Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
At first, Crushing Curiosity was a personal experiment to see if I could release a darkness I found strangely compelling. I am constantly amazed by people who live ordinary lives and yet have strange perspectives. During recent years I have seen people create drama in their lives as a form of compensation for being so ordinary and as a writer it is manna from heaven. I use my unconventional life experiences and intuitive understanding of people to create unique characters and their stories. I live with my husband and son on the fringe of an old mill-town situated at the western slopes of the UK South Pennines which provides a rich source of inspiration for my writing.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Crushing Curiosity is a suspenseful thriller taking the reader into a number of twists as the main protagonists stories unfold. When I was a child, one of my friends was a strange boy. As a child, you either accept or repel strangeness but, he was a challenge and we stayed friends for a few years. He moved away in his teens and I never saw him again but, as I grew older I often thought about what happened to him. There was something unnerving about him and although I can’t say why for sure, every hair on the back of neck stands on end at the thought of knowing him as an adult. He became my inspiration.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have to be totally absorbed in my characters, i.e. become them (without breaking the law!) This involved taking actual journeys to the places I choose for chapter scenes. I notice everything but take numerous photos then when I return home I make notes, using my photos to get me back into the zone.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favourite author is Thomas Hardy. Not only did he know how to expertly ensnare a reader in the emotions of his characters but he also did it with such eloquence that I sometimes had to re-read a sentence several times. I was lost in admiration for the skill he had in weaving his words. Although he is a very old author and his works are UK classics I love the process of becoming lost in the characters’ perspectives.
What are you working on now?
A new novel and I’m about to decide which direction to take it into. Again, it is dark and I’m exploring abandonment then finding strength from it.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I post news, photos and where/what I use as inspiration on my website but I also gain new readers from Twitter and Facebook, particularly when I’m on my travels.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write with your heart then leave it alone. Let dust gather on your manuscript, no matter how tempted you are to revisit it. Then, read it with fresh eyes and you will be amazed at what jumps out at you.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The world is full of experts and they all have completely different things to say. It is best to listen to what you want.
What are you reading now?
The Earth Has A Soul by Meredith Sabini. It contains many of the letters, lectures and writings by C.G. Jung and its a meaty but ponderous read. I’m amazed at how deeply he thinks.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish my latest novel and then take stock. I would like to just do nothing for a while, live and breath then look about me to see what catches my eye.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance….I picked it up quite by accident then couldn’t put it down. it is a journey into madness and yet makes so much sense.
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