There’s a blog tour going around that’s helping spread the word about all of the great authors out there. Author Tarah Scott asked me to participate with her and most happily, I will! Visit Tarah’s website at www.tarahscott.com for some great sensual Highlander novels. She’s a great writer!
Everyone on the blog tour gets the same questions, so here are my answers to the burning questions that inquiring minds want to know:
1) What am I working on?
My next release, SERPENT, will drop on Wednesday, so I’m taking a few days to ‘breathe’ before starting my next novel, SIN. Sinclair de Reyne is a high ranking Templar, a man of such skill and power that he is used by his superiors to carry out all kinds of unsavory tasks like assassination and blackmail. All fear Sinclair, a man known as ‘Sin’ because of the color of his soul. When Acre falls in 1291 and the Christian forces scatter, Sin is disillusioned by his sect, his life, and returns to England. He takes up station in Riveaulx Abbey as both a captive and shadow, a man who is hiding from life and from his sins. When the Scots begin raiding the area, the Lady Emelisa St. Cyr and her father flee to the abbey for protection. Intrigued by the massive, handsome knight who almost single-handedly fights off the Scots, Emelisa makes every effort to come to know the withdrawn and sullen man she finds so very mysterious. Join Emelisa and Sin on their journey from the dark into the light, where every Sin can be forgiven with by the right lady.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
That’s easy – first of all, my books border on Historical Fiction, so the emphasis is on the story line, the adventure, and the relationship building between the hero and heroine. These days, most romance novels (not all, but most) are very heavy on the sex. My books aren’t. I believe in a strong story line and careful character development. From Page One, it’s my intention to hook the reader with a story that sucks them in and doesn’t let go until the very last page with tales that are interesting, emotional, raw and, on occasion, brutal. I bring a sense of realism because when I write and I believe in bringing every single one of the five senses into play – make the reader see, smell, touch, hear, and taste everything about the world I’m creating.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I think I must have been a Medieval Maven in a past life! Seriously, I just have a huge love of the transitional period called the High Middle Ages. I find the entire period fascinating in that man was just emerging from the Dark Ages and trying to create the world we know today. Lots of trial and error, but men (and women) back then led lives we couldn’t even image, lives wherein they were often called to go above and beyond in their efforts to create a stable and even healthy world for their families. It’s a truly astonishing period in our history and one that I feel, in a small way, I pay homage to the men and women who lived then.
4) How does your writing process work?
First, lots of plotting. I research while I’m plotting. I work actual events, dates, and people into my novels usually. My plot outlines are fairly comprehensive and I always know how a novel is going to begin and end. It’s the middle where I allow myself some artistic freedom to create worlds for readers to experience. I have written a novel in as little as three weeks, but my usual writing time on a novel is 5 to 6 weeks. I have a new release every two months or less, and my books are usually around 110 to 150k words in length (300-400 pages).
Now that I’ve answered your burning questions, join my fellow authors Suzan Tisdale, Violetta Rand, and Laurel O’Donnell to find out how they work their magic! Click on these links to be taken to their websites. These are three AMAZING ladies with an abundance of talent – Suzan is one of the top writers in Highlander romance, Laurel is an award-winning author of fabulous Medieval romances, and Violetta was just signed by Random House!! We are extremely excited for her!!
Suzan Tisdale www.suzantisdale.com
Suzan lives in the Midwest with her verra handsome carpenter husband and the last of their four children. Monetary donations are currently being accepted to help feed their 16 year old, 6’2″, built-like-a-linebacker son and keep him in shoes. Some people say she is obsessed with writing. Suzan prefers to think of it as a passion. While there is great joy in writing, the biggest joy comes in sharing what you’ve written with the world. So she writes passionately and shares her work joyfully with the intent of bringing smiles to her readers’ faces. Suzan’s 6th novel, Frederick’s Queen, book Two of The Clan Graham Series is set for release in the spring of 2014.
Laurel O’Donnell has won numerous awards for her works, including the Holt Medallion for A Knight of Honor, the Happily Ever After contest for Angel’s Assassin, and the Indiana’s Golden Opportunity contest for Immortal Death. The Angel and the Prince was nominated by the Romance Writers of America for their prestigious Golden Heart award. O’Donnell lives in Illinois with her four cherished children, her beloved husband and her five cats. She finds precious time every day to escape into the medieval world and bring her characters to life in her writing.
Violetta Rand http://violettarandromance.com
Violetta Rand holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and a master’s degree in Environmental Management. Serving as an environmental scientist in the state of Alaska for over seven years, she enjoys the privilege of traveling to remote places few people have the opportunity to see. Violetta has been “in love” with writing since childhood. Struck with an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, she wrote short stories illustrated by her best friend and sold them in her neighborhood. The only thing she loves more than writing is her wonderful relationship with her husband. She enjoys outdoor activities, reading whatever she can get her hands on, music, and losing herself in the worlds she enjoys bringing to life in the pages of her stories.
