A Cup of Tea with, Milly Johnson

A cup of tea with Milly Johnson

This is the start of a new blog series where we chat to authors about their start in the publishing world and their advice to new writers.

Today we welcome, Milly Johnson to the blog. 

Welcome, Milly, how long did it take, from when you started to write, until you held your first published book in your hand?

32 years!!!  I’ve been writing books since I was a small child.  I can’t remember a time before I wasn’t stapling paper to bind stories together.  It was a sweet moment to have my ‘proper’ book in my hand.

 Would you follow the same path to publication if you were starting out today?

Yes.  I think the way I did it – ie the hard way – taught me a lot of good strong lessons,  gave me a lot of support and a good career foundation which I might not have got had I rushed to self-publish.  I can totally understand why writers’ by-pass the traditional route and jump to self-publish, but the old path worked for me.

Agent or publisher? What would you advise?

As much as I love my publishers, I couldn’t live without my agent.  She gives me great advice, watches my back and the agency market my books all over the world saving me the hassle.  Agent – definitely.

 Tell us one thing that kept you going while you worked towards being a published author?

That if I got to 80 years old and had never had a book published, it would be the biggest regret of my life.  I had to keep going.  There was only the way forward and no way back.

What would be your one piece of advice to new writers?

Network, network, network.  The more people who know you and what you do, the more chance you have of selling books.  Building up a readership is a core requisite of being a novelist.

Thank you for chatting with us today, Milly and good luck with the book. x

 Milly’s latest book, The Teashop on the Corner was published by Simon and Schuster on June 19^th 2014 RRP £7.99 

Life is full of second chances…if only you keep your heart open for them.
Spring Hill Square is a pretty sanctuary away from the bustle of everyday life. And at its centre is Leni Merryman's Teashop on the Corner, specialising in cake, bookish stationery and compassion. And for three people, all in need of a little TLC, it is somewhere to find a friend to lean on.
Carla Pride has just discovered that her late husband Martin was not who she thought he was. And now she must learn to put her marriage behind her and move forward.
Molly Jones's ex-husband Harvey has reappeared in her life after many years, wanting to put right the wrongs of the past before it is too late.
And Will Linton's business has gone bust and his wife has left him to pick up the pieces. Now he needs to gather the strength to start again.
Can all three find the comfort they are looking for in The Teashop on the Corner? And as their hearts are slowly mended by Leni, can they return the favour when she needs it most…?

Paperback

Kindle

Website: www.millyjohnson.co.uk

Blog: www.daftoldbag.blogspot.com

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