The Friendship Tree

Wow. Was my last post really in November? Oh, how time flies! I do miss this blog and hopefully, I shall return to write here more regularly. I've been busy writing and toddler-wrangling, and somehow it's become March!

I shall leave my updates for another post, though, because today I am delighted to welcome fellow RNA member Helen Rolfe.

Take it away, Helen!

When I penned my first novel I was in my teens. I wish I’d kept that first attempt if only to look back on to have a good giggle over it. I never dreamt that I’d go on to become a published novelist, and I certainly had a few detours along the way.

I loved English language and English Literature at school and college, so of course, when I went to University I chose to study a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Systems Management! I think I’d made the decision that I should do a degree that would enable me to find a job one day, and for a while my head ruled my heart. In 1996, after the hardest interview I’ve ever endured, I was offered a job on the graduate program with a major insurance company and began my career as a computer programmer.

Seven years later I finally realised that while I was earning a really good living and seeing the world – I’d moved to Australia where I continued to work in I.T. – I was doing a job that I had absolutely no passion for. It was difficult to get out of bed some days with the thought of what lay ahead, and I’m pretty sure I could be heard on the tram in the mornings chanting the mantra, ‘Just think of the money, Helen…just think of the money.’

In 2003 I studied journalism and took the leap into a new career freelancing for magazines. I continued with this until I got married and had children, and after that – when I finally had time to enjoy reading again – the fiction bug bit. I started writing fiction in 2010 and loved every minute of it. I have the classic ‘bottom drawer’ novel of course, which is my first attempt that I thought was amazing until I learned more about the craft of writing. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt as a writer is that you never stop learning.

There were plenty of doubts along the way, that a career as an author was the right choice. It’s difficult to keep going when you feel as though you’re drowning in rejections, but in 2014 I was offered my first contract by Crooked Cat Publishing. And now the real work begins…promoting The Friendship Tree, submitting the next novel and writing the one after that.

The Friendship Tree is out now and I’m really excited, and also a little nervous that finally people will get to read what I’ve been working on! It is available via Amazon.

To find out more about me, please visit my website: www.helenjrolfe.com or make contact via Facebook (helenjrolfe), Twitter (@HjRolfe), or via our blog group www.thewriteromantics.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you, Helen! I have read The Friendship Tree and highly recommend it.  Hope everyone in blogland is doing well, and I do hope to be back here soon.