Interview with Nicola Cornick

Nicola Cornick is one of the Steepwood authors. I admire her for her work and like her as a person. I enjoyed meeting her when we worked on Steepwood together and I know she has grown as an author since those days and now writes wonderful books for HQN. Anne

Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a Yorkshire girl from the North of England. I have been hooked on history and on reading for as long as I can remember. I studied History at London University and recently completed my Masters at Oxford, where I was awarded a Distinction for my dissertation on historical heroes. It was no chore doing that research! I live with my husband and an adorable Labrador and two gorgeous cats. As well as writing I train guide dog puppies, do some nature conservancy work and also act as a guide in an historic house.

What do you write?
I write Regency historicals for HQN Books and historical romance for Mills & Boon/Harlequin Historicals.

Why do you write?
I write because I love telling and sharing stories.

What are you writing now?
I’m finishing an Edwardian-set book for Mills & Boon. It’s been a real challenge for me to write something in a different era but the Edwardian period is a fascinating one and I’ve loved the research.

What kind of clothes do you wear?
When I’m writing I wear jeans and a T-shirt, casual, bordering on scruffy. The rest of the time I like to dress in simple, elegant clothes and I love, love, love sexy shoes!

Are you in love? Have you ever been?
Yes, I’m very much in love with my husband of nineteen years. We’ve had some very tough times in the family lately. Things like that can push you apart but in the end they have brought us closer together and I think that is wonderful. I feel as though I have had a new lease of love. I still have the can’t-wait-to-see-him feeling. He’s my best friend.
That said, I fall in love with all my heroes and plenty written by other people as well!

Do you have a dream lover?
The heroes of my books are my dream lovers and I spend a lot of time thinking about them.

What sort of comfort food do you like best?
Crisps and white chocolate, though not together.

What makes you laugh? Cry?
Lots of things can make me both laugh and cry. The written word, mad pets and friends can make me laugh. Romantic novels and films, passionate music and heartbreak in real life can make me cry a lot.

What do you do to amuse yourself when not working?
I volunteer as a guide in an historic house. I love being surrounded by all those layers of history. My other passion is the countryside, and walking the dog. I also eat, read, see friends, listen to music, and go to the theatre.

What is it in a man or woman that turns you on?
Sense of humour, integrity, resourcefulness. I find intelligence really sexy – the sort of person who challenges you and makes you think. I’m also pretty susceptible to the tall, dark, handsome type. And to have someone’s whole attention is very seductive.

What do you hate about life?
Bad things happening at random to good people.

What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?
I hope to make a difference to other people’s lives, even if it’s only in a small way. You know you have when people tell you. Getting nice feedback from readers is one of the best things in the world, and knowing that you have entertained them for a while. I also think that if you can achieve inner contentment then you have been a success.

What are you going to write next?
I’ll be starting the first book in a new linked series for HQN called the Brides of Fortune. The first story is a Regency historical about a widowed Duchess who falls in love with a toy boy!