Before I became addicted to writing fiction, I trained as a veterinary surgeon at Cambridge University Veterinary School – six very happy years of my life. I went on to work in practice, but eventually worsening arthritis forced me into an early retirement.
A succession of different jobs ensued, gradually making more and more allowances for my decreasing mobility. For many years, I cared for my father, a dementia sufferer, who was very often the source of my inspiration.
In fact, the news of Dad’s diagnosis, in March 2014, was the trigger to my writing career. Before then, I’d written nothing since my school days, but that spring I sat down at the kitchen table with my husband’s iPad and began typing. Over the next six weeks, I wrote the first draft of a 130,000-word fantasy novel, The Blacksmith’s Apprentice, which I’ve never really sought publication for yet (one day). It was like turning on a tap. No, a pressure hose. I’ve been typing away ever since, arthritic fingers complaining loudly.
What can I say? It’s an addiction.
In the summer of 2017, I wrote a crime novel, inspired by the wonderful Brian McGilloway. And then I sat on it until 2020. I attended a crime writing workshop at The River Mill, run by Steve Cavanagh. He was kind enough to read and give feedback for a short excerpt of writing for all of the attendees, and he told me I should submit my novel for publication. Without that boost, I doubt if I’d ever have had the confidence to send it out anywhere, because I wasn’t a crime writer. I wrote fantasy and historical fiction, not blood and gore.
Well, it turns out I am a crime writer after all. I only sent it to one publisher, Joffe Books, many of whose authors I enjoy reading. To my surprise and delight, their Managing Editor, Emma, emailed me back almost immediately to say that they were definitely interested, and a couple of weeks later I was signed up with them for a three book contract.
Since June 2020, I’ve written Small Bones, Deadly Shores, and now book 4, The Darkening Hills as well as making inroads on book 5.
You might have noticed a tab on my website for a sailing diary. I sneaked this in, as after writing, sailing is one of my addictions. Fraser and I sailed our little boat, Barberry, from Bangor in Northern Ireland to Greece, passing through the inland waterways of France on our way. We have kept this diary mostly for family and close friends, but please dip into it if you’d like to get a glimpse of the whacky life of an author!