Author Interview: Heather Boyd
When you’re not writing, what do you like to read?
I prefer historical romance, Regency to Victorian era English settings. I’m partial to unique reads too so as well as the male/female pairings I’m open-minded about reading paranormal and gay characters. As long as the blurb catches my interest and the writing is good I’ll stick with it until ‘the end.’
How do you find your inspiration?
I need an off switch. Honestly, I just cannot type fast enough for the ideas I have.
What inspired your current story?
My new book is Miss Merton’s Last Hope. I had written the Melanie Merton character from book one of the Miss Mayhem series. She was an adversary, a woman everyone paid attention to but perhaps not always for the right reasons. I wanted her not to be liked from the outset. Misunderstood but mostly that was by her design. Redeeming her after all I’d made her say and do to others during the first two books was a huge and thorny challenge. When book 3 in the series began she’d been sent away. Her return cleared the air a bit but not truly explained her behavior. Who could like such a woman? Who could forget the way she’d made people feel about themselves and about her? She had flaws that would take an observant man to see through. Enter Walter George, the man who been waiting in the wings since book 1 too.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Full-time.
What are you working on now?
I’m in the middle of planning, early writing, on a new series for publication in 2016. The new series features a side character from An Accidental Affair and navy captains as my heroes. The series isn’t named as yet, nor do the individual books have titles either, but its coming together really well.
What is your biggest fear when writing?
I write a quick, dirty draft manuscript to begin which allows no time for fear or doubt to creep into my writing. Once I’m at the end, and editing, that’s when any pain starts. I don’t fear anything except perhaps what my editor will think when she sees my latest punctuation efforts. The good news, she’s on the far side of the world and I don’t have to see her roll her eyes at my many mistakes but I’m sure she’s done it. J
If you had a superpower or ability, what would it be?
Teleportation. I’d be zipping from one side of the globe to the other.
Which character would you want as your partner in a fight?
Oliver Randall from the Wild Randalls series. Never underestimate what a bookish gentleman can know about self-defence, especially after he’s spent time locked up in a mad house.
How many books do you expect to be in this series?
Miss Merton’s Last Hope is the fourth and final book in the Miss Mayhem series. It’s been a lovely time writing these young women and I’m so sorry our time together has to end.
MISS MERTON’S LAST HOPE by Heather Boyd
Book Three, Miss Mayhem Series
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
Length: 40,000 words novella
Heat Rating: Sizzling
Over the years, Melanie Merton has used every trick and ruse to repel overeager gentlemen callers without ever revealing the real reason she won’t say yes to an offer of marriage. When neighbor Walter George jumps to her defense against slurs cast by suitor number twelve, he also pries into her past—uncovering the circumstances around a tragic loss in her childhood and her aversion to being touched by anyone. But even protective Walter must be kept at a distance for his own good, because despite a growing attraction between them, Melanie must deny him too.
Unlike other men his age in Brighton, Walter George hadn’t considered Melanie Merton for a wife because he was convinced he’d never have a chance to impress his haughty neighbor. But that was before he understood her better, before he uncovered why she kept friends and suitors alike at bay. The right husband could restore the woman he sees into some semblance of the fun-loving child of his memory, but would Walter stand a chance or become just another unlucky suitor?
Read an Excerpt
Melanie Merton hated her life. She hated the clothes she wore. The house she lived in that was no longer hers to manage. The smiles she had to bestow upon her brother’s friends while overlooking their scowls. Even without the responsibilities she’d always enjoyed, and the hours on her own, she never had a moment’s peace. She just wanted a quiet morning, and that never seemed to happen lately unless she confined herself to her bedchamber.
Today, she was entertaining Mr. Linus Radley until his sister, Julia, her new sister-in-law, came down that morning. The forms of proper behavior that had been drilled into her head since she was a young girl made it impossible for her to say what was really on her mind, even when she wanted to. She was too polite to ask Mr. Radley to go away until a more reasonable hour of the day, and had ordered tea and cake to fill the endless minutes until Julia relieved her of this duty.
“It looks to be a lovely day for a stroll,” Mr. Radley said suddenly. “Might I entice you to venture out with me to look upon the sea? With your maid, of course.”
Melanie sighed with what she hoped sounded like regret and not irritation. She would not go out walking with Linus Radley, with or without a suitable chaperone. She had seen enough of him in the past weeks not to want anything more to do with him than she absolutely had to. He was a bully. “Unfortunately, I am otherwise engaged today.”
“Oh?”
Dear God, the man wants particulars.
Links:
Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Add to Goodreads Shelf
About Heather Boyd
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 writes sizzling regency romance stories that skirt the boundaries of propriety to keep readers enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. Heather has published over twenty novels and shorter works. Catch her latest news www.heather-boyd.com. She lives north of Sydney, Australia, and does her best to wrangle her testosterone-fuelled family (including cat Morpheus) into submission.
Connect with Heather: Website | Twitter | Facebook Page | Mailing list
***Enter the $25 Amazon.com Giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Thanks for the interview and sharing my new book release!
Thank you for stopping by Heather!
Thank you so much for sharing this great interview 🙂 Miss Merton really is a unique character and Ms. Boyd has done a great job making me like her after my very negative feelings to begin with 🙂