Guest Blog Post - Anna Campbell

We asked Anna to come and blog about the genre of Romance and why she thinks it is so popular! So enjoy Anna's post and feel free to comment your views as well!

Hello, Aussie romance fans! Hello, Angus and Robertson Edwardstown! 

Thank you so much for your ongoing and enthusiastic support for romance fiction, especially locally produced romance fiction!  

My name is Anna Campbell. I’m an Aussie from Queensland and I write historical romance for Avon in America and HarperCollins Australia.  

I was thinking the other day how far above our weight Aussie romance writers punch on the world stage. Throw in the fabulous New Zealanders like Nalini Singh, and the local contingent become a powerful force in the huge international romance market. People here are often astonished when I tell them how big romance is. I only have figures for America, but last year, romance was the bestselling genre there and sold a massive US$1.36 billion (figures courtesy of Romance Writers of America).  

Occasionally I meet a misguided person who claims not to like romance (they have no idea what fun they’re missing!) and that puzzles me because it’s like saying you dislike food. The range of what is available in romance now is astonishing. There’s everything from a sheikh or a surgeon in a Mills and Boon through to vampires and shapeshifters in paranormal and urban fantasy, many of which are as hard-hitting as anything in the mainstream crime or suspense genres. Personally I like a duke or an earl – I’m just that kinda girl! There’s something magical about being swept away into the complex, glamorous world of historical romance.  

This misguided person sometimes tries to tell me that romance is anti-feminist. This surprises me as romance is a multi-billion dollar industry largely run by women for women consumers and with a vast majority of women as the producers. That makes a feminist statement on its own, I would think! Just as the role of women has changed in the world, the role of the heroine has changed in romance – although as a long-term reader, the doormat heroine often referenced in romances of yesteryear has always struck  me as a bit of a myth. I can’t think of a good romance novel where the heroine doesn’t undertake a journey to self-fulfilment in some way or other.  

Romance doesn’t have the profile in Australia that it does in America although a number of visionary bookshops including Angus and Robertson at Edwardstown are doing their best to change that.  

Last week in particular, I was thinking about how we are raising the profile of Aussie romance writers. In next month’s Australian Women’s Weekly, there’s a big article by Tony Squires about romance writing in this country. Tony has interviewed a crowd of Australian writers, including me, about their work and career and the state of romance here. Then last week, I felt like a movie star when the Women’s Weekly flew me to Melbourne for a photo shoot including a professional stylist and make-up artist. I spent the day in a very chichi environment in North Fitzroy with local stars Stephanie Laurens and Keri Arthur, both of whom are multiple New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. The magazine will be out later in October so grab a copy to find out more about the Australian women who are making their mark in the international book market.  

While I was there, I started to think about the many writers who could have also been included in the shoot (although I was very glad they picked me!). Australia is home to a plethora of wonderful Harlequin Mills and Boon authors who sell books in the millions. There are too many to list here, but some of my favourite local M&B writers include Annie West, Sharon Archer, Sarah Mayberry, Marion Lennox, Amy Andrews, Bronwyn Jameson, Trish Morey (a South Australian!) and Kelly Hunter. I could go on and on!  

Then there are our fabulous historical writers! Stephanie Laurens has become a worldwide superstar with her passionate, exciting stories set in Regency England. Two more locals who write brilliant historical romance are Christine Wells and Anne Gracie. Or South Australian historical writer Elizabeth Rolls. Or for something a bit off the beaten track, Western Australian author Christina Phillips has made a splash with her debut novel set in Roman Britain, FORBIDDEN.  

When it comes to the increasingly popular genre of paranormal and urban fantasy romance, try Tracey O’Hara or Erica Hayes or Denise Rossetti. If you fancy some romantic suspense, pick up books by local stars Bronwyn Parry or Helene Young. For feel-good contemporary romance, Kandy Shepherd writes lovely stories featuring eccentric pets along with her charming heroes and heroines.   

 

Always a voracious reader, Anna Campbell decided when she was a child that she wanted to be a writer. Once she discovered the wonderful world of romance novels, she knew exactly what she wanted to write. Her first historical romance for Avon was the multi-award winning CLAIMING THE COURTESAN.

 

The variety of what Aussie authors are producing is mind-boggling. The go-to place for information about local authors is the Romance Writers of Australia website. Here’s a link to the author page: http://www.romanceaustralia.com/authors.html 

So go on – buy Australian! Romance, that is!  

Some relevant websites: 

Anna Campbell www.annacampbell.info 

Stephanie Laurens www.stephanielaurens.com 

Keri Arthur www.keriarthur.com  

Elizabeth Rolls www.elizabethrolls.com 

Christine Wells www.christine-wells.com 

Annie West www.annie-west.com 

Sharon Archer www.sharon-archer.com 

Christina Phillips www.christinaphillips.com 

Australian Romance Readers Association http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/ 

South Australian Romance Authors http://saromanceauthors.weebly.com/  

Romance Writers of Australia http://www.romanceaustralia.com/index.html 

Romance Writers of America http://www.rwanational.org/

Fleur McDonald - Author Interview - Blue Skies

 Today we have Fleur McDonald with us on our blog! Fleur is an Australian fiction writer who writes about love, life and family in Outback Australia. Her latest book is Blue Skies.

Castle Plaza Bookshop: Can you please explain the premise of your novel!

