What was your childhood like? How has it been conducive to your career as an author?
I had a wonderful childhood in a time when children were allowed to play outside until sunset and use their imaginations to make up games. My parents were, and still are, active readers. My father reads mainly sci-fi and thrillers, and my mom romance, so I was encouraged to read as a child and that fed my over-active imagination. I binged on series by Enid Blyton and later Indulging in fantasy and horror by JRR Tolkien, Stephen King, and James Herbert.
Have you always wanted to be a writer or did the passion develop at a later age?
Pretty much. I was an avid reader as a child and made up wild post-apocalyptic stories and won competitions at school for my writing. I didn’t publish anything though until I was 50 in 2018.
What inspired you to write romance books? Why not any other genre?
I consider romance pure escapism and far removed from the depressing stories in the news and the travesties that happen around the world. And, as writing is as much an escape as reading, that was important to me.
What do you think is the most important thing an author must keep in mind while writing romance?
Love conquers all.
Tell us a little about the first book you ever published and what makes it so special.
My first book was Falling for His Angel and it was special to me because it is set in the eighties which is my era!
What was your main source of inspiration for "Bad Ink"? Is there any significance of giving this title to your book?
Bad Ink was my first attempt at Romantic Suspense and to be honest I’ve no idea where the inspiration came from. As with all my books an idea simply pops into my head and I run with it. The significance of the title is in reference to the many tattoos the main protagonist has from his time in prison in Mexico.
Your thoughts on conventional vs. self-publishing? What route did you choose and why?
I never gave conventional publishing a thought. Having ultimate control and the flexibility to move at a pace of my choosing is important to me.
How important are names to you when writing a book? How do you go about choosing names for your characters?
If I don’t think about it too much, I find names very easy to come up with. When I try to be too clever then I draw a blank.
How important do you think book covers are? Who usually designs your book covers?
I think covers draw readers to a book and are the number one marketing tool. I fell lucky with a design house on Fiverr with my first book and have stuck with them since.
What is "Into The Light" about and how did you come up with the idea for this book?
This book is about self-discovery and rebuilding confidence after divorce. Sadly, it is commonplace for long term relationships to fall apart for one reason or another and I wanted to write a story about karma and hope after divorce.
What was your favorite part, and your least favorite part, of the publishing journey?
My favourite part is the last edit on a book when I feel all the hard work has paid off and I’m simply tweaking all those months of hard work. My least favourite part is stalling on the first draft, which I do every time.
When is writing hardest for you? What do you do yo pick yourself up during those moments?
Writing is hardest for me during the first draft when sticking to the outlined plot is proving difficult and I feel like giving up. I give myself space and think about the issues and solutions usually while walking, and inevitably, find a way through it.
Every art form is open to various interpretations and reviews. How do you handle any negative reviews that come your way?
At first it was difficult for me to handle, as a scathing review can seem so personal. Now, I infrequently read reviews and if there is a negative one amongst them, I don’t take it to heart,
Is there anything you are currently working on that may intrigue the interest of your readers?
I’m writing a series set around a ranch in Central California. I’m enthralled with cowboys and I absolutely love writing about them. The first story is a prequel, Forged in Love, and introduces most of the characters for the rest of the series. The prequel is also part of the Girl Power Romance Collection, a series of books released in 2020 that celebrate ‘girl power’.
When did you first learn about AllAuthor and how were you introduced to it? What are some ways the website has helped you?
An author that I admire and follow, Samantha Cole, recommended AllAuthor and I signed up immediately for the free version. After having such great experience with it, this year I upgraded my membership so I could take full advantage of what the website has to offer. I love the book teasers and magic tools, and the tweet scheduler is awesome too.
