Straight Chatting from the Library: Ellie Gray

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READ THE INTERVIEW

How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?

It chose me, really. I’ve always ‘written’ stories in my head, and they have always been contemporary romance or romantic suspense. I’m very much a happy ever after kind of girl, I think the world and life is so hard in reality that, for escapism, I want to ensure a happy ending. My family and my husband think I’m mad, but if I’m watching a film or reading a book, I have to know if it is going to be a sad ending, or if one of the main character dies, so that I can prepare myself! They think it must spoil it for me but, in actual fact, it means I can relax and enjoy watching/reading, knowing that it’s either going to be happy, or that I need to prepare for the ending.

I wrote this book because the main character, Chloe, came into my head one day, and I was curious about her backstory and why she was the way she was. It took a while for me to fully understood everything she’d been through. I also set it in one of my favourite towns, Whitby, which holds many happy memories of sunny day trips when I was a child.

Writers write what they know, and must observe the world. Are you a first born, middle or last child and how does this shape your view of the world?

I’m a middle child, with two brothers – one older and one younger (obviously!) My family shaped my view of the world in lots of positive ways; I had a wonderful childhood. We lived on the edge of a wood, miles from anywhere and, because we didn’t have friends or neighbours living close by, I had a close relationship with my brothers. We had so many adventures exploring the woods. It also made us very self sufficient. My parents taught us all that we could do and be whoever we wanted to be, and I am forever grateful to them both for instilling this in all of us.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I’m lucky enough to have a small study where I can hide myself away and write to my heart’s content. It is crammed full of curios, pictures, inspirational quotes and, of course, scented candles and my smart speaker so I can listen to music while I write. It’s my most favourite space!

How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?

As I write contemporary romance I don’t tend to kill off my characters, but I do have to be quite brutal sometimes when I edit. It’s really hard to cut out one of your favourite paragraphs or chapters – you know it doesn’t really add anything to the story, but you love the way it reads. When this happens, I don’t delete it, I cut and paste it into a new Word document and save it in my ‘bits and pieces’ folder – you never know, it might fit beautifully in one of my future stories!

You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?

Ooh, hard question – I have so many favourite authors. One thing I’m always so impressed with is how crime and thriller writers come up with such complicated and convoluted plots. So, if I was introduced to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or Agatha Christie, I would ask them if they start off with the crime itself, and then work a story around it, or if they start out with why the person committed the crime, and then how they did it.

Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.

I also have a small business making handcrafted jewellery – something I have in common with Chloe!

You are stranded on a deserted island with only a back pack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?

My iPod/phone because I always listen to music…. Although I know it wouldn’t last very long on the island.
Perfume – always need to smell good. Always.
Lip balm – never without it

If you could have one super power in your existence, what would it be?

Flying – I am so envious of birds as they soar and wheel in the sky.

Favorite snack?

Crisps – my not-so-secret addiction.

Indy 500 - Do you know how to get where you’re going or do you drive the speed limit?

This one is completely lost on me…. Is it a driving race? Don’t you just go around the track as fast as possible without crashing…..?

READ THE BLURB

Having escaped an abusive relationship, Chloe MacGregor is determined to put the past behind her. The little cottage high up on the cliffs overlooking the beautiful North Yorkshire town of Whitby is her safe haven, somewhere she is free to be herself.

When the arrival of her new neighbor and boss, Luke Warwick, threatens her peaceful, sheltered life, Chloe is forced to confront her past and to re-evaluate who she really is. Falling in love with Luke is not part of her plan but, to her surprise, Luke is falling for her too. The only thing preventing their happy ever after is Chloe herself. Will she ever truly learn to leave the past where it belongs?

READ AN EXCERPT

“Oh, Jasper, what was I doing? I made such a fool of myself last night.”

The German Shepherd looked up expectantly on hearing her name, thumping her tail on the carpet as Chloe sank onto the sofa and dropped her head in her hands.

“I can’t believe I kissed him. A complete stranger, and I kissed him!” She squeezed her eyes shut, her cheeks burning as she remembered vividly what it had felt like to be held in his arms, and her own completely unexpected response to his passionate kiss. She looked up when Jasper whined and pushed a wet nose against her fingers.

“Okay, you’re right; think positive.” Chloe took a deep breath, and straightened up to address her dog. “So, lessons learned from last night. Number one, Lucie is a total bitch…excuse my language.” She grimaced apologetically at Jasper. “But she is. She is definitely not a friend, and you’d better remind me of that the next time she rings or texts me.”

“Lesson number two.” She counted off on her fingers. “Chris…Chris is…” Her chin wobbled and she paused, taking a moment to bite back sudden tears. Jasper shuffled closer as if sensing her distress, resting her head on Chloe’s knees.

“Thank you, Jasper. I love you, too.” She scratched Jasper’s ears before nodding her head. “Lesson two. Chris is a complete and utter bastard, and obviously still has the power to hurt me, if I let him. But I won’t, I can’t. Otherwise, this last year has just been a complete waste.”

“Lesson number three. Not everyone is like Chris; there are still some good guys out there. Guys like Luke Warwick, for instance.” She paused, head on one side as she considered. “At least, I think he’s a good guy. Not that I’ll ever see him again, thank goodness.”

She blew out a long breath. “Ohhhh, and lesson number four. Do not go around kissing said good guys. Just because I found out that I do actually like kissing some people, it does not change the fact that I am no good at the whole kissing and sex thing.”

Chloe smiled and lifted Jasper’s furry face, looking into the dog’s beautiful, brown eyes. “And finally, lesson number five. The same lesson as every other day. I am a good person, and just because I’m rubbish in bed, it does not give someone the right to treat me like dirt.”

“There.” She let Jasper go and walked over to the window, looking out over the cliffs. “I think that’s more than enough lessons for one day, don’t you? How about going down to the beach?”

MEET THE AUTHOR

I love to write heartwarming, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense novels, with characters I really want my readers to engage with. I live in the beautiful East Riding of Yorkshire in the UK and, although I work full-time in the public sector, my favourite pastime, when not writing, is wandering around old stately homes and castles, or sitting at a pavement café in the sun and watching the world go by – always on the lookout for something that might spark the idea for my next novel.

I enjoy engaging with both readers and other authors, and am a proud member of the Romantic Novelist Association. Feel free to contact me and chat about all things romance through my social media pages, which you can find at the bottom of this page.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Warwicks-Mermaid-Ellie-Gray-ebook/dp/B096MS49HX
https://www.amazon.com/Warwicks-Mermaid-Ellie-Gray-ebook/dp/B096MS49HX
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warwicks-mermaid-ellie-gray/1126986525

Links for Ellie Gray, Contemporary Romance Author

Website: https://elliegrayauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliegrayauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elliegray58
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/elliegray71/

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