Ooh, I would love to, thank you! The Rest
of My Life comes from Choc Lit on recommendation of the WH Smith Travel Fiction
buyer. My books generally tend to turn around the male character, looking at
the fragility of love life and relationships, ergo I always start off with a
nicely formed man (which isn’t a bad way to start, you have to admit). Whether
he’s good or bad, or a dangerously heady mixture of both, my hero is always
right there, his features, his hair, his clothes, his mannerisms, his conflicts.
The heroine actually grows from him, as in: what kind of woman would be
attracted to him? Is she not attracted to him? In denial? If so, why? I suppose
I’m playing the ‘what if’ game. What if … she was attracted but
couldn’t/wouldn’t admit it? What if a relationship between them was
unacceptable – to society, to family, to themselves? You can see how a
story might grow. The premise for The Rest of My Life was simply that Adam
isn’t your usual hero material. He has the essential human flaws, but Adam’s
run a little deeper. He’s a Lothario, a womaniser and a commitment phobe with a
dark, defining secret in his past. The questions I wanted the book to answer
were: Could we love him? Could he learn to love himself?
Adam sounds like a
fascinating hero, but if you only had three words to tell me about him, what
would you say?
Sienna’s thoughts: Cocksure, lonely, terrified
I do love your heroine's name... I find Sienna
wonderfully romantic and evocative, but in three words again, what kind of
woman is she?
Adam’s thoughts: enigma, sensual, innocent
What did Adam think the first
time he saw Sienna?
Adam’s thoughts: Bloody hell. Adam
did a double take. It was the girl from the cottage. Innocent looking and
fresh-faced, a radiant smile as she chatted to the punters she served at the
pub, seemingly unaware of most of them eyeing her up, Adam had tried hard not
to notice her. He couldn’t help but notice her now. She was wearing the
shortest of shorts and the skimpiest of bra-affair tops he’d ever seen in his
life. It was her hair, though, which she was now wearing loose, that really
caught his attention. Red hair flecked gold, tumbling carelessly down her back,
it was stunning. She was stunning. Barefoot, with tanned long legs, she was
undeniably attractive. Definitely his type, he might once have confided to Nate
– as he had when he’d first met Emily. She’d been barefoot too, he recalled the
image vividly, fishing from the side of a boat with her father. Pretty
hopelessly it turned out. She hadn’t had a hook on her line, because she hadn’t
wanted to hurt the fish. She’d caught him that day, the day he’d learned to
smile again after his mother had gone. Emily had been his first love. His last
love, too, as far as Adam was concerned.
And what did Sienna think of
Adam the first time she saw him?
Sienna’s thoughts: She and Lauren had caught a glimpse
of the well-sculpted torso of the owner of the little white river cruiser
moored at the quayside directly opposite – the man they’d christened Lothario,
having noted certain nocturnal activities on board. Due to his late comings and
goings, Sienna hadn’t really spoken to him, other than a passing hello – and
then he barely acknowledged her, but she could see what his obvious attraction
to women was, on the surface anyway. Tall, toned, tousled dark hair, bronzed
skin the colour of caramel mocha latte, the man was definitely eye candy.
They’d spotted him again last night. Living up to his reputation, he’d been
sneaking a woman onto his boat, amidst much shushing from him and giggling from
her. They’d both been tipsy and, judging by the need for secrecy, they were
obviously having an affair.
I love this! What is
the one thing you absolutely need to write?
When you are really in character you need quiet,
otherwise they go all shy.
I couldn't agree with your more! One
cannot overestimate the importance of silence. Unfortunately my house is
anything but quiet. Right now my eldest is practicing on his electric guitar at
full blast with AC
DC!
Do you find it difficult to come up with titles for your novels?
Extremely, they’re either there or they’re not – ever.
My first book was called Loose Screws. My agent loved it. The publishers loved
it … the title only, unfortunately! Back to the drawing board.
One of my greatest pleasures when I start a new novel
is to choose names for my characters. Can you tell me how you pick the names of
your characters?
I can’t work until my characters are christened. I
like short names, particularly for men. I tend to use that indispensable
writers’ tool nowadays: Google. Even when writing contemporary fiction, it’s
important to make sure your character’s name fits his date of birth.
Yes, you are right Sheryl. There are so many trends
and fashions for names, you do need to be careful. What are you working on at
the moment?
I have three books begging to be written, would you
believe? Firstly, a poignant romance (possibly romantic suspense) currently
titled, Ripples on
the Water. Here’s a teeny smidgeon of an outline (still a work in
progress): Aaron Calthorpe-Jones, a police dog handler, has been at odds with
his father for as long as he can remember. He leaves his family home under a
cloud of hostility and resentment when the husband of the woman he’s having an
affair with apparently commits suicide. Aaron’s father, who washed his hands of
Aaron years ago after his younger sister tragically drowned while in Aaron’s
care, renounces him as a home wrecker, a man with no morals and no son of his.
Five long years later, Lyndsey, the woman with whom Aaron had the affair, also
leaves the small farming community. Seeking Aaron out, she presents him with
the daughter he’s never known existed, and then disappears from his life. (The
book opens with Aaron returning to the village where he knows he’s not welcome.
I did say I like to start with a nicely formed man!).
The second is a poignant family drama (idea suggested
by the WH Smith buyer). I’m still playing with that, but I have the first
chapter which opens with a grandmother and granddaughter discussing why the
lady in the middle, dutiful mother and daughter, has suddenly decided to run
away from home.
Finally, I have a sequel to my thriller,
Death Sentence, which is the respective daughters’ stories, Ashley’s and
Taylor’s. I’m feeling a ‘Fatal Attraction’ mood settling over that.
Clearly, I’m going to need to focus on
one, but they are all clamouring for headspace!
PLUS! Breaking news here: I have just
received another contract from Choc Lit for my book, Learning to Love! I
think I’m going to be a busy little bee.
Congratulations Sheryl. This is
wonderful news! I can see you are going to be very busy in the next few
months. Good luck with all your projects.
And
now for the word association fun test!
Day:
dreams
winter:
Christmas
summer:
wine … um?
films:
Ghost
love:
romance
Blurb for The Rest of My Life
“You can’t run away from
commitment forever … “
Adam Hamilton-Shaw has more reason than most to avoid
commitment. Living on a houseboat in the Severn
Valley,
his dream is to sail into the sunset – preferably with a woman waiting in every
port. But lately, his life looks more like a road to destruction than an
idyllic boat ride…
Would-be screenplay writer Sienna Meadows realises
that everything about Adam spells trouble – but she can’t ignore the feeling
that there is more to him than just his bad reputation. Nor can she ignore the
intense physical attraction that exists between them.
And it just so happens that Adam sees Sienna as the
kind of woman he could
commit to. But can he change his damaging behaviour – or is the road to
destruction a one-way street?
Amazon US
Choc Lit
Heartache, humour, love, loss & betrayal, Sheryl
Browne brings you edgy, sexy, poignant fiction. A member of the Crime Writers’
Association, Romantic Novelists’ Association and shortlisted for Innovation in
Romantic Fiction, Sheryl has seven books published to date.
Sheryl’s new contemporary romance novel was recommended to the
publisher by the WH Smith Travel fiction buyer. THE REST OF MY Life comes to
you from award winning Choc Lit.
Author Links
This is the code for the giveaway! Good luck!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4be0301796/?
