Prolific Mills & Boon author Alison Roberts tells us all about hitting an absolutely amazing milestone – her new book, The Vet’s Unexpected Family, is her 100th book!
Read on for an exclusive Q&A with Alison…
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This month, we’re celebrating the release of your 100th book, congratulations! What has your writing journey been like?
Like any journey in life, it’s had its ups and downs but overall, my writing career has been both a joy and a privilege. I’ve found the most wonderful friends and have travelled to many countries to meet my editors and attend conferences, fiction festivals and writing retreats. I feel very lucky and also humbled by the readers who love my books – they’re the reason I’ve reached this astonishing milestone!
How are you going to celebrate this incredible achievement?
A celebration for me involves spending time with the special people in my life, preferably in person but today’s technology makes it possible to connect no matter where we are in the world. Oh…and maybe some champagne?
What are 3 things you’ve learned writing 100 books?
Number one would be self-discipline. Working as a writer represents a career with the ultimate glide-time and freedom to write both when and where you choose to. If you want to make a career out of it, it also means that you have to show up to work every day. You have to try your best to work through or around any chaos that might be going on in your personal life or health issues and the perception from family or friends that it ‘isn’t a real job’ so you can just stop anytime to take phone calls or have visitors.
Number two is a principle that I actually learned through creating and maintaining a very large garden but it applies equally well to writing a book or any other large project in life that you might want to tackle. Doing even a little bit but doing it as often as possible – preferably every day – makes anything achievable. One page is only 250 words but if you do one of them every day, by the end of a year, you will have written quite a long book. Or two shorter books like romance novels! You might also have planned, dug, planted and weeded a very large garden 😊
The number three thing I’ve learned is the power of a deadline. Author Douglas Adams said he loved deadlines – he loved the’ sound of them whooshing past’. I love deadlines because they give me a target and can give a task that can seem too daunting sometimes an extra element of challenge and then success when you’ve reached your goal. I don’t think I’ve ever missed an external deadline from editors. Treating the internal deadlines I set for myself with equal respect is a work in progress!
What was the inspiration behind your new book, The Vet’s Unexpected Family?
I was keen to try something different for this milestone book so when my lovely editor Megan suggested a duet collaboration with one of my writing friends based around an animal rescue centre, I was delighted to run with the idea. Marion Lennox and I have worked together many times before and we both love dogs so things fell into place as we explored ideas for our linked books. And I love that I get to share my 100th book with a special friend.
What are your favourite character traits?
Intelligence
Compassion, and the ability to put others first – what better way to reveal a trait like this than through the care and commitment of medics?
A sense of humour is right up there. Essential, in fact. Personally, I find one of the sexiest things a man can do is to make me laugh.
What advice would you give to a writer submitting their work to Mills & Boon?
Perhaps the best advice I could give would be one of those things I’ve learned in my career – that perseverance is key and even if you don’t have the luxury of all the time you might want, even a little bit at a time adds up fast if you do it often enough. Perseverance is useful in other ways, as well. I don’t believe in writer’s ‘block’ as such. If things become too hard, something has gone wrong along the way and you might need to unpick what you’ve done and make a fresh start in a new direction. Finally, if an editor takes the time to read your submission and offer suggestions to improve your manuscript then follow that advice. They know what they’re doing!
What are some of your favourite romantic films/tv shows? Any recommendations?
I have too many favourites! Old movies like Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally, Dirty Dancing, Love Actually and Chocolat. My most favourite romantic tv series have been Australian – McCloud’s Daughters and Offspring. I’ve also enjoyed Virgin River and I would definitely recommend Normal People which I found mesmerising – a love story being told through a physical relationship with heartbreaking eloquence.
Last question! Flowers or chocolate?
Flowers. They’re a visual celebration every time you see them and I love a splash of colour in my house. Even better if they smell wonderful. It doesn’t have to be a big, expensive bouquet from a florist, though. I love a bowl of daffodils or daisies and a bunch of sweet peas is just heaven.
Chocolate’s pretty good, too, though… 😉
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The Vet’s Unexpected Family by Alison Roberts
When a baby is left in celebrity vet Finn’s waiting room, he can’t believe that it’s his granddaughter and that he has a secret daughter! With his emotions running riot and feeling utterly out of his depth with a newborn, Finn needs help…and kind-hearted colleague Hazel is the perfect candidate! Hazel has always been ‘just a friend’. Now, she might be becoming someone that he can’t live without…
Read now in eBook or in paperback which also includes A Rescue Dog to Heal Them by Marion Lennox.
