Mittwoch, 12. September 2012

The Taylor Street Gang files, part 6. Jillian Ward


Part 6 in our "Getting to know you" series for Taylor Street publishing.

Today we have a lady in the house, (finally). Jill Ward is a writer of numerous books, but "Saving Nathaniel" she published with Taylor
Let's check out the blurb for "Saving Nathaniel" and then go straight in with the questions.



Saving Nathaniel
Nathaniel Mackie is treading an emotional knife-edge, and the abyss is beckoning. Following the deaths of his wife and baby, he has lived with unresolved guilt and grief, and it is tearing him apart.

One rainy day, Megan Thomas literally bursts into his kitchen - and into his life.

Before long, their relationship becomes more than employer and housekeeper. Under her gentle, compassionate influence things begin to change, and he starts to come to terms with his past.

When Megan's temporary secondment is over, the extent of his dependence and affection becomes apparent. He loves her and wants her back.

But will she want him and all his accumulated baggage cluttering up her life? If not, what then? The prospect of living the rest of his life without her is a prospect he cannot contemplate.

He would rather die.


Okay, nice one Jill, that sounds very heavy, so how about you...
1.) Tell us about yourself
I'm as plain and ordinary as they come, in every sense of the word;  former medical secretary who gave up the 9-5 rat race to settle in pastures new and is now living it large(!) in a village on Royal Deeside in Scotland (Note the *Royal* bit - the akshual Queen is a neighbour (as is Billy Connolly)). Got a family, got a dog, got a best friend, got a car, got hot water, got a flushing loo. What more could I ask for? Oh yeah, a few quid in the bank wouldn't go amiss. Basically if I don't write I'm a headcase, so I'm saving my sanity one word at a time.

2.) What genre do you specialise in?
Romance is my bag, because lovers gotta love, even if they have to walk over hot coals to do it, so I would say that might qualify as *specialise*. However, I've also tried my hand at a saucy riverbank romp, a psychological revenge drama and at the moment my toe is dipped in paranormal romance. Next stop - horror. I truly am a Jill of all trades, yet sadly at the moment, mistress of none. I'm sure I'll fall into my niche sooner or later.

3.) What's your inspiration?
People, places, my dear muse (a real sweetheart - see THREE WAY STREET for how we met). It's not the cash that's for certain.

4.) Who is your favourite author, why and did he/she inspire you to write in any way?
I love to read the classic authors - Hardy, Thackeray, Austen, etc, and I rather enjoy Stephen Kind and Clive Barker, but I don't think they inspire me to write 'like' them. I want to create my own voice, although a friend from back in the Autho days said she could spot my style a mile off and using a pseudonym would be pointless. Bugger - busted, but I'm still trying, pseudonym and all (Lucy Pepperdine for those who didn't know).

5.) How do you feel about Taylor?
If it hadn't been for the wonderful peeps at Taylor St and the support of fellow Taylor St authors and readers, Saving Nathaniel would either still be languishing in the bowels of my lappy, dusty and neglected, or else I would have gone down the route of self pubbing and all the pitfalls therein. Taylor took a chance on a complete novice unknown, gave the work a spit and a polish and got it 'out there' and so far, so good. Seeing my work on Amazon and Smashwords for all the world to see fills me with unimaginable pride and gratitude to Taylor St, which in turn has given me confidence to continue writing.  For the majority, having their work published is nothing but a pipe dream. For me Taylor made a dream come true, and the pipe is just for smoking.

6.) What are your plans?
To write more, and to write better. With each subsequent book, I feel I am honing my voice, my technique, and my craft to a standard equal to any professional writer and would hope that Taylor would take a chance on those too *none too subtle hint*

7.) Go for it, sell your work. (Links, reviews, what ever you want).

SAVING NATHANIEL (Taylor St)  http://goo.gl/N1IWb
LINDA LOVES...? (Indie)   http://goo.gl/G8haH
WATCH YOUR BACK! (Indie)  http://goo.gl/G8haH
THREE WAY STREET (Indie)  http://goo.gl/HE0Dc
ON THE FLY (Indie)  http://goo.gl/cZtpi
ANIMA MEA (Indie)  http://goo.gl/rrS1J

More info at www.bluequilbooks.com

Jill's a lovely lady who actively supports Help for Heroes, a fact I find extremely endearing and I, for one, think she ROCKS !!

Thanks Jill :-)

Right peeps, that's all for now.

Reggie :-)

1 Kommentar:

Mike Church hat gesagt…

"To write more and to write better" - I loved that answer, Jill! Yes, I think it's good not to rest on our laurels.

So nice to see a few lines about you - and excellent answers -, but when are we going to see a photo of you?! x