About the author

Having taken early retirement from a career which enabled her to work and play in twenty countries across four continents, she nowadays writes, as Denise Beddows, crime/spy thrillers and true crime, and, as DJ Kelly, biographical fiction and local history.

A member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers Association, she regularly contributes articles to local, national and international press and jurnals, reviews books for publishers and e-zines, and is a volunteer researcher for her local history and heritage group.

A trained and experienced public speaker, she regularly gives talks on different topics to a variety of community groups and at literary festivals. She is the instigator and co-organiser of 'Chiltern Kills' Crime Writing Festival in Gerrards Cross.

Her first four novels featuring MI5's Counter-espionage team made Amazon's top ten best sellers in their genre. 'Shearwater Point', an Amazon No 1 best seller, also won the Chill With A Book readers' Premium Award.

You can find out more about Denise via her website: denisebeddowswrites.com.

And buy her books from Amazon via https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B075ZW3DDV/allbooks.

Lesson Summary

The discussion centers around the comparison between traditional publishing and self-publishing in the writing industry, highlighting key points such as:

• The significance of control and promotional efforts by traditional publishers
• The impact of awards and reviews on book sales
• The challenges faced in writing, including time constraints and distractions during research
• The role of critical reading, editors, and improving writing quality

The conversation focuses on the career and writing journey of UK author Denise Beddows, exploring aspects such as:

• Denise's background, influences, and transition from government service to fiction writing
• Her experience with genres like true crime and cozy crime
• Discovery and publishing journey with Spellbound Books
• Her writing process, morning preference, and working on multiple projects simultaneously
• Challenges of writing, editing, context, and storytelling balance

Denise's upcoming FBI-themed book series, background in law enforcement, and global living experiences are also discussed, highlighting:

• The importance of character consistency in series writing
• Seeking expert advice for accuracy in storytelling
• Anecdotes and experiences from a career in intelligence, immigration, and involvement in literary festivals
• Writing both fiction and non-fiction, and challenges of portraying real-life events compellingly

Denise Beddows/DJ Kelly, known for crime/thriller and biographical fiction, has successfully ventured into writing and remains active in writing and community engagements.