Dolores Gordon Smith
‘I began my writing career with a love of reading. I love reading thrillers but found that so many of them are written by men with the male reader in mind. I wanted to write thrillers that would appeal to both sexes so with this in mind, I wrote my first novel and sent it off to Hodder with a warm glow of excitement. Wow, I was going to be an author!
By the time the inevitable rejection dropped through my letter box, reality had set in. But the letter gave me a spark of hope. Betty Schwartz, the submissions editor, commended me on my writing ability. She had enjoyed the story but it just wasn’t quite right for Hodder. I remember dancing around the kitchen with joy. Okay, I’d been rejected, but a professional in the industry had told me I was good and that was the inspiration I needed to try again.