What do you write? 

Sci-fi/action/comedy/randomness lol!


How and when did the writing life begin for you?

I'd have to say when I was deployed overseas in Afghanistan.


How has the journey been up to this point?

An adventure! I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm just having fun and trying to create a cool story that people will like and hopefully get them to escape for whatever reason.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Getting the right format down for writing a story because I failed English and drove my friends crazy asking for right words for this and that. Finding a publisher right for me was scary and difficult but I got it done. Now promoting my book is the big headache.

The enjoyable experiences have been friends and others telling me that they got my book and loved it!


Would you go back and change anything?

No, I think I have a good story that's new and not a rerun or reboot.


Where do you want to be in 5 years, and 10 years?

I don't know. I don't think of tomorrow and just focus on today and making it better than yesterday.


Plans for the future?
​
More books and hopefully movies or TV shows.


Any advice for new writers?

Take your time. Nothing good comes from rushing.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or mayo? - Ketchup
Night or day? - Both
Cats or dogs? - Both
Twitter or Facebook? - Facebook
e-book or Paperback? - Paperback
Rain or sun? - Both, but I like a good snow.
Keyboard or notebook and pen? - I use keyboard and a notebook and pen, and just about all over the place to write down ideas!
Drama or comedy? - Comedy, action, sci-fi - I like a good story that keeps me hooked.

 
Writing fiction about women was neither a conscious decision nor an accident - an all girl’s school and a sizeable chunk of adulthood in the beauty industry dictated the genre for me.
 
I also find us fascinating: what we love, what we fear, the many things we find infuriating or delightful. Writing it all down just seems like the logical thing to do.
 
I live in Dorset, England with an assortment of other humans and a sock stealing spaniel. I studied creative writing at Bournemouth Arts University.
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‘You’re an angry insomniac with night sweats and memory loss… Hello?’
 
When a friend has the audacity to suggest that forty-five-year-old landscape gardener Eliza Hamilton is hurtling toward menopause, she is naturally appalled. Menopause is something that happens to other women, older women.
 
As Eliza tries to negotiate this new and confusing landscape, she also embarks on the biggest challenge of her career so far. But she soon discovers that juggling erratic mood swings with motherhood, demanding family members and domestic drudgery is not the harmonious scenario she’d envisaged.
 
If Eliza wants to embrace midlife without the crisis, she must first make some grown up choices and face some rather uncomfortable home truths.
 
 
Relatable and uplifting, this fresh and funny tale of midlife angst is grabbing the attention of women worldwide.
​
​

Who are you and what do you write?

I’m Betsy Price and I write funny and uplifting female fiction.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
 
Overgrown is my first novel and was published in April 2020, a month before my fiftieth birthday. I’d always loved writing but, as many aspiring story tellers, was always missing that key component: confidence. Before becoming a full-time writer, I worked for many years in the beauty industry. I’d been very fortunate to travel and move around with my career, but once I’d settled down and had a solid routine with children in school, I became restless and the urge to write continued to tap at my heels so I enrolled on an evening course in creative writing at my local university. I was apprehensive at first but it was an amazing journey where I met so many different types of people with a vast range of age and experience. I would work late into the night to complete assignments and would eagerly read them aloud in class the following week; something that a younger version of myself would struggle to do.
 
One of our assignments was to write about a subject we felt was often overlooked in fiction. At the time there was a lot of talk around menopause, with both clients and friends. It was spoken about freely in the most part, and with light humour.  But the deeper I delved, I found that there was also a lot of ignorance and with that of course, comes fear – this was when I gave birth to my protagonist, Eliza.
 
The assignment, a witty short story about a woman in denial of reaching middle age, was never intended to grow into a full blown novel, it just evolved over a few years. Eliza’s story became an itch which had to be scratched and somewhere around 30,000 words, I decided to make the commitment to turn it into a novel.


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
The hardest part, and I know I speak for many here, is finding the time to write around work and family commitments. And once you finally reach that magical milestone moment of writing ‘the end’, the realisation of the mammoth task of editorial work can be overwhelming. The most enjoyable part for me is getting to know the characters and putting their words down on paper.
 


Would you go back and change anything?
​
The learning curve has been immense and I’ve loved every bit of it. The only thing I would go back and change is the crushing self doubt. If I could have believed in myself a little more then the whole process would’ve been a lot smoother and I’d probably be outlining my third book now instead of my second! But on the flip side, learning and growth is an important and ongoing journey in every writer’s career.
 

