Stressing the Heroine from Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the
Outback bk 2) a rural suspense romance by Susanne Bellamy.
Author Bio
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Susanne is an Australian author
of contemporary, rural, and suspense romances set in exciting and often exotic locations,
and in Australia. She adores travel with her husband, both at home and overseas,
and weaves stories around the settings and people she encounters.
Her heroes have to be pretty special to live up to her real life
hero. He saved her life then married her.
Susanne is a member of the RWA and was a finalist in their 2011
Emerald Award. She placed third in the 2015 Pan Macmillan short story competition
with ‘Chez Romeo’. Mentoring aspiring writers, and working as a freelance editor
keeps her off the street! She loves connecting with readers and fellow writers.
Feed her a good single malt whisky and you’re a friend for life.
About the Book
Title Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the Outback bk 2)
Genre Rural romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
After her brother’s death, the last thing Lizzy Wilmot wants
to do is to return to her family’s property but Alex Carter, his former business
partner, needs her help to locate some missing files. Alex doesn’t trust Lizzy and
the feeling is mutual but when they find themselves back at the homestead in the
midst of a bitter custody battle for Lizzy’s baby nephew, sparks begin to fly.
Who is trying to harm Lizzy?
Can they both learn that trust will overcome heartbreak?
Every heroine has a story. She has a background, a history, and
a past. This interview allows us to meet a heroine and get to know her better, by
focusing on how she handles being relaxed, as well as how she handles stress.
The Heroine’s Relaxed Side
This heroine is at a
party. Considering her story, describe the party.
Lizzy Wilmot-Carter loves barbecues and casual get-togethers
with friends. Having taken on the care of her orphaned baby nephew, she now chooses
functions that are child-friendly. There will be wine and beer and impromptu dancing,
especially if Alex Carter is near.
How does the heroine feel about being this particular party,
and what body language is she displaying that gives it away?
Amongst friends, Lizzy leaves aside her social mask, although
she feels a powerful need to temper the attraction she feels to her ‘husband for
six months’. Their sexual chemistry sizzles and she turns towards Alex, standing
close but gripping her wine glass to stop herself grabbing him.
Is she more likely to
mingle or remain aloof?
Lizzy mingles and enjoys both light-hearted banter and deep and
meaningful discussions. She has many acquaintances but just a few close friends
from work, and she prefers small parties with the latter.
If she drinks, what is
her drink of choice at this party?
White wine in hot weather, red in the winter.
How much drink is her
usual?
While Lizzy is an extrovert and a queen bee, she is also a team
leader in the SES (State Emergency Service) and has a strong sense of responsibility.
She doesn’t drink to excess in case she is called out to an emergency.
The heroine figures out
where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone,
or to go drag a friend back to the party?
Before the death of her brother and taking on the care of her
baby nephew, Lizzy would have sussed out assignation spots. Now, she is more likely
to rescue a friend who has had too much to drink, or play hide-and-seek with friends’
young children.
Is she likely to latch
onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is she the friend that
others latch onto?
Lizzy draws others to her. Pre-Alex, she would be the one others
latched onto. Now, she and Alex are drawn to one another, but Lizzy is also very
good at getting a party going.
If someone picked a
fight at this party, how is the heroine going to handle it?
She would throw a jug of cold water over them before using her
sharp wit and getting the party back on track. But it would be a brave or foolhardy
person to start anything when Lizzy is around!
Is the heroine the
one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the
tossing?
Control is important to Lizzy, essential given her childhood,
so if anyone is going to be tossed out, Lizzy will be doing the tossing.
Will she know when to
leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of herself?
Lizzy will know when to leave. If she stays on, it will be to
help clear up and have a one to one chat.
The Heroine’s Stressed Out Side
How does the heroine
handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls her aside when she
was blameless in a situation?
She will calmly explain in a factual way, and maybe pull out
her SES badge to show what she was doing there.
How does the heroine
react to hearing a scream?
Level-headed and capable, a scream would galvanize Lizzy into
action. She belongs to that (approx) 5% of people who are able to assess and act.
This is why she’s a team leader with the SES.
If she sees someone
being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses her mind?
“Pile of sh*t” attacking someone weaker or more vulnerable.
If she sees someone
being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing she does?
She will call for help on her phone, which is always accessible,
as she goes to assist.
This heroine attempts
to rescue someone and realizes that she is in over her head. The odds are
against her and there is no way out. She is going to get her butt handed to
her. What does she do?
Lizzy will help anyway, but she will lessen the odds against
her any way she can. Even if it means playing ‘dirty’.
The heroine runs into
the one person from her past she wanted to avoid. She can’t get out of the
situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does she do?
Inconvenient emotions will be hidden behind an indifferent facade
and she’ll employ her wit and sarcasm, if necessary, to show the world she can’t
be touched or hurt in any way.
Someone younger than
the heroine is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly,
perhaps bungling things. How does the heroine deal with it?
Unless it’s life-threatening, Lizzy will offer ‘suggestions’
in a way that allows the younger one to fix the situation while saving face. Afterwards,
she’ll have a quiet chat with them so they learn from their experiences. Unless
the person is a total dropkick, in which case Lizzy will flay them and put them
in their place. Suffering fools is not one of Lizzy’s methods.
The heroine is in
physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does she tell
herself in order to get through the situation?
“Just five more minutes and I can…(whatever is needed).”
She understands mental toughness and, knowing pain is finite, she reminds herself
that she has the will and the mental strength to get through anything. After all,
nothing can be as bad as some moments in her childhood.
What mentor’s words
come to mind in a bad situation?
Johnno, her SES leader: “Assess danger before acting.”
What lesson from her
past gets her through a stressful situation?
Don’t show anyone how much they can hurt you, physically or mentally.
Hide emotion and always keep control.
Buy This Book
Publisher Self published series
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Stressing the Heroine from Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the
