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I never intended to write a series
When readers asked about a follow-up to my debut novel, Sugar and Snails, I was surprised. Although I had thoughts about how my character, Diana, might have developed since 2004 when the novel is set, I didn’t plan to explore them in fiction. My perspective turned on its head shortly after I submitted my third…
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7 things I’d like readers to know
Different readers will find different things in a book and the author doesn’t always know best. Nevertheless, I’ve drawn up a list of seven things I’d like potential readers to know about my novel, Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Find out more in my post on the website Female First.
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From Jane Eyre to Matilda Windsor
I’ve been leading a walk through Jane Eyre territory for years but last month was the first time anyone asked me where Mr Rochester, the owner of Thornfield Hall, got his wealth from. I couldn’t remember what Charlotte Brontë tells us in the novel but assumed – as did the woman who asked the question…
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Never too old to make a difference, never too late to learn
Readers aren’t being rude when they refer to the heroine of my latest novel as a funny old woman. As she approaches her hundredth birthday in a care home, her youth has long gone … Read about my elderly heroine on the wonderful book blog, Being Anne:
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Finding the humour in a tragic life
Fiction is a branch of the entertainment industry, so even serious novels need to raise the occasional smile. But even though there were moments of comedy in my first two novels, I wouldn’t have thought humour was my strong suit. That changed with my third novel, Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home, published in 2021. It…
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Matty is inspired by Trooping the Colour
As mentioned in an earlier post, British Royal family had a lavish ceremony earlier this month and millions of fans from around the world joined in. But I was focused on a milestone in a much more modest House of Windsor as my fictional Ms Windsor becomes a three-book series. In my new novel, Lyrics…
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A Big Event in the House of Windsor
As you probably know, the Windsors of Buckingham Palace have had a shindig this weekend. Meanwhile, the character known as Matilda Windsor is about to feature in her third book. Yes, Matilda Windsor is now officially a trilogy. I can’t help viewing the festivities through Matty’s eyes. While I’m sure she’d love to hobnob with…
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5 reasons you might not want to read my next book
Keen as I am for readers to pick up my next novel, Lyrics for the Loved Ones, I don’t want you to spend your time and money on something you might not enjoy. So, I’m coming clean on the factors that could put readers off. It covers the early months of the pandemic, a period…