This week in The Loft: Author Jan Selbourne!

With me today in The Loft is Australian author Jan Selbourne. Jan writes historical romance, tales of arranged marriages, the aristocracy, spies, war, and unfortunate circumstances. Born and educated in Melbourne, Jan's career in accounting took her to Queensland and the United Kingdom. Now retired, she lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

Author Jan Selbourne

S:  Welcome, Jan! I am always pleased to chat with someone from "down under." While we are suffering the effccts of winter, you are enjoying summer! 

Why did you become a writer?

J:  I’ve loved books and wanted to write since I learned to read and hold a pen. However, something always seemed to push the writing urge onto the back burner.  Career, a working holiday in the UK, marriage and children, then back to work again. When I retired it was finally "me time" and I began to write.

S:  (Nods.) I suspect many authors began writing books as a second career.

What attracts you to the romance genre?

J:  We are all romantics at heart, and the romance genre lets us escape to our hero and heroine’s world, be with them through their difficulties and then, happiness. It makes us feel good and we all need that.

S:  (Smiles.) There is a reason romance is the best-selling genre in the world. People like happy endings. It gives them hope.

If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books

J:  Definitely. To write a book is a labor of love and a great achievement.

S:  What do you consider your greatest achievement?

J:  Bringing two wonderful daughters into the world.

S:  What are you currently working on?

J:  My book in progress is set in the 1770s, where arranged marriages were considered normal and acceptable, except for Sarah Forsythe, who is betrothed to a man twice her age. Repulsed but scared of her father, Sarah runs away from her privileged life with the son of a Methodist minister. Not to Gretna Green, but the New World. A new world of broken promises, abandonment, and a downward spiral into degradation. The American colonies are rebelling against British rule, the siege of Boston worsens, and at her lowest point, Sarah finds a hidden box. Desperate for money, she steals it only to discover a bundle of documents. Bank of England documents. Sarah manages to join General Howe’s evacuation to Nova Scotia and by lying through her teeth, secures passage back to England, unaware two men are following intent on claiming ownership of those documents at any price.

S:  Wow. That's an intense, but action-packed, story line!

Tell me about "Behind the Clouds."

J:  "Behind the Clouds" is set in England and Belgium during the early days of World War One. Here's the blurb--

Barely tolerating each other, Adrian and Gabrielle Bryce are trapped in Belgium as the clouds of war loom over Europe. Plunged into a nightmare of lies and betrayal they flee for their lives as the German forces cross the border. Narrowly avoiding capture, witnessing death and atrocities, they reach safety as two very different people who’ve found deep love – only to face charges of treason and a woman who’ll stop at nothing to see Adrian dead.

S:  Great cover!  That sounds like an intriguing tale. Where can readers buy your book?

J:  It's available from the following vendors-

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Clouds-Jan-Selbourne-ebook/dp/B017NSKITO/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/behind-the-clouds-jan-selbourne/1122916686?ean=9780992821593

S:  Jan, thanks so much for joining me today! If you would like to learn more about Jan and her books, please visit--

Website:  https://nomadauthors.com/JanSelbourne

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jan.selbourne

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JanSelbourne

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-selbourne-2817b6140/

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Selbourne/e/B0184OSZ6E