Hello and welcome!
I am so happy you could join us today.
T.P = Thank you for having me over today, I’m
thrilled to be invited to answer your questions.
G.H – Thank you. How are
you today?
T.P = It’s a Bank
Holiday here in the UK so it’s going to be a fairly lazy day just
reading and writing. As I answer these questions.
G.H – Sounds like a great
way to spend the bank holiday.
G.H -
When did you first start writing?
T.P = I first started writing about six years ago
as part of my recovery from depression. I was encouraged to write a journal,
and after reading that journal back a spark of an idea formed around an event
in my life. I wondered if I could make a fictional story about it, just for me
and as a way to exorcise my demons. However, writing became addictive and I
haven’t stopped since.
G.H – Oh my that’s a fabulous use of a
journal and not to mention the health benefits it gave you!
G.H - Did
you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
T.P = I’ve wanted to
be everything from an actress - I was in a play in the West End when I was
younger - to an Olympic dressage rider! I owned horses until fairly recently. I’m
also a Scuba Diving Instructor and owned my own dive school until the writing
started to consume me.
G.H – A play in the West
End! Congrats! An Olympic dressage rider my goodness your aspirations have been
all sorts. Your career sounds great, well done!
G.H - Are
you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?
T.P = I’m a full time
writer, so in one way I have the available hours required to be able to produce
the books within the schedule I set for
myself.
G.H – That sounds perfect.
I would probably struggle to remain focused though if I had all that time.
G.H - How
did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
T.P = Thinking of the Fallen Angel series, I
literally dreamt of a man telling me his story - sounds mad, doesn’t
it? I started to write those dreams down and once I had finished the first book
I wrote, I started translating those scribbles. My main characters are Mafia
and the books are set in Washington, DC. Thankfully I have family who live in
the US and regularly asked them for help with research, specifically locations.
It was the character that drove the theme to be honest. I just wrote what I
dreamt or saw in my head.
G.H – Definitely sounds
mad but exciting too! Almost like someone wanted you to tell their story
because they no longer could! Almost eerie!
G.H - Why
did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more
than one, how do you balance them?
T.P = My books are contemporary romance, my
main characters are passionate individuals in all areas of their lives. I don’t
think it was a conscious decision to write contemporary romance, I wrote a
story and then decided where it fitted once I had finished. I guess The Fallen
Angel series crosses genre to a degree. Although classified as Adult
Contemporary Romance because of the content, as I said, they are a Mafia family
so it also falls in the suspense and thriller categories.
G.H – Ahh ok, at least you
felt you could write what came to you and then slotted it into a category
rather than writing in a category you felt you had to.
G.H -
Where does your inspiration for these stories come from?
T.P = Dreams initially. I guess I have a very
active imagination but I also gain inspiration from the people around me and
the places I have visited. I’ve been fortunate in my diving career to
have visited some wonderful countries and to be immersed in various cultures
that fire my imagination.
G.H – It definitely sounds
like you have some great dreams and experiences to draw upon which is
fantastic!
G.H -
What was your favourite chapter to write and why?
T.P = Now that has to depend on my mood I
think. I have some super steamy sex scenes and I have some rather gruesome murders.
I don’t think I could pick a favourite chapter, although I am partial to a
certain scene in Travis where revenge is taken on the father of a child, I’ll
say no more.
G.H – Ooooh I am very
interested!
G.H -
Where is your favourite place to write?
T.P = Currently I sit at the kitchen table
but I do have a building at the bottom of the garden that will eventually
become my office. I just need to clear out all the dive kits and give it a
clean.
G.H – That separate space
I am sure will be lovely.
G.H - Do
you have a certain routine you have for writing? i.e. You listen to music, sit
in a certain chair?
T.P = I have two cushions on a chair because
I am short and I can’t have music playing. I find I end up
typing the lyrics! I set myself a word count goal but I don’t
get stressed if I don’t reach that, it just helps me to focus if
I have something to work towards. I am fairly undisciplined, I write straight
from brain to laptop so having a goal helps me to concentrate.
G.H – Haha I can just see
some very funny editing times if you did listen to music!