What are your plans for the future? 

In the next five years I plan to write at least three more novels, all in a similar genre. I love listening to women’s stories and feel privileged to have the ability to weave these anecdotes into fictional tales that others want to read. After that, when the kids have flown and we are free, we plan to travel a lot more. I still want to write, but maybe the genre may shift, I’m not sure yet.
 

Any advice for new writer? 

Advice to new writers? Believe in yourself and enjoy the process. Remember that writing is subjective, not everyone will like your work and that is absolutely fine. Find any international bestselling, Booker prize winning, critically acclaimed novel and you will always find negative reviews; don’t let it hold you back. And write from the heart, listen to what your characters have to say and put all of their grubby, annoying, embarrassing failings down on the page and don’t worry about what your grandma might think.

 
Importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? - Mayo
Day or Night? - Day
Inside or Outrside? - Outside
Facebook or Twitter? - Both
e-book or Paperback? - Both
Sun or Rain? - Sun
Keyboard or Notebook and Pen? - Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? - Comedy
Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate

​An ex-Spitfire pilot is dragged into a race against a shadowy government agency to unlock the secrets of the lost empire of Atlantis...

In post-war 1952, the good guys are supposed to have won. But not everything is as it seems when ex-Spitfire pilot Captain Samantha Moxley is dragged into a fight against the shadowy US government agency she used to work for. Now, with former Nazis and otherworldly monsters on her trail, Captain Moxley is forced into protecting her archaeologist sister in a race to retrieve two ancient keys that will unlock the secrets of a long-lost empire - to ensure a civilisation-destroying weapon doesn't fall into the wrong hands. But what will she have to sacrifice to save the world?

​Who are you and what do you write?
 
I’m Dan Hanks and right now I’m mainly writing stories featuring weary heroes or portals to other worlds. This may or may not be because I am very tired and also love the idea of being able to escape, just temporarily, to somewhere different, away from *gestures to everything*.
 
Captain Moxley and the Embers of the Empire (out in September!) is my third book, but the first that will see the light of day. Set in post-war 1952, it’s about a former Spitfire pilot who gets dragged into protecting her archaeologist sister as they race to find the fabled Hall of Records before a shadowy government agency.
​

Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?
 
The first ever story I wrote was at primary school and it basically ripped off Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’s mine cart chase, but there was also a snowbeast that killed everyone. I’m pretty sure I got called out on stealing everyone else’s ideas and didn’t write properly again until my mid-twenties! After that I spent many years writing a huge fantasy novel, then fell into freelance editorial writing when I lived in Australia, then tried screenwriting, comic writing, copywriting, content writing… and eventually moved back to novels when I returned to the UK.
 
So my writing life has been varied. I’ve tried a bit of everything and that’s been enjoyable. Plus writing in different mediums helps hone your craft, I’ve found. Screenplays helped me improve my dialogue. Writing comics helped me get better at breaking scenes down and ‘directing’ them in my head so they were easier to follow. And writing published editorial pieces helped me realise that someone will always hate what you write and maybe you should just stay away from the comments section…


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?
 
Oh man, it’s been a long journey. About 18 years since I started that very first proper book, after which I went through the usual querying trenches for an eternity. But the best thing I did during that time, to keep myself busy and enthusiastic (because querying is DRAINING), was becoming a staff writer for Fantasy Faction. This was invaluable in helping me learn how to review other peoples’ work, plus it allowed me to build connections with authors and agents I interviewed. In fact, that’s how I first connected with an agent I’d long admired – Sara Megibow – who eventually became my agent!
 
However, publishing being publishing means that grabbing your dream agent doesn’t always mean smooth sailing after that. The book that I signed with did sell pretty quickly, but then for reasons that couldn’t be overcome the deal fell through. That is quite an experience – having announced the news, written the blog post you always wanted to write, and then it all goes wrong and you have to constantly explain on the quiet that actually that book isn’t coming out anymore and might not ever.
 
Anyway, what you do when that happens is just keep going. To get myself out of that rut, I started adapting an action-adventure screenplay I’d written. That turned into this book. And this book sold with a publisher I’ve long admired and wanted to work with, and I got the cover of my dreams, and I’m even getting some nice reviews. So it’s all good!


