Originally, I wanted to write about a woman who feels second-best in her marriage and how, when she has a traumatic experience, she is forced to re-evaluate her whole life. As I planned out the novel, the idea of telling the first wife's tale grew. This also involved unravelling what was going on in the first wife's life that influenced her husband so deeply that he found it hard to get over her. When I hit up on her big secret, I knew I'd found one of the core elements of the book. I find, when I'm writing, as soon as I find one of the core elements, the story pretty much reveals itself to me.
You say your ideas come from life, talking to people, overhearing conversations in public and wondering how you would handle yourself in certain situations. How do you keep track of those ideas and what you see and hear?
I do carry a notebook with me but that's usually to write the scenes from whatever book I'm working on that come into my head. I remember snippets of conversations and ideas pop into my head all the time, sparked by the things I see and hear. I probably should note them down because I've obviously forgotten more than I remember over the years.
What is the writing process for you?
If I'm not actively writing when a book comes out, I'm usually reading and researching and working through the next story. I manage my time like this: I wake up, mentally go over my to-do list, at the top of which is usually "write next book" and, by the time I go to bed, I find I've only done the things that people have nagged me for the most. The nearer I get to deadline, the more writing I try to squeeze into the day, which usually spills over into night. When deadline looms I will cancel virtually everything else and concentrate - night and day - on finishing, then editing and rewriting the book.
Are you still working as a journalist as well as writing books?
I was a journalist, editor and sub-editor right up until I started writing my fifth novel, Goodnight, Beautiful. But my career has been flipped on its head so I don't do much journalism nowadays.
How did you end up living in Australia for two years?
I wanted a change from my life in England and had visited Australia for a wedding a few months before and it seemed a nice enough place, so I decided to move there. I saw a job on the internet, applied and got it.
It was just the break I needed from life in the UK and when I came back, I had the confidence to move out of London to the south coast. I would never have done that had I not lived in Australia.
You wrote your first novel, There's A Thin Line Between Love And Hate, when you were 13 - tell us about that.
It was a teen novel set in Chicago, America - I'd never been to America - about a girl who is torn between two boys, one of whom she's not actually sure she likes. I was inspired to write it because I love stories and I wanted to tell them. I still have it, it was written in my exercise books and I kept them.
What was your favourite book growing up and what do you enjoy reading now?
I loved reading all sorts of things growing up and I still like reading all sorts of things now. Writers need to read as much as possible - if you want to be a writer, you have to read.
Does it get harder to come up with new ideas?
I've always got lots of ideas buzzing around my head, which is a good thing, but also not so great when it comes to picking which subject to write about.
I try not to let anything but the desire to tell a good story pressure me.
What do you love about being a writer?
I love telling stories, I love finishing a book, I love seeing my book on the shelves. But I think the best bit has got to be hearing from people who say my book has helped them in some way. There's nothing like the feeling of having touched someone.
If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
Maybe a librarian because I always wanted to work with books. Not sure, really, I didn't passionately want to do anything else.
What other authors do you admire?
I admire lots and lots of authors because I know how hard it is to write a book, so I respect anyone who can finish writing one.
People I love to read range from Jodi Picoult to Maya Angelou, Marian Keyes to Terry McMillan, J.G. Ballard to Douglas Adams.
I like to read all sorts of books from all sorts of genres.
Is book No8 on the way already?
I haven't completely decided on which of my three ideas I'm writing next, so sorry, can't tell you anything else.