LORRAINE WILSON

AUTHOR INTERVIEW 
WITH 
 LORRAINE WILSON

How would you describe your books?

My books are meant to be fun and little bit escapist but I like to tackle more serious subjects in the stories too. I write about the kind of emotional baggage a lot of people carry around with them but rarely talk about.

Is it hard to come up with new ideas

 or plots?

Actually I find I have the opposite problem - I have too many ideas and new stories begging to be written! I note them all down so I can come back to them later but the lure of a new story is always a temptation.

Who is the easiest character to write for and why? Hardest and why?

Sophie (main character from 'Secret Crush of a Chalet Girl') has been the easiest, I think because she's an easy character for most woman to relate to. Tash (whose story is featured in 'Rebellion of a Chalet Girl') is a more complex character. On the surface of it she's not especially sympathetic but when you dig deeper you understand why. It made her story incredibly emotional to write and I tackle some tough issues that I was keen to get right.

Without giving anything away, what is or are your favorite scenes in your book?

My favorite scene is the end of 'Rebellion of a Chalet Girl' because it means so much to Tash. Writing it actually made me cry.

What's up next for you?

I'm working on the next Chalet Girl novella at the moment but after that I've got some exciting full length novels planned.

When did you start.What was your first published piece?

I used to create imaginary worlds in my exercise books as a child and then wrote a book featuring the problem of bullying in my teens. It wasn't until my thirties that I tried to get published though and 'Confessions of a Chalet Girl' is my first published book.

Out of all the books and stories you've written which is your favorite?

'Secret Crush of a Chalet Girl' is probably my favorite book - it was fun to write, had no revisions and is my most popular book with readers (going by Amazon ratings). It features a Valentine's treasure hunt and speed ski dating. Doing the research for the treasure hunt and coming up with the clues was great fun.

Do you have a favorite character?

Luc from 'Secret Crush of a Chalet Girl' is one of my favorite characters. I think the fact he has a rescue dog is a factor, (I have 3 rescue dogs!) as is the effort he goes to to woo Sophie.

Any funny experiences or quirks you'd like to share with your readers?

I use voice to text software to write following a brain injury five years ago. Sometimes the mistakes it makes are hilarious. For example in 'Rebellion of a Chalet Girl' the main characters are called Nate and Tash but the software converts that to N8 and Cash or Rash! Also at one point it had Tash fiddling with 'firefighters' instead of 'firelighters'!!!

What was it like to publish your 

first book?

Amazing. I'd been told after my brain injury that I'd never be able to write a book but my support worker wouldn't let me give up and taught me to use voice to text software. Once the book was written I then received a rejection from the publisher who'd shown an interest in my writing before the accident but I then submitted 'Confessions of a Chalet Girl' to Harper Impulse and received an offer and four book contract within 24 hours.

What advice would you give to others who want to make writing their career?

One piece of advice I'd give to aspiring writers is to keep writing and keep submitting, don't necessarily expect your first story to sell. Writing is like any other skill, the more you do it the better you get. With some exceptions I think most writers who are successful have been writing for years. Don't expect instant fame and fortune and only do it if you love it.

Do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so how do you hang on to them?

I note them down on my phone which is always with me.

Can you write on demand and under pressure, or do you need time and space before the creativity starts to flow?

I find being on holiday in Switzerland (where my books are set) helps my creativity to flourish. But I think unless you solely self publish every writer needs to learn to work under pressure - sometimes it's the only way to meet deadlines.

Who or what was the inspiration behind your books?

I spend a lot of time in Switzerland and absolutely love it. The mountain landscape is a perfect dramatic backdrop and it's the perfect setting for romantic stories- it has snow, hot tubs, luxury and roaring log fires. Even if you don't like skiing there's still the après ski to soak up.

Readers can try the Chalet Girl series for free with 'Chalet Girl Plays Cupid' -

 http://hyperurl.co/chaletgirl1

The latest in the series, 'Rebellion of a Chalet Girl', is out on 26th March hyperurl.co/gz7je4

You can find out more about the series and any new releases via my Facebook author page: www.facebook.com/LorraineWilsonWriter

You'll find buy links for my books on my Harper Impulse author page: www.harperimpulseromance.com/authors/lorraine-wilson

Or on my Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lorraine-Wilson/e/B00CWFWCG6

You'll also find me on Twitter: @Romanceminx