By day Trish Ingham is just like any of the stay-at-home mums in the sleepy seaside Queensland town of Hervey Bay.
But when her two young children April and Declan are tucked in for the night, Trish’s alter-ego transports her to worlds that would make most neighbours blush.
Under the pen name of T.J Hamilton, the former Sydney cop is the best-selling author of what is commonly known in publishing circles as ‘mummy porn’ romance novels.
The 34-year-old has churned out three best-sellers since her debut in April last year, and hopes for even more success with her latest, Buying Thyme, which is on-sale now.
Trish says she kept her writing a secret when she first started but now she’s not embarrassed to tell anyone she’s a “writer of smut”.
She’s thrilled to hear that women of all ages have embraced the racy reads – her mum is even her biggest fan – and that her stories give the average stay-at-home mum an escape from their everyday lives.
Trish, who also pens a weekly column for her local paper Just Saying, says it’s definitely been a case of ‘write what you know’.
She regularly draws on her experiences in the police force for material.
Trish joined the New South Wales Police Force in 2006. From the moment she stepped foot on the academy grounds, she was warned about the obstacles she would face as a female police officer.
She was thrown in the deep end, being called out to an attempted suicide on her first day on the job.
“The man had stabbed himself seven times with a kitchen knife. Being first on the scene was more than surreal. The smell of blood and the way it congeals after it leaves the body are memories I’ll never shake.”
Fortunately, the tough love of her first mentor helped set her up for some of the most trying times of her life.
“She was a straight shooter, and could talk her way out of the most aggressive situations. Women can bring a sense of calm to a situation that’s volatile. She was confident with her place in the force.”
Even so, Trish developed a reputation for being an unlucky charm during her first months on the job. She was notorious for attracting the hardest call outs and worst of the worst.
“There were moments I felt helpless – even as a police officer. Domestic violence was one of those areas of helplessness. It’s far from black and white – it’s all grey.”
Trish admits she struggled as a single parent at the time, carrying the heavy psychological and emotional burden of her job alone.
“I still feel some guilt today. During those years, I didn’t give my son the best of me. Work came first, and my personal life suffered.”
This led to the decision take time out from general duties and move to a role in intelligence. She enjoyed putting to use the knowledge she gained from studying criminology at university.
She then met her husband, whose father was a police officer and thus found a greater understanding and respect for the role.
“When I met my husband, things changed and I finally had someone to ‘download’ on when I got home.”
Soon after, she transferred through to Redfern LAC where she found a close bond with her co-workers.
“The officers in the station have such a great camaraderie with one another, and the area itself was very community based policing, which is interesting for such a city location. Being predominately indigenous, you had to know the families, know the elders, and know the people to talk to.”
She was the only female working in the team of 14 for a while, although her gender was not a problem.
“None of them treated me any differently – except when they needed advice on girls. During the down times, we would amuse one another with pranks – much to the bosses annoyance.”
Until this day, her time and relationships at Redfern was the most important inspiration for her writing.
“The friends I’ve made are the ones I carry with me into this next phase of my life. The support I get from my brothers and sisters in blue is incredible.
However, she is ultimately happy with her decision to leave the Police Force. Her priority became her family when she became pregnant with her second child.
“It took a few years to admit that I was putting my job ahead of my family, but with policing there really isn’t many other options. I take my hat off to any working mother in the Police Force.”
“But my children are my world, and my time with them is now so precious.”
As is to be expected, coping with what she had witnessed was still difficult even after having left the Police Force. To reflect on her experiences, Trish was advised to write it all down to get it out. This allowed her to discover a passion for writing.
“Nowadays, I couldn’t imagine my world without writing in it. My time in the New South Wales Police Force has ultimately enabled me to write Buying Thyme, for which I am eternally grateful.”
Buying Thyme by TJ Hamilton (Harlequin MIRA ) is available for purchase at Harlequin Books or at all good books stores for $24.99
