I am super pleased to introduce today’s guest. Rachel is one of my favorite Wild Rose Press authors I’ve ever worked with. I published one of her books many, many years ago, not long after the company opened. She’s gone on to do great things, and now, she’s come back to us with an excellent romantic suspense. IF I WANT YOU is an intriguing, passionate, emotional page-turner. Check it out! (Rachel is ‘across the pond’ so she will likely be delayed in replying to comments, but I know she’d love to hear from you!)
#AHAgrp
Hi Rachel…Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Thanks for having me here today, Alicia! I live near the beautiful city of Bath, England with my husband and two teenage daughters…and my beloved chocolate Labrador, Tyler. I’m originally from Bristol, but we moved here in 2001 and haven’t wanted to move anywhere else since.
When I’m not writing, I’d like to read, knit and watch far too much TV!
Where did you get the idea for IF I WANT YOU?
I love writing romantic suspense and the idea for this story originated from a news bulletin where a missing little girl had been safely reunited with her parents. As a mother, the thought of any of my kids being taken is terrifying and the ‘what if?’ questions started in my head.
Very soon, I knew I had to write about a child abduction that is closely linked to the heroine’s past. The rest followed quickly and I loved writing this book. However, as with all my books, the difficulty comes around the midway mark. I battle to overcome the ‘sagging middle’ with each book I write. So far, the reviews have been great so, fingers crossed, I hope I managed to write successfully through it with IF I WANT YOU!
What book have you read that you wish you had written?
Pretty much anything by Nora Roberts! I LOVE her books and have yet to come across one that I haven’t enjoyed. My favourite single titles of hers at Montana Sky and The Witness.
My favourite series are the Chesapeake quartet and the Bride quartet…although I have many, many more books of Nora’s to read!
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
This is an easy question for me as I start each book trawling the internet for pictures of my hero, heroine and villain. The actor who would play Mark Bolton is UK actor, Harry Tressler and the heroine would be played by Darby Stanchfield.
What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?
I’d love to write a historical crime novel one day and possibly a young adult. I love reading historical crime and would probably choose the Victorian era because of the darkness that time seems to evoke. The desire to write young adult comes from my gratitude for books from Judy Blume which gave me insight into questions I was afraid to ask. I like that a writer has the power to advise kids through their words.
What is your favorite quote?
“Set it up the way you want it to be.” Iylana Vanzant
This is basically saying stop moaning and complaining about your life and do something to change it. I love the idea that whatever is happening in our lives is really under our own control. If we don’t like something or the way we’re being treated, we need to dig deep and find the courage to change it.
What do you want your tombstone to say?
She loved deeply. She lived fully. She wrote wonderfully.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Worst: “Give up writing. You’ll never be published.” This was from a contest judge back in 2005. Having had nineteen books published today, I would really like to thank that judge now. It was just what I need to hear to stop me from giving up!
Best: “I stayed up at 4am to finish reading your book. So damn good!” What else does an author like to hear more than that?
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
My friends and family are so proud of my work and the number of books I’ve managed to write around a young family. My daughters are 18 and 16 now, but I started writing novels when they were 6 and 4. It was especially hard when they were young, but writing was my compulsion and salvation.
Who is the most famous person you have ever met?
Nora Roberts – she hosted an afternoon tea and book signing at the beautiful Ashford Castle in Ireland. My husband surprised me with tickets and an overnight stay at the hotel. She was so lovely at the signing and said hello to me again during the evening when she was relaxing with her family.
The entire two days were amazing!
What is your favorite…
Movie – Forrest Gump
Music – Bruno Mars/Ed Sheeran
Place you’ve visited – Verona, Italy
TV show from adulthood – Outlander
Food – Chicken Satay
Excellent interview, Rachel. I’m with you on the ‘watching too much tv’ but I LOVE it! Wow, what an amazing surprise from your husband. I bet you had a blast!
Now, Rachel has a question for readers…
What is your favourite book series (whatever the genre) and its author? One randomly drawn commenter will win a $15 Amazon gift certificate.
Blurb:
When local journalist, Tori Peterson, fails to prevent a child abduction outside her niece’s school, her horror and guilt sparks a vow to do whatever it takes to get little Abby Brady home to her parents.
While Tori battles the vile memories of her own kidnapping as a child, she accepts the help of widowed father, Mark Bolton. As he and Tori join forces with the local police, their attraction and intimacy grows…along with their fears for Abby.
Links are uncovered between Abby’s disappearance and Tori’s kidnapping, and Tori is forced to accept the monster who held her captive is back. But this time, Tori is all grown up, and there is no way she will let him hurt another little girl.
Excerpt:
It wasn’t the just the smell of fresh air and sandalwood that alerted Tori to the fact Mark had joined them. It was the way his shadow fell over her as though covering her body with his wide, deep and potentially dangerous protectiveness.
She didn’t bother to look at him…even though her Cally was seriously looking. Tori lifted her hand in a half-hearted wave. “Take a seat, superhero.”
“I will.” He sat beside her. “Thank you.”
Every now and then, when she was alone at home, she’d picked up a book. And every now and then, Tori would toss the book across the room whenever she read the words, “the air crackled between them.” Well, whatever instantly plagued the atmosphere between her and Mark as she forced her gaze to his, she was loath to call it crackling. Maybe humming… screaming… burning… but definitely not crackling.
She swallowed. “What are you doing here?”
“Olivia’s staying at a friend’s. I was at a loose end.”
Despite her best efforts to fight her smile, it was ruthless and broke through her barriers like they were made of sugar paper. “Loose end, my ass. You were no doubt pacing around the house and doing everything you could not to get in the car and go get her.”
He smiled and put a glass on the table. “Merlot, right?”
Buy Links:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.eu/190CYmx
Amazon US: http://a.co/c5O5R7s
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-i-want-you-rachel-brimble/1127157672?ean=2940158911118
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/if-i-want-you
BIO:
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had seven books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and an eighth coming in Jan 2018. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Facebook Street Team – Rachel’s Readers
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Brimble/e/B007829ZRM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490948101&sr=8-1
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806411.Rachel_Brimble
Author Alicia Dean 