Jane Seymour has risen to become a lady in waiting to Queen Katherine, wife of King Henry VIII, but Jane has joined the household of the true Queen at a time most dangerous, as the King seeks to end his marriage to Katherine, and take Anne Boleyn as his Queen.
Through years of struggle, Jane will watch as the England she knows, and the faith she honours are torn apart by the King’s wish to take a new wife, and to break from the power of Rome. Devoted to her beloved mistress, Queen Katherine, Jane makes an oath to do all she can, to save England and its King. Little does Jane Seymour know that one day she will be in a position to fulfil her vow, becoming part of one of the most notorious events of English history; the fall of Queen Anne Boleyn.
The Worm and The Fledgling is Book Two of The Phoenix Trilogy, Story of Jane Seymour, by G. Lawrence
About the Author
G. Lawrence is an independently published author and proud to be so. Living in a little cottage in Wales in the UK, the author loves where she lives as much as she loves to write.
The age of the Tudors has been an obsession for the author since childhood and many of the upcoming books will center on that time. The author has also penned the odd dystopian fiction or historical fiction from other time periods. All titles will be released on Amazon, for kindle and then hopefully for print later.
G. Lawrence studied Literature (with a capital L) at University and usually has twenty or more books in her current reads list. Reading and writing are about mood for the author and she hasn’t found a genre without something to enjoy so far.
After a chance meeting at a wedding, Rahul Rai – the country’s darling and the hot, economic genius – is intrigued by the feisty and adorably awkward Zoya Deol. Zoya is light to his dark, a scintillating presence in his somber life; but she is too young and too pure for him! Burned once in love, will Rahul be able to open his heart again and give them a chance?
Zoya Deol is a modern day princess, loved by the people for her stunning looks and her quirky captions. A social media sensation, this celebrity vlogger didn’t see love coming in the form of the yummy-looking politician. When the uber-charming, experienced Rahul breaks several rules and her self control with his kisses, she knows there is no looking back. Will Zoya be able to fight the obstacles on her path to love?
Fourth in the Love @ Second Sight series, this is the last part. Each of the books in this series can also be read as a standalone book.
About the Author
Dee James writes sweet, dreamy, romantic stories. A software professional by day, she wears her secret romance cape after work hours. Dee loves to write about quirky, independent women and sinful-looking alpha men who find their own happily ever after. Her books feature a heavy dose of humor, drama, and love, of course! Apart from devouring all things romance, Dee loves to read, blog, sing, and cook. Besides insta-love, pink lipsticks, and kohls, the one thing that she can’t do without is coffee!
I have Michelle Betham with me today. She is both traditionally and self-published and writes all kinds of romance. Here’s more about her.
Sue: So tell us how you became an author?
Michelle: I’ve been making up stories ever since I could pick up a pencil. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, or reading, and it was always my dream to become an author. I suppose you could say I just kept going, kept my dream alive, and kept writing, because I was determined to get there in the end.
Sue: You write romance with a ‘kick’. Tell us more about the kind of stories you write.
Michelle: I’ve written a lot of books – over thirty now – in a LOT of different (romance) genres. But when I say I write romance with a kick, it just means I like to write romance with a bit of an edge. In the past, I’ve written everything from a sweet Christmas love story to lighthearted comedy romances, but my favourite kind of romance is the darker kind, involving edgy, flawed, but ultimately strong characters who meet – and sometimes become involved in – quite dangerous situations. I love writing gritty MC (motorcycle club) romances, or super-hot rock star romances, I like to put my characters through a lot, no-one gets an easy ride in my books! But at the heart of everything I write there’s always a love story. My aim as an author is to take people to a different world, one they would never dream of living in in reality. I’m all about escapism, and maybe giving people something a little different to read.
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Michelle: No, I don’t. I’m very much one of those writers who thinks up a story and then just writes it. I don’t really plan anything, to be honest. I have a white board in the office, where I scribble down notes and brief plot outlines, and I also have a notebook on my desk that’s constantly open, ready for me to write down flashes of inspiration or plot changes that come to me when I least expect it, but apart from that I just write as I go. I always find things change as I progress through the story anyway, as characters develop and situations change. So, yeah, I don’t really have any rituals. Having said that, every book I write has its own special playlist, and that’s really important to me, because music is one of my biggest inspirations. I have to listen to music when I write, I can’t write in silence. So I suppose you could call that a ritual.
Sue: Why did you choose to be a hybrid author (both self published and trad published)?
