Meet Elsa Winckler - Multiple Award Winner, who writes in English and Afrikaans

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy, an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Meet the lovely Elsa 

What is the last romance novel you read?

For seven nights only - Sarah Balance

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

Contemporary

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

Escape Publishing, Etopia Press and HarperImpulse

What do you love most about writing?

Creating characters

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

To find time

Do you have a playlist while you write?

No, I don’t listen to music while I write, but songs definitely inspire some stories

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

An article I read about an animal communicator

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

Three awards

What advice would you give someone who tell you they want to write?

Sit down and write

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

#happy

What keeps you motivated to write?

All the voices in my head

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

On a perfect day, I write from 9:00 till 16:00 when I have to start cooking

(Okay, we all hate you a bit now, Elsa!)

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

It was in Afrikaans. At the time I was the admin lady at the English Department at the University of Stellenbosch and we had a professor from the Engineering department who enrolled for English I. That got me thinking - what if …?

You probably get this question a lot...but are you related to Heinz Winckler?

Yes, I'm his mom!

(Okay, we love you again, Elsa!)

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

My fellow Rosas are all formidable women and everyone is so supportive.

Connect with Elsa on Facebook. And visit her website: http://elsawinckler.com/

Getting to know Annemarie Gaertner

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy, an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Today the spotlight is on Annemarie Gaertner, a fellow committee member.

What is the last romance novel you read?

Romy Sommer – Not a Fairy Tale. Loved it.

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

I am currently into Erotica. I would love to be able to write in this genre. Not sure if I am brave enough.

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

No – still need to write something from start to finish.

What do you love most about writing?

I love the way writing sorts out my thoughts. Writing challenges me to question every word to ensure that it is not there just to add to word count but drives the story, the plot and the helps to define the characters.

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

Getting it finished. The first 3 chapters come fairly easily – then I lose momentum. The biggest challenge is to just keep going through those dark wordless nights that happen far too often.

Do you have a playlist while you write?

It depends on what I am writing. But as a rule music is a great part of it. I try to use music that does not have lyrics otherwise I find myself singing along and losing my train of thought.

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

I often find I live my dreams vicariously through the stories I write. Every story carries something of me in it.  

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

Winning a short story competition on the radio and being published in Essentials Magazine. The short story was about internet dating. I also won a back pager competition. The story was a “slice of life” piece about swimming Midmar mile at the age of 45. I had such fun writing it. It was a good laugh.  

What advice would you give someone who tells you they want to write?

Get yourself to a group of likeminded people quick. Support and encouragement are critical when wanting to do this. You need to know that you are not alone. Writing is not for sissies and having a network that can support you is critical.

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

#getting there V e r y SLOWLY.

What keeps you motivated to write?

Battling with this at the moment. I get lost in the chaos of my life. I also lack discipline which is critical to writing.

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

When I was writing I would write at every opportunity I got. The voices in my head just didn’t want to stop so I had to record their conversations. Before I knew it I had written half a book almost entirely consisting of dialogue.

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

It was a story about a girl who inherits a farm in the Natal Midlands. She knows nothing about country life or farming so has to rely on the gorgeous farmer from next door to guide her through the harsh seasons and life lessons on the farm. He however has ulterior motives for wanting to help her and so the battle starts. Of course it ends with the two main characters having realised that they are destined to be together having both experienced several moments of self-realisation and introspection.

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

The vibe. The support. The integrity of the people. The opportunity to talk about this wonderful yet frustrating love of mine called writing.

Thank you, Annemarie, so many of us resonate with your words!

The Thorn Among the ROSA's - Meet Peter Barker

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Today we put the spotlight on our treasurer, Peter Barker!

What is the last romance novel you read?

Survivor by Lesley Pearse  (I met her at the Kingsmead Book fair)

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

   

Contemporary Romance

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

   About to be published with The Wild Rose Press

What do you love most about writing? 

   A wonderful use of all my creative energies.

