Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Author Spotlight - Scarlet Wilson

Today we welcome Minxy friend Scarlet Wilson, making her debut this month with Mills & Boon Medical. We love Scarlet and all we can say is: go out and buy her book!

Thanks for joining us here today, Scarlet.

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What is your writing process?
I work full-time and have two young sons with numerous evening activities, so my main writing process is doing as much as possible, in as little time as possible! I write 1000 words a day, mainly in my half hour lunch break. Writing everyday keeps me focused. Any research I need to do for my book I’ll do at night when I’ve got a bit more time for surfing the net. Any medical research I need to do I can generally do in a phone call. I’ve worked in hospitals, community and public health and I’ll generally know someone who can give me the answer to the question I’m looking for.

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
 It’s got to be a priority that fits into my life. As long as I meet my word count every day then I’m happy. Even if what I write is crap – I can edit crap the next day!

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
No I don’t. I’m inherently lazy and I’m starting to get fat!

Do you believe in writer's block?
Can I be controversial and say no? I think you can write your way through it. Even if you don’t like what you’re writing or think that it’s wrong. Even when I’m hideously stuck and have no idea what happens next in the manuscript I keep writing. If I do that, the characters tell me what happens next.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble? 
No. My imagination is much better than real life. I’ve yet to meet a George Clooney or Patrick Dempsey in real life. When I first found out I was going to be published, lots of people I worked with asked, “Am I in your book?” I resisted the temptation to tell them they weren’t interesting enough!

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be? 
There are still loads of things I don’t know. For some reason I thought being published would give me whole host of information that would mean I knew exactly what I was doing. It hasn’t happened. Sometimes I feel as if I find things out by accident. The medical authors have a group e-mail loop and they’ve been great when I’ve had any queries.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers? 
I’ve built a website and a Facebook author page prior to my release. I’ve been blogging for the last 18 months on my own page and now have a spot on the eharlequin medical author blog every month. I like to join in the chats on the some of the online forums and comment on other people’s blogs. But I’m not a “in their face” girl. I’ve lined up a few spots on blogs for my first book launch but that’s it.

What is your top promo tip for other authors? 
Get online and speak to others!

What did you learn while writing this book?
That revisions are hard, really hard. I got the third set and wanted to give up. I felt as if I couldn’t deliver what they wanted. But I got two pep talks – one from my editor Sally Williamson, who must have sensed I was struggling and phoned me to talk me through them, and the other from Kate Hardy, another Mills and Boon medical author who gave me some really good advice.

What was the most fun part of writing this book? 
Seeing the story come to life. I could see scenes playing in my head like a Hallmark movie and wanted to get them down on paper.

And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?
Cooper would take Missy and their lovely baby to a beach front bungalow in St Lucia, with an inbuilt cook, nanny and masseuse!


The Blurb:
After one hot date…. Dr Cooper Roberts has a new job and the chance to begin a new life. What’s most definitely not in his plans? Waking up with his new colleague, Melissa Bell…And having to hold his head up above the dropped jaws of his fellow docs as he escorts Missy to buy a pregnancy test!

It Started with a Pregnancy is available to buy on Amazon and from Mills and Boon 

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Scarlet will be giving away a book to one non-Minxy commenter - so get commenting!

16 comments:

Sonali said...

Hi Scarlet,

Congratulations on your debut release and wishing it all the very best. "It Started with a Pregnancy' sounds like a fantastic read. It's definitely going on my must read list.

Janice said...

Hi Scarlet - the books sounds like a fab debut - and thanks for all the great writer advice in your author spotlight. I wish you great success.xx
janice.horton@btinternet.com

Kat said...

1000 words in half an hour?! OMG! That's good going Scarlet. Have you got long term plans to write full time, or do you enjoy the day job enough to want to combine the two?

Thanks for being minxy today, am so looking forward to settling down with a coffee and your debut.

x

Maya Blake said...

Super congrats on your debut, Scarlet. Wow, it seems like yesterday we were whooping over your call story. It's come round so quick! Congrats again and may this be the first of many, many books for you :)

Scarlet Wilson said...

Thanks everyone. I'll post the winner in the comments section tomorrow.
I'd love to write full time Jo, but I suspect that will be a long way off. The guide time I've been told is to write for Mills and Boon for five years and build up a back list.
Maybe at that point I can reassess things!

Rachael Johns said...

HUGE congrats on your release Scarlet! Not entering the contest cos I've already got your gorgeous book but I just loved reading a little bit more about you :) Thanks for sharing!

Wendy S Marcus said...

Hi Scarlet!
You write 1,000 words during your half hour lunch break??? I hate you!...well....only your ability to write 1,000 words during your half hour lunch break!! Congratulations on your debut! I'm so happy for you!

Liz Fielding said...

Congratulations on your debut, Scarlet!

Scarlet Wilson said...

Hi Rach, Wendy and Liz
Many thanks for your comments and good wishes. And Wendy - I didn't say they were GOOD words!!!

Jackie Ashenden said...

Go Scarlet!! Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Woot! SO excited for you, Scarlet! And I can't wait to read your debut!

Ju Dimello said...

Hi Scarlet,

Congrats on your release!!! Loved, loved reading about it and the rest of the fabulous tidbits about you as well!!!

Happy dancing for you :)

Catherine Coles said...

Wow, you dedicated woman, you! Writing in your lunch hour!

So very pleased for you and I just know everyone will love your debut as much as I did :-]

Scarlet Wilson said...

Many thanks Jackie, Aimee, Ju and Catherine. Still feels a bit unreal, waiting for reality to hit!
Scarlet x

Scarlet Wilson said...

Hi Folks

Janice - you're the winner! Can you fill in the contact form on my website please
www.scarlet-wilson.com sending me your address and I'll put the book in the post to you,
Scarlet x

Romy Sommer said...

Congratulations, Janice!