A chat with Clare Revell

This week we have the opportunity to have Clare Revell with us. She is a new, talented author to White Rose Publishing. Won’t you please extend a warm welcome her?

Clare, I’m so glad you could be here with us today. Can you tell us where were you born?

I was born in Southampton, England, and am the oldest of four. We live in various parts of the UK now, and my brother lives in Sydney. We moved to Reading when I was 16 and it was in Reading I met and married my husband and our three children were born.

Sounds like family must keep you pretty busy. What hidden talent do you possess outside of writing... something you do for fun, but are good at?

I used to do a lot of cross-stitch. Not so much now as I have problems seeing to do it. The pieces I’ve done are on line at www.revell124.plus.com/xstitch

I have seen some of your beautiful work. Speaking of art, what’s your favorite color?

Lilac. Hence the color I’m typing in and the color I had my bridesmaids in.

Ah, shades of purple seem to be a favorite of many WRP authors. Okay, now let’s move into some questions about your writing…What or who inspires you to write?

It began with Mrs Johnson, my year four teacher. (School in the UK is done differently. We start the kids at 4 in foundation. So they are 8-9 by the time they get to year four). I wrote a story about a horse. She loved it and wrote on it, ‘keep this to read to your parents grandchildren.’ It’s still around somewhere.
So I kept writing. Usually rewrites of Red Riding Hood, each from a different POV
In year 10, I wrote my first novel. It was an English assignment and is now typed up and sat on the hard drive. It weighs in at 150k having been edited and added to over the years. It really is huge lol. 3 kids books in one really.
From there I switched to fan fic - Blake’s Seven, Dr Who, Stargate.
Then to my own original characters, who started out appearing in my fan fic. And here I am now.

What music groups/artists blast from your CD player while you write?

Stuart Townend or Hillsong. I do have to watch I don’t start singing though. If that happens I suddenly have a page of lyrics typed out rather than story line. So I have a lot of instrumental music too. Usually Scottish.

What was your favorite book growing up that inspired you to try your hand at writing?

I can’t remember the title of one, but it was about a young girl who was run over and had to stay in bed for months and how she recovered and used her faith to affect the people around her.
The other was ‘Hollow Tree House’ by Enid Blyton. It was mums when she was little and I still have it today.

Have you experienced writer’s block? And if so, how did you cure it?

Too many times. I finish one novel and then can’t write for several weeks. My hubby will tell you I go nuts if I can’t write. So I pick up pencil and narrow feint paper and sit there. Pick a name at random and write out a description and go from there. Or I watch one of my favorite programs and think well if my character was in that situation, what would she do.

About Your upcoming release:
How did you come up with your premise?

It was based on a writing prompt from an online writers group on LJ. The prompt was ‘Why do they call it falling in love.’ The original idea was to write something different from the usual romantic suspense, but the muse though otherwise and along came the serial killer. I’m a registrar and therefore attended several weddings. I thought setting the story around a wedding would be fun. The chief bridesmaid decided she was wearing red velvet and it went from there.

For those who are not familiar with this story, would you please give us the blurb?

A Killer lurks in Headley Cross…

…And Holly Carmichael is the only woman to survive his attack. Now she lives in fear, searching for normalcy and trying to put her life back together. When she meets Kyle Stevens, he turns her world upside-down. He’s as exasperating as he is appealing. How can Holly make sense of her awakening feelings when she’s so unsure of Kyle? His voice is familiar, he’s left-handed, and he wears the serial killer’s cologne. Who is he…really? As Holly struggles to restore her damaged faith, she must find the strength to trust once again-in Kyle and in God.

Kyle Stevens isn’t ready to live again. Racked by guilt, he’s afraid to feel. His sole focus is finding the Headley Cross serial killer-his girlfriend's murderer. That is, until he meets Holly Carmichael. He’s drawn to Holly, vows to protect her where he failed to protect his former love. But Holly makes him feel again, emotions quickly morphing into something much more dangerous to his hardened heart.

When the serial killer returns to finish what he started, only a miracle can save them…but then, it's the Season for Miracles.

Are there any fun tid-bits about this story you can share with us?

I actually broke the clutch cable on my car the way Holly does at the start of the story twice. The first time, was Boxing Day and we had to wait two hours for a tow truck. The first scene I wrote was Holly sitting in the church, desperately wanting to pull out her headdress and scratch her head. And the name of the doctor, should be familiar to anyone whose done nanowrimo.

How did you decide on the setting?

Headley Cross is actually a fictional Woodley, the village I live in. Headley Baptist is the church I go to and am a registrar at, although Pastor Jack is definitely not Pastor James lol. It’s easier to write about places you know.

When will Season for Miracles be released?

We are working towards a December release as the novel is set the week before Christmas.

*If you’d like to see the book trailer, it can be found at: http://www.revell124.plus.com/vid.htm
I’ve read an early version of this book and it was great! I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Clare, I wish you the best of success with your soon-to-be released book as well as your writing career.
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If you’d like more information about Clare please feel free to visit:
www.revell124.plus.com/clarerevell
http://telscha.blogspot.com/