Inside A Room at the Manor: An Interview with Contemporary Romance Novelist Julie Shackman

Despite originally training as a journalist, Scottish contemporary romance author Julie Shackman has always been drawn to writing novels. In this interview we discuss the joy of releasing her third novel, A Room at the Manor in paperback, her path to publication and the highs and lows of writing romance.

Congratulations on the release of your latest book A Room at the Manor, your first novel published in paperback. Can you tell me about it?

Thank you so much Jackie, and I’m delighted to appear on your website.

I still can’t quite believe I’m going to see A Room at the Manor in print!

When her Maltese love affair turns sour, Lara McDonald returns to her quiet Scottish hometown of Fairview heartbroken, yet determined – instead of looking for another PR position, she decides to follow her dream of baking. She impulsively takes the first job offered and finds herself working for local dragon Kitty Walker in her tea room, True Brew.

Lara’s life is full of surprises, however, not the least being an unlikely friendship forged with one of Kitty’s elderly customers, the former laird Hugo Carmichael. The Carmichael family has lived at the beautiful Glenlovatt Manor for almost three hundred years and, although in need of renovation, Hugo, his son and grandson currently make it their home.

There’s something about Lara that Hugo likes, and when Hugo suddenly passes away, Lara is stunned to discover she is mentioned in his will. But not everyone is happy with the old Laird’s faith in Lara.

 

 

For those who aren’t aware, what is contemporary romance and how does it differ from what we would think of as the more traditional romance novels on the market?

I think everybody has their own views on questions like this, but for me, contemporary romance deals with more social pressures, predicaments and issues that people face today, but with dashes of humour.

 

How did you get the idea for A Room at the Manor?

I can’t write at home as I can be easily distracted, so I go to my favourite tea shop and write there. It was this gorgeous place of highbacked chairs and delicious cakes, that gave me the idea for the tea shop, Thistles.

Then the idea for Glenlovatt Manor came to me and it just seemed to link in so well with the old Scottish house I had created. The only thing is, where I write has such a tempting array of baking, that I need to make sure I’m taking plenty of exercise to compensate for anything naughty!

 

What do you want people to get out of reading your novels?

I want the readers to feel empathy with my characters and to lose themselves in the story. I love reading books where I can envisage settings, places and people. I just hope I’ve achieved that too!

 

Is there any character in this particular book that stands out for you? Why?

I’m so fond of all the characters in A Room at the Manor, but my hero Vaughan does have a special place in my heart! Not only is he dangerously attractive, but he’s also a sculptor. So, he’s a passionate, artistic yet rather complicated man. It was great fun to lob my heroine, Lara, into the mix and watch Vaughan react to her!

 

You’re very active on Twitter. How important is it these days for authors – and creatives as a whole – to maintain a social media presence and engage with their audience on a regular basis?

I think it’s vital. Whether you are social media savvy or not, it is inevitable that a social media presence carries so much weight these days. It is also a useful tool to be able to see and read what other writers are working on, catch up with the blogging community (who are so supportive and encouraging to everyone) and also put yourself and your work out there. You can learn a lot.

 

You published your first two books, Rock My World and Hero or Zero with Not So Noble Books – an independent publisher focusing on e-books. Can you describe the publishing process for A Room at the Manor (published through Allen & Unwin), and how has it differed from your previous experiences?

It has been a terrific learning curve for me. Working with the fab team at Allen & Unwin, has let me see first hand the hard work, commitment and dedication that goes into the printed novel.

I’m not saying that there isn’t the same level of focus put on e-books, but with this novel, I’ve undertaken far more editorial revision and polishing and that has been extremely rewarding and educational. I think as a writer, you are always learning and crafting.

 

Did you write A Room at the Manor with the intention of it being published in paperback, or did that all come as a surprise when you were emailed by your agent?

I think that as a writer, you always hope that this is the one that will be published in paperback, but there are so many talented authors out there, you just can’t take anything for granted.

When my agent, the phenomenal Selwa Anthony, emailed me to say Allen & Unwin had accepted it for publication, I couldn’t take it in. I remember making such a high- pitched noise, I must have communicated with dolphins swimming around the Gold Coast!

 

Do you feel any pressure to live up to readers’ expectations (or your own) when starting a new story?

