How Avalon Saved Me

This week I started work on my 20th book. It feels like a bit of a milestone which had me thinking back to the first full length novel I ever wrote, First to Fall.

First to Fall will always be such a special book to me. Not only because it was my first but because of what it did for me. When I wrote the book I had quite literally been torn in half. I won't get in to the gruesome details but I had to take a year out of work to wait for my very broken little body to mend, not that there was any guarantee that it actually would.

It was a very dark and lonely time for me. I couldn't go out, I couldn't do anything. I had to be helped to even get out of bed or get out of a chair. I was twenty three and I felt lost. I needed to go somewhere. I needed to escape.

I'd been writing stories since I could first hold a pen but I never actually finished anything. Time never seemed to be on my side. I was either too busy getting my butt kicked by my illness or living life at full throttle during the rare moments when I was well. But suddenly time just loomed before me, an indefinite stretch as I waited for my body to sort itself out.

I took all my savings and bought a laptop. Then, for one hour each day I got my parents to wedge me up with some cushions behind me and I typed. I created Aiden Connelly, the hero of my story and together we discovered Avalon. I spent my days eager to get back to Aiden and his story. And after three months it was finished. Only I was still very much incomplete. So I wrote another book.

Eventually I healed completely and by that time I'd been well and truly bitten by the writing bug. I just couldn't stop. It became my sanctuary where I could slip away in to my world of make believe and forget all about my problems.

For me my books have always been about escape. And with my Avalon series I want other people to feel like they can escape there too. I absolutely love writing, it helped me heal in more ways than one. So now, working on my current book I can't help but think back to where it all began. I'll always love Avalon, and Aiden. And one day I will go back. That's a promise : )

Until then if you fancy visiting the town that helped save me a ticket is less than a pound at just £0.99. I love all my books but First to Fall will always be the one that got the ball rolling, the one which held me together when nothing else could : )

xoxo