Bryony Allen

Where to begin? I have always enjoyed writing, ever since I was a child and can't remember a time where I haven't wanted to write stories or have a book in my hand. After schooling I did a degree in English and Drama at Roehampton University and gained a 2:1 honours. I was then successfully offered a job for the East Anglian Daily Times in Ipswich as a junior reporter but reluctantly had to turn the offer down due to personal circumstances. Instead, I ended up doing a PGCE course to become a teacher at the Cambridge University Homerton College and then embarked out in a new direction and a career in teaching. If the situation had been different, I'd have been in print much quicker!

I currently live in the beautiful county of Suffolk and love everything it has going for it from great areas to walk my two dogs, to being able to go to the coast and eat chips and ice-cream. I don't think I'd really want to live anywhere else at the moment to be honest.

I actually started writing my debut adult novel, "Mystery, Deceit and a School Inspector" back in 2001, then it got put on a back burner as domestic life and work took over. I got my inspiration for it from work, and my school had also just undergone an Ofsted inspection. I just started thinking, "What would happen if..." and it went on from there. Obviously none of the characters are real people! I just took some of the more obvious character traits of people I know or knew, whether at work, socially or just by reputation, then blew them up to bigger proportions. When I come up with an idea, I try to visualise it as if it is happening on a screen. Then I write down what I see and feel, as well as what I want other people to see and feel. Usually, I try to picture characters in a certain setting and think about how they would react.

Mystery, Deceit and a School Inspector got accepted and published by UK independent publisher Pneuma Springs in 2006. Getting published on a traditional royalty paying contract gave me the springboard to do much more of what I really love doing, writing (with plenty of reading thrown in for good measure of course!). I now mainly write to appeal to the darker side of the teenage mind but there will always be space in my creative side for adult fiction too and I plan to release further novels in that genre.

My second work OTOLI for the Young Adult genre was published in April 2011 and the book has been received well internationally so far. It continues to receive super reviews from its readers which is of course really pleasing, it's just what a writer wants to hear. Writing wise I've written further stories for the Young Adult genre and these are now going through the inevitable redrafts and polishing. It's a genre I love writing for so watch this space, as the saying goes.

On a personal level I love to read (excessively) too, in fact I find it hard to get off to sleep unless I've read at least three chapters of something. I read all sorts of novels by different authors; my favourites are Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell and Daphne du Maurier. With Ian Rankin, I love the Scottish background and the plots, and I think Ruth Rendell's way of pulling you into the book is fascinating. As for Daphne du Maurier, her style of writing just speaks for itself. Either way, they are all great role models. That said I'm always finding new authors to read and I think it's also essential as a writer to read, read and read some more. Not only does it take care of a passion, it also helps you develop your skills as a writer. I'm not a one genre writer and I think you have to write the story that you simply must tell, not just the one you think the market will want. Of course market is important (where a publisher is concerned) but it isn't everything as a writer. Write because you love it and need to do it, not because you think it is an easy path to huge riches (some of this would be lovely though!). Please do have a look around my web site and feel free to get in touch on social media like Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook or use my contact form if you prefer things to be a little more private.

Thanks for stopping by.