I only started my writing career after I had been treated for breast cancer and took early retirement. Who would have thought that something so devastating would lead to such an exciting new job?
I write crime fiction, particularly because that is the genre I enjoy reading and when I began my first novel, Hunter’s Chase, I always knew that I wanted that I wanted the novel to be the first in a series (although each book can be read on its own) and therefore the characters would need to advance, mature and change while their story-lines develop to retain my readers’ interest.
In order to do this, before I start writing I create full biographies and back stories for all my main characters. This allows me to know not only what they look like but what they like to wear, what they choose to eat and drink and how they spend their leisure time. Even more important is that I know how each of my characters will react to the variety of different difficult and unpredictable situations that I create for them.
My readers do not need to know every detail about the different characters, but it is important that I do and I share the information necessary to my readers as each story unfolds.
Let me take Hunter Wilson as an example. He is a son of the manse, in other words, his father was a church of Scotland minister so, although Hunter is not particularly religious, he was taught the difference between right and wrong from an early age. My readers are also familiar with the fact that he drinks good quality black coffee and not instant coffee most of his team drink. He enjoys pub grub from his local bar where he plays darts and likes going out for Indian meals with his partner, the pathologist, Dr Meera Sharma.
Hunter’s relationship with Meera has developed over the series so far from the admiring glances he snuck during Hunter’s Chase to one of the secrets he is withholding from her in Hunter’s Secret and the romantic evening so cruelly cut short for them in Hunter's Rules.
Most importantly, readers have to know that they are able to trust Hunter to do the right thing, to act fairly and to keep Edinburgh safe.
My books are published by SpellBound Books and are available from book stores including Waterstones, Amazon and are on Kindle Unlimited.
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