Former magazine editor and romance author Kandy Shepherd to sell Cammeray home
Where does a prolific Mills and Boon romance writer pen her stories of love? A classic 1900s Federation home of course which has just come onto the market.
WHO says romance is dead?
Not Kandy Shepherd, a former magazine editor who has penned 15 books under the Mills and Boon moniker.
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All of them have been written from her landmark Cammeray home, known as Cairo House, where she has lived for the past 11 years.
“I love what I do, I’ve always wanted to do it and I always have a story on the go,” she said.
Mills and Boon has been around for more than 110 years.
The company was launched by two men, Gerald Mills and Charles Boon, who couldn’t have imagined the heights it would reach.
Many a teenage girl cut her teeth on romance from a book found on her mother or grandmother’s bookshelf — although many would like to keep that a secret.
Today Mills and Boon novels are published in more than 150 countries, in more than 30 different languages.
A book is sold every two seconds, worldwide, according to the publisher, which has a stable of about 1300 authors.
Ms Shepherd is one of them, and she is quick to dispel myths about the novels.
“There are expectations, but there isn’t really a formula,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter how old a woman is, or what she does, there is a common theme and it’s all about relationships — and a happy ending.”
There are 12 different categories under the Mills and Boon umbrella, that range from the tame, sex-free romances, to the sexy and suspenseful stories.
Ms Shepherd describes her books as “spicy”, rather than sexy, and a long way from the erotica made famous by 50 Shades of Grey
“50 Shades of Grey didn’t change anything at all for us,” she said.
“I wouldn’t want to write erotica, it’s just not me.”
That said, she still finds the saucier scenes in her stories a challenge.
“I think they are difficult to write, because you don’t want them to sound clinical,” she said.
Writing from Cairo House has provided great inspiration, thanks to its classic 1900s charm and stunning views across the Chatswood skyline to Northbridge, the golf course and Long Bay.
“It’s an old house, it’s been here since 1911 and it’s always felt like a happy house,” Ms Shepherd said.
“I have always felt comfortable writing here, and new ideas have never been a problem.”
But the time has come for Ms Shepherd and her husband to downsize.
Their home, at 80 Cairo St, is due to go to auction with Helen Wilson, of Belle Property Neutral Bay, on July 4. It has a price guide of $3.5 million to $3.8 million.
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Originally published as Former magazine editor and romance author Kandy Shepherd to sell Cammeray home