Author Spotlight - Rachel Brimble

Today's Spotlight is the first with our re-vamped, New Look questions, and the author who gets the honour of breaking them in is English novelist Rachel Brimble.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I’m a Brit living near the famous Georgian city of Bath, England. I’m married with two young daughters and my canine son, a black Lab called Max. When I’m not writing, you will find me reading, walking the countryside, socializing or watching too much TV.
Favourite drink is a glass of crisp, dry white wine. Favourite food, scallops!

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th (Nora only!)?

This is book number 8 – I’ve had 6 novels and 2 novellas published so far.

3. 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?

The only way I know how – I treat it like a job. It doesn’t matter that I work from home and lucky enough to be a full time mom. When my kids are at school or out with friends, I write. Simple. Housework, TV, shopping and everything else can be done with them there – writing can’t.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Lord, if only I knew! I have none except talk about your work as much as humanly possible. Blog, interview, visit book stores, tell friends and family, attend conferences and author signings. People are always happy to meet a ‘real’ writer!

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

Writing fits around my day, definitely – apart from my kids’ well-being, writing comes first! 

6. Do you write every day?

Yes – every SINGLE day apart from mine, my husband’s or kids’ birthdays and Christmas Day. Seriously. Sounds very sad but I make myself do it. Even 500 words is better than nothing. The trick I use is I write the first draft from start to finish without looking back. It’s amazing how much you can achieve when you shut off the ‘internal editor’.

7. Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

No, and it’s starting to show, lol! I’m very lucky that my mum and dad have blessed me with genes where I have always been naturally slim, but as I approach 40, I can see the ‘muffin top’ emerging. A gym membership may well be on the horizon…she says ;)

8. Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?

Brighton, England – as far as I can tell from my research of the Victorian era, Brighton was the place to go. Some people say it still is!

9. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?

Yes! All of them. I don’t think a writer, especially a romance writer, could create a heroine she wouldn’t be willing spend a lot of time with if she was real. These characters become real people to us who we might spend six months to a year (sometimes longer!) with, so we have to like and understand them. Plus, there’s a little of me in all my heroines and I’m kind of a nice person to be around. I hope!

10. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?

Again, all of them! I create heroes that I genuinely fall in love with over the course of writing their story. I understand their issues, think they’re justified and take huge pleasure in watching them change and grow. My heroes tend to be Beta heroes, with big hearts and a love of family and the desire of a shared future with one woman. Who wouldn’t love a guy like that? 

Blurb for “Love’s Debt” available now from The Wild Rose Press:

To keep herself from the depths of poverty, Milly Shepherd needs to be appointed manager of the Red Lion Tavern. The elderly owner is in failing health and has promised her the job permanently if no one more suitable applies. Milly will fight with her entire being to make the job her own.

Joseph Jacobs needs to supplement his income to pay off his father’s creditors and save him from debtor’s prison. Though the job as manager of the local tavern looks promising, Milly is favored by both the owner and customers. Instead, Joseph swallows his pride and agrees to tend bar.

As they work together, their attraction grows, their goals cross, and both Millie and Joseph find they must face their fears …the question is whether they face them alone or together?

Love's debt is available direct from The Wild Rose Press, and also on Amazon and Amazon UK.

You can find Rachel on her website, her blog, Facebook and on Twitter.