Guest post: Mick Arnold - blog tour 8th Dec

Today, we are celebrating the publication of author M.W.Arnold's debut novel 'The Season For Love' published by PIP Press on 16th December.

Believing she was responsible for the death of her husband, Chrissie Stewart retreats from all those who love her. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger, single-parent Josh Morgan and his bewitching young daughter Lizzy, breathe new life into her and gradually, she feels able to start to let go of the memory of her lost love.

A story of hidden conflicts and internal battles pitched against the desire to love, trust and overcome the past. 

I was lucky enough to ask Mick three questions in order to understand a little more about his writing process and goals.

1. How long have you been writing for and when did begin?
​I'd always been a reader, I didn't start to write until about 2009, though only started to focus my efforts in 2012/2013. Christmas 2012 was when my Lady Wife read a book called 'The Xmas Factor' by Annie Sanders and insisted I read it. Within a day, I had read it and felt a strong impulse to sit down and my, ancient at the time, laptop. There was no plan, but after writing non-stop all day, my wife forced me off the laptop about ten at night. I've been writing ever since. By the way, that first book cam out at over 120,000 words on the first draft - I learned about editing at the same time!
 
2. Where did you inspirations for 'The Season For Love' come from? 
I get a lot of ideas (too many, as most are only rough-outs) from listening to Radio 2 and this one was no different. As I recall, it'd been a bad day and an Elvis Costello song, 'A 
Good Year for the Roses' came on and, apart from nearly causing me to swerve off the road, it sparked the idea for this book in my mind. Miracle of miracles, I could actually remember the idea when I got home and quickly scribbled it down. About all I really planned out was the last paragraph, and that's where the finished book actually ends. Though not the story from 
the song, it gave me the idea for my tragic heroine.

3. What type of books do you read for enjoyment?
I still very much enjoy anything by Terry Pratchett. He always was and, probably, always will 
be the author I can fall back on when I need something to put a smile on my face. I had the 
good fortune to meet him a few times and I treasure the memories. Otherwise, I do tend to 
mostly read in the genre I write in. I'm a big fan of Sue Moorcroft, Carole Matthews, Trisha 
Ashley, Bella Osborne, a certain author whose intials are EG and whose second novel I can't 
wait for, and many others, most of whom I'm at least acquated with. I also loved Phillip 
Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy and am thrilled that he's got a new set of stories out 
set in the same universe.

M.W. Arnold's debut novel 'The Season For Love' is available on-line at Amazon. 

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