TBR welcomes Rachel Leigh

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Rachel Leigh. Will you share a little bit about yourself?
Rachel: I am fairly new to writing erotic romance but have written mainstream romance under a different name for about seven years. I came to erotic romance because of the heroine in my first release, Explicitly English. This woman gave me no alternative…her thoughts, her clothes, her ambitions were so erotic her story could not have been told in any other sub-genre.

TBR: Tell us about Coming Back and where it's available.
Rachel: Coming Back is my second release and is set in a small town in the UK – it is a ‘reunion story’ where both the hero and heroine have to battle huge trust issues to find what they need in themselves and each other.

Although erotic, the story is deeply emotional and I hope, satisfying.

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Rachel:

Kelly Hampton loved once...and lost. After two years of looking for Sean MacKenzie in other men--and failing miserably--she takes a vow of celibacy. No sex until she finds love. Then Sean strolls back into her bar, reigniting old flames. No one has come close to understanding or satisfying her like he did. Her body burns for the passion they once shared, but her heart still remembers the pain.

 Sean escaped Jessop Hill and his father's fists in the middle of the night without a word--even to his love, Kelly--to protect his battered mother, but he never forgot the explosively erotic relationship he left behind. Now his father is dead and Sean is back for the only woman he's ever wanted. Their reunion is full of fire – but can sexual attraction and noble intentions overcome years of heartache or will Kelly walk away to protect her heart this time.

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Rachel: Trust is the theme in Coming Back but it is a running theme throughout the majority of my writing. I think gaining someone’s trust and keeping it is a very hard and challenging thing to do. When you lose trust, whether in yourself or others, the conflict and potential for heartbreak is huge…and so are the stories ;)

TBR: Are you a plotter or pantser?
Rachel: Hmm… a bit of both! I tend to have a story premise and then write the hero and heroine character sketches, which then bring up new conflicts. I then write a short two-page synopsis so I have an good overall idea of the story I want to write. After that, it’s just hitting the keyboard until I type ‘the end’. The big clean up starts in draft two!

TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?
Rachel: “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” Will Smith

TBR: What's next for you?
Rachel: I am just about to send the final edits back to my editor on novella number three. Although the hero and heroine are British, this story is set on the Greek island of Zante where things get very, very hot. I am hoping “Zante Heat” will be released during the summer. I’ll keep you posted!

TBR: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Rachel: The most challenging for me is the actual plotting – getting the conflicts right, upping the stakes and keep the reader wanting more. That’s the hard part. The most rewarding is readers saying how much they love a certain story or character, that’s just fabulous. Oh, and the first glimpse at a new cover is up there too! J

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Rachel: 

http://rachelleigh.co.uk/

http://rachelleighromance.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: @rachelwriter

TBR: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Rachel: What would you like to see more of from your favorite writers? Interviews? Original blog posts? Twitter and Facebook interaction?

TBR: Readers, Rachel Leigh will give away a free download of Coming Back or Explicitly English (reader's choice) to one lucky commenter. She'll pick a winner on Friday, May 4^th and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so she can contact you.

Thanks so much for visiting TBR, Rachel! All the best to you.