Thursday, September 17, 2015

Author Showcase: Susanne Bellamy

For today's Author Showcase, I bring you the lovely Susanne Bellamy. Let's find out more about Susanne, shall we?

As far back as I can remember I have been both a writer and a dancer. My first efforts at writing were letters from my four-year-old self to my sister who was in the Navy and sent via ‘gollywog’ post. As for dancing; also since the age of four, I hear a piece of music and snatches of choreography fill my imagination, my body starts to move in time and believe me, that can be embarrassing if I forget where I am!

I am also a high school teacher of English and French but when I volunteered to introduce Drama I found two of my passions – teaching and musicals – inextricably entwined. The first day at my new school, I heard they were going to stage The King and I so I rushed over to offer my help.
    “What can you do?”
    “I dance.”
    “Great. We need a choreographer. You’re it.”

Thrilled and scared in equal measure, that afternoon began my attachment to the Performing Arts while continuing my life-long love affair with big Broadway musicals and my desire to educate students in extra-curricular pursuits. I guess writing was an obvious next step for me. Those who know me best agree.

I penned my first full-length story as a challenge to myself. Could I actually sustain my ideas as an entire novel? In 2010, my husband was trekking in Nepal so, naturally, I set my story in Hawaii. Opposites, right? White Ginger came third in the 2011 Romance Writers of Australia Emerald Award and was picked up by a publisher. Since then, I’ve written novels and novellas in several genres: contemporary romance, both historical and contemporary romantic suspense, even one sci-fi novella. I have seven stories published, with my eighth due out on 20 September. It’s a rural romance. I love challenging myself to do what I haven’t done before!

My next book, Second Chance Love, is my first rural romance and releases on 20th September. It is the third book in A Bindarra Creek Romance, a series set in a fictional small town in New South Wales. 13 authors, 13 stories, over 13 months.

Wow! Susanne, I'm glad to find a fellow lover of Broadway musicals. I have a really good girlfriend and it breaks my heart she doesn't like musicals. It's something I can't share with her.

And I love the idea of 13 authors, 13 stories, 13 months. How every exciting. A great series for lovers of Australian rural romance.

Thank you so much for being here today. Now on to the book ...



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Second Chance Love
A Bindarra Creek Romance #3
By: Susanne Bellamy
Releasing September 20, 2015
Self Published

Buy Links:  Amazon (TBC)

Synopsis


When Claire Swenson inherits her great-aunt’s home and returns to Bindarra Creek as town librarian, Angus McGregor is the first person she meets.

The second is his eleven-year old son.
Just because Angus wants a second chance doesn't mean that Claire will put aside her determination not to commit to a relationship.

No matter how sexy he is, or how well they work together as they fight for the community and to save Angus’ property.
Can he convince Claire that love is sweeter the second time around?



