10 Novels in 10 Years
Anyone who knows me will know that I’ve been writing all my life. But it wasn’t until 2016 that I decided to publish my first novel. And what a journey it’s been since then.
I thought I’d take you on a whistlestop tour of my books, some insight behind them and what’s to come in the next 10 years.
Bird (2016)
This was my first novel. I built a love story around a horrible dream I had as a child. I wrote it as a short story when I was young and then developed it when I was in my 30s. Readers enjoyed it so much, they kept asking me when the sequel was coming out. That was a good start.
The Birds (2016)
On a cold winter’s day, I sat in bed and started plotting the Bird sequel. I had so many pages of notes that I knew I’d have to write a trilogy. This second book is much darker than the first. The Birds is more like a thriller, but the love story still remains at the heart of it.
Free as a Bird (2017)
In the third book, I focused more on the love story of Beth and Simon again. They’re suffering from memory loss. They ended up doing things they had done in the first book but just couldn’t remember, so I had to write it very much in line with Bird. It was a challenge but a lot of fun. I liked that it brought the story full circle.
Emmett the Empathy Man (2018)
As soon as I had the idea for this book, I knew it had to be a comedy. It felt very natural to write my first comedy, but I was also relieved when people told me they thought it was funny. And I love it when I do readings from it and people laugh all the way through. I like making people laugh and it felt good to write something so different from the Bird series.
In the Blood (2018)
This book came from a daydream I frequently had about bumping into someone I had never met before, but I instantly knew everything about them. And they also, weirdly, knew everything about me. The idea really excited me. I asked for my husband to help me with all the science through the book, as he’s a scientist. This story has a special place in my heart. It’s one I think of fondly.
Shape The Future (2019)
The idea for this book came from a dream. A very dramatic dream. The character of Scott, our leading man, was pretty horrible in my dream, but I wanted to make him a brighter character that was always thinking positively. It felt a better fit for the story. It’s a time travel romance, and I wanted to end it in 2020, although I started writing it in 2018. But I had a niggle at the back of my mind that something might happen in 2020 that would affect how the book eventually lands. I’m glad I listened to that niggle!
Invisible (2020)
I had a dream one night that I was invisible. I was determined from that point on to write a story about someone who was invisible. As I started to work on the plot, it became immediately clear that I needed to write it as a comedy, so this was my second rom com novel. And once again I was really pleased to know that it genuinely made people laugh.
The Dark Nest (2021)
It wasn’t long after I finished Free as a Bird that I had an idea for a new book in the Bird series. An idea came to me that I couldn’t stop thinking about. I knew I’d have to write it, and it finally felt like the right time during Covid. As much as anything, I had the time to re-read the trilogy to get back up to speed! This is much darker than the first three novels, and again it was only meant to be one more book, but I got carried away with my plotting. Book five is now work in progress.
The Cat’s Eyes (2023)
At our old house, we use to be bullied by a smoky grey cat and I knew I was going to write a story about him. But as I was plotting, my ideas kept getting darker and darker. I was a bit worried about what people would make of such a strange book, but the feedback has been nothing but amazing. I’ve even had a few people tell me it’s their favourite book of all time, which is incredible. As my writing has grown over the years, I’ve definitely noticed that my love stories are getting more intense and the twists are becoming more bizarre.
The Day It All Changed Forever (2026)
My marketing business picked up in 2022 and that meant I had less time to write, and that’s why there is a gap between this new book and my last one. This book in fact took me 22 years to write. I feel like I’ve been living with these characters forever and I’m so pleased the novel is finally out there!
What’s Next
I have another book that’s completed and is currently with my editor, so watch this space for more in 2026 – if I can solve all the plot holes. Follow me on social media to stay up to date.
I have 11 ideas in my special notebook for future novels, and I keep adding to it. There is far more to come from Lindsay Woodward, and I can’t wait to share it all with you.
I have more comedies that I want to write, and some more serious pieces of work. If nothing else, I promise to keep my readers always guessing.
If you have read some or all of my books, thank you for your support. If you’re new to me as an author, what mood are you in? I have plenty to choose from!
Find out more about my books here
