Update: I’ve since moved to Arlingham, Gloucestershire…
I’m based in Nailsworth, which is in an area of the Cotwolds four miles to the south of Stroud. It’s a wonderful place to live with many beautiful walks and stunning views, being one of the ‘five valleys’ – Frome Valley, Nailsworth Valley, Toadsmore Valley, Slad Valley and Painswick Valley. If you’ve read ‘Cider with Rosie’ you will no doubt remember Slad Valley.
I settled here in March 2010, it seemed like the perfect place now I spend my days writing. There is a real sense of community here and I’ve already met some very interesting new people who will hopefully become long-term friends.
In writing terms I’m a fledgling, perched on the edge of the nest and daring for the first time to spread my wings and attempt to leave my warm, comfortable safety zone. Why do it? Because I’ve caught ‘the bug’. Or rather unleashed something that began when I was about twelve and remained locked away inside of me, rising to the surface only when I relaxed my guard. Writing was my ‘guilty pleasure’, I really only had time to write poetry in the ‘family and career’ part of my life. Luckily both were very full and my creative streak was pacified by my hobby of designing interiors, which for a few years also became my career. There was a turning point, a pivotal moment in my life in 2009 when I decided life was shorter than I realised and now was the time to realise my dream.
In eighteen months I’ve written four books, the first one is being published in February 2011 ‘Touched by The Light’ by Book Guild Publishing. So with a debut novel and three others proofed and sitting on the shelf in my study, I ask myself ‘What’s next?’ The truth is I haven’t a clue. Ideally I’d like to interact with people who enjoy reading about life, relationships, psychic connections and above all, romance. In order to grow I need feedback and in order to get feedback I need people to read what I write, so this website is a good way of opening a direct link to my work and myself. I’m interested to know what format people prefer to read in, personally I still love the feel of a book in my hands, but eBooks are going from strength to strength. Should I seek to publish my books in the order in which I wrote them because it’s a developmental thing? Someone out there will no doubt understand my need to ask that question and have something interesting to say in return. For some reason I felt compelled to ‘play out’ some of the side character stories from ‘Touched by The Light’ in my fourth manuscript ‘The Restaurant’, which is a collection of stories. I have a tidy mind and hate leaving things unfinished, especially when it comes to relationships.
So over to you, if you have found this page from the gazillions of web pages out there, then you found yourself here for a reason – and thank you! If you are moved to send me some feedback or some advice, then thanks a million. I need help to grow and I want to succeed. For me the joy of writing isn’t complete until a reader turns the final page of my book with a smile, having loved the characters and wanting more, but feeling that the ending was fulfilling.
I hope you will come back and visit again, kind regards
Linn