A little bit about me...

Being a writer has taken me on some quite unexpected journeys - from being interviewed by a Ukrainian TV channel to working with the wonderful Sir David Jason. But most importantly it has allowed me to share my passion for telling stories with others.

Filming with Sir David Jason on 'David Jason's Secret Service' in Paris 2017

I always had a passion for telling stories. I drew and illustrated books for my younger brother and could spend hours making up tales my stuffed animals could play out. I once, along with a friend, performed a play with puppets we had written for a younger year group at school - it was much more fun than regular lessons!

The Medieval Christmas was my first published book
(The History Press 2005)

In 2003 I dived into writing headlong - just jumped in and hoped for the best.

That year I was able to get a regular writing gig on a short-lived magazine concerning medieval history - I suspect they had no concept I was a 21-year-old with no university degree. But I was always keen on history and my work was checked over by an editorial board with plenty of PHDs between them and passed the muster.

One of my first short story successes was in this anthology published by English Heritage.

Interview on Ukrainian TV about my book 'Churchill's White Rabbit'

I had been pretty sceptical about digital publishing back then, despite launching a short-lived digital magazine back in 2007 (the market was not there for it year, but it earned me the Entrepreneur of the Year Award).

I soon found myself a digital convert - I still love traditional books but I love my Kindle too. These days I can't get enough of books in either format.

My first series of Kindle was the Clara Fitzgerald Mysteries. There are now nearly 30 books featuring Clara (and counting) along with another series under the same name featuring Colonel Bainbridge.

Over the next few years I divided my time between writing freelance work for magazines and producing history books for The History Press and Fonthill Media.

Then, in 2014, two of the magazines I was a regular contributor to folded and I was left in limbo. I found myself falling back on something I had been dabbling in for a few months - Amazon Kindle.

The very first Clara Fitzgerald novel

Titles under the pseudonym Sebastian Jones

I write under a variety of pen-names, partly because this is part of the fun of being a writer.

My current pen-names are

Evelyn James

(Clara Fitzgerald Mysteries,

Colonel Bainbridge Mysteries)

Sebastian Jones

(Black Hearts and Bullets)

August LaBelle

(Romance)

SVB Jackson

(Fantasy)

Summer Rose

(Ghost stories)

Yolanda Rhodes

(Betsy Malone Supernatural Mysteries)

Victoria Hart

(Horror)

I remain obsessed with writing - it is as simple as that. Even if I did not do this for a day job I would be writing away in all my spare time. I consider myself very lucky to be able to make a living from my passion and blessed that so many people find pleasure and joy in my books and keep asking for more.

I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them!

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Much love and Happy Reading - Sophie