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?
 
Losing that deal, just before Christmas 2018, was heartbreaking. It seems a very trivial thing in today’s world with so much actual horror going on, but that was a goal I’d waited so long for and worked so hard to reach, and having it taken away again was tough.
 
The most enjoyable though… everything to do with this current book. Seriously! Sara’s enthusiasm over it in the first place, then my editor Eleanor Teasdale loving it, working with the Angry Robot team, seeing my cover come to life by artist Dan Strange, seeing it appear on my favourite bookshop websites(!!) and now hearing that people are enjoying it. Everything has been brilliant.


Would you go back and change anything?
 
I feel that I was a bit lost and directionless in my twenties, so I wish I’d started writing properly a bit earlier. But, no, it all happened for a reason and I’m finally where I wanted to be, so it all worked out.


Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future?
 
As long as we’re all still around in 5 years and not living in vaults or anything (it’s been a long five months under ‘lockdown’ here), it would be great to still be writing books that get published and find readers. Thankfully things are already going well for projects after this book, so it’s looking promising.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?
 
Don’t give up. I think that’s the key really. Most of my friends in the writing community over the last ten years have found success in some form simply by persevering. We’ve all had rejections and low moments, queries that didn’t land, books that didn’t sell, books that sold but fell through, books that sold and were published but didn’t do very well for no real reason. But we somehow kept going. Sometimes the happy end goal happens pretty quickly for people, sometimes it takes longer. But if you don’t give up, if you keep writing, it’ll happen.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo?
Ketchup
Night or Day?
Night.
Inside or Outside?
It used to be inside, but after this lockdown business OUTSIDE PLEASE
Dogs or Cats?
Dogs.
Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter.
Ebook or Paperback?
Paperback.
Sun or Rain?
Sun.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook?
Keyboard.
Comedy or Drama?
Comedy.
Chips or Chocolate?
Chips/crisps. But that’s a close one and now I’m going to have a square of chocolate to ensure its feelings aren’t hurt.

You Know What? Clavis Books, 2017

​Who are you and what do you write?

I am Carol Gordon Ekster – first and foremost an educator. That’s all I ever wanted to be when I was growing up. I played school often with friends and cousins and was always the teacher! When I go after something – I’m all in. So it was with education. I taught 4th grade for 35 years and put my heart and soul into making learning fun and trying to pass on my values of putting in the time to do your best work possible. I got my masters’ degree in reading and language and the many workshops and courses I took post degree, all seemed to have something to do with picture books and children’s literature. I even took a half year paid sabbatical to look at how other teachers used writing workshops in their classroom. When I came back the following year, I incorporated individual writing meetings – like critique sessions, into my language arts program. Each child left my class with a book of their writing from the year…something I know families cherished. Reading so many picture books throughout the year to support all aspects of my curriculum, as well as helping children write, prepared me for writing picture books. My background also helps me create follow-up activities for my books as well as know how to interact with children in readings or school visits. Though becoming a children’s author was completely unexpected, as I found writing challenging, it came as a gift and at the perfect time, towards the end of my teaching career. And now my passion has shifted to writing. I am truly grateful for this new way to communicate with children and this needed purpose in my life.


Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

The summer after I turned 50, I was sitting on the beach one day and out of the clear blue, I left my seat to walk to the parking lot to get post-its and a pen from my car. I wrote my first picture book that day. It seriously felt like I had no control in this action. Writing happened to me. I never looked back and dug into the writing life. That first manuscript was didactic, too long, read more like a magazine article, and would never sell. I joined SCBWI (society of children’s book writers and illustrators) and a critique group, and the stories kept coming. The 20th manuscript I wrote was the first one to sell. Six years after that day on the beach, I held my first published book in my hand.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

