2020 was difficult for most people – a year we’d all be happy to forget, I’m sure. For me it was a challenging time because I changed publishers. Not having a publishing deal in place for several months was a worrying time, and I wondered if my writing dream had come to an end. But […]

20th May 2019 sees the release of my fourth book, Secret Things and Highland Flings. Unlike the previous three books, the theme of this book is more along the lines of ‘crime comedy caper’ with a twist of romance, rather than a traditional ‘rom-com’ formula. I’ve taken a bit of a risk in terms of style, […]

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, the topic of ‘love’ is all around us. Whether it’s cards filled with idealistic slogans, or restaurants offering cosy dinners for two, we’re bombarded with images of happy couples, romantic ideals, and hearts and flowers. But this got me thinking. What is love? Is it something that just happens? Is […]

Jessica Day had always loved the festive time of year. Not that she got to celebrate much these days. But that didn’t stop her imagining a time when she could put up decorations and lounge around her flat on Christmas morning opening presents with an attractive man by her side, who would whisk her off […]

I thought it might be nice to start blogging about other books I’ve read. They say if you want to write it’s essential to read a lot. And they’re right (whoever ‘they’ are). Partly because it’s good to see what other people are writing about, current themes, etc. but also because it helps keep you […]

I first visited Brighton as a child in the 80s. However, I didn’t see much of the place as we spent most of the day in the launderette! We were on the beach, playing our favourite ‘chasing waves’ game where we’d run down to the sea and then wait until the very last moment before […]

It all started in April when my second book The Summer Theatre by the Sea was published. Unlike The Forget-Me-Not Flower Shop which was an e-book only, the second book was published as a paperback as well. This was hugely exciting. I remember answering the door to find the postman standing there with a large […]

Research is a key part of any writer’s life. Luckily for me, it’s something I enjoy doing. Research for The Summer Theatre by the Sea involved watching videos on how to surf, reading books about medicine and interior design, and frequent visits to Cornwall. Two of the storylines in the book revolve around an RNLI […]

Before I start writing a new story, I like to draft character biographies and explore my characters’ backgrounds and what motivates them. Knowing what’s happened prior to the story starting helps me to hit the ground running and enables me to get inside the character’s mind. The main protagonist in The Summer Theatre by the […]

It’s probably no surprise that The Corineus Theatre in The Summer Theatre by the Sea is based on The Minack in Penzance. What a stunning venue. The stage is cut into the rock face, looking almost as if its suspended in thin air. With the waves crashing behind and the wind swirling around the stone […]