Thursday, August 22, 2013

Author Spotlight - Lorna Peel

Today's spotlight author is Lorna Peel, who writes contemporary romance for Entranced Publishing.
Welcome, Lorna.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I was born in England and brought up in Wales and Ireland. I live in the Irish countryside where, sadly, it rains a bit too much! I’ve always had an lively imagination and I started writing when I was nineteen. A few years later I did a creative writing course which concentrated on short stories. I enjoyed it, and I was lucky enough to have one published, but it made me realise that I prefer to write novels so I decided to see if I could get one of the novels I’d written published.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
Only You is my first published novel but I’ve written quite a few novels over the years. Some I’m very proud of and some will never see the light of day!

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?
I try and write something every day, or, if inspiration doesn’t strike, I’ll edit some work. I just try to do something constructive every day and I reward myself every now and again with some books and DVD box sets. I’m not really a shoe person!

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?
Have a website and/or blog, with information on you, your book(s), and where it/they can be bought. The information has to be clear and easy to find because if the visitor can’t find what they’re looking for in under a minute then they’ll leave and they won’t come back.
Be on as much social media as you can, and interact with people. Link everything if you haven’t the time to keep up with them all individually.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
I can do other types of writing – answering e-mails and updating my blog or website – at some point during the day, but I need the peace and quiet of late night for writing novels so it doesn’t really get in the way of anything, apart from sleep!

6. Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?
I’d love to write an historical novel set in medieval Ireland/England/Wales. It would need an enormous amount of research but I hope I’ll be able to do it someday. Probably when I’m retired!

7. Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
No, I don’t have an exercise regime and I don’t go to the gym but I do have a large garden where I grow as much fruit and vegetables as I can. I also walk quite a bit and all that keeps me reasonably fit.

8. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
Yes, definitely. My heroines have to be someone who I and readers would want to spend time with. If they aren’t likeable then readers won’t want to go on their journey with them.

9. Writing snacks – what are your favourites?
Call me weird, but I never eat and write at the same time! When I’m surfing the net, yes, but never when I’m writing. It’s usually something which won’t crumble or drip onto the keyboard!

10. Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?
I’m a news junkie and I usually have a news channel on in the background during the day instead of the radio. I also read a lot of news online (Twitter is great for the weird stuff!) and it’s amazing how inspiration will strike when you’re either reading or listening to a news item.


Blurb:
Jane Hollinger is single, divorced, and the wrong side of thirty – as she puts it. Her friends are pressuring her to dive back into London’s dating pool, but she’s content with her quiet life as a genealogy teacher.

Robert Armstrong is every woman’s fantasy: handsome, charming, rich and famous. When he asks her to meet him, she convinces herself it’s because he needs her help with a mystery in his family tree. Soon she realizes he’s interested in more than her genealogical expertise. Now the paparazzi want a piece of Jane too.

Can Jane handle living — and loving — in the spotlight?

Only You is available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks and WH Smith (UK only).

You can find Lorna on her website, Facebook, Twitter and on Pinterest.

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