Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town
near Bath in the UK. After having
several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation
in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further
three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was
released in April 2013 and she has since signed for three more.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance
Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in
a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved
black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West
England.
Tell us something about yourself both writing and not
writing related.
Writing related - I often wonder how I manage to keep
getting published when the biggest writing challenge for me is plotting. How do
I keep writing books when I can’t plot??
Not writing related – my favorite waste of time is sitting
in front of the TV watching endless US crime dramas and knitting my
latest project…badly ;)
That's funny I can't plot either. Do you have a writing routine? Where do you usually do your writing?
Even though I’m a stay at home mum, I treat my writing as a
job and work the entire time the kids are at school – once they’re home, I pop
back and forth to the laptop until about 7pm and then it’s family time. I
usually write sitting on the sofa with my huge black Lab fast asleep beside me.
Why do you write in the genre/sub-genre that you do? Any plans in the future to write in a
different one?
I currently write mainstream romance and romantic suspense
for Harlequin Superromance and Victorian romance for eKensington. As much as
possible, I like to write alternately for the two publishers as it keeps me
fresh and excited about what I’m writing. I ALWAYS want to try different
subgenres, but as I am currently contracted to write three more novels by June
2015, I’m not sure if or when this will happen. If I could, I’d like to try a
medical or cowboy romance in the future.
Hmm. A cowboy romance. There's just something about a cowboy, isn't there? How
do you stay motivated when writer’s block hits or your muse won’t cooperate?
Not
very easily! With every book, I hit about 40,000 words and come to an abrupt
halt. It’s painful. I panic every time and doubt my ability and the story. The
only way to stay motivated (or should I said productive), is to write through
it. A full page is a hell of a lot easier to revise than a blank one!
What’s
the best writing advice you were ever given?
To
allow yourself permission to write a ‘crappy’ first draft – amazing how much
more you write if you know the opportunity is there to change it!
I couldn't agree with you more. It took me a long time to accept that the first draft doesn't have to be perfect, just the final draft does. Tell us about your current
release in a couple of sentences.
The Seduction of Emily is set in
Bath and is
very much a story of revenge and the chase for liberty.
When two very different
people, from very different backgrounds come together for a unified goal, the
results can be life changing…
Can you tell us a little about
your next project?
My next book is the sequel to
The Seduction of Emily. The Temptation of Laura is set in Bath’s theater world
and is about a prostitute striving for a better life, and a star of the stage
who wants to help her get there. This is a story of love, trust, possibility
and true happiness.
After that, my third Harlequin
Superromance is released in March 2014. What Belongs To Her is book three in
the Templeton Cove series.
As for my next writing project,
I have just started my fourteenth novel. With the working title of The Passion
of Monica, it’s another Victorian romance for eKensington, featuring a
secondary character from The Temptation of Laura as the heroine. This is
Monica’s story :o)
The Seduction of Emily is available to buy now from
eKensington. Here is the blurb and buy links:
Seduction is a wicked game, and no one plays it better than the
devilish Will Samson in Rachel Brimble's captivating new novel. . .
Since girlhood, Emily Darson has accepted that she will marry Nicholas,
the son of her father's trusted business partner. The marriage contract
safeguards her family legacy, Emily's fortune, and everything she
values--except her independence. Only when a sinfully handsome scoundrel enters
her life does Emily realize quite how much a loveless match will cost her.
Will Samson has advanced from expert pickpocket to confidence
trickster of the highest caliber. Now he has come to Bath to exact vengeance on
the man who destroyed his mother--the man Emily will soon marry. But from his
first glimpse of the enemy's bewitching, spirited fiancée, Will's plan changes.
Amid the ballrooms and salons of elegant society, heated glances
explode into scandalous kisses. Revenge is sweet, but surrender will be
irresistible. . .
Just wanted to pop in and say if you haven't read one of Rachel's books, you don't know what you're missing. On a side note, she likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers
and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you! You can contact her at any of these links:
I enjoyed your interview and excerpts and wish you all best success with your books. Especially your plotting...(smile)
ReplyDeleteArrghh!! Don't mention plotting, Ashantay - only joking! What a nightmare this writing business is...why do we do it?
DeleteThanks for being here :)
Rachel x
Hi Ashantay,
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice to know plotting trips up everyone now and then? Thanks for stopping by. :o)