I am delighted to welcome the author, Susan Buchanan onto the blog today. Susan was kind enough to agree to answer some questions about her latest book, The Leap Year Proposal. She has also been generous in offering a signed copy of her book to giveaway. Information on how to enter is at the bottom of this post.
But first, let me give you some info about the book.
The Blurb
Three women. One crazy hen weekend.
A life-changing decision.When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.
High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.
Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.
Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.
The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.
Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?
***
Welcome to the blog Susan.
Thanks for inviting me.
Q. Intriguing concept – leap-year proposals. Are you a feminist? And do you think the concept of leap-year proposals still resonates today?
A. Am I a feminist? I’m a feminist in so much as I’ve never thought, not even for a second, that I don’t have as equal a right as a man to do something, simply because I’m female. I think whether the proposal idea will resonate or not depends on the person. You’ll have those who rail at the idea of women having to wait until 29 February every four years to propose, and then you’ll have people like me who like the uniqueness of the date and the fact that 29 February only exists every 4 years, and will just roll with it.
Yes, I proposed on 29 February – although that morning I had no plans to!
Q. How many drafts of your books, and particularly this one, did you do?
A. Nowadays I usually do 2-3 drafts, then more after edits. This one went through a lot more edits as so many things changed based on feedback. I’ll never know which was the better version. I loved both, but clearly I’m biased!
Q. So, does that mean you cut characters and scenes? Do you delete scenes or keep them? I’ve heard writers should never throw anything away.
A. Yes, I cut both characters and scenes, and that’s not something I usually do. But in traditional publishing, you often have to fit exactly what they’re looking for, so I did that for this book. I keep all versions of my books, so those scenes may be used as a little extra for my newsletter subscribers at some future point.
Q. What to your mind is the most romantic scene in the book?
A. Hmm, that’s a toughie, but I guess I’d have to say the penultimate one with Zach and Anouska (not including the epilogue). If it doesn’t get the readers rooting for them, I’ve done something wrong!
Q. What would you say the themes are in the book? Obviously romance, but I get the impression female friendship is a key one.
A. Absolutely it is. The three women end up spending a lot of time together – time when their partners, for various reasons, aren’t around. It works in their favour in one way as they’re trying to craft these proposals in secret. The strength and bond of female friendship is definitely one of the main themes in the book. Betrayal, second chances and forgiveness also feature heavily.
Q. Did you have any actors or people in mind for any of the characters in the book as you wrote it? If not, who would you like to take the lead roles if The Leap Year Proposal was made into a film?
A. Not as I wrote it, no, although interestingly I did for the book I wrote after this one! I don’t tend to normally. Perhaps Claire Foy for Ellie, Emilia Clarke as Jess and Gemma Arterton as Anouska. For the love interests, perhaps Taron Egerton, Theo James and Nicholas Hoult, but I’m not telling you who is who!
Q. What can we expect from Susan Buchanan in 2025 and 2026?
A. Well, quite a lot, I think! I released the third in my Christmas Spirit series in November 2024 after a gap of almost ten years! I know! And it was so well received, and I’ve had so many ideas for future books in the series, I can confirm there will be another Christmas Spirit book in 2025 and probably again in 2026. However, before that there’s You Can’t Hurry Love, my romance set in Costa Rica, and heavily featuring a sloth sanctuary – if you’ve never been, you really have to go. Sloths are so cute! You Can’t Hurry Love will be out in May and is already up for pre-order: https://books2read.com/u/mKG0p5
Thank you so much for coming onto the blog today Susan. It's been wonderful to have you and I'm sure the book will do brilliantly.
About the Author
Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!
Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.
She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.
When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.
You can also find Susan at:
Giveaway
To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Leap Year Proposal click on the link below. UK only.
Good Luck!
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)
(all opinions are my own)
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