You've found the home on the net for romance writer, LaVerne Clark. Thanks for visiting! :)

I write suspense and light fantasy/paranormal set in the beautiful country of New Zealand. A land of myths and magic, Aotearoa (Maori for Long White Cloud) has always been a storytelling nation and it is my pleasure to share mine with you.

Make yourself your drink of choice, stay a while and feel free to leave comments. I love to meet new friends.



Heartpounding suspense and fantasy Downunder



Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Seriously Funny - Janet Elizabeth Henderson

I am so thrilled to introduce you to a fellow kiwi and seriously talented writer friend, Janet Elizabeth Henderson.

Janet writes hilariously funny, feel-good (and hot and sexy) contemporary romances. If you're in need of cheering up, or just need a break from too many angst-ridden novels, I highly recommend you pick up one of Janet's wonderful books. Take it from me, (as someone who has once again stuffed her knee playing her first game back at netball and is almost finished this book) she will have you laughing out loud and forgetting your worries.

Self portrait of Janet - "Smurf Me" 

Wanna get to know Janet a little better? So do I - here we go:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a Scottish lass living in New Zealand and loving it. My days are filled with caring for two adorable tiny girls, one high-maintenance husband and more animals than one person can cope with! I’ve lived and worked all over the world. One of my favourite countries is Peru, where I spent a year. I’d live there again, only my Dutch husband refuses to learn another language! I have a degree in fine art – I used to be an installation artist – and a teacher’s qualification. I’ve taught every level, from primary school to art college. I love art history and am probably more than a little obsessed with Van Gogh. Apart from that, I eat too much chocolate and can quote large chunks of dialogue from Buffy The Vampire Slayer!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
…when I started to get letters from readers, telling me that they loved my work and wanted to read more. I remember sitting in shock after reading a couple of these, thinking:  people think I’m a real writer. It blew my mind!

Aww...I love that! Makes it all worthwhile doesn't it to think others around the world are enjoying what you do. Do you remember what inspired you to write your first book?
Bugsy Malone. I was eleven. I wrote my own gangster novel. It was set in Chicago, a place that only existed in my imagination. The irony was, there were actual real life gangsters in my extended family and I had no idea as a child. I could have based it on them!




I love call stories. Can you tell us about yours and your reaction?
I don’t have a call story. I have ‘wait’ stories. My first romance sat with a publisher for two years while they repeatedly told me that they loved it and they would make a decision soon. I think I would still be waiting! That was after I had to part ways with my agent. They refused to send my books to romance publishers. It’s been a rocky few years! In the end, I decided to self-publish. I know self-publishing is a risk, there are a lot of people out there who naturally assume that if you put your own work out, you must be rubbish - or that no one wanted you! But I think that in time, your work speaks for itself. And if readers like it, then that’s all I care about! Well, that and the fact I don’t have to go back to teaching. I’d rather boil my own eyeballs than teach again! J

After reading your work, I'm flabbergasted you haven't been snatched up, quick-smart! What drew you to write your chosen genre?
I write what makes me happy. I love writing about people in mad situations that they think are normal. I love the humorous quirks of life, when people aren't trying to be funny but they so are. I love it when sparks fly between a couple, but they really don’t know what to do about it, or about each other. Mainly, I love a good story that leaves me with a smile on my face. I hope that’s what I write.

Let me assure you - you certainly do! What’s the most challenging part of the writing process for you?
Getting peace to write! I have two tiny girls who think my office is a playroom. The youngest still doesn't sleep through the night, which means I spend days as a zombie. I have a husband who likes to chat – particularly every time I sit down at my computer. I have animals that need to nest/ bed/ play in my room. It’s a mad house! I try to write at night when everyone’s asleep, but even these days that’s hard. Roll on term time!



Hehehe - I couldn't resist posting this photo which shows exactly that from your Facebook page. Hilarious! Which one of your books is your ‘baby’ and why?
Laura’s Big Break. It was the second romance I wrote and I feel like things came together for me in it and I found my voice. I love that it has laugh-out-loud moments, but also really serious sections. The only thing that bothers me about it is the length – if I was writing it again, I’d make it longer! I was seriously thinking about writing a follow up, just so I could see how Charlie and Laura were doing a few years down the track. Now, that’s sad!

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on a trio of books set in Scotland. I made up a tiny town in the Highlands and I’m now letting my characters run riot in it. These books are much longer than the last three I wrote, so it’s taking a bit more working out. The first is called Lingerie Wars and tells the story of Lake Benson, an ex-army guy who buys a lingerie shop to help his sister out. He then takes over and does what he does best – wages war with the lingerie shop over the road! It’s a case of last shop standing and the whole town get involved. Unfortunately for Lake he knows nothing about lingerie – other than how to remove it from a willing body. Meanwhile the owner of the rival shop is an ex-lingerie model, who knows quite a bit about lingerie and about men! I’m having a blast with it. Especially with Evil Betty, the 87 year old who resembles a Hobbit.

I love Betty already :) Latest news?
I have a revamped website that has a lot more content than the last one. There’s a resource section for writers, a list of wonderful Kiwi authors and excerpts from my books. It’s still under development but I’m hoping it will grow so full of information that I’ll struggle to control it! You can find it at www.janetelizabethhenderson.com 

Where can we find you and your books?
I have a blog, that I mainly use to humiliate myself by telling the world everything I do wrong! http://www.janetelizabethhenderson.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for stopping by Novel Natterings, Janet! You're just as much fun in person as your books suggest you would be. Good luck with all your future endeavours, I'm looking forward to reading more from you :) 

24 comments:

  1. Janet and LaVerne
    A great blog.
    I love your books Janet they are truly laugh out loud without the totally ridiculous slapstick humour that a lot of authors think passes for humour.
    I'm already loving Lake....now that's a name I would never have dreamed up for a guy in a million years. But it really works...and selling lingerie?
    That I have to read.
    I saw a few weeks back where you pushed a lot of big name authors down the best selling books on Amazon. It's great to see a self-published author doing so well.
    And I must congratulate you on your book covers. They are superb.

