Introduce yourself and your writing
I live in a town in the centre of England, UK. I am a single parent with two children, who make my life worthwhile, but also drive me insane! My son is 14 and my daughter is 7 going on 17. She is every bit the drama queen and does not take after me for it. She is a complete extrovert, whereas my son and I are introverts. It makes for a tricky environment sometimes. We spend a lot of time together, having movie nights (Marvel with my son, at the moment; musicals with my daughter), crafting and going on long walks. We do a lot of baking, too, especially with my daughter being gluten free. It’s been a huge learning curve.
My debut came out on July 11, 2019, and that was First Kiss, the first in the Crush series. Since then, I’ve finished that series and started another two new ones with many books in between. My newest series are Love in Flames, which is set in the same world as the Crush series, and follows the firefighters of Cam Fire and Rescue; and Club Royal, which follows the fictional royal family who own and run a BDSM club.
How long have you been an author?
Two and a half years. My debut came out on July 11, which will be my third anniversary of publishing.
What/who inspired you to start writing?
An author friend who I was beta reading for suggested I give it a try. I had been writing since I was a teenager but had never thought of getting anything published.
Tell us about your new release. What inspired you to write it?
I had an idea for a royal family book, but I wasn’t sure whether it would work. Then I was talking with a friend, and I jokingly said, ‘Let’s make it a royal BDSM book.’ The idea took flight, and after speaking with another friend, Club Royal was born. Again, I wasn’t sure it would work, but my friends helped me to make it the best I could.
How did you decide on the title?
I knew what the storyline would be, so it fit in with the theme. It wasn’t just George’s grief we have to contend with either. It’s Timothy’s and Eddie’s – all in different ways.
What are you working on at present? Would you like to share a snippet?
I’m currently working on the third in the Love in Flames series, which follows the fire station crews and is based in the same world as my Crush series. Breathing Fire is the title.
“My little sister is not as innocent as she looks.” He smirked, and Isabella rolled her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. “Though she will deny it, I have plenty of ammunition for you to use should you need it, Holden.” He winked at the guy. “If I was a nice guy, I’d tell you about the time Isabella went to fetch chips for us on her bike, crashed into a post box but continued to the chip shop until they realised she was bleeding and called Mum and Dad to collect her because ‘We wanted chips.’ Or the time she protected her friend by throwing a punch at the school bully. But I’m not here to be a nice guy. I’m here to be Isabella’s embarrassing brother.”
What is the hardest part of writing any book?
The middle section. I enjoy starting a new book and writing the ending, but I get impatient in the middle because I want them to get their HEA. It’s no different to when I’m reading a story, to be honest. The middle sections of my books are the longest and, therefore, take longer to write, too.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don’t rush your writing and trust your instincts. People will offer their advice, which is fine, but if you don’t think it’s right for your story, then don’t do it. Everyone has different tastes, but the author knows the characters intimately. I’m not saying don’t listen to others. Just think on it before you act and change your story.
Why M/M?
I found the LGBT books I read were more well-rounded. The characters have all-encompassing character traits. By that I mean, they can be quiet and shy, they can be strong and silent, they can be alpha, they can be submissive, they can be anything and everything you want them to be. I found different genres had the same storylines over and over again, whereas LGBT took it to a new level.
Do you write any other genres?
No, but I would love to write a shifter novel one day as I love wolves. I’m a little scared to thought because I love a lot of the books I’ve read.
Do you have genres you prefer reading, and if so what are they?
No preference. I read anything.
What book/s are you reading at the moment?
I’m on a cheating binge at the moment. Some don’t like it, but I don’t mind. I like the see the intricacies of the characters’ thoughts and actions.
What novels do you adore/re-read?
JR Ward, Suzanne Brockmann, Christine Feehan
Which other writers do you follow?
Reese Knightley, Keira Andrews, Bea Paige, Onley James, and my favourite re-reads above.
Are any of your characters based on you or people you know?
Not fully, no. There are definitely snippets of characteristics and quirks that I might grab from personal experience, but not a whole person.
Do you have a favourite character and/or book you’ve written? Who, what and why?
Not really. My favourite changes with each book I write. Max from Primary Seduction, which is Crush book 3, has always held a piece of my heart, as had Casey from book 6, but at the moment, George from Grieving Royal is pulling at my heart strings.
Do characters and stories just pop into your head, or do you take your time thinking about and planning them?
Characters themselves just jump into my head, then I work on them to flesh them out a bit. The storyline get worked on once I know the characters. Mostly though, I just let my fingers do the writing and see what happens.
Do you get emails asking why characters didn’t get together and whether you’re going to write more about them?
Yes, I have several readers who have asked for more, mainly my taboo books. In When Fantasies Collide, there is a character called Wyatt, who will be getting his story soon, and in Too Many Secrets, readers have asked for the dad to get his story. I’m working on both.
Are you a panster or a plotter?
I’m kind of a mixture, but if I had to choose, I would say pantser. I plan a little about my characters and the basics of the storyline, but the rest happens as I’m writing.
How often do you write? Do you have a schedule?
I try my best to write every day. I’m very conscious that a routine for me works best, but sometimes, life gets in the way. When I’m writing every day, it tends to be between school hours in the week, and then in the evening every day.
What are your writing and personal goals for 2022 and beyond?
This year, I have plans for another two Club Royal books, another Love in Flames book, a Christmas book and a couple of secrets projects. Further ahead, I’ll be releasing the rest of the Club Royal series and have ideas about other projects but nothing is set in stone.
Are you obsessed with stationery? And if so, what and why?
Notebooks and pens. I love notebooks with positivity quotes on the front and at the minute, I love the Papermate InkJoy pens.
If you had access to a time machine just once, is there anything you’d go back and change? Either on a personal level or an historical event?
As much as there are several aspects I would love to go back and change, I fully believe I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am if I did that, so I wouldn’t change anything.
If you could choose any superpower or magical ability, what would it be and why? What would you do with it?
To have what’s in my head immediately on the computer. My stories live like a movie in my head and often I close my eyes and watch the scenes unfold before I write them.
If you could go anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go, who would you take with you, if anyone, and why?
DisneyWorld with my kids and dad. It is a place I doubt I will ever go. It’s a silly superstition, but when I was younger, my parents booked for us to go to DisneyWorld and a few days later, my dad lost his job. When he got another job and was settled, they booked it again, and a few days later, my dad lost his job. It happened a third time, too, and since then, we’ve refused to even think about booking it. I’m not usually superstitious, but this is one thing I don’t want to chance.
THANK YOU
