Category: Writing

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What is your favourite historical period?

I love history so much! It’s one of the subjects that I studied at university, and in the UK that’s quite a big deal: typically, you only study one subject at university but I loved history and literature so much, I studied both! When I first started writing historical romance, I was studying my Medieval Studies Masters at university, and so it seemed perfect … Read More What is your favourite historical period?

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The perfect kiss

What makes a perfect kiss? This is one of the questions that, as a romance author, I spend a huge amount of time thinking about. It’s important to me that my readers experience wonderful romance, soaring emotions – but also romance that feels real, like it could actually have happened. That’s a bit of a challenge with historical romance, especially when gentlemen and ladies … Read More The perfect kiss

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Kissing frogs to find your prince

Do you believe in soulmates? I never did. I thought it was absolute madness to think that there could only be one person out there who was a perfect match for you. I thought it sad that if you didn’t find that person, you would end up spending your whole life alone, unwanted and unloved. I hoped that if there was someone out there … Read More Kissing frogs to find your prince

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Taking stock and stopping writing

Sometimes one of the best things you can do as an author is to stop writing. Hear me out – I’ve not lost the plot (literally!). It’s more that I’ve been taking stock of many aspects of my life, and to do that you have to stop. Being an author is a huge part of my life, but it is not the only part … Read More Taking stock and stopping writing

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My most productive writing day!

I don’t want to jinx it (in case it never happens again!) but I have just had my most productive writing day EVER. And I mean, ever. Today, I wrote over 18,500 words. I know, it doesn’t look real, does it? It’s such a huge number, even for me – and I’m quite accustomed to writing around 10,000 words on a good writing day. … Read More My most productive writing day!

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The perfect ending to a romance

I’ve written over 25,000 words this weekend (!) because I was desperate to finish book 3 of a new series which will be coming out next year. The words were just flowing from my fingertips and although I will of course lose some of them in the editing process, I’m glad to get so many of them down. And yet the bit I found … Read More The perfect ending to a romance

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Writing deadlines

Well, I’m just going to come out and say it: I’m behind. Weeks behind! I have a writing schedule that I do my absolute best to keep to, but sometimes, you know what, life gets in the way. It’s just not possible to do everything, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed and think that there’s no way that you can ever catch up, and … Read More Writing deadlines

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A change is as good as a rest

I’ve been on holiday. It wasn’t one of those fancy cruises that you see on the TV, or one of those super glamorous hotels where you can dine on caviar morning, noon, and night, and get lost in your own bathtub. Nope, I’ve been on what I call ‘an Enid Blyton’ holiday. It’s the type of holiday from my childhood, and it’s one of … Read More A change is as good as a rest

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Rain, rain, go away…

I don’t want to confirm any stereotypes of England…but it’s been raining for the last six days.

In June! SIX DAYS!

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I love family traditions!

I’m just going to come out and say it: I love family traditions! This weekend I’m not actually at my desk because I’m enjoying one of my own family traditions: the garden party. It all started almost twenty years ago when my grandparents decided to throw not one, but two huge parties for their 70ths. On one day they invited over 40 family members … Read More I love family traditions!

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The best historical romances

What makes a truly great historical romance? It’s something that (as you can imagine) I think about almost continuously. What’s missing from this? What’s going to make it the best book my readers have ever read? What’s going to make it stick in their minds, stay on their bookshelf, be recommended to friends? Some say it’s characters A truly great character, a hero or … Read More The best historical romances

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Keeping Spoilers Secret!

We all have that one book, TV, or film series that we’re desperate NOT to discover the spoilers for the ending. Right now in my house, it’s Avengers: Endgame. We just haven’t got around to seeing it, and we’re having to keep telling our friends not to talk about it when we’re around, just in case they let something slip!