Today I’m delighted to feature author Susan Buchanan who writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas! Her latest book, You Can’t Hurry Love was published this week.
As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.
She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.
When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.
Over to Susan :
Which five pieces of music/songs would you include in the soundtrack to your life and why?
Oh, this is a toughie, as although I listen to music, my era really is the eighties for music or classical. I should point out if you asked me this next week, or any week, you’d probably get five different answers each time!
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor as I am a born fighter. I never give up!
Swan Lake as I love Tchaikovsky and it relaxes me.
Another One Bites The Dust by Queen as I love the beat and I think of it as getting rid of any negative idea. I should add that I am absolutely shocking at remembering lyrics, so I often just go off one or two lines and the beat. I tried to have Another One Bites The Dust as my first dance at my wedding until it was pointed out that wasn’t really appropriate!
Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars as it’s possibly the song I’ve sung most in my adult life. My kids love it too.
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston. I tend to mainly sing soundtracks from movies or musicals when I’m doing housework and stuff. I remember this from The Bodyguard.
What five things (apart from family and friends) would you find it hard to live without.
Coffee
Cheese
Books
Netflix
Holidays
Give five pieces of advice to your younger self?
Don’t put up with any nonsense from anyone!
Keep submitting to agents. Don’t give up so soon.
For something you love, make the time.
Work less, play more.
Keep up that exercise habit – once it falls by the wayside, it’s hard to get as fit again!
Tell us five things that most people don’t know about you
I’ve been to 51 countries, including Azerbaijan, Peru, Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka.
I used to run cross country for Scotland.
I have tiny hands – seriously, like those of a child. It really put paid to me playing piano – that and the lack of lessons!
I email myself book ideas when I wake up in the middle of the night.
I’ve partly written a psychological thriller and a middle-grade fantasy novel as well as the romance and women’s fiction novels I’ve published.
Tell us five things you’d still like to do or achieve.
I’d like to write (or turn one of my books into) a screenplay.
I’d like to add to the number of countries I’ve visited.
I’d love to share with my children my love of travelling and take them to some of my favourite countries in the world.
I’d like to see my books in audio and translation.
I’m still toying with the idea of having a home in France, Spain or Italy one day – I speak the languages so that part would be easy enough, hopefully.
Many thanks for joining me today Susan, and congratulations on your latest book, I hope it flies for you. I love the music you gave us, I’ve had a good singalong myself as I added the links for this blog. It was lovely to play Swan Lake again as well. When I was (much, much) younger I always wanted to be a ballet dancer and Swan Lake was my favourite ballet, the music is sublime. No argument here about not being able to live without books, though I think my husband might argue it doesn’t actually require as many as I have! With that in mind I might amend your excellent piece of advice to ‘ For something you love, make the time – and shelfspace’. 51 countries visited is pretty impressive, but it would be great if you could tick a few more off your dream list. Travelling really does broaden horizons in more ways than one. That home in France, Spain or Italy sounds fantastic and I envy your language skills. One day I will become more proficient in Spanish! Here’s hoping you get to see your books in audio and translation with a screenplay being the icing on the cake.
Susan’s Books
(NB This post features Affiliate links from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)
NB All Susan’s books are available via Kindle Unlimited
Standalones
You Can’t Hurry Love
A 30th birthday celebration. A sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. A split-second decision.
When Kat MacDonald takes the trip of a lifetime to Costa Rica, she doesn’t count on ditching her dead-end job, sending her uber-controlling boyfriend packing and volunteering at a sloth sanctuary.
But when she finally meets the swoon-worthy assistant manager Dexter, the chemistry between them is unmistakeable and sparks fly. Despite a rival for his affections, and her ex’s inability to know when to give up, she and Dexter are drawn to each other like magnets.
Just as she’s settling into life at the sanctuary and making friends, a letter arrives from back home in Scotland. A letter which could both upset her new plans and give her everything she has ever wanted. Everything except Dexter.
Kat is torn: should she stay in the tropical rainforest paradise with her beloved sloths, new friends and the delectable Dexter or pursue her lifelong dream? Or can she find a way to have it all?
The Leap Year Proposal
Three women. One crazy hen weekend. A life-changing decision.
When three women meet at a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.
High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him, since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.
Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.
Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.
The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.
Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?
Sign of the Times
When travel writer Holly heads to Tuscany to research her next book, she meets Dario and knows she’s in trouble. As Holly settles into the Casentino community of Bibbiena, adopted by the ‘signora’ who runs her guest house as if she’s her own daughter, her feelings are torn between her fiancé back in Scotland and the handsome Italian vineyard owner. Will she be able to resist temptation? And what do her mixed emotions mean for her future with her fiancé?
Holly’s man-eating sister Lucy is fooling around, again, but has she met her match, and is this feeling love? When she risks being exposed, she takes a huge risk with devastating consequences.
Widow Maria has her hands full with her two young kids and her wedding planner business, but she still extends a warm welcome to the new Polish family who move to the village. When the family receive a visitor, life could change for Maria forever.
Whilst Holly is in Italy, her life starts to unravel both at home and abroad. Can she regain control before the inevitable collapse of everything she holds dear?
A tale of love, family, friendship and the lengths we go to in pursuit of our dreams.
The Dating Game
When Gill’s friends fix her up with one terrible blind date too many, she takes a stand and decides enough is enough. Too busy to run her own personal life, or even have a personal life, Gill thinks it’s fate when an ad for Happy Ever After dating agency falls into her lap.
Once she signs up, her life is not her own as one date after another drops into her inbox. Soon, she’s not only overwhelmed by her work calendar but by her social one too. But just when things are looking up for Gill on the love stakes, an unexpected reunion forces her to make an impossible choice.
