Anne Coates

As I publish the sixth book in my Hannah Weybridge series, "Murder in the Lady Chapel", I realise how fortunate I am to be doing something I love. Authors often go through periods when they feel like giving up but the thought of not writing spurs them on. Writing and creating Hannah Weybridge's world in 1990s London has been a fabulous experience for me especially when characters, who have become my imaginary friends, take me on so many unexpected journeys. And then there are those precious moments when a reader tells you how much they enjoyed your last book or a friend says how much they are looking forward to your next book and any doubts evaporate – for the time being!

Writing short stories was my way into fiction and I had those published in major women's magazines as I continued as a freelance journalist, working on national newspapers, magazines and in-house publications, as as an editor for Reader's Digest abridging fiction and narrative non-fiction. My journalism and editing have both inspired ideas for for my crime thrillers as well as my seven non-fiction books with various publishers.

The first four Hannah Weybridge Books were initially published by Urbane Publications until they ceased trading in April 2021 and new editions were published by Red Dog Press along with the fifth in the series, "Stage Call", published in January 2022. In June 2023 I took my rights back and my series is now published by my imprint Urban Fox Books.

I live in SE London with a large ginger cat and enjoy going to the theatre and cinema and socialising with family and friends.