Today I am welcoming Charlotte Brentwood to the blog. Her latest book is a sweet historical romance, GLOVED HEART, which is the second book in the HEARTS OF
AMBERLEY series. It was released on 20th April 2019.
Welcome to Books, Life and Everything Charlotte! Would you like to
start by telling us a little about yourself and how you started as a writer?
I have wanted to be a writer ever since I learned to string
sentences together. I wrote my first multiple-page story at the age of six and
never stopped. I started to get serious about the craft when I realised the
corporate day-job would never fulfil me.
When did you first realise you were going to be a writer?
If you didn’t write,
what would you do for work?
I do have a day job, in digital marketing for a retail
company.
What are you interests apart from writing?
Reading, of course, hiking, skiing, travelling and spending
time with my family and friends.
Tell us about your
latest book without giving the plot away.
GLOVED HEART is book two of the Hearts of Amberley series,
although it can be read as a standalone. In the first book (THE VAGABOND VICAR)
Amy Miller had some very traumatic things happen to her. Now in this book,
readers get to see what happens to her next and whether she can recover from
her troubles enough to open her heart to love.
How do you plan to
spend publication day?
Running around after my daughter, as usual!
What are your
writing routines and where do you do most of your writing?
I squeeze writing in later at night after my daughter is in
bed. I’m usually on the couch in the living room with my laptop, quite often
multi-tasking!
How many hours a
day do you write?
It varies from none to about three.
How do you go
about researching detail and ensuring your books are realistic?
Writing a novel set in a historic period, and in another
country, requires many hours of research. Most of the time, I enjoy it.
Research has sparked storylines a number of times. I try to put the right
historical details in my work without boring the reader with too much
information.
Which aspects of your writing do you find easiest and most
difficult?
The initial inspiration and idea is always the most
exciting, as I figure out how the characters will interact with each other and
why. Dialogue always comes easy to me. Figuring out the physical plot is more
challenging. I don’t write in order – I have to get the scenes down as they
come to me. Going through and knitting the book together in order and then
doing the rounds of edits is the hardest part for me. I have to look up dozens
of words in the thesaurus to ensure I don’t repeat myself.
How difficult was
writing your second book- did having one published change how you went about
it?
I’d like to think the process was a little faster this time,
as I tried hard to plot out all the chapters before I go too far into it. I did
of course have to make sure I was consistent with the characters and plot from
the first book.
How do you select
the names of your characters? Are they based on anyone you know?
I try to have the character names suit their personality as
well as their station in life. No, there aren’t any characters based on people
I know – yet!
Does writing
energize or exhaust you?
First draft – energizing… editing – exhausting!
Do you or have you
ever considered writing under a pseudonym?
I already do ☺
Do you have any
other writers as friends and how do they influence your writing?
I have great support from the Romance Writers of New
Zealand, and the Auckland chapter in particular. They don’t influence the
writing itself, but they keep me going.
Do you believe in
writer’s block? What do you do to break its spell?
I think I am the most productive in terms of idea generation
when I am away from the keyboard. I need to set my brain a challenge and it
nearly always resolves itself when I’m in the shower, or driving, or trying to
get to sleep at night!
Can you give any hints about any upcoming books you have
planned?
My next book follows on from GLOVED HEART. In BARRINGTON
MEETS HIS MATCH, we find out why John
Barrington has turned into the man he is. I am going to have great fun
torturing him with a strong heroine who’ll challenge him at every turn.
Do you have any unfinished or unpublished books hidden away?
Yes, I have one historical and one contemporary that are
complete, but perhaps not quite up to publishing standard. Plus many other
fragments!
Book Spotlight - The Gloved Hand
Can she ever trust again?
Amy
Miller is struggling to come to terms with her new life as a mother,
while being a reluctant guest in a rigid gentry household. A victim of
abuse, she is determined to never trust a man again.
Henry
Russell has loved Amy for as long as he can remember, but his family
want nothing to do with her. A chance encounter with Amy rekindles a
friendship which might save them both.
The
discovery of a secret which holds the key to Amy’s past will change
them forever, and jeopardise any chance they have for happiness. Can
Henry show Amy that true love will give her everything she could ever
need?
Note, although
this is a 'sweet' read, there is some subject matter that may offend
sensitive readers, including mention of a rape and very mild violence
and coarse language.
About the Author
Charlotte
developed serious crushes on a series of men from age fifteen: Darcy,
Knightley, Wentworth and Brandon. A bookworm and scribbler for as long
as she can remember, Charlotte always dreamed of sharing her stories
with the world.
Earning
a degree in communication studies, she was seduced by the emerging
digital world and has since worked with the web and in marketing. She is
a member of the Auckland chapter of RWNZ.
Now
mother to an adorable human tornado, Charlotte is trying to find the
time for reading, seaside walks, warbling at the piano and quaffing far
too many hot chocolates.
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