Chesterfield couch, in royal purple – just perfect for our distinguished guest on tonight’s show.
One of the most blessed things to have come out of this year is the opportunity to meet so many amazing writers – people who are so generous with their time, advice and support.
Among these sensational authors that I’ve had the pleasure to meet is fellow Queenslander Susanne Bellamy.
I’m delighted to dust of the purple couch to host an interview with Susanne, whose great new novella One Night In Sorrento has become an Amazon best seller.
Thank you for joining me Susanne!
How long have you been writing?
Three years ago after a good friend at work shared her guilty secret—she reads romance novels!—and we decided they’d be ‘easy’ to write! (Yep, I know, I hadn’t read one since I was a teenager and I was talking through my hat.)
At what point did you decide to try your hand at romance writing?
After the above discussion and while my husband was on, I think it was trip number four to Nepal, I challenged myself to write a full length romance novel, just to see if I could. The creative process was delightful and thrilling, but remained my little secret for several months.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
Brisbane Writers Festival 2010—I met Anna Campbell and Christine Wells when they ran a romance writing workshop which my romance reading friend and I attended. Anna advised joining the RWA and entering their competitions because the feedback would be great. I joined and entered the first available competition—the 2011 Emerald Award. Anna was right; the feedback was excellent, the judges loved White Ginger and I came third! I also pitched for the first time at Melbourne in 2011, without success, but my story was picked up in an online pitch competition and eventually published.
One Night In Sorrento by Susanne Bellamy. Make sure you buy today.
You’re incredibly well traveled. How does that influence the way you write descriptive scenes?
Far away places have excited me since I was a child and we travelled to England on the Fairsky. I remember the weird and wacky ‘crossing the line’ (Equator) ceremonies and attempting to barter for a sunhat for my mum somewhere along the Suez Canal (my mother cut my dealings short).
Sensory elements are part of all those travel memories. I sometimes think the sense of small is the strongest; the scent of lemons takes me right back to Amalfi! But so does a recording of “That’s Amore!” Wandering musicians still play that each night to diners in cafes and restaurants.
White Ginger is set in Hawaii and your latest, One Night In Sorrento is set in Italy. What is it about these locations that speaks romance?
Seriously…?! Okay, let’s consider—sea, coast, glorious light or tropical nights filled with exotic perfumes, beautiful sunsets and hunky men…and a literary history filled with tales of love and romance. And beautiful languages—wouldn’t you melt on hearing “Ti amo, mi amore”?
Oh my yes, I think I would! – EEC
Hang on a second…
The Impossible Dream… set in Barcelona
Beloved Jailer…set in Tuscany
Nepal Story
Merger in Melbourne
One Night In Sorrento isn’t there on your WIPs! How did that escape?
Thanks for the reminder my home page needs updating! Actually, One Night in Sorrento is a novella so it never quite reached the WIP list. And of those settings, there is only one I haven’t yet visited, but I plan to!
And you WILL be hearing lots more about one of these books VERY soon!
Hooray! I can’t wait – EEC
From Susanne’s web site: “I married my very own real life hero after he saved my life…” Oooh, now there’s a love story right there – do tell!
When the man of your dreams saves you from drowning, what can you do but marry him? I did. Suffice to say, he made sure I made it into the New Year and a new life with him. That storm wasn’t going to rob him of the girl he’d decided to marry.
Would you like to share a blurb of One Night In Sorrento?
Rhiannon steps out of her comfort zone when she travels to Sorrento for a meeting in borrowed business clothes. The last thing she expects is to miss her meeting, and end up in the company of Luca, a sexy Italian bike rider. What will one night in Sorrento bring?
Buy Susanne Bellamy’s One Night In Sorrento:
Your choice of Amazon store: http://tinyurl.com/oux973b