Well, Blue Skies started from a conversation I was having with a friend about the strange weather events Esperance had been having. We were dreaming up a story line and were sure that we could include them in it somehow! My friends’ house had been flooded in the 60’s and a flood was the perfect weather event we were looking for.

We also talked about things that fascinated us, like twins, family history and so forth. Finally we nutted out the story line and the Blue Skies first draft, started!

Castle Plaza Bookshop:How long will it take to set up a book?

Well, once I’ve got the basic plot worked out, I often don’t do much except write notes, for about the first six months. I really like to think a lot about the plot, characters and get everything straight in my mind. Once I’ve done that, I know I can start writing and it usually only takes me about six months to get the first draft down. Then there’s a bit of a re-read, edit and it’s off to the publishers. When I finish a chapter, I’m usually happy with – I don’t change much, so unless something changes dramatically further on in the book, I don’t have a lot of rewriting to do.

Castle Plaza Bookshop: Can you explain why you chose this theme for your book?

Friendship, loyalty and overcoming obstacles are the Australian way. I think these qualities are exacerbated in the country, because we are isolated and sometimes don’t see people from day to day. It’s what I live; it’s what I know and what I’ve experienced, so that’s why I write about rural based areas.

Castle Plaza Bookshop:Which character was the hardest to write? Which one was the easiest? Are any of your characters based on people you know or purely imaginative? 

 

Actually the main character, Amanda, was hardest to write. She didn’t always do what I wanted her to and there was times that she came across as too hard, too bitchy and self centred and not the person my publisher wanted her to be. Softening her took sometime, because I wasn’t completely sure of what Louise wanted and because I felt she needed to grow throughout the book. It was her journey. I was also encouraged, by Louise, to write this book, with only one point of view, it made it difficult when I wanted to bring someone else’s point of view in and take the spotlight off her for a while!

I think the twins were easiest – they were fun, didn’t have a lot of responsibility and just cruised their way through!

None of my characters are based on people I know – that’s the quickest way to get into trouble! However I have taken traits that I’ve observed in some people.

Castle Plaza Bookshop: What did you do before you became a published author?

Well I was and still am a farmer and a mum! My writing still takes a back seat thing to the rest of my real life!

Castle Plaza Bookshop: What led you into a writing career?

I fell into it really! Well, in saying that, I’ve always written short stories, poems and at boarding school I was a compulsive letter writer. I also come from a long line of story tellers – my dads’ stories are folk law, around our kitchen table!

My Nana seeded imagination in me, with her wild tales of the outback, but none of them were ever written down; they were told out loud.

So I think my family had a huge part to do with it as well as being blessed with the world’s most overactive imagination!

Castle Plaza Bookshop: What excites you about writing?

Oh, everything! The fact that I get to create characters that become my friends, mix their lives up with dramas and good times and fix it all in the end!

I love the escapism it creates in my life – if we’re having a bad season, it’s nice to be able to make it rain in the books – if it’s cold and rainy outside, it’s nice to be able to lock myself in the office, drink hot cups of hot chocolate and write.

I also love that it’s completely free-flowing. I don’t have to conform to anything. I trained as a singer for a while, but that was never going to work because I had sing the way the music had been written. I don’t obey “the rules” very well and writing gives me freedom.

Castle Plaza Bookshop:How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?

Well I used to feel sick every time I read one. These days, even though I still feel a bit sad that I haven’t managed to entertain someone, the way I would have like to, I just look at it and shrug. It’s one persons point of view and to that one person, I may have had ten people comment on my website or Facebook that they have enjoyed it.

Castle Plaza Bookshop:While writing, do you eat, drink or so anything special to get the mojo flowing? Like sports people wearing lucky socks etc..

I need to get off the internet! That’s the first thing! Once I’ve made the break, I like to have a coffee beside me and listen to music.

Castle Plaza Bookshop:What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Believing in yourself. It’s so difficult starting a new book – the blank computer screen can be so daunting. How on earth can I fill it with 120,000 words? It’s something I still struggle with but I have a wonderful supportive editor and publisher, who encourage me, every time I ring having a ‘meltdown I-can’t-do-this’ moment!

Castle Plaza Bookshop: Do you think that fiction brings something to peoples lives?

Oh yes! I think it goes back to the escapism I talked about in my writing. Fiction takes you to another world, time, place. Through that book, you experience something that you may not experience (hopefully never, in the case of all the murder mysteries I like to read!) it’s a break away from the monotony of real life. Hopefully you’ll fall in love and become friends with the characters and be sad when you finally close the book.

Castle Plaza Bookshop:If you could invite 3 famous people (living, dead, fictional) to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Princess Diana. I’ve always been fascinated with her and her wedding gown is the reason I had a 3m long train on my wedding dress!

Sara Storer. I love music, especially hers. It would be awesome!

Michael Connelly and Patricia Cornwell. These two authors and their books, have held me captivated over many years. They would have to be my favourites! 

About Fleur McDonald       

Fleur McDonald grew up in Orrorroo, South Australia but completed her secondary education in Adelaide. After school she spent a couple of years jillarooing in South Australia and Western Australia. Fleur lives with her husband and two children on a station near Esperance in Western Australia. Fleur is very involved in the daily management of their 8000 acres. Check out the Australian Outback Romance Blog