~Author Interview~ Rachel Rossano: Historical Fantasy at Its Best!

Rachel Rossano has been my favorite historical fantasy author every since I first met her on Goodreads years ago. She's one of my favorite authors, hands-down! 

But what, you may wonder, is historical fantasy? 

The majority of Rachel's books take place in completely made up places but they have a very strong historical feel to them. There is never magic or strange creatures. 

Rachel is joining us today to answer a few questions, some of which may seem strange to some of you. For Rachel and I, this is a normal, everyday conversation. Enjoy! 

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I'm so excited to have you here with us, Rachel, to answer a few of the questions I've been dying to ask! And I am so appreciative of the fascinating guest posts you've recently done for this blog. (For those of you who may have missed them, you can find them HERE and HERE.) Let's not keep our readers waiting any longer!

Jaimey/Laura: Let's start by talking about your books. Which of your books is your favorite?

Rachel Rossano: Oh, that is like asking which of my children is my favorite child. Each of them is different and I love them each for different reasons. I am most enthralled with Duty at the moment, which is to be expected since that one is the newest, the shiniest, and my best work so far. But Wren comes in close second, with many others, including my current project (Diaspora), moving up the ranks.

J/L: I'm sure many of our readers can relate to that, especially as so many of them are writers too. Are the names of your characters important?

RR: Some of them are important. Like choosing my heroine’s name when writing Duty became a long and difficult process. She wouldn’t reveal herself to me until she had a name that fit her personality. Brielle means “God is my might.” Her family name, Solarius, is more of a nod to her hair color. The name means “of the sun.” Red hair runs in the family, though I don’t really mention that in the novel. Strong, fiery, wise, and red-headed, Brielle’s name grew to fit her better with each chapter.

Other characters, like my hero Lord Irvaine, burst forth almost completely developed and clear, title and first name included. His title is based on the area he oversees, but I chose his first name, Tomas, because of the sound. Also, it is traditional with a twist of unusualness to fit his world and his character. Although Tomas can give the appearance of all the attributes expected of a nobleman. Upon closer inspection, you discover he is very different than the blue-bloods around him.

J/L: Interesting. I've had the same things happen. A character can sort of burst in, already named and fully formed, and then others are very private, only willing to share once they're sure you're able to portray them accurately. I love that about writing! Continuing on the subject of characters, have you ever replied to a character out loud while you were in a crowded room?

RR: In a crowded room, not usually. Out loud, occasionally. In my head, all the time. Am I nuts, most likely a bit, but aren’t we all?

J/L: I can certainly relate to that and even our non-writer readers can too, I'm sure. ;O) Moving on to a slightly different, though still related, subject, Duty's cover is so beautiful! Who designed it?

RR: I did. Book cover design has become a bit of a third or fourth hobby for me. My frustrated artist side revels in exploring and trying out new things to create a visual taste of the story beneath the cover.

J/L: You are very good! If I didn't do cover design myself I would hire you! Heck, I still might. ;O) In regard to the "darker" side of being a published author, how do you react to a bad review of one of your books?

RR: I look at the source, analyze the reasons the reader gives for not liking it, and then evaluate whether or not I need to change anything I am doing. Sometimes I do. More often I don’t. Then I try to move on because I can’t please everyone.

J/L: I believe that's the hardest lesson an author has to learn, that we can't please everyone. It becomes a bit of a chant, a daily reminder. It still hurts when someone dislikes one of our babies but the reminder does help. On that note, what is the most demeaning thing a reader has said about your work?

RR: A reviewer once accused one of my books of lacking depth, using too many distracting -ly words, and said she just didn’t get it. It took me a few days to shake free of that one. Probably because she was partially right, about the -ly words.

J/L: Ooo, ouch! It hurts so much more when we realize they might have a point. OK, let's drop this serious subject and get to the really important questions. Who is your favorite super hero?

RR: At the moment, Captain America is my favorite, but it is only at the moment. I watch a lot of superhero movies. Mr. Fantastic, Batman, the Phantom, and a couple others come to mind as well.

J/L: I lean more toward the anti-heroes, lol. Wolverine is my all-time favorite and has been since I was a kid. Now, if you had a pet snail that could magically grant wishes, what would you name it?

RR: I would name it Gertrude, just because.

J/L: That is the BEST answer, ever. Thank you so much for joining us today and letting us have a glimpse into the quirky mind that creates such wonderful, romantic stories. It has been great fun!

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About the book:

Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon.

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king. When that same king demands Tomas marry the impoverished daughter of the late Lord Wisten, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty: a novel of Rhynan follows their journey from strangers to friends as they face complications from their pasts and the shaky politics of a changing regime. Then Brielle is implicated in her cousin’s treasonous activities. Can a marriage of duty survive treason?

