Welcome to another Friday Reads blog. My featured book this week is the dark and twisty psychological thriller, Did I Kill My Husband by AJ Campbell. Let’s find out a bit about the book then AJ is going to tell us all about her writing journey. It’s a fascinating story so grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get chatting to AJ. 😊

Did I Kill My Husband?

The police officer’s voice is steady as he tells me the news. ‘Your husband is in hospital.’ My heart pounds. I think about my children, safely tucked up in bed. What will happen to us if he loses his life? And more importantly… do the police know where I really was tonight?

Everybody thinks Michael and I are the perfect couple. But everybody is wrong.

Because my dear, lovely husband was at the heart of a scandal at the school where he teaches. He was cleared of any wrongdoing. At first I believed him. Now, I’m sure he’s been hiding something terrible.

But I can’t tell the police a thing. Because my husband isn’t the only one with secrets.

So, as I stand here knowing I have to tell my children that Michael is fighting for his life, I ask myself: what would be worse? For my husband, the much-loved local teacher, to die? Or for him to live, and for all his lies to come home again?

In the end, the choice is easy. I know what I have to do…

I’ll tell the police that I would never, ever hurt my husband. But will they believe me?

Buy Link

Amazon:  https://geni.us/B0CZTV9MPPauthor

Your book sounds a compelling read. AJ. Can you tell us a bit about your writing journey? I understand that you started out as a self-published author what made you change to working with a publisher?

Thanks for having me on your blog, Karen. I often get asked why I decided to self-publish my first six novels. It all started in the summer of 2019 when I attended the Winchester Writers’ Festival, submitting the first three chapters and a synopsis of my debut novel Leave Well Alone to four literary agents beforehand.

It was a busy weekend, listening to guest speakers, participating in workshops, meeting other authors and joining writing seminars. In addition, during the festival, I attended one-to-one sessions with each of the agents I had submitted my work to. There were about thirty agents in a hall and as many authors. It was how I imagined speed dating, but for writers to find an agent rather than a lover. The stakes were high, each session intense for us authors hoping to find an agent. Because back then, that seemed the utopia of the author world. I had so much to learn.

The highlight of the weekend came when I sat down opposite the third agent, who was from a very reputable agency, and she said, ‘I love it. Everything about it. Your story idea, your writing, your characters, everything!’ We spent the ten-minute slot chatting about the publication process and the author name I should use. It was a surreal moment, and I was beyond excited! While raising my three sons, one of whom has severe disabilities, I’d been writing Leave Well Alone on and off for five years. I envisaged signing copies of my labour of love in bookstores. I fantasised about seeing it at the airport.

But life doesn’t always take the path we hope for.

Things didn’t work out with that agent (long story), and to say I was bitterly disappointed is an understatement.

But, in hindsight, it was the best thing to happen to me. And if I ever crossed paths with that agent again, I would wholeheartedly thank her for not taking me on.

I threw my manuscript into the Cloud in disdain and began plotting my second book, Don’t Come Looking. By the end of that year, I had completed a very rough draft.

Highly discouraged by the agenting process, I began researching self-publishing and what it would entail to get my debut into the hands of readers. I found an editor (who went on to edit all of my six self-published books) and worked with her to polish my Leave Well Alone manuscript. I spent hours upon hours learning about the publishing world, and at the end of 2019, I decided 2020 would be the year I’d see my debut novel in print. I found a cover designer, devised a detailed publishing schedule, and taught myself to run Amazon and Facebook ads. Then, on August 1^st, 2020, I achieved my dream to see Leave Well Alone on sale. By Christmas, it had earned Amazon’s bestseller tag and was featured as a recommended read in Good Housekeeping UK.

In May 2023, Bookouture, a division of Hachette UK, approached me to work with them. Two months later, I signed a two-book deal. I was thrilled they signed me on two books I hadn’t even written. I spent the rest of 2023 writing How Can I Trust You? and Did I Kill My Husband? which were published in the spring of 2024. I’ve just completed my ninth novel, which I can’t wait to tell my readers more about.

That’s a really interesting journey, AJ. How fantastic that your debut novel as a Good Housekeeping Recommended Read. I’m sure your new book will fly!

AJ CAMPBELL bio

AJ CAMPBELL is an Amazon bestselling author of eight psychological suspense thrillers and promises stories full of twists, turns and torment. Her fourth book The Phone Call was released in July 2022 and topped the Amazon charts for several months. It was shortlisted for the Adult Prize for Fiction at the Selfie Book Awards 2023. Her seventh and eighth novels How Can I Trust You? and Did I Kill My Husband? were published by Bookouture  in the spring of 2024.

AJ draws inspiration for her stories from dark situations in which ordinary people find themselves, creating compelling characters that resonate with her readers. She lives in the UK on the Essex / Hertfordshire border with her husband, sons, and cocker spaniel, Max. She is a dog lover, avid traveller, Netflix junkie, and, either reading, watching TV, or writing, AJ enjoys nothing more than getting stuck into a twisty story!

You can connect with AJ here:

www.ajcampbellauthor.com

www.facebook.com/AJCampbellauthor

www.instagram.com/ajcampbellauthor/

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