Monday Minx - Lorraine Wilson

Pre-posting wail

"Why did I volunteer to go next? Why?" (goes to bang head on table but remembers in time it's made of glass). I mean I have quite enough of myself as it is, that's why I write fiction, kind of...

Introducing Lorraine Wilson aka a Romance Minx

Unless you read my blog chances are you don't know me. I'm not published other than a couple of historical articles oh, and a household tip that to this day remains a mystery. So, how about a brief highlighted tour of...

The interesting bits

1. By the time I was three years old my teddy had a frequent flyer's badge (picture for representational purposes only - real teddy thrown away in cruel loft purge by heartless parents). Together we lived in 6 different countries and attended 9 different schools.
2. I used to speak 4 different languages but can now only remember 2.
3. We had a habit of settling in countries where almost as soon as we arrived they decided to hold coups/revolutions/annoy someone who wanted to bomb them. The travel had it's perks though - I was lucky enough to ride ex-race horses belonging to a sultan along the Arabian surf. Classic Presents/Modern territory but no, I don't feel a sheik story coming on just yet ;-)
4. I love old buildings and have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in some of the greatest - I studied at Oxford and worked at one of London's Inns of Court (complete with lovely rare books for me to play about with, sorry I mean create exhibitions with!).
5. Through the above job I also got to have tea at Buckingham Palace and with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
6. Even more exciting I got to ogle Colin Firth when he was at the Inn for filming (The Bridget Jones sequel).

Mmm, running out of highlights...

Vaguely interesting hobbies

1. Renovation (including plastering and mixing cement) of my dream croft house in the Highlands
2. Dabbling in futures trading (gambling but with graphs ;-)
3. Making stuff - When I'm unable to write, (I'm recovering from a brain injury) I sew, and have started designing and making bags, these are my latest creations.

But really I'm holding out on you. It's time to give you a blogland exclusive, the never before divulged...

The real reason why I write romance

I fell in love at first sight (something I'd never believed in). I had the whole thunderbolt, 'black and white world turned to colour', floating in a joyous bubble, cliched experience.

Once I'd been converted I simply had to write about falling in love - the intensity, the hope, the pain... Plus I was coming round to the idea that there was nothing wrong with happy endings. Literary fiction depressed me and I wanted to write stuff that would cheer people up (including myself!).

I've also experienced unrequited love and I love that in the romance writing world it always ends well - the girl never gets stood up and left wondering what happened to the guy she thought was 'the one', beaten up the hero or abandoned to single motherhood forever.

Writing romance somehow rights these wrongs and brings an equilibrium to the whole messy reality of relationships. It's the breath out, the niggle un-niggled and that feeling you get when you stretch out in the sun.

That's why I write.

Post-posting postscript (try saying that quickly after a couple of drinks!)

Pip (my latest rescue dog) is pleased I've finished faffing about on the computer and wants me to play with him. How could I say 'no' to that face? So if you want to know anymore about me you'll just have to stick around the Minxes blog :-)