Janet Elizabeth Henderson is the author of a number of books, including Mad Love, Laura’s Big Break, and her newest novel set in her native Scotland, Lingerie Wars. Janet lives in New Zealand with her husband and two daughters, as well as a menagerie of pets. When she’s not wrangling the pet sheep, caring for her family, or having a cup of tea with the neighbors, Janet finds time to write, paint, and sculpt. You can find Janet on her website or Goodreads page.
MTAR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I’m Scottish, married to a Dutchman whom I met in America 18 years ago—I was the souvenir he took home to his mother! We have two little girls and we live in New Zealand. I’m a trained artist, an ex-secondary school teacher, ex-travel photographer and a little bit obsessed with baking sweet tarts. I have a pet sheep that thinks it’s human and keeps sneaking into the house, which is upsetting as sheep can NOT be house trained!
MTAR: What do you do when you are not writing?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I have a four year old and an eight year old, who have a busier social life than I do. This means I spend my time as a social director, cook, nanny and cleaner! Meanwhile my eighty-eight year old neighbor practically lives with us, and people are often dropping by for a cup of tea and a chat – that can take up quite a bit of time! When I do get free time, I love to read. I read fast and get through a lot of books. As well as contemporary romance, I like to read non-fiction. If I really have time on my hands, I’ll make art – I paint and sculpt.
MTAR: What inspired you to write your first book?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I wrote my first romance, Mad Love, during quite a difficult period in my life. My youngest was born with health problems and would wake every hour, or so, during the night crying in pain. This went on for almost three years. During that time I slept very little. To help me stay awake, for when I was needed, I would read. I ran out of books that I liked pretty quickly, so decided to write instead. I wrote humorous romantic books to make myself laugh and found a genre I truly loved.
MTAR: Which book do you recommend for a reader that is new to your writing?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: Laura’s Big Break still makes me laugh, I love the ending. It won a Romance Writers of America Award recently.
MTAR: What was your favorite chapter (or scene) to write and why?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: In Lingerie Wars, my favourite scene to write was the one where Lake shows Kirsty his scars to help her deal with the fact half her body is now scarred. I like the humour in the scene, but I also like the gentleness. I try to write heroes that aren’t afraid of love. This kind of bucks the trend, I know. I had an offer from a publisher to buy Mad Love, but they wanted me to rewrite the hero. They thought he should be forced to fall in love against his will, as though it was beneath him to love. I don’t think that’s manly. Real men aren’t afraid of love. And in this scene with Kirsty, Lake is showing her that his true strength is in his compassion.
MTAR: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: In Invertary Book Two, Goody Two Shoes, I write Caroline’s story. You meet her in Lingerie Wars. Caroline is all about rules, self-discipline and judgment. I wanted to shake her up a little and let her see that she can keep her principals, but live freely too. I also really like Marianne in The Davina Code. She was completely off her trolley. If I can ever figure out what kind of man would take her on, I’ll write that story too!
MTAR: What has been the best compliment?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I had a fifteen year old girl write to me. She said that she wished someone like Dean in Mad Love would love her when she’s older. She also told me that she wanted to write her own book because of reading Mad Love. Now, honestly, could someone say anything better about your work?
MTAR: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: Be true to yourself. Don’t be swayed by trends, opinion or by comparing yourself to other people. You have a story that is unique to you – write that. Don’t try to write someone else’s story. Apart from that, work hard, take criticism well and always try to make your next novel the best one yet.
MTAR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: The main theme in Lingerie Wars is that love—true love—heals and restores.
MTAR: What books have most influenced your life most?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: There’s only one book that’s had a huge impact on my life and that’s the Bible. Others I hold dear are Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (amazing man, amazing book!), Judas Child by Carol O’Connell (a crime novel that isn’t for the faint hearted, but goodness, can this woman write!?) and Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (fabulous contemporary romance book).
MTAR: What book are you reading now?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: So far this week, I’ve read three Jill Shalvis books, one Ruthie Knox, one Susan Elizabeth Phillips and one Rachel Gibson. (I said I read fast!) I love contemporary romance that makes you smile. I’m also working my way through a couple of non-fiction books.
MTAR: What are your current projects?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I’m working on the second book in the Invertary series set in the Scottish Highlands, which is due out later this year. It’s called Good Two Shoes and tells the story of Caroline Patterson, Kirsty’s best-friend in Lingerie Wars.
MTAR: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I am incredibly blessed in how much support I get. Romance Writers of New Zealand is an amazing group who has helped me in many ways. My church has also been very supportive and encouraging – even though they wish I was writing Christian fiction instead of mainstream!
MTAR: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: Getting peace to write! Honestly, I get the kids out of the house and then my husband interrupts me every five minutes to ask how it’s going!! Then the sheep kicks the door and baas for bread. Then just when I think I have peace, one of four cats decide to sleep on my keyboard and the doorbell goes telling me someone wants an afternoon chat!! We live in the countryside, but you’d never know it by the amount of people going through my house…
MTAR: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: Thank you!! Thank you for reading my work. Thank you for writing to me about it. Thank you for spreading the word about it by posting reviews and telling friends. When I published my first book, I honestly thought that no one would buy it or read it, let alone enjoy it! I am continually humbled and grateful that there are readers out there who think my books aren’t a waste of their time. So THANK YOU!!
MTAR: What would your fans be surprised to know about you?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: I’ve been arrested for spying—in Ethiopia! I was taking photos for a UK charity and didn’t realize the building in my viewfinder was a military compound. It took a lot of explaining to convince the army officials that I wasn’t working undercover for neighbouring Eritrea. They let me go after several hours of questioning. In my haste to get away from the compound, I tripped over. And a donkey sat on me—which hurts by the way. Once the military guys had stopped laughing, they said they believed I wasn’t an East African spy. I wonder what convinced them? The fact I’m short, white and speak with a Scottish accent? Or possibly that I have the same skills for subterfuge as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies…
MTAR: If you could have a superpower what would it be?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: My reason for choosing a superpower is quite self-centred—I want to avoid long haul flights! I’d like to travel in the blink of an eye. That way I could have breakfast in a Parisian café, then pop over to National Gallery in Washington and see my favourite Mary Cassatt painting, then a falafel lunch in Beruit looking out over the water, followed by an afternoon walk through the ruins of Macchu Picchu in Peru. I’ll stop there. I could go on like this for hours…
MTAR: What makes you laugh?
Janet Elizabeth Henderson: Pretty much everything! But I have to say my husband is top of the list. Not because I’m laughing at him, although that does happen a fair bit, (if you read my blog you’ll know what I mean, that man shouldn’t get near a chainsaw…) but because he is genuinely the funniest person I know.