It’s publication day for Jane Lark’s new novel The Nevada Escapists’ Club and I’ve managed to catch her for a chat…

Good morning Jane and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

I live near Bath in the UK; in a small cottage on the village green. We have no idea exactly how old our cottage is but we think it was built in the 16th Century. Beyond writing I like gardening and I have a passion for classical statues and old trees. I don’t feel quite so odd talking about an obsession with old tress since Judy Dench came out 😉

How did your writing journey begin?

I was told by a teacher in primary school that I had a talent for writing and then when I left school my secondary teacher was surprised that I hadn’t gone straight into writing for a career. But I am a person who suffers with a lack of self-belief and no one had given me the confidence to write professionally when I was younger. But when I turned 30 I had grown into my confidence and put on my to do before I am 40 list that I wanted to write that novel I had always talked about.

Your books cover several very different genres – historical romance, new adult, contemporary. Which do you enjoy writing the most?

I enjoy writing in all the genres because I become involved with the people in the story. I always say that for the reader who is drawn into the story for a couple of days, imagine being the writer drawn into it for 6 months – it becomes incredibly real. But then imagine, if you love period drama, I become absorbed in a period drama like Poldark or Victoria for months not just one hour a week.

When carrying out research for a novel, do you ever travel to where you have set your story to get a feel for the location?

I nearly always travel to settings, even it if I am writing a historical book and the area is entirely different now. I think going there means you have a sense of atmosphere that draws into the story. But my first New Adult that I set in New York was when I hadn’t been to New York and then I used Earth on Google maps to search areas and streets. I also used trip advisor comments to find out about what areas were like. But there was one key error I discovered when I went to America, that the streetlights there were always white and I had described the light as yellow in the first scene 😀 It didn’t seem to ruin anyone’s enjoyment of the story, though, from the reviews.

Describe a typical writing day.

I am still doing a day job so I never get a writing day. If you follow me on social media that is why I am often very quite. My working day ends between five and six then I have an hour’s drive home. I eat and then I sit down and start working on books at about eight in the evening and write for two to three hours, sitting on the sofa with the TV on, and so I listen to that as I write.

I know many people can’t believe I can write like that but fortunately I am a quick writer and it is utterly relaxing. It’s like reading a book in the evening.

What inspired you to write The Nevada Escapists’ Club?

I can’t share all my inspirations as it would give away the twists in the storyline but the first inspiration came from a visit to the Grand Canyon when I sat on the edge and watched others walking on to a narrow needle like stretch of rock.

And lastly, a fun question: you are planning a dinner party. If you were able to invite four famous guests (living or dead) who would you choose and why?

My guests are all dead because they are people I have read diaries and letters of to immerse myself in the real life of the period I write my historical books in. The first would be Harriette Wilson an 18th Century Courtesan who inspired the whole of the Marlow Intrigues series, her memoirs were published and they fascinated me. Lady Caroline Lamb another larger than life Regency character. Lord Byron because the tales of his life are extraordinary and lastly Mary Shelley because her life with Shelley was also fascinatingly unusual. (All four of them are writers of course. Yes, Caroline Lamb wrote too, she published a novel).

About Jane Lark

6884602 Jane has been shortlisted for several industry and reader awards. She is a Kindle bestselling author and a writer of authentic, passionate, and emotional stories, and she’s a sucker for a love story. “I love the feeling of falling in love and it’s wonderful to be able to do it time and time again in fiction.” She loves writing intense relationships and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others’ imaginations.
Blog http://janelark.wordpress.com/
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/jane.lark/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Janelarkauthor
Twitter https://twitter.com/JaneLark
Website http://www.janelark.co.uk/index.html

Purchase links for Jane’s books:

The Nevada Escapists Club final

The Nevada Escapists’ Club

Zac senses the connection he has with the single stranger within minutes of their meeting. She, like him, needs a place to escape.

Ali falls into a holiday affair. But what happens when the Las Vegas fantasy is over and her sunglasses tinted view of the world returns to reality? She is supposed to forget everything… It was meant to stop there.

The Nevada Escapists Club is only available from Amazon

A series that will keep you curled up on the sofa in front of the log fire all