Get Duty from Amazon HERE or from Smashwords HERE.

About the author:

Author of a growing stack of novels, novellas, and short stories, Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come in both of her double lives.

Rachel's online presence:

Blog ~ http://rachel-rossano.blogspot.com/

Website ~ http://anavrea.webs.com/

Twitter ~ http://twitter.com/RachelRossano

Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles

YouTube ~ http://www.youtube.com/anavrea

*B/W image clipped from Chivalry by Léon Gautier (1891), p. 195. Google eBook HERE.

~Author Interview~ Jenna Anderson

I have an extra special treat for you today! I've interviewed Jenna Anderson, author of the supremely funny and sweet novella, Off Leash (click here for my review) and she has graciously agreed to give away a copy of this book. Read on to find out how... 

Laura (Jaimey): 

   Hi Jenna! Thanx for joining us here at Romance, Old School. 

Jenna:
   Thanks for having me. This is my first interview so I’m a little nervous. 

Laura: 

   There's nothing to be nervous about. Interviews are painless, I promise. :O)

   Just to start things off, tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing. 

Jenna:
   I live in the upper Midwest with my husband, son and crazy dog, Chachi. I grew up in a very small town. People who read my ebooks will see some evidence of that in the storylines. Small towns definitely have their own unique vibe.

   My first attempt at writing happened in 2008. Up until then I’d always had stories rolling around in my head, but never put them down on paper. The catalyst was my mother entering the nursing home. It was a rough time for me. I’d sit in her 10 x 12 room and look at what her life had dwindled down to - a few pictures, handmade quilt and misc knick-knacks. Her history summarized by a handful of things. It made me wonder, what would my 10 x 12 room look like? What things would it contain? And will I be satisfied with what I see on my shelves?

   I decided that there couldn’t be anything left undone or untried. My ‘someday’ list couldn’t wait. So I tackled the first thing on it - writing fiction.

Laura:
    I have heard many reasons for a person to begin writing but I have to say, that's one that really makes you think. I wonder now what my own 10x12 room would look like.
   I know this is a question that is WAY overdone in author interviews but I'm just dying to know what inspired your novella Off Leash!

Jenna:
   Wow, let’s see if I can remember. I started this story so long ago. I write horribly slow. My first release was in October of 2009. It took me almost two years to finish my next story. Yikes!

   Our current pet is a shih tzu but we used to have two bichon frises. They are such a fun breed. I believe they were primarily used as circus dogs. A tidbit of the storyline came to mind one day - a city gal makes a quick pit stop in a small town with her fluffy bichon. Her purebred pooch gets off of its leash and the rest of the story just snowballed from there.

   I’m a very undisciplined writer - a wild panster. I sit at my keyboard and let the story fly off my fingers. So the incident with the GPS, cell phone, brown and purple leopard skin boots, Sandy the nosey friend, three little nieces, etc. were all gifts from my invisible muse.

   Now Ginger, the goat… she’s based on an actual animal I met years ago. So cute. I hope readers like her as much as I do.

Laura:
   I can relate to the writing muse of a pantser, believe me. ;O)
   I love the cover and how perfectly it fits your story. Who is the artist?

Jenna:
   Jeff Okerstrom. He’s a former coworker of mine and very talented. I sent him my ideas and he drew the entire thing from scratch! I envy talented, artistic people. He also did the cover for Healing Touch and I made him promise to create more for me in the future.

Laura:
   That's certainly good news. You clearly work well together to create the perfect covers for your stories.
   You also write reviews but only for a certain length of story. Can you tell us a little about that and where we can find your site?

Jenna: 
   My life is so busy and finding time to read a long, involved novel can be tough. I enjoy reading novellas and short stories. They’re perfect for my crazy world and short attention span. My Kindle is also perfect for this. There has been a nice influx of titles since ereaders have been invented and I’m more than happy to read them. I read so many I thought I might as well start a review blog. People can find it here - http://www.NovellaReviews.blogspot.com.

Laura:
  I've certainly enjoyed reading your reviews and I think all writer moms can relate to a sad lack of reading time.
   There is a page on your website called Struggling Readers. What is this page about and why is it important to you?

Jenna: 
   My son was diagnosed with a learning disability in second grade. We knew something wasn’t quite right already in Kindergarten. He is now entering the seventh grade {gasp} and reading is still difficult for him. So that section of my blog is about the trials and tribulations of that life adventure. I’m very proud of his effort. He loves books and has a great imagination. I wouldn’t be surprised if he writes his own story someday.

