The Onionologist follows a flight attendant who is disenchanted with her career and love life, who meets a handsome new man and now she has to choose what path her future will take. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I was a long-haul flight attendant myself, based in London for several years. It was such a big part of my life. I made some very special friends there, and I wanted to pay homage to that in my first book. It was such a unique experience and one many people wouldn’t be able to relate to. My friends went on to do some really interesting things in life, and it’s from them that I got my inspiration. 

What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?

I adore Angus. He’s the friend I’d like to have. I struggled with Alex. I’m eternally disappointed in bad people. 

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

It started as a message to my daughters that a woman should find out who she is and establish herself before compromising to fit into someone else’s life. After I wrote it, I suddenly realised they were all over it!

More generally, we see a lot of mental health struggles in younger generations, and I worry that they absorb these perfect online lives and feel their own are lacking. I hope The Onionologist explains that life is random, and bad things happen to all of us daily—how you deal with it is what matters! Lastly, I wanted to explore the domino effect that one person can have on many lives. In this book, Elle, without realising it, profoundly impacts every other character’s life.

What will your next novel be about, and what will the whole series encompass?

My current work in progress is a love story between two singers who’s worlds don’t seem compatible. I’m quite excited about it. 

Before I launched into the sequel of The Onionologist, I wanted to test the waters and see if readers are eager for more. It’s outlined and ready to be started. I’d be escatitic to have a reason to get reaquanted with the characters.

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