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The Path to becoming a Writer... Anyone who knows me will tell you I've always wanted to write... It just took a while to get here, but was more than worth it in the end... For me it started in Primary School with what we knew as 'Creative Writing'. In about Primary Six (about 10 years of age) I had a rather inventive teacher who came up with a star rating system for home-works. The more stars you gained the closer you were to cashing them in for a night off... As I was truly awful at Mathematics, Creative Writing homework was my best way of earning stars and hence a lifelong passion was born... By the time I discovered Mills & Boon in my late teens I was determined that was what I would end up writing. I would tell anyone that would listen that it was what I would do one day. So at eighteen I took a 'year out' and I wrote, the old fashioned way, with pen and paper. But I never had the guts to send anything away so real life took over and I embarked on a long career of careers - you name it, I've done it! First there was a short stint as a Clerical Officer, then I 'fell' into the music business; first in retail, then retail management, I was a company trouble-shooter for a while and then I ended up in Promotions with a Recording and Distribution Company before I took a sharp left turn and went to work with horses!!
So somewhere between the teaching and the travelling I went back to a manuscript I had first started when I was eighteen. I discovered the eharlequin boards and learnt everything I could about submitting to Mills & Boon - and I took the plunge. That first submission became my first sale and The Bridal Bet, first published in 2003, went to the US and Canada in 2005 and won my first award - The Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best First Series Romance of 2005! Suffice to say, it has been a very very lucky book for me... Now in 2008 I am writing for both the new Romance and Modern Extra lines and I get to spend my time Googling for potential heros and creating worlds where happily ever afters still exist. It's one helluva job really! As of January, I'm working on my 17th title for the London Offices while Rescued: Mother-To-Be has been nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Harlequin Romance of 2007 and Bride Of The Emerald Isle has not only won a Cataromance Reviewers Choice Award but has also finalled in the Contemporary Romance category of the EPPIE Awards! Not a bad start to the year really... And I have the busiest of busy years ahead as Mills & Boon celebrates its Centenary!!! So look out for lots of exciting things in the coming months... Living the childhood dream? Oh yes indeed-y... And if I can do it... then anyone can!!! So never give up I say. I now look back on all the careers I had, on all the experiences along the way, and I can honestly say it was all good training for what I do now.... I guess we all end up where we're s'posed to be in the end. Thank you for visiting the site, and if you get a chance, I hope you'll pop over to my Blog to see what I'm up to now. And I love hearing from friends and readers so feel free to drop me a line when you get a chance! Happy reading....
Join Trish On Her Travels... ~ To Lincoln, England in June 2007 Pt 1 To Lincoln, England in June Pt 2 ~ To New York, United States in July 2007 Pt 1 To New York, United States in July 2007 Pt 2 ~ To Washington DC, United States in July 2007 Pt 1 To Washington DC, United States in July 2007 Pt 2 ~
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Official Author Picture (Don't I look serious?)
What can I say - they start us early with horses in Ireland...
Primary School Days (Are you in this pic?)
Abby Green (Presents) Book Launch Party - Dublin 2007 (A motley crew indeed)
At a Friends Wedding (sans huge hat that later got sat on...)
My chum Kate Walker (Presents) & Me in Dublin(cheesing it up for the camera - us???)
At the Keyboard (and looking wistful...)
The stunningly beautiful Jane Porter (Presents) & Me in Dallas at the RWA Conference 2007
Brand shiny new Presents author Jennie Lucas with me at my Book Signing for Literacy For Life at the RWA Conference in Dallas, Texas 2007
Fiona Harper (Romance), Me & Jennie Lucas striking a pose at the Harlequin Party in Dallas
Mills & Boon gals invading the amazingly wonderful Sandra Marton's (Presents) hotel room at the RWA Conference Dallas - from left to right - Fiona Harper, Melissa McClone (Romance), Me, Olivia Gates (Medicals), Jennie Lucas and Sandra
Fiona Harper, Me, Jenna Bayley-Burke (Modern Extra) and Michelle Willingham (Historicals) glamming it up at the RITA Awards in Dallas
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Working
at a Riding School I did my British Horse Society exams and an NVQ and was soon
teaching small children from as young as four years old how to sit on a pony.
This then led to competing my own horse, Charlie, on the local circuit at
Dressage, Show-Jumping and One Day Eventing. Some days we even did quite well!
But I was keen to do more, so after a stint freelance teaching at Pony Clubs I
went to work as a Professional Show Groom and was lucky enough to travel all
over the UK and Ireland with some of the most gorgeous examples of Irish Show
Horses around! But it came down to a choice between two things I loved in the
end and writing won...
Charlie & Me Competing
