Author Interviews

Welcome to this week’s Romance Thursdays interview with Belinda Missen. If you missed last weeks interview with Kelly Siskind. I had a great time talking writing contemporary romances, tropes and more with Kelly. 

Romance Thursdays is a feature that spotlights romance authors to highlight how amazing the romance writing community is. Each week I’m will be interviewing a different romance author from across subgenres as well as both traditionally and self-published. I want to share their experience writing romance and why they love it so much. While also focusing on their writing and books

This week I have Belinda Missen on Angel Reads. Belinda is the author of Accidentally in Love, A Recipe for Disaster, An Impossible Thing Called Love and more. This Australian romance author was lovely enough to take some time to talk all about romance with me. 

Hi Belinda, and welcome to Angel Reads. For those that haven’t read anything by you yet. Tell us a little about yourself and your books?

Thank you so much for having me – it was @hannahplusone who tapped me on the shoulder and told me to get in touch. And here I am, so that’s fab. 

For anyone who’s never seen/heard/read me before I’m a 30-something rom-com writer from the outskirts of Geelong, Australia. My insta bio is reader/writer/court jester, which basically sums me up. I love writing books that are high on snark, peppered with rad dialogue and feature great scenery and fuzzy feels.  

Why did you start writing romance novels? Is there anything in particular that drew you to it over other genres?

So, writing romance began for me in my teenage years. At the time, I think it was simply as an escape from those angsty years of puberty and high school drama. I love that it puts a little bit of happiness and a little bit of hope out into the world. And if I can make people laugh at the same time, all the better. 

Why do I prefer romance over other genres? I just think there’s so much negative in the world that (waves at 2020) anything that brings a smile to my face or lights up my day is the best kind of distraction. 

As an Australian romance author have you found that there are more hurdles for you to jump over in the romance book world? 

Absolutely – but I wonder if they’re not so much beginning author problems as they are geographic problems. When I first started writing, I set stories in Australia, around the areas I lived. I knew those areas and could shape them into what I needed. As I’ve written more, however, I’ve sought advice and been told to set books in the UK. This makes sense, of course, given the huge scope of the UK reading market. 

What is your favourite thing about romance as a genre? Why do you like reading and writing it?

Fiction as a whole ‘thing’ is a wonderful way to explore the issues of life around us. We can muse on male/female/binary/trans relations and they work in the scope of the modern world. We can have characters work through equally modern problems that we can relate back to our lives, while also getting lost in the pure bliss that is first kisses, held hands, covert touches and snark. 

What are some of your favourite tropes that you like reading and writing in the romance genre?

My favourite book to write has without a doubt been One Week Til Christmas, so I think at this point we can wave the ‘Belinda loves celeb romances’ flag. I’ve got another one on the boil at the moment that I just can’t wait to get stuck into. It’s been bubbling away in the back of my mind for about three years now, and these characters are getting louder by the day. 

As for what tropes I love to read, I think I’ll read just about anything as long as I click with the writing. I love a good sob of two characters who should but can’t be together, and I love those excited-vomity-nervous feelings that instant connections bring, too. And let’s not forget the old enemies to lovers trope. That’s always fab. 

You have seemed to set your novels in different places from Australia to London. Why did you choose to pick different settings? Is there a new place where you want to set your next book?  

Solid question! So, when I started writing or, at least, taking it seriously, I set books where I lived and grew up. For example, my latest – Accidentally In Love – was originally set in amongst the Geelong West area and featured a lot of classic spots that locals would know: a converted fire station, the continental grocer and the local bay area. For commercial reasons, it was discussed and decided that I should shift the book to Sheffield in the UK. It was something I sought direction about from my publisher. I was concerned my locally set books weren’t selling (they really weren’t) and, after the success of One Week Til Christmas, we decided to keep the focus on UK based romances. 

However – I’ve got one in my back pocket that’s set in Paris and based on an experience I had there. It’s so cute, I can’t wait to get into it properly. 

Who are some of your favourite romance authors? Who inspired you to write?

 Some of my favourite romance authors: 

Christina Lauren: They do sexy really well. 

Mhairi McFarlane: Does the best snark and humour, and the stories are set in the northern UK, which is a breath of fresh air. 

Miranda Dickinson: I just love how fresh and warm her stories are. 

Lindsey Kelk: does amazing feel-good stories. 

As for who inspired me to write, you might be surprised to know that it was Michael Crichton. He wrote Congo, E.R. (the TV series) and Jurassic Park, among other things. I was obsessed with Jurassic Park from the age of about eleven onwards. And I still am, if I’m honest. I remember seeing the paperback on the shelves of the local bookstore and thinking I wanted to do the same thing one day. I wanted my name on books. 

And here we are!

What are some of the ways that you think we can start overcoming the stigma of romance novels?  

I think this is something that’s going to take a long time. I’m still ridiculed at family functions for writing romance. Breaking the stigma all comes down to changing the language we use, I think. A lot of people throw about the term ‘Fabio’ and ‘bodice-ripper’ like they’re something to be ashamed about. 

I tend to wonder if a lot of it is rooted in misogyny and men being threatened by women enjoying themselves over things such as sex and romance. It makes people uncomfortable, so they immediately attack what they don’t understand. 

Thank you so much for coming by Angel Reads. It was lovely having you here. And I can’t wait to read more of your books!

Thanks for having me!

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That is this weeks interview done and dusted! Did you have a great time getting to know Belinda Missen, because I know that I did? 

If there is an author that you would like to see featured here, please do let me know and I will try my best. If you are a romance author and would like to be apart of Romance Thursdays, don’t hesitate to message me. 

Have you read a book from Belinda Missen before? Are you excited for more Romance Thursday posts? Let’s Chat! 

About the Author 

Author and sometimes foodie, Belinda is a ridiculous romantic who met her husband after being introduced by a friend two states away.

Residing in country Victoria, surrounded by books, cat-fur, and half-eaten cake, Belinda divides her days between writing rom-coms, baking, and indulging her love of comic books.

Belinda holds a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing from Federation TAFE. She’ll finish her degree one day.

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