with them, and in fact become attached to them. She also presents the action from multiple viewpoints and her books are generally riveting. Without wishing to suggest that I have been able to reach her standard, I think nevertheless that she writes with an emotional depth that I have aspired to - and her characters often come to a new appreciation of issues during the course of the story.

Are the characters in Fraser’s Line based on anyone?
Monica Carly: No character in my story is based on any person from real life. That said, it is probably inevitable that some facets of people I know have appeared within the make-up of my invented characters. It is important to me that my characters come across as real people, and without true-to-life characteristics this would not be the case.

What is your favourite section from the book?
Monica Carly: I enjoyed writing many scenes in the story, one particular example being the occasion the children are excitedly setting out for their day with their grandfather in Brighton. Perhaps, however, the chapter I found most satisfying was Chapter 5 - the flashback to when Marjorie and Allan met.