Call Out: Interviewees Wanted!

Well, I've been mulling over some ideas for interviews and I'm finally open for business. Now who wants to join me on my window seat and share some quirky facts about their writerly lives? :)

Yep! My heroine Kate  Barrow has offered up her spot on the window seat situated in the little cottage on the O'Rielly property and I'm looking for some squatters!

Be you an author or an aspiring writer, now's your chance to work on that writer's platform and introduce yourself to some readers. All genres welcome as long as there is as there is a romantic element to your story. :)

If you are interested, I'd love to hear from you :) The posts will be published weekly on the Friday.
For more details email me at: whitney_ke@yahoo.com.au

 

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Interview: Loretta Hill

This week, I have the lovely and incredibily talented Loretta Hill joining me on the blog. Loretta is a Random House author and her debut novel 'The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots' is a fantastic read which I loved!

I'm very happy to have her here, so lets get to the questions:

As always, can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself and your writing?

Well, my name is Loretta Hill. I am a mother of four, educated and employed as a structural engineer but currently on maternity leave and writing books.

How did your writing journey begin?

My writing journey began when I was 8 or 9 years old. I wrote this story in an exercise book about a two orphans who are searching for their parents. Their parents turn out to be a fairy and a dragon. Don’t ask me how that works!

Haha, the wonders of a child's imagination. :

So tell us, how do you come up with such fantastic ideas and storylines? 

I don’t have one specific place or a thing that gives me ideas. I get ideas from everywhere.  Sometimes, the news, sometimes a song, sometimes a friend will say something that triggers something. I guess, I get ideas from life- my own experiences mixed with other peoples.

Now, I’m a fan of the male POV. I love writing scenes from my Hero’s perspective as I find it refreshing. Are you a fan of the male POV too?

I do love the male point of view but you will notice in “The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots” there is none. This was for two reasons. The first was that the first draft of that book was in 1^st person. So when I converted it to 3rd person everything was still in Lena’s POV. The other reason was I didn’t want readers to be in Dan’s head. I wanted him to be as mysterious as possible.  So I relied heavily on his body language to convey his attraction to Lena. That was tough given I was always in Lena’s POV and she’s not supposed to know Dan’s attracted to her.

However, “The Girl in the Hard Hat” has whole chapters of hero POV. I guess I really wanted to make up for the absence in my first book J

Thank God! Having just finished your book (at 1 am Wednesday morning to be exact), I found it so frustrating not knowing what was going on in Dan's head. All I can say is, you know you craft. :)

Now, what was the hardest lesson you had to learn during the publishing process?

I was strongly recommended not to use a particular name as my writing name.  It was a bit of blow because I had always wanted to use that name.  And when the writing dream came true, it kind of took the gloss off it a bit not being able to use my first choice of name.  But I got over that! 

Now to talk about the book. Tell us a little about your current release?

“The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots” has been on the shelves since Jan this year and is now part of Australia’s September Get Reading Campaign ( www.getreading.com.au )  It’s basically about a young girl who is thrown in the deep end and expected to sink. But she swims! Boy does she swim. And against the odds too, which happens to be 350 men on a construction site in the Pilbara. My second book, “The Girl in the Hard Hat” is due out Jan next year and basically follows the first book except there’s a new girl in town.  Her name is Wendy and she’s also up to the challenge of working in a male dominated field. Both my books have a lot of romance and Aussie comedy in them.

You can find both these books and their blurbs at the following address: http://www.lorettahill.com.au/books.html
 

They certainly do. I can't wait to read Wendy's story.

What is your favorite part of the novel? Beginning, middle, end? Some place in between?

That’s hard to pick! Generally if I don't like what I’m writing, that’s the first sign to me that I have to cut or edit it. It’s my own personal rule that I have to enjoy every part of the book or it needs fixing in the area that’s “boring me.”

Having said that I did particularly enjoy writing the last third of “The Girl in the Hard Hat” not just because I was getting close to the end but because it was the most action packed part of the book. I had three subplots coming to a head.

Now, don’t shoot me for mentioning ‘50 Shades of Grey’ but how do you feel about the idea of submissive female characters and possessive male protagonists? Does it get up your nose?

YES!  I’m not into submissive female characters at all. In fact, if I had one I’d probably use her for comic relief.  As for the male protagonists being possessive, I think that he should have a good reason to be that way and his possessiveness should not lead to aggression. That’s a big turn off for me.  I prefer my heroes protective rather than possessive.

Well said. :)

Now an interesting question about your own experience working in a male dominated environment on the Pilbara, did you learn some lessons?  

