Back in January Prima magazine launched our Flirty Fiction writing competition to win a publishing contract. After hundreds of entries our panel of judges have managed the difficult task of deciding on an exciting shortlist. In the weeks running up to the announcing the winner, we thought you might like to know a little more about each of the shortlisted authors.

Myfanwy Griffiths
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What’s the title of your story?
Perfect Timing 

Can you tell us about your story?
This is an unashamedly hopeful story about running away to a cottage by the sea and finding strength, friendship and romance at a time when they are needed the most.

What do you do?
For the past ten years I’ve been a full-time Mum and a part-time student (I was awarded a History Degree through the Open University last year). I’ve just signed up to do a Teaching Assistant qualification and am about to start job hunting, so I pretty much divide my time equally between the keyboard, the ironing board and the chopping board…

Where do you live?
In a village not far from Birmingham. 

Have you ever written anything before?
I have dozens of notebooks squirreled away with different ideas, characters and stories in them – I even found one a couple of months ago that I wrote stories in whilst I was at school!  An idea hits me and I just have to write it down…which can be a little difficult in bed at night.  I’ve never had the courage to submit anything though.

When did you read your first Mills & Boon?
Good grief…I honestly can’t remember! Probably whilst I was in high school. Reading romance has always been my favourite way to relax and escape from the tensions of modern life – and nowhere is more tense than high school!

Who is your favourite Mills & Boon author and why?
I promise I’m not just saying this, but Sarah Morgan. I have a shelf, and kindle, full of her books but my favourites are the Snow Crystal trilogy.  I love the way she draws you in with characters and communities full of warmth, heroines that never profess to be perfect and heroes that every woman would love to meet!  The fact that Sarah was on the judging panel was one of the major reasons I entered the competition…the thought that she might actually get to read something I’d written was one of those fizzy little moment I couldn’t resist!

What would you do if you won?
I think my immediate reaction would be to jump up and down and squeal like a kid at the gates to Disney Land.  Then I’d need to sit down for a few minutes.  And then I’d probably run out and treat myself to a few more notebooks…

The winner and the first chapter of their book will be exclusively revealed in the August issue of Prima magazine available from 3 July 2015.

Would you like to become a Mills & Boon author? Do you have a bestseller waiting to be told? Join our Author Lab community on Facebook and Twitter.

By The Mills & Boon team