 |
| Mr & Mrs B |
When I joined the RNA New Writers' Scheme in 2012 I was able to attend the RNA Bath and Wiltshire Chapter meetings which Rachel organises. So we meet up regularly.
Let's find out more about Rachel...
1) Which of your characters is your favourite, and why?
I have SO many favourite
characters but there are two special ladies I hope will travel a long distance
with me. They were introduced in the first book of my Harlequin Superromance
series, Finding Justice. Cat Forrester is the heroine and I had such a good
time writing her story. She’s ballsy, fun and deeply caring. Just a great
all-round heroine who features quite heavily in book two (A Man Like Him) as
well as a small cameo appearance in book three. My other favorite, is the
series matriarch, Marian Cohen. She is FABULOUS!! She’s featured in every book
so far (I’m currently writing book 4) and a joy to write. It’s like I’m taking
dictation every time she’s on the page J
2)
What do you read while
you write, or don’t you?
I always have a
book on the go…usually three! It’s usual for me to have a hardback for reading
in bed, a paperback for the bath or when I’m walking the dog (truly!) and then
my Kindle for the car while I’m waiting to pick the kids up or doctor’s
appointments etc.
I’m not a writer
who immerses myself in or avoids a certain genre when I’m writing – I enjoy
reading whatever I want, whenever I want. As far as I know, it doesn’t affect
what I’m working on.
3)
What do you do with a
paperback once you’ve read it?
Ooh, great
question! It very much depends on how much I liked the book. I have a growing
collection of authors whom I love and avidly collect their backlists. These are
my “keepers”…as are my increasing collection of signed books. For the rest, I
like to pass them on to my friends, my mum or mother in law. I like the thought
that a book is being read over and over and word of mouth is the best way of
getting readers to search out more books by the same author.
4)
What things inspire you
to write? Location, music, film or even in a book?
Location seems
to be a big factor in my inspiration – most of my books start with a setting,
whether it be real or fictional. I then decide my sub-genre because I write
mainstream contemporary and romantic suspense, as well as Victorian romance. When
I have the sub-genre decided, the characters and their problems usually start
appearing soon after!
5)
Cocktail or shot? If
so, what one? Cocktail
You're going to have to let us know what your favourite Cocktail is, Rachel! Ha ha!
6)
Tea or coffee? Coffee
7)
Starbucks or Costa? Costa
8)
Chocolate or ice cream?
Ice cream
9)
Dogs or cats? Dogs
Rachel’s latest release is book two in her Harlequin
Superromance Templeton Cove series – A Man Like Him is available right now.
Here’s the blurb and a short excerpt:
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.”
About Rachel Brimble:
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 and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for
Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013, with book two coming in Feb
2014.
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.
She likes nothing more than connecting and
chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear
from you!
Thank you so much, Rachel, for taking the hot seat on my blog today.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love reading your comments and I will try to reply when I can. Thank you for reading my blog and taking the time to comment.