   I’ve found it difficult and frustrating to locate books at his reading level that he wants to read. Let’s face it, no fifth grader likes SpongeBob or Power Rangers anymore. Sadly, many books are either above his abilities or don’t indicate the reading level. I’m trying to help other frustrated parents by listing resources and creating useful book lists for struggling readers.

Laura:
  For those of you who'd like more info on the resources Jenna's mentioned, you can check out her page here: http://www.jennascribbles.com/struggling-readers/.
   Thank you so much for joining us! A little bird told me you have a book to give away. :O)

Jenna: 
    Thank you for having me. I survived my first interview. Yay!

   I’d love to give away a copy of Off Leash to one of your readers. The winner, once selected, will receive the book either as a Kindle gift from Amazon US or as a Smashwords coupon.

To enter the giveaway, simply comment on this post (please make sure you are a follower of this blog) and remember to include your email address so it's easier to contact you if you win. It's that easy. The winner will be announced Saturday, August 20.

If you'd like to skip the giveaway and get your copy of Off Leash (or Healing Touch) right now, they can be purchased through many online retailers. To see the full list of buying options, please see http://www.jennascribbles.com/my-titles/.

For more info on Jenna and her books, check out her website: http://www.JennaScribbles.com or her author page on Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Anderson/e/B0033D2I8S.

~Author Interview & Book Giveaway~ Miss Mae, author of When the Bough Breaks

The day is finally here! Today I am interviewing the lovely and talented Miss Mae, author of the excellent YA novel, When the Bough Breaks. Discover the reason behind her pen name, the inspiration for her new release, and what time period she prefers. Then find out how you can win a copy of When the Bough Breaks.

To read my 5-pearl review of When the Bough Breaks, click here.

I always ask, have you always wanted to be a writer?

Well, pretty much. When I was younger, my dream was to be an artist. I took art classes in school and was told I had talent. One of my still life drawings was presented at an exhibition. This desire stayed with me until my teen years when I became drawn to romantic suspense from the library books I checked out. After reading those, I dreamed of creating my own worlds and characters.

"Miss Mae" is a pseudonym, I assume. Why did you choose to use a pen name?

Though my name is only four letters, people seem to have the hardest time remembering it, or pronouncing it correctly, or spelling it the proper way. I decided, if published, I needed something really simple and easy!

Give us a little glimpse into how your mind works. Do you think of a character or scene first? How does the story progress from there?

Hmm, you know I'm not exactly sure myself! LOL I think just a seed pops up, and I don't really think about it much. Weeks, or months may pass and over time that seed will take shape and morph into a "formula." So I guess it's the scenes first that appears and then the characters are created to fit.

What was the inspiration behind When the Bough Breaks?

LOL, the concept of the "bad boy" being tamed by his love for the "good girl". But in this particular story, I had to come up with a reason for his supposed "playboy" reputation. So the "rich master of the big house in a small town" was added, and the ensuing secrets that came along just created extra spice!

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, what type of music do you prefer?

No, I can't listen to music. Too distracting. I prefer quiet, but that's hard to find with four dogs running in and out of my room!

Just for fun, what's your favorite color? Food? Animal? Time period?

My favorite color is blue, but red comes close to tying it. Favorite food is chocolate...yum! And animal? Wow, I can't say there's a favorite since I adore animals (I can't eat them either). And time period...um, probably 1950's and early 1960's. Seemed like such a fun age then (thinking "Happy Days" here.)

Where can we find your books?

It would really help so much if prospective buyers would buy straight from the publishers' sites. That would be The Wild Rose Press and Whimsical Publications.

Direct book links from the publishers:

Said the Spider to the Fly, e-book

Said the Spider to the Fly, paperback

See No Evil, My Pretty Lady, e-book

When the Bough Breaks, paperback

Thank you for joining us, Miss Mae!

Want a chance to win a paperback of When the Bough Breaks? Miss Mae has graciously agreed to send a paperback copy to one very fortunate reader.

First, the ground rules:

1. You must be a follower of this blog. This makes it easier for me to contact you if you've won. Following is not an entry but it is required. I've only done a few giveaways but I've already experienced problems when the entrants don't follow me.
2. Multiple entries are allowed. Leave separate comments for each entry. For example, if you choose to follow Miss Mae's author blog and her group blog, leave one comment stating that you follow her author blog and one comment stating that you follow her group blog. Any questions?
3. Make sure your comment(s) are unique, as in, if you are known as Jane Doe, please add something to your comment to differentiate yourself from the other Jane Does out there.
4. This giveaway is open to US residents only. If you are under 18, please have an adult enter for you.