I certainly did. It was a very character building experience.

And are those lessons passed on to your heroines?

I have drawn on my own experiences to make my characters come alive.  The engineering projects in my novels are real and also I’ve tried to make the descriptions of camp life and the landscape as true to life as possible.

However,  both my heroines are definitely fictional characters with fictional problems and fantasy love lives.

But that's the fun in it, isn't it? :)

Now last but not least, do you have any advice for aspiring writers like myself?

Keep writing. Write as much as you can and never give up on the dream because the secret to getting published is simply persistence.

Thank you so much Loretta for joining me on the blog. It was a pleasure to get to know the author behind the book and I wish you all the best with your up and coming release.

A Month Of Rural Romance Writers: Double Weekend: Cathryn Hein

Welcome everyone to my final interview with some of Australia's up-and-rising Rural Romance writers. My last interviewee is the lovely Cathyrn Hein. She's a Penguin author and will be sharing her experiences as a published author with us today. Welcome Cathryn.

Hi everyone and thanks, Whitney, for inviting me on your blog. I’m delighted to be here.

I'd delighted to have you here. :) So Cathryn, first things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and your current release?

I was brought up in Mt Gambier, in South Australia’s rural south east, and was fortunate enough to have had an idyllic childhood dominated by horse mania. Post school I studied agriculture at Roseworthy College, followed by several years working in the pasture and turf seed industries in Victoria and NSW. These days I write rural-set romance for Penguin and have two books out – Promises, which released in September last year, and Heart of the Valley, which came out in May of this year. I’m currently working madly on the next, and all going well we should see that hit the shelves sometime around May next year.

Heart of the Valley is my tribute to the magnificent NSW Hunter Valley, a place I fell in love with during my pasture seed days when I worked in the area.

It tells the story of Brooke Kingston, a talented equestrienne whose world is turned upside-down after a terrible accident. When her well-meaning family, desperate to get her to Sydney so they can take care of her, hire a farm manager to take over her beloved property she digs in her spurs and refuses to leave. But Lachie Cambridge proves more than a match for Brooke...

Due to his job, my partner and I move around quite a bit, and this lifestyle has had a great affect on my concept of home. For me it’s wherever Jim is. For others home will always be a place. Heart of the Valley explores this theme. Is home a place or is it where your heart lies?

Wow. I just checked my book case because I thought I had 'Heart of The Valley' (Please understand, I don't have time to read at the moment) and guess what? You just sold a book hahah. It sounds fantastic. I'm a horse lover myself and this book sounds like my kind of book. Wishing you all the best with your new project, Cathryn.

Now tell me, how did you start out as a writer? Did you have a critic partner or an editor? Have you always written romance?

I’ve definitely always written romance – except for a period in my adolescence when I wrote a series of bizarre short stories involving cockroaches and all sorts of weird things. As for full length novels, I tried many times to complete one over the years but always struggled to make it past the 10,000 word mark. Between work, study and making sure my other half felt appreciated, I just couldn’t find the momentum to keep going. Only when my partner and I moved overseas and I had to give up work did I realise it was now or never. So I knuckled down and wrote a book. After that first book high there was no stopping me!

I’m fortunate to have critique partners and editors I can bounce ideas off.  I’d be hopeless without my crit partners though. They’re amazing support and it’s wonderful to be able to share the highs and lows with people who understand what you’re going through.

It always happens with a push. :) Critique Partners are special people and sometimes it can take a while to find the right one. I'm glad you've found yours :)

What is your favourite part of creating 'the novel'?              

The End! There is nothing quite like that ‘I’ve just finished a 100,000 word novel’ high. It’s seriously addictive.

I also love the opening three or four chapters. It’s an exciting time, full of possibility because you’re about to go on this wonderful journey. And I also adore black moments, when tragedy or disaster strikes. Bawling my eyes out while writing is weirdly satisfying!

Hahaha. Couldn't agree with you more. I've had a lot of author friends celebrating 'The End' of late. It seems to be a favourite. I like the first few chapters as well. :) It's where it all unfolds and you like your reader get to know the characters and what makes them tick.

So when was your first novel contracted? And can you tell us about 'the call'?

Promises was contracted by Penguin Australia just after the Romance Writers of Australia conference in 2010. I’d sent off three chapters of a different novel earlier in the year and, knowing how long these things take, carried on writing. Then in early August I received an email saying that manuscript wasn’t for them. Realising Promises might be more what they were after, I wrote back pitching that book. From that point on things moved pretty swiftly, with a partial being requested followed by the full manuscript almost immediately afterward. I then met editors Ali Watts and Belinda Byrne at the RWA conference and had a chat about my writing and publishing experiences. By the end of September I had an agent and a two book deal. It was, to put it mildly, an exciting, heart in the mouth ride!

