Interview with Victorian romance author Rachel Brimble

Author Rachel Brimble is here today to chat about her new Victorian romance novel, What a Woman Desires.

During her virtual book tour, Rachel will be awarding a signed paperback copy of What a Woman Desires and a tote bag to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win these prizes, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013, followed by a second in January 2014 and the third is released Jan 2015.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Welcome, Rachel. Please tell us about your current release.
What a Woman Desires is the third book in my Victorian series with eKensington/Lyrical Press––although all the books can be read stand alone. Set in Bath and the Wiltshire village of Biddestone, What a Woman Desires is a reunion story between upper-middle class heiress turned actress, Monica Danes and her family’s groom, Thomas Ashby. Not happy at home, Monica fled to Bath to pursue her dream of becoming an actress five years before the book opens - a family tragedy means she has to return home…whether she wants to or not…

What inspired you to write this book?
During the writing of the previous book, The Temptation of Laura, Monica pushed herself forward even though I only ever meant for her to remain a secondary character. I heard her voice so strongly and knew her history and story were worth telling. I plotted most of What a Woman Desires while writing the preceding book, it was most inconvenient!

Excerpt from What a Woman Desires:

Thomas clenched his jaw as Monica tightened her arms around his waist. He longed to feel the weight of her head on his back, too, but knew well enough she would not lean on him considering the dark cloud under which he left Marksville the night before. He purposely kept Jake at a slow walk, wanting this closeness between him and Monica to last as long as possible. He’d been foolish enough to wake this morning, thinking the night apart had strengthened his resolve and he would be strong enough to accept her as his employer and nothing else.

Now he was with her, the notion was laughable—but one he must adhere to.

He needed to play nice and convince her staying at Marksville wouldn’t mean the future she dreaded. If he could do that, he would keep his father’s legacy intact and maybe, one day, his son would take the reins and become a groom to the Danes family as two generations had before him. She had to understand positions like his and Mrs. Seton’s weren’t just jobs, they were a livelihood, a lifestyle, and treasured way of life.

He’d come out of the stable yard astride Jake, and as soon as he had seen Monica standing alone, her head back and her breasts thrust forward, nothing of his job entered his mind. Only pure, unadulterated attraction had surged through him. The sun glowed on her dark hair like a million dancing lights and, with her hands on her hips, her delicate figure taunted him with forbidden possibility that had lingered in his subconscious forever. Even in mourning, the woman was beautiful.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I have just finished the fourth and final book in the series and sent it to my agent. Once she has read it, I will send to my editor and pray he likes it! This story is Jane’s story (younger sister of Monica) and focuses on her need to sever the bonds of the unrequited love of Biddestone’s squire, Matthew Cleaves…things don’t go quite as she planned.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I would like to say it was when the Wild Rose Press published by first book, Searching for Sophie in 2007, but I still couldn’t tell people confidently that I was an author. It wasn’t until I signed with Harlequin Superromance in 2011, that I truly believed in myself and started to imagine a life doing what I love. Since then, I have gone on to sign five books with Harlequin and four with eKensington. I am a very happy lady!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mum to two teenage girls – I pretty much write from 8.30 to 5.30pm (with an enforced lunch hour) during the week and then as much as possible on the weekend. Writing is my oxygen, I can’t function without working.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure that I have one! I need silence to create but can edit with background noise. As for where I write, I can write anywhere – at my desk, the garden, cafes, coffee shops…

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I didn’t know it for many years, but in retrospect, I always wanted to be an author. I was avid reader as a child and used to write stories where I would bind the pages together with ribbon. As I got older, I decided I wanted to be a journalist but personal circumstance at home meant I left school and got a ‘proper job’ as an insurance broker. It wasn’t until my youngest daughter started school that I had my ‘now or never’ moment. I haven’t looked back since.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes! Look out for my next Harlequin Superromance, Her Hometown Redemption, coming in September. LOVED writing this book!

Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Street Team - Rachel's Readers 

Thank you for being here today, Rachel!

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Interview with romantic suspense author Rachel Brimble

Romantic suspense author Rachel Brimble is stopping here today as she tours her novel A Man Like Him from Harlequin.

During the tour, Rachel will be awarding a lucky commenter a $25 Amazon gift card. To be entered to win, leave a comment below. To increase your chances of winning, visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.

Bio:

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013.

16 Marsden Place with Omnific Publishing is her first romantic comedy since 2010.

She has just signed a further three-book contract with Harlequin Superromance.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England…although she hopes a dream visit to Canada might just change her mind!

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers.

Welcome, Rachel. Please tell us about your current release.

A Man Like Him is a romantic suspense and the second book in an ongoing series with Harlequin Superromance. The books are set in the fictional UK seaside town of Templeton Cove and feature an array of new characters as well as catching up with old ones.