Since this was an unexpected addition to my life, it has been truly miraculous the way it has all transpired. I am grateful for the experience. However, it is so opposite in so many ways from being a teacher. In teaching, everything needs to be immediate. If you don’t correct misconceptions or incorrect ways of doing math problems immediately, serious misunderstandings can develop. I marked every paper and test the same day I collected them. In the publishing business it is a very slow process. My newest book, SOME DADDIES, coming out with Beaming Books in spring 2022, was accepted in December 2018. (It was recently pushed back another year because of covid) Nothing is immediate in publishing! My third book, BEFORE I SLEEP: I SAY THANK YOU, 2015, (now in its third printing) took ten years from the time I wrote it (with many revisions in between) to hold the book in my hand. Also, in teaching, even though I was a strict teacher, there was a feeling of love, respect, and family within the walls of our room. In publishing, I experience so much rejection. I have recently sent out my 108th manuscript. I have close to 2,000 rejections in these 17 years that I have submitted. Only five of those manuscripts became books, one became an e-book, two became magazine articles, and my first Highlights Magazine sale this past December will hopefully be on the pages of the December 2021 edition. The odds are not good. Then reviews come out, and there will always be some disappointing ones. Let’s just say it’s the rare review that could make me feel that same touchy feely warmth as an appreciative note from a parent or student. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Of course, those highs help to balance the lows. I was thrilled when I learned that my most recent picture book, YOU KNOW WHAT? was a CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards Nominee for Talk (2018) and a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award in New England, 2018. And I felt joy when the publisher e-mailed to tell me that there would be Arabic, Korean, and Chinese translations. My journey has been a roller coaster ride. But every author’s journey is different. I originally thought when I wrote my first manuscript that day, that of course it would be published. Ha! Little did I know about the business. And as far as this very difficult time of covid-19, I continue to write. My writing routine hasn’t changed that much. I have Zoom critique meetings and so many on-line offerings of webinars and craft chats through SCBWI, Highlights Foundation, and 12x12. Staying connected to the #kidlit writing community and being inspired by this giving and talented group has helped to keep me on track. 


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

As I hinted to above, the waiting is hard. That’s partly my hyper personality, partly the nature of this business. The rejections are not fun either. I’ve come close to a few other manuscripts being sold and an almost-signing with an agent...but now? I am agented!!! I'm thrilled to announce that I am represented by the terrific #kidlit supporter, Kaitlyn Sanchez from Olswanger Literary LLC. I think one thing you can absolutely count on in this business is that there will be ups and downs. 

What has been most enjoyable? I’m so grateful to have this gift of a second career. I’m always busy with my writing. I work on multiple stories at once. I’m revising, submitting, or waiting to see what each day brings. Some days I get to see sketches for my upcoming book. Some days I work on an interview, like this one! I’m also in five critique groups, some in person, some on-line, and I love going to meet-ups and chatting with like-minded #kidlit loving folks. But what a bonus it is that I can make my own schedule…no longer bound by a bell ringing multiple times a day to tell me when it’s lunch, recess, etc. And when I do a Skype or Zoom visit, or an in-person event, it is the joy of connecting with those kids that keeps me going through all the waiting and rejections.


Would you go back and change anything?

Maybe I’d be more patient. Sometimes I’ve sent out a manuscript before it was really ready. I think though, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. You have to love your own journey and believe in the process. Okay…maybe I wouldn’t have minded selling more copies of each title or winning important awards!


Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time?

I’d like to have an agent with five more books coming out into the world. Winning an award or two would be amazing!


And 10?

Ten more books! A book a year sounds wonderful.  


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Be patient with yourself but do your homework. Read as much as you can in the genre you’re writing. Join a group of writers. Work hard! You want your best stories out there to touch lives.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup
Night or Day? Day
Inside or Outside? Outside
Dogs or Cats? Dogs! (I’m allergic to cats and a cat shredded my wedding veil on the day of my wedding. I really am not still holding a grudge. It’s been 45 years!)
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter!
e-book or Paperback? Paperback
Sun or Rain? Sun
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? Keyboard
Comedy or Drama? Comedy – so wonderful to laugh!
Chips or Chocolate? Chocolate!
 

​
Book distribution used to be heavily tied to the publishers. Publishers had access to libraries, book stores, press, and more. They could get you into book tours, interviews, and generate tons of buzz. A big part of the publisher’s value-add is in the marketing and relationships they can bring to the table.

We now, however, live in an era where book promotion can happen online. Many self-published authors have successfully built online platforms that drive more sales than traditional channels from publishers.

Here are some quick tips that you can use to further promote your books and drive sales.

