Friday Quickie

25 quickie facts about Rachel Brimble:

Birthday? April 10th
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? Older brother
Favorite drink? Dry white wine
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Coconut – because I have very exotic taste!
Favorite author? Nora Roberts
Favorite dish? All pasta dishes!
Ice cream flavor? Mint choc-chip
Favorite Season? Summer – because it’s so rarely seen in the UK!
Plotter or Pantser? Plotter…and a bit of pantser too
Hobbies? Reading/knitting/walking
Dream vacation? Maldives
Favorite TV show? Friends
Musical preference? Soft rock
Pet peeve? Prejudice
Favorite place to write? Sofa with my dog beside me
Favorite song? She – Elvis Costello
Odd family fact? We were rescued by helicopter from the 2010 French floods
Unforgettable moment? See above
Favorite Superhero? Superman
Spicy or not? Spicy
Cat or Dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Snickers
Favorite guilty pleasure? Jelly donuts from our local bakery

Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:

Danger, love, risk and reward – it’s got it all! Paying the Piper, romance with a dash of humor

BUY LINK

To learn more about Rachel and her books please visit her website: http://www.rachelbrimble.com/

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Welcome Rachel Brimble!

I'm very excited to have to fabulous Rachel Brimble with me at the keyboard today. A fun new twist today, Rachel asked herself questions. Let's see what she has to say, shall we?

Welcome, Rachel!


What surprised you the most when you became a published?

The amount of time needed to promote yourself properly. In this day and age writers cannot expect their publisher to spend time promoting them when they are busy doing their best to survive in a difficult market. I picked up a tip a few weeks ago that transformed the way I think about promo.
What writers need to do in order to stop promo overtaking their precious writing time is simple. Work out every morning how much writing time you have that day and allocate a quarter of it to promo. Not a minute more. If you only have a hour – 15 mins promo. Works for me!

That's great advice! What is your typical day?

I am lucky enough to be at home full time with my two young daughters right now so I have a lot more writing time than I’ve had for awhile. When they are at school, I write every day from 9am to 2.30 pm and then as much as I can between taking them here, there and everywhere and the housework! Throw a couple of dog walks in there too and by 7pm, I’m done…

What do you expect from an editor?

Honesty and encouragement – I have been really fortunate with all my editors in that I’ve learned something from each of them and felt myself grow as a writer under their guidance. If an editor is discouraging or negative, or even blasé about your work, it can really set you back a long way. Do not be afraid to speak up if something doesn’t feel right to you – BUT there is a huge difference between speaking up and arguing.
Be professional at all times.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I am coming to the end of novel number nine – Paying The Piper (which I am promoting today!) is novel number six, seven is under submission and eight is with my agent.

My favorite? Ooh, hard! I love all my books because they’ve been special to me in different ways. If I had to name one I suppose The Arrival of Lily Curtis will always be extra special to me because it was my first historical and it has been so well-received, I have to pinch myself. It is still my bestseller and it was released well over eighteen months ago!

Buy it HERE


Congratulations! Tell us about your latest release?

It is a contemporary romance set against the gritty background of the UK’s clubs and pubs. Here’s the blurb:

Nightclub manager Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother's ashes are scattered but the owner wants to sell to anyone but her. And that owner happens to be her father...who has a secret she will do anything to discover.


Social worker and all around good guy Jimmy Betts needs funds to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. Time is running out and he's desperate for cash. He agrees to to a one-time 'job' for bad-man Karl Butler.

But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl's beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace. Their lives couldn't be more different, yet one thread binds them: they're both trying to escape the bonds of their fathers. Maybe the only way they'll be free is by being together, instead of alone.

Buy Paying the Piper HERE

What’s next?

My agent has just submitted my next book to several publishers so now it is just a case of the ‘big wait’. To tell you a little bit about the book, it is my first romantic suspense in three years so I am really excited about it. It is set in the fictional UK seaside town of Templeton Cove and if all goes to plan this will be the first in an ongoing series.

Where can readers find you?

Website: www.rachelbrimble.com
Blog: www.rachelbrimble.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachelbrimble
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Brimble/181873201887441

Thanks so much for visiting with me today, Rachel! I wish you much success.
 

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Spotlight On...Rachel Brimble

Please help me in welcoming Rachel Brimble to the keyboard today! Welcome, Rachel. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am married with two daughters who are twelve and ten so my house is like hormone central at the moment, lol! My calming influence comes in the form of my Black Lab, Max who is about the most chilled out dog in the world. I live in a small market town near the City of Bath in the UK.

I have been writing seriously for about six years and have five novels published, the sixth, Paying The Piper (due out September 19th) is why I am here to talk your little ears off today!

Tell us about Paying The Piper and where we can find it.

This is a contemporary romance set in the UK – the premise is darker and grittier than I have written before but I absolutely love this book! Jimmy Betts is one of my all time favorite heroes. Here’s the blurb and buy link:

Nightclub manager Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother's ashes are scattered but the owner wants to sell to anyone but her. And that owner happens to be her father...who has a secret she will do anything to discover.

Social worker and all around good guy Jimmy Betts needs funds to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. Time is running out and he's desperate for cash. He agrees to a one-time 'job' for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl's beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.

Their lives couldn't be more different, yet one thread binds them: they're both trying to escape the bonds of their fathers. Maybe the only way they'll be free is by being together, instead of alone.

Available now at Lyrical Press


Sounds fantastic! What is the hardest scene you had to write in this book?

Ooh, tough question! I’m not really sure. I always struggle when I get to the halfway point of any novel I am writing, so it was probably a scene around there. I truly enjoyed writing this book and knew pretty much where I wanted to go with it and what I wanted to say so it’s wasn’t as hard as the one I just finished!


How did you start writing?

One word at a time – I’ve always wanted to write but had no idea if I actually could. When my youngest daughter started school, I knew it was now or never moment for me. I started with short stories for a while and then moved onto novels and never looked back. Writing is a massive part of who I am now.


Which comes first, plot or characters?

I usually get a character talking to me…telling me their problem or goal and then I know I’ve got another book brewing!


What is it about the romance genre that appeals to you?

The Happy Ever After! We are all looking for that special someone to share our lives with, both men and women. Every film, play or book usually has some relationship problem running through it somewhere, even if it’s the subplot. People want romance and love – always.


When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I held my first novel, Searching For Sophie, in my hands – it was one of the most euphoric days of my life so far.



What are three things you wish you’d known before you began your writing career?

1. How hard it can be to keep going
2. The nerves never end – from waiting for an acceptance, to waiting for reviews, to waiting for the book your working on to take on a life of its own
3. That it is okay to write a ‘crappy’ first draft – that’s what editing is for!

What’s next for you?

I am currently working on a sexy contemporary romance, set again in the UK about a sassy heroine who runs a lingerie and sex shop…and needs to move her business premises next door to a single father of twin girls. There’s going to be fireworks!


Sounds like it! Where can we find you on the web?

http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com/
http://rachelbrimble.com/
www.twitter.com/rachelbrimble


Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

What would you like to see more from your favorite authors? Interviews? Blog posts? Book excerpts?

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