Author Genre: Mystery,Non-fiction,Short Stories
Website: Gillian Jackson
Author's Blog: Gillian Jackson
Twitter: @GillianJackson7
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
I am something of an accidental author, having only begun my writing career after I turned fifty, which only goes to prove that you are never too old to follow your dream!
Combining an interest in psychology and therapeutic counselling with my new found passion for writing, I have created books which often deal with difficult contemporary issues but written with sensitivity and from a positive perspective. My first full length novel, ‘The Counsellor’ introduces Maggie Sayer, a therapeutic counsellor, and follows Maggie’s own story alongside the problems of three of her clients. Having trained in counselling myself, I include techniques which I have found powerful and interesting in the hope that my readers will find them interesting too. There are three more ‘Maggie’ novels with another on the way; more details are given on the ‘My Books’ page. ‘Abduction’ became my next project (no prizes for guessing the plot) and ‘A Measure of Time’ both full length novels. A non-fiction book and a compilation of short stories complete my current portfolio.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Congratulations on your book: Ask Laura. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
‘Ask Laura’ has only recently been released and so my next project is barely more than an idea and a few scribbled notes. It will be another full length novel and simultaneously features the story of a little girl and a young woman, characters which will hopefully tug at the readers’ heartstrings! This one will probably be completed by the summer of 2017 in good time for holiday reading.
You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?
Social media is a great tool to get my work out into the world and connect with readers. I regularly tweet ‘teasers’ for my books and also love interaction with readers and other authors. My readers provide great feedback on my novels and their recommendations help to build new followers and this contributes to the success of my writing. I use hash tags to align myself to like-minded people, a tool which also lets people know who I am and where my writing is coming from. An example of this is the wonderful ‘Clean Indie Reads’ #CR4U which tells readers that my books are free of graphic material, even though I write about some gritty contemporary issues. I also follow and have followers with whom I share other interests, mostly cats and other creatures. The same is true of Facebook, watching all those cute animal clips is a great distraction to work!
Do you do any book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?
I have had the privilege to speak at many ladies meetings, particularly the WI (women’s institute) here in the UK. The response from such speaking engagements is so encouraging and I’ve even been described on one of their web-sites as the WI’s favourite author which is quite an honour! So far these engagements have been centred around the north east of England, close to home. I love to meet readers and prospective readers and particularly enjoy the question and answer sessions at the end of each of my talks. The enthusiasm I am welcomed with is always encouraging and I am amazed at how many people I meet who have always wanted to write. It’s part of my ‘talk’ to encourage writing and I have met and helped budding authors to take that first step, whatever their time of life. My passion for writing is something I love to share and I’ve even had the opportunity to visit schools during ‘book week’ to talk about my work and encourage the next generation to develop their skills and express their ideas through the written word.
You have great covers. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?
Choosing a book cover is exciting, though not always easy. I often think I could spend as much time on the cover as on the book itself! My approach to the ‘packaging’ of each book is certainly hands-on. Finding the right image to convey what the book is about can be tricky but once I’ve found what I’m looking for I pass it on to my talented son, who does an excellent job of adding text and/or colour. If it’s been a struggle to choose the image, I do consult friends and family, (my support network,) to ask for their opinions. As with the book itself, feedback on the cover is also appreciated.
You have written a novella called The First Snow of Winter. Can you tell us if it had an impact on the sales of your novels? Are shorty’s one of your styles of writing or are they created to give readers a sample of your work? Do you feel short reads are a product of our tablets and smart phone age?
The novella ‘The First Snow of Winter’ is a recent publication in the romance genre, something quite different for me. It’s a story I started a few years ago and never finished until last summer. It was offered as an eBook to test the market and also readers reactions to a genre I don’t usually write. The jury is still out, although it has been selling steadily and feedback so far is very positive. I did actually love writing this and romance may be something I’ll revisit in the future, who knows? Short reads are ideal for e-readers and tablets and the novella (at about 100 pages) is a good read, in-between a short story and a novel. Hopefully ‘The First Snow’ will introduce my work to new readers as well as being enjoyed by my regular followers.
You have written an Anthology of 24 Short Stories called: Mr. Pinkerton. (see below) Can you tell us if they had an impact on the sales of your novels? Are shorty’s one of your styles of writing or are they created to give readers a sample of your work? How did rolling out the Chronicles in sections work out vs. the response to the complete set?
