Thrilled to bits to invite UK romance writer, Jane Lovering!!

I am so happy to be able to share the humour and madness that is Jane Lovering with you!! I hope she doesn't mind me introducing her that way but Jane is sooo funny and welcoming and kind, there is no other way to describe her. We first met at the Romantic Novelist Association annual conference last July. I was extremely nervous as it was my first time and sticking to my only friend there like glue...Jane was the first person I met and within minutes, she made me feel as though I'd known her for years.

She is a funny lady who writes fantastic books - let's get started with the interview!

1) What is your writing routine?

Well, I try to write every day when I get in from work at around 1.30. I write until either my bum is sore or the kids get home wanting their tea, whichever comes first. Generally it’s the sore-bum thing. I often go back to the WIP once the kids are fed, depending on the day’s word count, but sometimes I go out with the dogs instead (it’s good for the bum).

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?

I love Jenny Colgan for her humour, Terry Pratchett for his social commentary, Justina Robson for her imagination and Marian Keyes for her storytelling. Oh, and the Pulleyn-Thompson girls for all those pony stories when I was growing up. It was the lack of anyone going to the toilet in those books that inspired me to want to write real-life stuff, with toilets and nose blowing and yesterday’s knickers.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

I’ll read pretty much anything that isn’t nailed down . I guess I’m pretty much a romantic comedy girl through and through, also paranormal, contemporary, some suspense and futuristic…Also cornflake packets, although their happy endings leave a lot to be desired.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

You mean after the tears, the recriminations and the throwing things? A few more tears and then a shrug. It’s just one persons’s opinion, after all. And then I check that they didn’t really, secretly, have a point…

5) What do you expect from an editor?

To get my jokes. Also to give me chocolate, but this rarely happens. I’ve always been edited by the most lovely people who understand the story I’m trying to tell and bring it out of me in the best way possible. Could still stand a little more chocolate, though.

6) Tell me about your latest release

Please Don’t Stop the Music is coming out on 01 February from Choc Lit Publishing. It’s about an ex indie rock guitarist who’s hiding from the world, and a girl who makes exquisite hand-made jewellery, who is running from her past. When the two meet both are too terrified to want a relationship, but they can’t keep away from each other. It’s about secrets, and how keeping them can destroy a life.
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7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

How much can you hide?

Jemima Hutton is determined to build a successful new life and keep her past a dark secret. Trouble is, her jewellery business looks set to fail - until enigmatic Ben Davies offers to stock her handmade belt buckles in his guitar shop and things start looking up, on all fronts.

But Ben has secrets too. When Jemima finds out he used to be the front man of hugely successful Indie rock band Willow Down, she wants to know more. Why did he desert the band on their US tour? Why is he now a semi-recluse?

And the curiosity is mutual - which means that her own secret is no longer safe ...

8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?

I’m sneakily rather fond of Saskia, who is the villain of the piece. She’s snobbish, immaculately dressed, incredibly rude to everyone and, I think, well motivated to behave the way she does. Saskia is also hiding things from everyone else, and when the reader finds out what’s behind her bad behavior, I hope that they’ll understand why she does what she does. Doesn’t mean they have to like her, of course.

9) What are you working on right now?

I’ve been tweaking away at the book which will be my next release from Choc Lit in September, called Starstruck, which is…oooh, no, you don’t trick me like that, much as I like you, you’ll have to wait for the official blurb like everyone else – I’ve also been working on a new novel about an astrophysicist (and when you’ve typed that a few times you begin to wish you’d made him a farmer…)

10)
Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

Write. Don’t be afraid of writing rubbish, they say it takes a million words to make a novelist, so start getting yours down now! All those stories that you think ‘one day I’ll write a book about this’ – write them down. Start small and work up.

Oh, and read. Read everything. I particularly recommend those cornflake packets…

11) Where can readers find you?

I’m normally lying by the fridge with my mouth open and a sign saying ‘please pour chocolate here’. If not, try www.janelovering.co.uk, or follow me on twitter @janelovering.

You can also check out my upcoming releases at www.choc-lit.co.uk/html/jane_lovering.html

Fantastic! Laughing as usual! Jane is waiting to hear from her fans & friends - over to you...