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Michelle
was born
in Sheffield, England, at a time when her mother
considered "Michelle" exotically
French... and then those four boys from Liverpool
totally ruined the effect. Her mum has never forgiven
them!
Michelle had a very normal
childhood—apart
from six years spent in Central Africa, where she
developed a healthy dislike of spiders, snakes
and crocodiles. Or, in fact, anything with big
teeth.
She began writing in fourth
grade—short
stories and adapting well-known fairy tales into
scripts. Partly because she liked to spin her own
happy endings, but also because it was a means
to escape math lessons.
Despite having written "hates math" on
every job application form, she was very puzzled
to get a variety of jobs in accounts departments.
After meeting her future husband on the telephone,
she moved to London where she had more jobs that
involved accounts (she never could figure out why).
She also temped, waited bar in a Notting Hill gay
pub (she met some very interesting people), developed
photos (sometimes for famous people, but shhh,
she can’t say who), and taught the basics
of word-processing and operating systems (MS DOS
days, when Spam and cookies were something you
ate).
In 2002, after ten years of rejections, and some
moving around the globe with her husband, Michelle
sold her first book, 32AA. This was followed by
the sequel, Call Waiting. Her third book, Confessions
of a Serial Dater, is now in bookstores.
After six wonderful years in America, Michelle
can now be found in Rotterdam, the Netherlands,
where she spends her time either attached at the
hip to her computer, or weebling ineptly along
the cycle lanes. She aspires one day to be able
to cycle without using her hands...If you'd like
to find out more about Michelle's antics with bikes,
trams, telephones and other life stuff, check out
her latest life disaster at her blog, here.
She still hates math…
Here are some FUN FACTS
about Michelle. For FUN FAQs, and your questions
answered, click here.
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When she was about eight
and living in Zambia in Africa, Michelle was
chased around her back yard by a large, toothsome
goose. That day marked the commencement of
her Trouble with Animals…
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The same year, also in her
back yard, she nearly trod on a poisonous black
mamba snake. Michelle ran so fast you couldn’t
see her for dust.
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At around the same time,
an animal lover and dedicated follower of The
Lone Ranger on TV, Michelle had her first
riding lesson. The horse, described as sweet-tempered
and gentle, became spooked and bolted with
Michelle hanging on for dear life. Maybe the
horse saw a black mamba snake, too…
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Michelle used to think that
bunnies were cute, placid little creatures.
Until she was chased around her parents’ garage
by the furiously squeaking, teeth-baring Mad
Bunny from Hell.
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Hamsters are tiny, cute,
adorable. Or so Michelle thought, until she
saw her mother’s tiny bundle of grunting,
biting fury in action.
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She also used to think that
sheep were cute, placid creatures. Until she
was chased by a flock of fluffy white cotton
balls on a mountainside in Wales. Maybe they
were just coming over to say hello…
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Cows. Also sweet, placid
creatures, right? Michelle was once chased
by a herd of cows while walking across a field
in England. Maybe they were just coming over
to say hello, too…(Michelle ran very,
very fast—a friendly, over-enthusiastic
LARGE cow is pretty scary).
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Michelle’s faith in
the animal kingdom was restored when she acquired
Freddie, her first kitty, followed years later
by Dolly, Empress of Cunnah. Cats, in Michelle’s
humble opinion, are the most wonderful, discerning,
intelligent creatures on the face of the planet.
Dogs are pretty cool, too (except for that
horrible Rottweiler who once chased Michelle).
- When not getting chased by
animals, her other "hobby" is moving
house. During the course of her life, Michelle
has lived in four countries and moved house twenty-one
times. If the writing career doesn’t work
out, she’s seriously considering an alternative
career with a removals company. Or as a house
decorator.
Originally from Sheffield in
the north of England, Michelle is fluent in the
Yorkshire dialect and is available for a translation
of any confusing phrases in The Full Monty and Calendar
Girls. (Just contact her
with any questions).
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Michelle's
first day as a writer! |
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...after
receiving her first rejection letter... |
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...many
rejection letters later... |
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Michelle
finally sells her first book! |
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MEET MICHELLE ONLINE:
>Read
interviews with Michelle at All
About Romance and chicklitbooks.com.
Michelle talks about her characters,
her "ultimate guru writing goddess",
and writing in general. (posted
8.23.04)
>Michelle recently
gave a radio
interview with Antoinette Kuritz
at Worldtalkradio.com (please note:
this is a download, and the interview
with Michelle starts about 3 minutes
into the file).
(posted
8.23.04)
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No events are currently scheduled.
Stay tuned. |
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Above: At
the RWA annual Reader's for Life literacy benefit booksigning
in Dallas, Summer 2004
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Above: At the RWA annual Reader's
for Life literacy benefit booksigning in Atlanta, July 2006 |
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Does the model on the cover of Confessions of a Serial Dater really look like Rosie, the heroine?
