I refused to be labeled as stupid so I continued to try harder. As far as writing goes, I absolutely love stories about the underdog succeeding against all odds, and those are the types of adventures I enjoy writing. Hence the creation of my Altered Creatures book series. My kids have been joining me at my booth so it becomes a great family experience as well. I struggled my entire life to read and write and I refused to allow it to win.

So, to conquer my fears I dedicated myself to writing about 10 years ago. The first draft of the manuscript was awful. It came back from my editors filled with a blood bath of red ink. So, I had a choice to either give up or start over. You got it, I started over and rewrote the entire first book. It too came back marked up, but not as bad.

So I learned from that and did it again. This went on for 20 full rewrites until it not only was a great story, but I had become such a better writer. In fact, I had fallen in love with writing. Each novel since then has improved my skills and motivated me to do better.

Before finishing my first novel I entered a few short-story writing contests. After winning the first one and then the second one, I thought I might be on to something. Soon after those wins, I was asked to join the other authors and help judge future contests. I was honored and suddenly felt like I was part of a group I was always supposed to be in.

My love for Fantasy and Science Fiction allowed me to day dream about an adventure which I had never seen before. After decades of waiting for someone to write the story stuck in my brain, it was clear that only I would be publishing these ideas. My writing is very visual. Most fans tell me that by the time they end one of my books they truly felt they had been right there along with the characters the entire time.

After decades of thinking about these stories, I had made an entire encyclopedia of the history of the land, civilizations, creature evolution, and key characters. Since the books are very character-driven, the titles of the books had to be about them, such as Fate of Thorik, Essence of Gluic, and Plea of Avanda. Each book has its own messages without being preachy or shoving it your face, but the overall theme is that you can accomplish anything if you truly believe in yourself.

In general, your fate is in your hands. Now, what are you going to do with it? Take this story out of fantasy adventure and you still have a strong story of people trying to accomplish tasks even though they have different desires and goals. Most people can relate to these types of conflicts. Each character is fictional and yet most are a part of me or someone I know. This helps me keep them real to the reader and true to the story as well as how they interact with each other. Actually, I love Charles Dickens. He has a masterful writing voice that I relish. Actually, most of my reading the past few years have been reference books on topics like what life really was like in the Renaissance era, and how do people react to stressful situations, as well as history of various civilizations and what caused them to grow and then to fall.

However I struggle to find time to read a good story.

What a great first novel from them. This industry is filled with authors open to help each other, such as my friends Fred Weiss, Lyle Ernst, and Kimberly Sigafus. All of which have contributed to helping me on my journey and improving my books. But now is the best time in history to be a writer, thanks to the internet and all of the available resources to write, publish, and market.

No, not that I can think of. Each series has its own story line and protagonist, but they all have treads that link them together. Keeping it consistent and fresh.

Loves Me Loves Me Not

It drives me crazy when stories change logic or explanations for things throughout a series, so I wrote an entire encyclopedia of how everything works to keep me in line. At times, such as now while I have booths at various Comic Cons. I enjoy that a lot. I have to give credit to my brother for the 3D computer renderings he made for my book covers and all the maps. All of the illustrations for my series have been done by Steve Ott.

Figuring out which one to work on. I have so many stories I want to tell and they all flood in my mind at the same time. There is nothing in my life that has helped me overcome my dyslexia as much as writing. Have a thick skin and be willing to become a student of the business and industry. Listen to advice from those who have already made mistakes on their way to becoming a writer. Push your own plotlines down your own path. With me severe dyslexia I struggled to read an entire novel. I chose that series because I knew the characters and could visualize them easily while I read the story.

Our family helps foster small dogs until we can find them forever-homes. Those commercials just tear me up. Yes, I would like to meet a younger me and convince me to not waste so many years wishing for a better future when what I should have been doing is working on marking that future a reality. I also like to watch shows like Survivor to observe how people interact with each other under various stimuli. Shredded beef burrito smothered with Green Chile.

Ever since I lived in New Mexico, I have loved this dish. Life has been very good to me. You can reach me at www. Wedgeworth and Altered Creatures. Most of those have links to other locations to find me. Enjoy the adventure, everyone! I live in Essex with my hubby and two guinea pigs. Book five in The Connected Series is releasing this month!