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

   Finding the time to get to it.  I hope it will be a bit easier when I retire at the end of the year.

Do you have a playlist while you write?

   Yes. At the moment I have Ann Sophie Mutter playing Mozart.  Beautiful woman, delightful music.

Peter's latest book: Cupid Mislaid

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

A newspaper article by Carol Lazar in which she described how she and her husband had gone to  the 

bar mitzvah of the son of a friend of theirs. After leaving the shul they went to their house for a party.  It was only when someone walked in carrying a tray of bacon kips that they realised they had gone to the wrong house. I shared this story with the ROSA members and someone said to me "There's an inspiration for your next book." and that is what it became.

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

   

Getting published Yay!!

What advice would you give someone who tell you they want to write?

   Have a passion for your cause. Believe unshakably in what you are doing, or give up writing.

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

   #To write-to write perchance to dream.   (no disrespect intended to William Shakespeare)

What keeps you motivated to write?

   To share my art form with the rest of humanity        

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

   Any available time. I hope to get into more of a routine after retirement

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

When I decided to write, the first thing I did was to write a 50k word romance novel just to see if I could.  I was pleased to discover that I found it quite easy to create 1,500 words in an evening.  It is a lovely story and I may re-write it in due course. As it is it is full of technical errors, piles of "tell" instead of "show' as well as confusing points of view.

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

The friendship I enjoy with the other members as well as learning from the advice and experience of members who have been in the game longer than I have.

Connect with Peter!

TWITTER: @petergbarker

WEBSITE:  https://peterbarker.herokuapp.com/      (Still under construction)

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/petergbarker.

Meet ROSA member, Rebecca Crowley

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Today we put the spotlight on ROSA's Deputy Chairperson, Rebecca Crowley!

What is the last romance novel you read? 

His Ex's Well Kept Secret by Joss Wood (also a ROSA Member)

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

Contemporary

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

Current series (Atlanta Skyline) releasing from Kensington's Lyrical Press

What do you love most about writing?

Getting to know and inhabit characters whose lives are so different to mine!

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

Maintaining a daily word count. Between full-time work and toddler mamahood - plus a husband I like to see occasionally! - it's a struggle.

Do you have a playlist while you write?

I usually pick a "theme song" for each book but prefer to write without music playing.


What was the inspiration behind your last book?

The last book I completed is Saving Hearts, the third in the Atlanta Skyline trilogy. It's about a goalkeeper with a gambling addiction, and was inspired by an article I read about what makes a great goalkeeper. It's a strange, solitary position, and I wanted to explore what kind of man could excel in it.

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

It might be cliche, but I really treasure every single contract I'm offered. That a publisher takes a leap of faith on my story and puts up their own money to wager on its success is the best feedback I could ever receive.

What advice would you give someone who tells you they want to write?

Commit to one project and see it through before starting anything else! Ten half-finished manuscripts will get you nowhere fast.

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

#adventure, because it's what I live for. :-)

What keeps you motivated to write?

It's not so much motivation as compulsion. I'd write even if I never published a word, I think.

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

I'm much more committed when I'm on deadline - I try to get in at least 1K words per day, usually in the late afternoon when I have some breathing space in my work day and haven't yet gone home to the domestic onslaught. When I'm not on deadline I can be very, very unproductive for long stretches of time.

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

When I was 9 I wrote a story about a girl who caught a wild turtle and then sorrowfully released it again - that was certainly a tale of love found and lost!

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

I love ROSACon, and less specifically cherish the connections I've made with other writers, as writing can be such an isolating experience.

Connect with Rebecca!

rebeccacrowley.net
facebook.com/rebeccacrowleywrites
Twitter: @rachelmaybe

Meet ROSA member, Suzanne Jefferies

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za, and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Today we chat to another ROSA committee member: Suzanne Jefferies, who was also 2016's Imbali Award winner.

What is the last romance novel you read?

