Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written about 40 books, maybe more. Quite a few of them never got published. At the moment, I’m like a writing machine! I’ve got into a new habit of writing first thing in the morning in bed after I’ve had my tea. The result is I’m getting through books at an alarming rate! Of course they are only first draft and need to be worked over and polished.
Whence this madness, you cry? Simple! I’m working with a group of fellow British Regency authors and we are releasing Regency anthologies three times a year. We began with reprints, but I soon ran out of books I could use and had to start writing again. I’m loving the productivity, and it’s helping me create a new series which I can release as they come out of the anthology.
It also gives me the rest of the day to edit, promote and do whatever else life throws at me.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
A Chance Gone By, the second of my new Cinderella themed books, came out in our Valentine Kisses: Regency Romantics 2016 anthology. I had a vague idea for this plot some time ago, but a song gave me the inspiration for the way it turned out.
I’m a diehard Elvis fan and these days anyone mad enough to get into my car is treated to Karaoke Elvis singalongs to his CDs. I got absolutely hooked by the song You Don’t Know Me – a classic which I originally knew from Ray Charles. The first scene of the book is based on words from this song and the title is a twist on one of the lines. The whole theme of the novel became wrapped around the idea within the song of being in love with someone who has no idea you love them and thinks of you as just a friend.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’ve said above that I write before getting out of bed for the day. What I write on might surprise you. It’s and Alphasmart – these days you can’t even get this model. This really simple computer was designed originally for young people who had difficulty using a computer at all. You switch on and it automatically takes you to wherever you last entered data. You type and it automatically saves, and if you leave it on accidentally it switches itself off. It’s battery run and the batteries last for ages. I love it! There’s only a small screen with four lines of text showing, but it’s plenty for me and I can write completely distraction free. No pinging messages or Facebook updates to tempt me away!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My early influence was Georgette Heyer, whose books I still re-read whenever I feel in need of a pick-me-up. When I began writing novels – after a good deal of messing about with different styles of writing – it was natural to choose historical romance set in the Georgian and Regency periods. I’ve never fallen out of love with the genre.
I’m an eclectic reader though, and you’ll find me as happy with an apocalyptic tale, Terry Pratchett or Harry Potter as with a good mystery and the occasional thriller. P G Wodehouse is another favourite and his tight writing and convoluted plots unfolding at breakneck speed were examples I learned from.
I enjoy some literary fiction and my edgy women’s fiction with an eye on the dark side is very much influenced by Daphne du Maurier. Reading authors who are masters of their craft is both a pleasure and a lesson. Like all writers, I strive to get better all the time.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing the first draft of the third book in the Cinderella themed series, having completed the first draft of the fourth book. Writing out of order! Must be one of those peculiar habits you asked about. The thing is, I have to write the book that is bouncing around in my head and demanding to be written. Once the characters start talking to me, it’s hard to set them aside and write something else. On the other hand, I’ve got to be able to meet the next deadline, so it’s a good thing I’m ahead of myself already!
The current book is tending to the gothic with a chilling villain and a bit of smoke and mirrors going on. Such fun!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use AskDavid for Twitter and I prefer to promote via established email newsletters. These are very targeted and, as I subscribe to many myself (I’m an avid buyer too!), I know that the promotion is only going to go to people who have requested the romance genre among their choices. That means I’m not wasting promotion on people who have no interest.
I’m currently using a very specific method I’ve learned from an author called Nick Stephenson to build my mailing list, which is already proving a success.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get the story down. You can’t edit a blank page. Get your first draft written by hook or by crook. Write line by line and keep at it until you have a complete story. Then you can work it through and restructure, edit and polish until it’s the best it can be.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up.
What are you reading now?
Just finished the tenth in a mystery series and hovering between buying the next one and reading that, or getting my teeth into something sitting around and waiting for me on my kindle. I’ll decide tonight. I read every night before I go to sleep and get through a quantity of books that way – at least one a week and often more.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I get this new series underway, I’m planning to go back to my historical mystery sleuth, Lady Fan and finish the third in the series which rather fell by the wayside for a while.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A complete Shakespeare is a must. Then I’d probably take Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable for never-ending curiosities. An anthology of Jane Austen and probably Pratchett’s Small Gods which is my favourite of his Discworld novels.
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