Q. Where do you get your ideas from?

A. There’s an old saying that creatives often have a gap between their ability and their tastes. In other words, they know how they want their art to turn out, but are sometimes hampered by the level of their craft. I think that’s the same for ideas. We might have an amazing idea, but then we write it, it feels flat and uninspiring. At least that’s what happens to me. So, I always push my ideas around and see how far I can take them. This forces the idea to grow and change into something quite different from where it started. The process is quite organic and at times bewildering, but it’s always fun to see where it ends up!

Q. Do you plot your books ahead of time or do you figure it out as you go along?

A. When I first started writing, I would work out the story as I went along, but over the years I’ve become more of a plotter. However, I’m still not great at sticking to my carefully constructed plots, so I fully expect to go off-course as I get further into the book. Saying that, I do usually have 5-10 really strong scenes in my mind that I write towards and they don’t tend to change, no matter what else happens.

Q. Who are your favourite authors?

A. I have so many favourites but the authors that I re-read the most, and who I feel have shaped me as an author are: Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Ursula LeGuin and Raymond E Feist. Weirdly I discovered them all in my second year of university when I was nineteen. Which probably explained why I missed so many of classes 🙂

Q. If you were born in Australia, how did you end up in New Zealand?

A. Both of my parents are from New Zealand and even though I grew up in Brisbane, I never felt like I belonged. When I visited Dunedin as an adult I felt a strong connection to the area and the country. I now understand it was part of my Ngai Tahu heritage (whakapapa) helping remind me of who I am and where I have come from.

Q. Why did you decide to set The Widows’ Detective Agency in Lancashire?

A. My husband is from Liverpool and I lived there for about six years. I absolutely loved my time on Merseyside but I knew for this story, I needed a less urban setting. My lovely mother-in-law was from Maghull and often talked about  about the farm where she grew up in the 1930s. Sadly, she died before I started the series but I like to think she would have enjoyed visiting the fictional town of Little Shaw!