Nicole Flockton stopped by the Tule blog to discuss the first book in her Welcome to Bunya Junction series, Home to the Outback!
Where did you get the inspiration for Home to the Outback?
There’s a song on my writing playlist by Samantha Fish called Go Home – the first few lines are “Daddy was a drunk and your Mama ran away. Sceneries change but the story stays the same. Go Home. Go home.” The song has always stuck with me and then when I sat down to write this book, and pressed play on my music—this song started.
Tell us all about the new town you’re writing in, Bunya Junction!
It’s a town in rural New South Wales. It’s not huge but there’s a pub and a clothes store and café along with a green grocer. Oh and a doctor’s surgery! It’s a farming town and the residents are friendly, but they also have long memories and if they feel you’ve hurt one of their favorite people in town, they’ll let you know. It’s a little dusty and has a beautiful watering hole that the residents like to visit.
How do you relate to Sindy, your heroine, and how do you hope readers will relate to her? How do you relate to Ryan?
Sindy is a character who’s had her confidence knocked out of her a little and well, sometimes in life I’ve had my confidence knocked out of me but I’ve got up and soldiered on and this is what Sindy does. So I hope the readers can see a little of Sindy in each of them whether it’s her determination or her caring nature.
Ryan is complex and well he’s coming home and in a month or so my family and I will be returning back to Australia where nothing is the same as it was when we left. But we have family who are happy to see us return home, Ryan not so much ;)
Are your characters set before you begin writing or do you let them develop as you go? What did that development process look like for Home to the Outback?
I have a basic idea of who my characters are and their backstory, but as I write them they become fully fleshed out and some do change a little than what I thought they would be in the beginning.
This book and series concept changed a lot from when I first submitted it. I cut a lot out of it and added new things in to fit the new direction Kelly, my editor, and I decided the series was going to go in. It was a challenge and a little sad to cut out so much but the story is much better for all the editing that I did to it.
What are you currently reading?
I’m actually reading Untouched Queen by Royal Command by Kelly Hunter. It’s the third in her Claimed by a King series.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Flockton writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. Nicole likes nothing better than taking characters and creating unique situations where they fight to find their true love.
On her first school report her teacher noted “Nicole likes to tell her own stories”. It wasn’t until after the birth of her first child and after having fun on a romance community forum that she finally decided to take the plunge and write a book. Now with over 20 books published she hasn’t looked back.
Apart from writing Nicole is busy looking after her very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, and two fabulous kids. She also enjoys watching sports and, of course, reading.
I enjoyed learning a little bit more about your characters and Bunya Junction. Congratulations again on your latest book!