A chat with Bernadette

​Welcome to my chair, Bernadette!
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1. What inspired you to write in the paranormal genre?

I’ve read in the fantasy genre since my early teens and I guess my imagination was captured by the magic of those worlds. It was such a wonderful way to escape the every day.

1. Where do you get your inspiration for your characters?

My inspiration for my characters comes from different sources.
I think there is little of me in all of my heroines, whether it be my young idealistic self, as in Princess Avenger, the healer, as in The Lady’s Choice or the leader, as in Esta from The Lady and the Pirate.
My heroes are a little more difficult to track down. They come to me out of the blue or suggested by conversations I have sometimes. One of my author friends mentioned a pirate when they saw the ship on the front cover of The Lord and the Mermaid. I realised Samael, my pirate, would be the ideal addition to the Wildecoast series. And Samael’s looks are based on my son Sam.
As my books are all in a series, sometimes the characters just develop out of a previous story. You never really know which secondary character might get their own story down the track.

1. What is your writing routine?

It’s terrible! I’m a vet three days a week which means thirty plus hours at the end of the week where I go missing in action as far as my writing goes. I come home brain dead- there is no way I could write on those days. Then Saturdays are spent scoring first grade cricket in Brisbane. So I write on Mondays and Tuesdays mainly. I exercise first, get the chores out of the way and then spend the rest of the day on writing. I usually work on one book and one task at a time ie I either edit or write draft, but that doesn’t get anything done quickly.
I guess it’s lucky my stories are only around 70K long so it’s no as daunting as working on something over the 100K.

1. Your female characters are strong, why do you think that is?

First and foremost, my heroines are deliberately strong because I think readers want to read about women who can be a real partner to the hero and look after themselves. We don’t want a victim who has to be saved all the time. Having said that, Lady Esta is rescued several times by Sam but it’s because her bravery keeps putting her into perilous situations. And she is mortified that Sam keeps sweeping in to save the day when all she wants is to be free of him.
Of course, I’ve already admitted that some of my traits have crept into each of my ladies. They can all stand up for themselves, are feisty, not afraid to get into a fight and will usually say exactly what they feel. Passion is a common ingredient whether it be for a cause, or for a favourite horse or, yes, their hero.

1. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Where should I start? I believe it’s really important to get words down on a page even if you think it’s terrible. You can’t edit what you haven’t yet written. Write every time you can, even if it’s only a hundred words.
Join Romance Writer’s Australia or a similar organisation so you can learn your craft. Try to improve all the time.
Working with an editor is one of the best learning opportunities I’ve ever had. I’ve had the pleasure of working with six editors and they’ve all pushed me to be a better writer.