I love it when foreign readers want to chat!

I've been chatting to Ліра from lirabooksli. She discovered my Tanglewood series after it was translated into Russian by Snowdrop Publishing who is a Ukrainian publisher. They very kindly sent me the box set which were the cutest little hardbacks ever!

Here's what we talked about...

"Hello, Lilac! Russian readers know you by The Tanglewood Tea Shop, but we know very little about you."

Tell us a bit about yourself, please. Where did you study? Who do you work for?

I went to university in Huddersfield in the north of England and studied English Literature, Geography and Politics, none of which I really used afterwards, as I went into retailing for many years and after that, I worked in various educational establishments as an administrator.

Is writing your main vocation?

It is now. I gave up the day job about eighteen months ago to become a full-time author. It’s a dream come true and I love every minute of it!

Do you remember your very first story? Was it published?

Oh, dear… The first novel I wrote was a kind of time-slip drama, quite dark and rather grim. It has never seen the light of day and never will. But it did make me realise that I was capable of completing a manuscript, which gave me the impetus to write the next, and the next.

What is the most interesting part about writing for you? And what’s the most difficult one?

I love coming up with new ideas – whether it be the setting, the plot or the characters. And writing the first few chapters is always a buzz as I get deeper into the story. Then at about the halfway mark, I lose momentum and am usually beset with doubts – is the story any good? Will anyone want to read it? – and overcoming all those negative thoughts and pushing through them is probably the most difficult part.

Did you study creative writing or did you improve your writing skills by learning from your own mistakes?

I didn’t study creative writing as such, and the books that I did study when doing my degree were the classics, which provided a good grounding but didn’t necessarily help with my own writing. I mostly learned from reading a lot, both widely and in my genre, and then by actually writing and sharing what I had written with beta readers. Believe me, I made plenty of mistakes and I still do!

Could you please tell how did the idea of by The Tanglewood Tee Shop come to you?

The Tanglewood Tea Shop originally started out as more of a cosy paranormal story which I half- wrote about fifteen years before it was published in its present form. I was trying to change direction from the darker stuff I had written previously, but it still didn’t work. It was only when I had been given a publishing contract for the uplifting romances I now write, and my editor asked whether I had anything else in the pipeline: I remembered the half-finished manuscript and I suddenly knew what I wanted to do with it. So to answer the question, The Tanglewood Tea Shop had a mix of beginnings and no one instigating idea!

The book is filled with the atmosphere of delicious desserts, and the main character is a chef. Was it difficult to describe it in a book? Or perhaps you love to bake yourself, so it was not hard to tell it in a book?

I love food, cakes and pastries especially, so it wasn’t hard to describe them, or the baking process. However, I’m a horrible baker – I know what I’m supposed to do and how I’m supposed to do it, but my baking never turns out the way it should. Maybe I was hoping that by writing about a chef and baking, it would make me a better cook. Sadly, it didn’t work. I still can’t bake very well!

How long did it take to write this book? Were there any problems along the way?

From start to finish, it took me about thirteen years, but only because I began writing it and then put it to one side for years. Once my publisher had expressed an interest in the revised version it took about four months to complete a first draft. Then there is all the editing and proofreading on top before it was fit to be published.

In your books you show the life of people who live in small English towns. Is there a reason why you are so interested in writing light real-life stories?

I live in a small town near the Welsh-English border, so this setting is close to my heart. Village life, with its close community, is how I grew up, and I understand the way it works, the complex relationships, the community spirit, and the way individual stories intertwine, and it’s a source of endless fascination for me. Everyday problems for normal everyday people, and the pursuit of love and happiness makes me smile. And I like writing light, uplifting stories because I love making my readers smile.

Since nowadays many writers try to promote their own books, I can’t omit the question about your experience. Do you like interacting with book bloggers and have social media presence?

I definitely do! I love hearing from readers and chatting with them, and I’ve formed some great friendships this way. I enjoy being on social media and interacting with readers, bloggers and other authors – I just wish I had more time to devote to it, but there are only so many hours in the day, and writing the next book nearly always comes first.

I am always very curious about how writers name their characters. Was it difficult to come up with the names for Stevie, Nick, Tia? Were there any other names on the table, or perhaps a different name for the book?

Names are odd… I don’t know how my naming process works, but sometimes a name pops into my head that just seems to fit that particular character, and nothing else will do. Other times, I have to trawl the internet, searching for a name that works. If the name isn’t right, the character isn’t right. As for the name for the book itself, I wanted something that fitted the genre and set reader expectations from the start. I also wanted it to be cosy and happy, as well as describing the setting.

Usually, we only see one side of an author’s story: it’s a success, published book, beautiful covers, translation and film adaptations. But this success does not always come right away. Could you tell what difficulties and challenges you had to face before your books started to get published?

The first challenge was to finish writing it in the first place. So many would-be authors have a brilliant idea and many even begin writing their story, but it takes dedication and discipline to actually finish it. And finishing it is only the start! Quite possibly your first book isn’t nearly as polished as you think it is, and getting other pairs of eyes on your work and accepting and acting on the advice given, isn’t easy. Then there’s pitching it to agents or publishers… An author has to be able to sell themselves and their book, as well as be able to write it. If you’re an author, or you want to become one, it’s a good idea to develop a thick skin because the chances are that you’ll receive several rejections before an agent or a publisher offers you a contract. And even then, you haven’t got it made, because once your first book is out there, you will need to go through a similar process with the next, and the next.

What are your hobbies besides writing?

I wish had I time for loads of hobbies, but I don’t, so I stick with the ones that bring me the most joy – walking (I’ve got a sweet dog that needs two walks every day) and gardening. And reading – always reading!

You live in Welsh, and as a foreigner, I am very curious to know about your favorites places in your city and in the country. What are tourist must-sees in yours countries?

I live in a small town in the south of Wales, which is part of the UK. My country is full of castles and mountains, myth and legend, wild coastal paths and mist-swept hillsides. Although Wales has its fair share of culture, it is famed for its national sport (rugby), its scenery (rugged and mountainous in places, gently rolling hills in others) and for its history, which goes back over a thousand years and more.

Your favorite movies?

For a writer of heartwarming romance, I have a different taste in movies – I love sci-fi and thrillers, post-apocalyptic films and historical ones. But then, I suppose many of these also have an element of romance running through them too!

Can you advise your favorite books that are worth reading?

Goodness, where do I start! There are so many fabulous authors out there whose work I admire, so maybe if I mention a few of those instead, rather than choose individual titles – Bella Osborne, Portia MacIntosh, Beth Moran and Jo Bartlett, to name just a few.

What do you think about a competitiveness in the writing world? Do you have friends among other writers?

I have many author friends, and I must say that we are all very supportive of each other. I’m a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK and it’s a wonderful community to be a part of. Other writers have cheered me up when I’ve been down, offered advice freely, and have been a source of inspiration. I hope I have done the same for them.

Recently your new book, "The Tanglewood Flower Shop" came out. What can we expect from it?

Has it come out in Russia? Wow – that’s fantastic news, I hadn’t realised! It’s mostly set in the same village and several of the characters from "The Tanglewood Tea Shop" put in an appearance, but it focuses on Leanne’s story and her romance with Rex, a newcomer to Tanglewood.

All Lilac Mills books

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About the Author

Lilac Mills writes heartwarming romance inspired by life in the Welsh countryside, her love of simple pleasures, and the beauty of everyday moments. She’s the author of over twenty feel-good novels, and also writes as Liz Davies and Etti Summers. Meet her here.