Excerpt

cup    Angus watched Claire’s soft pink lips close around the two wide straws in her milkshake and his groin tightened. The last milkshake they’d shared, she had one straw, and he had the other. Holding hands across the table, their foreheads had touched as they bent over the anodised pastel-pink beaker.
    In those days, one touch of Claire and his body had fired up with desire. Rampant teenage hormones sent them off to the creek where they shared lime-flavoured kisses. And more.
    Some things hadn’t changed. He leaned forward, hoping his jacket covered his reaction to her. “Are they as good as you remember?”
    Claire held up one finger and closed her eyes as she drank. In repose, her face had a classical, serene beauty that his fingers longed to trace—the line of her jaw, the arch of her eyebrows, the fullness of her lips.
    Beside him, Ollie sat on the edge of his seat and watched her intently, his own drink forgotten as he waited for her reply.
    She sat back and met Ollie’s gaze. “Heavenly. Your dad was right. Lime is definitely the best—still.”     She licked her bottom lip, finishing in the corner.
    Angus bit back a groan and dipped his head to his straw. Short of diving into his milkshake, he wasn’t going to be able to quench his definite interest in Claire anytime soon.
    “See, Dad, I told you Miss Swenson would love lime, same as you and me.” Apparently satisfied with his success, Ollie tucked into his drink followed by the house special, a giant hamburger with chips and sweet chilli sauce on the side.
    But just because Claire still preferred lime milkshakes didn’t mean Angus knew the grown up woman. Was she still into Powderfinger and Midnight Oil? Did she still adore ‘Die Hard’ movies? And right then, he knew he would be renewing his relationship with Claire.
    “Have you moved into Margaret’s house?”
    Claire nodded and swallowed her mouthful. “Yes. There’s a lot of sorting to do but it’s nice being back there, even though she’s gone. I miss her so much. There’s no smell of baking wafting through the house, and I miss her singing. She always sang, except when she was digging in the garden.”
    “Mum sang too.” Ollie took another bite of his burger and chewed. “At least, I think she did. Didn’t she, Dad?” Ollie’s question hit like a thump in Angus’ stomach. 
    “Sometimes.” Angus often wondered how much Ollie remembered of his mother, despite his efforts to keep her memory alive for his son. He turned to Claire. “Oliver was just two when Laura died. Breast cancer,” he added, hoping to forestall Claire’s inevitable question. The ache of his wife’s passing had dulled over time and yet he’d never been tempted into another relationship.
    Until now.
    Claire’s reappearance in town coupled with this trip down memory lane stirred more than memories as though it were only yesterday they’d made out down by the creek. A twinge of guilt pricked him.
    Nine years was a long time. He’d never forget Laura but maybe Claire’s return now was meant to be.     They’d been good together and clearly, Ollie was quite taken by Claire. 
    Images of cosy domesticity filtered through his mind. She was good with Ollie and appeared to genuinely like him. Was it possible that this time, if he asked her, she might be tempted to stay? With him and Ollie, permanently?

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Check out some of these titles by Susanne too



About the author

authorBorn and raised in Toowoomba, Susanne is an Australian author of contemporary and suspense romances set in exciting and often exotic locations. She adores travel with her husband, both at home and overseas, and weaves stories around the settings and people she encounters. One Night in Sorrento almost wrote itself after her travels in Italy, and her next release, Second Chance Love, was inspired by a stint teaching in far north-west Queensland in a rural setting where a sense of community was strong. While most of her stories are set in the present day, she has also enjoyed dipping into the future and the past. 

Her Hawaiian novels are inspired by a lifelong fascination with the country and reading too many books and watching too many movies set there.

Susanne’s heroes have to be pretty special to live up to her real life hero. He saved her life then married her. They live on the edge of bush land on a mountain in beautiful sunny Queensland, Australia, with their dog.

Susanne is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) and was a finalist in their 2011 Emerald Award. She placed third in the recent Pan Macmillan short story competition with Chez Romeo. Mentoring aspiring writers, and working as a part-time editor keeps her off the street! She loves connecting with readers and fellow writers.

Author links: Website - Facebook - TwitterGoodreads


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7 comments:

  1. It's great to know more about you Susanne! I am sure the patience you must have been graced with to become a teacher comes in handy when you have characters in your head fighting to get out!

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    1. Hi Bambi, thanks for visiting. Patience is necessary, that's for sure, but there is a great deal of pleasure in seeing what young people can achieve. Hope that comes through in my characters!

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  2. Hi Susanne

    I have heard a lot of good things about this series and I have them added to my must have list (I really need more time in the day) and I do enjoy your stories although I am not caught up I have read White Ginger and Engaging The Enemy and enjoyed them very much :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Helen, you must have a mile long TBR. I'm amazed how many books and reviews you managed to pump out. Wish I had that kind of time to read.

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  3. Hi Helen,

    So pleased you enjoyed WG and ETE. Thank you for saying so! Bindarra Creek started with a bang and I'm firmly of the opinion now that the community is real and has the best marriage rate in the country! It's certainly full of hunky heroes and feisty women.

    Thanks for stopping by, Helen. I'm sure you will love all the BC stories when you begin the series.

    Cheers,
    Susanne

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  4. Susanne, thank you for being on the blog today. Loved learning more about you.

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    1. Deanna,

      Thanks for hosting me. I enjoyed meeting the challenge you set with your questions, and am delighted to be one of your early guests.

      Cheers!

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