I was born and raised in the lovely, historic, market town of Bury St Edmunds, where I live still with my daughter, one crazy cat, and a succession of even crazier lodgers. I'm typical Cancer, in that although I like to visit new places and see new things, I'm always very pleased to get home again.
My loves are writing and reading (obviously), but I also enjoy cooking, spending time with friends and, when I have the time, decoupaging.
This past year has been the busiest of my life, with the release of three novels, one eBook novella and a collection of short stories and poems, and it’s been wonderful seeing my stories comes to life, knowing that people are loving my characters as much as I do.
Connect with the Author
About the Book
Book two in the fabulous Blackwood Clan saga, Fixtures & Fittings is Marcus’s story.
Rich, handsome, sophisticated, Marcus Blackwood has it all. Then tragedy turns his perfect life upside down, leaving him sole guardian of his young niece. Traumatised into selective muteness, Megan needs more than Marcus believes he can give her, but, what she needs most of all, is a home.
Searching for the perfect house, instead Marcus finds Grace Lovejoy, an eccentrically hippy, single parent. Grace and her children are being forced to sell their beloved home. Using the connection between Megan and the Lovejoys, Marcus struggles to bring his little niece back from a very dark place.
And then there’s Grace … the complete antithesis to everything he’s ever looked for in a woman. There’s also a connection, a bond between them, that Marcus can’t explain and is not even sure he wants.
And all the time, the deadly consequences of trying to break through Megan’s muteness creep ever closer…
Sometimes, you have to choose, what to keep and what to leave behind…
A heart-warming, romantic read, interspersed with real edge-of-the-seat action,
Fixtures & Fittings is one book you’ll want to keep forever.
Keep reading for an interview with Grace Lovejoy, a character from the book:
Where were you born, and what was it like growing up there?
I was born on an inner city council estate in London. It was pretty rough, I never really fitted in, I always wanted more from life.
Do you have a close relationship with your family?
My father left when I was 13 and my mother couldn't cope, so I ended up in care. I haven't seen or spoken to either of them since. But I have my children, they are my family now. Zoey, my eldest is 15. An amazing person, despite the circumstances of her birth, she is a child who was meant to be on this earth. And then there are my boys, Finley and Connor, twins, they're now ten years old.
Tell us a little about your world, and where you fit in?
My world is one of struggling to get by and self-sufficiency. We live in a huge rambling house, that simply eats money. That is why it's up for sale, why I have this man, Marcus Blackwood, coming to view it this afternoon. I don't want to leave here, none of us do, but, I can't afford it anymore. Despite growing most of our food in our large garden and on our allotment, and watching every penny, we simply can't afford to live here anymore.
What are your goals?
I don't really have any goals for myself. It's my children my ambitions are for now. Zoey has a brilliant future ahead of her, I think she can become whatever she wants to be, but she's leaning towards working with children with special needs. The boys? Well, it's a little too early to tell, but Connor is an extremely talented artist, so, you never know.
What is your greatest fear?
That I won't be able to care for my children anymore, that something will happen to me and they'll be on their own. There's no one else, you see, just me. I've tried to teach them how to rely on themselves and on each other. I know Zoey would always look after the others, but, she's only fifteen, still a child herself really.
What is the most important lesson you've learned about life?
Never give up.
What is the greatest obstacle you have ever had to face?
Being pregnant and alone at sixteen. Not how I saw my life going, but, from the moment I felt her move under my heart, I know this was my baby and that I loved her more than the world itself, and that I was going to keep her, no matter what.
Do you have a secret you've never told anyone?
I'm afraid. Most of the time, there's this fear, that the life we live is so precarious, so fragile, it can change or even end in a heartbeat, and that scares me.
Have you ever been in love?
There was Daniel. Amazing, wonderful Daniel. Zoey and I went to an all-day Summer folk festival and he was one of the acts. Zoey was only a toddler, but she sang along to his song, waving daisies at him. After the show, he came to find us. It was love immediately. We were together for several years, until we weren't. I will never forget that day, sitting on our bed in my wedding dress, waiting to go and be married to my Daniel. When the police knocked on the door, I thought he'd forgotten his keys, but they'd come to tell me he was... I really can't talk about this anymore. It was a very long time ago, and I've cried all my tears now, and anyway, soon after I found out I was pregnant with the boys, so I had to cope, for their sake.
What kind of clothing do you prefer to wear?
I guess maybe people would describe me as a hippy. There's never any money left over for me, you see, it's all for the kids, so I tend to wear long, tie-dyed skirts and dresses, unless I'm working in the garden or on the allotment, then I have a variety of old trousers I got from the Army & Navy store. They're practical and hard-wearing, there's no point me having fancy clothes.
What is your favorite food?
The man who owns the allotment next to mine has a goat, and I barter fresh fruit and veg for goats cheese and butter. The goat's cheese is the best I've ever had, salty and tangy, it's so good on my homemade bread you could make a meal just of that, in fact, I have on more than one occasion. Then there are the tomatoes and summer fruits from our garden, so fresh and ripe, picked and eaten straight away. And old Mr. Branson, two doors down, I also barter my produce with him for his homemade wine. Admittedly, some of it's an acquired taste, but, it's better than nothing, and his damson wine is actually really nice.
What do you own that would be hardest to part with?
Our home. We love it. It defines who we are. It's ripping our hearts out that we have to leave, but, we have no choice.
What do you regret most in your life?
That Daniel never got to meet the boys, these amazing characters that we created from our love. He would have been a great dad, he was a great dad with Zoey, and I regret the waste and that my boys grew up fatherless.
What is your greatest virtue?
I'm hard-working, and I never give up or give in. I look after my family solely by myself and have raised three spectacular children, who are strong, fearless and kind.
If you had one day left to live, what would you do with your last day?
Spend it with my family, in our home, in our garden. Just do all the normal things we enjoy so much. Oh, and maybe crack open a bottle of Mr. Branson's elderflower champagne - maybe even two.
