1. Why did you want to become a writer?
I’ve always written, and as a child I used to enter short story and poetry competitions. This continued when I went to university but then, as life became busier, writing took a back seat. I nursed the dream to write for years when my children were young, and I tried to write a novel but spent far too much time procrastinating, which meant that it didn’t get finished. A few years ago, my husband encouraged me to really try again, and following a few false starts, I finally had that amazing acceptance email. Since then, I haven’t stopped!
2. What's the toughest part of the writing process for you?
The fact that I have a day job too. There are days when I long to just stay home and write but I can’t and this definitely slows me down.
3. What's the most enjoyable part of writing?
When the characters start developing. I begin with an outline and character profiles, but as I write, these take off in all directions and the characters tell me things about themselves. It’s very exciting.
4. Out of all the amazing books out there, which book do you wish you had written and why?
This is such a difficult question because I’m a voracious reader and I love the work of so many authors. Jane Eyre is a solid favourite though and a book I’ve read countless times.
5. If you could only save one of your characters from fictional calamity, which would you pick and why?
Annie Thomas from Something Old, Something New. She’s had a lot of good experiences but some very tough times too. All she wants is to do the best for her children and to grab some happiness along the way. She’s a character I identify with and would like as a friend.
6. If you could spend the day with your favourite literary character (not from your books), who would you spend it with and what would you do?
Ooh! Another difficult one. I think for the fun factor, it would have to be Bridget Jones. I can just imagine giggling with her and sharing tea and cake and perhaps a bottle of bubbly too.
7. What can we expect next from you?
My second novel Something Old, Something New was released on 16th May and I’m working on my third. It’s set in Cornwall and features a head teacher who runs away from her job and an ex-marine who has an interesting hobby. So far they’ve made a fiery combination!
8. Is there any particular writing advice you wish you'd been given at the start of your writing career? If so, what is it? If not, what advice would you give to someone starting out?
The advice I would give to someone starting out is never surrender your dreams. It is possible to do this. Read, write and read some more. Make lots of notes and try to put aside some time for writing every day. If you write regularly, before you know it, you’ll have a draft of a story. It will need editing and developing, but that’s part of the process that every author goes through. Not many authors get it right first time, so try not to be disheartened if you are rejected at first. Learn from every rejection and make your writing better. Rejection hurts but getting that first acceptance makes up for it!
9. Tell us what a typical writing day involves for you.
I write whenever and wherever I can, although my most productive time seems to be early morning straight after breakfast. I make a cup of tea or coffee, read over my notes and the previous scene, visualize the scene I’m about to write, then off I go!
10. Finally, what are you reading at the moment?
I’m a big fan of women’s fiction and chick lit but I also love gritty thrillers. I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers because my wonderful husband often brings them home with the grocery shopping. (He’s an angel who feeds my reading addiction!) I’m currently reading The Poison Artist by Jonathan Moore. It’s good!
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When Annie Thomas agrees to give her ex away at his wedding to his boyfriend, she thinks she’ll be fine. With her three children at side, she can handle anything. Then she finds out her gorgeous first ex-husband Evan Llewellyn is flying in from his glamorous life in New York to attend as well!
An unexpected pregnancy ended their relationship and as she stumbles through the ups and downs of life as a working single mum – helping everyone else find a happy ending along the way – Annie refuses to believe their old and incredibly hot spark can still exist.
It’s only when she and Evan are forced to face up to the past together that they’ll discover if they can have their own happily-ever-after too!
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