The main character in my Eastbourne Murder Mystery series is called Dee Doran. Like me, Dee is in her early fifties. With some rare exceptions (e.g., Ann Cleeves’ Vera novels), women of this age are under-represented in crime fiction. I wanted to create a character who represented real ‘middle-aged’ women; women like me and my friends.
Before You Were Gone
I love women my age! We’re old enough to know what we want, and young enough to still enjoy life. We have a wealth of life experience behind us, and plenty more years ahead of us. We have a confidence we didn’t have when we were younger, which allows us to be true to ourselves.
I wanted to explore issues that are relevant to women like me, issues that don’t get talked about often enough: the menopause and the way it ravages our minds and bodies; what it feels like to suddenly become ‘invisible’ as you get older; the perils and pleasures of dating as an older woman; and, importantly, the challenges women over fifty face when they’re trying to get back into the workplace.
I don’t plan much before I write. My characters tend to come to life during the writing process itself. I knew I wanted Dee to be a journalist who lived by herself in a big house on a lonely stretch of beach outside Eastbourne. With this vague outline, I started writing. And Dee Doran came alive in ways I never could have anticipated.
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Recently divorced, Dee lives alone. She doesn’t have any children, something she occasionally regrets but has chosen not to dwell on. Instead, she focuses her energies on her work and her friendships.
Following a high-flying career as an investigative journalist, Dee took a break from her job to care for her elderly parents. After their deaths, she gradually rebuilt her career, writing in-depth detailed pieces that received widespread attention. By the third book in the series, Dee’s career has really taken off. As well as writing for newspapers, she’s got a book deal and is a regular guest on TV current affairs programmes.
She is menopausal and moody; she’s smart, funny and opinionated. She’s a loyal friend, with a big heart. She drinks too much wine and has unsuitable romances. She makes mistakes and bad decisions. She’s a proper woman.
I’m often asked what’s the inspiration for Dee. The answer is easy. She’s a combination of all the brilliant, clever, funny, complex women I know. These women have been with me through the best and worst times of my life. They were at the forefront of my mind when I started writing Dee’s story. They’re the reason I love her. I hope my readers will love her too!
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I live in Eastbourne, a beautiful town in a stunning location on the south coast of England. From my house, I can see the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park. I am able to walk to the beach and across the downs without having to get into a car. I’ve spent many lockdown hours walking with my family, the people I love most in the world... to read more click HERE