Oh yes! Each time I write a new book, I think “What if this isn’t any good?”, but I’ve been told by other authors that this is a healthy attitude to have. It means you just want to get better and better and produce stories that improve as you go.

Do you have plans for author talks or a longer tour to promote A Room at the Manor?

I am more than happy to be interviewed by anyone who is interested in A Room at the Manor. Bring it on!

 

I read that you like to include a bit of humour in your romance novels. How do you handle the inclusion of jokes or wit in a more “straight-laced” romance scene?

I do, and I like reading stories where humour plays a part. I think that in the world in which we live in now, laughter is vital.

I try to slide in some light relief into scenes, rather than trying to make it too obvious and I really admire writers who can conjure up witty one-liners. Often, I’ll try to imagine what it is like as that character and see if I can make something amusing happen, that would make me laugh or cringe with them!

 

You originally trained as a journalist. Did you find this helped prepare you slightly for making the crossover to fiction, and if so, how?

From a deadline point of view, it has been a great help. You have to be disciplined (which doesn’t always happen!)  and try to be concise, so that has been an advantage too.

 

Do you think you will ever return to journalism?

Not pure journalism, no. I don’t mind dabbling in bits and pieces, but I’m in love with reading and fiction too much.

 

If you weren’t an author or journalist, what would you be doing?

Oh, that is a tough one! I think it would still have to be something creative, such as marketing or public relations – I love the written word and observing people too much!

 

As a reader, do you prefer traditional/contemporary romance and rom-coms or one of the more modern subgenres such as paranormal or rural romance?

I prefer contemporary romances and romcoms, but I like to think I have quite eclectic reading tastes and wouldn’t discount any book, regardless of the genre.

 

What’s the one stereotypical thing (such as those discussed by April Walsh on Medium) you wish authors and romance writers would stop doing in their stories?

I think one stereotypical thing that doesn’t always happen, but I have witnessed before, is the way middle aged women are portrayed as somehow “past it.” This age group of women have got so much passion and drive and make for fascinating characters. This is occasionally not reflected enough.

 

Outside of romance, what’s your go-to genre?

I enjoy anything by Jodi Picoult and I’ve also read a few of Wilbur Smith’s blockbusters, which are breath-taking.

 

What inspires you to write?

I tend to find that reading wonderful books, taking long walks [and] listening to music (rock especially) all help to inspire me. Song lyrics are often beautiful and can trigger ideas for me.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block? If so, what’s your cure?

Yes, I do! If I suspect that WB is creeping up on me, I’ll take myself out for a lovely walk, listen to some music or read. These sorts of things seem to help.

 

How do you feel about self-publishing vs mainstream publishing?

Getting a literary agent is extremely challenging (I should know!) so I completely understand why many authors take the self-publishing route.

Thankfully, the self-publishing avenue can open up other opportunities and you can be talent spotted, but it can be a crowded market. As long as your publishing option definitely works for you, that is the main thing.

 

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Never, ever, ever give up! Read lots; write lots and stay positive and determined. Remember: “A published writer is an unpublished writer who never gave up!”

 

Do you have any favourite authors or books?

I love reading Jenny Colgan, Sophie Kinsella, Wendy Holden and Teresa Ashley. One of my all- time favourite books is Who’s Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond. Jack Wolfe is irresistible!

 

Do you have any more books planned, or are you focused on promoting A Room at the Manor before starting a new story?

I’ve actually written the drafts of my next two novels and am editing and polishing them at the moment.

 

If you could invite three people from history to dinner, who would you invite and why?

This is a terrific question – it’s a pity it’s only three!

I would invite Casanova: I’m sure he would have some colourful tales to tell and probably flirt like mad, which would be fun.

For my second guest, I would have to ask William Shakespeare. My favourite play of his is Twelfth Night, which must be one of the earliest rom-coms around and he was certainly ahead of his time as a writer.

For my third guest, I would invite the actress Lauren Bacall. She was a great performer, classy and intelligent. I’m sure she would have some juicy gossip about Hollywood.

 

Thanks, so much Jackie for interviewing me – it was great fun answering all your fab questions!

 

Julie loves to connect with readers, fellow authors and bloggers. To get in touch visit her Twitter or blog. For more information on A Room at the Manor or any other books published by Allen & Unwin, check out their blog, Things Made From Letters.