I am delighted to have Susan on the blog today ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
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Genre: Rom com / contemporary romance
Publication Date: January 28, 2025
Estimated Page Count: 350
Standalone Novel
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Q. What inspired you to write a novel centered around leap year proposals?
A. Well, actually, I myself proposed on 29 February 2016. Although I had no intention of doing so that morning, I had always thought it was kinda sweet. Sometime after I proposed, and after a fair bit of the idea percolating in my head, I thought it would make a cool subject to write about!
Q. How much research did you do into leap year proposals?
A. Quite a lot actually, and it was very fun. But, as you can imagine, things have changed dramatically in the eight years since I started writing this book. It was finished ages ago, although it has had some pretty significant revisions over time. But some things have changed since I first wrote this, for example, social media, so I had to update that. But I digress. I looked into the customs and traditions behind the leap year proposal, rewatched Leap Day –of course I did – and went on sites for people who were intending to propose on 29 February. Might have been useful if I’d done that with my own proposal! I didn’t know any of this stuff existed until long afterwards!
Q. Is the book based on your own proposal in any way?
A. No, no, nope, no how, no way! Like I said, it gave me the idea, but in The Leap Year Proposal, there are three female protagonists and their boyfriends. They all carefully consider and craft their proposals. They’re not quite as impulsive as me!
Q. Have you seen the film Leap Day and if so, can you draw any parallels between that and your book?
A. Oh well, I kind of messed up that question, didn’t I, since I gave the game away above! Yes, I’ve seen it. No, I can’t, and now I really wish I’d put a cute Irishman in the book! I’ve always loved the Irish. I’m now going to have write another Irish character! My book’s set in
Scotland, so, yep, no, I can’t think of a single thing, apart from the premise of proposing that is similar.
Q. There are three female protagonists in The Leap Year Proposal. Do you have a favourite and why?
I think probably Anouska. As a businesswoman, in some ways, she reminds me of younger me, although she wasn’t based on me. However, I can imagine her dilemma as she is always so in control, and owning her own company, she calls the shots. Babies tend not to ask for permission about their creation! Now she’s not calling the shots necessarily!
Q. How important was the location for the proposals?
A. Ooh, it’s important in several ways, not all of which I can tell you right now. Suffice to say, the girls talk the proposal locations over at length, and I had great fun creating the possible locations. There’s one of them I really want to go to. I’d be interested to know, if you read the book, if you can guess which one.
Q. What’s next for you in 2025?
A. Sleep! No, I’m kidding. Seriously, I’m kidding. I don’t really sleep much. I have another book coming out in May, You Can’t Hurry Love. It’s already up for pre-order actually. It’s a romance set in a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. And if you don’t fall in love with my sloths, I’ll be seriously offended – kidding – maybe!
Then later in the year, I expect to release another Christmas Spirit book, and well, that’ll keep me busy enough for 2025, and will mean four releases in 12 months. I’ve been busy!
Book 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?
Purchase Link – https://books2read.com/u/3kj7AG
Author Bio – 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.
Social Media Links – Website – www.susanbuchananauthor.com
Instagram – authorSusanBuchanan
Facebook – www.facebook.com/susancbuchanauthor
Twitter – susan_buchanan
Threads – authorSusanBuchanan
Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of The Leap Year Proposal (Open to UK Only)
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I just finished this book and liked it a lot. I enjoyed reading this interview, it’s nice to see some of what inspired the author and the research they did.