Seven Things You Might Find Interesting About Me By Brenda Burling

1.  My first book, Deceived, was written in 1999/2000 but wasn’t published until 2014 and has been published by three different publishers since then. I learnt to never give up and never, ever throw anything you have written away. Keep everything. I have written characters that have been removed and discarded…only to have them turning up in another novel! Nothing is ever a waste of time.

2.  My greatest wishes for my writing are to entertain, offer escapism to the reader, and perhaps for the reader to question “what would I do?”. The other is for one day, one of my books to be made into a film or adapted for television.  I have a mental note of who would play the various characters and have even been inspired by an actor to write a particular character with that person in mind should the time ever arise.

3.  I’m a haphazard writer, can write pretty much anywhere but do love to write in the sunshine, by the sea or a pool.  Views are also inspiring.  I wrote a lot of my first novel in a VW Campervan driving through Spain, an entire chapter in Barcelona’s Port Vell.  Finishing up in a rented seafront property. I write “old school”, it’s all about the notebook which makes for easy Christmas and birthdays. I believe Dawn French writes like this too. Funnily enough, she was born in Holyhead very close to Trearddur Bay where I spent a part of my childhood, and still has strong family connections to the area.  Must be something in the air?

4.  I don’t believe in diets but do love the style of Mediterranean eating and the whole lifestyle. My guilty pleasures are wine and cheese and I’m particularly partial to a good single malt whisky. I’m happy to have got to my fifties and feel life is for living. It’s a privilege to age, not afforded to all, so make the most of it and try not to sweat the small stuff.

5.  I love to hear stories of other writers and how they got started, published and the obstacles they overcame.  I feel I belong to a club but have not quite had my J.K. Rowling moment of success yet. Combining working, family life and writing can be a challenge. I have learnt though that you have to make time for your own passions and interests.  Those books don’t write themselves.

6.  I find inspiration from just about everything, having often been accused of an over-active imagination…guilty as charged.  If I need to write, I do. This has landed me in some sticky situations. Writing during my day job for one. I had a job that afforded lots of downtime.  All was going well until I.T. had to run a diagnostic check on the company computers. I was due an annual appraisal, it went well, and I was about to leave, feeling very pleased with myself until… “Oh, and by the way, are you writing a novel?” I had to come clean.  Suffice to say, I had a very understanding boss…thanks, Stuart.

7.  And lastly, I truly believe you have to be your own cheerleader, believe in yourself, and simply smile and wave at the naysayers. This is not always easy, but you have to take responsibility for your own destiny and fulfilment.