G.H - Do
you use a computer/laptop for your first draft or are you a pen and paper
writer?
T.P = Laptop. I’d never be able to read my own handwriting
back.
G.H – Is it really that
hard to read?
G.H - How
do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
T.P = I chose Washington, DC in The Fallen
Angel series because it wasn’t the obvious choice. There has been no
established Mafia (so we are told) in DC. I could have gone with New York or Chicago
but wanted something different. My ‘family’ are
not traditional so a location that wasn’t traditional
too seemed the right way to go. As for names, all the characters in my book are
real people, perhaps not in their real lives though. I chose Robert Stone for
my main man because I wanted a surname that was hard and inflexible and Stone
is my mothers maiden name. Robert came about because the character was born in
the UK but I wanted something that could be ‘Italianised’ -
the family call him Roberto.
G.H – Ahhh I see that’s a great way to go!
G.H - Did
you learn anything from writing your book? What was it?
T.P = I learnt a lot about myself, about how
wonderful and stressful in equal measure the experience is and I learnt a lot
about the people around me. Like many writers, I’m full of self
doubt - will people read or even like my work? What will my family think? But
what came of that process and self doubt was my love of writing and the
characters that I create. My family are fully supportive and extremely proud of
me but writing is an isolating occupation. I don’t see nor
speak to family or friends for days on end when I’m
writing so, I guess, my circle of friends is smaller. It now only contains
those who understand what I’m doing and why my life has changed so
much.
G.H – I have to completely
agree with you on that. Plus learning about yourself enables better writing.
G.H - How
long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to
finishing writing it?
T.P = That depends on lots of factors. I can
write between 8k and 10k per day if I focus so, in theory, I can write the
first raw draft in a week. However, the editing is the longest process and that
can take a couple of months. I have a schedule of one book per quarter and so
far, fingers crossed, I’ve stuck to that schedule. I am fortunate
to have a fantastic team, my publicist, Paula Radell is also my editor. I have
my covers designed by Margreet Asslebergs from Rebel Edit & Design. We work
well together.
G.H – Oh good on you
sticking to your schedule! Sounds like you have a great support network there.
G.H - Can
you describe the feeling you had when you saw your published book for the first
time?
T.P = Oh, that is indescribable. When I get
that paperback proof it makes all the tough times worth it. I still get that
same thrill today as I did with my first book.
G.H – Aww good, I am
getting the impression that’s the same for every author. I know it’s the same for me.
G.H - Who
are some of your favourite authors?
T.P = I have many favourite authors, the ones
I admire the most are the indie authors, the ones that took their dream and had
the courage to make it real. I especially admire authors such as Jasinda
Wilder, Colleen Hoover and JK Rowling - those ladies took their dream when
times were hard for them and never gave up. That is something I find admirable.
My life hasn’t been easy the past ten years, it’s been a
financial struggle, I’ve been ill enough to warrant being
hospitalised and spent years in therapy. Writing, as dramatic as this is going
to sound, saved me so I can understand and totally empathise with those
authors.
G.H – Wow they are
definitely inspirational authors as are you.
G.H -
Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to
get past the “block"?
T.P = Thankfully I haven’t.
I guess I just have too much craziness in my brain right now, too many stories
and characters wanting to get out.
G.H – That is great news!
G.H -
Time for a few crazy questions!
T.P = Love crazy questions!
G.H - Do
you write naked?
T.P = No, but never say never. When I’m
in full writing mode I will confess to sitting in my PJ’s
day after day for very long hours with dirty hair and endless bars of chocolate
to keep me going.
G.H – Haha oh I love it!
G.H -
What is your biggest failure?
T.P = Not getting my first book edited
properly, something that is about to be rectified.
G.H – I think that’s a common mistake.
G.H -
What is the biggest lie you've ever told?
T.P = Erm, not sure I have told a ‘big’ lie
- no, wait, I told my brother we found him under a bush and he was never to
tell our parents that he knew, it was a family secret that he believed until
early teens. I guess that was a bit mean really.
G.H – Hahahaha oh my gosh!
What a terrible sister you were! I can’t believe he believed
it though!
G.H -
Have you ever been in trouble with the police?
