I published my first book in primary school, my classmate and I wrote, illustrated and published it as a class project that was to be put in the school's library. We also wrote one in grade 9 at high school for German class and my English essays were always well received by my teacher. As an adult I read Jackie Collins novels which gave me an idea for a character for a novel I thought I would like to write. While I had ideas float through my head every now and then, I didn't get a real feel for my first novel, The Road To Vegas, until 2006 when I saw photos of Carmine Giovinazzo from CSI New York. I realised then I had found the inspiration for my male character and proceeded to write the book that month.

It varies from book to book. With Vegas, the movie played in my head and I wrote it. With Hollywood, and then London, I wrote a two or three line synopsis for each chapter of where I wanted the story to go and it flowed from there. Billionaire's was a bit of a hodge podge and just came as it did. The stories makes themselves up as they travel along. With my non-fiction books, they're topics I know about so they come easily. I type it all up first and then edit, or write it out long-hand and then type it up.

I shopped around my books to many publishing houses and agents and it was a very hard slog for four years. While one wanted to pick up Hollywood Dreams, it was going to take two years to get into print. After many a tear filled night I found a link on Nathan Bransford's blog about Amanda Hocking and her self-publishing success. She led me to Joe Konrath, and after reading their stories I started researching how to go about it. That was when I decided to do it myself. I had control over my story, my cover, my rights and the money I earn from it. I own and have control over it all. Except for taxes.

As of 2017 I set up my own publishing house with multiple imprints for my multiple genres.

Well, it's very easy to use actors or musicians as inspiration, so for Hollywood and Vegas it was definitely Michael Weatherly and Carmine Giovinazzo. In London it was a mix of Sam Callis who played Sgt Callum Stone in The Bill and a vague idea of my perfect man in my head. I've also used Aussie actor Conrad Coleby as inspiration for Billionaire's as well. It's easy enough to know who they are as I dedicate my books to them. I have to thank them after all. For Porn Star Brothers it was the models I chose for the covers, they're gorgeous.

Well, me!

As a writer I am part of the story, I find it better if I am playing the part in the movie playing in my head with my male counterparts. I get the real emotions going and feel everything on that deep internal level. It helps to connect and hopefully it translates to the pages.

In thinking of my characters over the past few years, I have realised they are me on the higher level. In some weird sense they have split personalities. In Hollywood, Tahlia is not only an author under one name, but she sets up a fashion house under another. In London, Tamara writes under the name of Jewels Diva. In Vegas, there's a male character that has two personalities.

My characters have developed along the same lines as myself. As a Taurus/Gemini there are two of me bursting to get out of my head. Writing is just one of my occupations and so my two worlds seem to be coming out in my female leads.

There are two sides to all of us and mine are coming out not only in my books but my life as well.

Working on other projects as my other self. I'm Taurus/Gemini so there's two of me that needs to keep busy.

Jackie Collins for the most part and Carolyn Keene. I love Nancy Drew books and have been a collector since I was 10.

Nancy Drew, Jackie Collins. In my other life I read a lot of style, decor, business and many other kinds of books. Whatever I may need to read up on about the project I'm taking on at the time. Dummies and Idiot's guides are a great help.

Absolutely. I would go to a different high school for a start. Try and sort out what I wanted to do with my life, be more outgoing, more vocal, do more things, save more money, there's so many things I would change.