Featuring Clare Revell and Her New Release, Turned

Today we have with us Clare Revell, a multi-published author who currently writes for Pelican Book group, White Rose Publishing.

Clare, would you please give us a general description of your writing, a description you might give to someone who hasn’t read any of your books?
I write inspirational romantic suspense. So it’s Christian fiction. Usually romance, although I have a YA series in edits. And always suspense – so that’s real villains. Serial killers, cops, terrorists, witness protection…and an erupting volcano.

I love that genre, that’s why I write it too. What inspired you to write Turned?
Actually a Facebook conversation about law breaking and when it was and wasn’t funny; what did and didn’t count, and when you drew the line between silly ‘inconsequential’ laws and big ones like murder. I was telling Lisa, my editor about this and she came up with a partial blurb. I retaliated with a jokey 700 word synopsis. She then wanted me to write it. I’m sitting at the comp going “It’s a joke.” Before I could reply, Lisa emails again. “Nicola loves it and suggests you call it Turned.” And I’m still like “But I’m kidding. I’m not really writing a book about a woman doing an illegal U-turn.” But I did write it and here we are now.

You’ve got 30 seconds. How would you describe Turned?
Turned upside down by misadventure. Amy Childs is running late for a party, when she makes an illegal U-turn, and hits a pedestrian—the brother of one of the most corrupt men in town. Now her brush with the law has her running for her life from those who want retribution.

Torn apart by tragedy. Detective Sgt. Dane Philips lost his wife two years ago to a serial killer. He’s juggled work and his two daughters ever since, but can no longer cope. A live in nanny seems the solution. He knows he shouldn’t hire someone without references, but he needs a nanny and Amy needs a job. Perhaps it’s an answer to prayer.

But for all of them, the nightmare is only beginning as the events take a sinister turn. And only a miracle can save them all from destruction.

A corrupt person enforcing their own laws, that is a nightmare. How did you plan this story?
Because I had a synopsis for this one, it was kind of plotted, but as always it took on a life of its own and ended up terrifying me at one point. Not giving it away, but let me just say Mr. Scruffy.

If Turned was made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead role?
I always cast my novels so this is easy. Dane is played by Brad Johnson. And Amy by Poppy Montgomery. Both with British accents of course as Turned is set in the UK

It’s always fun to imagine certain people playing our characters. It’s too bad we can’t use them on our book covers. Well, I suppose we could if we could afford their agents asking price.

How much of your own life goes into your books?
A fair bit. Dad is forever reading my books and then ringing me up and saying “That couple who hold hands in church…do I know them?” (Yeah, Dad, you sit next to us…umm them.) Or “Oh look they have a drum kit like we do.” (Can’t think why). Or “Didn’t we go there on holiday?” (Ummm maybe…) I write what I know. Names are changed, situations embellished occasionally or changed to fit, but yeah…

When you’re in the middle of writing a book, what is your work schedule like?
Manic. I write full-time and usually have the word doc open all day or the notebook open. I stop for laundry or to cook dinner, or to watch TV, but other than that, I’m writing all day, every day. Except one.

What’s your next project?
A 12 book series, one book for each month of the year. Hopefully it’ll be out next year. At least that’s what we’re working towards. I’ve written 8, still have 4 to go.

What’s one unusual fact about you that most people do not know?
I don’t write on a Sunday. I won’t even open a word doc on a Sunday. Sunday’s are for God and church and family. Not writing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A famous writer. Not sure I’m famous, but I’m a writer.

Not many people can say they got to be what they wanted as a child. Let’s throw a little wrinkle into this. If you were independently wealthy, what would you be doing now? Where would you likely be?
Writing. In Scotland because I love it there.

Do you have any advice for your younger self?
Don’t waste time writing stuff you’re not happy with.

That’s great advice. The stories that capture our imaginations and our hearts are going to be our best writing. Thanks, Clare, for sharing a bit about you and your new release, Turned.

Buy at Pelican Book Group

Bio:

Clare lives in a small town in England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, and her three children. Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fan fiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children’s stories. When she’s not writing, reading, or sewing, she’s keeping house or doing the many piles of laundry her children manage to make.