November is not only the month I release my first novel, it is also my 1st anniversary as a blogger. To celebrate I’m participating in my first ever tag thanks to Rebecca Alasdair. The tag was created for writers by Lorraine Ambers and Ari Meghlen as a “fun” and “quick-fire” way to connect with other writers and help us all get to know each other better.

There are 12 key questions to answer, and tags to other writers. My responses are below, with nominations and instructions at the bottom. Hope you enjoy!

Name one novel that inspired you to write.

There’s not one novel that inspired me to write, but there is a novel that inspired me to start reading after a ten year break, which eventually led me to start writing. Some of you may be surprised to hear the book is American Assassin by Vince Flynn.

What’s your favourite genre to write and read?

I read a very wide range of genres, but I write my favourite, apocalyptic fiction. ‘The world ends, so now what happens,’ kind of books. I’m very lucky to share the love of this genre with one of my best friends and my biggest fan!

Do you prefer to write stand-alone or series?

I love nothing better than enjoying  a book to then find out it’s the first in a long running series. I love it best when you could pick up any of the books and they work on their own too. So that’s what I love to write, plus I have too many ideas just to cram them into one novel.

Use 3 words to describe yourself

DRIVEN ♦ COMPULSIVE ♦ GRATEFUL

Reveal your WIP aesthetics or an image that represents your MC or setting.

This is an aesthetic for my apocalyptic novel In The End which comes out at the end of November.

How long did your first MS take to draft?

My first ever manuscript, which I’ll likely never release, took me about four years to write and re-write ten times or more. It’s where I cut my teeth, where I learnt how to write.

Who is your author idol?

I think Stephen King would have to at the top of my idol pyramid. I love his story and his stories!

Share a writing memory that made you determined to carry on.

I was inspired to write In The End because of a shared love of late night conversation about what would happen if the worst came to pass. I would send Sarah a chapter via WhatsApp as I wrote it. She started sharing it with one of her friends and to make the story easier to share I created by blog. My greatest memory which make me determined to carry on is when Sarah screenshot her friend’s feedback and sent it to me! I was truly inspired!

Tell us something surprising or unique about yourself.

I hated learning English and reading at school, my grades and exam results reflected this, but since I’ve taken up writing the last ten years or so, I’d love nothing better than to go back to university and take an English or literature course. Although time would never allow!

Share the hardest part about being a writer and how you overcame it.

With a full-time job, three kids and a gorgeous wife, the hardest part of being a writer is time. However, I overcame this by changing my routine, sacrificing a little time with the family when they’re bleary eyed and in no mood to interact. Each week day I head to work a couple of hours early so I can sit at my desk and be undisturbed, for the most part anyway!

What’s your favourite social media and why? Share your link.

I use Twitter and Facebook, but neither give me the same level of interaction as I get from the WordPress community. If I had to choose out of the two it would be Twitter as you are much more likely to connect to someone random (in a good way) that you never would have thought of trying to reach out to in the first place. That’s happened to me so many times when trying to recruit authors for my interview series.

Share some uplifting wisdom in six words or less.

Six words are just not enough!

It may at first sight seem to be a flippant answer but I take inspiration that it’s alright to take more than six words to share uplighting wisdom. Some people take a novel, some people can do it in less. Just trying to express myself in as many words as it takes is uplifting to me!

I nominate the following writers:

Suzanne @ MyDangBlog

SM Pearce @ Brainclutterblogs

Milly @ The Cat’s Write

Meg Sorick

Lorraine Ambers

SE White

Instructions:

1️⃣ Post the Tag and Image (see above) on your blog.

2️⃣ Thank whoever nominated you and give a link back to their blog.

3️⃣ Mention the creators of the tag and link back to their blogs.

4️⃣ Answer the 12 questions.

5️⃣ Nominate 6+ bloggers and notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs.