We chat with author Beth O’Leary about Swept Away, which follows two strangers who find themselves stranded at sea together.
Hi, Beth! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m a romance author (and reader) from the UK – I write love stories with a twist. I live in the English countryside with my husband, two little kids and a golden retriever that we got the minute I got a book deal for my debut novel, The Flatshare. She’s six now, and still as badly behaved as ever…
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I don’t remember a time before I loved writing. It was my hobby as a little kid – I used to dream up stories all the time, and scribble them down in pencil on the back of my mum’s printouts from work (probably a real nuisance…). I was very lucky to live in a house with lots of books, and my parents took me to the library a lot too, which I’m sure is a huge part of what inspired my passion for storytelling.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Brambley Hedge books by Jill Barklem. My son is obsessed with them now, which makes me so happy!
- The one that made you want to become an author: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
Your latest novel, Swept Away, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Lost at sea love story!
What can readers expect?
Lots of chemistry and romance, plus peril, adventure… and a few surprises. This is a forced-proximity love story taken to the extreme – the two main characters are lost at sea together after a one-night stand on a houseboat that is swept out to open ocean! But it’s also an adventure story and a survival story, so it should keep you on the edge of your seat, as well as making you swoon.
Where did the inspiration for Swept Away come from?
I had the idea years ago, actually, but didn’t quite have the nerve or the confidence to write it. It is my biggest concept yet and I was a little intimidated! But years on I came back to it, because I had this urge to write a really big, epic, sweeping love story, and the idea of two strangers lost at sea together seemed like the perfect place to put the big feelings I wanted to write about.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
So many! I loved writing Zeke, my male lead, because he’s quite unique – he’s very emotionally aware, and thoughtful, and a bit of a dreamer. He’s different from the rest of his family, who are very logical and scientific, and it was interesting to write a sexy creative, lonerish guy – I’ve never tackled a character quite like that before.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
SO many challenges. This is the hardest book I have ever written by far! The challenges are pretty obvious as soon as you hear the concept: two people in one boat for a whole book… I wanted the book to be totally gripping, which was so hard when a lot of the time nothing could actually happen! But actually there is so much drama in this novel, and the long stretches of time sat together on the boat became amazing opportunities to create great chemistry between my characters.
What’s next for you?
More writing, always! I’m working on the next novel, and juggling that with book events across the UK, plus mum life – my littlest is only just one, so things are pretty hectic at home!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I can’t wait to read the new Carley Fortune titled One Golden Summer – I always know her books will be sun-soaked and gorgeous, perfect for a holiday.
