Friday Friends: Heather Boyd

Heather is another one that I've "known" for so long online, I can't remember exactly where we first "met". I think it was on another blog that she was a member of, and then I bumped into her on Twitter, and on Six Sentence Sunday. One thing I vividly remember is she's the one that got me started on Goodreads, because she was the first to review one of my books there. I was thrilled at the lovely things she said about Summer Lovin', and next thing I knew, I was hanging out on Goodreads all the time. Heather writes wonderful Regency historicals, and she's got a new one out that I'm looking forward to.

Please welcome Heather to Friday Friends!

Of all the characters you've created, which one is your favorite? (Characters, quick! Look over there!) Why do you love them best?

At the moment I’d have to say Rosemary Randall the heroine from my new release. I finished work on the book months ago and she’s the one I’m having the most trouble letting go of. Rosemary’s character was in the works a lot longer than all my others. When I planned out the Wild Randalls series featuring the four siblings, there was always the question of where they had all ended up. Book one Engaging the Enemy was eldest brother Leopold’s story and brought Tobias home by the end. Book 2 Forsaking the Prize was all about taming Tobias and Blythe. Book 3 Guarding the Spoils dealt with Oliver. That left only Rosemary’s whereabouts unknown and she’d been mentioned in every book in the series.

Rosemary was complicated. She’d embraced her fall from good society and was determined to make the most of her situation. She didn’t want to belong anywhere, preferring independence and avoidance of her brothers. She wanted to be forgotten but she just won’t go away. LOL

I can see what she's hard to let go of! What's your go-to "writing avoidance" technique? (We'll never run out of these!)

That would be Photoshop and book cover design. It could probably be considered as much of an addiction as my daily coffee habit. I’m a few book releases ahead for my own work but I have recently found SelfPubBookCovers.com and started work as a freelance artist there. It’s
a lot of fun to come up with covers to suit genres outside what I write.

Wow! That's impressive. Oh, and daily coffee doesn't count as an addiction. It's a necessity! If you were able to go on a writing retreat, where would it be? (Oh, don't mind me. I'm just rearranging this stuff in my suitcases.)

Are you supposed to actually write on a writing retreat? If so, the perfect situation for me would probably be still at home after kicking the family out to go play elsewhere. I write better in solitude I’ve found. Now if there was little writing to be done I’d love to spend a week(s) at Calke Abbey with fellow historical romance authors (if such a thing were possible). Calke is owned by the National Trust of England and is being preserved as they found it, in a state of decay and the original owners were great collectors. From what I’ve read so far it would be an amazing place to explore.

Well, I haven't read any rule that says you HAVE to write during a writing retreat. It's kind of like "research". Which I would love to do at Calke Abbey, now that you've mentioned it. . . What's the word you love to use (and overuse, so you have to take it out of your book during edits)?

I’m sure I need to come up with a new era appropriate expletive. @#$% is getting old even for me. LOL I’ll get on that shortly. I think every book I’ve sent to an editor this year has had a different overused word. I conquer only then move on to something and then succumb to repeated mention of gasp. Must check the current manuscript to see where my mind went after that.  

LOL -- I think yours is the first expletive to be overused. If that is even possible! Name the first thing you'll do when you make a million dollars from your books.

Get on a plane to come meet you. LOL I suppose I’m like most people I’d deal with the big needs. Pay my bills, fund my retirement, expand my collection of regency era print books. Then hire a big hunky guy to lure me from my computer and Photoshop with fresh coffee and the promise of a long overdue holiday. (Yes dear husband, I meant you as the hunky guy.)

YES! Definitely come visit me. I'll have a ton of coffee waiting, and I'll do my best to distract you away from those regency era print books! *evil cackle* 

Okay, here's the Tasty Ten lightning round, where we get to know you in a speed dating kind of way:

Dark roast or light roast? Dark

Drafting or revising? Drafting

Twitter or Facebook? Facebook now

Winter or Summer? Summer (though I cannot believe I said that. I don’t usually like the heat but its almost spring down under and I’m getting restless.)

Cats or dogs? Cat and small dog.

Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla

Heels or flats? Flats

Morning or evening? Morning

Pecs or abs? Abs

Biter or licker? (Hellloooo! I'm talking ice cream cones here!) Suck. LOL Just to be different.

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Author Bio

Bestselling historical author Heather  Boyd believes every character she creates deserves their own happily-ever-after, no matter how much trouble she puts them through. With that goal in mind, she weaves sizzling English set love stories that push the boundaries of regency era propriety to keep readers enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. Brimming with new ideas, she frequently wishes she could type as fast as she conjures new storylines. While writing full time north of Sydney, Australia, Heather collects dust bunnies in all corners of the house and does her best to wrangle her testosterone-fuelled family into submission.

Social Media Links

Website ~~ Facebook ~~ Twitter

Book Blurb

She can lose her birthright, but not her heart!

Meredith Clark wants no part of her long-ago identity as Rosemary Randall. She's created a more exciting life as the courtesan, Calista, and her newest lover is both intriguing and rugged enough to capture her fancy. But the widowed Earl of Grayling craves more than this woman's dazzling intelligence and fiery passion. He wants her as his mistress, and if she won't agree to that, he'll settle for taking her home as his daughters' governess.

Determined never to be tied down to one person or place, Meredith prepares to run again. Yet something deep inside her yearns to stay -- until she discovers Constantine’s real identity. Now she's faced with the hardest choice of her life. Should she trust the man she's coming to love with the secrets of her past, or flee to save them both from an even greater heartbreak?

Excerpt:

Sinfully beautiful men were Meredith Clark’s weakness, especially ones who didn’t notice the spell they cast over their captive audience. Known only as Calista in the secluded country brothel, Meredith Clark breathed deep, scenting the clean skin and earthy fragrance of Lord Grayling as he filled her starved senses. Her job might be to please those who came into her arms and bed, but gaining a little pleasure for herself in return was always an unlooked-for treat.

“I believe I shall leave you in Calista’s capable hands, my lord. Do be sure to ring if you require the slightest embellishment to your night,” Linnie murmured, casting Meredith a look that warned she’d better not leave him wanting for anything. The madam departed soundlessly. Grayling barely acknowledged Linnie’s departure. He remained apart and returned Meredith’s frank stare.

Meredith’s pulse quickened. Grayling was handsome and had an air of command. A fallen angel sent to lure any good woman to ruin. Not that Meredith’s ruin was possible or even probable now. She’d fallen as far as she could already without being forced to beg. Yet when she looked Grayling over from head to toe, the idea of begging this man for anything involving pleasure held an appeal she could not dismiss easily.  

Buy Links

Amazon ~~ Apple iBooks US ~~ Barnes & Noble ~~ Kobo ~~ Smashwords

Comments

[Mae Clair]

Hi, Heather. It's nice to meet you. Fun interview, and I enjoyed your comment about Photoshop. I play around with that too, but am nowhere nearly proficient enough to design book covers.

Good luck with your latest release. Regencies are fun!

[Heather Boyd]

Hi Mae, Photoshop is fun isn't it? There's always something new to discover. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment.

[Heather Boyd]

Hey Donna. It was either the group blog I was part of or Six Sunday but it was Six Sunday that got me reading your work. I love your voice so leaving a review was a pleasure. :) Thanks for inviting me to visit.

[Donna Cummings]

Heather, thanks for being part of Friday Friends! I think Six Sentence Sunday is the best matchmaker in the world -- I loved reading your snippets each week. I'm even more excited to read all of the six sentences in one go. :)

[Donna Cummings]

Mae, it's been a long time since I've had a chance to play with Photoshop. And the little bit I've done convinces me I don't have a career in that to look forward to. LOL

[Lorraine Paton]

Great post, Heather and Donna! Yay! I'm excited about your latest book, Heather! And, I know what you mean about Photoshop! I love it! :)

[Heather Boyd]

Thanks Lorraine. Donna asks the best questions in an interview. LOL

[Donna Cummings]

Lorraine, thanks! And another Photoshop person? You guys are gonna get me hooked pretty soon. LOL

Heather, it's so fun to do these interviews. :)Thanks for being my guest today!