My first book, All About Kate, took several years as I learnt how to create characters and a plot. Then for The Gift of Words, the initial story was written over 30 days in November as part of a challenge called Nanowrimo.

Many aspects of my stories contain elements of interest to me,such as beekeeping. However, the characters are always freshly invented to serve the story. By the time they are released to the world, they often feel like real people to me.

I feel the topics of my books - the struggles that my characters are facing - are universal. The details may differ, but everyone knows what it feels like to be rejected, uncertain, or unsure of yourself at some point.