Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Author Interview- Kathryn Freeman

Happy Tuesday readers, I've got a special treat. From all the way across the pond, English author Kathryn Freeman. Welcome Kate, tell me three words that describe yourself starting with A, B, and C.

Affectionate – I love a good hug, so I try to give them, too. My teenage boys aren’t so receptive.
Busy/bossy – I asked my husband to help with this. I suggested busy, he provided bossy.
Culinary-muppet  - I’m sure that’s a word, isn’t it? It certainly accurately describes me in the kitchen

What are your three favorite things?

Chips – that’s real, thick, British chips, not those thin French fries
Sunshine – perhaps because we don’t get enough of it in England
Champagne – put all three together, I’m in heaven.

 What for you is the best part of writing? What is the worst?

 The best part of writing for me is dreaming up my hero.  How better to spend your day than mentally putting together your ideal man?  Imagining him in various scenarios…sigh.

I was going to say the worst part is then finding that ideal man an ideal woman!  But no, I enjoy finding him a soul mate, a heroine who deserves him. What I don’t enjoy is that final proof read. I’ve already read through the manuscript so many times I can probably recite it in my sleep, but now I start to doubt it. Is it too repetitive? Does that work? And yes, it is too late to change…

 Is there a process you stick to, or do you just write as it hits you?

Process is a little strong, but I always start with my hero, and once I’ve got a handle on him, I picture his ideal woman. For a while I ‘play’ with the characters in my head – usually during down time, so when I’m running or driving or cooking (maybe that could explain C above!). Once the plot starts to form, and the ideas start flowing, I open up a blank document and do a brain dump of my characters and story outline. Then I’m off.  I love the quote by Somerset Maugham: I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp. I’m not saying I’m inspired then, but on my romance writing days (some days I’m a medical writer) I do sit down at my desk at 9 am and treat it as a normal job.

 If you could spend the day with any celebrity, who would it be?

I’m going to choose a British Formula one driver, Jenson Button. My husband and sons are huge Formula one fans, but I always thought it was dull – until I went to my first race meeting and was bowled over by the sheer speed and noise.  It inspired me to write the book I’m working on now, where the hero is an F1 driver. Having read what these guys go through to reach that level, not only in terms of skill but also fitness, I’m in awe of them. So I’d like to spend the day with Jenson for several reasons. Firstly because I could watch him race – preferably Monaco – and have the best seat in town. Secondly because after he won (naturally) we could celebrate somewhere really cool, like on his yacht.  Thirdly he could give me a real insight into the life of a driver, to help my research. Lastly, because he’s funny and very sexy!




Blurb: Too Charming

Does a girl ever really learn from her mistakes?
Detective Sergeant Megan Taylor thinks so. She once lost her heart to a man who was too charming and she isn’t about to make the same mistake again -- especially not with sexy defence lawyer, Scott Armstrong. Aside from being far too sure of himself for his own good, Scott’s major flaw is that he defends the very people that she works so hard to imprison.
But when Scott wants something he goes for it. And he wants Megan. One day she’ll see him not as a lawyer, but as a man  ...  and that’s when she’ll fall for him.
Yet just as Scott seems to be making inroads, a case presents itself that’s far too close to home, throwing his life into chaos.
As Megan helps him pick up the pieces, can he persuade her that he isn’t the careless charmer she thinks he is? Isn’t a man innocent until proven guilty?

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10 comments:

  1. Hi Kate, welcome. Did you have a particular inspiration for Megan and Scott's story?

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    1. Firstly - thanks so much for having me Angela! My inspiration for the story came from my hero. I'd decided I wanted to have a hero who was confident and charming on the outside, but not so smooth inside. After that I needed to give him a job where his pushiness, his confidence and his eloquence would be an asset. Suddenly I had this image of him striding into court, bristling with self assurance, mesmerizing the jury with his wit and intellect - hence he became a barrister. Then I needed to give him a heroine who could handle him and give as good as she got (who better than a police woman?) and circumstances that would show the reader his more vulnerable inside, too. That's how the story of Megan and Scott was born.

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  2. Great interview and I loved Too Charming'. I'm glad I'm not the only one who routinely has food boiling over on the stove while their mind is elsewhere :)

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  3. I adored your hero, Scott, even though he reminded me frighteningly of an old flame who was a barrister in the small town I was working.
    As for Formula One, I fell in love with Aryton Senna when I brought him sandwiches in the pit during my first summer job when the Formula One came to Adelaide, South Australia, in the early 80s. I even went out with one of the engineers and so got to experience a bit of the macho atmosphere. Huge fun!

    I LOVED 'Too Charming'. A great book, Kathryn!

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    1. Wow Beverley - I'm dead impressed - what a summer job! Thanks for your kind words about Too Charming - I seem to be following your old flames. First Scott, now my racing driver - wonder if he'll remind you of Senna (if he's ever lucky enough to get published!)

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  4. I loved Hot Scott and 'Too Charming' and I love your favourite things... but men in tins? Nope, not for me - I like fresh, feisty rugby players! :)

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  5. Ah, Chris, thanks for you kind words. Just to be clear, I wouldn't turn down a feisty rugby player, either!

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  6. Great interview, your characters are interesting and not typical. Hurray!!!!

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    1. Hi Louise - very kind of you to drop by and comment. Interesting characters are certainly what I aim for :)

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  7. Great interview! I'm another F1 fan, but my hero would be Nico Rosberg or Kimi Raikkonnen :-) (although Jenson is very nice too).

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