Are you a plotter or a panster?

I’m a hybrid, with leanings towards plotting. I’m generally a very organised person and I struggle without guidelines. When I’ve tried to free write, I end up running out of steam well before the middle, much less the end.

I outline the key events and scenes, but leave the details of getting from point A to point B a blank. As such, the plot changes from what I’d originally outlined, while giving myself the flexibility to be creative when it makes sense to do so.

Quite often those blank point A to point B sections end up being pants-written, and wind up being some of the more interesting sections of the book because they allow for so much creativity to flourish!

Do you set yourself a writing target?

I write best when I know what I want to write – this is why plotting works for me. When I’m in the flow, I can write around 3,500 words an hour, so can easily crank out 10,000 words on a good day.

However this says nothing about editing, writer’s block, or burnout!

I love getting my thoughts onto the screen, and sometimes they slip away very quickly. I enjoy getting the bones of an idea down quickly and thusly spend more time revising and tying up plot holes and whatnot.

Who is your favourite author(s)?

I’m currently enjoying Ken Liu, Jen Williams, Fonda Lee, and Gareth Hanrahan. Some of my all-time favourites include Adrian Tchaikovsky, Robin Hobb, Katherine Addison, and Joe Abercrombie.

I’m an indie author/writing a book, too! Can you read my stuff/give me feedback?

Sorry, I can’t. I’d love to, but I really don’t have the time to do this. If you’re still writing and want critique, I suggest joining a writing group and sharing your work with peers. If you want reviews, I suggest researching and contacting book bloggers – Goodreads and Twitter are good starting points.

Additionally, you might find value in my #ManuscriptMonday weekly live-stream on Twitch (currently on hiatus) where I cover a number of topics on writing, reading, and generally being an indie author. There’s a new topic each week, and you can join in the chat to ask questions on the fly!

All previous episodes are saved as highlights to be re-watched anytime!

Why aren’t your books traditionally published? 

I decided to self-publish because I’ve written professionally for a living and had a career in Marketing.

Mostly I wanted to give it a go myself.

I also enjoy the speed of self-publishing, the control, and being able to sell at conventions. I have met so many wonderful people through this process, and am lucky enough that my writing is successful enough that I can continue doing it.

I have never pitched to an agent or queried a publisher, although I am technically a hybrid author following the release of The Iron Crown special collector’s edition through The Broken Binding Press.

Who did you self-publish with? Createspace, Ingram, etc.?

The short answer is - none of them. I’ve done everything myself!

For my very first eBook, Moroda, I was quite uninformed and mostly blundered my way through. I formatted my Word document per Amazon’s KDP guidelines and uploaded the eBook there. Very basic, but it worked!

I now write my drafts in Google Docs and use Vellum to format – far more professional!

For my earlier edition paperbacks, I worked with a designer to format them in InDesign. Now, I use Vellum for paperback format, too, and send it to a printing press based here in the UK.

This means I have a pile of boxes of books in my dining room, and it means I package them and send them out via Royal Mail (through my village post office!) when people buy them through my website. Self-distributing is a lot of work, but it’s fun and rewarding!

There are a number of reasons for this: chiefly so I had more control over the quality of the finished paperback (and could add touches like embossing), I could set a more competitive price than the Print-On-Demand services, I could sign books before shipping them out directly (and include freebies like bookmarks, business cards, and flyers), and I have plenty on hand ready for speedy dispatch & delivery.

This means that if you buy a paperback through my website, you’ll receive it the next working day via Royal Mail First Class!

It was a financial risk as I could end up with a tonne of stock that wouldn’t sell, but I’ve been successful with them, and have ordered numerous re-prints after selling out!

Who designed your book covers?

Psycat Studios designed the covers for my Dragon Spirits series: The Citrine Key, The Iron Crown, and The Shadow Gate.

Holly Jameson designed the covers for my World of Linaria series: Expanded Companion Guide, Moroda (second edition), Palom (updated), Amarah, and Isa. She also designed my business cards, my dragi stickers, banners, logos, and most other illustrations that crop up on my site and social media!

Katie Pettit has also tweaked my original Moroda and Palom covers, and I credit her with formatting those early edition books, as well as the Expanded Companion Guide.

Book Beaver designed the original covers for Moroda and Palom (no longer in print).

Who illustrated your character artwork?

The artwork for Dragon Spirits series, including the Alnothen & Toriaken bookmarks, was illustrated by Kanizo - Art of Danielle English.

Felix Ortiz illustrated the cover for The Iron Crown special collector’s edition hardback.

Moroda and Sapora were illustrated by Art of Monztre.

Amarah, Anahrik, Eryn, Kohl, Morgen, and Palom were illustrated by Trevor Smith Art.

All my other pieces of character artwork, including the cover of the Expanded Companion Guide, were illustrated by Omercan Cirit.

Who illustrated your maps?

The World of Linaria and Realm of Tassar maps were created by Domino44. 

Who prints your paperbacks?

CPI, though it used to be Clays Ltd.

What conventions are you going to?

Check out my Events page for an up-to-date list. These will be UK-only for now!

Can I meet you at a convention?

Of course!

If you’re going to a convention where I have a dealer table, please do come and say hi! But be aware that if it’s a busy show, I may not have a huge amount of time to chat if there are other people waiting to buy / have their books signed.

What do you do for a living?

I write!

When I’m not writing novels, I occasionally work as a freelance copywriter.

Prior to this, I worked for a Creative Agency as a Content Writer. Prior to that, I was a Copywriter for a chauffeur/private hire company. Prior to that, I was a Marketing Communication Coordinator for SUBWAY Franchisees in Europe.

Basically I’ve been writing for a living for a WHILE!

Where do you live?

In a tiny village in Oxfordshire with my other half and our dog!