Women spies and how to write a best-seller

With an eye on D-Day stories and tips on how to write a best-selling novel, AAPA members had a wide-ranging exchange with Washington-based British novelist Jennifer Ryan.
Ryan’s best-selling debut novel “The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir” was about women in World War II, and she continued the theme in her second novel, published in June 2019, “The Spies of Shilling Lane”. She shared stories of women spies in WWII and women involved in D-Day, offering profiles and anecdotes.
On writing a best-selling novel, the book editor turned author advised the group to target their audience well, and carve out a niche for themselves. She also cautioned eager writers to decide if they wanted to sacrifice commercial success for critical acclaim, warning that the two rarely go hand in hand.