Samantha Towle: The IR Interview

New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and international bestselling author Samantha Towle began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn’t stopped writing since.

Towle has written contemporary romances, THE MIGHTY STORM, WETHERING THE STORM, TAMING THE STORM and TROUBLE. She has also written paranormal romances, THE BRINGER and the ALEXANDRA JONES SERIES, all penned to tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, and more of her favorite musicians.

A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, Towle lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.

Loren Kleinman (LK): Tell us why you believe in Karma and reincarnation? How does this relate to your writing?

Samantha Towle (ST): I think we all need something to believe in, and those two are things I just believe to be true. I believe reincarnation happens, because I think we all get more than just one shot at life. And karma, because it’s nice to think those terrible people in the world, eventually get theirs. I think the only time my beliefs have influenced my writing, was in the early days, when I wrote THE BRINGER.

LK: You wrote your first novel while you were on maternity leave. What gave you the urge to start writing novels? What was your inspiration?

ST: I had wanted to write for quite some time, but for one reason or another, it wasn’t working. It was actually my husband who gave me the final push to start writing, after I had annoyed him for long enough with my complaints!

LK: Have you been able to make writing your full time job?

ST: Yes, I have been fortunate enough to turn my dream job, into a reality. I’m a full-time, sit in my pajamas while I work, author!

LK: Talk about being a mom and a writer. What does one have to do with the other?

ST: I try to keep my home and work life as separate as I possibly can, which isn’t always easy given my office is in my home. Obviously being a mother gives me plenty of experience, which comes in handy when writing about a character with a child. My kids give me plenty of comical inspiration!

LK: What frustrates you the most about your writing process?

ST: Time. There never seems to be enough time to write everything I want to write! And I hate it when I get blocks. The times when I know what I want to write, I know exactly how the story needs to go, but for some reason, I can transcend that to paper. Very frustrating!

LK: Tell us about the character you most relate to from any one of your books. Why do you relate to them? How did they come into being?

ST: Out of all of my books, I relate mostly to Jake from THE MIGHTY STORM. Not in how he lived his life of course! But in his thought processes, the way he looks at life, his ambition for his career and the love he feels for his family.

LK: You’re also a book reviewer. How do you also have time to review books? Do you consider this giving back to the writerly community?

ST: Sadly, I don’t have the time to review anymore. But in my early days of writing, I enjoyed writing reviews and giving feedback on books I’ve read, as I know how important it is for authors to receive feedback on their work.

LK: Have you ever written in other genres? If so, what’s been the hardest genre? If not, which one would you want to dabble in?

ST: I have written books in the paranormal romance and contemporary romance genre. And I wouldn’t say either is harder than the other. I would love to write something in the romantic thriller genre. Hopefully in the future I will get to do so.

LK: What’s been the craziest thing you’ve ever done for love? Why?

ST: I’ve racked my brains on this one, and I can’t think of anything! I guess I must be pretty boring!

LK: How is love like a storm?

ST: Love can be crazy and all consuming, hitting with the force of a hurricane.

LK: Could you describe your typical writing day?

ST: Once the kids are off to school, I turn my Nepsresso machine on, make some coffee, get the biscuits out and head into my office. Usually I answer emails, messages, etc. first before I start writing. But if I’ve got something urgent I need to write, then the emails have to wait! I usually write until it’s time for dinner, and then I sit down with my family to eat. But if I’m working to a deadline that all goes out of the window, and I usually don’t sleep for a few days until the work is done.

LK: What inspired you to write, you took any ideas from other books, movies etc.?

ST: Writing has been always something I wanted to do, but I do find most of my inspiration from music.

LK: Do you have an all-time favorite book?

ST: RED DRAGON by Thomas Harris.

LK: If I give you a time machine, what time period and in what place would you travel to?

ST: Egypt, around the time of the Pharoahs.

LK: If you could visit any place in the world or a place created by a book, where would you visit?

ST: I would love to travel to Fiji. It’s on my travel bucket list.

LK: If you could write outside your genre what would that be?

ST: I guess I have already written outside of my genre, as I originally began my writing career as a paranormal romance author, before moving into contemporary romance. I just write where the stories take me.