I can only imagine and hope to share that same experience one day soon :)

Now the nitty gritty. What do you find hardest about the publishing experience (e.g. the editing process, the wait between  receiving feedback etc)?

Waiting to hear back about a manuscript is a bit nail-biting. I might think the book is marvellous but whether my editor and her colleagues will think the same is another matter. I’d also rank waiting for edits pretty high on the list because I always imagine they’re going to be huuuuge and make me want to crouch sobbing in a corner with my arms wrapped around my head wishing they’d just disappear. They’re never that bad, of course. I simply imagine them that way!

The mind of a writers has a way of dramatising this, wouldn't you agree lol. The Wait is definately a bother isn't it. Time seems to always been the enemy.

Cathryn, what tips do you have for all us aspiring romance writer out there?

Write. Don’t fart around. Write. Because the more you write the better you get. You’ll be stunned at how much better your second and third books will be compared to the first.

Take the time to learn your craft. Writing isn’t easy – it’s very hard work and like any profession you need to hone your skills.

Always remember that everyone has a different process. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Some people are intricate plotters, nailing every tiny aspect of the book before they write a single word. Others are more organic and follow wherever their characters lead them. Some people write extremely rough first drafts then polish like crazy. Others – me included – can’t write another word until a chapter or scene is absolutely perfect. Whichever way you work, make sure you understand it because once you’re published you’ll have deadlines. So knowing your process - how long it takes to write and edit your work - is vital.

Find good critique partners. They are treasures you can’t do without. Not only for their feedback on your work, but for their understanding and support during the dark times. And believe me, there will be dark times.

Join the Romance Writers of Australia. This is an extraordinary organisation. With them you’ll find information, education and amazing support. And incredible friendships!

Excellent advice and all of it I can agree with. So there you have it everyone, my interview with the wonderful Cathryn Hein. Cathryn, its been a pleasure to have you and I can't wait to find some time to read your books. Might have to find you at the conference and get you to sign it too. :)

If you would like to know more about Cathryn and her books please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook and Twitter.

A Month of Rural Romance Writers: Double Weekend: Margareta Osborn

Today, I've got the wonderful, Margareta Osbourn joining me to talk about her experience as a rural Romance writer. Margareta is a Random House author and you can find out  more about her, her books and her life in the country at: http://www.margaretaosborn.com/

Why did you start writing romance? And did you start early in life, or did you just wake up one day and decide to write a novel?

When I was twelve I found my father's Billabong books, which were a series written by a (local) rural author Mary Grant Bruce in the early 1900's. Grant Bruce made the bush landscape in her stories come to life like a character in itself. At the same time she wrote about the adventures of young adults (Norah, Jim and Wally) and their life on the land. I lived and breathed those stories. I too helped my father on the family property, I too rode my horses through the bush and scrub. (There was also romance in Grant Bruce's books but it was very subtle.) I was in seventh heaven.

Move forward ten years, I discovered Di Morrissy and her first book 'Heart of the Dreaming'. It was the same again, a rural saga novel, the heroine a cattle station owner, the hero, a sexy stockman, but this time the romance was ramped up and very apparent. (At that time In my own life, I was a farmer's wife, living and and working the land.) I loved Di's book and I decided I too one day would write this type of novel. It would be a rural saga centred around relationships, family, community, living and farming in the bush. It would be a book that showed my passion and love for the rural life that I live and breathe every day, but at the same time it would have a romantic element to it. (Okay, so I'm an absolute romantic at heart.)

That's wonderful. I read 'Heart of The Dreaming' too. And absolutely loved it! It is a fantastic series and an inspiration to all. I hope you read the sequel haha.

Now for my next question, what do you like most about writing rural romance?

Three major things:

1. I'm a fifth generation farmer in East Gippsland, a very beautiful and rugged place. My family have lived here for 150 years and my surroundings give me a sense of place, of community, of belonging. They also make me want to write. I have lived and worked on the land and with farmers my entire life. All this makes me who I am. It also gives me the ideas and the reasons to write about rural life. I can't help but write rural fiction. I guess that's what happens when you feel so passionately about something you love.
2. My books are primarily about living on the land and relationships. I always have the strong female heroine as my lead character and the sexy stockman/farmer/dog tracker/whatever-I-dream-up-next, as her love interest. Personally, I am a sucker for a hat, boots, Wranglers or Levi's and a tidy looking bloke wearing them so I don't see why I can't foist that onto my heroine. I also get to rub my hands with glee and say, 'Righto, what can I do next to make it all even harder!' and then have lots of fun watching both characters twist this way, then that, trying to avoid the obvious romantic/sexual tension between them. I'm a sadist, I know.
3. Writing rural romantic saga novels means I can indulge in my greatest loves (beyond my husband, children, family and friends of course). Farming, the bush and mountains and writing. It's a great combination for me.

