Where were you born and brought up?
In England, I was born and brought up in a small cotton industry town named Hyde, Cheshire.
Do you think you have collected a lot of stories in your childhood that you want to tell now?
Yes, my mother was a single parent, and her struggles to raise my sister and me were very evident. I have many stories, happy and sad, that I have collected and plan to publish in the future.
What was your biggest dream as a child? Did it ever come true?
My biggest dream as a child was to be a nurse, and it did come true. I successfully achieved my nursing license in England and also in the USA when I relocated here.
Who introduced you to the world of books?
My mother was an avid reader and went to a local library to exchange her books every Saturday. She got me a library ticket as soon as I was old enough to get one, and it was the highlight of my week.
Do you remember the first Brian Aldis novel you read?
"Hothouse" was the first Brian Aldis novel that I read, and his story introduced me to the world of Science Fiction, and I loved it.
Who inspired the character of Ramos, a dark magic user in "The Dragon's Tear Chronicles"?
Sauron, the primary antagonist character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel "The Lord of the Rings."
How did you come up with the plot of your novel, The Dragon's Tear Chronicles?
I enjoy Vampire stories and also Epic Fantasy stories. I decided to combine those concepts into one.
What is your ideal way to overcome writer's block?
I read through the last chapter that I have written, and the story tends to flow again quite quickly.
When writing novels, is it better to have daily time-spent-writing goals or words-written goals?
I set a daily time slot for my writing goals and do not stray from that. If I have been busy during the day and have not found the time to write, then I write in the evening.
How do pre-orders affect a book's popularity?
I have not utilized the pre-order feature yet. It is something I do plan to consider in the future, though.
Which is your most cherished memory of volunteering at a local Metaphysical Society?
My most cherished memory of volunteering at the Metaphysical Society is when I introduced our Board Members to an online meeting tool. It allowed us all to continue to meet virtually during the recent Covid lockdowns.
How has been your experience of being a Registered Nurse with a BSc in Information Systems?
Technology in the clinical environment progressed quickly, and I discovered that not all medical staff found that an easy transition. I decided to move into the Clinical Information Systems area and got a BSC. That opened up a whole new developing aspect of nursing that I had not known existed. I worked on deploying a hospital clinical documentation system for a software development company.
Who is your favorite author in the Fantasy genre?
Although Stephen King is known for writing horror stories, he has written some terrific fantasy stories too. "The Talisman" by Stephen King instantly made him my favorite Fantasy writer.
Are you working on anything at the moment? What are your plans for the next five or ten years?
I have almost finished the second book in The Dragon's Tear Chronicles and am on track to self-publish it in December this year. I have one more book planned in this series that I plan to write during 2022. I then have a new Fantasy series outlined that will span over the following three years. I am also working on a collection of short stories based on memories from my childhood.
How were you first introduced to AllAuthor? Do you have any feedback?
I belong to some writers group on social media, and I heard good things about AllAuthor there. I thought I would check AllAuthor out, and I signed up. I am delighted that I did.
