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IMPORTANT NOTICE - OCTOBER 2007 Frequently Asked Questions I’ve always scribbled! I remember surreptitiously writing stories
instead of attending during French class (and having to spend detention translating my
story into French when I was caught!) Before that, I used make up tales which I
recounted to friends in the playground. I sent off one short story to a teenage magazine,
who replied with a very gentle rejection letter. I
really began writing in earnest when I gave up work to have my first child - it seemed the
perfect opportunity to finish some of the stories that had been in my head for so long -
and I was lucky enough to have the first three published within two years. Where do you get your ideas? Everywhere! News stories, legends, parties - there’s
usually some little incident that triggers the “what if” question, and that can
lead to a full-blown story. How do you write? I always put down my first ideas and then the first draft on paper, usually with a pencil. Then I transfer the first draft to the word processor, editing as I go, and after that I write and edit the document as many times as I think necessary. Sometimes whole chunks will have to be removed or re-written.
Do you only write historical novels? Only my historicals have been published so far. I have written some contemporary, novels and maybe one day they will come out of the bottom drawer and into print!
Does living in such a beautiful landscape inspire you? It's a mixed blessing. Although I find the magnificent Pennine countryside inspiring, sometimes it's too easy just to gaze out of the window instead of getting on with my work! In fact, when I started writing we were living in a modern three-bedroom house and I used to work in the spare room, where my desk was surrounded by storage boxes. Once I am absorbed in a novel I don't notice my surroundings, although it can get very cold sitting still for hours on end. How long does it take to write a book? How long's a piece of string! Some ideas can be maturing for months or even niggling away for years, but the actual writing of the book can take anything from 4 months to a year.
What do you need to be a successful writer? Talent, focus, determination, and the ability to work for very long hours for the sheer love of it!
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