Jaffareadstoo....: Close to Home ...Liz Bower

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors.

Today please welcome Lancashire Author

Liz Bower

Hello Liz and thank you for spending time with us today. Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author?

I am originally from Lancashire and have just moved back after eight years away. Most of the time I drink too much coffee while writing about my characters finding their own HEA. The rest of my time I'm either searching for the next HEA to read or walking my dog.

The idea of writing my own book started when I was a teenager. It wasn't until I was living abroad that I found the time to actually start one.

As a writer based in the North West, does this present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

Most of my marketing and promotion — like so many other things nowadays — I do online so my location isn't an issue.

If you were pitching the North West as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

I love the north-west and I'm a Lancashire girl at heart.

It's a great place to live because there's something for everyone. Lancashire is a county steeped in history with many museums and historical buildings to visit. It is home to the cultural city of Manchester, some of music's best bands and singers, and of course where Charlotte Bronte began writing Jane Eyre.

The north-west is home to some of the most beautiful places I've visited. This is great for my writing too as I'll never be short of inspiration for a book setting. And of course the people are so friendly 'Up North'!

What started you on the path to writing?

I had written stories as a teenager but then adult life got in the way. When I found myself living in the Middle East and unable to work it seemed like a great opportunity to give it a go. I took an online creative writing course and started writing my first book, which is still buried on a shelf somewhere never to see the light of day!

How did you break into the publishing world?

I only published my first book this year so I'm still trying to break into the publishing world but I always wanted to go the self-published route.

What are the up and downs to being an author?

Some weeks there are so many I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. I love it when my characters talk to me and the writing just flows. Or when a reader gets in touch to thank me for helping them escape reality in my books for a while, that makes all the hard work worthwhile. Then there's those bad moments when you let doubts creep in and every word you write is a struggle. It's also hard trying to get your name out there because there are so many great authors already published.

Can you describe your books in three words?

Thrilling romantic fantasy

And finally, if someone is new to your work, which book do you think they should start with?

The three books follow on from each other so start with Vision in Love.

©Liz Bower

All photographs by kind permission

Legends of the North