Victoria Springfield interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Victoria Springfield writes contemporary women’s fiction immersed in the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy.  Her feel-good stories follow unforgettable characters of all ages as they find adventure, friendship, and romance – with a few twists and turns along the way.

When did your love of books begin?

I was a reader as far back as I can remember.  Mum taught me to read before I went to school and took me to the library each week to choose a couple of books from the children’s section.  I remember Alison Uttley’s Little Grey Rabbit series and laughing away at Roger Hargreave’s Mister Messy. 

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Being a confident child I think I decided to become an author shortly after becoming a reader.  I wrote various ‘books’ to entertain myself including one featuring my classmates inside a giant chocolate pudding.  This was in the 1970s and I did not become a published author until 2021 so it took rather a long time to fulfil those early ambitions.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

In a word: slow.  I really had no idea how hard it would be to get published and how much I still had to learn (and still have to learn now).  It took nearly two years to find an agent (Camilla Shestopal of Shesto Literary) and a publisher (Orion Dash) for my debut, The Italian Holiday, mainly because what I fondly imagined was a finished novel still needed a lot of work.  Even when you find a publisher the process is far from over.  All writers receive structural edits, sometimes amounting to several pages, with comments and suggestions from their editor.  Then comes the copy edit and proof-reader.  However, with a good editor like mine (Rhea Kurien), this process is invaluable and can really ‘lift’ a book to another level.

Tell us about your book/books:

My debut, The Italian Holiday is an uplifting seaside romance that weaves together the stories of unlucky-in-love Bluebell and kind widow, Miriam who meet on a coach tour of the Amalfi Coast, with that of local girl, Michela, who is returning to Italy after a year working in London. 

The three women have to learn to embrace the changes in their lives and seize their chances of happiness.  The book explores love, friendship, family ties and – thanks to a mysterious poppy-print dress – how a change of clothes can change your life.

In A Farmhouse in Tuscany, my second book, Harriet is hoping for a yoga holiday but ends up at the Bella Vista horse riding centre run by Donna and her friend Julia, where guests enjoy the rolling Tuscan hills, home-grown vegetables and delicious pasta.  It’s been a decade since Donna’s husband Giovanni walked out, convinced she was having an affair.  When Harriet helps bring the truth to light, can everything return to the way it was ten years ago?  Or is it too late to start over?  

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I have been amazed by how friendly and supportive the writing and communities are, both online and in real life.  I have gained a lot from connections and support from people on Facebook and Twitter.  I would especially like to mention Anita Faulkner’s fabulous Chick Lit and Prosecco Facebook group and of course the Romantic Novelists’ Association which has great courses, talks, parties and conferences.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I really appreciate everyone who reads/buys my books so “thank you!”  A great review helps others discover my books and really does make my day.  One reviewer wrote that A Farmhouse in Tuscany ‘has the ability to take you away from all the mess and worry in the world’ and I cannot think of any higher praise or encouragement to keep on writing.

Where can people connect with you?

Find me on Twitter @VictoriaSWrites and on Facebook @VictoriaSpringfieldAuthor

https://twitter.com/VictoriaSWrites

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaSpringfieldAuthor

 

Book links if you want them:

http://smarturl.it/FarmhouseTuscany

http://hyperurl.co/ItalianHoliday