Tell us about yourself.
I've lived in southern England and in four of Canada's provinces, and now live in Nova Scotia near my family. I've been a writer for a long time, of genre fiction, a poetry collection, three middle-grade and two young adult novels, and two medieval novels for adults. Most were traditionally published and my books for young readers received four awards and numerous nominations, four of them international. Two of my novels are in the provincial school system. My first medieval novel (self-published) was a finalist for a nation-wide award sponsored by The Writers' Union of Canada.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I emigrated from England to Canada when I was fairly young. Much later in my life, although I was drawn to the lives of medieval serfs in a time of war and plague, I couldn't figure out where to set a potential novel. Then, belatedly, it struck me – of course, the county where I was born. I found the setting for "The Arrows of Mercy" in southwestern Berkshire, in the fields and woods along the Kennet River – and part of me felt as though I'd come home.
Perhaps that voyage by ship, from one country to another, was preparation for living in two worlds: that of reality and that of the imagination.
What was your journey to getting published like?
My first middle-grade novel, "The Nine Lives of Travis Keating," was rejected by three Toronto publishers. Give up or persevere? I have my fair share of stubbornness; major revisions followed. During this process, I attended a workshop where my mentor was dissatisfied with how the story ended. She was right. I changed the ending substantially. The book went on to find a publisher, win an award and sell 12,000 copies. The lesson was well-learned. Rethink, revise, rewrite – and send the manuscript out one more time.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
Years ago, I took part in a week-long poetry workshop. The word I heard over and over again? Cut! Or, to put it more eloquently, use the least number of best words.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Sit yourself in front of your laptop and stay there, on good days, on bad days, on days when the writing takes over and days when the words behave like sulky three-year-olds.
What’s a fun fact about you that your readers might not know?
I couldn't possibly write without a supply of chocolate-covered almonds.
What’s your guilty pleasure book or genre?
I'm not sure guilty is quite the right word. If, mid-evening, I'm reading a book that grabs me by the throat and won't let go, I'm guaranteed not to sleep…What's going to happen next? Will she survive? Why doesn't he just…you get the picture. Instead, later in the day, I read good novelists, acute and satisfying novelists, like Joanna Trollope or David Nicholls, who won't strangle me at 2 a.m.
What’s your favorite quote about writing?
{This quote may well apply to life in general, but I apply it to writing, because no matter how I stretch myself or how hard I work, I know I'll never be able to write the book I really want to write. Samuel Beckett said it best: "Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
Wading through the sea on a summer beach (in Nova Scotia you're never more than 40 miles from the ocean). Reading, gardening, spending time with friends and family. Good talk. Forgetting about the budget in bookstores and nurseries. Canoeing through the early-morning mist, slap of a beaver's tail, the faraway yodel of a loon, the lake a mirror of granite, trees and clouds.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
"The Wizard of Oz." Dorothy's little dog. The Wicked Witch of the West. The mix of fascination and terror.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
My style isn't something I analyze; it alters to fit form and character, although I do know I write character-driven fiction.
I've been inspired by the need for income (genre fiction), and by its polar opposite, the desire to publish a poetry collection ("The Brevity of Red"). Then, at the request of my eight-year-old grandson (Write me a book, Nan, with hockey and skidoos in it), I wrote three novels for ages ten to twelve – how a simple request can change your life! It would never have occurred to me to write for children.
When he was a teenager, I switched to YA. Three of these contemporary novels were, in part, about bullying, and a fourth was written from the point of view of a bully – I wanted to know why he was a bully, and – if he wanted to – could he stop? Four of the stories were set in Newfoundland, where my son had various postings with the RCMP, and because I had grandchildren, I often visited that wildly beautiful province, got to know people and as a consequence was impelled to revisit it in my imagination.
And then, with a thud, I felt as though I'd fallen into a literary rut.
After a very scary hiatus, my long-time interest in the medieval period surfaced and I embarked on the research, which was both challenging and deeply engaging. The first draft of the novel was a sprawling and unmanageable mess, subplots galore, characters galloping across every page; it took months for me to cut it back to where it needed to be – inspiration as daily slog. Finally, "The Arrows of Mercy" came out in 2023. Its standalone sequel, where I was inspired to follow members of the same family 25 years later, is called "The Arrows of Fealty," and will be released in September 2025.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
One of my middle-grade novels received a review that, in my opinion, damned with faint praise. And yes, it hurt and filled me with self-doubt, and it took a while before I understood that this was one person's opinion and only one person's.
If we write what we're driven to write, to the very best of our ability, if we can find an objective editor with good credentials and seriously consider what he or she suggests, and if we constantly strive to improve – then the reviews, good and bad, I think fall into their proper place.
How do you connect with your readers?
Way back in 2003, when my poetry collection was published, a friend of mine and I did a book tour in Alberta – unless you're very famous or you organize and pay for it yourself, book tours seem to be almost obsolete (virtual book tours, luckily, are not).
I've visited schools and libraries with my novels for young readers, doing readings and workshops from Vancouver Island to St. John's, Newfoundland. These same books were all nominated for the Ontario Library Association's nation-wide Tree Awards, which entailed trips to Toronto's Harbourfront, where they bussed in (literally) hundreds of kids who'd read the books and had voted for the winners, and you could meet them and do signings. Kids who "got" the books. Kids who could be brutally honest (it was kind of boring at first but it got better). Kids who loved reading. A privilege and an inspiration.
Launches, book clubs, library readings, social media, online interviews like this one – so many good ways to connect with readers. And how we need them and how grateful I am to them!
What’s next for you as a writer?
A third medieval novel? A third young adult novel? I'm not ready to retire yet and, no matter what, I want to keep learning.
Are there any Easter eggs or hidden messages in your work?
Not intentionally, no. However, because I guess I write out of my obsessions, conscious or unconscious, whenever a new novel goes out into the world I feel as though I've undressed in public.
How do you approach writing dialogue for your characters?
It depends on the character and her or his age, the time period and setting, the scene, the conflicts and yearnings. It also involves, with each and every character, much listening on my part, at times allied with a good brisk walk and a notebook.
When I'm revising (Revision should be my middle name), I read the dialogue out loud in the privacy of my study. I also have trusted friends willing to listen to early drafts, and hearing myself speak the words in front of others is guaranteed to pick up on my tin ear.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
A resounding thank you! And if you love a book, please tell your friends.
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.