What's your name and what do you write?
My name is Heidi Troi. I write crime novels and children's books under that name. Writing as Mira Frey, I let my romantic side loose. I love writing small-town romances like Falling for Pumpkin Spice, or stories set where I live: in the mountains.
Are you a fast writer or a patient perfectionist?
I'm a fast writer. My impatience is both my greatest weakness and my greatest strength. When something interests me, I throw myself into it without much thought about where it might all go wrong (spoiler: not every project turns out quite the way I'd hoped). I love immersing myself in stories and can sometimes write 5,000 words a day (or more) when I'm in the flow. And it works the other way round, too: I find it easier to get into the flow when I write as much as I can every day.
What came first: a character, a scene, or the overall concept?
In the case of Falling for Pumpkin Spice, it was the overall concept. The publisher wanted a series set in a small town, and together we set off in search of the perfect settings. I love small-town romances and enjoy reading them myself. It's a somewhat idealised world we all long for. The perfect thing to read after a hard day's work, losing yourself in a fairytale world where everything feels just right. Unusually for me, I actually put the plot down on paper. Normally I always have that sort of thing in my head, but very rarely on paper. Here I had to keep looking back at what I'd actually planned for this book and lovingly explain it to my characters. Because sometimes they'd have liked to head off in a different direction.
How much of you is in your book or your characters?
Just call me Piper. Or Miles. ;-)
Which scene was the hardest to write – and why?
Sex scenes. Why? If I knew that, I might have a formula for it. In fact, I don't particularly enjoy reading them either. I've yet to come across a story where I really felt those scenes were honest and authentic rather than contrived. That's why I prefer the good old door that closes when things get steamy inside.
Who gets to read your writing first, and why that person in particular?
My first reader is always my husband. He's the one who asks in the evening whether there's anything new for him to read. And he's the one who points out plot holes or weak spots to me. I don't always listen to him. But what really motivates me is his enthusiasm for every single one of my stories. And why him? If anyone taught me what love is, it's him. So surely the least I can do is let him read my stories first, right?
What makes you and your books special?
I think in every one of my books you can feel the love I have for my protagonists. To say they're all just like me would be an exaggeration, but I find it fascinating to put myself in their shoes and then become them. To discover, while writing, why they act the way they do. To get to know the patterns they're trapped in.
What also makes my books special is that they're never just about love (or crime). There's always something else, too: our inability to show our feelings, injustice, the little worries of everyday life – and sometimes the big ones.