Poppy answers questions about her writing life:
What is one unexpected, good thing writing has brought to your life?
It’s not really any secret that I have a son who has been declared medically unfit to attend school several times since he was seven years old. Those periods have sometimes spanned years. His digestive system doesn’t work properly, and when he was eleven, he finally needed surgery since all the other options proved fruitless.
Being able to write, and work from home was an unexpected lifeline. A way for me to make a living while still taking care of my son. It always makes me think of something my mother used to say about blessings in disguise… or when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
If you could take a January holiday with no limits on cost, location, etc, where would you go? Who would you take with you?
Since starting my Masters of Paradise series, I’ve had to do a lot of research on the Caribbean and the Bahamas in particular. So, I think I’d take a cruise with my husband and see it all for myself.
Of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite?
I am particularly fond of my Serendipity series. It’s a humorous, fantasy, magic academy series about a clumsy witch called Seren Starlight. But while I loved it, it’s not what my readers know me for, and it bombed in terms of being a commercial success. I guess this is what is truly meant when authors are advised to ‘stay in their lane.’
What was the first book that made you cry?
Lordy, I’m not sure I can remember that far back! I’m an emotional reader, so lots of books make me cry. The first book series that really caught my interest was The Lone Pine series by Malcolm Saville which I started reading when I was about twelve. It’s a teen mystery series, with the very lightest touch of romance in that several of the teenagers it’s written about are girlfriend and boyfriend. One of the final books in the series is where everything changes, where they’re all on the verge of adulthood and moving on with their lives; moving away from each other, so I think it was probably that one. It’s called Where’s My Girl, and I still have the original paperback.
When did you write your first story or book? Who did you show it to and did they encourage you?
I wrote two books full of angsty poetry throughout my teen years, and at twenty-one I realised I wanted to write something more substantial. I was an avid reader, but this was the days before PCs were a household item, and before Windows or Google were even a twinkle in their creators’ eyes.
I also wanted more from the books I was reading. I wanted sex on the page, I wanted series, and I wanted dual points of view, none of which were common back then. So that’s what I wrote… typed on a word processor and printed out. I sent them to Mills and Boon since that was the only address I could find, as it was printed at the end of their paperbacks. They were all rejected, all five of them, and book six was the second book in a series. With the first one rejected, there didn’t seem any point in continuing, and without the wonders of the world wide web at my fingertips, I had no idea what else to do with them. Since I was pregnant with my second child, I hung up my pen, metaphorically speaking. It’s one of my greatest regrets that I didn’t start writing again for another twenty-five years. But then, and now, my family have always been incredibly supportive, and for that I’m truly thankful.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
The best money I ever spent was a mere $25 to join a reverse harem multi author set called Loved by Three. The series was incredibly successful – and still is, twenty months later – giving me my bestselling book, Smokin’ Cowboys. I was also able to release Stranded with the Storm Chasers into the same series at no extra cost. I got the biggest return on a small investment, but more importantly, I was afforded the realisation that I really could make a living as an author.