1) Utilize Facebook Groups

The most important thing about book marketing is getting in front of people who actually might want to read your book. If you have a YA novel, it probably won’t help your cause as much to promote to senior citizens (not to say that seniors can’t love YA!). Facebook Groups are great because they literally tell you what the people in the group are interested in. There are tons of young adult reading groups or groups dedicated to books that feature a lot of young adult fans. To find groups, you’ll want to get creative. There may be many variations of terms that can get you relevant groups in the Facebook search. For example, for the young adult genre, you might search “YA”, “Young Adult”, “Teen Readers”, “Teen Book Lovers”, “Harry Potter” etc. to find relevant groups. You will need to be creative to find all the most relevant groups.

It’s not as simple as just joining and promoting in the groups, however. Each group has its own culture and policies and most groups don’t allow blatant self-promotion. Read the rules, see how other people interact in the group and only post in the group once you have an idea of what types of posts do well.

For example, some groups love giving advice. Instead of asking to sell your book, instead, ask for help while linking to your book and get advice on character development or something from potential readers while plugging the book. Other groups might love memes. In that case, maybe you can make a meme with your book and plug it in a funny way.

This will involve a lot of trial and error. Just don’t spam and be open to experimenting with a lot of ideas and types of groups.

2) Share Free Snippets

Teasers are a great way to get people excited about your story. Potential readers don’t have many signals to use when buying a book. Sometimes they can look at reviews, but usually, it’s all about the description and cover. A snippet can make a big difference in getting a reader hooked into the story. Snippets are great for providing a hook, getting readers excited by the characters, or even just to give readers a taste for your writing style.

Snippets can be shared in many ways. You can share a screenshot on social media, post it on a writing site, or even combine it with the tip above and share it in a Facebook Group. Even bestselling authors often share snippets (see example).

You can also partner with sites that have book summaries or snippets to share yours (like Wired For Youth does for nonfiction).

3) Embrace Fanfiction

Many writers actively denounce or fight fanfiction. Fanfiction can actually be a powerful force for promotion and feedback. Some writing sites even have entire sections dedicated to fanfiction which can provide even more growth potential.

If you have readers already, you can put together a fanfiction contest around your characters and pick a winner. The writing they share will have some solid organic reach, especially if they share it with their friends.

From how your fans portray your characters, you’ll also learn a lot about how others see your characters and what they want to happen. Whether you use this information is up to you, of course, but the information can be helpful as you continue writing and building your universe.

4) Build A Social Media Following

No, I’m not talking about posting links to your book to Twitter that has 10 followers. To do social media well, you need to post good consistent content. This doesn’t mean spamming links. It means posting things your audience would actually like. One way to find this out is by looking for social media accounts that already have the audience you want. This might be authors within your genre or brands that they tend to like. See what they are posting. Look at their followers. See what they are liking/favoriting. That will give you a sense of what the audience might like.

The content is what will keep people who follow you engaged and sharing. This will help you grow as you gain more followers and help you attract new followers, but won’t help early on when you have 0 followers.

To build an initial following, you will want to engage with others. If you’re on Twitter, there are twitter chats that happen in most niches. You can look around for certain hashtags and conversations and just join in. This is a great way to meet new people and many participants will also be influencers who already have a lot of followers themselves. By interacting with them, you start to build your own audience. This can help you get your first few hundred followers. This social media guide for authors is pretty good for scaling beyond that if social media becomes the main way for you to promote.

5) Test Advertising

If you have a budget for promotion, ads are a great way to get some sales. Both Facebook and Amazon have pretty advanced ad platforms that allow you to target potential readers based on books they like. You will want to run a lot of experiments with the ads to see what works the best in terms of the ad’s visuals as well as its copy.

There is way too much nuance to go into when it comes into ads, but generally what you’ll want to look for is how much it costs you via ads to get a sale and how much you make per sale. You will want the amount you make to be higher than the cost to get that sale. If that happens, buying advertising is profitable and you should do more of it. If it’s costing you more, you’re actually losing money (but still gaining some readers). For more details on Amazon ads, in particular, this guide is pretty good.

Now it’s up to you
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All of these methods will take some work but are easy to get started with. In this day and age, you can take control of your own destiny and promote your own works. You don’t need a publisher to do it for you and take all your profits. With a little practice, creativity, and effort, you’ll be on your way to getting your book in front of excited readers!

Try picking just one and focusing on it for a week. It’s better to lean into one hard and really put effort into it than trying all of them at the same time. They all require some work so putting in the work early can be a big win.

