Portobello Book Blog

I’m very pleased to welcome Ann Burnett today who is sharing an eclectic mix of #TenThings she’d like her readers to know about her. I’m particularly interested in the one about the Masai Warrior – I feel that could be a whole story in itself! Thanks to Kelly at Love Books Tours for inviting to take part in the tour. Ann’s latest book Festival Fireworks is available now in paperback and ebook. You can order a copy online here: Festival Fireworks

• One summer, I worked as a barmaid in the Bingo hall at Butlin’s in Minehead, Somerset.

• I love reading. I’ve always got a book on the go. Once I learned to read, there was no stopping me. I would go to friend’s houses as a child to see what books they had and if I could borrow them.

• I can’t stand milk. The smell of hot milk makes me retch. At school, milk time was a nightmare especially if the wee bottles had been warmed on the pipes. To this day, I can’t eat anything with custard eg trifle, plain yoghurt or milky coffees like lattes or flat whites.

• We recently moved across the country to the east coast to be nearer to family. We didn’t know anything about the town we now live in but it’s turned out to be a good move as we have found a group of supportive friends and lots of activities to take part in, as well as a handy bus service right into the heart of Edinburgh.

• I  like to write all sorts of things. Since moving here, I’ve been doing a lot of historical articles for various magazines, including one in America, as this area is steeped in history.

• I was once nearly sold to a Masai warrior for two cows but my husband turned him down as he didn’t see how he could get the cows on the plane. Anyway, it was a derisory offer. I’m worth at least four!

• For many years, I was a member of Ayr Writers’ Club, whose members taught me all I know about writing and gave me lots of encouragement and support. My very first success was a children’s story broadcast on the BBC for which I received £12 and a great deal of kudos. I was hooked!

• I’ve eaten crocodile and kangaroo meat, both I have to say, very tasty.

• Our local library is in the centre of town and is the hub for all sorts of meetings and activities. I love to browse through the books and especially to pick one at random to read at home. I can be lucky and discover a new, gripping writer I hadn’t heard of, though there are some turkeys that I can barely finish. I try to work out why that book hasn’t succeeded compared to the ones that have, and hope I learn something about writing from them.

• I write in short bursts in the morning, having numerous breaks for coffee, a walk round the house or whatever. It seems to clear my head and lets me see more clearly where I’m going with a book. I need a lot of thinking time before I write something, often having a sentence or two in my head ready to appear on the page when I settle down to work again.

From the back of the book

Aussie Jill arrives in Edinburgh at Festival time, at the start of a gap year. Unfortunately, her boss at the temporary job she’s taken turns out to be her grumpy neighbour, Andrew, aka Mr Bossy. As the Festival fireworks explode over the city every night, they start to fall in love. Then Jill has to return suddenly to Australia. Can their budding romance survive or will the fireworks fizzle and die?

About the author

Ann Burnett has been writing for many years and covers many genres. She wrote Postman Pat stories for a comic for five years, adapted Moomin stories as picture books, and scripted over 100 programmes for BBC children’s TV and radio. She also writes short stories and articles and has even tried poetry and drama!

Her latest writing is a contemporary romance, Festival Fireworks, for Ladybug Publications.

She was once almost sold to a Masai warrior for two cows but was only saved because her husband wouldn’t have been able to get the cows on the plane home!

Her website and blog about writing is at annburnett.co.uk