UK Appreciation Month; Ruth Warburton - Interview + GIveaway

1)            Please tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I live in London. I work as a book publicist by day and a writer by night (and sometimes by day too, when I get the chance!) In between I love to cook, read and gossip.

2)            At what age did you write your first book?

My first book-length story was probably when I was about 13 or 14. It was set in Portugal and the heroine was called Paris. It was pretty bad! But I wrote lots of stories before that - this one was the first one that was more than about 60,000 words.

3)            What was your inspiration for writing your book(s)?

The core inspiration behind the Winter trilogy was listening to a radio programme about romance, but there were lots of other elements too. My love of language and early English legends definitely crept in there, and there are some surprisingly autobiographical bits, particularly the flood at the end of the first book. My home town of Lewes was very badly flooded while I was still living there, and my dad's house was totally swamped. I've been that girl in wading boots throwing out waterlogged books, and it wasn't fun.

4)            Are there any parts of the story you feel particularly close to?

Maybe the flood scenes, for that reason. And perhaps the scene where Seth climbs in Anna's window. My boyfriend did that on a few occasions (usually while very drunk) - like Seth, he survived!

5)            How can our followers connect with you?

Come visit me at my website! www.ruthwarburton.com

UK related Questions:

1)      Where is your favourite place?

Lewes - where I grew up. It's the ideal town, small enough to walk from side-to-side, big enough so not everyone knows your business all the time. It has a castle, a ruined priory, an outdoor swimming pool (and an indoor one) and some very good bookshops. It also has a serious obsession with high explosives. What more do you need?

2)      What is your favourite thing about living in the UK?

Cheddar. I lived in Paris for a while and had to have it sent over at regular intervals. I also missed marmite, but I can go without that at a pinch. Not cheddar though.

3)      Is there one place you would like to visit, that you haven’t yet?

I've never been to the Tower or London or any of the Scottish islands - I'd love to do both.

4)      Do you have a favourite British band?

Yes, lots. It's very hard to pick one - everything from David Bowie, to Blur, to Fairport Convention... more recently, I've just discovered Bellowhead and can't stop humming New York Girls.

5)      Do you have a favourite British movie?

It would probably be a toss-up between Train Spotting and Billy Elliot (very different, I know!)

6)   Do you have a favourite British actor/actress?

Not one in particular - it tends to change all the time depending on what I've just seen. I recently watched Lawless and was very impressed with Tom Hardy - it made me want to watch Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which I haven't seen.

8)      When you think of Britain, what’s the first thing you think of?

Home.

9)    Which place in Britain would you most like to live other than where you do live?

Edinburgh

10)  What's your favourite British saying?

Oh tits.

A Witch in Winter

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

Although a perfect fit for the paranormal romance genre, A WITCH IN WINTER avoids fangs, excessive body hair and submissive female leads, and tells the heart-wrenching story of a couple meant to be together, but being forced apart. Seth is utterly irresistible and Anna is an empowered, proactive young woman with unimaginable magic inside her. This is fast-paced, sensuous writing with believable incantations inspired by Warburton's research into witchcraft legend and old English.

How would you like to win a copy of A Witch in Winter?
- Just fill in the form below. One free entry plus a ton of extra entries.
- UK/IRE only
- Ends 30th November 

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Author Bio: 

I was born and brought up in Sussex on the south coast of England, and I spent most of my childhood in the town of Lewes; a small town with a long history.

At university I studied English Language and Literature at the University of Manchester, and the course included Old English and Middle English texts. While I was researching A Witch in Winter I found myself returning to them, in particular to Beowulf and Le Morte D’Arthur. Seeds from these mixed with ancient Mesopotamian demons, Voodoo spells, Tudor superstitions and 15th century witch-hunting guides to create the Winter Trilogy.

Now I live in North London in a house full of boys, and I work as a publicist in the day, and a writer by night. A Witch in Winter is my first book.

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Don't forget to stop by Misty's blog today to see Belinda Rapley's post.
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