Michelle: In the beginning, I just wanted to get my books out there, so that’s why I turned to self-publishing first. I just wanted to write, wanted to publish my books, and having a husband who is incredibly good at doing all the technical stuff involved in self-publishing meant I could do that quite easily. But there was always a part of me that still wanted to be published “traditionally”. Which happened, eventually, when I won a competition organised by Harper Collins back in November 2013 with my Christmas novella The First Christmas Without You. I’ve subsequently had six books published through One More Chapter, a division of Harper Collins, including a psychological thriller/romantic suspense – The Wife – under the pen name ML Roberts. But, in all honesty, I wasn’t entirely happy being a traditionally published author, for a number of reasons. A lot of writers think you can’t call yourself a series author unless you’ve had a book published that way, but I don’t agree with that. There are some incredible independent authors out there, and for me I’m so much happier as an indie author. When all is said and done, I write because I love it. I just want to tell stories, but I want to tell MY stories, and I like the freedom being an indie author gives you. It’s incredibly hard work, pays very little, and of course you have to be able to do all the technical stuff yourself, or have the means to pay someone to do it for you, but I wouldn’t go back to “trad” publishing now. Self-publishing is where I started, and it’s where I’m happiest. Being a “trad” published author isn’t the be all and end all, believe me. Take it from someone who’s been there, and done that.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your favourite fictional hero/heroine…
Michelle: Lucky Santangelo. I’m a HUGE Jackie Collins fan, and Lucky is one hell of a character! Strong, feisty, speaks her mind, I just love her!
Sue: Your favourite genre to read…
Michelle: Romance. But I do like a bit of horror now and again, especially James Herbert’s books.
Sue: Your current read…
Michelle: No Way Back by Kelly Florentia
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Michelle: Tea. Always tea!
Sue: E-book or paperback or audio book?
Michelle: As much as I’ve always loved paperbacks in the past, I mainly read e-books now. I’d be lost without my Kindle!
Sue: What do you do when you’re not writing?
Michelle: I read, a lot. I also like to cook, I’m a big music fan, and I love to sit down in front of Netflix or Amazon Prime and binge a decent box-set. It’s actually where I get a lot of my inspiration from.
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
Michelle: I’m working on a sequel to my latest release, Beautiful Dangerous, called Devil You Know, and it’ll be book #2 in the Cartel Queens Series. It’s a very dark, romantic suspense, following on from events in the first book, and it revolves around a female-led Mexican/American cartel and a motorcycle club, and it’ll be revisiting characters from book #1, and introducing a few new ones. It’s the kind of book I just adore writing, because I get to create some incredibly strong but exceptionally damaged characters – both male and female – and send them on a journey they’ll never forget.
Hi everyone. I have Audrey Davis with me today. She writes romantic comedy with a dark edge, and she loves people and Edinburgh. Here’s my chat with her.
Sue: So how did you become an author?
Audrey: I trained as a journalist in Edinburgh many years ago, and worked primarily for provincial newspapers and a London-based video magazine. So, I’ve been writing all my adult life, but it wasn’t till 2016 that I dipped my toe into writing fiction. I signed up for a free online course, and from there the bare bones of my first romantic comedy novel took shape. I published A Clean Sweep in June 2017 with very little idea of what I was doing!
Sue: Tell us about your latest book and what inspired it.
Audrey: As a family, we moved to Switzerland in 2002. I didn’t find the transition easy and struggled with the language (French), driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, and many small cultural differences that made me either laugh or cry. My own experiences and observations formed the basis of Lost In Translation, which was published on January 11 2021 – TODAY! I hasten to add it is a work of fiction!
Sue: I understand that your books combine elements from various genre like humour, supernatural and so on. Tell us more about your writing style.
Audrey: My debut novel was firmly rooted in reality, but I quickly found that writing comedy suited me better than straightforward romance. My second — The Haunting of Hattie Hastings — took a very different direction and I still can’t pinpoint where the idea came from. I wrote the first chapter imagining a woman coming to terms with the unexpected loss of her husband, and her disbelief when he refuses to take death lying down. My third — A Wish For Jinnie — focuses on the unorthodox relationship between a young woman and a genie with a difference, which gave me free rein to run wild with wacky wishes and bizarre situations. My latest returns to everyday life (no ghosts or genies) but examines the impact of relocating to a foreign country and the main character’s struggles both with adapting to a new environment and dealing with doubts about her marriage.
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Audrey: None whatsoever. I write when inspiration strikes, and might churn out anything from a couple of hundred words to 1K+. I have no set schedule and would describe myself as hopeless at plotting (although I’m working on it). My favourite writing spot is at the kitchen table, chiefly because my office resembles an explosion in a stationery factory. Another job to add to my ever-growing ‘to do’ list is to create order out of chaos.