This book was inspired by my real-life experience of being rescued by helicopter from a hotel roof during the 2010 French floods. The opening chapters are an almost hour-by-hour account of what happened to me and my family…

Blurb:

Changing her life...again

After two years in hiding, Angela Taylor knows her independence is worth it. As long as she can escape her past, she has everything under control. Until a flash flood hits the park where she works, and hot Chris Forrester shows up the exact moment she needs a hero.

Chris proves he can save lives-and weaken a girl's knees. But how can she make him understand that she's off-limits, that getting close to her will endanger his life? Her happiness or his safety: it shouldn't even be a choice.

Because when you love someone, you protect them, no matter the cost. At least, that's what Angela keeps telling herself....

Excerpt:

Their eyes locked and Chris’ gaze dropped to her mouth. It fell ajar and her tongue poked out to wet her bottom lip. He snatched his gaze back to the sky. They were in the middle of a disaster situation. They were reaching out to each other for support. Nothing more. Nothing less. So why the hell was his heart beating like a damn jackhammer?

He shielded his eyes against the sun and prayed to God she hadn’t seen his need to kiss her. He focused on the helicopters. “Damn it.”

She shifted beside him and he felt her gaze on him once more. “What is it?”

“They’re not going to be any help to the people stranded in the trees.”

“Of course--”

“Those vultures aren’t going to do a damn bit of good. Where are the rescue teams?”

“What are you talking about? What vultures?”

“Can’t you see?” He shot his arm toward the sky as frustration hummed along his nerve endings. “They’re TV helicopters. A fat lot of bloody help--”

“TV cameras? Oh, my God.”

Chris turned. Her face grew ashen and she swayed back on her heels, her eyes wide with terror. She gripped his forearm. “Help me. Don’t let them see me. You have to do something.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Chris, please. Help me.”

Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms and she buried her face into his chest. He brought one hand to the back of her head, the other to the small of her back and pulled her close. She fit the contours of his body like she was meant to be there.

He held her tight. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head against his chest. “It’s over. It’s all over.”

The helicopters circled one more time and then flew away, disappearing over the horizon once more. “They’ve gone. Angela? Look at me. What is it?”

She pulled back and tears slipped over her lower lids and down her cheeks. “I’m dead. He’s coming. He’s coming and this time he’ll kill me.”

He gripped her forearms, adrenaline filling his blood on a protective wave. “Who will? What are you talking about?”

She closed her eyes. “My husband.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have just returned the first round edits for book three in the series to my editor – this is a mainstream contemporary romance set in and around Templeton Cove’s fairground. I LOVE this book as much as the others but this is the first that reduced me to tears. What Belongs to Her will be published in March 2014. As well as that, I am writing the first draft of book four (otherwise known as the ‘crappy’ draft), a Xmas 2014 book in the series. On top of that I’m going through final edits for my second Victorian romance with eKensington. The Temptation of Laura will be released in February 2014 and I am pleased to announce I have just contracted books 3 and 4 with Kensington too. Busy, busy!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my first book was contracted with The Wild Rose Press. When Searching for Sophie was published in July 2007, it gave me the much needed belief that I might actually be able to write and the dream began of making this my career. At long last, that dream is happening and I am making money from doing what I love. Hurrah!!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am lucky enough to write full-time around my husband, two daughters (14 &12) and my mad black Lab, Max. My usual day is getting the kids off to school and then I am at my laptop from 8.30-11.30 when I take a break to walk Max, then I work through until 3.30pm when the kids come home. After that, it is time for chores, making dinner etc with trips back and forth to the laptop when I can until 7pm. After 7pm, it is strictly family time…aka lounging in the bath, followed by TV time, LOL! :D

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Ooh, tough question! I’m not sure that I have one…the only thing I can say is that I become extremely savage, almost monster like, when I haven’t written for a couple of days. My family is used to it now, but it is the most horrible, disconcerted feeling. Writing is my obsession.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer, honestly. I was about seven or eight when I started writing and making little books of my own from paper, a hole punch and ribbon. I then decided at twelve, I would someday live in a swanky flat in London, living off of my high-paid journalist job. The reality? I left school at 16, worked in a bank for 10 years before I had my eldest daughter. I didn’t have my ‘it’s now or never moment’ until daughter number two was born. I was lucky to have my first novel published…after SEVERAL rewrites ;)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I have had some great reader comments about my Templeton Cove series and would love to know what readers love so much about series books and if they think the saturated market has room for more.

Also, I would love readers to follow me on Twitter for my daily madness – it’s the best way to see the real and, often frantic, me! Other ways to connect include: Website | Blog | Facebook 

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Harlequin 

Thanks for stopping by, Rachel. I absolutely know what you mean about the feeling you get if you can’t write for a couple of days!