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ANNE:  Anywhere and everywhere! It can be a huckleberry, a can of paint, or a medieval castle. I keep my creative mind open and ready.

PAUL:   Anne is a fan of romance and I have in interest in the medieval period and we both decided in bringing them together which worked beautifully. Our ideas came from the brutal and barbaric time, what this would endure for both a man and a woman in a strained relationship of that period. It had to reflect the period of that time.

ANNE:   I write in a linear fashion. I’m a plotter and an outliner. Within that structure, I can find my creative freedom. 

PAUL:   We swap ideas continually, both aware of the drafts being sent constantly across the sea.  All ideas are scrutinised for their potential and importance for the story, and usually something that get’s both our attention will receive closer attention and excitement.  

ANNE:   Create a world and characters you love, for they will be with you forever! They will become real to you and touch your heart and soul in a way never thought possible. 

PAUL:   Write!  Just write.  Build up a body of work and learn the craft and your style will appear and improve. Your writing brain is a muscle, use it or lose it. There are so many writers out there and they are very selective. Write about something that is close to your heart. Read other books and embrace the art of writing.

ANNE:   I feel I’ve succeeded if something I’ve written makes an emotional connection with the reader. If they’re invested and affected by the story, then I’ve done my job.

PAUL:   To be looked upon from other writers as one of them; to be remembered in the literary world as a writer who left something wonderful enough to be accepted, and that it was possible to have lived life as a writer.

ANNE:   Research (online, library, on-site, etc.) is paramount in creating the worlds in my stories. They have to be consistent, accurate, and believable.

PAUL:  Knowing what you are writing about is important.  For example, if the subject matter is the interior of a medieval house, I shall research the furniture, the eating habits, windows, walls, wood. I will read factual books on the subject and the internet is amazing for checking details, or I go visit castles and take photos. Each book is different, influencing the amount of time and information required.

ANNE:   Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and A Fly Went By written by Mike McClintock.

PAUL:   A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (the most wonderful story ever written),The Time Machine by HG Wells, and Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne.