From Hospital Receptionist to Gangland Crime Writer

Once my son had gone to university in London, I was suffering from ’empty nest syndrome’. The house was tidy and  all the things I had constantly moaned about, I missed. 

I belonged to a book club, nothing big. Just a group of people who met up once a month. Chose a book and then met up next month to discuss it. The book club announced it was running a competition, with other book clubs. All they wanted was three chapters on anything of your choice. The first prize was to get your book published, the second was a P&0 Ferry cruise to Amsterdam and third was some book tokens. It sounded like fun and the fact that is was an open market, meaning you could write whatever you wanted. My friend chose to write about learning how to crotchet. One of the other members, Norman, decided to write about his life experiences with racing pigeons.

Me, I wasn’t sure. I didn’t have any of those hobbies, apart from how to perpetually diet, perhaps.

But what I did have, was inspiration from my past.

I had lived in London for over thirty years in my younger days, (much younger) I had taken barmaid jobs and waitress jobs in some of the numerous stripper pubs in London.  

I know it may sound daunting, but was actually good fun. It wasn’t at all how I had expected, given the word ‘Exotic Dancers’. Like a lot of people, I had pre-judged and made assumptions-none of them the right. It made for a very fun atmosphere. 

I had heard in movies and things about the ‘Krays, and paying protection money. We have all seen the movies and bought the T-shirts. But, as a young woman working in those places, it surprised me that it was ‘real life’. Men at the end of the week did come into those pubs and collect their envelopes of money. Nothing was said and they departed as quickly as they appeared. 

During that period I met some very interesting, colourful characters and even now when I think back it makes me smile.

Thinking about the book clubs competition and having more time on my hands I decided to give it a go. My first effort was called ‘Francesca’ about a single mum struggling to juggle child care and hold down a job, which becomes impossible. Striptease is her only option for making money and paying off her debts. Unknowingly she bumps into a gangland boss. a very charming, handsome man in the usual Saville row suit. Tony Lambrianu. A blonde, blue-eyed Italian, with a taste for women and the good life-No spoilers. You will have to read the rest for yourself !!

Of course, I didn’t win the competition.  In actual fact Norman did.  But we had had great fun over the last few months writing and plotting and filling those gaps. It was just what I needed.

Now I had got a taste for it, I let some of my colleagues read Francesca and they liked it and wanted more. Stupidly, I got swallowed up by a vanity publisher. A hard lesson learnt and cost me a lot of money. The editing was atrocious, but,  once they got your money they didn’t care.

But, what they did give me was a platform. Without the book, I would have nothing to post. I advertised it on book clubs and was warmly received. Readers looked beyond the bad editing and enjoyed the story. They then asked more about my gangland boss Tony and soon I found myself writing the whole Lambrianu series. 4 books in all.  I loved it and thankfully, so did my readers.  

I then took my readers’ lead and a cameo character in the lambrianu books ‘Julie Gold’, and her quick-witted one-liners they had come to love, gave me the inspiration to write her story. Gold Digger and Fools Gold.

I was approached by Boldwood Publishers, who wanted to know if I had any books left in me and so recently I have written the Diamond Series. This is based in Glasgow and London and then goes further afield to Paris, and the French Mileu Mafia. I have really enjoyed writing about Patsy Diamond. The last in the series Forever Diamond is due out now.  To date, I have written ten books since my first attempt and am now writing my eleventh. I hope to write many more!

Follow Gillian on Twitter @salenagodden

FOREVER DIAMOND

Friend or Foe?

Patsy Diamond thought she had her life and her business dealings under control…she was wrong.

Because just as Patsy is hoping for calm, chaos erupts, and Patsy is forced to make decisions that could cost her everything.

The only people Patsy can rely on are her inner circle – her family and her close friends. But with danger and threats seemingly lurking around every corner Patsy must take extra care with who she trusts with her secrets.

So when Patsy meets handsome stable hand Phillipe Carreaux, she’s immediately wary. Can she bring Phillipe into her world or is it simply too dangerous?

And is Phillipe everything he appears to be?

With her future on the line, Patsy must think smart if she hopes to hold on to her Diamond reign forever…

What people are saying about Gillian Godden!

‘An edge of your seat read that will leave you breathless!’ Bestselling author, Kerry Kaya.

‘Characters were so real I’m still looking over my shoulder! Bestselling author Owen Mullen.

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing