I’m pleased to be joined by author AJ Campbell today whose latest novel, Search No Further, is published today – congratulations! You can order a copy of that here: Search No Further. We’re hearing #TenThings about the author today so read on to find out more.
- I’m an indie author of three psychological suspense novels and am currently working on the fourth. I found writing later in life, publishing my debut novel Leave Well Alone in my early fifties. I was an accountant before I became an author, and throughout my life, I’ve had a variety of jobs. I’ve also been – to name a few, and in no particular order – a cleaner, care home worker, barmaid, fruit picker, cashier, personal trainer, shop assistant, receptionist, waitress, aerobics instructor, babysitter, factory worker, marketing assistant, credit controller. I believe all my work experiences have enhanced my writing.
- My writing day usually starts around 8 am. As an indie author, I am also a businesswoman, so I begin with answering emails and dealing with any issues that have arisen overnight. My best time for writing is in the morning. I’ll usually write until lunchtime and spend the afternoons on marketing, including an hour or so posting and socialising on social media. Often, I’ll return to my desk for a couple of hours in the evening to get more words down.
- My cocker spaniel, Max, is my bestie. He has a bed under my desk and will only leave my side when there is an offer of food from another family member. Come rain or shine, I always fit at least a forty-minute walk with him into my day.
- Aside from writing, I am a full-time carer for one of my sons, who has cerebral palsy. He’s a stroppy teenager these days, but in the acknowledgements of my debut novel, I describe him as my light on darker days.
- My son is also profoundly deaf. When he was a toddler, I learned British Sign Language so I can communicate with him.
- I live in a male-dominated household. Even the pets are male. They call me the boss. But I always say it’s better than being called the doormat!
- My guilty pleasure is singing Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift songs at the top of my voice whilst driving.
- Books are my passion, especially thrillers and historical fiction. My favourite novel of all time is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It’s a gripping memoir following the tragedies and triumphs of Jeannette Walls, a tenacious woman of a dysfunctional upbringing.
- I am a very tidy and organised person, except where my bookshelves are concerned. My books are stacked in higgledy-piggledy piles.
- I adore flowers – all kinds. And I love ready salted crisps eaten at the same time as a square of Cadbury Dairy Milk. Try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Who is the mysterious Italian man Cara disappeared with the week before she collapsed? And why is Rik lying about him? Who is the troubled woman who keeps appearing in the restaurant asking after Cara? And what made Cara change her will the week before she collapsed?
It’s a race against time to save her grandmother’s life. The more Sienna searches, the more she discovers her family is riddled with dark secrets, lies and deceit.
All tests point to a heart attack, but Cara knows better. She confides as much to her beloved granddaughter, Sienna.
From the back of the book
Glamorous, bold and beautiful, Cara De Rosa is in the prime of her life: a pillar of the community and a successful businesswoman. She is expanding her chain of Italian restaurants across London, while preparing for her imminent marriage to her younger partner Rik, when she collapses at a family birthday party.
Sienna, a troubled single parent, is exasperated with the police for failing to find the culprit of her husband’s death in a hit-and-run incident five years ago. As Cara’s health takes a turn for the worse and she falls into a coma, Sienna’s lack of confidence in the justice system leads her to investigate Cara’s chilling allegation.
Someone wants Cara De Rosa dead.
But who would want to see the end of the family matriarch, Cara De Rosa?