Sue: What do you do when you’re not writing?
Audrey: I used to read tons of books, but my reading mojo took a break during the ongoing pandemic. I’ve been unable to finish several books, not because they’re bad, I just find it hard to concentrate. I enjoy cooking (and eating), and Netflix provides a welcome distraction from the relentlessly depressing world news. I normally frequent the gym, albeit reluctantly at times, but that too is on hold during lockdown.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
Audrey: Did My Love Life Shrink in the Wash? by Kristen Bailey.
Sue: Your favourite fictional hero/heroine…
Audrey: A tough one, but I adored Bridget Jones for her mix of vulnerability and feistiness.
Sue: Your favourite movies…
Audrey: Ooh, The Shawshank Redemption, When Harry Met Sally and Train to Busan (a Korean zombie movie) spring to mind. You can’t say I don’t have diverse tastes!
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Audrey: Coffee all the way. Usually instant out of a jar, although I do have a nice Nespresso machine when I’m feeling posh.
Sue: eBook or audio book or paperback?
Audrey: Generally eBooks read on my iPad, although I still love a nice paperback and will often revisit old favourites.
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
Audrey: I was stunned but delighted when several people commented in reviews that they’d love to read a follow-up to A Wish For Jinnie. I’d always considered it a standalone book but — on reflection — I realised there was a lot of potential to explore some of the characters further and introduce new ones. I’m now working on a sequel with the intention of making it a romcom trilogy set in the fictional Scottish village of Cranley. Ideally I’d like to publish the next two this year but I’ll need to stop faffing around on social media to make that happen!
Happy New Year! I’m starting off 2021 with an interview with one of my favourite authors – Judy Leigh. Her books are fun and full of warmth, laughter and entertainment. Here’s more about her.
Sue: From teaching and writing plays to writing novels. How did that journey happen?
Judy: I taught acting and I always wrote for my students in a variety of genres – scripts, dialogues, songs, monologues, poems. I’d always wanted to be a writer. So, when my kids left home for University, it was my chance to jump. I enrolled in a masters in professional writing and that led me to start my first novel, A Grand Old Time. After that, the way forward was very clear.
Sue: Tell us about your latest book and what inspired it.
Judy: My latest novel, Heading over the Hill, is about Billy and Dawnie, a couple in their seventies who are looking for a new home, a new life for just the two of them. They are unconventional, Billy with his Harley Davidson and Dawnie with her wigs and wild fashions and, at first, it seems like they won’t fit in. The neighbours are an interesting bunch too, with their own issues to resolve, and the novel is about friendship, community and love. It was inspired by being in lockdown in two ways: family and friends and our community are so important, now more than ever, and we’ve been missing being with those closest to us; also, location and travel are important: I wanted to take the reader to visit beautiful places such as the seaside and the coast.
Sue: What are the challenges of writing older central characters? And what’s the best part about it?
Judy: I try very hard not to make older characters stereotypes: the wise old grandparent who gives advice and stays in the background, the wicked witch who delights in others’ troubles. I want to make my characters real people who have the potential to love, to change, to fulfil their heart’s desires and also they are warm, funny, comapssionate, and they reach out to others. They can be glamorous, roamntic, strong and they have a present and a future to live and to look forward to. I know so many inspirational older people who, at seventy and eighty, still dig allotments, plan long holidays, go jogging and take off on wild adventures. I think of what my own parents would love to have done. The best part is when so many people message me and say how pleased they are that older people have been represented in a novel and how they have the chance to have fun. Some people have even been inspired to embark on new adventures of their own, which is realy exciting. I’m so happy that my books make people smile and that the characters are enjoyable: as one reader kindly put it, ‘they are like friends.’
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Judy: Yep. I go to the gym every morning then start to write at eleven o’clock. I work until around six o’clock. I can usually write around three thousand words in a day and I like to go back and edit what I’ve written as I go, so I have a sense of direction and continuity. I go for long walks in the woods and on the beach to think, to find ideas and solutions. I’m so incredibly lucky to live in a place where I can do that.
Sue: What do you do when you’re not writing?
Judy: I like to walk, to travel in my camper van, to be with friends and family. I like to travel to new places and explore new cultures and languages, and meet people. I enjoy live music and theatre (I’m so looking forward to a time when we can do that again.) I love a party! I adore my three cats, TC, Murphy and Colin: they are strong characters and they bring peace to the end of my busy day.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
Judy: I’m reading Love by Roddy Doyle. He’s an inspiration – his dialogue is brilliant.
