Tell us some unknown facts about your hometown and early life.
I have two older brothers and one younger sister and was raised in a loving home by devoted parents. My sister and I had the privilege of taking ballet lessons and piano lessons – neither of which I was able to carry forward into adulthood. But the experience is something I’ll never forget. My parents always encouraged us to read and learn and, when in school I showed a flare for writing, they made sure I continued to do what I wanted to do.
Were you an avid reader as a child? Do you still read books?
As a child, I was always reading. Although I played with my friends or rode my bike or did what children do, I was most content to sit down with a book and read. It is a pastime I still enjoy today.
Where did your love for reading/writing books come from?
I think I became interested in reading when I was in school. I was granted access to a public library and would often go to check out books by my favorite author then, Enid Blyton. I used to look forward to the essay portions of my English lessons and loved to write about any topic the teacher would give us to do.
What was your first story about and do you plan on ever incorporating those early ideas into a published book in the future?
My first book was a prototype of the police series I have written today. Names and locations and storylines have been changed drastically, but there is an underlying theme that remains true to the first storylines.
Which literary character of any book do you most relate to?
I can’t say I relate to any given character. I’ve had too normal a life to be considered a tragic heroine!
What are some new themes and ideas you explore in your book "The Return"?
Writing about my hometown in The Return was a challenge – I didn’t want to portray any strong loyalties to either side of the community, and I tried to keep my balance as best as I could. I think I succeeded. It was exciting to write about a police service within the United Kingdom and use terminology I’m more used to than the American ways.
If you could live the life of Krista from "The Obsession", would you? Why or why not?
I live the life of every one of my main characters every time I write about them. I don’t think I would want to be like her, though, simply because she’s very intelligent and doesn’t have to work hard to get what she wants. She’s also one of my most endearing characters, to me anyway, and I wouldn’t change her for the world.
How many books do you plan to write in The Bathville Books series?
Currently, I’m working on book seven of the series. There will be two more.
What is “worldbuilding” in novel writing and how do you go about it?
I don’t know what world-building is.
What are some starting tips for an amateur writer who is trying to write literary fiction?
If you want to write a book, don’t procrastinate and be your own best critic. Anything you write, if it’s wrong, you can change it. Make sure you have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
What were some misconceptions you had about the book and publishing industry before you became a published author?
I never realized how lucrative a business it can be. I thought it would be just a simple matter of writing a book, sending it off to the first publisher I found, and getting a book deal straight away. If only!
Walk us through your writing process when you get a new idea.
I have no set way of how I write. I used to write everything down in longhand, then type it out on an electric typewriter. Now with an Up-to-date laptop, I can write, delete, rewrite, delete, delete some more, to my heart’s content.
What makes you most proud as an author?
I’m always proudest when people tell me they are impressed by my ability to write.
Which is the next book you are writing? What is it about?
The next book will be the 8th book in the Bathville Book series, and it will continue on from where I will leave off in book 7. I don’t want to give too much away, but there will be a devastating incident that will change the course of the characters’ lives forever.
Could you offer us some of your thoughts on AllAuthor and how it has benefited you? What are some things you think we could change to help it cater better to other authors?
AllAuthor does a remarkable job of promoting authors and helping them get their work “out there”. I haven’t benefitted much in the way of sales yet but I am sure AllAuthor will find a way to improve that.