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G. Parker has been writing since she was 12. When not writing, she’s painting, cooking and tries to read anything she can get her hands on. She lives with her wonderful husband, assorted children and animals and loves to hear from her readers.  

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Excerpt from DEAR MADDIE...
​

​Ever thought you knew what God’s plan was for you? 
As I gazed at a letter—I think it was number 4,075—asking for boyfriend advice, I found myself questioning that plan. 
I eyed the ceiling. “Surely You didn’t intend for me to end up here?” At least, this letter wasn’t from a guy asking me on a date.  
I swiveled to look out my small window at the rainy streets. Growing up, I had known for sure that He was in my life and guided me. I wasn’t feeling guided now. 
As I turned back to my computer, the large framed letter on the wall caught my eye. The one that had started it all.  
​
Dear Editor, 
I am so frustrated with men. I finally find the guy that makes my heart pound, and he turns out to be a player, just like all the other men I’ve ever met. What is a girl to do? How am I ever going to find Mr. Right? Am I doomed to be a spinster the rest of my life? Please, help! 
Toni 
 
------
The door to my office burst open, and Jayne, my best friend slash boss’s secretary, bounced in. 
“Hey! Aren’t you excited?” Her big blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Jayne was a petite blond who managed to be everyone’s friend. 
I stared as she perched on the corner of my desk, wondering what news I’d missed on the walk to my office. “Jason’s getting hair implants?” 
Jayne giggled and whacked my shoulder. “No, silly. About you and the date contest.” 
I blinked my confusion.  
She rolled her eyes. “Jason just said you’re running a contest for someone to win a date with you. Whoever wins takes you out on the town. Limo, dinner, the works.” She almost bounced off the desk with enthusiasm. “Won’t that be amazing? The best date ever.” 
“A date contest? You mean, as in picking someone from the applicants and actually going on a date with him?” 
Jayne focused on my expression of total shock, and her excitement level went down a couple of notches. “Didn’t you agree to this with Jason?” 
I shook my head. “I haven’t agreed to anything. This is the first I’ve heard about it. I mean, Jason’s really been on my case about accepting a date with one of these guys that keep writing, but that’s all he’s ever said. No one suggested a contest.”  
She licked her lips, obviously realizing she’d let something out of the bag, and slipped off the desk. “Well, maybe, I heard wrong.” She stepped over to the door. “I have to get back to work.” 
She was gone before I could gather my wits. A date contest? With my dating record, how was that even a possibility? The previous night’s date flashed through my mind, and I blinked. No way did I want anyone to know how miserably they always ended. I stomped out of my office and down the hallway to the elevator.  
Jason saw me coming, as his corner office opens to a clear view of the elevator. He was standing in the doorway, wearing a cheesy grin. “I was just coming to look for you.” 
“I’ll bet you were,” I said through clenched teeth. “What is Jayne talking about?” 
He chuckled but pulled me inside and shut the door. The better to block the screams. 
“Sit down and let me explain it before you go off half-cocked.” He retreated behind his desk. 
“Half-cocked?” I repeated, my voice rising as I stood—no way was I going to sit calmly—and put my hands on my hips. “I think someone else went off in that department. In our brief conversation the other day, you never said it was a possibility. You wanted me to think about it. The next thing I know, it’s for real, and I’m gonna have to date some dweeb?” I flung my hand toward his large office window, indicating the general population of men. 
Jason gulped, and I swore his ears were turning red. “I know this came as a surprise—” 
“Surprise?” I flopped down in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. “Surprises are roses from a handsome guy. Surprises are cupcakes your mom bakes for the class on your birthday. This is an ambush.” 

​Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I read The Diary of Anne Frank as a 12 year old.  For some reason, that book told me I could write and tell stories.  I’ve been writing ever since.


How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown?

I didn’t take writing seriously until I was in my 20’s and decided to enter a state contest.  I was fortunate in that my boss was willing to let me use the company word processor to print it up.  Nothing came of the contest, but I realized that I did want to be in print.  Then I got married and had children exactly a year and two weeks later, which put things on hold for a while.  After the children started being old enough to allow me a spare thought, the writing bug kicked in and I began writing again.  It wasn’t till we moved and our children were teenagers that I joined a writing group and put some real effort into improvement.  I went to writing conventions and read how to books. I’ve always been an avid reader, which always helps.  Dear Maddie was the story that my writing group was the most enthused about and really pushed for me to finish.  It ended up on the back burner to some other projects and I did some self-publishing of a series.  My husband was always supportive and encouraged me to continue looking at the traditional route.  When I heard about #faithpitch, I knew that was an opportunity placed in my path, and the rest is – as they say – history.  


