The highs and lows of planning a wedding have been amusingly examined in a new book, Without a Hitch.

Taking two years to write, Bettina Hunt, 41, had to overcome challenges from having a baby during this time, as well as having to stop everything when her own mum became very ill. Without A Hitch tells the story of three very different brides-to-be, from the proposal to the big day.

I spoke to Bettina to find out more…

Where do you live?

I live in Theydon Bois, a village near Epping.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Enfield, North London.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Palmer Green High School

Why did you decide to write the book?

I decided to write Without a Hitch because having gone through the trials and tribulations of planning my own wedding, and subsequently my sister’s, I thought it would make an interesting story-line for a fiction novel.

Planning a wedding takes you through a roller-coaster of emotions from the minute you receive the proposal right up to the big day itself and I wanted to bring this alive in a funny and ultimately heart-warming tale.

Was it difficult to write?

I had a clear idea of the type of story that I wanted to write. The hardest part was finding the time to write it. For various personal reasons it took much longer than I would have liked but typing the end was extremely satisfying.

What is your writing process?

I tend to have an idea for a story and the working title when I sit down to write. I don’t have the entire plot drafted because I like the characters to lead me as I write. I didn’t believe they could at first but they really do start talking to you.

I try to write a minimum of 500 to 1,000 words a day, any more is a bonus. The most important thing is completing the first draft.

The editing process is tough because you find yourself cutting out huge chunks of your writing that you realise do nothing to add to the story. The second draft is when the story really takes shape and despite cutting lots out, your word count will increase and the words are a huge improvement on the original story.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

My favourite quote is by Louis L’Amour: “Start writing no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

You cannot edit an empty page, so just write.

Without a Hitch is available on Amazon.