Picture by Caroline Strange www.reelphotos.co.uk

I first started writing when I was four, when I sent in a joke to The Beano. After leaving school, I went on to read English Language & Literature at Oxford. Since then, I’ve worked in advertising, journalism and PR.

I didn’t start writing fiction until 2005, after joining an Internet creative writing site. My first novel, Decent Exposure, a sexy romantic comedy set in the Lake District, was published in October 2006. It topped the Play.com Romance chart, won the RNA New Writers Award and was made into a TV movie called Twelve Men of Christmas which aired on the Lifetime channel in December 2009. It is now making its way to the rest of the world and/or on DVD.

And wow! How time flies when you’re having fun. I’ve now had five books published. My Little Black Dress books, thanks to my lovely readers, they’ve all reached Number One on the Amazon LBD chart. It Should Have Been Me also hit number four in the Malaysia Star fiction charts.

My books have been or are being translated into all kinds of languages including Thai, Turkish, Bulgarian and Russian. They are all being published in the USA by Sourcebooks and some are available in large print too. I was recently a judge for the RNA Love Story of the Year 2011.

My current and new releases are:

Brief Encounters (worldwide e book) – May 2011
Wish You Were Here (US print and e book) – June 2011
Fever Cure (worldwide e book)- July 2011 & print June 2012
Carrie Goes off the Map (US print and e book)- December 2011
Just Say Yes – (US print and e book) – summer 2012

I live in a Staffordshire village with my husband and daughter but I try to spend part of the year in the Lake District – walking, visiting literary locations and trying to track down the ultimate Lakeland pub and tea shop. I also love body boarding and have recently had my first surfing lesson.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Phillipa

 

How a TV programme inspired my writing career

Although I’ve always been a writer, I certainly haven’t always wanted to be a novelist! In my day job, I work as a freelance journalist and copy writer but in January 2005, I experienced one of those weird, life changing moments I thought always happened to other people.

I was watching a BBC costume drama called ‘North & South’ and out of the blue, decided to start writing my own modern version. In an instant, a whole new world opened up to me. I became completely absorbed by creating characters and stories and sharing them with other people.

The next step was to write a romantic novel. I gave up my weekends, evenings and holidays to complete my first book, even taking a pen and notepad to the beach so I could scribbled away while the family swam and windsurfed.

A year later in March 2006, after many revisions and early drafts, I plucked up the courage to send the book, Decent Exposure, to a London agent. Knowing she received literally thousands of manuscripts a year, the best I hoped for was an encouraging word along with my rejection slip. Instead she emailed me to say she loved it, and could she offer it to a publisher? A few weeks later Headline Publishing bought the story for its new Little Black Dress romance imprint.

 

Links

www.littleblackdressbooks.co.uk
An essential slice of romance for the modern girl – this site features LBD books, authors, news, fun quizzes and competitions.

www.madaboutbooks.co.uk
The site for Headline Publishing authors and booklovers

www.rna-uk.org/
The website of the Romantic Novelists Association

Press Information

All enquiries please contact Wade & Doherty.