Something Borrowed series inspiration

I’m often asked where I get ideas from and, after 24 books, whether I’m running out of things to write about. But I always say that everyone has a story and I’m a good listener- there’s always heaps of inspiration out there! Of course, I’d never write about anyone’s particular experiences, but I may ‘borrow’ some ideas every now and then! When writing a series it’s doubly hard to mesh characters, stories and settings and I needed to find a place where a group of young women from different backgrounds might meet. Small town romance is hugely popular because readers get to know a setting and grow to love the people who live there, but being a city girl I don’t know much about small towns. But I do know that within cities there are clusters of people who grow together and develop small communities of their own. I wanted to capture some of that, and they say you should write what you know. So, I went back to my roots!

When I was young and looking for love myself (although I didn’t know it at the time!) I moved to London and trained to be a nurse. I loved my job and I loved living in this amazing and vibrant city. I eventually found love (with a very gorgeous doctor) at a hospital in Ladbroke Grove where we both worked. Ladbroke Grove edges Portobello market and Notting Hill and I spent many months/years there exploring this very eclectic neighbourhood with people from all walks of life and ethnicities. I loved the place. I also love the movie, Notting Hill (starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts) and, of course, the other London lovelorn character, Bridget Jones. So where better to set a book series than there?

Throughout my life I’ve moved around a bit, being forced to make new friends and meet people in new places. The one thing I’ve always found reassuring and wonderful is that women are very welcoming and accommodating to the new kid on the block. I have made so many friends with amazing women that I wanted to celebrate the special and of women friends in my books too. I’ve also spent time with women of all ages in various book groups along the way- so what batter way to celebrate a shared love of reading than to pivot the series around women in a book group? (Of course, these women never actually read the books…but they do like a good chat and drinking wine- women after my own hearts!!)

All of my books have some humour in them. I generally find that the best humour comes out of difficult situations (maybe that’s the gallows humour nurse thing…I don’t know). But I love to hear that my readers laughed out loud when they read my books, I also like to know that they’ve maybe even shed a tear. Without dark you don’t have light. If I hear that one of readers has laughed and cried than I feel I have done my job properly!

And all of my books have a satisfying ending – life is too complicated and messy to read depressing books!

Finally, I’m asked a lot about book four in the series – and yes, it is in the works! I have a busy schedule next year with a fair amount of traveling, but I’m anticipating getting book four out around August 2018…watch this space. Oh, and sign up for my newsletter so you get to know exact details of all my releases and special offers / giveaways! The link is at the bottom of this page or at the top of my homepage.  Louisa xx