While watching the TV adapation of Dracula with Jonathan Rhys Meyers one day, a scene came into my head, it was a man and a woman and they were arguing in the rain. There was so much emotion in that scene I had to know what caused it. I started writing and from that scene, Doubt the first novel in The Connected Series was born. The first time I received a message from a reader telling me, something I wrote struck a chord with them and that something in my story was exactly how they felt when it happened to them. As a reader, I have books that have helped me through very difficult times in my life, so for my words to help them is an incredible feeling.

That was until one dark December night when I was watching TV and instead of seeing Jessica playing Mina, I saw her with a man in the rain, arguing. I also have folders full of things that never make it into a book — backstory or things that happen after the book finishes. Just because the book has finished, there is no ending to my characters.

For all my stories, the title just happens. They are all usually obvious to what the story is about. Throughout the Connected Series , the message is ultimately that love is what keeps people together. I think all my stories are realistic. My stories are all about normal people, they all have situations you any of us can picture being in, I know I certainly can. However, I try to write from a point of knowledge, I find those stories are the best, if I have even a tiny amount of experience in what my characters are going through I can write better.

In some situations, I have no experience, but I can draw on another experience where I may have felt similar feelings and build on those. Yes, I really do. I feel like this is what I was supposed to do. I eat, sleep, breath writing. So I guess that part is challenging. Mr Hobbs creates all my covers. Pouring your heart and soul into something then handing it over for everyone to have an opinion on. Write for you, write the kind of story you would like to read. I really do appreciate the investment you make in my stories, the time you spend with my characters, the messages you send me.

They mean the world to me. My husband and the tears are always from laughing so much. I really want to give an intelligent answer here, but the silly part of my brain is yelling Nikolaj Coster-Waldau! I adore that man. She did her best, always smiled, loved with all her heart and was kind. I enjoy films that make me feel all warm and fuzzy so a good love story is always welcome. I left for college in the U. It needs to be scrubbed and presentable though, so lots of revision ahead. I read a lot when I was a child, to escape my surroundings and poverty, and books were free from the public library.

Somewhere in my 9 yr old inchoate childish mind, I decided I too wanted to write a book, so I wrote — in the style of Enid Blyton, mind you — a little book about a magical man, very tidy in his person, moustached and all.

I even designed the cover — all I remember of that was the yellow ochre colour that for some reason I deemed attractive! I wrote during my teenage years also — -a lot of lurid romances, none readable, very powered by adolescent hormones but romantic comedies are still one of my favourite genres! Then I stopped writing for a long time — from college onwards, throughout law school, and during the time I was practicing law. I picked it up again when I had my first child. But I love it when writers are able to experiment and put out successfully very different voices and styles.

There are a few — some high-brow and some almost embarrassing to reveal. Off the top of my head:. As you might guess from the anthology I put together, and the title of various stories of mine, food in fiction is a big part of what I write. He calls her Little White Peach, because of the subtle blemish that tinges her cheeks when she smiles, and her skin so fair it is a sheet of silk.

A mouth that is a distortion of rearranged teeth, wet lips and a tongue that snakes out. But then she sees Daddy with Uncle Peen — they drink cognac in cut-glass snifters imported from England and sit around reminiscing about their past. Daddy and Uncle Peen had gone to university together.

Finding the right voice for a piece. Extracting narrative and heart out of a story, finding what the character really wants to say. Each story is a challenge. Read widely, read deeply, read anything you can get your hands on. You learn from bad writing as from good, but most importantly, you learn things about yourself.

I will answer the favourite foods question — food is big on my agenda! I spend an inordinate amount of time in my headspace thinking about food! Quinoa in salads is my favourite at the moment — I eat a lot of it. And then my all time favourite — noodles. I wish I could endlessly reinvent myself. There are a few other vocations I wish I could have nine lives to explore — but first, if not a writer, it has to be cheffing. Cooking is one of my favourite things to do.

