Having previously combined writing short stories with a career in psychiatric and community nursing I now write full time. Well, in theory, but in fact it doesn’t work quite like that.

I spend a great deal of time outdoors, looking after a variety of animals, creatures’ great and small. We live in an old farmhouse, in the Peak District (UK). It all started when we rented a field for my horse, from that grew the desire to have our own field next to the house. Thus a tumble down house miles from nowhere was purchased. After many years in the field of mental health I felt in need of a change, and project manager seemed like a good idea – at the time!

Inevitably, one horse turned into two horses, plus two donkeys and two pet sheep, thus the quest was on to find another property with more land. So, I found myself in the middle of nowhere, with an ever growing collection of furries and feathers, tails and hoofs, and I don’t regret a moment.

Like many people I harboured the notion of writing a novel. Driving home one day across the moors, with the rain pelting down, I made the decision – today I will start writing my novel. That was three years ago. I wrote the first draft and put it away, for over six months.

Why did I do that? I’m not sure. Fear of rejection – well it could be, but to be honest, I don’t fear rejection, I fear not having a go.

Perhaps it was notion that ‘hey, this is serious now, this could be it, not just a daydream’

Laziness maybe? I knew the manuscript needed more work.

When I finally dragged it out of the plastic bag I felt as though I was greeting an old friend. I set to work in earnest, completed a re write, then another and another before sending it off to agents and publishers.

Luckily I have recently released my novel, and I have almost finished the second one.

The hook for Beware the Seventh Wave is Scratch the Surface, Discover the Truth

In the novel deceit, obsessive love, betrayal and murder are threaded alongside the fabric of normal life. Emma is convinced she has found the man of her dreams, until she suspects her lover may have a darker side. Was he a cold, calculated killer or a victim in someone else’s deadly game?

Emma believes she will uncover the truth, but are some lies better left undiscovered?

*****

Prior to my foray into house renovation I spend some years in prison, as a psychiatric nurse. I saw men who were at the pinnacle of their career, high achievers, and respected professionals enter reception with a look of utter shock on their faces. It made me wonder how why and what had brought them to that moment. These thoughts formed the basis on which one of the novels main characters was developed.

I have a 62 second promo/video which I hope you have time to watch. The link is YouTube

Beware the Seventh Wave is available in e form or print on:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

I can also be contacted on the following

Goodreads

‎Facebook

or visit my Website – comments and feedback always welcome.

I would like to finish by thanking Chris for giving me the opportunity to showcase my novel.

Best wishes

Maureen Gregory