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I am a writer - late developer since I wasn't published until I was 50. I have now written 23 novels, numerous short stories and articles.

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Wednesday 28 December 2011


This book was first published in 1995,  it came about purely by chance.  I often write on the subject of money and the affect it can have on an individual or on their friends and family.  I know from experience that having great wealth does not always make people happy - even though I find that puzzling for I’m sure I would be happy!

It also raised another interesting point for me, that is, why do some people see a story that needs to be told and yet the next person does not.

One evening, watching TV, there was a news cast about a woman who had won a small fortune on the football pools.  She looked to be early sixties, and as if she had worked hard all her life.  A very mumsy sort of woman.  Surrounded by her family they were hugging her and saying what a great mother she was and it couldn’t have happened to a better peron . . . the usual, somewhat banal expressions.  But then I noticed at the back was a young man with a steely expression and a chill ran down my spine.  “It’s all lovely,” I said to Bill, “What about that blog at the back. I don’t like the look of him, I wonder what comes next?  There’s a book in this.”

      “I don’t see it myself,” Bill said with a shrug.

      I knew there was; how would she cope?  How would her relationships pan out?  What would happen within the family?  Some of you know that once I have a premise or theme, I make a list of words I related to the theme.  So soon I had a listl; jealousy, avarice, suspicion, gratitude, bullying, love . . . on and on went my list.

     The problem I had however was making the subject of football and the pools, sexy and enticing.  Difficult.  My editor was not over enthusiastic about the project and I could not blame her.  I had serious doubts myself.

     Then, suddenly, all was resolved.  The Prime Minister, John Major, bless his cotton socks, announced there was to be a national lottery.  However, another difficulty loomed; this lottery was some time away and so I had to write the book imagining how the winner would be treated, what ceremony would there be.  Camelot, were as helpful as they could be but they themselves did not know what the final result and the machinations would be.  So I carried on in the dark - made it up as I went along since I had to write it in time for the November launch of the real lottery.  I did it!  There was plenty of time left over, we could present the book at the very same time.

     Now, publishers move in interesting ways which we mere mortals cannot understand and never will.  For reasons unknown, the launch date was to be in the summer - the following year!  I am not a publisher nor am I an advertising expert, marketing is a mystery to me BUT in my opinion they were daft, pure and simply daft not to ride on the wave of publicity the lottery and Camelot created.     

When I posted the story behind Love the Bright Foreigner I received so many emails saying how interested they were to learn how it came about.  While their starts are not so dramatic, I decided to explain a little about each new one when it appears on Kindle

1 comment:

  1. Wow - thanks for that story behind the story Annie. I agree - in hindsight the publisher may have missed an launch opportunity - but then the lottery seems to be as popular as it ever was and I'm sure the Kindle version of 'Lottery' will be too!

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