Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I now work as a full time author, though I need to balance my time with taking care of my two young daughters. I have a degree in Zoology and wanted to work with animals for a long time, though my love of fiction took over. I've travelled all over the world and have lived in a number of different countries including Australia and Spain.

Describe your book ‘Alone’ in 30 words or less.

Alone is a redemptive story about the journey of an abused woman learning to find strength within herself, all within the setting of a dark vampire romance.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

For me the hardest part was getting the balance right when I was dealing with the issues of domestic abuse. I didn't want to gloss over the horror and violence a person experiences in this situation, so some people find the violence hard to read. I also didn't want people to not be able to relate to Serenity - the main character - and so dislike her for her weaknesses. I wanted the reader to understand and empathise with her. I hope I achieved this.

What books have had the greatest influence on you?

The books that have the greatest influence on me are emotionally charged, sometimes even distressing novels. I grew up reading the usual horror-lovers fictional diet of Stephen King, James Herbert and Dean Koontz, but more recently I've moved more towards women's fiction such as Jodi Picoult. All of my work has some thread of romance woven into it. The most powerful book I've read recently was 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini. It was wonderful and I cried the whole way through. If I can captured even a fraction of the emotion he does in his books, I will be happy.

Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?

I spend a lot of time on facebook and twitter, giving away copies of 'Alone' in order to get people interested in the series. 'Alone' is the first novel in a series of three, so if people read the first one (even for free), more often then not they go on to read the other books as well.

How do you spend your time when you are not writing?

I spend all my free time either reading or writing. Any spare time (even though it is sometimes enforced by my husband dragging me away from my laptop or kindle) is spent on outings with the kids.

What are you working on next?

My third novel, which will be out any day now, is called 'The Dark Road' and is a horror novel about a group of backpackers in Cambodia. The journey the characters take is one I did myself in my backpacking years, although their trip turns out to be even more terrifying than my journey was! Next will be completing the third book in my 'Serenity' series which I hope to have out in March.