Well, this is scary…

So, this is my first blog post ever! I’m an aspiring author so writing a blog should be easy, right? It doesn’t feel very easy though and just setting up the account was nerve wracking enough. I felt encouraged to start a blog after attending a workshop with Clare Mackintosh (author of I Let You Go) last week. So, I suppose you may want to know a little more about me. If you’ve found me on Twitter or my author page on Facebook, then you may know that my short bio is: Escaping the madness of motherhood through writing crime novels. I guess that I should start with the crime novels first.

I’ve always loved reading crime and more often than not, I would write short crime stories for my homework at writing class. I love watching crime drama as well and I think I’ve always been fascinated by women in the police on TV, right from Juliet Bravo and Cagney and Lacey all the way through to DI Viv Deering in No Offence (broadcast on Channel 4 last year). My current favourite female officer to read about is DI Marnie Rome, created by Sarah Hilary in her two books – Someone Else’s Skin (winner of the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015) and No Other Darkness. Although Marnie is an excellent officer, she has a past that continually haunts her. I’m very much looking forward to Sarah’s new book, Tastes Like Fear, due in April 2016.

So my own stories? Well I was asked the other day what kind of crime I write and it seems that I may be sub genre hopping! My first book, Unearthed, which is almost complete, is more of a murder mystery whereas my second book, currently titled Missing, is more police procedural. However, the two books are linked and I have ideas for two more. At the heart of both books and the series is a fictional village called Marchant, in Wiltshire. I won’t say too much more but there are definitely some skeletons in Marchant and not necessarily in the closet!

Now the other half of my bio – escaping the madness of motherhood! I have three children – two boys and a girl. To say my house is chaotic is an understatement and there are many needs that have to be met on a daily basis. So writing is my escape. A chance to go into another world of my creating. There may be dead bodies and murderers afoot but it does allow me space to think and let my imagination run free. Practically I only get a couple of days a week to write but I’m thinking about my stories daily and especially at night if I can’t sleep.

I’m hoping to update the blog fortnightly and will comment mostly on my writing, what books I’m reading and any events that I’ve been to. I’m aiming to go to at least one writing event a month. In February I’m going to an Agatha Christie event at Chelsea Physic Garden with Helen Smith, Daniel Pembrey, Rebecca Chance and Kathryn Harkup so I’ll shall tell you more next time.

P.S. Do you like my mug? It was a Christmas present from my husband!