‘Research is all about venturing into the unknown and developing an understanding the world you are writing about in a way that means you can make it real for your readers as well.’ – Helen O’Neill

‘Identifying precisely where less is more is an art that writers – and editors – spend a lifetime refining.’

‘One of my aims with this biography was to present Caroline as not just a figure from a bygone age but as a flesh and blood woman, someone that the reader could identify with and who was still relevant 150 years later.’

‘I tried to become immersed in the popular culture of the time – music, film, celebrities – to tap into what I imagined to be the psyche and to get a sense of ‘texture’ or zeitgeist.’

‘There are three steps for using an author platform – discoverability, which we’ve already nailed (congratulations), engagement and sales.’

‘A compelling podcast needs to be authentic and showcase something people can identify with.’

‘You’re writing about real people, people you know, perhaps your family, your ex-husband, your children. How do you do this? It can be a challenge but we have to rise to it.’

‘The best memoirs are not ‘lessons’, but rather quests.’

‘Now is the perfect time to start blogging, the tools and platforms are so much easier. Most are free.’