I am thrilled to welcome you to my blog for the first time and can't wait to learn more about you and your latest release THE LEGACY OF HALESHAM HALL - it looks fantastic and is on my TBR list! Let's get things off to a start with my questions, shall we?
1) What genre do you typically read? Why?
When I first got back into reading, my four boys were all really tiny and I was looking for an escape, so I turned to uplifting fiction, typically contemporary romance. I wanted joyful reads rather than grisly murders, but as time went on, I began to vary my reading and now love a good thriller or historical novel. I also joined a book club to push me out of my comfort zone, and this has made me try a variety of genres, some I enjoy more than others, but I’ll give most things a try.
2) Share a favourite childhood memory
My mind immediately went to a book-related memory. When I was about nine, I realised that I’d read every book in my large, white chipboard bookcase (with 1980s Munch Bunch stickers up both sides). I complained to my Dad, who didn’t believe me, but I went through each shelf with him, knowing jolly well that I had. In the end, he lent me The Hobbit, probably thinking it was the most child-friendly of his books. Not long after that, I began working through his bookshelves, and that’s how I got hooked on Agatha Christie.
3) Do you have any shameless addictions? Tea? Books? Shoes?
I’m not sure it’s an addiction but I do have a habit of buying quirky old things, which is obviously linked to my love of history, so I do find myself accidentally buying things liked 1930s tea sets, unusual pieces of china and sets of glasses. I own a working gramophone, and I’m always searching for antique books at jumble sales and in charity shops. We live in an old house and my husband restores antique furniture so objects like oil lamps, old radios and vintage kitchen equipment always grab my eye. I also love old brooches, necklaces and rings and inherited several from my nan. I often feel out of time, so perhaps I have lived a past life...
4) What do you think is the biggest challenge of writing a new book?
The biggest challenge is getting that first draft out. Coming up with the initial idea is really exciting – it’s the part when anything can happen and, although I’m not a planner, I do have an outline and gather a lot of information before I start. Getting the words down is the painful bit, particularly because I don’t have a detailed plan to follow. I much prefer editing, when I have the opportunity to make the book the very best it can be by playing about with what is already on the page.
5) Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?
When I’m in the writing stage, I like to get 1500 words done a day, and that would include Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes, they can be written in a couple of hours, and sometimes they can take me all day – particularly if there is research involved. When I’m editing, it tends to be more of a time target, and I will try to work from 8am until 4pm. It’s really important to treat the writing as I would any other job, and not to get distracted by working from home.
6) What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
Book series are huge nowadays, and I can understand how readers get hooked and desperate to read the next one. They sell well and authors can quickly establish a strong following. However, my brain doesn’t work like that. I tend to come up with concepts that are stand-alones, although I wouldn’t rule out writing a series if I had a suitable idea. I don’t read or watch many series because I like the story to be wrapped up in one sitting. However, things like detective stories, where a crime is solved in each book even though there are longer running themes, or Bridgerton which deals with each sibling’s romance per book, despite the ongoing stories of the family around them, work quite well for me.
The Legacy of Halesham Hall
A love that seems lost, may still yet
be found, for real love always endures.
1890. One summer evening changes everything for Sidney and Leonard Bellingham
when their beloved mother disappears from the family home, Halesham Hall. Left
with their bitter father, they are taught to trust no one but themselves, with
brother pitted against brother to see who is worthy of inheriting the
Bellingham Board Games company. But the series of twisted games they are forced
to play will have far reaching consequences.
1920. Phoebe Bellingham arrives at Halesham Hall determined to solve the
puzzles that will allow her to claim back the Bellingham inheritance. But this
legacy involves more than one secret, and soon Phoebe realises that the stakes
are higher than she ever could have imagined.
The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows (2019)
The Secrets of Hawthorn Place (2021) smarturl.it/SHPJK
The Legacy of Halesham Hall (2022) smarturl.it/LHHJK
Author Bio
Jenni Keer is a history graduate who embarked on a career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique furniture restorer husband. Her passion for reading became a passion for writing, and she was delighted when her debut novel, The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker, was shortlisted for two awards. Living with four grown up children and three cats, she is frustrated by their inability to appreciate that when she’s staring into space, she's actually working, and that watching television counts as research. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.
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Thanks so much for having me on. These were such fun questions. I really hope you enjoy the book, Rachel 💗
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