Welcome to today’s stop on the book tour for NY Doc Under the Northern Lights, currently on tour with Prism Book Tours. Today I am so happy that author Amy Ruttan sat down to answer a few questions about her and the book, to give us some more insight into it. Like her, I think Iceland is definitely on my bucket list of destinations! Please enjoy this, as well as a character interview with Dr. Axel Sturlusson over on my site Books to Light Your Fire, and my review of the book at Andi’s Book Reviews. Leave questions and comments for Amy. And then please enter the giveaway as you follow the rest of the tour below! Thanks for stopping by today!
What was the inspiration behind this book?
I really wanted to set a book in a different location and I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland. It also gave me an excuse to add my favourite thing to the story, which is the northern lights. I love the northern lights and have been privileged to see them countless times, including one special one where they were right above me and I was standing under them. I also love writing and reading fish out of water stories. It was fun to plop Betty down in the middle of Reykjavik and have to deal with my brooding, alpha hero.
To which character did you most relate and why?
I think there are elements of both hero and heroine when I write characters. This book, I definitely related to Betty more. I like to think that if I was in her shoes I would want to be a bit more adventurous. I didn’t take a lot of opportunities when I was younger to do some things, so I like to write heroines who are willing to take risks and live life to the fullest.
Tell us about the rest of the series.
NY Doc Under the Northern lights is not really a series. It’s a stand alone book that’s part of Harlequin/Mills & Boon Medical romance. Medical romances are stories about dedicated (and delectable) professionals who navigate the high stakes of falling in love in the pressured world of medicine. So think Grey’s Anatomy, only our McDreamy’s stick around. More romance and less medical detail, just in case any one’s worried about it being too medically graphic, it’s not.
If one is going to plan a trip to Iceland, what are some must-see destinations and events?
Iceland is at the top of my bucket list and I have been thinking about all the things I would like to see. Definitely the northern lights. I would love to see them in one of those hotels that are bubbles or glass igloos. That would be cool. I would want to check out Hallgrimskirka, which is the cathedral in Reykjavik. I don’t know if I have the guts to go to the top. The Blue Lagoon would be a must. I’ve been in hot springs in Jasper and Banff and I love them, so I would have to check out Iceland’s. Plus all the waterfalls and black sand beaches. There’s so much there.
What is your writing process?
My process has been changing and evolving over the summer since I took an amazing course by R.L. Syme called Write Better Faster. I was on the road to burn out after my mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. She lost her battle in June 2018 and I took stock in my process. I have two boys who are special needs as well, so what I was doing originally wasn’t working. I was on the road to burn out.
Now, I wake up and make a list of what needs to be accomplished in the day, both writing and personal life. When I write I chunk my time in 25 minute increments. If I get distracted, I start the clock again.
The competitive side of me never wants to restart the clock. If I manage to write at least 1k in my 25 minute chunk I reward myself with crocheting or an episode of whatever I’m watching on Netflix.
I also roughly plot out what I need to write. It’s very loose and I find my characters work stuff out during the first draft. I go back in the second draft and tie up things and make sure everything flows and works. I’m an introvert and one of my top strengths is thinking. So I need time to ponder things over. My first draft is rough and I step back for a week and attack it again.
This process won’t work for everyone and it took me a long time to realize there is no ONE right way for people and you have to find what works for you.
What is something from your bucket list that you have accomplished or have yet to accomplish that you are willing to share with us?
Things I have accomplished from my bucket list, is a lot of facing my original fears and anxieties that held me back. I’ve climbed a mountain and I’m SO scared of heights. I’ve gone to the Northwest Territories, in particular Yellowknife, which has always been on my bucket list. Now what’s next is to go even further north. I would love to drive the road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk.
I’m also on a journey of discovering where my ancestors came from and I’m hoping to head up to James Bay and Hudson Bay next summer to experience where a lot of my paternal side comes from. I’ll be riding the Polar Bear Express, which my grandfather had a hand in building.
One thing I learned from my mother’s cancer is that life is way too short and you have to live life to the fullest and that’s what I’m trying to do. My kids are pretty lucky, they’ve seen some amazing places in their own country and in the USA.
Thank you so much for your time!
Thanks for having me! 🙂
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NY Doc Under the Northern Lights
By Amy Ruttan
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 256 Pages
October 1st 2018 by Harlequin Medical
Escaping the big city…
For love under Icelandic skies
When surgeon Betty Jacinth’s heart is broken once again, she takes a job in Iceland for a change of scenery. She expects cold weather—but not the frosty welcome she receives from gorgeous but brooding Dr. Axel Sturlusson! Now father to his orphaned niece, Axel gradually thaws, and a flame ignites—but when Betty’s ex begs her to return, can she make the right choice for love?
Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│Kobo
About the Author
Born and raised just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Amy fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. After the birth of her second child, Amy was lucky enough to realize her life long dream of becoming a romance author. When she’s not furiously typing away at her computer, she’s a mom to three wonderful children who use her as a personal taxi and chef.
Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Newsletter
Tour Schedule
October 8th:
Launch
Thoughts of a Blonde
Andi’s Book Reviews
October 9th:
My Life Loves and Passion
October 10th:
Declarations of a Fangirl
Hearts & Scribbles
Books to Light Your Fire
October 11th:
Jorie Loves A Story
E-Romance News
Harlie’s Books
October 12th:
Locks, Hooks and Books
October 15th:
Colorimetry
Candrel’s Crafts, Cooks, and Characters
October 16th:
Book Lover in Florida
October 17th:
Jorie Loves A Story
Wishful Endings
October 18th:
Becky on Books
Nicole’s Book Musings
October 19th:
Inside The Mind of An Avid Reader
Reading On The Edge
Teatime and Books
October 20th:
Grand Finale
Tour Giveaway
1 winner will receive a swag bag from Romancing the Capital 2018. It’s full of awesome swag from the event plus 3 of Amy’s books: NY Doc Under the Northern Lights, A Date with Dr Moustakas, and The Surgeon King’s Secret Baby
Open to US only
Ends October 24th
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