Sue: Your favourite fictional hero/heroine…
Judy: Probably Cathy and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. I like the wild, moody, passionate characters. I also love Alex in Everything is Illuminated. He is so funny.
Sue: Your favourite movies…
Judy: Everything is Illuminated. In Bruges. Inglorious Bastards.The Birdcage. Jean de Florette. Stuart: a Life Backwards.Parasite. All Marx Brothers movies. There are so many more.
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Judy: Green tea every day. Coffee with Sunday breakfast.
Sue: Ebook or audio book or paperback?
Judy: All of them. Ebook for light fun novels that I can read anywhere. Paperback for books I want to hold and treasure. Audio for when I’m travelling – I ‘m always very thrilled when I hear a voice bring characters to life.
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
Judy: My next book, Chasing the Sun, is out in April. It’s about Molly who, on her 70th birthday, feels that she is treading water in her life and longs for change. When her sister’s marriage collapses, they both jet off to Spain for some fun. Molly is happy for a while but yearns for change again and rushes off to Mexico, searching for something she can’t identify that will bring her happiness. Written in lockdown, I wanted to take my readers on a journey that included romance and the opportunity to visit wonderful countries and culture, and to accompany a character who is spontaneous, funny and has the spirit of adventure. I have written another two already, one is a journey, a spontaneous holiday to Europe, the other is set in Scotland by Loch Ness.
Thanks for these wonderful questions. I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. Wishing you and all readers peace, happiness and health in the New Year.
I am so happy to have USA Today bestselling author Sue-Ellen Welfonder on my blog today. She’s a wonderful writer, animal lover and so much more. Her compassion and discipline inspire me. Let’s talk to Sue-Ellen.
Sue: From an airline career to full time writing. How did that happen? And how long did the transition take?
Sue-Ellen: Like most writers, I’ve always loved books. But I never wanted to be a writer. My dream was to be an airline stewardess and see the world, which I did for many years. During that time, I lived in Germany and would send a friend long letters about my adventures in far-flung corners of the world. (this was before email) My friend was an author and one day she said my letters ‘made her feel as if she lived my travels with me.’ She then started urging me to write. I wasn’t interested. I was living my dream and, besides, I loved reading too much to write. I didn’t want to surrender reading hours to writing deadlines. But she kept after me.
Eventually, I wrote a book so she’d stop bugging me. Instead, she loved the story (Devil in a Kilt) and introduced me to an agent who sold the book. The editor was a so-called ‘star-maker’ and had launched the careers of many of the greatest names in romance. Unlucky for me, she left the publisher (Warner Books) shortly after buying my book. I was handed over to another editor, one I loved tremendously and who remained my editor for many years. I’d probably still be writing for NY had she not left Warner, now known as Hachette. So I just fell into writing. That the book sold was a total surprise and also terrified me as the contract meant I’d have to write more books.
My career has been a rollercoaster of giddy heights and deep, dark pits. The one constant has been and remains my joy in the friendships I’ve made with readers and writers. While I regret leaving the airlines because I value security and a writing career is anything but for most of us, I am so grateful for my friends. You, Sue, are one of my favorites.
Sue: And you are one of mine!
Tell us about your latest book. What inspired it?
Sue-Ellen: My most recent release is the 20th anniversary edition of Devil in a Kilt (see above). I was thrilled to re-release it this summer. The inspiration came on a visit to Scotland’s Eilean Donan Castle. It was evening and I was walking around outside, mist swirling everywhere. Out of nowhere, I ‘saw’ the hero as clearly as if he stood before me. In a beat, I knew his story, start to finish. He was a powerful medieval chieftain, but troubled, and wanting his tale told. In the book, tragedy leads him to marry a woman with second sight. He wants her to answer questions about his young son. She does more than that as his heart is long missing, his castle a dark place, and a truly wicked villain wants to stir even more treachery. The book won a Romantic Times Award for Best First Historical Romance and went on to become my most beloved story, the one many readers love best.
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Sue-Ellen: Not really. I write in 500 word sprints. My goal is 4 such sprints a day, reaching 2,000 words. Some days I make that, other days I bleed words to get 500. Sometimes I hit a wall. Now and then, I’ll go way past 2,000. (that’s rare) One thing I always do is re-read the previous day’s work. That’s helpful because I also edit and proofread German translations. The previous day’s work draws the curtain on my editing/foreign language projects.
I prefer stillness to write and music to edit. Music is classical, New Age-y, or soppy love songs from the 80s.
Sue: What’s the best part of being a multi-genre author? And what are the challenges?