What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable?

Oh, the hardest part has been the whole editing process!!!  Hand’s down, by far, etc.  It has really opened my eyes into what it takes to get a book into print.  The most enjoyable?  Seeing that cover design and knowing that’s for my book.  Seeing my name on the cover…  it’s amazing.


Would you go back and change anything?

No – I don’t think I would.  Of course I would have liked to have gotten my act together when I was younger, but I like to think I’m where the Lord wanted me to be in the process.

 
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

I’m hoping that in 5 years I’ll be looking at a least one more published work, if not 2.  10 years is a little too far for my thinking at this point.  Perhaps a children’s book for my grandchildren.


What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

Keep at it!!  Writing every day is an important part of honing your skills.  And keep reading, don’t ever stop reading.


And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo?  Ketchup!
Night or Day?       Night
Inside or Outside?     Depends on the time of year…
Dogs or Cats?     Cats
Twitter or Facebook?      Neither?  Lol  Facebook
e-book or Paperback?     Paperback!!!
Sun or Rain?      Rain
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook?   Keyboard! 
Comedy or Drama?      Comedy
Chips or Chocolate?     Chocolate!!

I'm a product of a convent boarding school in the south of England in the 1950s and early 60s. You can probably guess I received an old-fashioned education. I learned a great deal about the humanities and practically nothing in the sciences. I understand Latin, speak French fluently and my German isn't bad. I read the Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English when I was 16 and Shakespeare is an open book. But the only science I remember is the ditty: Miss Cummings (our teacher) was a scientist, alas she is no more, for what she took for H2O (water) was H2SO4 (sulphuric acid). Not bad, eh? Words to live by.
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I met my American husband while working in Brussels (Belgium). Then we moved to Bonn (Germany). I had three children in a foreign tongue. If you want to know how to say "push" in French and German, ask me!

I've lived in the USA for over 40 years, have seven grandchildren and the same husband I started with. We live in a small town in upstate New York but nowadays spend the winter in Florida. I need to sell lots of books so we can buy a waterfront condo! (laughs ironically).

I love my garden, telling my grandchildren stories and eating desserts.  I'd give up a steak for a Key Lime Pie any day!
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I began writing Regency Romances 18 months ago after the death of my beloved sister who was in the convent with me all those years ago. We used to read them under the covers with a torch after lights out. My books are dedicated to her. I've so far indie published three, and I'm editing a trilogy for publication later this year.

I love Regency Romances and they've always been a guilty pleasure. I was a French professor, and I tell you, after a day of teaching Existentialism, you need a bit of sprigged muslin and some polished topboots to clear your head.   

But more than that, I think they fulfill a need for order and calm that is so lacking in our lives today.  You know that Almack's is only going to allow entry to men in white britches; you know young ladies may only dance twice with the same man at the ball; you know the couple is going to get together, no matter how mis-matched they appear to be, or how many obstacles are in their path. There is something soothing about it all.  Of course it's escapism, of course it's often silly, but it's always satisfying.

Having been a teacher for 30 years, I find I can't get away from the urge to provoke discussion. Plus, I belong to three Book Groups. I've therefore included Discussion Topics at the end of my last two novels. I hope my readers will have fun with them.

 

​My WEBSITE – second only to my children as a miracle of creation

Please check out my website.  Being of a generation that grew up without even television, I am not a technology guru.  I can't tell you how long it took me to create it. But I uploaded (or is that downloaded, who knows?) audio files and even a YouTube video of me reading the first chapter of all of my novels. If you can stand my very proper British accent (remember my upbringing!), you might like it.  Americans usually do, Brits do not.

I am also lucky enough to have an advice column penned by Lady Imogen, who snags the handsome Duke in my first book.  She rejects him at first.  I wouldn't have, I'm telling you!
She has good advice, though she rarely understand the question.

And, if that weren't inducement enough, you can request a free short story.  ​

Find out more about Arielle here! 
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Grab your copy here! 

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The Interview...
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