Here's how to enter:

1. Follow Miss Mae's author blog, Pure Southern Genteel. You must follow publicly and leave a comment on this post to indicate you're following or we won't know that you are.
2. Follow Miss Mae's group blog, The Sweetest Romance Authors. Again, you must follow publicly and leave a comment on this post to be entered.

It's that simple. A winner will be drawn Monday, December 28. Entries will be accepted until December 27, Midnight Eastern time. The winner will be announced on this blog on Monday, 12/28. Check back then to see if you won.

Happy reading, writing, and blogging!

Book Giveaway and Interview with Romance Writer Donna Hatch

Hello, my lovely readers! I have a special treat for you today. Donna Hatch, the talented author of The Stranger She Married, has kindly agreed to answer a few questions. (To see my 5-pearl review of Donna's fabulous book, click here.)

Me: The first question is one I always ask, even if it's been answered before. Did you always want to be a writer?

Donna: Yes. And an actress. And a ballerina. I tried to do it all; I took ballet and I was in theater in school, not to mention I'm a drama queen in real life, but desire doesn't always equal talent. I've been writing stories since I was about 8.

Me: You certainly have tried to do it all! I know you have a large family. How do you find the time to research, write, and network without neglecting them?

Donna: What? You mean six children is considered a large family? ;-) At first I wrote either during nap time or late at night after everyone was in bed. Or when suffering from insomnia. Then I got really crazed about writing and started doing it instead of housework, or scrapbooking, or ... well, pretty much everything else. It did get easier when my youngest started school. Now I have a few hours in the morning that I can write before I have to leave for work.

Me: I only have two children and find it a bit overwhelming at times. I congratulate you on developing a schedule that works. You are a bit of an expert in regard to Regency England. What started you off on this obsession?

Donna: I don't consider myself an expert by any stretch, but I have extensively researched it. I had stories in my head demanding to be told, but I didn't know precisely which period to set them in. I vacillated between Regency and Victorian. It wasn't until I really started delving into the differences between them that I fell in love with this unique and short time period. I ruled out the Victorian Era because the strictures became more rigid and the clothing more extreme. However, I mostly love Regency because there's something fleeting and magical that captures my interest. By then, people began bathing on a regular basis - the rich even had indoor plumbing, men were dressing more manly and less foppish than earlier eras, they had gotten rid of those ridiculous wigs, and it was a time of revolution; education, science, the beginning of the industrial age. Also, it was right after the war, which creates the perfect situation for returning war heroes with wounds both seen and unseen. I love nothing more than a wounded hero who needs a woman to heal and save him.

Me: Who doesn't love a battle-scarred hero? What are the best reference materials that you have come across?

Donna: Anything by Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters are great for getting the facts and the feel of the era. As far as research books here are some of the best:
Our Tempestuous Day by Carolly Erickson
The Half Mad Lord by Thomas Pitt
Georgette Heyer’s Regency World
Regency Etiquette: The Mirror of Graces, 1811, by a Lady of Distinction
The Regency Companion, Sharon Laudermilk and Teresa L Hamlin

Also, Georgette Heyer is considered the Queen of Regencies, although some of hers are Georgian. Frederica and The Grand Sophy are excellent for Regency feel. But beware; she deliberately threw in some things that we now call "Heyerisms" because she was trying to expose other authors who were using her as a source rather than doing their own research.

My favorite source is my Regency writer's group. I can go online and ask for help on anything Regency and either get a quick answer from an expert or a recommendation for a good source.

Me: Well, since I have only read a couple of Ms Heyer's works at this point, I guess I don't have to worry about falling into the trap. One last question, and this is the most important. How soon can we expect the next book in your "Rogue Hearts" series? LOL

Donna: The second in the series, The Guise of a Gentleman, which is about piratical Jared, will be out in April 2010.

Me: Excellent! I can hardly wait for its release. Thank you so much for joining us today, Donna!

Now for the giveaway!

Donna has graciously agreed to award two copies of her short story e-book, Troubled Hearts, to a couple of very fortunate readers.

How can you enter to win?

1. For 1 entry, comment on this post. Tell us what you love about the Regency period. If you are unfamiliar with the period, tell us that.
2. For 1 entry, follow Donna's blog, http://donnahatch.blogspot.com.
3. For 1 entry, follow Donna's group blog, Historical Hussies.

Multiple entries are allowed, so do all three if you want. Deadline for entering this contest is October 25, Midnight Eastern Time. The winner will ONLY be announced here so check back on October 26 to see if you've won. (I suggest subscribing or becoming a follower of this blog to avoid missing the announcement.) If you're the winner, contact me at jaimeygrant(at)yahoo(dot)com with your email.