Haunted by Penny Penhurst’s courage on the witness stand, meticulous barrister Lord Hadleigh offers her a housekeeper position at his estate. Despite trying to stay detached, Hadleigh is charmed by her small child and surprised by how much he yearns for this proud woman! Can this he break through his own – and Penny’s – barriers to prove he’s a man she can trust…and love?
Q&A
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– When and where do you prefer to write?
I am a creature of habit so although I suppose I could write anywhere, I prefer to do it sat at my desk in my office. It is entirely set up for the task. My chair is the perfect height, I have a footstool under my desk, all my research books and resources to hand and my trusty desktop computer. I only write on a laptop if I am travelling.
– Do you have a certain ritual?
I am a full-time writer so I work better with a semi-strict routine. I am also an early bird so I never write in the evenings, it would be a waste of time. I think my creative brain shuts down at 5pm. I also never work weekends unless I can help it as it is important to recharge the batteries. My days usually start at 6am with tea in bed, brought by my lovely husband as a trade off for me driving him to the station. I like to do this because it get’s me started. Then I have to take my diva dog Trevor for his morning constitutional or he will explode. That usually kills the first hour of my day. Then I’ll potter around the house doing whatever chores I need to. Weirdly, my odd brain doesn’t function in a mess. I’m not a neat freak- far from it in fact- but I like to begin the day with order before it slowly falls apart. Then I’ll make myself some breakfast and a cup of tea and be sat at my desk by 9am ready to write. I’ll read and edit yesterdays words first, then I’m off and running. Until Trevor demands his lunchtime walk, that is.
– Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?
Just copious cups of tea. Probably far more than I should, but it’s my main drink of the day. I don’t tend to snack while writing. But more than make up for that piousness during my regular tea breaks.
– What is your favourite book?
Fiction- Montana Sky by the great Nora Roberts. Non-fiction- The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven
– Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?
Absolutely! I’ve got a couple of contemporary romance ideas bubbling around in my head and I would love to write a sitcom.
– Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?
Are you trying to get me sued 😉 I certainly borrow certain traits rather than put a whole real person into a book. That said, I have put my dog in a book. Trevor became the hero’s dog Trefor The Disgraceful Lord Gray.
– Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?
Nope. Never. I have a ridiculously good memory so store it all in my head. I don’t even have a notebook for ideas for works in progress. Occasionally I’ll buy a nice notebook with good intentions but it always ends up being adopted by my daughter after I’ve forgotten its existence.
– Which genre do you not like at all?
I’m not a fan of paranormal romances involving things like vampires and werewolves. I don’t mind time slip novels, but heroes who have fangs or feed on blood are not my bag at all.
– If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?
Where to start? Nora Roberts obviously. I also have a lot of author friends in the historical romance genre who I would love to collaborate with one day. We all hang out together in our reader group on Facebook- The Unlaced Book Club- and it would be great to do a big, sweeping historical series spanning the centuries. I have just finished a series collaboration of four books entitled The Secrets of the Victorian Household with Sophia James, Jenni Fletcher and Georgie Lee for Mills and Boon. It comes out towards the end of the year. My book is the final story in the quartet and is called Lilian and the Irresistible Duke. It was fun working with other writers and swapping ideas.
– If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?
I do a lot of travelling as I love to see far-flung places and different ways of life. I’d love to visit India and perhaps set a book there. Or Australia. Or Antartica…
Thank you, Virginia Heath and Rachel’s Random Resources.
About the author
When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Despite that, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirginiaHeath_
Purchase Link – http://viewbook.at/kingselite4
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