Sue-Ellen: Variety is the best. It’s fun to write in different worlds. Even so, every writer has a unique voice that thrums through everything they write, regardless of genre. So whether I’m writing Scottish medieval romance, time travel/paranormal romance (my favorite), Highlander Regency romance, contemporary, or whatever, there are elements of my voice that always slip in: my great love of animals, for example, heroes who, though Alpha, are always good and honorable men, heroines who are most often down-on-their-luck, underdogs winning (hurrah!), lots of magic, humor, and a strong sense of place.
Challenges are on a business level. Ideally, readers will love an author’s voice (see above) and follow you across all genres. I’m sure that happens for some authors, but it hasn’t for me. Throughout my career, which included writing for a second publishing house (Penguin) under the pen name Allie Mackay (Scottish-set paranormal/time travel romance), I seem to have genre-centric readers. Those who enjoy my Scottish medievals often do not read my Scottish-set time travel/paranormal romances. And vice-versa. Some do, and I’m grateful. But largely, I haven’t managed to build a cross-over readership.
Sue: What do you do when you’re not writing?
Sue-Ellen: My greatest loves are animals and nature, so I enjoy the company of my gray tabby cat Snuggles aka Ruler of my World. He determines my day because everything stops when he wants/needs my attention. A nature fix is a must, so I walk the beach at sunrise every morning. I also cycle a lot. Yoga is an addiction and I practice daily. I love reading and wish I had more time for pleasure reading. I read all fiction genres and also love research. Bliss is a huge nonfiction tome on medieval Britain, archaeology, the natural world, etc. I never tire of learning. Otherwise, I’m pretty boring. After so many years of constant travel, I love being a homebody. Living quietly is my life-goal.
Sue: Oh, I’m a homebody too. And your kitty is adorable. I love seeing him on Twitter.
Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
Sue-Ellen: In the Shadowof the Storm by Anna Belfrage. It’s fabulous.
Sue: Your favourite fictional characters…
Sue-Ellen: Probably cheating, but my fave is Devorgilla, a recurring character in my books. She’s a magic-weaving Highland crone famous for her red plaid shoelaces and her always-well-meant meddling.
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Sue-Ellen: Strong, black coffee.
Sue: E-book or paperback or audio book?
Sue-Ellen: E-book (prefer hardback for research books).
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
Sue-Ellen: A new book in my Ravenscraig Legacy series. It actually launches a spin-off series, but takes place in that world and with the characters from those titles. Like all Ravenscraig Legacy books, it’s a Scottish-set contemporary paranormal. The Ravenscraig Legacy books are Allie Mackay stories, the pen name I used at Penguin, but I’ll probably release this book under my real name.
Sue: Thank you for your time. And good luck!
Sue-Ellen: Thank you for having me. I adore your blog and am so happy to be your guest today.
I read a lot of books. From now on, I will recommend books here on my blog. Recently, I read two books by one of my favourite authors – Sarah Morgan. After finishing each one, I reached out to Sarah on social media to tell her how her stories had touched my heart. Here are the two books and a little bit about them. I think anybody who is keen on understanding human relationships and emotions should read these books. The themes covered include mother-daughter relationships, the psychology of parenting, death and moving on, and so much more. The author takes you deep into every character’s mind and heart. Writing is an art and Sarah excels at it.
Cover image from Amazon
Gayle is a highly successful and motivated business woman, but her success has come at a price – she hasn’t spoken to her daughters, Ella and Samantha, for years. But when Gayle has an accident at work, she realises she needs to make amends with her family.
And so she invites herself to join Ella and Samantha for their Christmas in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The sisters are none too pleased that their mother has inserted herself into their Christmas plans. They have each other – and don’t need their mother back in their lives. Or so they think…
As they embark on their first family Christmas together in years, will the three women learn that sometimes facing up to a few home truths is all you need to heal your heart?
Cover Image from Amazon
When Flora falls in love with Jack, suddenly she’s not only handling a very cranky teenager, but she’s also living in the shadow of Jack’s perfect, immortalised wife, Becca. Every summer, Becca and Jack would holiday with Becca’s oldest friends and Jack wants to continue the tradition, so now Flora must face a summer trying to live up to Becca’s memory, with not only Jack’s daughter looking on, but with Becca’s best friends judging her every move…
The more Flora tries to impress everyone, the more things go horribly wrong…but as the summer unfolds, Flora begins pushing her own boundaries, and finding herself in a way that she never thought she needed to.
And she soon learns that families come in all shapes and sizes.
I am excited to have Julienne Brouwers with me today. Julienne worked as a pharmaceutical scientist and medical physicist before becoming a writer. She lives in the Netherlands, with her husband and three children, where she has published two successful thrillers. Her new book Double Deceit is out TODAY! Here’s my chat with her.
