On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Andrew Montguire discusses the true story behind The Child They Took Away, a poignant tale of resilience and love as young Agnes endures the cruelties of a mid-20th century Scottish institution.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed Andrew Montguire about his life and career, what inspired him to write his new book, The Child They Took Away, and his writing process.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
My name is Andrew Montguire, I am just an average person, like many people I have a normal job during the day.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
I came up with the idea of writing a book when covid happened, I sat down and decided I wanted to do two children’s books about my dogs. Then as I had them published, I always said to myself that I would take myself out of my comfort zone and try a true story.
When did you take a step to start writing?
I decided to start writing when COVID happened, as we were not allowed to do much, my laptop became my best friend.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
My first book took a year from writing, Illustration’s to being published.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
As this was a true story, this book was handled with care and time, it took me around a year to write this due to the nature of the book.
Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write The Child They Took Away?
I remember the story’s my mum told us about her horrific time. I remember seeing others on tv speaking about their horrific time and decided that this sort of story should not just disappear. It should be in the public for people to read and educate themselves.
What were your biggest challenges with writing The Child They Took Away?
The biggest challenge was, to make the story as true to words as possible and making sure all the information was correct.
What was your research process for The Child They Took Away?
As this happened to a close family member, the research was easier as it was told step by step, we did visit the former Children’s home, The building is the same, However it has been converted into flats.
How did you plan the structure of The Child They Took Away?
The Structure of the book was planned by Chapter after Chapter and character after character.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Child They Took Away need?
I decided that I would do the editing of the book myself as it was a close subject to a family member, I wanted it to be a true as possible.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a book?
Do it! Take your time, plan where you want to your story to start and the ending, I always start backwards (from the end and work my way back.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
As This is a hobby of mines and not my main job, all I can say is keep your eyes out in the future for my next book.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
I am proud of all the books I have had published, there is not one day where I say I wish I could have changed this in a book.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3XmEyZz
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4ikqTuh
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4kasUe2
My Instagram is instagram.com/Andrewmontguire
My book is available on Waterstones.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, Apple Books.
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