Welcome back to my blog, Carol. I have a few questions for you and I'm sure your readers would love to read your answers, too.
Which character from your novels would you say was most similar to yourself, and why?
While all of the female characters I write have a bit of me in them, I try to make my female leads braver than I am. That way, they take me places I haven't been and lead me into new situations. In A Summer of Second Chances, Ava Flynn has given up her own ambitions to run her late mum's charity, All Critters Great and Small, including managing the related charity shop. When her first love Henry Bramlington returns to Dapplebury, he inadvertently leaves a donation at the shop that unlocks secrets to Ava's past. I loved writing about Ava's journey and her relationship (past and present) with Henry. While I hope I share her qualities of being a good friend and thinking of others, I know she is more fearless than I am.
How do you choose names and jobs for your characters?
Having been a teacher for many years, I believe names really do reflect character. I choose ones I like and then research their meaning (or sometimes vice versa). I also search them in Google images to get a feel for what people with that name look like. Finally, I check to ensure I am not using the name of someone famous.
Jobs tend to be decided by the needs of the story and character type. I like to learn about new roles; doing research is very much part of the fun of writing. And people tend to be very kind in offering help and advice when they know you are an author.
If you were single and could only date one of your heroes, who would it be, and why?
What a great question. I tend to fall in love a little with each of my heroes as I write, which I think helps build the story's chemistry. So really, I would be happy to date any of my male leads. While Henry Bramlington, from A Summer of Second Chances, is sensitive and comes with a title and an ancestral home (how great would that be!), I think Nathan Baker from the Lisa Blake series – The Purrfect Pet Sitter and Maybe Baby – is more my type. And, you know, he is lovely and looks like Chris Hemsworth, so I'd find him hard to resist.
If the animals in your books were real and you could only adopt one, which would it be and why?
This is an easy one for me. Bramble in Crazy Over You was based on my dear old chocolate Labrador, Benson. He was a loving and loyal companion and my best friend for almost sixteen years. I have had two other wonderful Labs in my life that I love dearly; they've also provided inspiration for the dogs in my books, but Benson and I shared a very special bond. I miss him every day.
Can you tell us a little about your current WIP?
I wish I could, but to be honest, since losing my mum to Covid in January, I have found it hard to form a complete story idea. I have tentatively started one, had ideas for several others, but have nothing yet firm enough to share. I know I need to get on and write, that the ideas will come if I do, but knowing that and doing it are proving two different things.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog.
About A Summer of Second Chance:
A heart-warming romance full of love, friendship and four legged friends!
Does first love deserve a second chance?
Ava Flynn sometimes feels like the clothes donated to her charity shop have seen more life than her, but ‘maximum dedication for a minimal wage’ is what it takes to keep her mother’s beloved wildlife charity, All Critters Great and Small, running especially in the village of Dapplebury, where business is certainly not booming.
But when Ava’s first love, Henry Bramlington, returns to the village, suddenly life becomes a little too eventful. Henry escaped Dapplebury many years before, but now he has the power to make or break the village he left behind All Critters Great and Small included. Can Ava trust the boy who ran away to give both her and her charity a second chance?
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Published by: Choc Lit
Buying Links:
Amazon: http://getbook.at/SOSCAmazon
Other books by Carol Thomas
Maybe Baby: http://getbook.at/MBAmazon
The Purrfect Pet Sitter: http://getbook.at/TPPSAmazon
Crazy Over You: http://getbook.at/COYAmazon
About the Author:
Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children and lively Labrador. She has been a primary school teacher for over twenty years and has a passion for reading, writing and people watching. When she is not in school, chasing after her children, or stopping her dog from eating things he shouldn’t, she can be found loitering in cafes drinking too much tea and working on her next book. She also volunteers for her local Cancer Research UK charity shop.
Carol writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads.
Website and Social Media Links:
Angela Barton writes both contemporary and historical fiction. Her books can be found online and can be ordered in any good books shops.
Arlette’s Story: amzn.to/2lAyIlb
Magnolia House: smarturl.it/fttfc2
You’ve Got My Number: http://amzn.to/35Q19jB