The Tregolls Review
The club also produces its own e-magazine packed full of author interviews, articles, book recommendations, book reviews and new releases. I was thrilled to be featured in the latest March/ April edition.
What other authors are you friends with and how do you help you to become a better writer?
Writing can be a very solitary business and after retiring, I joined a small writing group based in a local library where I wrote my first piece of fiction. There I learned about writing courses held at the university. I enrolled and soon I was writing my first novel! Perhaps the best decision I made was to join the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writer Scheme where you submit your manuscript for a critique from published and more experienced authors. Without that, I doubt that I would be a published author. The support from the organisation and the many writing friends made, the conferences and workshops attended have definitely made me a better writer. Our local Cariad RNA chapter is thriving and we meet each month in person in Cardiff and every four weeks for an evening Zoom session. I meet up with one of those Cariad authors, Luisa A Jones, each Friday morning via Zoom where we talk about our current WiPs. Luisa writes historical fiction, too, and I value her insightful comments and encouragement. We are also beta readers of each other’s early drafts of our novels. Thank you, Luisa!
How do you select the names of your characters?
All five of my novels are dual timelines and set in two different locations, one of which is always Wales. Choosing appropriate character names that reflect the era and the country where the book is set hopefully adds a sense of time and place to the writing as well as authenticity. I look at the popularity of the Christian names at the time the character was born and at what surnames are common in that country. In my last novel, ‘The Silent Sister’, the Welsh sailor who becomes one of the heroes in the story is Tom (Thomas) Davies. Davies is the third most popular surname in Wales and Thomas was in the top ten choice for boys born in Wales in the early thirties when my character was born. His aunt who brought him up was called Gwladys, the Welsh version of Gladys, and one of his daughters is Bronwen. The novel is partially set on the Greek island of Kefalonia and the main character’s name is Cassia Makris, which is a common surname there. The little girl pulled barely alive from the 1953 earthquake is called Eléni, the second most popular girl’s name in Greece, and her surname is Mouzakis. Like many men in Kefalonia, another character is named Gerasimos (Simos, for short) after Saint Gerasimos, the patron saint of the island.
Do you read your book reviews and how do you deal with bad or good ones?
I read all my reviews and appreciate readers taking the time to write them. I’m very fortunate that I’ve had hardly any negative reviews although I have had some low ratings. When I do, I try to rationalise that not every story will please everyone and it’s not personal. The glowing, positive reviews give me such a buzz that readers are enjoying what I have written and that my books have made them feel better. When I’m struggling with parts of the first draft of a new novel, a good review is such a wonderful motivator to continue and see things through. I always remind myself that I felt like that at the same stage of the previous novel! I also use complimentary reviews to promote my books. Reviews are so important for an author so thank you lovely readers.
What was your hardest scene to write?
In The Silent Sister, there are several scenes where I was so engrossed in the emotions of my characters that I was on the verge of tears, but the hardest of all to write was when archivist, Simos, presents Eléni with a battered, green metal box found in the street where her entire family was killed and invites her to open it. Tissues were needed then!
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
I was thrilled to get my first publishing contract for three books and that was a defining moment in my writing. I knew I wouldn’t be able to self-publish so having a publisher meant my novels would be edited and given a cover by professionals in the industry. My fourth novel, The Secret Sister was one of five shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Saga of the Year 2024. It didn’t win but that has been the highlight of my writing career so far. The fact that it was judged by readers meant a lot.
What advice would you give a budding novelist?
My advice would be to keep learning your craft to improve your writing. Although I don’t always follow my own advice, try to write every day to keep the creative juices flowing and see the improvement. Although it’s not easy, develop broad shoulders and try not to take criticism personally. Rejection is part of the writing process, but I’ve always tried to learn from it. Never give up. Wherever possible try to experience what your characters do. Walk in their footsteps, sample what they eat and drink, and imagine how you would feel in their situations. I feel strongly that this adds authenticity to your writing. If you enjoy writing your novels, the hope is that this will shine through, and the reader will enjoy reading what you have written.
What three words would describe your latest novel?
Secrets, grief, forgiveness
How important is the setting in the book?
For me, creating a sense of place is extremely important if readers are going to believe in the story. I always have two settings – firstly, beautiful mid-Wales where I was born and brought up and a contrasting area in sunnier climes. Wherever possible, I like to travel to those places and try to walk in the footsteps of my characters as one of the ways of immersing myself in the world I’m creating. I have taken research trips to Sicily, Kefalonia and this year to Crete for the last novel that came out in February 2026. I like to think that setting and a sense of place is one of the strengths of my novels, part of my brand perhaps, as it is often mentioned in readers’ reviews. And, of course, research trips are always enjoyable!
Do you have a favourite book?
Each novel is different and often it seems that the one that has just been published is uppermost in my mind as a favourite. The Stolen Sister was a joy to write and visiting the island as a writer researching the book as opposed to being a tourist made it very special. The fact that readers have reviewed it so positively and quickly has been wonderful.
Where do you write?
I always write in a small upstairs room that used to be my younger son’s bedroom before he left home. It has everything I need in one place - my desk with drawers containing notebooks, pens and highlighters etc., a computer, printer, as well as a bookcase. I recently invested in a comfy swivel chair which I love. Unlike several of my author friends, I don’t write in longhand first even though I can’t touch type. I write straight onto the computer (slowly) and in complete silence.
Thank you for reading. What question would you ask an author? I'd love to know and perhaps I could answer it.
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