It does not mean I have any skills in any of these other things — merely that I daydream of other lives, and what those alternate realities might have been. Old enough to drink rum and carouse with Captain Jack himself in Tortuga! As an Army brat, I lived all over the world, including Germany, Japan and back to Germany again as a teenager. There is something FANtastical about walking along castle ramparts, treading the very ground where the Renaissance took place. I felt the connection even as a young 12 year old standing in Heidelberg Castle. But as war escalates and political bonds are severed, a devastating betrayal forces Gillian to make a life or death decision to save the man she loves.

Surrounded by the greatest spies in England, only one thing stands to defeat him — losing the one woman who has made life worth living. I think I always had the bug to write because I can remember writing poetry at 12 years old. I was lucky enough to have one of my Haikus published in my Junior High Yearbook. I continued to write poetry until the idea I could write my own romance hit in when we got our 1 st computer. Suddenly research material was more easily accessible. With four children, I no longer had to go to the Library to hunt up information, though I often did. The wide spectrum online allowed me to visit battlefields and more.

Historical romance has always been my passion. I cut my teeth on authors like Kathleen E. And the most wonderful thing of all? My husband supported me and took me on trips to the places I was writing about: This is a great question, Lady Fiona! The reverse is true. It makes no difference whether you are published or not. This is a loaded question. I spent various times of my youth in Oklahoma and Texas so that part of the US and the history played out there was very close to my heart. Fort Sill, Ok, saw the golden age of Quanah Parker, son of a captive white woman who rose to be a great chief.

Geronimo was imprisoned there for many years. I devoured Native American history for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ruminating on the lives of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, proud, honorable men fighting to keep their way of life. Out of 10 years of research, my book Flame Rising was born. But during this time, I was also raising four children with a military husband gone for various lengths of time, which kept me from writing consistently. I edit as I go, which makes writing the book slower but in the end, I have a more finished product.

This book is where I keep my research, extra photos, plot ideas and more and it always comes first in the writing process. I know my beginning and end of the book but very little about the middle. At that point, I can flesh things out as I go. No matter what happens in your life, no matter what fate throws in your path, there is always hope. Everyone has to put in the time to find their way out of darkness. As a historical romance author, I do my best to include as much factual research as possible.

Of course, as anyone can point out, errors slip through. On one hand, I can include every single historically correct phrase or description or on the other, I can use simpler modern terminology to make the story read smoother, faster, garnering more impact on the relationships between the two characters, instead of being bogged down on facts. For instance, Author Rachel Van Dyken did a marvelous job exemplifying this in her historical romances.

Historical authors straddle a fine line. While he was a diverse and tactical genius in the field, his personal life was askew. He married a widow then carried on a public affair with Lady Emma Hamilton, a married woman. His contemporaries warned him she was kryptonite. The Flame and The Flower was my 1 st historical romance. Many readers today feel that book glorifies rape. Historically, women have always been ill-used. Taken in context, I believe readers understand the obstacles a heroine or hero face. The hard part for me, as an author writing for modern readers is knowing when to put in the gritty, raw aspects of piracy in my books.

Two women once gave me the greatest advice. In fact, a picture of Ms. Barton hangs in my office to remind me to stay committed to writing stories readers will love. Love giving authors a shout out! Until I joined a professional writing organization, I was flailing in the wind like a loose sail. The support I found around people who got the voices in my head was profound. What did I change when I had the chance?

First, I listened to my editors who totally revamped the books and made them shine brighter than ever before. Second, I took feedback from reviewers and used productive suggestions to my advantage. Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, my series is better for all the hard work I put in last year. I owe it all to the great team at EsKape Press! Remove the rear view mirror. Put the blinders on and write! Hands down my favorite author is Shana Galen! Not only is Ms. Key thing to remember is everyone has 24 hours in a day.

How individuals utilize time defines whether or not anyone achieves a goal. Am I always successful? But I get up the next day and try again. Words, like steps, taken one at a time span the length of a story or space. Eventually a goal can be met. Perseverance wins the race! The Napoleonic Wars continued nearly two decades. We face a lengthy war today. I always love to answer questions like this, Lady Fiona!

The publishing industry is so full of pot holes. You MUST believe in yourself. So away the anchor and unfurl the sails! The 1 st book I remember reading that made me love reading would have to be a book called Valley Forge. This epic true story, meant for young kids, took me to the time of Washington and his heroic attempts to keep his men alive during the worst winter on record, without supplies.

