Author Q&A with Rhoda Baxter (Jeevani Charika)

Author Q&A with Rhoda Baxter (Jeevani Charika)

Rhoda Baxter writes romantic comedies and women’s fiction. She also writes multicultural women’s fiction under the name Jeevani Charika. Her books have been shortlisted for various awards.

What was your inspiration behind a book set at Christmas?

I love Christmas novellas. I stack them up and chain read them in the period between Christmas and New Year. When I finished writing Girl In Trouble, I knew that the hero’s best mate, Lawrence, had been in love with someone from his work for ages and had never asked her out. So I thought I’d write him a smallish story. I had also wanted to write a Sri Lankan romcom heroine for a while, so I wrote about Tammy – who is a lab assistant in the microbiology lab where Lawrence works. This became Girl At Christmas. (You can get a free copy from my website).

What’s your favourite scene in your book?

The first kiss scene! Tammy and Lawrence are at their departmental Christmas party and he rescues her from a somewhat sleazy colleague’s unwanted attentions on the dancefloor by steering her away. They end up dancing together and one thing leads to another. Lawrence has loved her for so long, it’s very sweet.

Does your MC like Christmas, dislike Christmas, or are they indifferent?

Tammy loves Christmas. She’s the sort of person who starts thinking about it sometime in October and has her decorations up by the end of November. The office secret santa plays a large part in the book – Lawrence draws Tammy’s name and the present he finally ends up getting her is just perfect.

What does Christmas Day in your household look like?

Chaos, I tell you. Complete chaos. I have a small child and a teen, so there’s usually a lot of excitement and noise. I think having kids around makes Christmas Day extra special. We usually have lunch and then chivvy everyone out of the house for a walk (or a waddle, after such a big meal). 

What’s your favourite book set at Christmas?

I love The Boys of Christmas by Jane Lovering. It’s set in the seaside village of Christmas Steepleton and has the loveliest beta hero ever. I re-read it every year and it makes me laugh every single time.

If you could spend Christmas Day with any of your characters who would it be and why?

I have a whole series of novellas set in a pub called The Trewton Arms in Yorkshire. I would love to hang out there because I know all the locals so well. Besides, I’m told the local bakery supplies the pub with the most amazing cakes and cinnamon rolls.

What has been your biggest achievement in 2021?

I’m not sure. 2020 and 2021 have merged into a massive blob of timey wimey weirdness. I think just surviving 2021 was an achievement in itself. Oh, oh, I’ve just remembered. I crocheted a blanket. Finishing a crochet project is pretty unusual for me. I have a basket of Unfinished Project Shame. So, let’s go with that.

What are you working on for 2022?

I’m currently editing Playing For Love, which will be published in February 2022. It’s a romcom about two people who meet in an online game. She falls in love with him online, but he’s not interested. Unbeknownst to them both, they know each other in real life … and he’s in love with her in real life. This is part of a two book deal, so I’m writing the second book in the series right now. It’s set around the New Year, so it’s got a lot of Christmas vibes going on.

This or that:

Real Christmas Tree or False Christmas Trees?

Real.

Tinsel or No Tinsel?

Tinsel

Mince Pies or No Mince Pies?

No mince pies

Christmas books or Christmas films?

BOTH

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas Day

Christmas Tunes or Silence?

Silence (I never get silence)

Where can you find Rhoda?

Twitter