Friday, August 23, 2013

Interview with Helena Fairfax

Helena Fairfax lives next door to Brontë country in Yorkshire. She has a half-crazed rescue dog and together they tramp the moors every day - one of them chasing story ideas, the other chasing pheasants. 

Welcome to the blog, Helena. We’d love to know how getting published has changed your life? 

I’ve made some real friendships all over the world. I didn’t expect this at all. It’s absolutely the best thing that’s happened to me since being published.

If you could pick up your house and move it, where would you relocate it? 

Well, I like where I live, near Saltaire, which is a preserved mill town. The weather’s not so good here on the edge of the moors, though, so in winter I’d go to the south of France, where I’d spend Christmas drinking red wine and eating gateau des rois.

What is your favourite guilty pleasure? 

Drinking red wine…but to be honest, I don’t feel that guilty about it .

If you could star in a movie, who would you choose as your male lead? 

If I could time travel, Paul Newman

Which authors do you choose to read for pleasure? 

I’m a total bookslut. Anything. I’ve just read a brilliant book by 1930s author Angela Thirkell, and I’m about to start Richard House’s multimedia thriller The Kills.



One rainy day in London, Wyoming man Kurt Bold walks into an antique shop off the King’s Road and straight into the dreams of its owner, Penny Rosas. Kurt seems every inch the romantic cowboy hero…but he soon brings Penny down to earth with a thump. His job is in the City, in the logical world of finance—and as far as Kurt is concerned, romance is just for dreamers. 

Events in his childhood have shown him just how destructive love can be. Now he’s looking for a wife, right enough, but what he wants is a marriage based on logic and rational decisions. Kurt treats Penny like he would his kid sister, but when he hires her to refurbish his Victorian house, it’s not long before he starts to realise it’s not just his home she’s breathing life into. The logical heart he has guarded so carefully all these years is opening up to new emotions, in a most disturbing way… 

Website: http://www.helenafairfax.com 

Thank you for sparing the time to talk to us today Helena. We wish you continuing success with your books. 
Best wishes, Freda 

Interviews on the RNA Blog are carried out by Freda, Henri and Livvie. They are for RNA members only. If you are interested in an interview, please contact: freda@fredalightfoot.co.uk 

26 comments:

Marie Laval said...

Lovely interview Helena. I loved The Silk Romance and I can't wait for Antique Love!

anne stenhouse said...

Hi Helena, your book reading philosophy is so familiar. I read anything in the bookcase when a child and my mum would say, no book is so bad you can't learn something from it. Now, I need to be a bit selective as there's so much choice and time seems to pass more quickly. Good luck, fellow MuseItUp author, with your new publication. Anne Stenhouse

Lindsay Townsend said...

Lovely interview, Helena. Wishing you much success

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks for your kind comment, Marie! So glad you enjoyed The Silk Romance. Thank you!

Helena Fairfax said...

Hi Anne, thanks so much for your good wishes. It's a shame we have to be selective in our reading, isn't it? So much to read, so little time! Thanks again for your comment

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks for dropping by, Lindsay, and for your good wishes!

Colleen Connally said...

Love your covers...just had to mention that. Enjoyed the interview. Good luck with your release. Wish you success.

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks so much for your comment, Jerri. Everyone has commented on my lovely covers. I will pass your comment on to Charlotte Volnek, my designer. Thank you!

Rose Anderson said...

Nice interview Helena. Loved the part about your half-crazed dog on the moors. :) Best luck.

Unknown said...

Hi Helena,

I think we're all book sluts when time allows. Your new one sounds like another great read. I can't wait to dig into this one. Congrats and good luck.

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks so much for coming, Rose. My dog is sweet, but definitely bonkers! Thanks very much for your comment!

Helena Fairfax said...

Thank you so much, Lorrie! Your comment is much appreciated. I'm looking forward to release of The Antique Love next week! :)

Mary Raimes Curtis said...

I have the release date for The Antique Love on my calendar, Helena. Didn't want to miss it. Although I might have to wait until I'm settled in my new home to read it. At the moment I'm trying to find one crazy cat among all the packing boxes. Ain't life fun with furry inhabitants?

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks so much for your comment, Mary. Cats hate to move :( I hope your move is going well, and you have managed to sort through your collection of books! Lovely to hear from you :)

Rosalie Skinner said...

Great interview. The moors always sound so magical and romantic... or dangerous.
Good luck with your books. They sound great.

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks, Rosalie. I find the moors a totally magical place. The changing colours of the seasons and skies make it seem almost a living thing. And the danger comes from.the people trapping small animals and shooting. That can feel quite threatening. I don't like that part at all.

Marsha said...

Hey, Helena. Sorry to be joining the party late. I agree about making friends all over. That's definitely a perk, I hadn't anticipated. Love that you live on the moors. Brought up on Heathcliff myself, and it does sound so crazily romantic and dangerous.
Just finished your first book, The Silk Romance, which I loved. Will try to get up the review at various sites this weekend. Good luck with The Antique Love. Truly Charlotte is brilliant with her covers. She did mine, too, and people are always commenting. Good luck with "Antique." Like other MIU folks,I'll be spreading the news.

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks so much for taking time out of your blog tour to stop in and comment, Marsha. Your support is really appreciated. Good luck with Vermont, and thanks again!

Unknown said...

Hi Helena,

Love your covers, and your books. And what a lucky lady you are to be able to merge with the moors on a daily basis. Pure bliss! Wishing you the best of luck with your book sales.

Helena Fairfax said...

Hi Gemma, thanks so much for your comment. You're right, I'm lucky to have the moors on my doorstep, and I often think so when I'm walking there. The open space is important to me, and I've also made the love of the outdoors a large part of my hero's character in The Antique Love.
Thanks again for your lovely comment and your good wishes!

Susan Bernhardt said...

Enjoyed your interview, Helena. I also love drinking red wine as well as looking at Paul Newman...lol. And meeting new friends, through writing has been a wonderful fringe benefit.

Susan Bernhardt
The Ginseng Conspiracy
www.susanbernhardt.com

Helena Fairfax said...

Thanks Susan! It's been lovely getting to know you. Nice to know we also share some of the same interests :) Thanks for your lovely comment!

Patricia said...

Helena, congratulations on your upcoming release! The Silk Romance was beautiful and I'm definitely a fan! Here's to booksluts!

Anonymous said...

Great interview Helena. I love the cover (and the premise) of your new book.
As Lorrie said, we're all book sluts if we had the time. I know I certainly would fill any spare time I had reading.

Helena Fairfax said...

Hi Patricia, Thanks for coming, and I'm thrilled you liked The Silk Romance! That's made my day :) Thanks again!

Helena Fairfax said...

Hi Rhoda, thanks for your lovely comment. Wouldn't it be wonderful to read all day, every day. I'm in the middle of reading Longbourn now, and have had to steel myself to put it down, and get on with a day's writing. Not to be opened until 9pm :(
Thanks again for taking the time to comment!