Hi Hywela. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell us a little about your latest book, The Matchmaker’s Mare and what inspired it?

Thank you so much for being part of my blog tour, Laura. To answer your question, I usually manage to get a horse somewhere in my stories, even the Science fiction Romances, so it was natural that I should think about writing a novel with horses as a large part of the plot. I had written short stories about horses, and one, written many years ago,  was about a witch’s pony. I’d been thinking about writing a ghost story, and the witch became a matchmaking spirit. I set it in my native Wales and gradually the other characters developed and, of course, it became a romance -I am an unashamed romantic! Neither the pony or the ghosts in the story are scary, in fact one of them is quite mischievous and the matchmaker has her hands full keeping him in check while trying to get the two main characters to realise they are meant for each other!

What’s your favourite and least favourite words and why?

Favourite  – Romance. Naturally since I’m a romance writer. The world needs more romance!

Least favourite – Literally. It’s used far too much and often incorrectly. I heard someone on the radio the other day say they were ‘literally on another planet’. Wow – I’m surprised that didn’t make headline news! 😊

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing Rituals?

I don’t really have a typical writing day and I actually write better at night! I’ve always been something of a night owl. I like to have a clear head when I write and not have to worry about jobs I haven’t done, so it’s usually quite late when I start writing, and then I get so absorbed I lose all track of time! I don’t think I actually have any rituals, except I like to have music on low in the background.

From idea to finished novel, how long does the process take you? How do you know when you’ve done enough research and editing?

 At least a year. I am not a fast writer. I mull it over in my mind for a long time before I start writing. I usually get the  first draft done fairly quickly, after researching and making a lot of notes. I like to do the research before I start writing, so as not to interrupt ‘the flow’. Then I write and rewrite before I feel it’s fit to send to beta readers. Then I rewrite again, taking on board all the comments I feel are relevant. Then I give it a few more polishes before I feel I can submit it to my publisher. I find it very hard to know when to stop and never really feel it’s good enough.

Do you have any advice to combat writers block?

LOL – I could say a long ride on a horse works wonders! Of course not every writer is fortunate enough to be able to do that, but a long walk is just as good. Anything to clear one’s mind. Gardening perhaps, or even reading something not connected with what you’re writing at the time. I usually find that when I stop trying to work out the problem that’s causing the block, the solution will pop into my head when I stop thinking about it!

In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes new writers make?

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