I have often been asked who inspired the characters DI Eva Wednesday and her half-sister Scarlett Willow. As, I suspect, with most authors, they are a figment of my imagination, forged by the many women I have met over the years, plus nuances of myself. Over time, these women have become very real to me; I can see, smell, and hear them, and I hope the readers have a similar experience. My female characters tend to be strong women with flaws; an interesting mix to write.

Scarlett Willow, Eva’s step-sister (they share the same mother), is a journalist with a desire to get ahead in her field, and often tries to get inside information from Eva. She is flirty, vivacious, and bi-sexual, with long, red, pre-Raphaelite curls. She is the antithesis of Eva, who is less sure of herself, especially around men.

Scarlett is a melange of the young women I grew up and socialised with, who were classically beautiful, confident around men, and self-assured of the way they looked. They commanded attention when we were in nightclubs, which was always fun to observe!

Eva is a successful DI, but struggles with an under-lying anxiety about becoming mentally ill, as their mother suffers with schizoaffective disorder. She scrutinises Scarlett’s behaviours and worries about her too, with good reason. My interest in mental health issues stems from my nursing career, and all of my novels to date, have an element of mental health related issues woven in them.

Above all, these women are purely fictitious, and do not depict any woman I know in real life. They are fun to write about, especially when behaving badly, or suffering with some emotional issue, and I look forward to developing these characters further.

Happy Word Flow One & All.