Heroines and careers... and books

We're right in the middle of National Gardening Week - 15th to 21st April.

What has this got to do with a writer of romantic suspense? Well - one of the themes of this year's Gardening Week is careers in gardening, and it just so happens that Kaz, the heroine of my debut novel Never Coming Home, is a landscape gardener.
When I was choosing a career for her I wanted something that combined the artistic and the practical. If you've read the book you will know why - if not, I won't spoil it. Gardening seemed to fit, and it was something I know something about, and enjoy, although I am no expert. I wanted her to be independent and resourceful. Giving her her own business to run, very successfully, seemed to illustrate this.
Madison, the heroine from Out of Sight Out of Mind, is a research scientist. Neither career is in any way out of reach for a woman, but both are slightly unusual. It seemed to me that this feeling of being just a little different calls out qualities in both of them that are useful when they suddenly get plunged into mysterious and life threatening situations. As you do, when you run into a romantic suspense novelist in full plotting mode.

This week is also the London Book Fair. I'm planning to attend for the first time. I'm hoping to meet friends and learn things, always an interesting experience. I shall probably tell you all about it next week.

Gardening ... And Coincidences.

This week is the first UK National Gardening Week. The Royal Horticultural Society is putting on all kinds of events to celebrate gardeners and encourage more people to take it up. You can find out more at http://www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk/

Rampant honeysuckle



Right - so that's very nice to know - but what has it got to do with books - other than gardening books, that is?

Well - I like gardening. Even better, I like going to gardening shows and visiting other people's gardens - all the fun, and none of the work. So - when I was looking for a career for the heroine of Never Coming Home, I decided to make her a landscape gardener. I wanted an unusual career, and one that would demonstrate her artistic talents in a way that would not impress her father, who is a famous artist and a terrible snob about people who can't paint. I made her a very successful designer, who has won medals for her gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show but who is also a hands-on gardener. I thought I knew just enough about both to be able to bluff. It's worked so far!

And this is where the first coincidence comes in. When I read about Gardening Week and thought it was a good subject for a blog post, I checked up on what special events were planned. And today proved to be Careers Day - highlighting the possibilities of gardening as - yes, a career. Just like Kaz. Neat, or what?



Impersonating an Italian palazzo

 And it gets better. The day is being hosted by gardener/author/TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh. And Alan is also one of the plenary speakers at the Winchester Writers' Conference this year. I have a special place in my heart for Winchester, as I was a finalist in their competitions on a number of occasions. Never Coming Home was one of those finalists, in the first 500 words of a crime novel category. I'd encourage anyone trying to get themselves published to have a go at the Winchester contests - there are a lot of them, in all sorts of categories. You don't have to be attending the conference to enter, although the entry fee is slightly lower if you are. And if you're there, you have the magic chance of seeing your pen name on the finalists board at lunch time on Saturday. Which means walking around in a happy daze for the rest of the day. You can't beat that feeling. If you attend the conference you also get the chance at workshops and panels, individual interviews with editors and agents, meeting other authors - it's a fun weekend. Booking is open now
http://www.writersconference.co.uk/

So - that's gardening ... and coincidences.