Don't Tell the Groom
Don’t Tell the Groom is the story of Penny, a newly engaged woman obsessed with weddings. When she starts to plan her wedding, she realises that instead of adding to her wedding savings with her bingo winnings, she’s actually lost ten thousand pounds. She convinces her husband-to-be that she should plan the wedding alone ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’ style. It’s a romantic comedy with a slightly darker edge to it.
Please tell us a bit about your column The Secret Dreamworld of an Aspiring Author for novelicious.com.
It’s my weekly outlet to write (or rant) about all things writing. It ranges from tips and writing techniques to sharing my stories of successes and (more often) failures. I seemed to have made every mistake in the book of what not to do when trying to get published, and suffered A LOT of rejection, which I think my readers identify with.
I’ve been lucky in the past three years that I’ve gone from daydreaming about one day being a published author to actually seeing my book in print form, and it’s been lovely to share the journey with my readers.
You review modern women’s fiction for the Chicklit Club, so who are your favourite reads?
That’s a tough question! As a reviewer you get sent a huge range of women’s fiction and it highlights how wide the genre is. But I do have a stock of go-to authors depending on my mood. If I’m I want something sassy and funny then I’ll read a Lindsey Kelk or Mhairi McFarlane. I love Melissa Hill books as with her classic twists you’re always kept on your toes. And for perfect happily-ever-after endings you can’t beat a Miranda Dickinson.
You are a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, so what does this entail?
The RNA is a great support network. It’s where like-minded authors can gather virtually or at meetings and pick each others’ brains. The meetings are great places to learn about industry developments, and they have two parties a year which are perfect opportunities to network and show off glam shoes. There’s also an annual conference which is a mixture of workshops, networking and social functions.
I used to be part of the New Writers’ Scheme which is where as an aspiring novelist you could submit a manuscript which one of their experienced members critiques. It’s a great way for aspiring authors to gain feedback, to meet each other and to learn about how the industry works.
Please tell us about your previous book University Challenged.
It’s the story of Jess and Jessica who find themselves trapped on the wrong side of a parallel universe. It’s a ‘what if’ story that explores what happened after they did or didn’t marry their university boyfriend. Set against the backdrop of New York, it’s a chick lit story with a twist.
Why will there always be space in the market for romantic comedies?
As a prolific reader of romantic comedies, I say a definitive yes. Every year a journalist heralds the death of chick lit, and every year romantic comedies find themselves in the top spots of the book charts. Essentially a lot of people like a feel good read with a happy ending. For me, after a long day at work, I can’t face reading anything hard going, and I love nothing more than curling up with a book that makes me laugh-out-loud and swoon.
You love going for walks with your husband and Labrador, so how inspirational do you find being in the outdoors for your books?
I think having a dog is an essential writing tool. I usually take my dog out for two or three walks a day. Not only does it get me away from my desk but it gives me precious thinking time away from distractions like Facebook and Twitter. If I’m particularly stuck on a plot and my husband’s on the walk too then I talk through what’s going on and why I’m stuck. More often than not by simply explaining it to him the solution pops into my head.
Why do most women dream of a big wedding day?
I think it’s very easy to think of a big day for a wedding, largely as you can’t seem to escape them. From magazines that cover huge celebrity weddings, to TV programmes like Don’t Tell the Bride, we seem to be a nation obsessed with them. Whilst my own wedding wasn’t the smallest, I did try to cost cut and scaled down where ever I could - much to my mother’s horror. My wedding turned out perfectly and it ended up as the basis of Penny’s budget wedding and the forming my opinion that a wedding is only one day of a very long marriage.
Where did the idea for Penny’s gambling addiction come from?
I’ve always been fascinated by those colourful bingo adverts you have on TV and on the computer. They seemed to scream danger to me. I learnt that a friend of a friend had an online gambling addiction and I asked if they’d meet with me and tell me their story. After hearing about how their life spiralled out of control it made me realise how easy it would be to happen, and the idea for Penny’s addiction was born.
What is next for you?
I’ve just finished writing the sequel for Don’t Tell the Groom, which is called Don’t Tell the Boss. Penny’s up to her old tricks of keeping secrets and this time it’s from her new boss as she starts moonlighting setting up her own business. I’m currently on maternity leave, but when I go back to my writing desk I’ll be writing book three in the Don’t Tell series. Right now I’ve got a couple of ideas, but Penny has a way of getting under my skin and writing her own story when I sit down at the computer - so who knows what trouble she’ll find herself in!