Will she make the right decision and live her happy ever after, or is she destined to be married to her job forever?
Just One Day series
Just One Day : Winter #1
Louisa has a loving husband, three wonderful kids, a faithful dog, a supportive family and a gorgeous house in a small Scottish village. What more could she want?
TIME.
To get to the end of her never-ending to-do list. Just once. Once. That’s all she’s asking. With her husband Ronnie working offshore, she is demented trying to cope with everything on her own. The after-school clubs, the homework, the appointments … the constant disasters. And if he dismisses her workload one more time, she may well throttle him.
Juggling running her own wedding stationery business with family life is taking its toll, and the only reason Louisa is still sane is because of her best friends and her sisters.
Louisa’s fed up with only talking to Ronnie about household bills and incompetent tradesmen. So when a handsome stranger pays her some attention on her birthday weekend away, she is flattered. Will she give in to temptation? And will she ever get to the end of her to-do list?
Just One Day : Spring #2
Mum-of-three Louisa thought she only had her never-ending to-do list to worry about, but the arrival of a ghost from the recent past puts her in an untenable position. Can she navigate the difficult situation she’s in without their friendship becoming common knowledge or will it cause long-term damage to her marriage?
When a family member begins to suspect there’s more to her relationship with the new sous-chef than meets the eye, Louisa needs to think on her feet or she’ll dig herself into a deeper hole. But the cost of keeping her secret, not only from her husband, comes at a high price, one which tugs at her conscience.
With everyday niggles already causing a further rift between Louisa and husband Ronnie, will she manage to keep her family on track whilst her life spirals out of control? And when tragedy strikes, will Ronnie step up when she needs him most?
Just One Day : Summer #3
List-juggling, business-owner mum-of-three Louisa is reeling after a tragedy, as well as learning how to cope after a life-changing revelation. With oil worker husband Ronnie possibly being able to move onshore, she hopes he can help her manage the burden.
But the secrets she keeps are causing her headaches and she’s unsure if her ability to make good decisions has deserted her. All she seems to do is upset those around her.
With Louisa’s to-do list gathering pace at an incredible speed, will she manage to provide a stable home for them all, embrace her new normal as well as rebuild their life from what’s left?
And if she gets what she has always wanted, will it match up to her expectations?
Just One Day : Autumn #4
Pregnant Louisa is just getting back on track when life throws her another curveball. Now, it’s not a case of how she’ll get through her to-do lists but how she’ll manage being a mum again.
No one seems to understand. How will she run her company, be partner in a new venture, look after her three kids and handle a newborn? And why does everyone think this will be easy? Except her.
All Louisa wants is to be a good mum, wife, friend, sister and daughter, and have a bit of time left for herself, but sometimes that’s too big an ask. Can she find the support she needs, or will she forever be pulled in too many directions, always at the mercy of her to-do lists?
Just One Day Boxset
The Christmas Spirit series
The Christmas Spirit #1
When eternally optimistic Natalie Hope takes over at the Sugar and Spice bakery café could it be just the injection of Christmas spirit her regulars need?
Newly dumped Rebecca is stuck in a job with no prospects, has lost her home and is struggling to see a way forward. To make matters worse, her ex-boyfriend is trying to take her to the cleaners.
Pensioner Stanley is dreading his first Christmas alone without his beloved wife, who passed away earlier this year. How can he celebrate Christmas without her and will he ever feel whole again?
Graduate Jacob is still out of work despite making hundreds of applications. Will he be forced to go against his instincts and ask his rich but unsympathetic parents for help? And will he regain the confidence he has lost with women and find love?
Spiky workaholic Meredith hates the jollity of family gatherings and would rather stay home with a box set and a posh ready meal. Will she finally realise what’s important in life and start appreciating those around her?
Natalie sprinkles a little magic to try to spread some festive cheer, restore Christmas spirit, and bring those in need together, but will she succeed?
Return of the Christmas Spirit #2
Christmas is just around the corner when Star begins working at Butterburn library, but not everyone is embracing the spirit of the season.
Arianna is anxious about her mock exams. With her father living abroad and her mother working three jobs to keep them afloat, she doesn’t have much support at home.
The bank is threatening to repossess Evan’s house, and he has no idea how he will get through Christmas with two children who are used to getting everything they want.
After 23 years of marriage, Patricia’s husband announces he’s moving out of the family home, and moving in with his secretary. Patricia puts a brave face on things, but inside she’s devastated and lost.
Stressed-out Daniel is doing the work of three people in his sales job, plus looking after his kids and his sick wife. Pulled in too many different directions, he hasn’t even had a chance to think about Christmas.
Can Star, the library’s Good Samaritan, help set them on the path to happiness this Christmas?
A Little Christmas Spirit #3
CAN A SPRINKLE OF MAGIC HEAL BROKEN HEARTS THIS CHRISTMAS?
With Jacob now at the helm at the cosy Sugar and Spice café, it’s the perfect opportunity for Christmas Spirit Lara to weave her magic.
Fraser is floundering in his new role as headteacher as he grapples with guilt over having to place his beloved mother in a care home, leaving him feeling lost and alone during what should be a joyful time.
Meanwhile, school janitor Paul is torn between his desire to feel needed and the pressure from his wife to retire, dimming the season’s sparkle.
Valerie, overwhelmed by the demands of newborn twins, feels she’s not giving her other daughter enough attention. She needs a bit of me time and for her husband to realise the responsibility for the kids falls to both of them.
And Bella, heartbroken after her husband’s shocking request for a separation just a year into their marriage, longs to escape the memories of last year’s perfect Christmas.
Can Lara help them rediscover joy, connection, and the true spirit of the season?
The Christmas Spirit Boxset