When I began to write it was in the short story genre. I sold several short stories to women’s magazines before eventually compiling ‘Mr Pinkerton’. These stories are fun to write and hopefully fun to read as well. There are 24 stories of several genres, each one short enough to read on a journey or during a coffee break. There are a few crime stories, (including the perfect way to kill your husband,) romance and humour, all to be taken with a pinch of salt! Although they do give a flavour of my work, it seems that people buy the short stories after reading one of my novels rather than the other way round. The title story ‘Mr Pinkerton’ is a humorous story which an editor once refused because she thought it was too far-fetched. It is, however, one of the few stories based on an actual event rather than a product of my imagination. Truth really is stranger than fiction! I also love to write children’s stories, many of which are filed away in cyber space due to the fact that I am certainly no artist, and the stories need illustrating to bring them to life.
Between your book writing, blogging, marketing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do you sort of play it by ear?
Yes, life is busy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I do try to be disciplined in my writing but working from home, procrastination does creep in. Ideally I like to write on a morning but in reality this doesn’t always work out. Inspiration doesn’t come to order and it is often in the middle of the night that I get ideas which have eluded me during the day. Such ideas simply have to be written down as by morning they are often gone.
What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?
Five of my books are about Maggie Sayer, a therapeutic counsellor, with each book featuring different clients with very diverse issues. They are all stand-alone novels and the first in the series, ‘The Counsellor’ has been offered free to download as a way of introducing the series. (It’s currently on offer at 99c/99p.) It has been successful in widening my readership and is something I would try again. The only non-fiction book I have written is a self-help book, ‘Moving On From Victim to Survivor’ which is perma-free. This is very much a one off, written to help adult victims of childhood sexual abuse, an issue I am passionate about. It’s an easy to read book which has helped many survivors and I hope will remain free in order to continue to do so.
Do you maintain a reader list? What are the methods you use to find your readers and create the list and the relationship? Do you use social media, forums, newsletters and/or support groups to build your list?
I don’t have a reader list as such. Mostly, readers connect with me using social media or by leaving a comment on my website, which has a blog page for information about new releases and special offers.
Living in England creates a unique selling and marketing situation. Where is your biggest audience? Does marketing online help in this situation?
I live in the North East of England, a beautiful place close to some stunning countryside. My novels are mostly set in this area and many local readers connect with the setting. However, recently my books have been selling better in the US rather than the UK. Perhaps they too enjoy the very English countryside. Obviously, US readers come from online marketing as do most of my UK readers. I am continuingly grateful to everyone who buys and enjoys my books. Your feedback is invaluable and my writing career has blossomed more than I ever imagined it could.
Author's Book List
Ask Laura
An agony aunt should have all the answers, drawn from the experience of her own perfect life, right? With a loving husband, two point four beautiful children and a charming home which is always neat as a pin, right? Wrong!
Laura Green’s life is hurtling downhill fast. Her husband has left her and their three children for a younger woman. She has a teenage daughter who isn’t speaking to her, and a mother who is living on another planet.
Throw into the mix a pushy, unwanted admirer and a best friend who has moved several hundred miles away and Laura is close to breaking point. Just when she thinks life couldn’t possibly get any worse, the letters begin to arrive…
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Number 34 Appleton Close
What lengths will Carol Jacob’s go to in order to escape the poverty and shame of her family home to live the kind of life she has always dreamed of, and can she achieve her goal by marriage to an older, wealthy man? When Carol’s dream begins to unravel, counsellor Maggie Sayer does her best to help, but everything is not as it seems at number 34 Appleton Close.
Lindy Baker too has struggled in her formative years. Abandoned by a drunken mother and separated from a baby brother who was her world, she finds herself in a young offender’s institute for stealing food to survive life on the streets. Will her future be blighted by her poor start in life?
Maggie sees the potential in her young client, but can she take a step back from Lindy’s situation or will her instincts and emotions take over?
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The First Snow of Winter
Victoria Patterson is in love with Josh Harper and dares to hope that she has at last found her soul mate. With the perfect job as a nurse on the ICU unit in a Manchester hospital, her future looks rosy, but is Josh really the man for her?
Sarah Jamieson is a midwife in Edinburgh and happily married with two beautiful children. Her participation in the making of a television documentary, about maternity care in Edinburgh, resurrects painful memories of one of the worst times in her life.
One cold autumn evening, an extraordinary event stuns Victoria and changes the course of her life completely, eventually bringing the two women together and fulfilling the dreams of them both.
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A Measure of Time
What would your ‘bucket list’ be if you knew when you were going to die? When Helen Reid was diagnosed with terminal cancer, time suddenly became a precious commodity and something not to be wasted. Attempting to make the most of her few remaining months, Helen plans to travel to Canada and enjoy time with family and friends. But the past is drawing her back to the very worst period in her life, to an incident which even now, years later, brings shame and regret. Is it possible for her to make restitution for that awful event which has haunted her over the years? Revisiting her home town brings Helen into contact with people she would rather not meet again but her determination spurs her on to do what should have been done forty years ago and which will hopefully bring the peace Helen so desperately needs.
