What is one lesser-known fact about your childhood?
My parents tried to teach me how to ride a bike but I couldn’t balance it properly because (as we’ve discovered later) I’m dyspraxic. I still can’t ride a bike!
Who was the first person you shared your first ever story with?
The first story I wrote would have been shared with my Mum and Dad. They’ve both always been supportive of my writing.
How many books did you read before writing your first published novel?
I couldn’t say for certain but well into the hundreds or thousands.
What motivated you to start writing sci-fi books?
I’ve always written but had no idea what my genre would be. I studied Criminology so crime writing was the most obvious place to start. However, my first book was Sci-Fi and happened spontaneously, so work that one out!
How did you come up with the story of your book, "The Lamb"?
“The Lamb” was the first full length novel that I started to write. I am fascinated by true crime but also the goings on in small towns. For example, what happens behind the curtains in suburbia. The Lamb is a combination of the two. One day, I just had an idea about a serial killer who was obsessed with “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” and how they incorporated that into the crime scenes. Because I have read and studied so much about crime, it just seeped into the story.
What is the most challenging thing about writing a crime fiction novel?
The most challenging part is being realistic, I think. Just making sure that the details of the investigations are believable.
Is the character of Lachlan based on someone you know?
No, Lachlan is entirely fictional but I do see my Grandad on my Mum’s side when I picture him.
What did being an author mean to you as a child? What does it mean to you now?
A dream job and it continues to be. I love writing.
What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?
I am also a blues singer, though I haven’t done a gig in a while.
What is the best experience you had by putting yourself out of your comfort zone?
My best experience of being out of my comfort zone (other than writing) was freefalling out of a plane at 15,000 feet. It was fantastic, I loved it and even wore a bright pink jumpsuit!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The most challenging part of writing is editing. I have a poor short term memory because of the dyspraxia and so often find, once I go over my first drafts, sections of utter twaddle (rubbish) where I’ve obviously been tired while writing. Thankfully, I have very good beta readers who spot things too!
When writing novels, is it better to have daily time-spent-writing goals or words-written goals?
I can’t really speak for anyone else but I find word goals more helpful. Five hundred a day for me. Every day. It’s like therapy.
What makes you different from 99% of the population? And why?
We’re all unique, I think though I do love anything and everything vintage. I just find vintage things comforting and remind me of Saturday afternoons watching old films with my Mum.
What are some of your plans for the future? Are you working on a new project at the moment?
My plans are to keep writing as much as possible and carry on releasing books. I’m working on the fifth Nemo and Co. book, “The Heathback Break” and Kate Monroe book three, “The Brotherhood.” After I’ve finished those, I’m going to start on my first non-fiction book about my Uncle Stanley who died in WW1 under mysterious circumstances. It’ll be a challenge and lots of research.
When were you first introduced to AllAuthor and how?
I found out about “AllAuthor” through my fellow writers on Twitter so thank you to them!
