Welcome Sue. Just a few questions to find out more about you.
At what age did you realise you had an aptitude for writing and that you wanted to be an author?
In my last year of primary school. I had a crazy teacher,
probably related to Tasmanian Devils. He used to frighten the life out of me
but he told me that I could write and that one day there would be novels on the
shelf with ‘Sue Moorcroft’ on the spine. I was amazed that I could get on the
right side of him by making things up.
What drove you to go down the romantic fiction
path and not into another genre? Is it because you’re a romantic?
I think I am a romantic, yes. I love romantic fiction,
anyway. The best of it leaves me wishing that I were in that relationship with
the couple. I suppose I must like the feeling of falling in love and romantic
novels allow me to do that every few days!
Writing a love affair is the same feeling only much more
intense. It gives me the opportunity to explore why relationships work or don’t
work and what complex creatures human beings are.
Choosing a life partner is one of the most important
decisions we make so it’s no wonder that we like to read about it.
If your friends read all of your books would
they see themselves in any of your characters?
I hope not … I try very hard not to let that happen and I’m
a bit disappointed if somebody tells me that a particular heroine is like me.
My characters are mean to be individuals who only exist in my head and on the
pages.
There are a couple of people who are not my friends in my
books. But that’s fair game, right?
You lived for some time in Malta and your new
book “The Wedding Proposal” is based in Malta. Do you think your surroundings
inspire you and improve the flow of your writing?
Yes. I like to write at home, in silence. That’s not always
possible and I do write on trains, planes and in hotel rooms, too, with real
life taking place around me at a terrific volume, but I find it harder. I was
really tempted to go to Malta for a week just to write a segment of The Wedding
Proposal as it would have been an awesome experience. I couldn’t really justify
the time, sadly.
But in terms of research, actually visiting the places in my
books is much more satisfactory and satisfying than doing the research via
books or the internet.
As well as being a successful novelist, you run
writing courses in beautiful locations like the south of France and Umbria in
Italy. What sort of people attend your courses? Does any reader have it in them
to write?
All kinds of people attend my courses abroad, writing all sorts
of fiction or even their autobiography. I’ve had complete beginners, those
moving from short stories to novels, getting back into writing after a break, just
wanting to spend time with other writers or published writers working on a new
novel. There’s something freeing about being away from work and home
responsibilities.
I don’t suppose every
reader has it in them to write or have the desire to do so. There are plenty
who have both, though. A reader is already used to inhabiting the world of
fiction so writing can be a natural development for them.
What did it feel like to win the “Best Romantic
Read Award” in 2011 for “Love and Freedom”?
Wow, that was amazing. There was a bestselling author on the
shortlist so I had made up my mind that she would win. I was genuinely
staggered when they read out my name and I just stood there. Someone had to
shove me up to accept the award. I was in a daze for the rest of the evening
but it was a time of euphoria. The award sits on the windowsill next to my
chair in the sitting room.
Being romantic fiction your books attract
thousands of female fans. Have you ever been contacted by male fans saying
they’ve loved your books?
I have. Sometimes they read my stuff because they know me
through Twitter, Facebook, workshops etc and they buy a book out of solidarity
or curiosity and send me messages saying that they’re surprised how much they
enjoyed it. But I do get male readers who have no other contact with me, too. Interestingly,
my books in translation seem to attract as many messages from men as from
women.
And I have a male friend who is single and says reading my
books on the Tube earns him a lot of interested looks from females. I’m trying
to work out how I can make that benefit me in marketing terms.
Being a novelist, what is the one thing you
couldn’t live without?
Aside from the obvious, such as air, water and food, I’d say
my computer. We’re surgically attached.
I’ve heard you’re a lover of Formula 1 racing.
That seems the polar opposite to being a romantic novelist. What draws you to
Formula 1?
I’ve never known. I’m just absolutely riveted by it – not
just the races but the practices and qualifying and every bit of gossip and
news I can access. I’m sure I must irritate other people! I come from a family
who like sport but I thought I had avoided the fanatic gene until I saw a race
about twenty years ago. I was hooked and haven’t missed many races since then.
Now, Sue Moorcroft, what do you do to relax when
you’re not writing, apart from watching Formula 1?
I read, do Zumba, yoga, FitStep and piano classes. The occasional
weekend at a spa is very welcome and I like to travel - the nice safe kind of
travel, though, not the hiking through war zones kind!
Thanks for inviting me on to Bookalicious.
Can a runaway bride stop running?
Elle
Jamieson is an unusually private person, in relationships as well as at work –
and for good reason. But when she’s made redundant, with no ties to hold her,
Elle heads off to a new life in sunny Malta.
Lucas
Rose hates secrets – he prides himself on his ability to lay his cards on the
table and he expects nothing less from others. He’s furious when his summer
working as a divemaster is interrupted by the arrival of Elle, his ex, all
thanks to his Uncle Simon’s misguided attempts at matchmaking.
Forced
to live in close proximity, it’s hard to ignore what they had shared before
Lucas’s wedding proposal ended everything they had. But then an unexpected
phone call from England allows Lucas a rare glimpse of the true Elle. Can he
deal with Elle’s hidden past when it finally comes to light?
Sue Moorcroft
writes romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes. Is this Love? was nominated for the
Readers’ Best Romantic Read Award. Love & Freedom won the Best
Romantic Read Award 2011 and Dream a Little Dream was nominated for
a RoNA in 2013. Sue received three nominations at the Festival of Romance 2012,
and is a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner. She’s a past vice chair of the RNA
and editor of its two anthologies.
Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles, writing
‘how to’ and is a competition judge and creative writing tutor.
Sue’s latest book The Wedding
Proposal is available as an ebook from 4 August 2014 and as a paperback
from 8 September.
Website www.suemoorcroft.com.
Facebook sue.moorcroft.3
and https://www.facebook.com/SueMoorcroftAuthor
Twitter @suemoorcroft
Thank you for joining us today Sue. I wish you every success with your new novel "The Wedding Proposal".
