A Tea Break with Mrs B: Susan Hoddy

It is a pleasure to welcome Susan Hoddy back to my blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews for A Tea Break with Mrs B, an author interview series. Thanks Susan!

What is your drink of choice as we sit down for a chat about your new book?

I do enjoy a cup of tea – white with no sugar.

Can you give us an overview of your writing career to date?

Most of my life I have worked in an office environment, but in 2014 I decided that I want to pursue my passion, which was writing. After acquiring my writing credentials though university studies, I then have written and self-published five novels. It hasn’t been an easy journey so far, but I am still loving it.

How different was the experience of writing Crestwell, compared to your previous releases?

Crestwell certainly has been hard to write compared to the other Lepidoptera Vampire books I have written. Besides the research and countless editing that comes along with writing a new novel, and coming up with a storyline of how to end the series, I have had to let my readers know what has happened to all the characters in the book and also bring some new characters into the storyline. And in the end, I was happy to see where all the characters ended up, but also sad to see it end, as I have enjoyed writing about each and everyone of the characters in these books.

Crestwell is book four in the Lepidoptera Vampire Series. Can this book be read as a standalone?

I would say no, because The Lepidoptera Vampire Series is about a family of vampires and how each of their storylines play out and how they do interact with each book.

Where did the inspiration for the characters in Crestwell come from?

I have always loved to travel, not that we can at the moment with Covid hanging around, and Switzerland & France are two inspirational places I have loved, but haven’t been back to in a while. And I love to write supernatural romance storylines, which have female heroines, but I think what inspired me the most was that a fictional character could go on holidays and fall for a millionaire. Its something that every girl dreams of at least once in her life.

Can you tell us more about the different settings in Crestwell?

In Crestwell, the storyline is mainly carried out in Zurich in Switzerland, Bagnolet, Paris in France, Rome, Venice in Italy, and San Francisco. I have loved researching all of these cities, as it gave me ideas of how to explain in detail the different settings and the building in them.

What themes dominate the storyline in Crestwell?

Holiday romance, vampires, feeling loved and respected and most of all, family.

What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing Crestwell?

How easy it is to find most of the information I required about cities, restaurants, lavish homes and hotels from Google. And to have patience with the book cover & editing processes.

What do you hope readers will take away from the experience of reading Crestwell?

Besides the storyline and characters, the fact that family will always stand by you and that we can overcome any situation.

If Crestwell made it to the big screen, who would you like to cast?

That’s a good question… Maybe an unknown cast we be good.

When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Besides reading and scrap booking, I do enjoy going caravanning with my husband around Australia.

What book is next on your reading pile?

I have over 30 books on my TBR pile on my bookshelf, at the moment. But I think I will probably be reading one of Rachel Johns books that I have just brought recently called Flying The Nest.

What are you working on writing wise at present?

I am currently working on something a little different to what I have previously written. A children’s series. First readers. There will be seven in the series, with fully illustrated pages. I am currently seeking an illustrator for these.

Thank you for the lovely tea break and chat Susan. Congratulations on the release of your new book, Crestwell.

Thanks for having me.

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He has waited for 300 years!  She has a decision to make!

Naïve and inexperienced student Shelley Landers thinks the most exciting thing that would happen to her this year, besides graduating from college, would be her planned vacation with her two best friends to Switzerland, until she meets businessman Alex Crestwell.

When charming vampire Alex Crestwell welcomes Shelley and her two friends to his Zurich hotel, he is immediately attracted to not only Shelley’s beauty and wit but also her scent. Knowing human interaction is forbidden amongst his kind, he can’t help but feel what she has awakened in him.

Born of different worlds and bound by a desire they cannot deny, Shelley is thrust into a world of secrecy and danger, where rival vampire dynasties fight for power —a world she never knew existed.

With the word on the streets of Paris that a First One has taken over the leadership of the Debauched, Queen Talitha is haunted by the dreams of her family who were slaughtered many years previous and entrusts Violette with her future plans for the Gramaze coven.

Crestwell by Susan Hoddy was published on 19th March 2021. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.

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