Why did you
choose to write Romantic Suspense?
I am a romantic at heart. If you
have ever loved and been loved in return, then you can write about the subject
with some authority. I suppose, that is
one of the reasons that I chose to write romantic fiction.
After I had written my first novel, Where the Shamrock Grows, a
rags to riches saga that included some of Ireland’s past history and
America’s depression, and getting nowhere with it, I began to realise that it was missing an
important ingredient by today’s standards; that page turning quality which
makes a reader want to read on.
That was when I decided to try added suspense to my stories.
Shadow across
the Liffey, has a villain by the name of Vinnie Kelly, a selfish, mean character,
who, when he cannot win back the heart of the heroine, Oona, he becomes set on
revenge with dire consequences.
Her Father’s
Daughter, also has a bad guy by the name of George Milford, a rich landowner who
sets out to ruin the hero, Dan, by having his thrown off the council and sacked
from the newspaper.
Likewise, in my current book, Galway Girl, the heroine, Tamara has
a real tough time, and is pursued throughout the book by the iniquitous Jake
Travis.
I love writing and reading romantic suspense with strong plots that keep
the reader hooked until the last page.
BLURB:
A gripping story of how family secrets can
wreak havoc on the present.
In 60’s
Ireland life is hard for widow, Oona Quinn, grief-stricken by the tragic deaths of her husband and five-year-old
daughter. Struggling to survive, she meets charismatic Jack Walsh at the
Shipping Office.
Vinnie
Kelly, her son's biological father, just out of jail, sets out to destroy Oona and all she holds dear. Haunted by her past, she has to fight
for her future and the safety of her son, Sean. But Vinnie has revenge on his mind . ..
Excerpt:
The sun had just come out, and McNally cursed the
task ahead of him. The child’s death had touched him deeply. At the station, he
had seen tears in grown men’s eyes. This was, by far, the hardest thing he had ever
had to do.
He parked the car outside the house with the shiny
green door and well-maintained garden, and walked slowly up the path. He
hesitated. From inside he heard laughter and music, and it pained him to be the
bearer of such shocking news. A lump formed in his throat. He removed his hat
and held it in front of him, before knocking on the door.
‘Mrs Quinn?’
Oona stared at the uniformed man on her doorstep.
‘That... that’s me.’ She clutched the door. ‘Has, has something happened?’
‘I’m Sergeant McNally. There’s been an accident.
May I come in?’
Connie joined her in the hall, the smile slipping
from her face.
‘Are you a relative?’ he asked.
‘We’re sisters. What is it?’
He thought Oona was going to faint but her
sister’s hand guided her towards the living room.
A moment later, the two women sat on the sofa
clutching hands.
‘May I sit down?’
Oona nodded. She was trembling. McNally could see
a glimmer of hope in her big brown eyes.
‘I’m afraid your husband’s been in a serious
accident, Mrs Quinn.’ He saw all her fears encapsulated in that one terrible
moment as he delivered the news.
‘Please, tell me he’s not dead.’
Buy links:
Cathy
is an experienced writer of romantic fiction. Her early work was competition
short stories and articles published in national magazines. She was Editor in
Chief of the Leicestershire Anthology, ‘Taking Off’, a book promoted and
supported by Arts Council UK.
Member of Leicester Writers’ Club, Just Write workshop, Life President of Lutterworth Writers’ Group, Member NAWG, Member Romantic Novelist Association and past president of Riverside Speakers club.
In
recent times, Cathy has turned to writing full-length novels that are set in
Ireland/England. Her debut book Shadow Across the Liffey was published on 7th
February 2013 by Tirgearr Publishing.
She was a recent contestant on the TV show Food Glorious Food to be
broadcast on 27th February 2013
cathy.ashbymagna@zen.co.uk