T.P = Oh, oh, let me think if my dad is
likely to read this interview… No, I have never been in trouble with the
police *keeps fingers crossed behind back*.
G.H – Oooh now I am
interested!
G.H - Do
you drink? Smoke?
T.P = Yes to both, unfortunately. I do like a
nice glass of wine and cigarettes are a nasty habit that I intend to kick soon.
G.H – I am beginning to
see a pattern with writers and wine!
G.H -
What is your biggest fear?
T.P = Heights, I’m
not so good with heights. Being buried alive (not that I intend to be buried,
see question below) is another but probably my biggest fear is failure after
investing so much time and causing a lot of stress for my husband by leaving my
job and writing full time.
G.H – Heights and buried
alive are the same for me too which is the reason I intend to be cremated! Well
it seems to me you don’t have to worry about failing! J
G.H -
What do you want your tombstone to say?
T.P = I’m not being
buried, I intend to have my ashes loaded into a firework so I can go out with a
bang!
G.H – Oh wow that’s a fantastic idea!
G.H - If
you had a superpower, what would it be?
T.P = Time travel, I’d
love to go back and rectify some things I did in my life but I’d
never go forwards. I want the future to be a surprise.
G.H – Yes past regrets are
common and I agree the future should be a surprise.
G.H -
What secret talents do you have?
T.P = I don’t know that I
have a ‘secret’ talent, I think most people know all there
is to know about me!
G.H – Ooh a every open
person then? J
G.H -
What is something you want to accomplish before you die?
T.P = I used to have a bucket list, I threw
that list in the bin years ago because to not achieve something I’ve
written down would actually leave me very disappointed. I’m a
believer in trying no matter what the outcome. To have tried and failed is far
better, for me, than to never have tried to begin with. So right now, I think I
am accomplishing everything I want to do. I’m writing, I’ve
travelled to some far flung countries, I’ve dived some
amazing seas, I’ve photographed sharks and other critters,
I’ve been financially secure and I’ve been
totally skint. I’m 46 years old, I think I’ve
accomplished a lot so far, all I hope for now is that my books are enjoyed by
readers, they continue to support me and I progress as a writer.
G.H – A nice fully lived
life there with plenty more you can still accomplish.
G.H - Do
you have any scars? What are they from?
T.P = I have loads! I have scars from
childhood from falling out of trees and I have medical scars. I have a Y shaped
scar on my right palm after falling into a pile of broken bottles as a child, I
have scars from operations, from being kicked by a horse. I like scars, I like
flawed bodies. Every scar on my body tells a story, it’s
who I am.
G.H – Gosh you have been
through the wars! Scars are definitely an interesting feature.
G.H - Do
you dream? Do you have any recurring dreams/nightmares?
T.P = All the time, my brain is more active
at night than during the day sometimes. I have very strange sleep patterns and
have to keep a pad by the bed so when I wake I can write the dream down. One
thing I learnt when I was in the nut house, as I affectionately called it, was
to write everything down, it’s a good way to discharge that memory or
thought from the brain.
G.H – Another pattern I am
sensing with authors. I’d love to write down my dreams but most of
them disappear as soon as I am awake!
G.H – Back to normal questions!
T.P = Phew, although I enjoyed those :)
G.H -
What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
T.P = If you have a desire to write then you
should. Make your story your own, make sure it reflects you and your
personality. Get beta readers and not just family or friends. You need people
to read your story that you trust will give you an honest opinion and be open
to that opinion. And if you can, invest in a good editor!
G.H – Excellent advice.
G.H -
Would you share a deep dark secret about you with us?
T.P = Nope!
Thank you for letting us get to know you and
your books. It was an absolute pleasure to have you with us!
T.P = Thank you so much for this opportunity,
it’s been fun.
Where to buy her books?
myBook.to/FallenAngelPart1
myBook.to/FallenAngelPart2
myBook.to/FallenAngelPart3
myBook.to/FallenAngelRobert
myBook.to/FallenAngelEvelyn
myBook.to/Travis
Everyone, please remember any questions or
suggestions please write them in the comments section below.
Thanks G :)
