Thank you, Kate, for having me as a guest on your blog.
Than you for being a guest, Joanie. What is one of your favorite things about writing?
I like the challenge of creating characters and story – testing all the elements to see how, or whether, they will all fit together. It’s a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle.
When you’re brainstorming for a new story, what usually comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
It depends on the story. With some stories, the idea comes first; with others, it’s the characters. There have been times when I’ve had two separate stories in mind – one has no more than a hero/heroine, the other is an idea. Though I tried to keep them separate, the idea and the characters merged into one story.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
In my early writing days, I was always a pantser, but these days I see the benefits of having a framework to carry the story elements. I don’t see myself as a dedicated plotter. I tend to do a bit of both.
Would you tell us about your latest release?
When I wrote The Trouble with Natalie I wanted something a little different for my characters. I decided to give them an age difference of 12 years, with Luke, my hero being younger that Natalie. They haven’t seen each other for several years and now unexpectedly work in the same company. Natalie is Luke’s boss. She has her own agenda: to prove she will be a good CEO. Luke has always loved Natalie. But she doesn’t want to be the subject of office gossip and thinks Luke should fall for someone his own age.
Do you have an excerpt from your latest release you would like to share?
Yes, thank you.
Excerpt from The Trouble with Natalie
Natalie Harrigan slid further into the warm soothing bath. Wadding a towel into a pillow, she nestled it comfortably behind her head. Fragrant lavender bubbles rose to tickle her chin. A few floated even further above her. Eyes closed, she savored the sweet-scented warmth. The lulling strains of soft Celtic music drifted through the earphones of her Walkman, shutting out the world.
Heaven was a scented bath. A warm secure feeling washed over her. Life was good. Here she was, forty years of age, single, independent, and the new Chief Executive Officer of the recently established Training Advisory Council. Her controversial appointment had drawn the attention of both the public and private sector. Natalie promised herself she would make her critics eat their words. She’d make a good CEO. The best.
The move to Canberra, back to the family home, meant she would see more of her younger brother whenever he bothered to return to Australia…if he returned. She shuddered, preferring not to think about the hazards of Jake’s job as a top journalist and documentary maker. Though his profession took him to all sorts of hostile places, he seemed to revel in the constant danger of his chosen career.
Yes, life was good—with one tiny exception.
The woeful evening she just spent in the company of a very forgettable man. Colorless, boring, a typical stuffed shirt. And he’d invited her to stay for breakfast!
No, thank you! He was the reason Natalie now sought comfort in a warm fragrant bath. The water soothed her, along with the help of some of her favorite music. A luxurious scented bath was the only place she could think straight and regain her equilibrium.
Trouble or nothing, that was the way it was with men, she’d long ago decided. A woman took on a man and all his idiosyncrasies and learned to live with them, or she did without. Natalie felt that doing without a man in her life was the only way to go.
Yes, this was heaven and life was wonderful.
Luke DeMarco let himself into the darkened house in one of Canberra’s leafy older suburbs. A sense of relief filtered through him. Home at last!
This place had always provided a haven for him, with Natalie, and Jake, and their father. Even in the shadows, there was a warm cozy ambiance, echoes of happy times lurking in every corner. If it hadn’t been for the Harrigan family, God only knows what would have become of him.
Dead on his feet after the long flight from Europe, Luke hoped he’d recover enough to start his new job on Monday—a job that could make or break his career. At twenty-eight, he was young for such a position and planned to give the appointment of Director, Public Affairs, his best shot.
He paused, soaking in the peace of his surroundings. The house wasn’t as musty as he’d expected. Jake had told him he didn’t know when Natalie visited last. As far as Jake was aware, she still lived in Sydney and traveled back to the family home for a weekend every few months.
Luke wondered if he’d see her soon. He hoped so.
He thought he heard a noise, put it down to the creaks of an old and empty house and made his way in darkness to Jake’s bedroom. Luke flipped on the light switch, then tossed his case on the bed, opened it and took out the essentials. He’d sort out the rest tomorrow. Right now he needed a shave, a long, hot shower, and something to eat. Then he’d crash and sleep for as long as it took.
He stripped naked and threw his clothes on a chair, grabbed the toiletry items he’d need and headed to the bathroom. He could almost feel the powerful needles of stinging hot water on his skin and the subsequent relief in his aching body.
At the same moment his tired mind registered that Natalie must have left the bathroom light on during her last visit, perhaps as a deterrent against an intruder, Luke flung open the bathroom door. It hit the wall with a bang.
A scream rent the air. The shrill sound ripped right through him. Panic forced a similar noise to vibrate in his own throat. He vaguely registered water dripping down the walls before his gaze fell on the terrified woman in the bathtub.
Natalie!
He recognized her immediately, though it had been some time since they’d seen each other…and never like this. The bubbles in the bath began to disperse, leaving tempting glimpses of soft cuddly woman.
He stood, open-mouthed, and gaped, not too sure if it was because this particular vision of the woman was unfamiliar to him, or whether he would have reacted in the same way if she’d been a complete stranger.
Luke swallowed, and then somehow found his voice. “Hello, Natalie, it’s been a long time.”
Great! How cool was that? Feeling like the same inexperienced eighteen year old who’d had a king-size crush on her, Luke tried to tamp down an inner heat that had begun a slow spiral deep within him.
Natalie had finally settled down, but her eyes, still clear light blue and fringed with dark lashes, were rounded with surprise.
“Crash! I almost didn’t recognize you!”
He’d almost forgotten that nickname, a legacy from when he was learning to ride Jake’s old trail bike.
The headphones she’d ripped from her ears a few moments earlier now rested beside the Walkman on the stool at the side of the bath. Natalie looked around for a towel, but the best she could do was try to scoop up the bubbles to cover herself.
Obviously, she’d forgotten about the towel behind her head, but Luke wasn’t going to remind her. Why spoil the view?
“What on earth are you doing here, and in my bathroom?”
Would you tell us about yourself?
I live in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Canberra is Australia’s National Capital.
I have been writing since mid 1990s, and became an epublished author back in the very early days of epublishing. My first book was available on a floppy disk. How the industry has changed since then
Where can we visit you online?
When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?
Favourite things: Aqua aerobics two to three times a week, catching up with coffee/lunch with friends, reading, travel, relaxing watching good television, and more recently knitting for relaxation.
Where would you go on your dream vacation?
My husband and I took a cruise from Sydney to Singapore earlier this year. I enjoyed the sea days, relaxing in a deck chair and catching up on reading. I’d love to visit Iceland, and take a trip on the Trans Siberian Railway. That would be fascinating.
What is your favorite season?
Autumn here in Australia’s National Capital brings a beautiful array of color. The days are usually warm, though the nights and mornings can be quite chilly; refreshing after the hot summer days.
What book are you currently reading?
American Sniper. A fascinating read.
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