It’s Friday again and that means it’s time for another Friday in Focus! Today I am joined by Sophie Pembroke
Sophie, can you tell us a little about you?
I’m Sophie Pembroke, and I’m a full time author, writing mostly romance and women’s fiction. I was born in the United Arab Emirates, grew up in Wales, and now I live in a little Hertfordshire market town in the south of England with my husband, seven year old daughter and one year old son.
Can you tell us about your new book?
My latest release is The Last Days of Summer, which is a sort of grown up coming of age story set in the timeless world of Rosewood House, family home to the Drury family. It’s the story of Saskia, who travels home to Rosewood for the first time in two years to attend her grandparents’ Golden Wedding party. Her plan is to get in, drink some champagne, and get the hell out again – without her family figuring out the secrets that drove her away in the first place, or why her sister can barely look at her. Needless to say, nothing goes entirely to plan. Especially as she hadn’t banked on her grandfather Nathaniel’s new assistant, Edward, or Nathaniel’s big announcement…
What is your favourite place to write?
I do most of my writing these days in my study at home, which used to be the garage, and is separated from the rest of the house by two doors – vital when you have kids. But actually, I can write anywhere – on trains, in the library, coffee shops, surrounded by family or totally alone. My absolute favourite place to write is the British Museum Members’ Room. Whenever I’m in London for meetings I try to pop to my museum, take in an exhibit or two, then get some work done in the members’ room.
Where do you get your character inspiration from?
I’m forever stealing snippets from real life – a habit from one person, a conversational quirk from another, and a bit of back story from somebody else. Half the fun is taking real life personalities, mixing them up, then changing and twisting them to make somebody entirely new and unrecognisable. My favourite starting point when I’m coming up with a new character is to ask what it is they want most in the world. Once you know that, everything else is just adding more layers to that core.
What are your 3 desert island books?
Ooh, just three? Too hard! Um, I’d have to say… Shadow of the Moon by M M Kaye, Welcome to Temptation by Jenny Crusie and Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay.
What is your favourite place to read?
My sofa. In the winter, I can curl up there with a blanket and a cup of tea, and in the summer I can throw open the patio doors to let the breeze from the garden through.
What is your favourite book and why?
I think Shadow of the Moon by M M Kaye. It has such a fantastic mix of so many things I love – history, romance, different cultures, drama, true love, and that all important happy ending.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love hanging out with my family, visiting castles, reading… all sorts of things! I also sing in a choir who rehearse once a week and perform in several concerts a year. Singing is brilliant for blowing away the cobwebs and getting rid of stress. Plus I get to catch up with all my choir friends, too!
Chocolate or sweets?
Chocolate. Every time. I can’t believe that’s even a question.
Is there a book you wished you wrote?
There have been many books I’ve finished reading, loved beyond measure, and secretly wished I’d written them first. But actually, if I’d written them, I wouldn’t have been able to read them for the first time, and had that experience as a reader. And I’m not so sure I’d want to lose that.
You have a free flight and accommodation to anywhere in the world where would you go?
There are so many places I’d love to go! Maybe Australia, to visit my cousin Phil for his upcoming wedding. That would be very special.
What is your favourite season?
Autumn. It’s that whole back to school feeling I love. Especially since it tends to come with new stationery.
Where can we find you?
Twitter – @Sophie_Pembroke
Facebook – www.facebook.com/SophiePembrokeAuthor
Blog/Website – www.SophiePembroke.com
The Last Days of Summer by Sophie Pembroke Also by this author: The Kiss Before Christmas
on 9th June 2016
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle, Audible
Saskia has always loved Rosewood. It was her family home, her sanctuary and her memories of it are vividly alive even after two years of being absent. Never did she think she would be standing in the rose garden afraid to cross the threshold and own up to the past she had run away from.
So much about Rosewood hasn’t changed, everyone still dresses for dinner, sips cocktails on the terrace, her father cooks every delicious meal and her beloved grandfather still tells spellbinding stories. But the cold reception from her grandmother, Ellie’s complete avoidance of her and the judgmental gaze of Edward, her grandfather’s new assistant (who seems to know more than enough about her past), are all new to Kia.
All Kia needs to do is attend her grandparent’s Golden Wedding Party and make it to the train station without her secret coming out. What could possible go wrong in just one weekend?
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