Ellwyn Autumn | February, 2019

Kirsten Nairn has a secret. It’s so hush-hush that even her family and close friends don‘t know what it is. The only people she’s shared this secret with is her readers and me. Would you like to know what her big secret is?

Kirsten is a writer. Her first contemporary romance novel A Sorry Affair debuted on July 31, 2017.

Kirsten lives in Scotland with her husband and two children. Her favorite city is Edinburgh. She thinks it’s the most romantic city in the world and used it as the setting for A Sorry Affair.

Now that I’ve introduced you to Kirsten let’s get to know her a little better.

Hello, Kirsten, and welcome. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I’m not sure anything inspired me as such, but more I just needed a shove to get me to put pen to paper! I work full time, have two children and naively thought I’d start writing when I was on maternity leave��. It took another 14 years to get me to a point where I had a spare, quiet moment to write.

Is writing your full-time profession?

No, I do it as a hobby at the moment. I’d love to do it full time, but it’s not viable at the moment. Maybe when I retire…

How long have you been writing?

Only about 3-4 years, although I had lots of stories in my head before that.

How many books have you written?

1 published and three more manuscripts almost ready for submission, another two ‘in-progress’.

Which genre do you write?

Contemporary Romance

What do you find most challenging writing for this genre?

Nothing challenging about the genre just the actual writing process.

Photo courtesy of: Pixel2013; courtesy of: Pixabay

What are you working on now?

I am really trying to get my current manuscript ready for submission, but I am also working on another about a holiday romance which blossoms, turns into a long distance relationship and in turn focusses on the dilemma of the main character and the choices and decisions she has to make

Photo courtesy of: Pixel2013; courtey of Pixabay

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

Well, my inspiration for the story above came from something I saw written in the sand at St. Andrew’s beach- I won’t give it away here as it features in the story.

My inspiration for A Sorry Affair came from a conversation I overheard on a train.

What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?

The marketing and promotion process- it’s all completely new and daunting, however I have built an author platform from scratch, developed a website and connected with people all over the world.

What advice would you give to authors just starting out?

If you have an idea, just find time and space and start writing. Hopefully the words will flow. Don’t think about it too much to begin with and get it all down on paper.

Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?

I write in secret! No one, not even my family or friends know I write or have published a book.

What message are you sharing in your books?

My stories are mainly high on the angst and emotional turmoil of some relationships, but there’s usually a happily ever after of sorts. If there’s any message it’s that all relationships have ups and downs and everyone makes mistakes. Whether we can move on and accept them is the big question.

What are your favorite books?

Oh way too many to mention. I love all the John Irving books- The World According toGarp, The Hotel New Hampshire. Lord of the Rings, The Harry Potter series, Twilight, the classics, such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, anything by Mhairi McFarlane and Nick Spalding.