Where were you born? Since how long have you been living in London?
I was born in Southport, in the north of England and moved to London 25 years ago. I now live in Essex, just outside London, with my husband and have been here for 10 years,
At what age did you begin writing your first story? What was it about?
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember, and used to write fantasy based stories, as many boys do. It wasn’t a genre I continued with into adulthood, although I do enjoy reading it sometimes and escaping into another world. My writing always had humour in it, even from a young age and that’s something which has stuck.
What is the great question you do not understand from your childhood until now?
Why do you need to be patient? To be fair, I still haven’t worked this one out, but I’m a lot better at practising it than I was as a child!
What encouraged you to start writing crime and comedy fiction?
They are my favourite genres to read, so it was an obvious place to go.
What sparked the idea for your book, Murder for Political Correctness?
I wanted to write a murder mystery, but with a twist. I work in talent development as a day job, so always found training companies could be over the top and thought it could be a fun setting, and explore some topical issues, in a humorous way. The DCI Fenton Murder Trilogy was not a planned trilogy. Murder for Political Correctness was supposed to be a standalone book, but when I got to the end I knew there was more to do with the characters.
How did you begin writing the Reality Bites Trilogy?
Reality Bites was supposed to be my first novel. I started writing my first novel before self-publishing was a big thing, and wasn’t something I was considering. I was advised not to go for a story with a gay man as the lead character as a first novel as I wouldn’t get an agent, and to save it for later once I had a publishing deal. I hadn’t intended to park it for so long. I’m glad it worked out the way, because the trilogy is now so much more than it would have been had I written it ten years ago.
What fears did you have while publishing your first novel?
It took me three years to finish my first novel (I’m a lot faster now) and by that time I just wanted to publish it, and not go through the hassle of getting an agent. I had a company help me, who thankfully didn’t rip me off. You hear a lot of horror stories, but I learnt a lot of lessons in my first experience of publishing. I originally published the Fenton Trilogy between 2013-2016 and made a lot of mistakes. I rebranded them when the pandemic gave me two things which are usually sparse: money and time! I gave the books a facelift and republished them, and they took off quickly. It’s not just something people say: book covers really matter!
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good crime fiction?
I wouldn’t write what I call pure crime, but for me it has to have a good pace, solid characters and any twists have to be credible. You may not always guess whodunit, but you shouldn’t feel cheated when you get to the end.
Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you overcome it?
I get editing block, if that counts? I have ADHD and one of the big benefits is to be able to write a first draft very fast. My last book, Reality Bites Back Again, had a first draft done in 12 days. It took a lot longer to edit. It’s a necessary part of the process, so I consciously leave my book for weeks, sometimes months before I go back to it and edit. That way it feels fresh and exciting again, which acts as a big motivator.
Where did you meet your husband?
We met online, and will celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary later this year.
What are the other activities apart from writing you like to indulge in your free time?
I do a lot of walking (100k+ steps per week) and will listen to audiobooks and podcasts on my journey. I am a learning geek because of my day job. We love to travel and see new places, so enjoy cruises and I’m a big foodie, so all those steps come in useful to keep things in balance!
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Keep going. It’ll be worth it.
What is the sweetest fan-mail that you have ever received?
I get some lovely emails from readers who tell me how much they enjoyed reading my books, or short stories (I regularly publish short stories on my website), so for me it’s those emails where someone has taken time out of their day to email me and say they enjoyed my writing.
What's next for you? What are you working on now?
I’ve always wanted to write for TV, so I’m exploring that at the moment and really enjoying the process. It might lead to something, or it could just be an itch I need to scratch. I have an idea for a new comedy crime novel series and am planning to make a start on it later this year. There is also a non-fiction book for writers which I want to do. Something different, which isn’t already out there. Lots of things going on, and not enough time to do them all!
When were you first introduced to AllAuthor and how?
Through the Alliance of Independent Authors. I like all the different opportunities you provide authors to showcase their work and meet new readers. There’s a variety of tools, so there’s something for everyone.
