Please help me in welcoming Rachel Brimble to Decadent Decisions. Without further ado, here's Rachel.
How do you overcome the I-can’t-write blues?
I write through them anyway! Writing is a business the same as any other, and unless you treat it as a job it will never happen for you. I make myself write at least 1,000 words a day in the week and 500 a day on the weekend, no matter what.
That’s not to say they are always good words – but bad words can be edited, a blank page can’t!
What one piece of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Give yourself permission to write a ‘crappy’ first draft – this is the single best advice I was ever given. If you just write what comes naturally knowing it can be polished to perfection in the second and third drafts it releases the pressure, allowing your creativity room to breathe.
What is the hardest thing for you to write?
I enjoy every aspect of writing but my biggest challenge is always getting through the ‘sagging middle’. My books average 80,000 words and I always seem to get to around 40,000 and stop. It’s hard to get myself back in the chair each day when I reach this stage but I continue to write through it and the plot eventually presents itself then I carry on easily to the end.
Where do you get your story ideas?
Everywhere! People often ask writers this but I think we view the world differently. A news story, a TV program, a conversation, any of these things can trigger a story in our imagination.
A lot of my stories start with a character voice in my head telling me their problem or goal – my job is figuring out the rest!
If you could go anywhere in the world on a romantic getaway, what would you do and where would you go?
I would LOVE to go to any of the Caribbean islands – it is on my ‘to do’ list as soon as our kids are old enough to stay home alone, lol!
If you could live the life of one of your characters who would you be?
Definitely Lily’s from The Arrival of Lily Curtis – she is the star of the show in my Victorian romance. A fabulous cast of characters who I would love to spend time with surround her. Plus, the Victorian era is my favorite anyway. The clothes, the houses, the horses…bliss!
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The tag line on my blog is ‘Indulge Your Inner Romantic.’ What do you do to indulge?
Writing time is my biggest indulgence but I love wining and dining with my hubby or if I am at home, give me US cop dramas or UK period dramas and I’m happy, lol!
Rachel’s latest release is a gritty romance set in South West England – Paying The Piper is available now from Lyrical Press.
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.
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Rachel can be found here:
6 comments:
Hi Rachel, thanks so much for being here. Help yourself to the buffet and open bar. If you don't see something just ask. There's always plenty of chocolate and strawberries.
Which cop dramas and period drams do you like to watch?
Great interview, ladies! Rachel, love your statement on a blank page. So true! Unfortunately I have way too many of those lately. Must learn to be more like you. :-)
It's payday today and Paying the Piper is one of my book purchases. (one of the others is Seducing his Wife) Yay! Can't wait to read them!
Thanks so much for having me here today, Lynn and thank you so much, lovely lady, Sarah for buying PTP!
It is a gorgeous sunny Autumnal day here in the UK and i've just come back from a two mile way with the dog. Happy days!!
R x
I have to force my way through the sagging middle too Rachel. Whether it's 20K or 80K, that dreaded middle is always there!
GREAT advice, Rachel. Not only writing through the 'blocks', but I love what you said about giving yourself permission to write a crappy first draft. That is SO important. Took me a while to figure that out! Thanks for the reminder!! W. Lynne, your blog redesign is BEAUTIFUL! Very nice, sweetie! Great interview ladies!
Having started reading The Arrival of Lilly Curtis, I can see why you'd like to be Lilly. She is a gutsy girl for that era, and deserves to be admired. Of course, the house she winds up working in (with the encouraging and sometimes fun servants etc) makes her decision a lot more enticing!
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