Interview with Jane Linfoot

Today I have the really lovely Jane Linfoot of my blog for an interview.

Hi Jane, welcome to Cometbabesbooks and thank you for agreeing to be interviewed.

Can you tell me the inspiration behind How To Win a Guy In 10 Dates?

The scene in How To Win A Guy In 10 Dates where Millie and Ed meet just popped into my head one day, and I thought it would make a fab beginning to a book. After that it was a matter of finding characters who would fit into that scene and go on to make the whole story work.

The idea for Millie’s burlesque background came from my daughter who went to uni and joined the Burlesque Dancing Club. She told me that at the first session they learned how to take off their bras and gloves, and I was hooked.

As for Ed and his background in explosives... believe it or not I’ve had two different next door neighbours who blew things up for a living. I used to live right next to the quarry featured in How To Win A Guy In 10 Dates and I loved the idea of a hero who expressed himself with dynamite. I always like a fun working title, and the one for this book was The Big Bang Theory of Dating.

And I was on holiday in Provence and saw some guys setting up a firework display outside a Chateau... So the inspiration comes from many places and fuses to make the whole story.

Can you tell me will there be another book after How To Win A Guy In 10 dates?

Yes, I hope so. I have a lot of ideas for stories bobbing around in my head, and several of those follow on from How To Win A Guy In 10 Dates. It’s just a matter of choosing which to do next...

What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always written, but I was very busy with work as I had a business doing up houses. When the property crash came I suddenly found I had the time to write those novels I’d always dreamed of.

I believe you are writing another book around The Right Side of Mr Wrong, can you tell us a little bit about it?

I don’t tend to write series, but my characters have a habit of spilling from one novel into another. Bryony marched onto the page fully formed in The Right Side Of Mr Wrong, and she refused to go away until I’d given her a story of her own. It’s all about that last bit of growing up you need to do before you settle down. Think hot summers and camper vans! There’s a tandem ride at the beginning, and a smoking hot hero called Jackson. But this will be a much bigger read, as it’s almost twice as long! And we get to see Shea and Brando from The right Side Of Mr Wrong again in this too.

Do you think book bloggers/reviewers help sales of books?

Big fat YES to that one. Bloggers and reviewers are vital for spreading the word about books especially for new authors – as a writer it’s so heart warming and exciting to see book sales spike after a blog review or feature. It’s official: I LOVE bloggers! And I love chatting to them on twitter too!

Is there a special place that you like to work?

I’ve always worked in the room between the kitchen and the rest of the house – calling it a dining room makes it sound way more up-market than it is. That way I’m right at the centre of family life, and on hand to sort everyone out as they need me. Noise isn’t a problem, because when I concentrate I become totally oblivious, as my family will tell you.

What is your favourite book?

Eeeek!!! When I hear the word favourite my mind always goes blank! I find favourites of anything very hard to choose, but my most-recent-most-loved read is Tracey Bloome’s No-one Ever Has Sex On Tuesday – I found the set up totally inspired for a rom com, there was so much heart and honesty in there, and it had me laughing out loud all the way through.

Do you like books that are made into films? 

I always prefer to read the book before I see the film. Sometimes the films are a disappointment, and it can be a bit disturbing when the film makers totally change the storyline, but it’s always interesting to see how the film makers translate the story to the screen. As a writer you can learn a lot about story structure by watching good films.

Would you like any of your books to be made into a film/series?

Yes is the short answer to that! And I wouldn’t mind which book it was! It’s really exciting to have books published, but having a book made into a film would be an amazing experience – I’m hyperventilating just thinking about it.

Who would you have as a main characters? 

The lovely Simona Elena from Sky’s Book Corner made some fab suggestions for casting The Right Side Of Mr Wrong, which are so perfect I can’t better them. She suggested Colin Egglesfield (swoon swoon) for Brando  and Jessica Beil for Shea. Thank you Simona xx

Do you have a support network for your writing? 

I belong to a local writers’ group which I really enjoy, but I’m the only novelist there. Over the years I’ve met a lot of very supportive online romance writers via the Mills and Boon writing  competitions, and the Harper Impulse authors are a very supportive group too. In the evening I’ll often be chatting on Facebook to writers from all around the world. I’m also a member of the RNA (Romantic Novelist’s Association) and I love going to their romance conferences as there are so many authors there. Facebook is wonderful, but it’s lovely to meet up with long term online friends in person too.

Thank you Jane for your lovely answers to my questions.  I love both of your books and the covers are perfect.

Jo xx

You can find Jane on Twitter @janelinfoot, pop by to say Hi.