The lovely romance writer Jill Steeples has thoughtfully included me as her next victim the next link in a writing-themed blog chain. ‘What fun,’ I said when she asked me to participate, ‘please count me in!’ (Well, what I actually said was, ‘Nooooo! I don’t have the TIME…’
But she wore me down persuaded me to agree to do it, so here I am. She’s asked some interesting, writerly-type questions, and I’ve answered them (mostly truthfully) below.
What am I currently working on?
Promotion! Carina UK/Harlequin recently released my first book, Prada and Prejudice, a chick lit/comedy romance; the second book, Love and Liability, is available for preorder now and goes on sale 3 February. The third, Mansfield Lark, will be published on 3 March. So I’m busy doing blog tour thingys – which means answering interview questions and writing guest posts.
Carina UK romance authors are also running a “We ♥ Romance” Valentine’s event beginning 1 February and lasting through Valentine’s Day, with blogs and Tweets (#WeLoveRomance) from Carina UK writers. We’ll be sharing excerpts from our books, talking about our favorite romance novels, TV shows, and films, and – best of all – hosting a giveaway! The lucky grand-prize winner will receive a free ebook from each of the participating authors. That’s a lot of fabulous ebooks.
On the writing front, I’ve begun a sequel to Prada and Prejudice, this one set in the Scottish highlands. When Tarquin Campbell invites his good friend Natalie and her new husband Rhys to spend the Christmas holidays at Castle Draemar, how can they refuse? Rhys tells Natalie that he wants to wait to start a family. But where Natalie’s involved, of course, things never go quite according to plan…
Natalie and Rhys’s adventures promise to be a lot of fun, leading to plenty of misunderstandings, romance, and the solving of a decade-old Campbell family mystery.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
While my books are fast-paced and funny, they feature a darker side as well – whether it’s a really nasty antagonist, or a serious social issue like homelessness. I like my fun as frothy as the next girl, but with a bit of an edge, something suspenseful that keeps readers turning pages to see how it all turns out.
Why do I write what I do?
I’ve always loved screwball comedies like Nick and Nora Charles, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, and I Love Lucy. Everyone likes to laugh. And who doesn’t like romance? When you get them both together, you’ve got a winning combination and (hopefully) a fun, entertaining read. I also like to live vicariously through my characters – that’s why I make sure there are ALWAYS a couple of handsome men in the plot…
How does my writing process work?
I start with a general idea of what I want to write about. Then I create an outline and figure out the main plot points and how the story will end. Everything in between is subject to change, depending on where my characters take me – as long as things end the way I’ve planned it. I also like to create a mood board with photos of my characters and locales to inspire me along the way. And I must have lots and LOTS of coffee on hand.
The next link in the chain is talented writer Billie Jones (Snake Typhoon) who will post on January 27.
Look for Katie Oliver’s next ebook, “Love and Liability,” coming 3 February 2014 from Carina UK/Harlequin, now available for preorder everywhere.