What are some day jobs you have held?

I’ve always been drawn to books. I was a “book nerd” even before that expression existed. However, I started writing only at the ripe age of 57 after having, as I call it, 3 Past Lives in this lifetime. 

I’ve been an archaeologist, a top manager in high-tech companies and health institutions and, for nearly 30 years, a personal coach, trainer, and motivational speaker while owning and running the fastest-growing training centre for entrepreneurs in The Netherlands. 

But after doing all that, I realised I’m not growing anymore. I still had more things I wanted to learn and develop, which is how I challenged myself with a new career as a writer. Being heavily dyslexic, as a non-native English speaker, writing novels or scripts seemed like a Mission Impossible for me. Add to it years of non-supportive beliefs that I’m bad at writing and not creative enough, which sounded to me like a good challenge to tackle and grow through.

What have you written so far?

Since starting this journey in 2017, I’ve written 4 movies and TV scripts, 2 novels, and I am now developing a TV series and writing my 3rd novel.

Do you work with an outline or plot sketch or prefer to let a general idea guide your writing?

In the battle between “Plotters” and “Pantsers”, I am definitely on the side of the “Plotters”. I can’t think of starting to write without a structure or a goal for that specific writing period. The thought of staring at the blank page is so scary for me. I have to start by having a clear idea, structure, and goal before even sitting down to write the poetic part of the writing.
I start with a massive Whiteboard on the wall in my office, and from there, I use the Beat sheet option in Final Draft Software; whether it be for scripts or novels, I MUST have a beat sheet before I start writing.

As part of my “Plotter”, I create the “Bible”, where I describe the characters in general, but not too many details as otherwise I will get lost. That way, I know where I am going, but I leave space for the creative part to appear once I start writing and the characters take off the page and lead me.

Can you share a little bit about your latest book with readers?

The book is called Things We Do For Love, and it is based on my own family experience of having to deal with Alzheimer’s. I wanted to write a book that would show that even though this disease is a devastating one, we can all use this period of a loved one who lives with it as a grace period. I believe that if we realise that this disease strips off the person’s personality, and then we are left with the essence of a human being, which is so pure and so gentle, it is impossible not to love that person.

I also wanted to debunk that famous sentence of Tolstoy: “All happy families are the same.” No, they are not. Each one is happy in its own special and unique way. Therefore, it is a story about the Bach sisters who have to take care of their elderly parents. 

Daisy Bach, a therapist, has always been confident that she did not want to have children. Her childhood experiences with an overbearing and controlling mother, Verity, who tore the family apart, further cemented this decision. However, at the age of forty-five, Daisy finds herself reconsidering this choice. Unfortunately, her decision to try and conceive is complicated by her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. With strained family relationships, Daisy faces the daunting task of caring for her elderly parents while also attempting to conceive. As she navigates this challenging time, Daisy is forced to confront her deep-seated resentment towards Verity. This journey leads her to re-evaluate her beliefs about motherhood, forgiveness, and the true meaning of a “happy” family. Will Daisy find a way to reconcile with her past and make peace with her present? Only time will tell.

Tell us more about your main character. What inspired you to develop this character?

The main character is based on one of my sisters. She inspired me to write this character with her strength and courage. Her sense of loyalty to family and willingness to do whatever is needed to help and support always astonished me.

Daisy, who is the protagonist, is based on my sister, but she is obviously not my sister. Neither is the relationship between the sisters. However, I have drawn from our shared experiences and stories about family relationships I’ve heard while working as a coach and a trainer and helped people work through their relationships with their families.

If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast?

The truth is that Things We Do For Love started as a movie script, which I called “Like Mother, Like Daughter”. I had a very clear idea who I would have died to play the main characters, even though I knew that this would never happen in a million years. Only after pitching the script for over 2 years and getting feedback that it is an excellent script… BUT…” I decided to turn it into a novel. In my dream cast, Emma Thompson would play Iris, Rachel Weiss would be Daisy, and Emily Mortimer would be Heather. Glenda Jackson as Variety, but that was before she did her amazing role in Elizabeth Is Missing, so I didn’t think that would happen and Ian Mckellen or Anthony Hopkins as Sol. As I said, it was a dream cast, which I knew would never happen, but one can dream, isn’t it?

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

The hardest part for me to write was the ending. I knew I wanted a “happy ending”, but how exactly I wasn’t sure. I wrote four of five different ones, and each time, I got vital feedback that it didn’t sit well or that the audience wanted a more “Hollywood” type of ending. In the end, I decided on the book’s ending, trusted my gut feeling and went with it, even though I still got feedback that it might upset certain readers. I’ve learned through this process that it is MY story at the end of the day, and I need to trust myself. Feedback is excellent, but there comes a time when, as a writer, you should listen to your gut feeling.

What is your next project?

I’m now getting ready to publish my next novel “Full Circle”, a historical novel set in Prague in 1968 during the “Prague Spring”. It is a tale of heroism, love and finding a way of fulfilling your dreams in spite of everything. At the same time, I am writing a TV series about a group of elderly women who are forced to work for a criminal organisation as crime scene cleaners.

Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?

This is an unfair question. I have so many of them. I used to be a lonely child, and books were my haven. I used to say that people can disappoint and betray you, but books are always there for you, so I surrounded myself with books.

I would go through periods of reading the Classics like Dickens and Jane Austin and the Bronte Sisters, and then expand to Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy and Kafka and, on the other side of the world, authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Paulo Coelho.

Today, my favourite genres are historical fiction, fantasy and women’s literature. Still, I also read many non-fiction books about philosophy, personal development, spirituality and, of course, the craft of writing.

So, as you can see, I have an eclectic influence. What they all inspired me is to write about was human nature and human relationships. They inspired me to write stories that would bring light into the world, even during hard and dark times, stories of hope, kindness and love. 

What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?

I think the best lesson I got was – NEVER GIVE UP. This, together with continuing to learn and experiment with new stuff, is vital in order to be a great writer. Most of all, I believe the best advice is – to make sure to have a supporting community and find a mentor and a coach.

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