Phillipa Ashley is a freelance copywriter/journalist and talented author of contemporary romantic fiction. Her first novel won the Romantic Novelist Association’s Joan Hessayon New Writers Award, and The Little Black Dress imprint will publish her latest book, ‘It Should Have Been Me’, today!
Which 3 writers, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
Jane Austen, Ian Rankin and Bill Bryson
Favourite desktop snack?
My daughter’s home made cakes or a Snickers flapjack.
Longhand first or straight to computer?
Straight to computer unless I’m on holiday. Otherwise longhand.
A writer should never…
Let other people’s prejudices prevent them from writing the kind of books they want to.
Independent bookshop or Amazon?
Depends on who has my books in stock. There’s a place for both.
You really must read…
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Heaven Sent by Christina Jones
Anything and everything by Jane Austen
My biggest tip for success is…
Write from the heart and embrace supportive criticism from those you trust.
Email or phone?
Depends on what you want to say. I prefer to phone my agent and ed.
The writing achievement I am most proud of is…
Starting at the age of 41 – that’s also my biggest regret.
Tabloid or broadsheet?
All. I read them free at the gym!
If I were to try writing in another genre it would be…
Dark erotic fantasy. Under a different name, without my mum finding out.
The best thing about being a published author is…
Sharing my stories with real people and getting paid for doing that. Working with talented agent and editors. Meeting other authors.
Sophie Kinsella or Marian Keyes?
Um. Sorry but neither. I haven’t read any Sophie Kinsella so I can’t compare. I prefer Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde and Christina Jones.
If I could go back and do it all again I would…
Not worry about the destination so much and enjoy the journey more.
Which 3 writers, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
Jane Austen, Ian Rankin and Bill Bryson
Favourite desktop snack?
My daughter’s home made cakes or a Snickers flapjack.
Longhand first or straight to computer?
Straight to computer unless I’m on holiday. Otherwise longhand.
A writer should never…
Let other people’s prejudices prevent them from writing the kind of books they want to.
Independent bookshop or Amazon?
Depends on who has my books in stock. There’s a place for both.
You really must read…
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Heaven Sent by Christina Jones
Anything and everything by Jane Austen
My biggest tip for success is…
Write from the heart and embrace supportive criticism from those you trust.
Email or phone?
Depends on what you want to say. I prefer to phone my agent and ed.
The writing achievement I am most proud of is…
Starting at the age of 41 – that’s also my biggest regret.
Tabloid or broadsheet?
All. I read them free at the gym!
If I were to try writing in another genre it would be…
Dark erotic fantasy. Under a different name, without my mum finding out.
The best thing about being a published author is…
Sharing my stories with real people and getting paid for doing that. Working with talented agent and editors. Meeting other authors.
Sophie Kinsella or Marian Keyes?
Um. Sorry but neither. I haven’t read any Sophie Kinsella so I can’t compare. I prefer Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde and Christina Jones.
If I could go back and do it all again I would…
Not worry about the destination so much and enjoy the journey more.
