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!