Introducing myself Hello, I’m Amy! I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and have done for three-quarters of my life. The other quarter was spent in England, where my kids were born. I have three of those, and they’re very cool. I’m a bit demented and thought it would be a good idea to have them a year or so apart. I’m still recovering from that misguided notion, but am convinced that a month in Bora Bora would set me right! Speaking of travelling, as much as I crave a tropical island escape, you’re far more inclined to find me hankering after snow. We don’t have any of that in Auckland – not a drop! And, although it did snow occasionally in dear old England, I’m still looking for the up-to-your-window sort of snow experience. I come from Viking stock (my grandmother was Swedish), so maybe that’s why I have always craved the cold, white stuff. In fact, my husband and I bonded over our love of scarves. 'Twas love at first discussion about the pleasure of a good scarf! My reading journey I was drawn to historical romance as a young reader. I loved anything by the Brontë sisters, but I think Jane Austen was my favourite author at that time. It was a toss-up between Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre for my favourite book as a tween. As I got older and developed a real love of history, I became obsessed with anything do with Vikings. I fell in love with Bernard Cornwell and Robert Lowe, Giles Kristian, too. But there’s always been time to fit in the next Diana Gabaldon. Her Outlander series is probably my favourite series ever (great tv too!). History is my one true love, so some of my favourites lately have been C.J. Sansom’s thrilling Tudor series and Patrick O’Brien 19th century naval adventures. I always thought I would write the Furyck Saga as a historical fiction series, but I never found a period or place where it felt possible. Ultimately, I realised that actual history was far too limiting, so I stepped away from reality and entered the wonderful world of fantasy, and that’s when the fun started… It took me a long time to become a writer. I have ring binders and ring binders of stories, screenplays, tv show concepts, and book ideas that I’ve been creating since I was 10-years-old. I was always very fast with ideas but seeing them all the way through was a lot harder, and eventually, as I grew up, life and work got in the way. I would try writing Winter’s Fury off and on, but I never got very far, and dissatisfied, I always gave up, telling myself there simply wasn’t enough time to fit writing in around three children, two dogs, a graphic design business, etc. etc. But what I quickly discovered is that time is what you make of it. Inspired by an article I read about James Patterson, who got up early to write his first book and fit it in around his job, I started making writing a daily discipline; the idea being that, bit by bit, I would eventually create an actual book. At first, it was tough. It felt like I was training for a marathon and I didn’t even know how to run. But every day it got a little easier and eventually, I started to write more freely, and one day I had enough of a book to show my husband. At this point it was either, forget it again, or keep going. He read it and said… keep going. So, I did. And I haven’t stopped!