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Yes, she’s a lot how I imagine Rosie to look! In fact, I got to help choose the model, which was exciting. |
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Rosie is quite short, but her feet are a size eleven, which she is embarrassed about, so she lies about her shoe size. Is this based on someone you know?
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Yes, it’s based on me, but I’m not going to tell you my shoe size because then I’d have to kill you :) |
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Charlie, Rosie’s business partner and friend, organizes drag acts. Where did you get that idea?
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 Many years ago I was in a drag act to raise money for a worthy cause. I was the only one not in drag, technically, on account of really being a girl, while the other two members of the act were men dressed up as girls. Ah, those were the days…
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If ever, in your wildest dreams, a movie was made of 32AA or Call Waiting, who would you cast to play Jack?
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While I was writing both books I had pictures of Hugh Jackman and Heath Ledger pinned to my notice board (for inspiration, of course, even though they, too, are gods among men). So either of them would be wonderful. Or Johnny Rzeznick from the Goo Goo Dolls… |
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In Call Waiting, you turn Emma into the bane of her existence. . . a telemarketer! Why did you do that?
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Apart from the fact that I hoped it would be fun, it was also my nod to the telemarketers of the world. Because when you think about it, it must be such a thankless task, and the poor people are only trying to make a living—imagine how much abuse they must get from all that cold calling! |
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Was Call Waiting always entitled Call Waiting?
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 No, it really began life as 9 ½ Inches, but we had to change it because it was a bit too misleadingly risqué (it really doesn’t refer to what you think it does!). |
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When you were writing 32AA, was it always entitled 32AA?
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No. It began life as 34B. And then (after watching that infomercial for breast enhancing pills) I decided to give Emma more of a challenge in the size department. |
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Emma drives a cute yellow VW beetled painted with flowers. Do you drive a cute yellow VW beetle painted with flowers?
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 No, I wish I did! These days, now that I live in Rotterdam, I drive only a bicycle. But shortly after 32AA was published a friend of mine bought me a gift from a yard sale. It was a model VW beetle. And it is cute, yellow, and painted with flowers. I have it on my desk for inspiration. (And of course, I have one on my website!) |
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In 32AA Emma gets a telemarketer call from a nun. Have you ever received a telemarketer call from a nun?
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No, but I did once get one from a priest—it was a very worthy cause, and I couldn’t say no… |
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When did you become a writer?
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As soon as I learned to write. As a child I wrote scripts for well-known stories, and would re-enact them with my friends. But I took elements from each story and adapted them into my own wild pastiche. The Wizard of Oz meets Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (at age eleven), was my crowning masterpiece. My friends and I were resplendent in my grandmother’s collection of frilly polyester nightgowns… Okay, so you had to be there. |
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Why did you decide to write romantic comedy?
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I blame my grandmother. In my teens I discovered her wonderful collection of Mills & Boon romances (now Harlequin Mills & Boon). I felt like I’d come home. I promised my grandmother that one day I’d write a romance book just like them. |
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What else prompted you to write romantic comedy?
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I also blame my English teacher. In high school I wrote my first short romance for an English project. I scored a B. My teacher said that she couldn’t give me an A because although it was well written, it was too "women’s magazine." I promised myself I would write a romance, just to spite her. |
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Was there something else that prompted you to write romantic comedy?
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I also blame the high school librarian. I discovered a treasure trove of Mills & Boon romances in the school library. One day, just as I was choosing my latest stash, the librarian pulled me to one side. She took my books away from me and told me that I had to read "proper" books. I promised myself I would write an "improper" book, just to spite her, too. |
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Is there another reason you felt compelled to write romantic comedy?
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My fear of having to get a "real" job after several years of being a stay-at-home mom. Because it would inevitably involve math (just read my bio and you’ll understand about the math). |
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When did you write your first "improper" book?
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Twelve years ago. But it was rejected. So I wrote another, and over a period of ten years I wrote eighteen or nineteen stories in total for Mills & Boon. I have all the rejection letters… somewhere... |
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Why did you keep going after all those rejections? Weren’t you ready to quit?
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See previous answers regarding literary snobs and fear of "real" jobs involving math. Also, my grandmother was still waiting for that first published book. Plus, my husband, my kids and my youngest sister just wouldn’t let me quit. |
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32AA, your first book, isn’t a Mills & Boon romance. Why not?
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I loved Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding, and Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic trilogy. Early 2002 my husband dared me to try something different, and after watching a late-night infomercial for breast-enhancing pills the idea for 32AA was born. Now if only I can track down that English teacher and librarian… |
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In 32AA and Call Waiting, Emma loves Led Zeppelin and considers the members of the band her gods among men. How do you feel about Led Zeppelin?
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They are gods among men… obviously. |
Do you have a question
for Michelle?
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