Forbidden, Beverly Jenkins.

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

Contemporary, paranormal, erotic, fantasy, and suspense.

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

Have been published by Firequill Publishing and Ellora’s Cave.

What do you love most about writing? 

That writing's always come naturally, that absorption with words and their relationship with other words.I love language, where it comes from, how it’s used, how words hold such emotion, meaning, and charge.

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

Oddly enough, it’s marketing.

Do you have a playlist while you write?

Does the radio count?

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

Melancholia.

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

Delighted to win the Imbali award. That was really lovely.

What advice would you give someone who tell you they want to write?

Don’t quit your day job. Get a wealthy spouse/trust fund/independent source of income. Work harder than you ever thought you would. If you’re not a reader, you best start.

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

#itstheclimb

Suzanne is giving away her latest book, THE HUNT FREE in exchange for honest reviews.
Contact:suzanne@suzannejefferies.com

(What an awesome opportunity for the ROSA members to support each other :-) )

What keeps you motivated to write?

Because it is written. I have no doubt that this was what I was born to do.

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

I’m a writer-for-hire, so I write everyday. That's anything you can think of - blog posts, case studies, articles, scripts, ebooks, manuals, user guides blahdy blah.
My own work tends to squeeze between the gaps of the paid work - usually on Monday evenings.

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

Spoiler alert, it didn’t have a happy ending. Teen girl falls in love with Grade A rotter.

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

The other members! An opportunity to get together, especially at the conference, and not feel alone.

Connect with Suzanne!
www.suzannejefferies.com
@suzannjefferies

ROSA Spotlight: Romy Sommer

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick.

We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

And speaking of our Chair, to kickoff our ROSA Spotlight Interviews, here's Romy Sommer.

What is the last romance novel you read?

Tina Reber’s Love Unscripted. Warning: it’s a long book – don’t read it if you’re looking for a quick evening’s entertainment!

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

I write contemporary fairy tale romances and shorter 1920s historical romances.

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

I have 11 novels and novellas published. My first three novellas were originally published by The Wild Rose Press, but I’ve subsequently re-released them on my own, and my four contemporary romances are published by HarperCollins. I’ve also self-published under another name.

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

The book I currently have out on submission began as fan fiction. I never thought I’d be the person to write fan fiction, but it was a fun story that was never intended to go anywhere, just a diversion when ‘real’ writing was stressing me out. For the first 4 years it was saved on my desktop as ‘Just for fun’. In the six years since I started it, it’s grown very far from that original story and has taken on a life of its own. I really hope this story finds a home with an editor who will love it as much as I do!

Not a Fairy Tale was nominated for the RWA's Rita Award in 2016

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

Being nominated for an RWA Rita award. Knowing how stiff the competition for that award is, and that as a peer review award it’s even harder to win over other authors, this nomination was a massive honour for me.

What advice would you give someone who tells you they want to write?

Don’t quit! The writers who are published are the ones who never gave up.

What keeps you motivated to write?

I would keep on writing regardless, but the one thing that keeps me motivated is the dream of doing this full-time. Until I have dozens of books out there, all earning, some winning acclaim, I’m not giving up!

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

The first love story I wrote was actually two parallel stories about two women whose lives intersect even though they don’t meet until the very end. I didn’t even realize it was a romance until my friend (and co-ROSA founder) Mandy read it and told me I had a ‘voice for Romance’. I went out and bought a pile of second hand romances to find out what she meant, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

The fact that ROSA even exists! Once upon a time, this organization was nothing more than a figment of my imagination. It astounds me how far we’ve come!

Connect with Romy!
Website: www.romysommer.com
Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/RomySommerAuthor/ 
Twitter: @romy_s 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RomySommer
Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/romysommer/
 

Our very own Rosalite: April Vine!

April is an erotic romance writer from the Cape, and an active member of the ROSA Yahoo group. We are so excited to be able to feature her latest release: Unbound, published by Ellora's Cave.