My stomach knotted with hunger. I was 10 years old. Oh, Lady Fiona, this one is easy. Of all the heroes in the world, this man tops the list. He went to sea at 12 years old after his mother died. He proved himself loyal to England, rising from lowly mid-shipman to noble rank. He lost sight in his right eye at Calvi and his right arm near Corsica but was back on deck leading his men 30 minutes after having his arm amputated. He suffered several bouts of malaria but never gave up. But the courage, tenacity, honor, and conviction Nelson portrayed paved the way for England to become the most celebrated naval force in the world at a time when Napoleon had striped many of hope.

He was never without his tea, even on board ship. Oh, I would very much like to meet Admiral Nelson indeed! After seeing what the funeral home put us through when my grandparents died, I find it disgusting how much money funeral parlors milk out of grieving people. Just made that up. Seriously, I am fascinated by cemeteries and the stories eulogies parlay on tombstones. There is something oh so sacred about walking in a cemetery. If I was cremated, no one would ever find me, would they? But does it matter? I love addressing my artistic side. I garden during the summer. I make beaded bookmarks for my readers and jewelry too.

During football season and winter months, I love to knit on Saturdays while I watch my favorite teams. Penny Dreadful on Showtime. Game of Thrones on HBO. Daredevil and Hemlock Grove on Netflix. As a pirate, of course I must share my love of rum, in particular Strawberry Daiquiris.

My favorite color is green, red takes a close second! My musical tastes are very eclectic. I listen to just about anything, depending on my mood. As a young college student I went to art school intent on getting an Art Degree. But Prince Charming came along and swept me off my feet, distracting me with romance. We were married the end of my junior year in college and moved to CA for Italian Language School before transferring to Italy. At Language school, I acquired enough credits for a minor in Italian with every intention of finishing art school in, you guessed it, the land of the masters!

So my dreams of finishing art school in Italy were shelved as I had two children during our tour there. Maybe I would go back to school and get a history degree or take up fencing! Facebook- Official Fan Page: Katherine Bone lives in the south where she dreams of Rogues, Rebels and Rakes, and the happily ever afters every Alpha male deserves.

Katherine Bone has been passionate about all things historical since she was an Army brat traveling all over the world. No longer nomadic, she calls the south home and spends most of her time daydreaming about Charming and heroes of yesteryear. Ten minutes had passed since Garrick had left the townhouse. His steadfast code of morality and honor had consistently succeeded in suppressing his own needs and desires. And more importantly, how could she if she tried? In the past, their separations had been purely physical, an exhausting distance no preoccupation could eliminate.

And she knew well enough the folly of ignoring this new foe. They were as close as they could possibly be, and yet the distance had never been further. Did he feel it too? Now she suppressed a shiver in the resounding quiet. But at what cost? Her heart cried out with longing. He was no longer married. He could be hers, if not for the sorrowful voices haunting their lives or the ones they heard pulsating throughout the city.

Simon inhaled deeply, breaking the uncomfortable silence. His winded sigh heightened her doubts. Indigo lives in the Lake District, and spends his time exploring the mountains he loves. Strange things begin to happen, and Indigo realises he must uncover the secrets his family have kept hidden.

Danger looms as events spiral out of control, and Indigo needs to make choices that change him, his world, and his future forever. Book One in the Eidolon Series. Paul is soon forced to confront his past, determine the reality of his present, and plan for an unknown future. At Liverpool University she studied prehistoric monsters, among other things. A young adult time-slip adventure set in World War Two London.

Her head is always filled with fairy tales and happily-ever-after endings. With so many things changing beyond her control, is Tilly really ready to accept that happily ever afters might not even exist? Carys Jones lives in Shropshire, England, with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored dog Rollo. But then she meets someone who changes her life for ever … Just when things seem to be going right for Nicola, she vanishes. Was her disappearance voluntary, or was she abducted — or murdered? When her absence is noted back in the UK, Gillian Marsh is sent to investigate. Gillian is a good detective but her life is dysfunctional to say the least — and as she delves deeper into the case, she realises that she may be out of her depth professionally too.

