Guest Author Lizzie Lamb

Please give a warm welcome to Lizzie Lamb author of yesterday’s book Boot Camp Bride http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-586 and Tall Dark and Kilted featured on the blog on May 28th http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-57z

1) Where is your home town,

Leicester, UK. Recently, the remains of King Richard III were located and exhumed in a Leicester City car park after lying there since 1485! Leicester is a very multi-cultural city and I think that one of my future romances will reflect that – plenty of research material to hand.

2) Have you always wanted to write romance?

I write what I love reading – and I love romance. Once, I thought I’d write historical novels because I have a history degree and love the subject. But I love the immediacy of contemporary romance. Having said that, I have the plot and outline for a romance set in Leicester (where else) in the 1960’s, I guess that’s history to some readers.

3) You’ve set Boot Camp Bride in Norfolk, is it an area you know well?

Oddly enough, it’s an area I’ve only just discovered in the last ten years of so. A friend took me to Old Hunstanton, Burnham Market and the marshes. At first, I didn’t ‘get’ the stripped back beauty of the landscape but then fell in love with it. I hope this shows in Boot Camp Bride. My fourth novel will return to Norfolk and hopefully will have a winter/Christmas setting.

4) Can you tell the readers what happened to Ffinch in Columbia?

Ffinch, an investigative journalist, is following the trail of a shady Russian who, on the surface, appears to be a philanthropic businessman helping dispossessed children. However, this doesn’t stack up and Ffinch begins to smell a rat. Under the cover of writing THE TEN MOST DANGEROUS PLACES IN THE WORLD he takes a team deep into the Columbian rainforest to investigate where he believes the Russian (working with an illegal group: The Black Eagles (Aquilas Negra) is growing and harvesting drugs. Ffinch’s team is kidnapped by the guerrillas and held to ransom and two of the team are lost in the Amazon. Consumed with guilt because they were lost on his watch, Ffinch makes it his business to bring the Russian to justice.

5) What was Charlee doing at the Book awards?

As a lowly intern, Charlee would not normally be invited to a prestigious Award ceremony. However, the norovirus has wiped out most of the team usually involved in its organisation and she is given a place. At first, she is over the moon and believes that the invitation will give her the opportunity to further her career as a journalist. However, she discovers that she’s only there to act as a cater waiter and, not in the best of moods, meets Ffinch for the first time. This is the beginning of a sparky relationship which eventually develops into a full blown love affair.

6) Who is Anastasia Markova?

Anastasia is the sweet super model girlfriend of the Russian. She is unaware of the extent of his illegal activities but is too frightened to go to the police. It is through her friendship with Charlee, who she meets at the Boot Camp for Brides in Norfolk that she sees her way to get free of his clutches.

7) You have a wonderful camper van in the story, have you ever owned one yourself?

I wish! We have a Ford Bongo which is a type of camper van but not as gorgeous as a VW. My husband has recently renovated a 1965 VW Camper Van for our nephew. If I won the lottery I’d certainly buy one.

8) Your first book “Tall, Dark and Kilted” is set in the Scottish Highlands, is this a favourite place of yours?

With my Scottish ancestry I am drawn to the scenery and culture of Scotland. I was born in Scotland and love anything to do with its history and romance, so it was a natural choice for me to set my first novel there. I am currently writing number three and I have returned to the highlands and islands of the west coast of Scotland for inspiration. In all, I hope to write three Scottish novels and one day publish them as a box set.

9) You’re part of the New Romantics 4, tell us how this helps to promote your work.

We have worked hard to establish ourselves as a ‘brand’ and offer readers four different genres of ‘romance’: historical, romantic comedy, suspense and women’s fiction. Each of us promotes the other three members’ novels in the back of their books and hopefully that helps to promote us. It helps to be part of a group as we can promote each other and (indirectly) promote ourselves. We also give each other masses of support and keep each other going when the enthusiasm flags. When we host our book launches it helps to have a wide variety of novels on choice.

Rosie, you have been kind enough to review our books and we are very grateful for your help and support. You’re very Welcome!

10)  What are you writing next?

Novel #3 returns to the west coast of Scotland and tells the story of Ishabel Stuart who turns her back on a promising career in interior design to return home to Cormorant Island. There she meets gorgeous American Brodie Mackintosh who comes to stay at her aunt’s Bed and Breakfast. After a rocky beginning their relationship develops and as she falls in love with him, she begins to suspect that Brodie has been economical with the truth. He could be the answer to her prayers or could destroy a long held dream of hers. What is he up to? Can Ishabel trust him? You’ll have to wait until 2015 to find out !!

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Boot Camp Bride – Romance and Intrigue on the Norfolk marshes – November 2013
UK: http://tinyurl.com/bootcampbride
USA: http://tinyurl.com/nnmzjha

Tall, Dark and Kilted – Notting Hill Meets Monarch of the Glen – 2012
UK- http://tinyurl.com/o9js6pl
USA – http://tinyurl.com/o4vor4z

https://www.amazon.com/author/lizzielamb
Lizzie’s Links
http://www.facebook.com/LizzieLambwriter
http://www.facebook.com/newromantics4
lizzielambwriter@gmail.com
website: http://www.lizzielamb.co.uk
blog: http://www.newromantics4.com
Goodreads http://tinyurl.com/cbla48d
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lizzielamb/
twitter: @lizzie_lamb             twitter: @newromantics4