Guest Author - Carole Matthews

Today I have the honour and pleasure of interviewing Carole Matthews - Author of Wrapped up in You, as part of her Blog Tour

Photos courtesy of publisher

I do love a pretty cover!

Carole, please tell us a little about yourself

I was born in St Helens, Merseyside, but have lived in Milton Keynes for many years.  I have always been an avid reader but never dreamt that I could become a writer - though I did think I’d like to be a teacher or a hairdresser. I’ve worked as a secretary and then re-trained as a beauty therapist. It was when I worked in a totally bonkers holistic clinic doing aromatherapy massage that I first had the thought ‘one day I should write a book about this.’  Still haven’t got round to it!

I live with my dearly beloved, Lovely Kev, who features in far more Tweets and Facebook posts than he likes. One of my passions is chocolate and the latest one is cupcakes - both of which I tweet about a lot. When I’m not writing Lovely Kev likes to drag me up mountains - the Himalayas and the Andes both feature heavily. We do a lot of hiking and I also do Zumba to keep fit - I like the dancey element of it. I also love to watch rubbish on telly - yay to X-Factor, Downton Abbey, Great British Bake Off, etc - and am a big film fan.

The leading man is unlike any leading man I have read about, he doesn't have to work at the wow factor.  Was he an easy character to develop?  


My readers have fallen hopelessly in love with Dominic! Even my mum phoned me up the other day when she was reading Wrapped Up In You, worrying about him. I think his strength and simplicity has touched a lot of people and he’s probably the most perfect romantic hero I’ve written. He was a very easy character to develop. I did a week’s research in the Maasai Mara and spent time in a Maasai village learning about how the people live, particularly the Maasai warriors. I totally fell in love with the landscape and with the people. They just have a lovely, gentle charm that it’s easy to warm to. I was struck by how hard and sparse the Maasai way of life is and thought it would be interesting to bring Dominic back to an equivalent English village and compare the differences. I hope everyone loves him as much as my heroine Janie does.

In Wrapped up in You, Janie goes away for Christmas.  Do you like to stay home or go away, and what would be your ideal Christmas getaway if you had the choice?


I like to stay at home. We always try to take time off work over Christmas and New Year and just spend time with family and friends. I like it when people just drop by for mince pies and mulled wine! I love putting up my Christmas tree and making Christmas dinner. They’re my favourite bits. I do fantasise that one year I’ll spend Christmas just lying on a beach and won’t do any of the frantic running round that Christmas now seems to involve. I love the Maldives and would probably choose to go there again. It’s so quiet and peaceful. But snorkelling or sunbathing on Christmas Day would feel a bit weird. I like it best when it snows!

Are you working on anything at the moment?


Yes, I’m just putting the finishing touches to Summer Daydreams which is my next book. It’s out in May 2012 and I think you’ll like this one. My heroine, Nell, is a handbag designer. What’s not to love? My friend Helen Rochfort, who is a handbag designer, has helped me with the research and we’ve had a lot of fun. I think my readers will really enjoy it. I’m also working on another Christmassy book for next year and have been eating mince pies since August to get in the mood.


What book/s are you reading at the moment?


Have just finished The Lady of Rivers by Philippa Gregory. I’m a massive fan of her books and this was her third in the Cousins’ War trilogy. Very good, as always. I’ve just bought a copy of Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible, which I’ve been meaning to read for ages as I’ve heard so many good things about it and have never got round to. I’ve also got Bill Bryson’s At Home on the go. It’s unusual for me to read two books at once. I normally like to finish one before I start another, but this is such a hefty tome, that I think it’s a book that’s better dipped in and out of.


You can find out more about Carole here