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    1. Aren't her covers to die for, Shirley?? And bumping off big name authors?! Love it!

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    2. Thanks Shirley, what lovely comments. I'm blushing as I write! And let's face it Lake is a daft name for a sexy man, but he comes from a family of Hippies so I thought it would fit. Had to write him as ex-sas to make up for the name! And I love my covers too. They make me smile! Janet

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  2. Lovely interview, LaVerne and Janet. I love shoes on book covers, so much so my Kindle just burped with the download. If LaVerne says it's an enjoyable read, that's good enough for me. Good luck in your career, Janet, and I hope you never have to teach again, too.

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    1. Oh my goodness Vonnie, the pressure! I hope you like the book! thanks for reading my interview too - it's so nice (and brave) of LaVerne to let me loose on her blog. :)

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  3. Hi LaVerne and janet,
    Great interview. Not a Kiwi, but from down-under. I am across the ditch in Australia.
    An ex-army man owning a lingerie shop, love to read about that.

    Cheers

    Margaret

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    1. Margaret, I'm really enjoying writing Lingerie Wars. I was laughing so hard a scene this week, I fell off my old, tatty, office chair and landed on the dog. Thanks for reading my interview! janet

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  4. HAHAHAHA My sister and I used to sneak our pony into our bedroom during the cold winter nights. It all stopped when Daddy found out. Oops. Your books sound like my kind of reading, Janet.

    LaVerne, I'm so sorry about your knee and what the injury entails. But I'm so glad it guided an introduction to a wonderful new writer! Thank you.

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    1. A pony in the bedroom - that's fabulous! Can I steal it for a book?! And yep, I feel for LaVerne too. I've always thought exercise was overrated, and this proves it! janet

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  5. Janet
    Cracked up at the comment of a pony in the bedroom. When we lived up on the farm the neighbours had a donkey who would do anything for a slice of bread. The neighbour's son was friends with our dare-devil twin sons. The twins spent the night with their friend. The three boys decided it would be fun to wake the parents up with the donkey and bribed it into the bedroom with a slice of bread. The donkey leaned over the bed and brayed...the parents bolted up in bed in fright. The father hit the donkey's jaw with his head so hard he broke a tooth and spent the day with the dentist.
    Needless to say my boys were not invited back to stay!
    They were such fun young men and left our world far too soon...

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    1. Shirley, that did make me laugh. If you're not going to use it, I might have to negotiate it away from you. I can just see it so clearly! janet

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    2. Sorry Janet,
      I've just used this in my latest WIP The Devil's Kiss.... I needed some light humour and thought I'd use some of my kids antics...and believe me this is only one of many!!!!

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  6. Nice "meeting" you Janet.Don't you just love publishers who string you along for 2 or more years? NOT! So glad you found the right niche for your book. I'm adding it to my TBR list. And LaVerne, I hope your knee is feeling better.

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    1. Thanks Lilly, I hope you enjoy it when you get to it! And I have to say, I'm pretty pleased that I don't deal with publishers anymore. Maybe one day, but right now I like being my own boss. :)

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  7. Sounds hilarious. I love your cover with the shoe on it, though I was equally charmed by the llama (?) in your playroom. :-)

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    1. I wish that was the playroom - unfortunately that pig sty is my daughter's bedroom! :)

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  8. Hey now, I love starting the day with a smile. Fun interview LaVerne and Janet, but I'm still shaking my head over the llama in the playroom. Or is that just a big honking goat? :-/ After reading the comments, apparently indoor farm animals are all the rage. Who knew?

    *rubbing my hands together* Looks like I found a new author to stalk, er, read.

    ;-) Mac

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    1. It's a sheep who thinks it's human, Mac. I love her to bits but she's driving me mad. She wants to live in the house! :)

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  9. Janet, your books sound like so much fun. If LaVerne says they're good, they must be. I'm going to check them out now.

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    1. LaVerne is lovely! I'm always amazed when anyone likes my work, but when they tell the world too, that astonishes me! :)

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  10. Janet, thanks for telling us about yourself and your menagerie. I would think that writing humor helps lighten your very busy life...when you get a chance to write, that is. Makes me realize I've got it easy...I should be writing more! I saw a goat in the picture...a dog, cat, chickens? Inquiring minds want to know! Good luck with sales!

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    1. Hi Rolynn, at the moment I have a dog that doesn't listen to me, four cats that think my room is their bed area, six chickens that keep escaping and I find them nesting all over the house and one daft sheep that loves me and wants to be with me all day long! Fortunately the rest of our sheep don't feel the same way, otherwise my office would get really crowded! :) I'm working on keeping them all where they should be. Problem is, I'm a sucker for a sad face and a cuddle!

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  11. What a blast of an interview! Like the oh-so-Kiwi sheep in your study. But most of all I want to hear about Evil Betty.

    From a Kiwi living in Australia.

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    1. Hi Vonnie, Evil Betty is turning out to be wonderful entertainment! I'm having a lot of fun with her - she just doesn't give a stuff who she offends or what she does. Wonderful :)

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