Letting down her guard…

Might save her life…

With their family name in tatters, Katherine Leofric and her sister are headed for a new life at their brother’s estate. They are escorted by the hardened Jarin, Earl of Borwyn, whom Katherine believes is only after her dowry! Then her sister is abducted on their treacherous journey, and Katherine must rely on Jarin’s protection. Now, seeing a different side to the man she's sworn to hate, it’s her heart that’s most at risk!

Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Warriors-Protection-House-Leofric/dp/0263277321

US - https://www.amazon.com/Under-Warriors-Protection-Historical-Leofric-ebook/dp/B0875K43GB

 Author Q&A
1.       What would you consider to be your Kryptonite as an author?
Writing a synopsis! I find it so hard to distill 70 000 words into less than seven hundred. I’m never sure what to put in and what to leave out. I reckon it takes me as long to write a one-page synopsis as it does a quarter of a book!

2.       Favorite childhood memory involving books?
There are so many it’s very hard to pick. My earliest favourite memory is being given my very own reading book. I can still remember running out to my mum, who was waiting in the school yard, waving the book about. I was so proud! The first word I learned to read was ‘look’ and that same feeling of excitement is still with me every time I pick up a new book to read.

3. If you could dine with any literary character, who would it be and why?
I’ve spent ages pondering this question! I’m actually very shy and I think that’s why books appeal to me so much. You can find out so much about a person’s life without having to talk to them (this makes me sound awful!). I love to read about different characters and learn about their lives; I’m also very happy for them to stay in their worlds.

4. What fantastical fictional world would you want to live in (if any) given the chance?
I would love to live in the Harry Potter world but only if could be a witch. Exploring Diagon Alley has always appealed to me. I also really love the idea of waving a wand and the washing-up being done for me.

5. Did you want to be an author when you grew up?
It never occurred to me that it was possible to become an author. It seemed as fantastical to me as living on Mars. When I was twenty-two I started working in publishing and working with books seemed like a magical career to me. It was only as I started helping authors develop their manuscripts that it occurred to me that I could do it too. Then I wrote my first novel and realized how much hard work it was!

6. What is your most unusual writing quirk?
Versions of my children’s names appear in every published book I’ve written. The first manuscript I wrote that was published (as opposed to all the ones at the bottom of my drawer that didn’t J) had my daughter’s name as a minor character. I hadn’t done this in any of my rejected manuscripts and so I decided it was lucky (writing this now it sounds absolutely bonkers!). Anyway, it seems to have worked because I’ve been published ever since. Luckily their names are quite long and so I can make lots of different variations out of them.

7. If you could own any animal as a pet, what would it be?
When I was little I read Shadow the Sheepdog by Enid Blyton. Ever since then I’ve wanted a sheepdog. Unfortunately, I think it would be cruel to keep one because my husband and I are out at work at all day. If I ever I get to write from home full-time a sheepdog will be my very first purchase.

My children have two guinea pigs and watching them graze in the garden is surprisingly relaxing.

8. Have you ever met anyone famous?
I’ve met several famous authors, who have all be absolutely lovely, but if we’re talking movie star famous then it’s got to be Nicholas Cage. I’m not entirely sure this counts because we didn’t have a conversation, but I was in Hollywood and lots of people were lining the road so I joined in even though I didn’t know what was going on. It turned out to be the day Nicholas Cage was having his star put into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He came out and shook hands with everyone who was waiting. Jim Carey was there too but he didn’t come close enough to claim that I’ve met him.

9. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
It takes a three months to physically write a book but I would say I’m plotting for a good six months before that (mostly in my head). After I’ve finished I take about a month to edit it and make sure I’m happy with what I’ve written.

10. If you were the last person on Earth, what would you do?
Panic.

11. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Join a writing group. If your novel has any romance in it, even it’s a murder mystery, then you can join the Romantic Novelists Association. This is a fantastically supportive organization that helps many authors on the road to publication. There are plenty of other groups like it for different genres.

12. What book do you wish you had written?
The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson is a beautifully written book and a story I read over and over to my children when they were younger. I wish I’d been clever enough to have written this.

13. If you could live in any time period, what would it be and why?
This is such a great question! I’d like to live in this time period but be able to travel to different ones. Is that allowed? I’d love to go back to the medieval times and immerse myself in the culture but I like modern toilets so I wouldn’t want to stay there for long.

I’d also like to visit the year 3020 and find out what the planet and people are like a thousand years from now.

14. What is your favorite genre to read?
I enjoy all genres but my current favourite is romance. The HEAs are particularly enjoyable during these uncertain times.

Author Bio –
Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).

Social Media Links – https://twitter.com/ellamattauthor

www.ellamatthews.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/ella.matthews.524381