Picture: Allan Williamson, Lichfield Mercury
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 a vinegar brewery and in advertising, journalism and PR. I’ve also written non-fiction articles, including interviews with authors, actors and sportspeople such as Richard Armitage, Tim Henman, Nigel Havers, Ian Rankin, Sir John Mortimer and Brian Blessed.My first novel, Decent Exposure, which is a sexy romantic comedy set in the Lake District, was published in October 2006.
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!
Contact Phillipa
What made you write a book?
I started writing fiction in January 2005 after being inspired by a BBC period drama called ‘North & South’. 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. I had to give up my weekends, evenings and holidays to complete my first book. I even took a pen and notepad to the beach and 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 as part of two book deal for its new Little Black Dress romance imprint. Only 18 months later, I’ve just completed my third book for LBD and I’m about to start on a fourth!
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
Phillipa’s literary agent is Broo Doherty
website: www.rwla.com
Broo Doherty has worked in publishing for the last twenty years. She has had a variety of different roles throughout the industry, having started as a production assistant at Victor Gollancz. She then moved to Hodder and Stoughton for a brief period, before joining Transworld as an editor for the Bantam Press imprint, where she was involved with authors such as David Gemmell, Anthony Holden and Jilly Cooper. Then she joined the agent Jane Gregory as the editorial director of Gregory and Company where she advised leading writers in the area of crime and women’s commercial fiction. Broo handles all genres, excluding children’s books, but particularly enjoys crime, cookery and commercial women’s fiction.