Julia Williams

Julia Williams grew up in North London, one of eight children, including a twin sister. She studied English at Liverpool University where she met her husband, David, a dentist.They have four children and live in Surrey.

Julia worked in children's publishing for ten years, before going freelance in 1998, when she started to write romantic novels. She has been a member of the Romantic Novelist's Association ever since and credits it with helping her on the path to publication.

Pastures New is her first novel, and she is currently working on her second.

www.juliawilliamsauthor.com

            Pastures New (Harper Collins - Avon)

Pastures New

The grass is always greener on the other side - isn't it? A moving and magical debut about a young widow who flees the city and her memories for life and love in the countryside. Amy Nicholson never expected to leave London for the Suffolk countryside. But she also never expected to be a 33-year-old widow, left alone with a young son. Fleeing her memories, she swaps her heels for wellies and embarks on a new rural life. The big-hearted community of Nevermorewell welcome them with open arms. There's old Harry, offering pearls of advice (fuelled by whisky from his hip flask), Saffron, juggling motherhood with business (whilst searching for her lost libido), and Caroline, the scheming local vamp, who tramples over lives as easily as the allotments backing onto Amy's cottage. But just when Amy thinks she's finally leaving the past behind, Ben Martin crashes into her life. Sexy and enigmatic, Ben is haunted by his own secrets. Will love blossom on the allotments? Or will it be once bitten, twice shy?

Without Hilary Johnson's help I would never have made it past first base. Seven years ago after I had completed my first book, I sent it to Hilary for advice. She quickly pinpointed weaknesses in the script, and kindly read my revised version. She was thoroughly realistic about its chances of publication in a crowded marketplace, so, when as expected I had lots of rejections from agents, I was on the verge of giving up. Had it not been for Hilary encouraging me to continue, I might well have done so. The next agent I sent it to took me on, and though that early manuscript languishes quite rightly in my bottom drawer, two novels later I have finally achieved my aim. Without Hilary's encouragement I never would have stayed the distance.

                                                                                                         Julia Williams