ABOUT APRIL VINE

April writes erotic romance by night and is a professional dreamer by day. She has two precious sons who keep her sharp and one very tolerant husband who chivalrously and bravely defends her honour daily.

ABOUT UNBOUND

Staid and straitlaced Michelle Stein has two thoughts fueling her mind…
1. Floor the first man to walk into her antique shop.
2. Throttle her three witch-practicing aunts.

They promised her a tiny spell to fix her ridiculous inhibitions, but instead mischievously delivered a full-blown, sanity-squashing lust spell. The temporary curse apparently has no boundaries either…since the first man who walks through her door is the same man who broke her heart ten years ago. Despite Michelle’s vociferous resistance, Sebastian becomes the only man who can appease her unending physical hunger.

Thirty, heirless and restless, Sebastian Gray is drawn back home to Cape Town to claim the only girl he ever loved. What he finds in her place is a hotly bewitched erotic seductress. Now with the reparation spell her aunts cast gone awry, Sebastian might be on the losing end of a futile battle against a strength-ascending hex, no matter how hard he tries to keep Michelle satiated, alive…or even just human.


EXCERPT

* NOTE: This excerpt contains erotic language *

Chapter One

Michelle leaped from the floral-embossed Victorian chair, gripped the edge of the walnut desk and dropped her chin to her chest. Labored breaths somersaulted from her mouth. Her heart beat with swift speed. Her skin screamed under a raging fire.
She was having an attack.
Not a panic attack.
A sex attack.
Oh how she vowed to strangle her aunts, wring their collective witches’ necks and put them on a diet of cabbage for as long as they lived. She thought they’d agreed with her terms and stipulations.
Obviously not, since they’d turned her into a raging sex fiend who without any hesitation would attack the first man who walked through the door of her antiquities shop. Not by her own doing, because how could she, twenty-six-year-old, staid, even-headed and collected Michelle Stein, sign up for such reckless sexual abandonment? Not ever.
She resisted the urge to squeeze her scorching ******* and the temptation to bunch up her cotton panties and pull them taut against her ****. She couldn’t give in. Not while her door remained opened for business.
She wobbled out of her office to the entrance of the store. Pressing her legs together, she chewed her lip in agony as the slightest movement ricocheted spasms of pleasure through her body. Her eyes fixed on the gold-plated sign hanging on the inside of the glass door meters away from her. Her mission to flip it around and keep out any possible victims until the crazy her aunts bestowed upon her evaporated.
Too late.
The door swung open. Eighteenth-century chimes hanging from the paneled ceiling danced in the afternoon breeze. Their former melodious jingle a sex-alert siren in her ear now.
She zeroed in on a musky scent mingled with the clean, self-assured aroma of pure red-blooded male. Her senses hummed. She licked her lips then swerved to a dead halt.
Bedeviled with the worst kind of heat known to any man, woman or animal for that matter, and who chose to walk into her ordinarily sedate but presently doggoned world?
Sebastian Gray.
He who broke her heart in two.
“Glitterbug.” His gravel-and-silk voice spiked and inebriated her nerves. She tore her gaze away from his killer smile and stared into his wicked green-tinged blue eyes, which teased her the same way they did ten years ago.
Only one thought shot through her mind.
Oh dear, I’m going to molest Sebastian Gray.

[This excerpt has been edited due to Blogger age restrictions, however for the full excerpt you can read more here]

You can chat with April online at her website, via email on april.vine@yahoo.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter. Or by joining the ROSA Yahoo group!  

Unbound is available from: 
Amazon
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
and direct from Ellora’s Cave

Interview with Shaida Kazie Ali

We've just uploaded Romy's interview with Shaida Kazie Ali, author of "Not a Fairytale". It's her debut novel which is set in Cape Town!

Shaida tells the tale of two Muslim Indian sisters while making use of modern day versions of fairytales along the lines of Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. She even includes a few recipes!

To read the full interview click here.