Interview with Rachel Brimble, author of IF I WANT YOU #romance #suspense #wrpbks
Thanks for visiting with me on The Daisy, Rachel!
Let’s learn a little more about you and your novel If I Want You.
How did the idea for this book occur to you?The idea for If I Want You came to me when a young girl was abducted from a sleepy rural town in the UK. It struck such a chord with me because everyone knew everyone in this town and the shock of the residents was palpable. Evil remains hidden and out of sight in every community – how would someone react if they had been abducted as a child and then, years later, witnessed another child being taken?
What’s your go-to relaxation technique?
I’m an obsessive knitter and there is nothing that relaxes me more than sitting in front of the TV with my knitting. It has gotten to the point that I can’t watch TV without my needles, lol!
Who is your favorite character in this book?
Definitely the heroine, Tori – she’s strong, damaged and determined. Attributes I love to write about in my books. I think, as writers, it’s important that we give readers an escape and reading about a fictional character struggling to get over past hurts, heartbreak or trauma lends a reassurance that we are not alone in our struggles. Of course, as I write romance, I always have the added benefit of giving my hero and heroine their happily ever after!
Would you describe yourself as an introvert or extrovert?
Definitely an introvert – I have lots of friends and love to socialize, but I am most comfortable on my own, in my own space and usually working. My goal this year is to do a couple of public speaking events just because I am so terrified of them. It’s always the things we’re most afraid of holding us back. Wish me luck!
Do you write under any other pen names in other genres?
I only write as Rachel Brimble, but I write across three romance sub-genres – contemporary romance, romantic suspense and historical romance. I love dipping in out of all three. It keeps the writing fresh for me and, hopefully, my readers, too.
What is the single best piece of LIFE advice you have ever received?
It wasn’t so much given to me as I heard it while watching TV – Iyanla Vanzant was talking on Oprah’s show and she said, ‘Set it up the way you want it to be.’ Lordy, that resonated with me so much. Our lives are our own – it’s up to us what our lives look like.
What is the single best piece of WRITING advice you have ever received?
‘Give yourself permission to write a crappy first draft.’ I was told this about six or seven years ago and my writing enjoyment and output quadrupled overnight. The longer a writer spends going over and over the same scene or chapter, the more likely is they won’t finish the book.
I now write the first draft from beginning to end without looking back – the hard part comes in the following drafts!
Describe your perfect vacation.
I love to travel! It’s one of my favourite things to do – I love the sun, so going anywhere warm with a pool at my feet as I lie on my sunbed catching up on some serious reading while sipping a cocktail is always bliss. Then a quiet meal by the ocean with my husband, watching the sun go down.
Readers’ experiences and intake with a book vary. If you could ensure that a reader took away a certain element, be that a theme or moral or something else from your book, what would it be?
That no matter what happens to you in life, you can go on – you can and will find the strength to embrace joy and trust someone loves you.
What can we expect from you in the future?
Thanks for joining me today, Rachel. Best of luck with If I Want You!A little more about Rachel Brimble…My latest release, A Rebel At Pennington’s is book 2 in my new Edwardian series, set in a department store. The series theme is female empowerment and progression.
Book 1, The Mistress of Pennington’s, was about women in business, A Rebel At Pennington’s is about women’s suffrage and book 3 (out in the Autumn) will be covering women and divorce in the early 20th century.
Rachel lives with her husband and their two daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. Since 2007, she has had several novels published by small US presses, eight books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical.
In January 2018, she signed a four-book deal with Aria Fiction for a new Edwardian series set in Bath’s finest department store. The first book, The Mistress of Pennington’s released July 2018 with book two released in February 2019.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America and has thousands of social media followers from all over the world.
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If I Want Youby Rachel Brimble-available now-
The monster is back - but this time his prey is all grown up…
When local journalist, Tori Peterson, fails to prevent a child abduction outside her niece’s school, her horror and guilt sparks a vow to do whatever it takes to get little Abby Brady home to her parents.
While Tori battles the vile memories of her own kidnapping as a child, she accepts the help of widowed father, Mark Bolton. As he and Tori join forces with the local police, their attraction and intimacy grows…along with their fears for Abby.
Links are uncovered between Abby’s disappearance and Tori’s kidnapping, and Tori is forced to accept the monster who held her captive is back. But this time, Tori is all grown up, and there is no way she will let him hurt another little girl.
If I Want You Excerpt:
Sensing her discomfort, he stopped and leaned against the bureau. God, did he frighten her? Surely not, or she wouldn’t be here. Or did she sense his attraction toward her and would do all she could to deflect it? He didn’t doubt for one minute his eyes gave away his appreciation whenever he looked at her.
He lifted the can to his lips. “So, what have you been thinking about?”
She tapped a peach-painted nail on the bureau. “This.”
“The bureau?”
“Principal White’s bureau.”
He frowned. “How did you know it was hers?”
“She mentioned you were working on a bureau for her when I was in the school office. I assumed this is it.”
“It is.”
“Good, because that makes it all the easier for me to give you your first assignment.”
“You want me to talk to her.”
She smiled, took a few tentative steps closer to him. “Got it in one, Watson.”
He smiled, pleased to see genuine mischief shining in her eyes. “I’m Watson?”
“Yep.”
“So that makes you Holmes. Not sure I like being anyone’s sidekick.”
Another couple of steps closer until no more than a couple of feet separated them. She met his eyes and his heart kicked. Her V-neck shirt was just the right side of professional. Yet, the way it revealed her collarbones and hugged her full breasts made him want to reach out and pull her into his arms, kiss her, taste her…
“You’re staring, Watson.”
He blinked and snapped his gaze from her breasts, rare heat hitting his face. “Sorry. You look nice.”
“Thanks.” She raised her eyebrows and nodded toward his chest. “So do you.”
He smiled. “Why don’t we go inside? It’s way too hot out here.”
If I Want You
By Rachel Brimble
also available through
Amazon UK // Barnes & NobleKobo // Google PlayAdditional titles by Rachel Brimble
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