She now lives in Wiltshire with her family and teaches in a primary school. Anna has also worked in the legal profession, a background which featured in her debut novel Life Without Me. The stress of his job is getting to him — usually in the form of hard liquor. When a second body is found — that of an ex-guard at Granton Young Offender Institution — Hal fears the worst. Is it a coincidence that Wiseman recently spent time at Granton, a place which has become a byword for corruption and scandal?

Soon enough, the case gets personal — and in more ways than one…. He is married to the writer Zillah Bethell and has two children. A breathtaking new thriller from the bestselling author of By Any Name When a sinister call about the whereabouts of a body comes through to the local police, Detective Inspector Trevor Joseph and his team investigate.

The institution is reputed to be haunted and Joseph and his colleagues feel a presence there — but is it human or are they dealing with the realms of the supernatural? As the search goes on, things that are all too human are discovered — supplies and evidence of someone having been in the vicinity.


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Soon, though, a worse discovery is made when several bodies are found hidden in a water tank. Are the rumours of systematic child abuse true — and is someone trying to get even? Her novel By Any Name has been made into a feature film set for release in Her cousin Michael is found guilty and locked away. Four years later, Rachel discovers that Michael is being granted the first step towards freedom. Unable to cope, she decides upon revenge, assuming a new identity. Corrigan lives in Berkshire. This is her debut novel. Tracy Whitwell is an actress, originally from Newcastle, who now lives in London.

Recent Posts

A dark tale of love and lies, obsession and betrayal, The Black Path is for fans of domestic noir and anyone who has ever wondered about the secrets people keep. How well do you really know those closest to you? Helen has been holding out for a hero all her life. Her father was a hero — but he was murdered when she was ten.

As bitter truths are uncovered, Helen must face her fears and the place which has haunted her since childhood — the Black Path. Lovers and Losers and Star People. The police think that William was killed by an elusive local criminal, but Kristen has reason to believe that Ros, is behind the killing. She thinks her big break has finally arrived — even though it means returning home to the Shetland Islands, which she ran away from as a teenager.

Marsali also writes for the monthly magazine Shetland Life. When former bomb expert Charlie Brodski finds a bomb planted under his own car, he has to turn to some unsavoury friends for help. Soon, Charlie must do them a favour in return for their assistance: Death in High Circles is the tenth full-length instalment in the Falconer Files, detective novels featuring dastardly deeds done in picture-postcard villages — and a delightful slice of humour.

There is mischief afoot in the village of Fallow Fold. Then a resident is attacked as he keeps a nocturnal vigil, hoping to catch whoever is responsible. A surfeit of uncharacteristic behaviour follows from the locals, and when a man disappears, there is a palpable whiff of evil in the air — which leads to a murderous attack on one of the police officers.

DI Falconer is forced to search his soul to discover who is really important in his life, and what really matters. She has written several phenomenally successful cosy crime series. The sixteenth in the acclaimed Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series. The incidents follow the company to Kent and their seriousness escalates until, inevitably, someone is murdered.

While the police look into the murder, Libby and Fran wonder why someone seemed so set against the ballet. Were occult forces at work, or was there a more worldly, personal motive? Sarjeant, a former actress who keeps getting herself mixed up in all sorts of murder mysteries. Lesley lives in Kent, which forms the setting of many of her novels.

This irreverent, fast-paced historical novel takes us to Normandy in AD where Henry, King of England, and Duke of the country is trying to bring his unruly barons to heel. Full of knowledge and pentup energy, all he wants to learn is the subject of Women. He soon falls for beautiful Juliana, daughter of the king and — unfortunately — wife of an ambitious and drunken local count.

But the disputes and intrigues of the barons and the Court cannot be kept at bay. He is married and lives in west London. Edward Ruadh Butler For fans of Ken Follett and Bernard Cornwell, Swordland is a gripping story of medieval life, and of some of the most important figures in twelfth-century Irish and British history. Robert FitzStephen is a warrior down on his luck. Arrogant, cold, but a brilliant soldier, his mother was a princess — but his father a lowly steward. When a Welsh rebellion brings defeat, his highborn comrades betray him to the enemy.