The country clearly has a beautiful place in your heart. And I think that's something some miss out on having. Ha, I share your love of Akubra hat, boots and wranglers. Nothing like a Wrangler butt, right?

Oh so now a harder question, can you describe your writing process? Are you a pantser or are you plotter?

I try my hardest to be a plotter, but it doesn't work too well. I cannot, and I repeat CANNOT lay out an electric fence or disc a paddock in a straight line. The same applies to my writing. Best thing for me is to set some fence posts in place, something to head towards off in the distance but allow myself room for bends and deviations in the track. My characters tend to take over and there are days when my fingers race across the keyboard, then I look back over what I've written and mutter, 'But you weren't supposed to be doing that. Well, not yet anyway!' (Usually relates to a sex scene ;-) Other days it's like pulling along a sulky calf. Not a good look.

Hahahaha. That is an excellent way to describe it. It seems to me that conflict comes naturally to you. I wish it came so easily for me. Conflict was my greatest enemy in my first novel. Now that I'm aware of it, I've become a semi-plotter :)

So, what do you enjoy most about writing?

I love having written, if that makes sense. I don't necessarily enjoy the daily grind of writing, especially when the story is stagnant or not doing what I hoped it would. But then there are other days when I race through my farm jobs, just dying to get to the computer to put down a scene which has been running through my head for hours. I live for those days. I ADORE those days. My LandCruiser is littered with scraps of paper with words scrawled at odd moments. My Elders farm pocketbook has cattle numbers and cattle sale prices mixed with conversations my characters are having over breakfast. It makes for interesting reading :)

Hahah, I share your litter problem. :) And understand your favourite part. There is nothing like seeing how far you've come at the end of the day.

Do you have any dislikes about writing?

Can I say writing? Lol. No, I'm very lucky. I love what I do - both farming and writing. But there are some days, just like any other job, when you'd cheerfully throttle a character who is not doing what they're told or supposed to do. That's when I usually kill or do something nasty to the character to pull them into line. From my end the conversation usually goes like this, 'You can't do that, because I swear I'm going to do this to you - so behave!'

This is by far the most interesting interview I've held so far. Throttling chracters and what-not. :) But to be honest, it is all so very true. I can't count the number of times I've wanteds to bang my head into my keyboard or delete an entire story (all 130k of it).

Now, what's your current release? Can you decribe it to us in ten words or less?

BELLA'S RUN - An intoxicating outback tale of friendship, the search for love and a place to call home. (16 words … oops!)

Hahaha, *turns a blind-eye*

Now, Margareta, are you currently working on a new novel? What's do you have coming up next?

HOPE'S ROAD - My second novel for Random House, Australia comes out on March 1, 2013. The story centres on Tammy, a farmer in the Narree valley who is charged with the responsibility of running ‘Montmorency Downs’, a property that has been in her family for 150 years. Her life is sent into disarray when she finds herself dealing with an irascible relative, a sexy wild dog trapper and a desperate-for-attention child.

The novel is set in the mountains and valleys of East Gippsland, the same area featured in Bella’s Run. I love this new book. Like Bella’s Run, it has the love for the land flowing through, whilst I hope, portraying a gutsy, funny and heart-wrenching story.

I think I'm not the only one who can't wait to read it. It sounds great. :)

And my last question, but certainly not the least important, what is the best piece of advice you have to give to aspiring writers like myself?

Two things:

1) Belief in yourself. Don't listen to that inner voice, the one that strives to tell you can't because I am proof you CAN!

2) A good friend of mine once told me that to write a novel you needed to invest in stuff called 'bum glue'. I laughed because I knew exactly what she meant. You need to push aside all the excuses, sit down, glue yourself to the chair and just WRITE THE DAMN BOOK.

There you have it. Advice from, Margareta. And some excellent advice at that.

Thanks you so much Margreta for joining me on my blog. It's been an absolute pleasure and I have laughed all the way. Here's me hoping I get to meet you in person at the Goldcoast Conference.

Best of luck in your career. Looking forward to seeing HOPE'S ROAD on a shelf one day.