Take the Late Train

I've spent my entire life surrounded by books: I became an avid reader as a child and have never stopped since! It was a natural step to a career in publishing, where I've worked full time for major publishers as an editor and project manager. However, for most of my working life I've been an independent editor and writer. My editing skills have brought me into close working relationships with literally thousands of authors across many genres and subjects - from children's picture books to cutting-edge academic scholarship and most points in between.

I've written non-fiction for mainstream publishers, as well as for organizations in the not-for-profit sector. Putting my skills to work for good causes has been a particular satisfaction for me.

For some years, I've been involved in exciting new projects: writing contemporary fiction. I am a founder member of my fiction critique group and currently a submissions reader for an online literary magazine. I've been privileged to review some fine work and, sadly, noted the common errors that independent authors make time and again.

Why do I write?

Do you know that feeling when you are too busy with life really just to talk to your loved ones, to connect? Have you ever made a big mistake and had to deal with the consequences, not just for you, but for the people you care about as well? Do you sometimes look at your life and wonder where it's going and what have you really accomplished?

These are the things I write about. My fiction is about people: the mistakes they make; the things they do to live with themselves; how the world changes them. Sometimes I like to write about people on the wrong side of the law; sometimes I write about safe, respectable people who encounter life unexpectedly; sometimes my fiction is set in the United States or England or elsewhere; a lot of the time I like to write from a woman's perspective.

I try to write interesting stories in which things happen and people change. My first collection of short stories - Four American Tales - is out now.

I also have some novels that will be published after Four American Tales: look out for news updates on Take the Late Train and The Long Voyage Home.