Emily Forbes on writing Breaking Her No-Dates Rule (Single, Free and Fabulous in Sydney)

Writing this series about four "twenty-something's" certainly brought back memories!

I loved writing Ellie's story and I love the "Hill Street" girls. Tilly, the mother hen who speaks her mind and isn't afraid to give advice as she sees fit, Ellie, looking for love in all the wrong places, Jess, the eternal optimist, waiting for someone to notice her and Ruby, gentle and a little bit directionless, who just needs a guiding hand.

I don't know about fabulous but I certainly remember being single, in my very early twenties, newly graduated from uni and moving into a share house with two other girls who worked at the large country hospital where I had my first job as a Physiotherapist. Even though it now feels like a hundred years ago I can still recall the late nights, the fun, the headaches, the tears, the laughter, the search for love and how every tiny little hiccup seemed like a major drama. Oh to be young again!!  

To be honest, parts of our lives were fabulous and other parts were downright terrifying but it was fun to relive those days while I wrote Ellie's story and cemented her friendship with her own housemates as part of the Single, Free and Fabulous series.

Although my housemates and I are scattered around the country now we all came from South Australia and when we catch up it’s like it’s 1988 again :) I see that trait in Ellie and her housemates too. The sense that, no matter what happens in the future, their time in 71 Hill Street has given them a bond that won’t break. If one of them ever needed someone to laugh with, listen to or cry with the other girls would be there without hesitation. That’s what friends are for.

And we all need those relationships in our lives.

Do you have friends in your life like Ellie, Ruby, Tilly and Jess? Ones who it doesn’t matter how long since you’ve seen each other you can just pick up your friendship from where you left it or ones who know your deepest desires and secrets and love you anyway?

I hope you’ll come and visit the girls at 71 Hill Street and share their disasters and celebrate their triumphs but, in the meantime, please tell us about some of your best friends. How did you meet? How long have you been friends for? How often do you see them or talk? What is it that binds you together?

Cherish those friendships and laugh often!

Best wishes,

Emily

Breaking Her No-Dates Rule / Waking Up With Dr Off-Limits by Emily Forbes / Amy Andrews contains the last two stories in the fabulous Single, Free and Fabulous in Sydney mini-series and it is out in UK stores on 7th October!