A former secretary who wanted to break into the world of Mills and Boon has launched her debut novel.
Fleur Smithwick from Richmond started writing when her children were young and she wanted to achieve something that did not require teamwork, so tried to pitch ideas for Mills and Boon books.
After several knock backs, Mrs Smithwick worked as a school secretary before taking up writing again in 2008, this time for a mainstream market.
Although two books failed to attract an agent, she continued to write and entered short story competitions, with one of her winning stories becoming the basis for debut novel, How to Make a Friend.
The novel tells the story of a lonely child who invents a friend to always be there when she needs him.
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