About the book:
What do you do when you discover your boyfriend of two years is married to someone else?Beth Walker seeks to escape her heartbreak by taking temporary work on a cruise ship. Instead, on the very first day she meets Ryan Donovan and is drawn to him by his soft Irish lilt and mischievous eyes. Her plan to forswear men recedes like the waves at the stern of the ship...but it isn't quite that simple. There are many obstacles that stand in the way of her happiness – and then she learns she is pregnant.
It seems her problems may only just be beginning. Antagonism between Beth and Ryan abounds and there are misunderstandings aplenty. Can these two warring factions find a happy ever after? Find out what happens in Voyage of Desire.
Interview with Natalie Kleinman
Natalie, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?I’ve been writing for over ten years now. Having given up an Open University course because it was taking too much of my time, I looked for something to fill the gap and joined a ten-week-long council run course. Of course, the joke is I now spend far more time writing than I ever did studying.
What’s the story behind the title Voyage of Desire?
Beth runs away from a broken romance to work on a cruise ship. Determined to put men behind her, she nevertheless meets Ryan and finds she is overwhelmed by desires she didn’t even know she was capable of.
Do you have another job outside of writing?
No, it is a full-time job.
How did you create the plot for this book?
I’m a panster. I liked the idea of a cruise ship as the setting for a story. I began with Beth running away and after that it wasn’t up to me any more – I went where it took me.
I hear you. What’s your favorite line from a book?
"Beth glanced at the seal as they sailed past. It was still looking mournful. She was feeling a lot better."
How do you get to know your characters?
They tell me. They present their appearance and personality almost immediately. I’m not quite sure how this happens, but I rarely have to ‘edit’ my characters.
Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Ryan. He’s only gorgeous.
What would your main character say about you?
I hope she would say that I’m sympathetic.
Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
No, none of them.
Is your book based on real events?
I hope not or someone out there might be lodging a suit against me. No, definitely not.
Are you like any of your characters?
I like to think I’m a bit like Beth...capable and ready to deal with whatever comes along (though I grant you she did run away at the start). Insecure beneath the surface, but then which of us isn’t.
One of your characters has just found out you’re about to kill him off. He/she decides to beat you to the punch. How would he kill you?
None of my characters would ever want to kill me off. They’d sacrifice themselves before they sacrificed me.
If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?
If I were a man I’d like to be Howard. He plays a minor but key role – and I like him.
Who are your favorite authors?
Lee Child, Harlan Coben...my reading of choice is thriller or murder mystery though I don’t write them, and Georgette Heyer...who introduced me to romance more years ago than I care to admit and whose writing I enjoy as much today as I did then.
In that case, can I interest you in a cozy mystery? Sorry, self-promoting is getting to be automatic. What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
An ability to put the book down. As I feel guilty reading during the day, this usually means I only get a few hours’ sleep...and feel dreadful the next day.
Do you have a routine for writing?
Yes, I open my laptop in the morning before breakfast, check my emails, then I write. I occasionally remember to stop for tea/coffee and lunch.
Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
At the dining room table. I have a designated office but it feels impersonal.
Where’s home for you?
London. Always has been.
If you could only keep one book, what would it be?
A Thesaurus.
Why did you decide to publish with Safkhet?
I had an almost immediate response from Will Sutton whose email suggested I might like to stop jumping up and down when I’d assimilated the fact that he’d offered me a contract. Wouldn’t you want to work with somebody with a sense of humour like that?
If only. What’s your favorite candy bar?
I’m a sucker for white chocolate truffles.
What three books have you read recently and would recommend?
Lots of good books, but I’d just like to pick one out as outstanding and that is Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
When am I not writing? Seriously, lunch out with friends.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Where I am.
What are you working on now?
I have a pocket novel, Secret Love, being published by People’s Friend/DC Thomson, due out on 17th July. At present I am re-writing the ‘bottom drawer’ first novel. The setting is the same, a Cotswolds town, the hero is another character completely from the original and the point of view is changed from first to third person...so much easier. I’m having fun with it.
Please come back and tell us about it when it's finished!
About the author:
For Natalie, writing is a compulsion she cannot resist, nor does she want to. She says her greatest gift is a husband who is not only wonderfully understanding and supportive but also plies her with copious quantities of tea – and sometimes chocolate. And he cooks!
Connect with Natalie:
Webpage | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Buy the book:
Amazon | Smashwords
