About the Author
What’s your background, and how did you get into writing books?
The first novels I wrote for my Teddy and dolls. I’d push them around in my pram and read them stories on the lawn. That worked fine until my two brothers removed the pram wheels to build a Go-cart! I’ve written all my life and have drawers full of half-finished manuscripts. None of them were good enough. I started my career as a newspaper journalist and transitioned into glossy magazines in New Zealand and South Africa, where I lived for 20 years. On my return home, I worked in publishing and then corporate Telco businesses before I focused full time on fiction writing.
How difficult is it to write historical fiction?
All my books are biographical, based on true stories of other people’s lives. My two WWII novels required a lot of research and tracking of the characters to create a cohesive story. This takes time, along with a lot of decisions about what to keep in and what to cut. Aligning the characters actions to historical facts, dates and events is the tricky bit and both Crow’s Song and No Ordinary Man took over 18 months to complete.
Why do you write historical, contemporary, biographical, suspense and romance?
It’s conventional for writers to stay in genre and target readers. It’s makes logical business sense, but I know myself! I read across many different genres and enjoy all kinds of stories with intriguing characters. I’d be bored stiff staying in one lane and writing very similar books. It’s a risk and much harder to draw readers but at least I’m enjoying the challenge and love writing across different genres.
What are your books about?
Most explore controversial characters that I’ve met in real-life. The plots involve romantic relationships and the associated family saga with emotional and psychological suspense. Some of the most innocuous people have lived through some challenging times.
Duplicity, also a true story, is a young woman’s journey to survive a dysfunctional upbringing and develop a client business, becoming extraordinarily wealthy.
In the past year I’ve begun to write across multi-genre and have just completed my first psychological thriller, The Foster Mother, which will be available later in 2023. It is also based on a true story.
Which did you enjoy writing the most, fiction or non-fiction?
I enjoyed writing them both for different reasons. Non-fiction appeals to my passion for hard news and fascination with unconventional true stories. But fiction allows full reign of my creative strengths. I love confronting characters with a life changing dilemma and putting them through the emotional wringer and exploring how they survive the webs they weave.
What does your working day look like?
I’m a full-time Author. While I’d love to write, and have done so at times, eight to 10 hours a day, it’s just not sustainable. Being an Indie writer means I have to spend several core hours a day with online marketing and advertising, production, and printing issues as well as regularly communicating with my devoted readers.
Are you working on anything new ?
Always. All kinds of weird things happen in life, and some are worthy of being turned into a novel. Currently I have several plots mapped with some chapters fleshed out ready to write. But it’s only after I’ve published a new book and taken a week or two away from my laptop, that the creative energies start clamouring in my mind. The next good idea steps to the forefront and all I need do is commit!
You need more than a passion to write professionally.
Tenacity, self-discipline, and commitment along with creative blood, sweat, and tears is just the start!
I was first published in a national magazine, The Listener, when I was fourteen. I wrote a story about my pet, Willy the Weasel. The double-page spread looked like a happy story but delivered a tragic ending. I titled it, In Memory of One I Loved. I had raised the ferret from a hairless newborn and was heartbroken when my cuddly, fury friend, Willy, was killed by a pitchfork wielding neighbour.
My next foray into writing was during the school holidays, working for the local Waikato Times. I became electrified by working as a cub reporter writing up the local town council meetings and re-writing weather reports!
In my final year at school, I convinced my parents to send me to New Plymouth Girls High, and it was there, I learned the dangers of critical journalism. I submitted a story to the national schools annual writing competition and came third with my critical piece about the headmistress. Twenty-four hours later I stood, trembling in front of an infuriated principal, red faced and screaming. I was shocked, after all, I had naively reversed the relevant surnames to disguise identities. Placed in detention for six weeks taught me a very bitter life-lesson. If you’re going to tell the truth, camouflage setting, names, places, and events or face the consequences!
A year later, I was selected with twenty-nine other fortunate wannabes to attend Wellington Polytech’s newspaper journalism course. Little did I know that there were many more life lessons lurking in the shadows to sharpen my instincts for a career in creative writing. It’s all been fun… mostly.