JOANNA CANNON

The Trouble With Goats and Sheep

Joanna, 47, who lives in Derbyshire, left school with one O-level but went on to qualify as a doctor aged 41. Her first novel The Trouble With

Goats and Sheep was published in January. It became a bestseller and has been optioned for TV. She has just secured a six-figure advance for her second book.

THE MOTIVATION I became a junior doctor in 2010 and found what I saw very distressing. I wrote a blog just to empty my head. It was so well received that I decided to write a novel.

THE INSPIRATION I went on to specialise in psychiatry and met a lot of people living on the edge of society. I wanted to write about how it must feel to not belong, and to face prejudice and humiliation as a result. I was also inspired by the case of Christopher Jefferies [the Bristol landlord who was questioned over the murder of Joanna Yeates in 2010]. People assumed he was guilty purely because of the way he chose to live. It made me think what strange criteria we use to decide whether someone is ‘acceptable’.

THE METHOD I wrote my novel before I went to work, in my car during my lunch breaks and at 3am. I didn’t tell anyone I was writing it, but when I had reached 30,000 words, I entered a competition at The Festival of Writing in York. I had to read 500 words in front of an audience of agents, authors and editors. I won and within 48 hours I had seven offers of representation from agents. The partial manuscript was sold to HarperCollins by the end of the week. It felt very surreal.

THE LIFE CHANGE Earning money from my writing has been wonderful, and the success has really helped me to believe in myself. Writing is filled with self- doubt, so hearing from people who enjoyed my book is incredible. I’ve had to put psychiatry on hold while I publicise it, but I do want to go back. I miss my patients.

TIP Read – always and in all genres. Every story has something to offer.

The Trouble With Goats and Sheep is published by The Borough Press, price £12.99*