Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book Prime Deception?
Her twin sister, Laurie, refuses to believe that her sister killed herself and so she travels to London, to the heart of UK government to uncover the truth about Lorna’s demise.
Where did the inspiration come from?
Around the time of the last general election I was struggling to feel interested in the country's politics. I thought that a decent scandal would pique my interest and from that initial thought, Prime Deception was eventually born.
Are you a plot planner or do you start writing and see where it takes you?
I plan absolutely everything out. I know from the moment I start writing a book exactly where
it will end. Some things happen organically along the way; new characters are introduced
or main characters develop new traits, but overall the main story arc never changes from
concept to conclusion.
Are you currently working on a new book? If so, are you able to tell us anything about it?
I’m constantly working on a number of projects. I’ve got a few more books coming out with
CarinaUK over the next year, also in the Autumn I’ve got a big release with an American YA
publisher.
Right now I’m dividing my time between promotion for existing books and working on a new book which is a stand-alone novel which I guess you’d call a fantasy thriller. Once I've completed that I plan to write sequels for some of my previous books.
If you could go on a writing retreat anywhere in the world, where would it be?
New York, just so I could go shopping in my down time! I love shopping! I like to try on things
I can’t afford, especially Louboutin shoes! I take pictures of myself trying them on in shops
which is a bit sad, I know!
If you could write a famous person into one of your stories, who would it be and why?
It would have to be Leonardo DiCaprio simply because I absolutely adore him and he’s my dream guy. I’ve been a fan since I was about twelve and he’s never wavered from his position at the top of my list!
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?
Keep writing. Write because you love it. If you don’t love it, then when the inevitable knocks
come along they will be all the harder to take. For me, it’s been a long, uphill road to publication but my love of what I do has always seen me through.
If you could invite any three authors, alive or dead, to a dinner party who would you choose and why?
John Green – I love his books, he does an amazing job of capturing the fragile yet infinite
teenage spirit
Laura Ingalls Wilder – growing up my favourite book was Little House on the Prairie
Jodi Picoult – I admire how character driven her stories always are. They are about the
people and how events alter and change them, not necessarily the events themselves,
which makes her books so powerfully emotional to read.
What’s the last book you’ve read that has made you cry?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I read it on holiday over the summer and in hindsight it wasn’t the best choice as I wasn’t often found weeping poolside scaring other holiday makers!
The book really resonated with me as I battled with a long term illness throughout my teens
and the themes he explores within the book were really accurately portrayed. At times it felt
like I was re-reading conversations I’d had with my own parents when I was at my worst.
Really powerful stuff and wonderfully written.
When you’ve finished writing a book, do you treat yourself to a reward?
I reward myself daily when I hit a word count as opposed to a big reward at the end. I’m
quite easily pleased, settling down with a cup of tea, some biscuits and an episode of Grey’s
Anatomy is all I need. I find that small, consistent rewards really help motivate me especially
on days when the words need a bit of coaxing out.
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