Write about What You know.

Writers are told this that all the time and it gives an element of authenticity to stories.

One thing I am often asked is where I get my idea from. So as the two are intertwined, I’ve brought them together to talk about my book Play the Game.

Play the Game started with my son, who had not long left school. He had no clear career vision and jumped from one job to another. Eventually, a friend helped him get a temporary job at a call centre. I presumed it would be another dead-end role he’d tire of.

However, I was wrong. Twenty years later, he’s still with the same company and now holds a top position. He’s been headhunted twice and currently leads a successful, specialised team.

Back in those early days, I return to full-time work, and he helped me get a job there. I worked in motor claims, handling accounts for the various companies that brought their business to us.

It was a huge place, with over three hundred people on each floor. We worked shifts across a seven-day schedule. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but the pay was good.

Just down the road was Manchester United’s football ground. The players would sometimes visit our building to be photographed in the Orangery, the restaurant where we took our meals. I never thought to ask why.

I’d watch them walk down the central aisle, surrounded by excited onlookers, and my imagination would take over while I waited between calls.

Many friendships were formed there—along with relationships and even marriages. It was a good place, well managed, and supportive of its staff. But of course, stories need conflict. So in Play the Game, I added plenty for my heroine, Stella.

I had already written a similar short story, and used the same theme as a springboard to write a new one. When it was finished, I expanded it into a full-length novel.

Conflict is such a crucial part of storytelling. While in real life we might prefer things to stay uneventful, in fiction we want to see how others handle trauma and challenges.

So, this week I’ll be sharing snippets of Play the Game—not only teasers, but also a behind-the-scenes look at my unique writing process and how the story evolved from its original short form.