What is the one piece of music that reminds you of your childhood?
I couldn’t possibly pin point one song. Basically, anything from the 1980’s.
Who is your favorite Australian author, and why?
My favourite author is Marian Keyes, followed closely by Sophie Kinsella, but if I had to pick an Australian author, I would have to say Dianne Blacklock
What are some of the books that are really worth reading that you can recommend?
I have read some wonderful books in the past 12 months, by both traditionally published, and self-published authors. Here are my favourites. ‘The Man Who Didn’t Call’ by Rosie Walsh, ‘Wedding Night’ by Sophie Kinsella, ‘The Vintage Bookshop of Memories’ by Elizabeth Holland and ‘The Back Up Plan’ by Elsie McArthur.
Cat lover, what's your answer to those who say they're not as lovable as dogs?
I love both cats and dogs. You have a very different relationship with a cat than you do with a dog. I had cats for many years. My partner and I recently got two new Cavoodle puppies. Cats can be very affectionate, and there is nothing more calming than the sound of a cats little purr. I had a little Bombay called Bubba, and he was the most affectionate cat I had ever known, so loving. I still miss him terribly.
What do you actually want to convey to your readers writing about women's fiction?
I want to create stories that my readers can relate to, and have a great laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, and all my books are light hearted. Most of my books are inspired by real life.
How is writing fiction for women different from men?
This is an interesting question. Maybe I should rethink my marketing strategies, as come to think of it, men might like my books too.
What sparked the idea for your book, "Making March: Can Kate make it to March with her sanity intact?"?
Kate feels old, alone, and regrettably round. It’s the first of February, and today happens to be her fortieth birthday. This month, she must survive, a pending divorce, raising her offspring spawn from Satan, being Maid of Honor, a fellow bridesmaid from hell, multiple dress fittings, and her meddling mother. Can she make it to March with her sanity intact?
The idea for the book had been floating around in my head for many years, before I finally put pen to paper. After a lifetime of writing poems and short stories for my own enjoyment, I decided it was time, I started writing a book.
The story line contains both elements of true life and pure fiction. Kate is sarcastic and sometimes negative in her outlook, but I wanted to create a character, everyday women could relate to. Kate has a great sense of humour, and is certainly no angel. Nobody is perfect and I love that fact that she is very real.
The book explores personal insecurities, heartbreak, love, friendships, conflict, relationship struggles, parenting, infidelity, sex, questionable behaviour and much much more.
Who inspired the character of forty three year old Natalie in "Crayons and Chaos"?
That’s an easy one, me. At forty two, I left my marriage and met a wonderful man with two young boys from a previous marriage. I have no kids of my own, so adjusting to becoming an instant step mum wasn’t easy, and there have been lots of laughs along the way. So, the book is based on my own real life experience of becoming a step mum to two miniature terrorists.
What mistake did you make when self-publishing that we should all know about before we self-publish?
Before I learned anything about self-publishing, I had planned on handing over $2500 dollars to a vanity publisher. Publishing on Amazon is free. Granted you may still choose to pay for professional editing or formatting, but the actual uploading of the book etc is easy once you know how, and these publishers pray on the misinformed.
What evolutionary advantage does having a wicked sense of humour serve?
Writing light hearted humorous fiction would be very hard indeed, if you couldn’t find the funny in everyday situations.
As a coffee addict, what are the qualities you look for in a superb cup?
Number one, it has to be hot. There is nothing worse than being handed a luke warm cup of coffee. Number two, a smooth taste. A bitter cup is awful and it means the coffee beans were burnt. Making a good cup of coffee is an art and a great barista is worth their weight in gold as far as I’m concerned.
When writing a fictional novel, do you ever have to take into consideration whether the story will appeal to both men and women?
No I don’t, but as I mentioned earlier, I may think about potential male readers a bit more now.
What role do you think a step-mom should have in their step-child's life?
I think their role is to be another adult in their life who they can trust, and who plays a vital role in shaping the person they will become.
What are your book promotion ideas that actually worked?
I have found being active and engaging with others on social media has worked well for me. I also reached out to both my local radio station and local paper, which have opened up opportunities for more exposure.
When did you join All Author and what are your opinions about the website so far?
I think it was about three months ago and I have found it to be great. As a premium member, I get access to The Magic Tool and Mock-up banners which I use to promote my books. They are fun and eye catching, great for advertising.
