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SHARON KENDRICK has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, and completed her first book at the age of eleven! It featured identical twins fighting evil at their boarding school, but, sadly, this early manuscript has been lost.

Sharon wanted to be a journalist, so she enrolled in a secretarial course to learn shorthand and typing, but life kind of got in the way and she drifted in and out of a succession of jobs. She has been a waitress, a cook, a dancer and a photographer. She has worked in shops and sung in bars. Sharon also qualified as a nurse and drove an ambulance across the Australian desert.

When she settled down and married her dashing doctor, she decided life was not a rehearsal and that if she wanted to write a book she’d just have to sit down and do it. Not easy with a lively toddler and a six-month-old baby while living in a tiny apartment. But she did it, and so Nurse in the Outback was born, and it was accepted by Mills & Boon without any changes.

Since then Sharon has gone on to write many books for Mills & Boon, and they have been published worldwide. She adores writing romance and considers herself lucky to have the best job in the world! It is a fantastic way to spend a day—inventing gorgeous heroes and complex, interesting women and charting all the ups and downs, the highs and lows of their relationships until they are really ready to let love into their hearts.

Sharon intends to carry on writing forever, and why not? For what greater pleasure could be gained than when a reader writes to tell you that you moved her to laughter and tears?

Turn the page for our exclusive interview with Sharon Kendrick!

We chatted to Sharon Kendrick about the world of THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES. Here are her insights!

Would you prefer to live on Aristo or Calista? What appeals to you most about either island?

Without a doubt, I’d opt for living on Calista every time—mainly because I saw it through the eyes of Elina, who had spent her whole life there. I loved the dramatic, often desolate landscape—which reflected some of the desolation I saw written in Zahir’s eyes. And I loved the natural splendor of the countryside; the mountains and incredible sunsets—such simple beauty, which contrasted with the sumptuous luxury of the royal palaces.

What did you enjoy about writing about the Royal House of Karedes?

What I enjoyed most about writing about the Royal House of Karedes was the sense that here was a real place, with a real community. The rival factions, the disputes over land and position and the long-simmering tensions and jealousies are exactly the same as those that most of us will experience at some point in our lives. And dominating all these is the age-old search for love, which is the most tantalizing and irresistible of all…

How did you find writing part of a continuity?

Writing as a community seemed no different to writing as a lone author… you’re still locked away in your humble garret while the story (hopefully) grows and grows! There was a bit of communication between the authors—when I wanted to introduce a couple of heroes from the other books, I made sure I checked with their creators that I wasn’t misrepresenting them!

When you are writing, what is your typical day?

My typical day is never really typical—because one of the nicest things about being a writer is the flexibility it affords. Having said that, I write best in the mornings, when the world is quiet and not quite awake. I like to watch the rising sunlight filter over the treetops, and from where I’m sitting now, the autumn leaves look as if someone has stuck shiny golden toffees to the branches! I try to do some form of exercise—I like running, and also a class that mixes yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi (I find a whole hour of yoga too boring). It’s good from the physical side, but it also gives me lots of ideas and inspiration. I also go into central London one day a week—to see a foreign film, or to visit an exhibition—also to get inspiration. Apart from that, I just try to avoid distractions and lose myself in the current story.

Where do you get your inspiration for the characters you write?

I get inspiration for the characters I write from films (see above) and portraits of people who lived long ago (see above). Also from newspapers (which I cross-read) and from the amazing and charismatic people you occasionally run across.

What did you like most about your hero and heroine in this continuity?

What I liked best about my heroine was her pure heart and her courage—and what I liked best about my hero was his fierce pride, and the fact that he allowed Elina to help him heal, and to dare to love.

What would be the best—and worst—things about being part of a royal dynasty?

The best thing about being part of a royal dynasty would be having servants and the ability to be able to travel anywhere in the world—and the worst thing would be the total lack of freedom and the sense of being watched wherever you were.

Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend?

Cold and glittering, with a million rainbows at their depths… are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? Of course not—but they’re a pretty fabulous consolation if she’s feeling miserable!