Heather Boyd Shares The Wealth

I am delighted today to welcome Heather Boyd to my blog. Heather is the author of sizzling romance with an historical bent. A fan of regency England settings, she writes m/f and m/m stories that sometimes push the boundaries of propriety and even break the laws of that time. Brimming with new ideas, she frequently wishes she could type as fast as she can conjure up new story lines. She lives north of Sydney, Australia.

Heather will be giving one lucky commenter a copy of her latest regency romance release Forsaking the Prize. All you have to do is leave your email, spaced out of course, in the comments to be eligible.

What more can you tell us about yourself, Heather?

Greetings. I’m a regency historical romance author, indie published, and sole female in a testosterone fueled household. (Even the cat is male) I love old books, old furniture and houses and research -- regency era of course.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

That’s easy. England. My hubby and I have a plan that we’ll travel all over England, exploring castles and manor houses for six months. You see, thanks to my work as a historical romance author, and my fascination with every UK produced TV show, I've managed to completely hook him into my goals. Of course, getting there and staying for six months would probably require a lotto win or hitting the NYT Bestseller list a few times. I’m sure to snag one of those or both sometime soon. LOL

Great attitude! Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

I've had a few. Public servant (clerk), Personal Assistant, Financial Planner, Bookseller. Each job has taught me something that made the decision to publish my own work an easy one. I’m pretty organized and self motivated and you really need that when you have only yourself to rely on. Let’s face it, there’s no one to complain but me if I don’t show up for work.

I agree. Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

I’m a full time writer.

What genre do you write and why?

I used to have a very long commute to work so I've always been a reader. Back then it was never a romance. My train buddies were Fantasy and Science Fiction geeks. But when I owned a bookshop I had first pick of all new material that came in. On the slow days, I’d be skimming the new material. Historical romance titles most often went home with me -- a rare few even made it back to the store. There is honestly nothing better than a book that can make you laugh out loud. I've tried my hand at writing contemporary romance but it’s not for me.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

Five novels, three novellas, three short stories. I also write gay regency romance (add another three novellas) so I suppose my favorite is really my male characters.

Tell us about your current series.

I’m at the tail end of writing the third regency romance novel in the Wild Randall series set in 1813. A decade prior the four Randall siblings were separated from each other by the Duke of Romsey. Since then, the old duke has died. In book one, the eldest, Leopold Randall returned to the ducal estate in search of his siblings but found trouble waiting for him. In book two, the wildest Randall, Tobias, has choices to make about where he belongs and in the upcoming Guarding the Spoils, Oliver Randall, an eccentric man who spent a decade in captivity, is determined to make the rest of his life an adventure.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

I need an off switch. Honestly, I just cannot type fast enough for the ideas I have.

That's fantastic! What is your favorite part of writing?

That quiet moment when, with no distractions, my fingers are flying over the keys and the story seems to be writing itself.

It's a great feeling, isn't it! What is your least favorite part of writing?

When I’m too restless to sit because something else more fun is distracting me. Ooh, listen. That’s the Home Ice Cream truck jingle playing outside. [runs for purse] A writer should never be without ice cream, or chocolate, or coffee.

How does your family feel about your writing career?

My family is incredibly supportive of both my writing and my decision to self-publish. My husband has a business background that I can bounce ideas off and is one of my beta readers. He’s happy to talk over story ideas or problems too. My kids understand it’s a job I love but both are far too young to read anything of mine.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Don’t ever believe self-publishing is going to be easy or a quick way to make money. There are so many decisions you have to make that you just don’t anticipate before you start. Having someone to talk to about it is a huge help. Also joining up with like minded authors on yahoo groups such as Indie Romance Ink [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndieRomanceInk/] can fill any gaps or at least steer you in the right direction when panic is about to set in.

Thanks, Heather, for sharing your insights and experiences.

Thanks Anna for interviewing me and sharing your corner of cyberspace.

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Twitter: @Heather_Boyd