FitzStephen is doomed to a life of obscurity and shame — until King Diarmait arrives. Forced to flee Ireland by the High King, Diarmait seeks to reclaim his lands by any means, and that includes inviting the Normans in. Acceptance — or perhaps a kingdom of his own. He studied biomedical sciences and has had a diverse career as journalist, musician, and lifeguard, amongst other things. Swordland is his debut novel, the first in the Invader series of historical epics set in Britain and Ireland.

When her youngest son becomes a Norman hostage, she sets out through strife-torn England to seek help, but ends up in Exeter, a city under siege, with supplies running out fast. Gunnhild longs to leave Wilton Abbey but is her suitor, Count Alain of Richmond only interested in her inheritance? And is her own love for Count Alain an enduring one or has she made a mistake? The real-life story of a shocking elopement and love triangle set against the backdrop of eleventh-century politics.

Thea, the elder daughter of King Harold, travels with her brothers and grandmother into exile carrying revenge in her heart. She is married with two children. This second novel by the international bestselling author of Root of the Tudor Rose explores a love that leads to treason. Eleanor Cobham has married into the highest ranks of the aristocracy — she is now the Duchess of Gloucester. She and her husband, the Duke Humphrey, set up a court of their own to rival the royal court in London, surrounding themselves with fascinating and influential people.

But Eleanor craves the one thing she lacks: Desperate, Eleanor turns to the one person she believes can help her: Margery Jourdemayne, a woman now remembered as the infamous Witch of Eye. Such help comes at a high price… A tale of medieval politics and passions seen through the eyes of the women who lived through the era. She also had her own TV series and was later a successful director and producer. Her debut novel Root of the Tudor Rose, chronicling the French and Welsh origins of the Tudors, has been internationally acclaimed. Meanwhile, for ambitious Russians like Alexei Beletsky, the city offers a chance to change their homeland for the better — but Alexei still has to deal with the prejudices of the locals as he marries a Jewish girl, Ruth, and the new couple make enemies both Russian and Jewish.

She has been critically lauded for her series of novels including Hearts of Gold, which was made into a BBC mini-series. A powerful story of betrayal, love, and imagination set against the horrific backdrop of the Second World War. Julia and Suzanne, two Jewish girls from the Netherlands, are rounded up by the Nazis and transported to the ghetto of Theresienstadt.

The girls use a precious smuggled notebook to write a story, each contributing to an alternate reality that takes them away from the horrors of their daily lives, but there soon comes a point when reality can no longer be held at bay. Is there a chance of escaping that fate — and at what cost? His debut novel Call the Swallow was shortlisted for the Irish Fiction Prize and nominated for the Sunday Independent Novel of the Year, and he has also written several non-fiction titles.

He lives in Ireland. The series takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through history: Lies, Damned Lies, and History is the seventh installment of this time-travel adventure.

~ My interviews with many authors

They tend happen to other people. Grounded until the end of time, can she ever put things right? There are now seven books in the series, with more to follow, which has become bestselling throughout the world. Max and the team visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, and confront an old enemy intent on destroying them. Max is back for the sixth instalment. Then, suddenly, it came to me - he was being bullied. Suddenly, I understood him completely.

Rufus - Ru - isn't a central character but he is pivotal to the book. What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? Or remembering ideas once I have them! I have begun to write them down prior to evaporation point. It can be difficult to accept editorial direction, especially if I flat out disagree with what's being suggested. Having to rewrite and revise is part of a writer's life and I can love it or hate it.

It depends upon whether I think the change is going to improve my work for the better. I read in the same way others watch TV: I'm also a Formula 1-aholic - which is where most of my few TV watching hours go - and enjoy yoga and am learning to play the piano, but learning slowly and just for my own enjoyment. I like to travel but don't get enough opportunity; I love being out in the sunshine. What advice would you give a new writer?

Accent Press Print Catalogue by Accent Press - Issuu

A Persist B Educate yourself. If you don't persist, you're unlikely to succeed. The longer you persist, the more likely you are to succeed. But if you're not succeeding - work out why. Do you need a course? To buy some books about writing or the publishing business? Get yourself to writing events such as talks and conferences because you increase your market knowledge and also might meet other writers and, crucially, agents and editors. Joining the RNA and going to events was a huge milestone in my career because it gave me a 'can do' attitude.

