What were you in your
life before you became a writer? Did this influence your writing?
Thank you Janet for
inviting me to be a guest on your blog today.
I worked as an
executive assistant throughout my career, at a university and in government,
with a brief stint as a temp EA in private enterprise. I began my writing
career in the mid-nineties, when my children were pre/early teens. I continued
to work full time as I learned the craft of writing romance novels.
My office career
influenced a couple of my novels, The
Trouble with Natalie and No
Boundaries, in that I was familiar with office routines, and used locations
of a couple of places where I’d worked.
2. Are you genre
specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres like romance, mystery, fantasy
etc. There are many subgenres of the above.
Contemporary romance
is my preferred genre to write. I like writing shorter novels, around 50,000
words, give or take a few thousand. Some years ago now, I entertained the idea
of writing a time-travel set in modern Glasgow and the Hebrides. I look at my
notes every now and then. Now is not the right time. Maybe one day…
3. Did your reading
choices have anything to do with your choice of a genre or genres?
My first foray into
romance reading was in my early forties. On holiday with family at the Gold
Coast, I was in much need of some R&R and escapism. I picked up a
historical novel by Rexanne Becnel, My
Gallant Enemy. From the front cover, through battles, with brooding hero
and resourceful heroine, and the mysterious workings within the castle, to the
very last page was the pure escapism I sought. Could Lilliane and Corbett ever
be together? Such tension! I was hooked on historical romance and couldn’t read
enough of it. I still have that book, have promised myself to read it again
sometime, and though I haven’t, I’m pleased to say it has survived a few house
moves, and many culls of my bookshelves.
While reading and
absorbing the wonderful adventures within historical novels, I often thought
how much I would like to write a novel, but discounted the idea as too hard,
and something other people did. Not me. I wasn’t clever enough. And where to
start? Those were my excuses. The need to write wouldn’t go away, and I
realised there were occasions during my life that I’d considered writing, but
had dismissed the idea.
I enrolled in a six
week freelance writing course at a local evening college, the only writing
course I could find locally. Better than nothing. It was the session on writing
romance that appealed to me the most. By accident, I stumbled on a couple of
articles by a well-known Australian romance author in magazines I’d borrowed
from the library; saw an ad for a romance writers workshop in my city, hosted
by visiting writers. Though the workshop didn’t eventuate, I phoned one of the
contact authors and discovered my local romance writers group. I told myself I
was meant to be a writer. I found out about a one day workshop in Melbourne,
and having never been to Melbourne before, flew down for the day. The speakers
were truly passionate about writing and so inspirational for this budding
author who was so starved of information about the genre and market and how to
write a novel. Through reading a couple of newsletters I discovered an American
online romance writers discussion group, signed up and later joined an associated
online critique group. A great learning experience, and at last, I could seek
answers to all my questions from those who knew about
writing romance. At that time, Australia did seem to me to be a long way from
the rest of the world.
4. What's your latest
release?
Sweet Temptations – released this week.
Zachary Cordell returns to New South
Wales to search for his estranged father’s young widow. Zac is certain that Elizabeth
Marshall married his father for his money and he wants revenge.
Elizabeth is looking for a quiet
lifestyle away from the notoriety the press associated with her name following
the death of her husband. All she wants is a quiet, secure home in her old
hometown. When her uncle Max recommends Zac as a handyman, she is nervous about
hiring a drifter. She soon begins to trust him and finds herself attracted to
Zac. Little does she know his relationship to her late husband, his
reasons for coming to New South Wales, or the sweet temptations which will
follow.
5. What are you
working on now?
My current work in
progress is set on the Sapphire coast, and is a friends to lovers story, and a
quest for forgiveness. My characters
each have to negotiate several emotional issues, including danger for the
heroine. The burning issue is the hero’s awful secret.
My local writing
group, Canberra Romance Writers, plans to release a second anthology in July
2019. I am in the early stages of
planning a story for inclusion in the anthology.
6. Where can we find
you?
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