Behind the Book with Alex Stone
I started writing stories when I was a kid and just carried on. It was something I did for fun. I could have amazing adventures without even leaving the house. But it wasn’t until 2014 that I wrote my first novel. Initially it seemed like a crazy idea that I wouldn’t realistically finish. After all, I had a busy full-time job and family responsibilities. Time was a luxury I didn’t have. How could I possibly fit writing a novel into my day too?
But somehow I did.
When I’d finished I didn’t really know what to do next. It seemed a shame to let all of that work lie on my computer unread by anyone but me. I was proud of what I’d accomplished, I loved the story, and thought it had potential, but who was I to know? So I submitted it to a literary agent.
Looking back now, I know it was too soon. Having studied for a business administration degree and pursued a career in finance, I knew nothing about the technical side of writing. Structure, pace and voice, were terms I’d heard but didn’t fully understand. Nor did I really know how the submissions process worked.
The agent declined, of course. But, surprisingly, it was a really positive rejection. I didn’t realise the full magnitude of that until later. It wasn’t just a standard response. It was personalised with feedback and even praised my standard of writing.
It was enough to motivate me to keep going.
I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association. I attended workshops and conferences, eager to learn. And I seized every opportunity to pitch to agents and publishers in person. The feedback was always the same; positive, encouraging, but still no.
Almost, but not quite.
My next step was to work with a mentor from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. I’d met Helen at a conference when I attended her workshop. I lingered behind afterwards and bombarded her with questions. I submitted my synopsis and the first chapter and then we had a chat about the options. She recommended a mentor for me to work with; Jonathan Eyers.
I learned so much from his feedback. Annotated manuscripts with ‘describe this’, ‘more visceral’, and ‘more of this’, bounced back and forth between us. This wasn’t just teaching me theory and techniques, it was practical illustrations applied to my own work.
When my novel was completed I started the submissions process again. But this time the result was different. I was offered a four-book deal with Boldwood Books. My debut psychological thriller, The Perfect Daughter, was published in October 2021.
This little book has had an amazing few months since its publication. It’s already sold over 55,000 copies worldwide, and on 26th July 2022 the first foreign language translation was published in Italian. As much as I had always dreamed of being a published author and as hard as I worked for it, there was always a part of me that thought my books would only have about 4 readers. And one of those was me. So for 55,000 people to have bought it is just incredible. I can not say thank you enough to the amazing people who have supported me; from the RNA, Cornerstones and Boldwood Books to all the readers and reviewers who have gone out and bought The Perfect Daughter.
And now my second book, The Other Girlfriend, is out on 28th July 2022. It’s another psychological thriller set in Dorset, but this time it focuses on the misunderstood subject of agoraphobia and all its manifestations.
One of the most incredible things about getting The Perfect Daughter published has been hearing from readers who the story resonated with, who it helped feel a little bit less alone, or a little more hopeful. And I really hope that The Other Girlfriend can do the same for anyone who is struggling with agoraphobia. I hope it helps them to realise they aren’t alone. They aren’t broken. They aren’t a failure. In fact, anyone who struggles with any form of mental health issue is actually incredibly strong.
Alex Stone, originally an accountant from the West Midlands, is now a psychological suspense writer based in Dorset. This beautiful and dramatic coastline is the inspiration and setting for her novels. She was awarded the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2019 and her debut thriller The Perfect Daughter was published by Boldwood in October 2021. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, or on the Boldwood website. If you’d like to work with Jonathan, Alex’s wonderful editor, do get in touch with the Cornerstones office and let us know!
