Q and A with author Noelle Holten

Squeeeeeeeels - Welcome the beautiful Noelle to So Many Books, So Little Time. Noelle is a crime book blogger and champion supporter of authors and bloggers and has now joined ranks with authors having written her first book "Dead Inside".



Tell us what it has been like for you going from Noelle the book blogger to Noelle the author.

It still feels very much unreal, if I am honest. I haven’t yet mastered telling people that I am an author/writer at events and prefer to hide behind the comfort of the book blogging. I hate talking about myself, so this makes it easier. I guess I will need to change that!

Did you know you would always write a book?

Not at all. I’ve always had an interest in writing – short stories and depressing poetry (lol) in my teens mainly, but never believed I could actually write a book. I attended Graham Smith’s Crime and Publishment in 2017 with only the prologue for what is now Dead Inside written. I received some very positive feedback, support and inspiration – so much so, that once I left the course I wrote Dead Inside in under 12 weeks. Well, the first VERY ROUGH draft! I never dreamed that even if I did write a book, anyone would be interested in publishing it, but they were and for that I am grateful!

Where did the inspiration come from for the story?

Having been a Senior Probation Officer for 18 years and working in a multi-agency team, as well as being in an abusive relationship for nearly 13 years – I drew my inspiration (though seems weird saying that) from my own experiences of that. I have a vast knowledge of the criminal justice system and have worked with so many amazing agencies, I wanted to show that there is more to solving a crime than just the police investigation, as well as highlight the seriousness of domestic abuse, those affected and that your life CAN change.

We recognise a lot of the names in the book, was it easier or harder writing characters named after real people?

I didn’t find it difficult as they were just the names used. Everything else was fictional in terms of the characters – I am not writing about the people themselves. I chose them because they helped me through some very dark times and I wanted to pay them back, as a ‘thank you’ just didn’t seem like enough. Now they will live forever in the pages of my books!

Tell us about your writing process, do you have a set ritual every day or does it vary?

I write for one hour a day, every day - after work or in the afternoons on a weekend. I usually get 1000 to 1200 words in that hour. This then leaves me time to do other things, like reading and blogging, or catching up on a Netflix series! I don’t stray from this at all unless I am away somewhere, but even then, I have a notebook and I am constantly writing down ideas, or chapters to include. It keeps me motivated and my mind focused on the story I am writing.

How has life changed for you going from blogger to author?

I’m not sure that it has, is that weird? I still feel the same, people generally recognise me for my blog rather than as a writer -LOL – the only real difference has been that I have had to cut down on my blog/taking on new review requests as I need to focus on writing and promoting my book(s). I’m still the same inappropriate, weird, author-stalking Noelle you all know!

Have you noticed a change in how people behave/engage/communicate with you?

I’ve come across and met some new people online – and I have to make sure to thank them and everyone who has taken the time to read and review Dead Inside - the response has been amazing and overwhelming. But I think perhaps because I haven’t changed, people still engage with me the same way and I respond the same way. I’m still just me…

What are you working on now? (do you see a lot of books in this series or may you branch into new series?)

I am currently writing the third book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series – whilst I wait for the second round of edits on the second book in the series. I have quite a few ideas for the series so as long as I am asked to keep writing them, I will. I do have some exciting news, but I can’t share it yet….Eeeeeek! One day I would also love to try my hand at a psychological thriller, but that is a whole different writing skill, in my opinion, so I need to get a grasp of that first before I try.

What has been the biggest/happiest experience so far?

EVERYTHING! There have been so many! Having my book ACTUALLY published! Being invited to and appearing on panels, having so much support from fellow writers and the amazing blogging community. New readers enjoying my book. Quotes from some AMAZING authors I have been a fan of for years! But one thing I will say, having my sister read it and message me that she LOVED it. My sister doesn’t hold back, so that is HIGH praise and made me cry a few happy tears!

Where can folk find you?

Twitter: (@nholten40) https://twitter.com/nholten40
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noelleholtenauthor/
Blog FB page: https://www.facebook.com/crimebookjunkie/
Instagram: @crimebookjunkie
Anything else you would like to ask I may have missed?

I just wanted to thank you so much for having me on your blog and to once again thank everyone who has read and reviewed Dead Inside. It means the world to me.




About the book

When three domestic abuse offenders are found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the finger of suspicion points at Lucy and the police are running out of time. Can Maggie and her team solve the murders before another person dies? And is Lucy really a cold-blooded killer?

And if a Q&A with this lovely wee chop isn't spoiling you enough I am also having a wee giveaway, x1 ebook of Dead Inside. Sadly Amazon will only allow me to gift within my own country so it is UK ONLY. If you are the winner you just need to give me your email and Amazon will send the ebook directly. To be in with a chance of winning just use the Rafflecopter below, the more entries you complete the more times your name goes into the draw. Good luck, Happy August and thanks again so much to Noelle for taking time out of her busy schedule to gab with us, you are a star!

a Rafflecopter giveaway