When you start your first novel you’ll be in love with the whole idea, not only with your concept for the story but the fact that you are going to be a real AUTHOR! Your books will be in Waterstones, you’ll earn as much a JK Rowling, fans will ask you to sign their copies of your book …

Readers are often interested to know where I write. Whilst still working full-time I wrote whenever and wherever I could, often scribbling a few words in the early morning before rushing off to work.

Setting is a great deal more than simply the place where your story happens. Used to maximum advantage, the setting will enhance your characters and the plot while enriching the readers’ experience.

The received wisdom is that you should write about what you know and that may be good advice – to a point. It’s important to remember that what you know may be strange, surprising and even intensely interesting to others. If you are a Druid, working as a steeple-jack and living on a barge, your…

I’m relieved to hear that my editor is pleased with the final revisions for The Apothecary’s Daughter and that it has now been sent off to the copy editor. Even more exciting is that I’ve had a sneaky preview of the cover for the hardback edition. It’s gorgeous! There will be a few small changes…