Sue: So tell us how you became an author.
Julienne: I was a biomedical engineer and it wasn’t until during my PhD that I started writing fiction ( I only wrote scientific papers until then ). I didn’t have an outline, or even knew I was going to write an actual book. I just wrote down a few lines, which turned into chapters. I continued working in the biomedical field for a long time while working part-time as an author.
Sue: You have a new book out today. Tell us about it. What inspired you to write it?
Julienne: My main characters are Jennifer, a family doctor, and her husband Oliver, who is a hotshot lawyer. I lived in Amsterdam as a young professional when I started writing this book, when I had my first job after finishing my PhD. Although I didn’t have any children back then, my life was in some ways comparable to the main character (although I wasn’t living in such a high-end neighbourhood ). I’ve worked in a hospital for about seven years, worked with quite a few doctors so that gave me enough input. While living in Amsterdam I took the train every day from the financial district, which plays an important role in the book and which is where Oliver’s law firm is based, and witnessed many of the hotshots that work there.
Jennifer is a girl from the province, coming from a warm but very ‘average’ family. Her husband Oliver has quite a wealthy background and although they both led the urban, young professional life when they met, it turns out their different backgrounds have left a mark on their perspective on life.
Sue: How do you feel about having your book published in English now after the original Dutch version did so well? Are you excited? Any challenges that you’re dealing with because of this new path in your publishing journey?
Julienne: YES, I’m extremely excited! As a young child, I lived in the UK for a few years and learned to read and write in English. Also, during my Masters and PhD I lived shortly in the US twice. After my second thriller was released an old friend from abroad asked for an English version, and it sparked an idea. As I lived in total for four years in the UK and US my English is probably above average, but since I’m not a native speaker, I had a lot of help from a British translator/editor. I’ve always had a soft spot for the English language so it was wonderful to get better at it and spend so much time on writing the translation, Double Deceit.
It’s quite a challenge to get your writing career going abroad. There are so many good writers out there! Also, on amazon a book won’t show up unless it has quite a few reviews, but in order for reviews to get there, people need to buy and review it. I have a collaboration with UK-based award-winning publisher Head of Zeus though, which helps with a getting a foot in the door and it’s been wonderful working with them.
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Julienne: No not all. I have three young children, so often I only have a few hours straight that I can write. For some people that wouldn’t work, but this makes me really effective and efficient.
Sue: What’s the best part about being a writer? And the worst part?
Julienne: The best part is that you can let your imagination run wild, and make up all kinds of funny, inspiring or suspenseful things, as well as having people say they loved your book and couldn’t put it down. The worst part is that it’s hard to make a living out of it, and it’s a relatively lonely job.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
Julienne: My last book was already a month ago… which was The Wildflowers by Harriet Evans. It sounds terrible, but I mostly spend most of my time on either writing/working or I’m with the kids. In the evenings, I crash on the couch and watch Netflix for an hour, before hitting the sack. I do love to read, especially when I’m in the middle of writing a book, but I’ll read about twelve to fifteen books per year.
Sue: Your favourite fictional character…
Julienne: Jane Eyre
Sue: Your favourite authors…
Julienne: Harriet Evans, Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Julienne: Coffee in morning, tea in afternoon.
Sue: E-book or paperback or audiobook?
Julienne: I prefer reading a paperback, but I like the idea of an e-book as you save on printing; it’s just so much more low-key and cost-efficient, so I read e-books as well.
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
Julienne: Another thriller with a strong woman in the lead. This time it will be a much more complicated character, with a troubled past. Also, radiation sources, that I used to work with for a few years, will play a part in it.
Sue: That was a good chat! Good luck with your book!
Today, I bring to you, Saralyn Richard. She is an author with a solid background in the field of education. Her writing career started pretty early as you’ll find out. Here’s more.
Sue: Tell us about your writing journey. How did it start?
Saralyn: I was born with a pen in my hand and ink in my veins. I started reading and writing as a young child, but it wasn’t until high school when two English teachers noticed and encouraged my talent. One of them forced me to enter numerous writing contests, and, when I started to win them, I began to believe in my writing.
Sue: What’s your latest book about? What inspired its creation?
Saralyn: A Murder of Principal takes place in an urban high school, where a maverick principal comes in with a student-centered agenda. His ideas for change meet with resistance, and chaos ensues. The killing of the principal is just the beginning.
I’ve had a long and varied profession in education, serving as a teacher, administrator, and school improvement consultant. The milieu of the urban high school is quite familiar, and it is fraught with challenges, obstacles, excitement, and high drama. It’s the perfect place for a mystery!
