Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Author Spotlight - Kate Hewitt

The Minxes are pleased to host the talented and very lovely Kate Hewitt on the blog today. Kate writes wonderfully passionate Harlequin Presents stories and can often be found on Twitter cheering on us unpublished writers (thanks, Kate!).

1. Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?

Five years ago I had given up on writing romance and was writing short stories for women’s magazines in England and Australia. Sounds funny now, but I really felt like the Mills & Boon ship had already sailed for me at that point!

2. Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?

Ideas are strange things. Rarely do they fall fully-formed into my head, alas! This book started with the germ of an idea: a woman who agrees to a marriage of convenience fully believing the hero will never be attracted to her... and then of course I had to figure out how and why the hero changed his mind.

3. Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?

Well, firstly I’d love to be doing just what I’m doing now, writing 4 books a year for Harlequin Presents. Secondly, and it is a far second, I’d like to be published in mainstream/women’s fiction.

4. Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?

Oh, so many! The very last one was probably The Other Side of The Bridge by Mary Lawson. Such beautiful writing.

5. Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?

Anne of Green Gables! I love that series with my whole heart, and it made me realize how books can plunge you into a wonderful fictional world--I wanted to create my own.

6. Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?

Neither, hopefully! If they’re really working I find them intense and moving. If not... cringe!

7. What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?

I think the little, unexpected things are the most romantic. My husband buying me lingerie when I’m nine months pregnant, or bringing me a cup of coffee without being asked. Just last week I came home right before dinner with the kids and he’d set the table even though he had to be out. Thoughtfulness, to me, is romantic.

8. What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?

I wish I’d known that insecurity and self-doubt do not magically disappear when you get a publishing contract or see your book in print. In some ways they get worse.

9. What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Write everyday. Write what you love, from the heart.

10. Tell us about your latest release

The Man Who Could Never Love is a Cinderella story, as well as a marriage of convenience. The heroine, Anamaria Viale, really had a mind of her own in this book--I kept wanting to write one thing and she demanded another. Vittorio falls in love with her strength and stubbornness! I love when the characters take over.

11. What’s next for you?

My retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, The Matchmaker Bride, will be a Harlequin Presents release in August. I am also self-publishing a historical novel, Down Jasper Lane, as an ebook, available on Amazon, Smashwords, and other e-retailers in July. This book is sort of a cross between Anne of Green Gables (I told you I loved that book!) and Little Women. It is the first in a trilogy and was originally published in hardcover. I’m excited to give it a new lease on life, and have revised and expanded it as well.

You can buy The Man Who Could Never Love or any of my other books through Amazon, Eharlequin, or my website. Thanks for having me, Minxes!

10 comments:

Nas said...

Hi Kate,

Great reading about you. I loved The Man Who Could Never Love. Ana and Vittorio fall in love so naturally that I was quite stunned.

At first it seemed they were not suited to each other and Vittorio was just asking for a marriage of convenience, yet the love was a natural progression!

Thanks for sharing about yourself and thanks Minxes for bringing us this insight into Kate!

Ruchita said...

Hi Kate,
I loved this book, though it was released under a different name in India.
It was great to have a closer look at you!

Kat said...

Hey Kate, thanks for being a most excellent honorary minx for the day!
Great interview, I love how you draw your inspiration from classics as a spring board for your thoroughly modern stories. Thanks too for sharing that your success came some time after you felt your M&B ship had sailed - that's something I'm sure lots of us will draw comfort from.

Lots of luck with the book, it sounds divine!

Jo
x

Kate Hewitt said...

Thanks everyone for your comments! I'm so glad you both enjoyed The Man Who Could Never Love, Nas and Ruchita.Joanne, I had *completely* given up writing romance for several years (five, to be exact!) when I decided to try again and that's when I sold. You never know when it's your time :)

Sally Clements said...

Great interview, Kate! I agree its great to think that you once thought the M&B ship had sailed, I battle with that feeling all the time! thanks for being minxy todayx

Sally Clements said...

Woohoo! I just noticed we have 100 followers! (should we break out the cake and fizzy, minxes?)

Kate Hewitt said...

My pleasure, Sally. I think that even if you feel you're giving up on a dream, it doesn't have to be forever. I took a (long) break from writing romance and in some ways it was the best thing I did writing-wise. I'm just glad I came back to it :)

Sally Clements said...

So are we, Kate!

Joanne Coles said...

Yay for thoughtful husbands!

I am a sucker for marriage of convenience stories, looks like I'm going to be adding another book to my teetering tbr pile!

Your historical sounds fab, Kate, I loved Anne of Green Gables too. In fact, thinking about it, that book may well be the beginning of my empathy for motherless children :-)

Kate Hewitt said...

How wonderful, Joanne, that a book inspired your fostering--that is the powerful of literature in action!! I hope you enjoy both The Man Who Could Never Love and Down Jasper Lane, when it comes out :)