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Abduction
At what point do you abandon hope?
An idyllic summer’s day, a children’s birthday party and a simple, innocent game of Hide and Seek.
What should be the happiest of occasions for the Bryson family turns into their worst nightmare as three year old Grace disappears from their own garden, devastating the family and changing their lives forever. But fourteen years later when her sister Elise sees a young woman in a department store she becomes convinced that it is Grace. How can Elise, heavily pregnant with her first child, convince her family and the police that she is not mistaken? Could Grace still be alive and if so, where has she been since disappearing, and what really happened on that summer afternoon fourteen years ago?
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Mr. Pinkerton
- An Anthology of 24 Short StoriesA compilation of twenty four short stories in which you will find the many aspects of love, romantic, maternal, haunting and reflective. And there is humour, witty, tongue in cheek, or simply mischievous.
All stories are inspired by life, love, animals and chocolate. The perfect companion to tea and cake!
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The First Stone
Would winning over eight million pounds on the Lottery be your dream come true? It is for Jenny and Malcolm Grainger but their delight quickly turns into a nightmare when secrets from the past re-surface, resurrecting painful memories and provoking conflicting emotions within their family. Jenny struggles to accept what her husband has been hiding for over thirty years and with counsellor Maggie Sayer’s help begins to look at the issues from a different perspective.
For as long as she can remember, Alice has been intent on remaining single, a decision based on an unhappy childhood. There is however a vital piece of information not in her possession which may make her think again. How can she persuade her mother to reveal the truth and what will be the effect on Alice of learning this shocking secret? Alice embarks on a journey of healing and accepting the past in order to move confidently into the future.
Maggie’s involvement with these clients comes at a time when her own family need her more than ever as they are confronted with an insidious, heart breaking illness.
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Moving On... From Victim to Survivor
If you, or someone you know, has been subjected to sexual abuse in childhood then this book is for you. It has an easy to read format and is presented in a simple way, cutting through jargon to offer down to earth help and support.
Moving On From Victim to Survivor has been born out of the author’s personal experiences. It offers positive help and practical ideas for dealing with the trauma brought about by an abusive childhood. The text is purposely short with chapters which can, if desired, be dipped into rather than read from cover to cover. It is a guide to the journey of regaining your self-respect and love of life, in order to live your life as a whole person and finally shake off the shadows of the past.
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Pretence
For Rae Chapman the months before her wedding should be the happiest time of her life but the same troubling nightmare that disturbed her sleep in childhood has returned once more. Could something from the past be trying to re-surface? Are they only dreams, or long lost memories? Rae begins a journey to find out more about her past and discovers a family secret which throws her world into turmoil.
Lydia appears to have led a life of ease and privilege but now has a decision to make, one she has put off for nearly forty years and one which will shock her family and friends. As time is running out she turns to Maggie Sayer for help but is it already too late?
Linda thought she had escaped an oppressed life when her husband left, but has she simply exchanged one difficult situation for another and how can she support and protect her only child but still do the right thing?
As always, therapeutic counsellor Maggie Sayer seeks to give her best to these clients but is shocked by an unexpected turn of events in her friend’s life and finds that her support is needed much closer to home.
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Maggie's World
Ellie Graham wakes from a coma to a strangely different world than the one she remembers. Sarah is a newlywed whose fairytale romance and marriage is turning into a nightmare causing her to doubt her sanity. Ruth, desperately longing for a child of her own is sinking beneath the weight of a long kept secret.
Therapeutic counsellor Maggie Sayer is no stranger to grief herself and uses her skills to help these three young women. But Maggie’s own life has its complications too, her new husband is suffering from a degenerative illness and a past client returns to her door with problems she is unable to solve.
Maggie uses every possible approach to give the very best to her clients, but not every story can have a happy ending.
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The Counsellor
The unexpected death of Maggie Sayer’s husband shatters her perfect world. Struggling to make sense of her grief, it becomes evident that a complete change and a positive focus is the only thing which will help her to carry on with life.
Training as a therapeutic counsellor provides this focus, bringing her into contact with people who desperately need her help. Julie and her children are living in fear of an abusive husband, Janet is crumbling under the weight of a secret she has kept for over forty years, and Karen has never recovered from her mother’s violent death.
Maggie is drawn into her client’s problems as she seeks to empower them to move on with their lives. And then she is faced with her own ethical dilemma when she meets Peter…
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