What’s in the trunk of your car?
What, apart from an asphyxiating amount of dog hair, you mean? We intended to choose a new dog from the pound, one with short hair that wouldn’t shed all over the place, (I just lurve housework!), but…what can I say? Jake made a beeline for us, licked us both in all our exposed places, (now there’s a plot for a book if ever I heard one!), and it was love at first bite.
Anyway, back to the car. Apart from dog hair and a crook lock, (do you have crook locks in the States? You know, those old fashioned gizmos that you lock onto the steering wheel as a visual deterrent to thieves), not a lot. Oh, I do have a box of my published books; just in case I come across any shop on my travels that aren’t enlightened enough to already stock them.
When is the happiest time of day?
When the sun’s over the yardarm, (somewhere in the world – anywhere!), and it’s time to get the corkscrew out, obviously. Apart from that I get the most satisfaction in having done whatever I have to do on any given day and can relax at my computer, with my mind devoid of everyday clutter. Then I set about creating a world of my own making in which all the characters do precisely as they’re told, chanel handbags the men are fabulously wealthy, drop dead gorgeous and don’t hang their clothes up on the floor like ordinary mortals.
If asked to foresee a situation that would make me happier than winning the lottery it would have to be the day when I get a yes from an agent I’ve submitted one of my contemporary romantic novels to. I’ve just finished one called Stepping on Broken Glass, which features an overweight heroine. In spite of her size she feels invisible in a room full of people who lack sufficient insight to realize there’s an intelligent and complex person lurking beneath all that bulk. When she sheds the pounds, look out world because it’s revenge time!
I’ve selected a highly topical and sensitive issue, which will strike a chord with many readers for a variety of reasons. All I need now is to find that open-minded agent…
Where would you live if you could live anywhere?
America, probably, and I’m not just saying that, honest! We love the States and all things American. I should explain that I’m English and my husband Andre is a mongrel. He’s half-Egyptian and the other half is a combination of Maltese, Russian, Hungarian and Greek! We lived in England until Andre sold his jewelry business three years ago. Home is now Andorra – a small principality nestling in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. We also spend a lot of time on the Costa Blanca in Spain.
We have an American boat and spent some time cruising the eastern States in it. It gave us a taste for the warmth and friendliness of the people, an appreciation of American services stands, (have you ever tried getting anything done in Spain?), and we will be back for a long visit sometime soon. You have been warned!
Why does your hair always look best on the day of your styling appointment?
The Irish would call it Murphy’s law! You could just as easily ask why toast always falls butter side down when you drop it on the floor, why it always rains when you’ve arranged to play tennis and why the new dress that looked fabulous when you tried it on in the store makes you look fat and frumpy when you get it home. (I’m convinced they do something to those mirrors in the changing rooms but don’t get me started on that).
These things just happen, okay!
How do you choose your character’s names?
Come on! My maiden name is Wendy Wood. No middle name either, just plain old Wendy. Now, at last, I get to be more exotic, albeit vicariously. I’m published in the historical romance genre, (until I get that contemporary romance accepted, obviously), so I have to make sure the names I select were around two hundred years ago. In my five historicals published by Robert Hale I have heroines named Clarissa, Saskia, (her mother was Russian so I got that one past my editor), Eloise, Abigail and Harriet. My heroes came in as Lucian, Felix, Harry, Sebastian and Marcus.
My next book is being published as an e-book by Samhain on April 21 and I’m very excited at the prospect. A Reason to Rebel, ISBN 978-1-60504-496-5 Price $5.50 features Estelle. She is recently widowed and her callous father wishes to push her into another marriage of convenience as soon as she’s out of mourning. Alex, Viscount Crawley, encounters her and what can a gentleman of honor do, other than to offer his assistance in locating her missing sister? Little does he realize that he’s leaving himself exposed to dangers that have little to do with the missing sister’s plight…To read an extract from A Reason to Rebel, and for an opportunity to enter a competition to win a copy of the book, please visit my website http://www.wendysoliman.com
Details of all my other books can also be found on my website. They are all available on Amazon and other good on-line book stores.
Hey... I live on the East Coast! Feel free to visit next time you're here.
ReplyDeleteAnd we have "crook locks" only we call them "The Club" (sounds ominous, doesn't it?).
And, I've always thought we don't choose our pets, but they choose us. Great interview!