Rachel Brimble Pays a Visit

Please welcome the fabulous and mega-talented Rachel Brimble to Novel Natterings. It's a pleasure to have you here Rachel! And I am sooo jealous of your company in this photo! I LOVE Jodi Picoult!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have been married to my best friend for almost 14 years and we have two daughters, Jessica and Hannah (13 & 10) as well as a third child…a black lab, called Max. We live near Bath in the UK and I have been writing seriously since Hannah started school full time.

In my spare time, I live to read, knit, walk or socialize with friends and family. My biggest vice is chilled white wine and jelly donuts, lol! (Not at the same time!)

Mmm...wine.... :) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my first paperback arrived in the post – one of the most emotional and memorable days of my life J Searching For Sophie was published in 2007 and I’ve had at least one book published every year since. Very proud of myself!

And so you should be :) That is an amazing accomplishment. Do you remember what inspired you to write your first book?

Yes – my husband. He’s adopted and in 2005/6, he felt a need to look for his birth mother. Our endeavors led to no results unfortunately but the experience and my husband’s emotional involvement prompted me to think about all the adoptive mothers, birth mothers and adopted children out there.

Searching For Sophie is about a woman (the heroine) who gave up her child for adoption years before and when the young girl is abducted, the police need her help. It was very emotional to write and I hope that comes across on the page.

Wow! I could imagine just how emotional that time could be. I read Searching for Sophie and was immediately struck by the depth of emotion you managed to convey. I admit to a few tears reading it, so it was a job well done!

I love call stories. Can you tell us about yours and your reaction?

Mine came via email – what a day! I initially screamed and then cried and then danced around the kitchen. Never forget that day – EVER! Each time I receive an acceptance the feeling is the same, I never take for granted I will always be published, I think that’s one of the worse mistakes a published writer can make.

God has a way of dealing with complacency…

*Nods head in agreement* What drew you to write romance?

I’ve always loved romance, right from a very early age – when I was ten or eleven, I devoured the Sweet Valley High books, then moved on to the Sweet Dreams books (remember them??) and eventually Mills & Boon (Harlequin) before discovering authors like single title books of Nora Roberts, Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen.

Even though I’m a Brit and lived in the UK all my life, I have always read more American writers than UK writers. I am just more drawn to the stories. It’s no surprise I’ve found more success in the states than I have here!

Oh my! In our reading lives, we could have been twins! You're obviously a woman of great taste Rachel ;)

What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you?

Plotting – I am a continual victim of the ‘sagging middle’. My writing process is simple – I either hear the hero or heroine’s voice in my head or a ‘what if’ scenario will pop up out of the blue. After that, I write a two or three page synopsis and character sketches for my protagonists which often throws up the conflicts.

Then I write a ‘dirty’ draft from start to finish – around the two-thirds mark, I often hit plot problems that I need to work on (or cry over!). The hard work comes in draft two and three…

What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened to you while writing one of your books in terms of the characters or world you’ve created?

Hmm…I can’t think of anything weird. With almost every book, they have gone off in a different direction than I planned but the more writers I speak to, the more common I realize this is. I just run with it, who am I to argue with their story?

The more I write, the less I try to wrestle with my characters too. I think you're right, it is, after all, all about them.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on book two of what I hope to be a romantic suspense trilogy. They are set in a fictional seaside town called Templeton Cove in the UK. My agent is currently ‘shopping’ book one so fingers crossed, I’ll have some good news soon J

Good luck, but something tells me you won't be needing it :) Latest news?

I have just sold a new historical novella to The Wild Rose Press and returned the first round edits. Here’s the blurb:

To keep herself from the depths of poverty, Milly Shepherd needs to be appointed manager of the Red Lion Tavern.  The elderly owner is in failing health and has promised her the job permanently if no one more suitable applies.  Milly will fight with her entire being to make the job her own.

Joseph Jacobs needs to supplement his income to pay off his father’s creditors and save him from debtor’s prison.  Though the job as manager of the local tavern looks promising, Milly is favored by both the owner and customers.  Instead, Joseph swallows his pride and agrees to tend bar.

Hope to have cover art and a release date soon – I’ll keep you posted!

Ooo! An exclusive :) I'll be looking out for that one - sounds great! Where can we find you and your books?

http://www.rachelbrimble.com/

http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Brimble/181873201887441
Twitter: @rachelbrimble

Rachel’s latest contemporary release is Paying The Piper, available now from Lyrical Press. Here’s the blurb:

Nightclub manager, Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother’s ashes are scattered – except the vendor wants to sell to anyone but her. And the vendor happens to be her father…with a secret Grace will do anything to uncover.

Social worker and all-round good guy, Jimmy Betts needs cash to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. In a desperate bid for cash, he agrees to a one-time ‘job’ for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl’s beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.

Their lives are so different except for one unifying thread – they are both trying to escape the binds of their tyrannical fathers. But is the key to their liberty each other?

Buy Link:

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_25&products_id=424