Ella started writing stories as soon as she could hold a pen. They were often about a character called Freaky who would go on adventures with his family (also imaginatively called Freaky). Born into a family of scientists, her parents were initially happy when she showed a love of reading believing this would amount to great things. When all it produced was an expensive habit of getting through several books a week, they introduced her to the local library. Some of her happiest memories come from being within these hallowed walls and it is in this one-room haven, that her obsession with the written word developed.
Not realising it was possible to become an author unless your name was Enid Blyton, or something similar she decided to work in publishing, thinking this was the closest she would ever come to writing her own book. She moved to London in her early twenties and found work at an academic publishing company. Interested in the commissioning side (because this meant reading books for a living), she worked her way up from Editorial Assistant to Commissioning Editor. It was working with authors and developing their ideas that she enjoyed the most. It was during this time that she wondered whether it was possible to write something herself.
After the birth of her daughter, Ella became a stay-at-home mum. Her son was born two years later. Whenever there was a spare moment (of which there were very few), she would try and write stories. These half-written manuscripts are still at the bottom of a drawer somewhere where they are likely to remain forever more. She also tried her hand at a variety of freelance jobs such as, editor, indexer, walking-bus supervisor, mystery shopper, cold caller (awful!) and cleaner. Never giving up on the idea of writing, she won her first writing competition for a short story about a man who has a phobia of wearing trousers.
Soon after this, Ella moved back to Wales with her family, returning to Gower with its stunning coastline and its plethora of ancient ruins, both of which feature heavily in her stories.
Ella’s first novel, The Locket of Logan Hall, was published by DC Thompson in 2017 and is a cosy mystery/romance story which follows a couple who hunt for the owner of a locket they find in an old desk. Receiving that first acceptance email was one of the most exciting things that had ever happened to her. Bouncing around the house in happiness, she told her five-year-old, who blinked once at the announcement and then said, ‘I want an egg.’ She wrote four more novels for DC Thompson over the next three years.
After the first of these books was published, Ella joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), which turned out to be a huge turning point in her career. The RNA is a supportive writing community, and she would encourage anyone who writes, or wants to write, romance to join. In 2019, she became editor of the association’s magazine. A role she had for five years. During that time, she met and interviewed many authors, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Also in 2019, Ella began working in a comprehensive school, helping young teenagers with their literacy skills. She has discovered that there is nothing a thirteen-year-old enjoys more than discussing the proper use of apostrophes. Each day is different, there is never a dull moment, and the pupils are endlessly fascinating and challenging and Ella can honestly say that she lives for the long, summer holidays.
2019 was a big year for Ella, as this is also when she had an email from a Mills and Boon editor asking if she was free for a call. Sitting on the floor of the comprehensive school car park was a strange place to be told you were going to be published by one of the biggest publishers in the world, but it was incredibly exciting nonetheless. She writes medieval and regency historicals for them and is self-publishing regency books.
