Today I’m welcoming Helen J Rolfe to my blog to talk about her debut novel, The Friendship Tree, out on Tuesday 24 February. A big hello to Helen!
Tell us a bit about yourself
I write contemporary women’s fiction and The Friendship Tree will be my first published novel. I have the classic ‘bottom drawer’ novel, which was my first attempt, and I feel as though I’ve come a long way since that one was written!
I live in Bath, UK with my husband and two children where we live in utter chaos since moving back from Australia at the end of 2014. I’m a big fan of Pilates and yoga, I’ve signed up for badminton lessons, and of course I love to read. If I ignored the housework I’d get to enjoy books a whole lot more!
Can you tell us a bit about your novel, The Friendship Tree?
The Friendship Tree tells the story of Tamara, who leaves the UK and joins family in Australia in the hope of leaving behind bad-boy Bradley. Jake, the new vet in town, has a past he’d rather leave behind too, and the pair will soon learn that running away doesn’t solve anything.
Tamara is drawn in to a small community where she becomes the coordinator of an old-fashioned friendship tree, a chart organising the town’s residents in times of need. The Friendship Tree is rife with themes of romance, family secrets, friendships, business rivalry and an abduction which unites the entire town.
What do you love the most about the book?
I really enjoyed setting The Friendship Tree in a fictitious town in Australia. It allowed my imagination to freely create the place and its people … I even drew a map of the town and where houses were located so that I could stay on track as I was writing!
Some scenes were set in Sydney, others in the UK, and I really enjoyed varying where my characters found themselves. The changes in location mirrored changes in the characters’ lives which were important in the book.
What’s the most exciting part about being a published author?
I’m excited that other people will finally be able to read my story. Mind you, it’s daunting too … I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to family being able to see what I’ve been working so hard on!
And finally, what are you working on at the moment?
I am making the final touches to my next novel which is set in Melbourne, Australia. I haven’t quite decided on the title yet, but it’s a story about learning to love again and living life to the full, even when life has dealt a cruel blow. More on that soon, I hope!
Thank you for hosting me on your blog.
My absolute pleasure…best of luck!
For more about Helen J Rolfe …
Facebook: http://facebook.com/helenjrolfe
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@hjrolfe
Blog: http://thewriteromantics.com
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/helenjrolfe
The Friendship Tree is available from Amazon:
- Amazon.com – http://amzn.to/1wd47Mz
- Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/1Lu57zf
Thanks for having me as a guest, Kerry I’m really enjoying publication day so far!
Helen x