Why did you choose the romance genre?
5. What do you do when you aren’t writing? What do you do to relax and get away from it all?
I also never expected I’d have to read my own book so many times, it must be in the hundreds, just going over and over it trying to perfect, looking for repeated words, misplaced comma’s etc. It never ends.
6. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life which book would it be?
Writing is how I relax, that and reading, I get through a couple of books a week. I have a stressful, full time day job, so the writing is my escape from that. I have three daughters and do love spending time with them at weekend, now the weather has gone so cold we’re enjoying nice trips out for hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows.
Nicola kindly answered a few of my questions.
3. Are you a plan, plan, plan writer or do you sit down and see where the words take you?
Get ready to fall in love…
I completely believe in love, and the way people interact and form connections fascinates me. I love to see couples out having coffee, holding hands in the park, laughing in the car whilst out for a drive etc.
Lily loves her life, her job and her two best friends, she does not need romance to come along and mess that up!
Nobody is more surprised than she is when after a blind date, she finds herself falling head over heels in love with Zack.
But Zack isn’t the only one with feelings for her. Lily’s heart and body are about to be torn between two very different men, as she tries to find a way to hold on to both of them. Lily hasn’t met ‘The One’, she has met ‘The Two’.
Complete pantster! I just start writing and see where the plot takes me. My best thoughts are hastily scribbled down at three in the morning as that’s when they always seem to hit me. I didn’t know how The Missed Kiss was going to end and actually ended up writing three endings and choosing my favourite.
The most surprising thing has been how many edits are needed. I was a bit naïve when I began, I guess I thought a simple spell check was going to do it, but no! I find developmental edits really useful, having someone else point out plot faults, or little things that don’t make sense. Then edit, edit, edit and a final proofread.
4. Is there anything about the process of publishing a book that surprised you?
The Missed Kiss is a contemporary romance based in Northern England. The main character, Lily, is adamant she doesn’t want a relationship after her last one ended disastrously. But, after a blind date, she ends up head over heels. Of course, that’s the point she finds out someone else is in love with her, and a word of confusion begins. The book has a lot of love, and explores friendship and loss, tough decisions, plus a fair few steamy moments.
The Missed Kiss by Nicola Lowe was published on 22 June 2021.
Love is everywhere, even if you’re reading about politics, that politician will have romance in their life. We’re all so different yet all of us will likely suffer broken hearts, unrequited love, and the feelings of exhilaration from falling deeply. Love is painful and difficult, yet we seek it over and over.
1. Tell us a little about The Missed Kiss.
About the Book
This is so hard! I adore books and have so many favourites – I’m going to go for Colleen Hoover – It Ends With Us. I love Colleen’s work and would be so happy to have a tenth of her success.
Can she have it all? Or will she be forced to make an impossible decision?
I was working in Cheshire, and whilst in a traffic jam saw a gorgeous guy crossing the road towards an Aston Martin dealership. I just began a little imaginary story about him being a lawyer named Zack. During lockdown I wanted to write a book, and so went back to that memory and decided to make him a main character.
That’s why I write romance.
7. I like to end my Q&As with the same question so here we go. During all the Q&As and interviews you’ve done what question have you not been asked that you wish had been asked – and what’s the answer?
2. What inspired the book?
