1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Hi there, well I’m a mum to two lovely boys. I live in Australia and I started writing about six years ago, when my second child was a baby and haven’t really stopped since. I enjoy weekends with my family, holidays at the beach, and I have an abnormal love of pickled onions and chocolate. Though not at the same time. LOL
2. When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
I don’t really know. I guess I always wanted to write a book, like a heap of other people, but never had the inspiration or the time. When I found myself at home taking care of my baby boy while my other child was at school I thought I’d give it a stab and “hey presto”! I had my first series of books written in just over a year.
3. How long does it take you to write a book?
Depends on the book, but I would definitely say writing is a far more enjoyable and easier process than editing and preparing your book for publishing. In my experience that has taken me twice, sometimes three times as long. With my first book it took me about three months to write, and about two years to edit, until I was happy to send it off for publishing. Now as I look back on that experience, I see the novice mistakes I made, and I am embarking on re-writing that book this year. Live and learn, I guess.
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully still alive and kicking, ha ha… and of course still writing. I’d love to say I might have a best seller out by then, but the likely hood of that is probably zero to none, though I certainly hope I give it a good shot and publish more books by then.
5. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Chaotic to say the least. I only get one day in the week, when I am alone in the house when the kids are at school, so that is probably my most productive time. When the kids are home it is easier for me to edit, as I can get up and down from my desk and be a mum when needed. I find I get frustrated if I try to write when I’m constantly distracted and the result usually shows with a lot of rubbish on the page.
6. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Oh, boy, you ask some great questions. I love Markus Zusak, and I loved his book The Messenger, so probably that one. The plot is so very clever, and I adore clever writing that is completely unpredictable, and he is a master at that.
7. What is the weirdest thing that has ever been said or done to you by a fan? (Internet stalkers count)
Ha, ha… I wish I had a heap of funny stories from crazy fans to share, mind I’ve probably heard a few from other authors. Alas, not sure that I have fans, just yet. I have had some lovely comments from a heap of followers and readers on this site, and I have had some requests to write from different viewpoints, which has kind of inspired me to continue writing more books in my current romance series.
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Sounds boring, but I love to read and review other writing. I also love to watch great movies and right now I’m addicted to TV shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. I also love to sleep in on rainy days, which isn’t all that often, worst luck.
9. What does your family think of your writing?
Wow, I’d love to say, they are a ball of encouragement and wave the writing flag each time I sit down to write, but realistically that isn’t always the case. For the most part they have been supportive, but sometimes they get a little mad at me for always being on the computer. My husband even blocked me from Wattpad for a joke the other day. And let’s just say I didn’t find it all that funny. I mean who would, right?
10. How do you think you've evolved creatively?
So, so much. The learning curve, since I first started writing, has been bigger than Mt Everest. Being creative is one thing, but writing so that someone wants to read it, is something else entirely. I’ve learnt to try and balance both, so that I allow my creative juices to flow, without compromising readability. Though sometimes those lines still get blurred.
11. What is your favorite quote?
“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Mark Twain. Makes me laugh every time, it is so true, when it comes to writing and editing.
12. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Reviews and comments, even on Wattpad when you’ve had lots of reads, are hard to come by. But whenever I do hear from readers about how they enjoyed my stories, it is such a buzz, and always makes me feel good. I’ve had my fair share of negative comments over the years and although they are sometimes tough to swallow, I always try not to dwell on them. I try to see if negative comments can improve my stories, and use it to help, rather than to hinder, my development as a writer.
13. What do you think makes a good story?
For me, number one, is great, memorable characters, that I either like from page one or grow to love as the story progresses. If I don’t engage with the characters, no matter how good the plot, the read is just mediocre for me. I especially love to get into character’s heads and find out what they are thinking as the story unfolds. But to make a story truly great you need a good recipe where everything, from characters, to plot to settings, to dialogue, works out a treat. There is nothing better, than finishing a truly great story and thinking about it for days. I love that.
14. Imagine your main character dies on page one. Everything else remains the same. Describe the new plot to your book.
I’m laughing at this question, because in one of my stories, this actually happens. But I won’t answer for that story. Wow, I don’t know how I’d go on writing if that happened, I’d be too sad. I really love my characters as I write them, and couldn’t imagine the story going anywhere if they were dead. I think my stories would be dead too.
15. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I’m not sure that I had a career in mind as a child, but I always wanted to be a mother.
16. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
This is a tough question. I love inspirational stories, of people who beat the odds and survive adversity and triumph in the end. So maybe someone like Nelson Mandela.
17. What was the easiest part of writing?
Probably the first page. I love writing the first page. When you get that initial inspiration, and its all in your head, and you can’t wait to get it down on the page. I love that buzz. After that, the writing becomes more complicated, as you tease out your initial ideas into a fully blown story.
18.Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Well, I have learnt a lot about the craft of writing and the English language. I’ve also learnt a great deal about the publishing world, and how to promote your books, including the etiquette around what to do and what not to do. I’ve also made a lot of friends along the way, and they have been a huge support and inspiration to me.
19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
If I could say anything, it would be a huge thank you. Writing is worth nothing, if no one reads it, and I’ve been so grateful for any reader who has given my books a chance, whether they have liked them or not.
20. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Well, I could write a ten thousand word essay here, but I’ll spare you that. I will say there is a plethora of advice out there for new writers. Some of it is good, and some of it isn’t. Some of it will help you, and some of it will make you doubt yourself and your abilities. My soul advice is listen to your inner voice and go with your gut. You should know what you like to read, and what you don’t. Analyse that information and apply that to your own writing. Most writers are their own worst critics, and I believe that’s a good thing. At the end of the day if you like what you write and only a handful of others feel the same, be happy in that knowledge, or if not, take that on board, and keep improving and trying new techniques/ideas each time you put pen to paper. For me becoming a good writer is a life long learning process, and as long as being on the journey makes me happy, I’ll continue to do it.
Cheers for having me, you had some cracking great questions, that were really fun to answer. Jxx