They say beginner authors should write what they know. Yeah, right. I think Diana Gabaldon broke that tenet in spectacular fashion with her Outlander and Lord John Grey series. But there is definite merit in the advice.

I set Seldom Come By in a place I had never been to and in a time I was not from. This involved a whole other layer of research that certainly made my writing process more protracted. Come What May and Come Full Circle were more straightforward; mostly they were set in parts of Canada I had visited and the final book, in part, mirrored a journey I had through Canada in the late ’90s.

Right now I have a number of ideas and story lines swarming in my head — all standalone novels. The two that I’m hoping will be the next cabs off the proverbial ranks are as follows: (Please note these are, for now, working titles only — often the name comes to you partway through the writing of the story.)

‘Jade’

This one is modern day, set in my former New Zealand backyard of the Marlborough Sounds and Wellington, yet there will be shades of Hong Kong and the east coast of America — all part of my life at one point. It’s a teenage coming-of-age love story that will require the ultimate sacrifice.

‘Em’

This one is going to require some more research before I can dive into it. It’s the tale of a much loved European historical figure (male), the cultural icon of his nation, and a modern-day university professor (female) invited to curate a significant retrospective commemorating his life.

I hope to make significant headway with these books in 2014 so they can be released some time in 2015/2016.