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
Saralyn: None, except that when I’m writing a book, I live with my characters, day and night. I work out plot points while I’m exercising, I discuss motivations with my husband, and I dream about the conflicts on a regular basis. Even when I’m on to the next book, the characters of my books live on in my imagination and conversations. They fill up my world.
Sue: What is the best part of being a writer? And the worst part?
Saralyn: There are many wonderful things about being a writer, but my absolute favorite is connecting with individual readers. When someone is reading one of my books, I can’t wait to find out who her favorite character is, or what part resonates most. The energy that flows between author and reader is the spark that lights up my world and makes everything worth it.
I waited a long time for the opportunity to write full-time, so I enjoy and appreciate every part of being a writer. Some of my colleagues dislike doing research, making speeches, or spending too much time marketing, but I find all of it exciting and fulfilling. If you pinned me down for an answer, I might say the hardest part of writing is the waiting.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
Saralyn: Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz
Sue: Your favourite authors…
Saralyn: John Irving, Michael Connelly, Thomas Hardy, Ann Weisgarber
Sue: Your favourite fictional characters…
Saralyn: Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, or Lizbeth Salander in Stieg Larsson’s Girl books.
Sue: Tea or coffee?
Saralyn: Neither—I like fizzy water best.
Sue: E-book or paperback or audiobook?
Saralyn: Paperback.
Sue: What is your advice to aspiring writers – especially those aspiring to be author in your genre?
Saralyn: I teach creative writing, and I tell my students to have fun with every assignment. If you approach your writing with joy, your readers will feel that joy when they read it.
Sue: And what can your readers expect from you next?
Saralyn: I’m wrapping up a book that I started when the pandemic set in. Entitled Blood Sisters, it’s a mystery/thriller written from the point of view of an almost-thirty-year-old, who must confront her buried past when her former BFF is murdered.
Sue: Good luck and thanks for joining us!
Get your copy of Saralyn Richard’s latest book here:
C. A. Asbrey developed a deep interest in early forensics and detection methods working in the field. She has researched early detectives and the tools available to them for years before developing her characters. They are compelling versions of real people, all her crimes are based on fictionalized versions of real crimes, and the methods used to solve them were available to detectives at the time. She likes her mysteries twisty, complex, and intricate through a fog of history. Let’s learn more about her.
Sue: So, tell us how you became a writer.
C: My series was inspired by my listening to the stories of the older policewomen, when I first joined the police service, talking of the early days in service. It got me wondering who the first were, and my research took me all the way back to the female Pinkertons who worked for the service from 1856 to 1884. I was inspired to find out that they did dangerous undercover work, and even acted as an armed guard to Abraham Lincoln during a dangerous train journey. They were very respected by many for their abilities and courage, and Alan Pinkerton refused to act on complaints from agents wives about their husbands working with women. Robert Pinkerton disbanded the department on Alan’s death.
I was inspired to write about these remarkable women, and knew so little about them. Over the next few decades I was too busy with family, work, and life to write about them, but continued to build up a body of research to deepen my knowledge of the period and the skill set. In 2005 I was seriously injured, and found my enforced recuperation was the perfect time to start to write. All the years of research paid off, allowing me to place my characters in a background laced with historical detail.
It took me two years to finish the first book, as it was a huge learning curve, but the rest of the series came more easily. I was rejected countless times, until a friend recommended me to her publisher and finally got me out of the slush pile. Prairie Rose Publications are a small press, but wonderful to work with and very receptive and supportive of their writers. I was very lucky to find them.
I joined the Crime Writers Association last year, and felt very privileged to be accepted and to be a member alongside so many wonderful crime writers.
Sue: Wow! What’s your latest book about and what inspired its creation?
C: My latest book is Innocent to the Last, the last in a 6 part series of books featuring a female Pinkerton in the 19th century, and the charismatic criminal she is sent to bring in. These women really did exist and were experts at working undercover, gathering intelligence, and at using the early scientific methods of detection Pinkerton brought over from Europe. As far as I know I’m the only female writing such women who is ex-law enforcement, and who did similar work herself, which I think gives me an insight into the personality types and methodologies these women would have used.
My main character, Abigail MacKay, is nobody’s sidekick. She is a lead detective and in charge of her own part of the investigations she is involved In. The hero is a clever criminal who uses the same sciences to commit crime. They are two sides of the same coin, forward-looking, and fascinated by the scientific discoveries of the 19th century, but cannot act on the attraction they feel for one another.
