Author Interview: Isabella Connor

It's publication day today for Liv Thomas & Val Olteanu, who together write as Isabella Connor, and I'm delighted to welcome them back to the blog to talk about their latest novel An Irish Promise which Emma reviewed on Sunday.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest novel An Irish Promise?
Hiding her true identity, Rachel Ford returns to the Irish village of Kilbrook to take revenge on the bullies who ruined her childhood and destroyed her family. Love is the last thing on her mind, but visiting Australian actor, Finn MacKenzie, is impossible to resist. Can Rachel trust Finn to keep her secrets? And will he understand why she must keep her promise, no matter the cost?

What inspired you to write about bullying and a desire to seek revenge? 
Bullying is something which touches so many lives. Most people have bullied or been bullied or seen someone else being bullied or heard about someone who has been bullied. And although we may think of bullying as something that happens only in the school playground, the reality is that bullying happens in the workplace as well. So, in An Irish Promise, the character Mel was a bully as a child and is a bully as an adult as well. Some characters in our novel feel remorse for their childhood bullying, some don’t. But they all ultimately realize that bullying can have far-reaching consequences.

Which character was your favourite to create?  
Liv:  Finn. He started out as a completely different character, and it was fun to watch him change.  As he developed he became more and more interesting – and more and more real.  It can be quite dangerous to create a hero, as even with flaws you’re making the kind of man you want...and that doesn’t happen so much in real life, so I wonder if partners ever feel inadequate!  

Val: Although I loved creating the leads, Rachel and Finn, there’s something really satisfying about creating a baddie. Catharsis, I guess.

When creating characters do you picture them as someone famous?  If so, who was your Rachel and Finn?  
Liv: Val presented me with a pic of the actor Chris Evans (note I said the actor!) who I’d never seen before – he was instantly Finn.  The pic was just perfect. http://www.geekrest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/chris_evans_zelda.jpg  

Val: Yes, Chris Evans for Finn. He’s gorgeous! We didn’t use a Captain American visual, though. Check out the movie ‘Push’ directed by Paul McGuigan (a ‘Sherlock’ director) and prepare to drool.

How do you iron out creative differences working as a collaboration?   
Liv: Angry phone calls and lots of sulking.  

Val: Bribery.

How do you manage to combine writing with work and/or family life?  
Liv: It’s not always easy, and I’m actually cutting my working hours down to 16 from 24.  Obviously, family will always come first, but housework is the lowest priority.  

Val: Blinkers and selective hearing. Ignore the spouse, dog, cat, friends, housework for a chosen hour each day. Then when you’re done, look up from the computer and say, with an innocent look, “Sorry – did you say something?”

Are either of you going to treat yourself to something nice as a publication treat?  
Liv:  I’m something of a shopaholic, so I’m always treating myself to something nice.

Val: Already done it. I treated myself to a new laptop. It’s exactly the same brand and model as the last one, so I don’t have to spend hours getting used to a new machine and system.

If you could go on a writing retreat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?  
Liv: The west coast of Ireland.

Val: Great question! Assuming that the goal of a writing retreat would be to write, I’d have to choose somewhere remote like the Arctic, where there was nothing to do but write because I’m so easily distracted.

Author contact: 

https://twitter.com/Livbet 
https://twitter.com/RougeReine 
https://www.facebook.com/isabella.connor.hartswood.hill

A promise is a promise 

Art historian, Rachel Ford has returned to the Irish village of Kilbrook intent on keeping her promise to take revenge on the school bullies who ruined her childhood and destroyed her family. 

Australian actor Finn MacKenzie sets hearts fluttering when he turns up in sleepy Kilbrook to help his aunt with a school production. He seems to have a charmed life, yet his confident façade hides heartbreak and tragedy. Although Finn isn't looking for love, when he meets the mysterious 

Rachel, there's a definite spark between them. Rachel is torn between her desire for revenge and this new love affair. She doesn't want to deceive Finn, but can she trust him to keep her real identity a secret? And will he understand why she must keep her promise, no matter the cost? 

Buying Links:

Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Promise/dp/B00O170IWS
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O170IWS

iBooks UK: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/id891004667
iBooks US: https://itunes.apple.com/us/id891004667 

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/an-irish-promise-choc-lit 

Google: https://play.google.com/store/id=bEupBAAAQBAJ

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1119001158

If you love the sound of An Irish Promise then how about a giveaway as thanks to the lovely Lusana at Choc Lit I have been offered a copy to give away to a lucky follower, paperback or eBook whichever format the winner prefers. a Rafflecopter giveaway