Welcome to Historical Author - Susie Beech

I’m delighted to welcome Susie Beech to my blog.

Hello Susie – And thank you for joining me on Arabella’s Blog and Chit-Chat today. It was lovely to connect with you through the Romantic Novelists’ Association. In my opinion, the RNA is such a great group of supportive authors and affiliate members with whom to share the writing journey, especially for New Writers’ Scheme members such as you. But before we discover more about your debut release, ‘Bewitched by Lady Rowena’, here are a few questions which will hopefully give your readers and followers an insight into some of the things that matter to you…

Arabella: Are there any organisations, writing, or reader groups, you belong to? And, how do they support or help you in creating such wonderful, inspirational novels?

Susie: The main group that I joined which has connected me to so many wonderful authors and indeed opportunities, is the RNA. I fell upon them by complete accident, read up about the New Writers Scheme, and then was determined to join in the next January. That has been about six years ago now. I’m still in the New Writers Scheme, but I’ve have had some very good feedback and ‘nearly there’s’, so fingers crossed. There are two other groups I must mention. The first was a group run by Carmel Harrington, a best-selling Irish author. Through Carmel I have met so many Irish writers and started going to book launches and workshops and met writers who have become great friends. I also belong to another group run by Sharon Thompson, Indulgeinwriting.ie and it is a great place to dip into every day for support and motivation and someone to kick my ass in gear if I need it.

Arabella: Where do you read? Sofa or bed or ____?

Susie: Mainly bed since I’m slightly allergic to cat hair and we have four cats and they seem to have rather taken over the sofas.

  

Arabella: In your debut release, Bewitched by Lady Rowena, who is your favourite character and why?

Susie: Rowena is my favourite character. I wanted to show how strong the women were during the Medieval years, when they were invariably used as currency to gain more wealth and land for their husbands, and perhaps power for the family. They had no choice in who they had to marry, however that didn’t make them weak. Indeed I created Rowena to show how incredible women had to be when they had no say in their own situation. She is feisty and physically strong and uses her brains to take control of the situation.

Arabella: When writing a novel, how do you work? Are you a plotter or pantser?

Susie: I do like plotting. I get a germ of an idea. I think about it, then usually I can visualise the ending. With my novellas, I don’t actually plot it on paper with post-it notes, but I write a good blurb and synopsis. With my other historical novels, dual-timeline or historical fiction, they need lots of plotting.

Arabella: Which would you prefer to do: 1) spend a morning vigorously working out at the gym, 2) be pampered from head to toe at the spa and beauty salon, 3) indulge and pile on the pounds with a romantic dinner for two?

Susie: None of the above. A bookshop or museum and coffee and cake would be my idea of heaven.

Arabella: Which would you rather wear: beach shorts and top, a long evening skirt and blouse, pyjamas and slippers?

Susie: Again neither. Jeans and trainers most days. I’m a very casual dresser and most activities can be managed perfectly well in these.

Arabella: We all have a long list of books we keep meaning to read but never have the time for --- which book is a must read for you this season?

Susie: Well since I love history, I think two books; The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick and Jenny Ashcroft’s new release, Meet me In Bombay.  Both perfect for early nights curled up in bed.

Arabella: What about your future plans? Any books or series in the making?

Susie: Bewitched By Lady Rowena is just the first shortish novella in what I hope will be a set of three or four books in a series called ‘The Brides of Harpend Court’. Book 2, Captivated By Her French Knight is being edited and I have plans for Book 3 and 4. The stories are all based or connected to this estate where Rowena lives. The other books will be set at different dates over the next two hundred years.

Arabella: Thank you for joining me on Arabella’s Blog and Chit-Chat, Susie. Like me, I’m sure your readers enjoyed discovering a little bit more about your personal life.

Good luck with your soon to be released debut novella, Bewitched by Lady Rowena

All the best, and wishing you lots of happy-ever-after writing, and of course eventually graduating from the RNA’s - New Writers’ Scheme.

Arabella Sheen

www.arabellasheen.co.uk  

 About Susie Beech

My first love in life is History. Sorry hubby. Reading, writing, researching it. I’ve always chosen historical books from when I was first taken to the library and I could read small chapter books. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr, was a favourite of mine from a very young age, as were all the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. If I had to pick a favourite era as a child, it was either WW2, or the American Wild West.

I started writing seriously about six years ago, whilst working part-time in both retail and education. My first love has always been history, and various types of historical novel were always going to be where I felt most at home.

Recently I have decided to self-publish under a pen-name of Susie Beech. These are sassy, sexy medieval romances, with strong female characters. I wanted to write something fun for myself whilst I still pursued a traditional contract (using my other pen-name of Susanna Branson) for my recently finished dual-timeline novel and historical romances set in and around WW1. As we all know the wheels of publishing move very slowly, but all the waiting was sapping my creative energies, so writing the medieval novellas has been a therapeutic endeavour for me.

 

I don’t use my real name in writing due to my day job. I have only ever been interested in writing because I like to tell stories, and I’m a bit camera shy so don’t mind in the slightest if I don’t promote my real name. Currently I live in Northern Ireland, with my husband, children and plenty of cats. I’ve had various jobs over the years, but my first Saturday job was in a bookshop, and I think it was only a matter of time before I turned to creative writing.

I am on facebook, but really only for the various groups that I belong to, my main use of social media is twitter and Instagram as both Susie Beech and Susanna Branson

Social Media Links 

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/susiebeech   

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/susiebeech.books/

Website:        https://susiebeech.com/

Book Blurb   Bewitched by Lady Rowena

Armand de Beaufort, loyal knight of King John has been rewarded for his faithful duty during the fight for Constantinople. All the lands belonging to his old enemy, Raulf d’Agincourt are his prize. Favoured by his king, revered by his own men, Armand de Beaufort is loyal, brave and honest. His prowess on the battlefield is beaten only fractionally by his skill in the bedchamber.

As part of his reward, Armand receives the hand of Raulf’s fair widow, Lady Rowena. But Lady Rowena despised her dead husband and has no desire to meekly accept the hand of her new husband. Instead she escapes to the countryside to take charge of her own destiny: falling in love was never on the agenda.

Armand might have prospered in battle, but is he ready for the challenges Lady Rowena throws at him?

Set in 1205, ‘Bewitched by Lady Rowena’ is set in the heart of the English countryside when fairy tales and folk lore, myths and superstitions were a part of everyday life. 

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON…

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bewitched-Lady-Rowena-Medieval-Romance-ebook/dp/B0825G23CW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=susie+beech&qid=1575233004&sr=8-1

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Bewitched-Lady-Rowena-Medieval-Romance-ebook/dp/B0825G23CW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=susie+beech&qid=1575233004&sr=8-1

Updates on release date via  Susie Beech’s Website:     https://susiebeech.com/