The delightful Donna Morfett recently interviewed me via Zoom. We had quite a giggle together as we chatted about my writing, favourite and influential authors, as well as my early life working in the (British) Ministry of Defence in Germany, transferring later to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London; oh! and how I married a musician.

We chatted about my life in the international music business, working and living in SE Asia and America, and how my experiences have influenced my crime/mystery writing, women’s fiction writing, and so much more.

David Cassidy got a look in and so did Alice Cooper.

So did Chieftain and Centurion tanks and 88mm field guns.

She laughed until her cheeks ached. We had fun. Outside the temperature was hitting new heights – a record for England in July – we sweltered but we carried on.

We chatted about Only One Woman and how Christina Jones and I came to write about the UK music scene in the late 1960s: how we met, what inspired our story, and how iconic rock singer Graham Bonnet wrote the foreword for our novel.

Named for his hit in 1968 – with his cousin Trevor Gordon – performing as The Marbles, and written for them by The Bee Gees, we chat about how this record kick-started Graham’s career in music. He went on to sing with Rainbow, Alcatraz, Richie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, and many other legendary rock bands, including his own The Graham Bonnet Band.

I talk about my inspiration for crime/mystery/thriller writing and Undercover: Crime Shorts – my short story collection which is a fast read for those with little time for a full novel.

I was so excited to be able to share with Donna and her readers some news I have been keeping to myself for some weeks.

In Autumn 2021 Undercover Crime Shorts will be used at Western Kentucky University in an ‘Intro to Lit,’ class with 27 second year college students.

Unrelated to that, I’ve also been asked to be Lead Panelist next March 2022 for an online discussion of Literary Fiction and Women’s Literature at LitCon, an author’s conference based out of New York. Details on how to watch will be available early in the New Year.

I have film maker and author, Charlotte Sergison, to thank for putting me forward for this.

Find her here:

https://www.facebook.com/CharlotteSergison

There is a lot of information (no spoilers) about Ms. Birdsong Investigates Murder in Ampney Parva, which is the first book in a series about a former MI5 Intelligence Officer, Lavinia Birdsong, who is forced to take early retirement or lose her pension following a messed up joint operation with MI6 in Moscow…Operation Matroyshka.

Ms. Birdsong is with my Agent now.

You can listen to my chat with Donna here:

Donna has interviewed some big names in writing – she runs the Facebook Group ‘Donna’s Interviews and reviews,’ and I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to share my life and times with her, and with you too. We both hope you enjoy it and have a giggle too. Do let us know.

Donna has a group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2784382401799638

Take a look at some of her other fab interviews.

You can find my books on my Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Risdon/e/B00I3GJ2Y8

You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook:

Links are on

https://janerisdon.com

Thanks so much for dropping in and I hope to see you all again soon.

Stay safe and well. Jane xx