I mentioned in a previous blog that I wasn't sure where the inspiration for Betrayal came from, it kinda just popped in my head. Love Overboard on the other hand is a total er different story...November 2003 and I found myself onboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean with a fellow Thomas Cooker, Katie. The first time we met was at the airport, we clicked straight away, same weird sense of humour, we just loved giggling and drinking Bacardi Breezers. We had a ball on that ship, met some great people, saw some amazing islands and I totally fell in love with cruise ships. What a great place to set a story I thought...
So I'd sown the seed for what was to become Love Overboard and I sent my characters Lucie & Zoey on THEIR trip of a lifetime. I've heard many times that you should write about what you know, so that's what I did...I know a lot about cruise ships, I've worked in travel and my mis spent youth was spent at a rugby club - incidently Katie and I are both married to rugby players ( although not twin brothers like Adam & Ant in the book - that's just my weird sense of humour again) and I also know a lot about Wispa bars which crop up regularly. (In fact I sub consciously write a lot about food in the book, there's yorkshire puddings, roast dinners, the food on the ship and A LOT of Wispa bars!)
Love Overboard isn't a true story, but I have taken a lot of inspiration from people I work with, a lot of the little anecdotal stories on the ship AND in the travel agency (apart from the romance!!) actually happened. I suppose in a way I'm documenting something that meant a lot to me. I had the most amazing time and I made a friend for life in Katie. One of the nicest comments I've had for Love Overboard is that the girls seem like fun girls to go away with and I'm glad that comes across 'cos we did have so much fun.
That ship ROCKED!
So I'd sown the seed for what was to become Love Overboard and I sent my characters Lucie & Zoey on THEIR trip of a lifetime. I've heard many times that you should write about what you know, so that's what I did...I know a lot about cruise ships, I've worked in travel and my mis spent youth was spent at a rugby club - incidently Katie and I are both married to rugby players ( although not twin brothers like Adam & Ant in the book - that's just my weird sense of humour again) and I also know a lot about Wispa bars which crop up regularly. (In fact I sub consciously write a lot about food in the book, there's yorkshire puddings, roast dinners, the food on the ship and A LOT of Wispa bars!)
Love Overboard isn't a true story, but I have taken a lot of inspiration from people I work with, a lot of the little anecdotal stories on the ship AND in the travel agency (apart from the romance!!) actually happened. I suppose in a way I'm documenting something that meant a lot to me. I had the most amazing time and I made a friend for life in Katie. One of the nicest comments I've had for Love Overboard is that the girls seem like fun girls to go away with and I'm glad that comes across 'cos we did have so much fun.
That ship ROCKED!