We’re so pleased to have author Ana Newfolk joining us today to celebrate the release of her new novel, Made in Portugal. Ana his here to chat about how integral the supporting cast is to her story, and there’s also a giveaway so be sure to check out the Rafflecopter widget below for entry details.

Welcome, Ana!

The Importance of Secondary Characters

I think secondary characters are really important to a story, and in Made In Portugal I had loads of fun creating Joel and David’s world.

Unless the MCs are somewhere deserted or the whole book takes place in a single location, it’s likely they will come into contact with other people.

The placement of the secondary characters in the story can tell a lot about the main characters and help the story move forward. They can sometimes bring a lot of levity and fun to the story too.

The Made In Portugal world has a lot of supporting characters. Apart from Joel and David’s families, they also come into contact with people on their trip, and of course there’s Max and Isaac, their best friends.

I also like to balance out the focus on male characters by adding a few strong female characters. The most important are of course, Joel and David’s moms, who play a vital role in the story. I also adore Joel’s grandparents, they are very like my grandparents, sassy, know-it-all, and full of love.

Here’s an excerpt from the book that shows just how special this family is.

When we got to my grandparents we made a big fuss of making breakfast for them. We made coffee and served the fresh bread I bought and the pastries.

“Oh isn’t this a treat!” my great grandmother said rubbing her hands together.

“It is indeed. What do you want?” I laughed at my grandmother’s question. I still remembered the event we affectionately called “The Great Big Toast Burnout of 96”, when David and I decided that if we were nice to them and made them breakfast they would take us to the fairground and let us go on all the rides.

It had worked then and we were hoping it would work now, although there would be no burnt toast this time.

As soon as we were all sitting around the table we went straight to the point. We told them how we found we had matching keys, and Pedro told us they were for his uncle’s car and how our moms got her.

“Granddad, I don’t remember the car when I was little. Was it sold?”

Before my granddad could answer, my grandmother interjected. And when Violeta Pereira had something to say, you listen. So we did.

“No. No. No. Nem pensar, you can’t even think about it. That thing is a death trap. It was old then and it’s old now. Oh my poor heart. I aged every time our baby girls went anywhere in that rust bucket. I’m not going to have my heart in my hands every day again. No way. Manuel, even God won’t help you if you have any part in this.”

“Grandma. Breathe.” I got up and put my arms around her and gave her a big kiss on her cheek, “What do you mean? Do you have the car?”

My granddad cleared his throat granting him a deathly glare from my grandmother. My great grandmother, who’d been silent up to this point simply said, “Let boys be boys Violeta.”

“Follow me,” Grandad got up and walked toward the kitchen door that leads to the back of the property. David and I looked at each other but didn’t dare move without permission. We looked at my grandma who was looking down, shaking her head and muttering, “these boys are going to be the death of me.”

We both dragged our chairs back like a bunch of excited kids and ran outside to meet my granddad.

About the Book

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 68,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Jay Aheer

Blurb: At 10 years old Joel was uprooted from his home and everything he knew in Portugal to start a new life in the States. At 26 he finds himself returning for the first time in thirteen years. So what if looking into the eyes of his childhood best friend again still makes his heart race out of his chest?

Living in sunny, laid-back Portugal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. For David, dreams of being a pastry chef come second to working in his family’s café where his renowned custard tarts draw in the crowds. Seeing Joel brings old feelings back. Feelings he’s not sure he’s brave enough to acknowledge to anyone other than himself.

With the inspiration of an old travel journal, the two friends embark on a real journey through memories in a country where looking back into the past runs as deep as the blood that courses through their veins.

Falling in love was never meant to be a stop along the way, but maybe inevitable when you have the adventurous spirit and courage to pursue what you want, make love under the stars, and even figure out how to jumpstart an old Citroen 2CV in the middle of the Alentejo countryside.

About the Author

Ana Newfolk was born in Portugal where she grew up surrounded by sunshine and countryside. She has always had a deep love of reading, and ever since she can remember her favorite presents and treats have always been books. She would often be found in her not-so-secret spot reading her favorite adventure books (when she was younger) and romance novels (when she discovered boys). At 20 years old she moved to the UK where she has lived since.

In 2015 Ana stumbled across her first MM romance novel by chance, and she was hooked. She loves reading about men falling in love, hard, fast and ever so sweetly. This new found love for LGBTQ+ romance has opened a new world for Ana, and in 2017 she decided to finally listen to the voices in her head and write them down.

In addition to the time she spends reading and writing Ana has a full-time job that involves meeting lots of people with interesting stories to tell. She also loves baking as much as she loves watching people eat what she creates, much to the delight of family, friends and work colleagues alike.

You can follow Ana on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or through her blog for up to date news of her book releases.