Background behind Rose

The story for Rose started during the summer of 2012, when I wanted to develop a story, which I could dedicate to my father-in-law, who past away in May of 2009, from Cancer.

He absolutely loved to fish, so yes, he is Thomas James the loveable eighty year old man in my book Rose, who befriends Mack's nephew, Lucas.

My father-in-law probably never so much as picked up a romance novel, but would be chuffed to bits to have one dedicated to him.


The name Rose and especially Rose Cottage is the name of a cottage I used to stay in as a little girl in Cornwall, during our families summer vacation. My sister and I had some great fun there.


I love time-travel books, but didn't exactly want to write one, at least right now. That's how the idea about Mack finding a diary appeared, and it was only as I started the first chapter, when the rest of the story appeared.


The response from my BETA readers has been amazing.

"This is soooooooo good."   NW

"One of the best books I've ever read."   KG

And yes, they all have shed a tear or two, but in a good way (I hope).

Rose, will hopefully be available at all online book stores, 9th June 2013.

Another book to my Editor

Last night I finished my edits on Rose Cottage.  Rose Cottage is a wonderful story about love in 1947 and the present day.

Book Blurb is:


McKenzie (Mack) Harper, a 24 year old school teacher, moves to Rose Cottage in Cape Elizabeth for the summer.  She arrives with her six year old nephew, Lucas, who’s staying with her for a few weeks while his parents are in Europe.

Placing storage boxes on top of the kitchen units, Mack finds a diary, opening it to the first page it reads, ‘This is the diary of a Rose dated March 4th, 1947’.  Settling down to read this diary, she discovers a love story between Rose and a man named Jacob Evans.

Realizing that Jacob is still alive and around eighty eight years old Mack tries to contact him to tell him Rose’s story and ends up falling for his grandson, Dean Evans, a 32 year old graphic novelist.

Thomas Degan the owner of Rose Cottage is a loveable 80 year old man who befriends Lucas, taking him fishing and spends time with him reading ‘Our Gang’ Comics.

All these characters come together in a story of loss, love and friendship.

On Monday this book will be going to my editor and I hope to have it published by the end of February 2013 - Yeah!!!

My first blog!

My sister told me yesterday after checking my website out that I needed a blog!!  My reply was one of horror - OMG, what do I do with a blog?  She replied - anything you want.

So for my first blog I decided to tell you a bit about myself.

I was born in Bolton, Lancashire within the United Kingdom, where I lived up until 3 years ago when I moved to Ireland with my husband, 4 kids and pack of animals.  I can tell you it isn't pleasant traveling in a car with 5 cats in cat boxes in the back.  Getting back into the car after the ferry journey to Ireland was the most unpleasant thing we had to do on moving day!!

We are now settled in a pleasant town called Virginia in County Cavan.  The kids love their schools (once they get there!) and the little one loves her play-school where she goes with her imaginary friend, Katie.

I started to write From This Moment, Book 1 in the Jackson Hole Series during the school holidays in 2012.  It actually surprised me that I could work out how to start the book which was a spare of the moment thing.  I’ve tried to write over the years but nothing has appeared, until now.

My kindle is loaded with too many books to mention and I absolutely love to read when I have the chance.

I’m going to sign off for now and leave you with a couple more photographs which my eldest daughter took in Deer Park.