Romancing September – Blogger and book reviewer, Rosie Amber, campaigning to link more readers with writers

I was interviewed recently by Rosie Amber a self confessed bookworm, avid reader and book reviewer

Rosie: Where is your home town?

Adrienne: I’m lucky enough to have two home towns, Leicester where I was born and Dublin where I was brought up.

Rosie: How long have you been writing romance? 

Adrienne: I wrote my first novel over 20 years ago, it might yet see the light of day. The Hollow Heart was published in 2012.

Rosie: What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?

Adrienne: It has to be Romantic Suspense, I love intrigue and plots with turns and twists.

Rosie: Tell us about Marianne’s job.

Adrienne: She is a workaholic, campaigning journalist. She believes that a journalist’s job is seeking out the truth and righting wrongs.

Rosie: What drives Marianne to take a break from work?

Adrienne: Her personal life is in turmoil, her lovely boss is retiring and the ‘corporate suits’ are moving in. She’s discovering that although important, there is more to life than just a career.

Rosie: Where does she end up running to?

Adrienne: She has an Irish background, so heads off to a remote island off the West Coast called Innishmahon.

Rosie: Who does she meet again on the island?

Adrienne: The gorgeous, but equally troubled movie actor Ryan O’Gorman, also seeking solace somewhere far away from the bright lights of Hollywood.

Rosie: What disaster threatens the community?

Adrienne: A terrible storm. As with most natural disasters, it shows people in their true light. Marianne realises there is more to Ryan than floppy black hair and cheekbones to die for.

Rosie: Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

Adrienne: The final part of the Heartfelt trilogy, Secrets of the Heart.

Rosie: What inspired you to write The Hollow Heart?

Adrienne: It was inspired by a dream, I was on holiday by the sea and dreamt I met a famous movie star in the local pub. The next morning, I rushed to the newsagents for a notebook and pen. (I still write by hand).

Rosie: What’s your favourite part of this book and why?

Adrienne: There are so many. I like the scenes in New York, such a contrast to the island. I love the seduction scene in the Tudor lodge, phew! But my favourite scene is at the end, I can feel all Marianne’s emotions; hope, trepidation and the promise of a future with the man she loves.

Rosie: What is your philosophy on writing and life?

Adrienne: If you love what you do, whatever it is, it will shine through. My grandfather told me, ‘Always aim for the moon. If you fall, you’ll land on the stars.’  That’s good enough for me.

Rosie: What are your goals for this year?

Adrienne: Finish writing my new novel Scandal of the Seahorse Hotel, and work on my short story anthology which is entitled Fur Coat and no Knickers! I’m off to the Romance Writers of America conference in New York in July – can’t wait for that!

Rosie: If you had to give one piece of advice what would it be?

Adrienne: I would not be a published writer without my colleagues in the New Romantics 4. We encourage and spur each other on. So arm yourself with some good, solid writing mates. Churchill’s quote is stuck on my computer. ‘Never, never, never, give up!’

Rosie: Where can readers find out more about you?

Adrienne: www.adriennevaughan.com or with my colleagues, the New Romantics 4 www.newromantics4.com

On facebook, Adrienne Vaughan, twitter @adrienneauthor