I met so many people who were already doing it. They showed me what was possible. What draws you to your particular genre? That's quite hard to answer. I suppose I like the sensation and excitement of falling in love. Doing it in real life is perilous to my marriage. I do like happy endings, too, and wouldn't like to spend my life conjuring up violence or scary things. Do you enjoy writing sequels or series? If so, what is the special appeal for you? Serials, as in magazine serials, were a nice stepping stone for me from getting published in short fiction to long fiction.

I quite like episodic writing but it can be a challenge when you have months and months between writing an instalment and getting the approval of the editor - and the go ahead for the next. In my novels, I don't write in series in quite the same way, but do enjoy setting books in Middledip village, where some of the same characters crop up, such as Gwen at the shop or Tubb at the pub.

I got so much good feedback from it that I wanted to carry on setting some of my books there and my next, Dream a Little Dream, is to be about Liza, the sister of Cleo from All That Mullarkey. Liza was just too naughty and too much fun to leave as a secondary character. How do you promote your books? There are the obvious things such as book signings and the newsletter and chatting on Twitter and Facebook. If you want to sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Twitter or Facebook you can do it here.

I have a website at www. I think the blog is interesting. If I blog about something unusual or put up the details of a short story comp, I can get not only a lot of hits but people retweeting it or linking to it. I mention the post on forums and anywhere else I think it might get interest. When I've hit on one of these spikes of interest I often have people contacting me on Twitter, afterwards, to tell me they tried one of my books as a result. I always hope they'll like it enough to buy more and to tell their friends. I also put up a permanent page on my blog regarding manuscript presentation, because that helps a lot of people, which is good for them, and sends them to my site, which is good for me.

Choc Lit, who publish my novels, are very market savvy. They come up with all kinds of ideas and promotions and I make myself available for all of them, as I do any sniff of a lit fest. I get quite a few readers through my judging work and monthly columns with Writers Forum and also my writing students.

I get news items about forthcoming books wherever I can. And I do on-line interviews such as this one! And I carry around little business cards with the covers of my books on one side and its details on the other, so if a chance acquaintance expresses interest I can give them a card. And I put my books in the signature line of my emails. And I use postcards containing my covers as notelets.

I'm lucky to be supported by Choc Lit's publicists, too. If so, what do you do about it? I'm with Mickey Spillane: Too many to count. As well as the 'can do' attitude I mentioned, it has provided focused conferences to teach me about the industry, parties at which I network, a wealth of information and expertise to mine - the RNA members are ever generous - and most of my friends come from the RNA. Are you a specialist of one genre or do you have another identity? I write quite wholesome stuff for women's magazines, because that's their market. And sometimes, when writing, I have my creative writing tutor's hat on, which has its own 'voice'.

Neither of those things are really other genres - I haven't tried to write crime or anything not clever enough. I often begin by looking for general information about my subject, normally on the Internet. But it's better to talk to people who hold the knowledge that I need. Happily for me, I met a lovely American woman, Amanda, who had enough in common with Honor to be extremely useful to me. I was able to chatter to her about what kinds of things alienated her when she came to England to live, even though she'd had all those vacations here, and she read my manuscript and told me where I'd made Honor sound too British or I was coming over like a Brit trying to sound American, rather than a bona fide American.

The Internet is endlessly useful, though. I read case studies for whatever I'm researching or look for classes on the subject on YouTube. But I only took one Zumba class and realised that Honor was a lot better at it than I am. One who likes my books so much that she buys them all and then buys them for all her friends. I think I appeal to a wide age range but more women then men. My readers want to be entertained but have the capacity to go with my characters when I tackle a real issue or two.

Tell us about your latest book, and how you got the idea for it. Honor has spent her life living up to her name - being 'Honor-able' - but she finds both love and freedom increasingly important. The novel is set in the village of Eastingdean, near Brighton, where she meets Martyn Mayfair, who is alternately captivated and exasperated by her - but keeps finding himself offering help, when he knows it's not the best thing for his peace of mind. Especially when she takes Rufus Gordon under her wing. Ru's mother, Robina, is Martyn's stalker, so Martyn usually avoids him like the plague.

I'm not sure where I got the idea for the book.