Q&A with Author Victoria James: A Risk Worth Taking

It is always a pleasure to chat with my good friend and fellow HPT member Victoria James, and I am delighted to have her with us in the hot seat this morning in celebration of her newest release, A RISK WORTH TAKING. For those of you who love a great reunion story or small-town romance, Victoria's second release won't disappoint. I read the book cover-to-cover in one sitting, and only found myself let down when I reached the last page and realized the story was over. Well, lucky for readers, this book is also the first in Victoria's new Red River Series!  

Interior designer Holly Carrington worked hard for her success. Then tragedy struck, leaving Holly the sole guardian of her infant niece. Now she’s swapped her designer purse for a diaper bag, and is going ahead with plans to renovate—and sell—her childhood home in Red River. But facing her past also means coming face-to-face with Quinn Manning all over again...

Quinn was the object of her girlhood crush—and heartbreak— and is more gorgeous than ever. He’s also the only person qualified to oversee the renovation. Now they’re butting heads every step of the way... and their attraction is more electrifying than ever! But once the house is sold, Holly needs to return to her real life. And falling for Quinn all over again is one risk she can’t take...

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Congratulations on your newest release, Victoria! Can you tell us a little about your second book, A RISK WORTH TAKING?

Thanks so much, Olivia!

Sure, A RISK WORTH TAKING is about second chances at first loves, letting go of fear, and the finding the inner strength to persevere.  It’s set in the fictional town of Red River.  I love small town settings so I had a blast creating some eccentric, nosy townspeople.  My heroine, Holly returns to Red River after living in the city for ten years.  She thinks she’s back to sever ties with Red River once and for all.  She is there to renovate her grandparent’s old Victorian house and then sell it.  Quinn and Holly both have very strong personalities, so when it’s time to collaborate, sparks fly-especially because they have so many unresolved feelings from the past.

This book is the first in a series. What can we expect from this series?

Family drama, passion, emotion, and humour.  The heroes and heroines are the types of people you’d meet in real life, with problems and insecurities that anyone can relate to. 

Did you always plan this book to be part of a series, or did the other ideas come after you wrote this one?

When I cast my hero, Quinn I knew he had two brothers and I knew I’d want to write their stories.  As I wrote RISK, his brothers sort of came to life and their personalities really emerged.  I kind of had an idea that I wanted to get Holly’s best friend, Claire and the middle Manning brother, Jake together.  I’m busy working on the last Manning brother’s book-and he’s quite different from his older brothers-he’s much more difficult, lol.

If you had to pick one scene in the book that was your favorite, which would it be?

Definitely the night of the big rainstorm.  I don’t want to give too much about this scene away, because it ties in a few different threads from the book and I’d hate to spoil it.  But, Quinn and Holly’s personalities really clash that night, and the exhaustion and emotional toll of everything they have been dealing with culminates into, well…you’ll have to read it to find out!

What inspired you to write this book?

I wrote this book a few years ago and I’ve re-written it once before it was bought by Entangled.  Someone very close to me had suffered through many losses and I was in awe of her and her husband’s strength and faith.  People who go through really traumatic losses and go on to live life to the fullest really inspire and humble me.  I find that kind of strength of character admirable, and I’m desperate to see people who’ve gone through so much receive the best possible happily ever after-in real life and in fiction.

Small-town settings are always my favourite to read and write.  We have a place we go to regularly to that is on Lake Erie, it’s in a small town, and every time I go I’m inspired.  We take the country roads to get there and I find it so scenic and so relaxing (well, if the kids are sleeping in the backseat.  If they’re awake, it’s not really a relaxing ride).  Red River is loosely based on this town-including the old lift bridge that Holly mentions in the book. 

With your debut already under your belt, can you tell us what you learned from that experience and how it shapes the release of your second book?

I’m still learning.  But I vowed that this time around I’d be less nervous.  I was a basket-case last time.  I really want to have fun this time, and not be ready to hurl whenever a new review is posted.  I’m normally a very positive person, so I need to apply that attitude to my writing career as well.  I need to crush the insecurity and enjoy the ride!

If you could give any piece of advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

Write what you love, and not what you think you should be writing.  Sometimes I think when you’re just starting you can get so caught up on targeting specific lines (if you write category) and you can be so focused on the guidelines that you forget to let your characters tell their story.  You might discard ideas that you really want to explore because they don’t fit.  Be true to your voice, true to your real passions.   And of course, never give up.

Can you tell us what you are working on now and what we can expect from you next?

I’m working on a few different books at the moment-which is exciting and a bit crazy at the same time.  I’m trying to finish up the third book in the RED RIVER SERIES, while also working on a really special project for Entangled as well.  The second RED RIVER book will be released in July, and then the last book in the series will come out in November.  

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Victoria!
To learn more about Victoria, please visit her at www.victoriajames.ca