The forensics are minutely researched, as are the sociological details such as her disguises and the resources available to a Pinkerton in the field. Everything in the books either happened or is historically possible, with the crimes being based on real crimes of the period, but altered sufficiently so true-crime aficionados can’t guess who did it.
Sue: Do you follow any writing rituals?
C: I can’t say that I do. I very much write when the muse is on me, and have been known to stay up all night when I’m on a roll. At other times I’ll get busy around the house, cleaning cooking, and gardening – all things which distract me and let my subconscious mind run on its own. I always find that I come up with better twists and red herrings after that.
I’m slightly in awe of people who can write so many words a day, or within defined hours. I’m just not made that way, although I do try to write a little every day.
I can’t start a book until I have an idea of the rough plot and an even clearer picture of the characters. I need them to be fleshed out with personalities and backstories before I start, so I can be confident that if they run off and do something I hadn’t planned, it’ll make the book even better. I love it when that happens.
Sue: What’s the best part of being a writer? And what are the biggest challenges?
C: The best part is when you’re on a roll and all the plot threads come together in a neat package, especially when the characters have taken on a life of their own and enriched the story with things you didn’t see coming consciously.
The worst bit change as you go through your journey as a writer. I think it’s all about a crisis of confidence for a new writer. Many people I know started doing it for themselves, unsure if anyone else would like it, or consider it good enough. I certainly fall into that camp. Then, it’s about the learning curve of developing and growing as you start to show the work to people. The next worst part is finishing, and learning about editing. I’m pretty sure many new writers don’t realize how much you’ll throw out of a first draft. It sometimes hurts, but it’s necessary. I think all writers hate editing. Once you get your polished first draft, unless you’re committed to self-publishing, you have the depressing ritual of mass rejection by agents and publishing houses to go through – at least it would be depressing if it weren’t for the support of other writers preparing you for the form responses from publishers and agents who clearly haven’t read your work, or the silence of no response at all. It’s part of the process, and is something all writers go though.
Those of us silly enough to push on, either decide to self-publish (in which case it’s all about learning to format and choosing good covers), or we get a publisher, and then realize we’re nowhere near the same league as those lucky enough to have the publishing house throw their weight behind a massive advertising campaign.
That leaves us all in the last worst part – marketing our work. It eats up a lot of time we’d prefer to use on our next work. On the plus side it also brings us into contact with the ever-supportive writing community, as well as readers who want to talk to us about our work. One of the best things to come out of my writing life has been the wonderful people I’ve met, and the new friends I make all the time. I’d encourage writers to get active in that world on social media. They really are so generous and supportive.
Sue: What do you do when you’re not writing?
C: I love my garden, but I’m a fair-weather gardener. I don’t venture out much in the winter, so get a lot more writing done. I’m also a keen cook, which is handy, as my husband has coeliac disease, so can’t eat even a tiny bit of gluten. He’ll be very ill if he does.
You’ll be surprised at how many things it’s added to in prepared food, so I tend to many almost everything from scratch. I find it relaxing, and tend to mull over plots and characters while cooking or gardening.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your current read…
C: A Treasury of Deception: Liars, Misleaders, Hoodwinkers, and the Extraordinary True Stories of History’s Greatest Hoaxes, Fakes, and Frauds by Michael Farquhar. It’s full of wonderful conmen and fakers
Sue: Your favourite authors…
C: So many to choose from. All the classic mystery authors, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ruth Rendell, P.D. James, Ngaio Marsh, Arthur Conan Doyle, to the classics, Wilkie Collins, Poe, Du Maurier, and Charlotte Brontë.
Sue: Your favourite fictional hero/heroine…
C: My favourite heroine is Jane Eyre. I love the way she’ so ordinary, but rises above circumstances in a society tacked against her. In the end she becomes the rescuer. My favourite hero is Sir Percy Blakeney from The Scarlet Pimpernel. He defies appearances, and repeatedly puts himself at risk for others. My favourite villain is Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca. She is so deliciously manipulative, and uses her insight to pitch the victim’s own weaknesses against her.
Sue: Tea or coffee?
C: Always tea.
Sue: Paperback or ebook or audiobook?
C: Any. I’ll read anything. I don’t really understand absolutism. A story told by a great storyteller is an ancient tradition, and one I feel audio books have reinvented.
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next?
C: I’m currently writing a book set in the UK in the 19th century where a pharmacist on the run for a murder she didn’t commit, seeks refuge at a convent. But things there are not all they seem, as she, and the dogged detective on her tail, soon find out. The nuns are not only lead by a formidable woman, but they all have a criminal past – and an opinion on our heroine’s case.
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