My favorite author Jane Harvey-Berrick has teamed up with former Rugby player and book cover king Stuart Reardon to write her new book Undefeated that is out on January 23. I am really excited to read this new sports romance and I took a few minutes to ask Jane a few questions about her new collaboration. Check out what Jane had to say about how it came about and how they worked together.
Jane: I had an idea for a rugby romance based on his experience. It was Stu’s idea to make it a little more personal. It’s not a story about him, but it’s very much his story, if that makes sense.
We discussed the plot at length and then I did several interviews with Stu, lasting a couple of hours at times. Making notes about his answers, trying to get a ‘feel’ for the way he thought and spoke. Also got a lot of behind-the-scenes locker room pranks that didn’t make it into the story.
It was also a fast learning curve for me to find out about rugby. We also decided to make it Union rather than League, as it’s the better known game, especially outside the UK.
I hammered out sections and Stu (and Lynda) commented on them and came back with ideas, thoughts and changes. And the best parts were when Stu sent voice messages, acting out the scenes. Hilarious! Wish you could hear them!! SUCH a fun way to collaborate. I pretty much transcribed those and they made it into the story with almost no changes.
For both of you-What was the biggest surprise you had while working on the book? The reason I ask is Jane has never written a sports book so did you find a love for rugby now? Did you have a love for rugby? Was there something else that
surprised you about the actual collaboration? Stu will you write another book on your own?
Yes, I’m watching a lot of rugby now!! Scotland last night! WOOHOO!
What surprised me most was how funny Stu is. Not that I didn’t think you didn’t have a sense of humour, hon, but you are FUNNY!!! I was also surprised how emotional the rugby scenes were. At the end, I was typing and crying!
We have a sequel planned. We hadn’t even finished UNDEFEATED when we started discussing a sequel. UNDEFEATED doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, so I think people will be surprised by how much happens in book 2, entitled MODEL BOYFRIEND. We don’t have a date for that yet – next year!!
The story behind the story… or why I wrote a book with a man who has never written before!
This photo is from a year ago. It was taken at a book event in Dublin, Ireland. It was my first time in the Emerald Isle and I loved it!It wasn’t the first time I’d met international rugby player and cover model Stuart Reardon. We’d met at a couple of other signings and once I’d gotten over being intimidated (beautiful people often intimidate me – plus I’m wearing heels and he’s really tall!), I found him to be a lovely, down-to-earth guy and easy to talk to.
But if you saw a lot of photographs from that event with all the readers wanting to go and hug Stu (well, you would, wouldn’t you), you’d notice that in the majority of the photos he has his left hand in his pocket. That’s not a coincidence – it was because he was recovering from surgery on a serious injury, sustained while playing rugby. A torn rotator cuff, if you’re interested – lots of rugby/football/baseball players get this injury, apparently.
For Stu, a man who’d played for his country fifteen times, a man who’d made rugby his life, it was a career-ending injury.
I started thinking then, what must it me like to have to give up the career you love so suddenly?
And I started thinking about a book…
Check out her other new title:
Carnival (The Traveling Series #4)
Get the others in the series now on Kindle Unlimited for FREE!!
The Traveling Man (The Traveling Series #1)
The Traveling Woman (The Traveling Series #2)
Roustabout (The Traveling Series #3)
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Follow Jane on her social media:
Website: http://janeharveyberrick.co.uk/
Instagram: @jharveyberrick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JHBWrites/
Twitter: @jharveyberrick
Follow Stuart Reardon’s social media:
Website: http://www.stuartreardon.co.uk
Instagram: @stureardon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuartreardon17/
Twitter: @stureardon
So looking forward to “Undefeated” and to know there will be a book two, yay.