An interview with Michelle Morrison

February 13, 2022Valentine's Day 2022

Writer to Writer

What inspired you to become a writer?

The 1976 movie All The President’s Men. I watched it in ten years after it was released, but I knew I wanted to be a journalist who changed the world. My first journalism professor quickly cured me of that dream! I moved on to technical writing before reading my first romance book, and found my calling!

Who are some authors you look up to?

I really admire Lisa Kleypas because she is a consistently strong writer, her female characters are smart women who evolve in their power, and I always learn some fascinating historical fact from her books!

What advice would you give first-time writers?

Be a Buddhist when you’re editing. In other words, have no attachment to the words, the story, even some characters. Allow the story what it needs to be, not the image that’s in your mind. Release that ego, she’s not doing you any favors!

How do you start your story?

I always write chronologically from start to finish. This means I end up with significant revisions to the first several chapters as I get to know the characters, but I need that linear progression, it’s just how my brain works!

How do you get ideas for books?

I have visions. I kid you not. Like, full-on That’s So Raven visions. A scene will pop into my head—usually it’s a conflict scene between the characters where who they are is all out on the table, and then the plot follows. Sometimes that scene is inspired by a song lyric, sometimes by a news headline.

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Thinking that you need the perfect pen, the perfect timeline, and the perfect research before you can get your words on paper. I will scrawl words in the back of a half-used spiral notebook while sitting in the doctor’s office or dictate key plot details to Siri while driving cross country and leave myself margin notes about research to do later.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before

beginning a book?

Research is important, but ultimately for fiction, the story and the characters are the most important. I will spend a number of days researching before I begin writing if the time period or setting or plot points are something I know nothing about, but then I tend to research as I go. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get stuck in the research black hole and never write a word.

For historical fiction:

1. What drew you to this time period or moment in history?

I really enjoy the Regency/Victorian eras for one important reason: There is no technology that gets in the way of the relationships. What I love about Jane Austen books is how everyone is always going for a walk. There’s plenty of time to think and talk when you’re traipsing about the countryside. I don’t want texts, phone calls, or even telegraphs to get in the way of the characters interacting in person.

• What content or experiences helped you understand this historical period?

Reading good modern authors, reading authors from the actual period, and then reading social historian’s research. Yes, you can learn a lot about the politics and wars of a time, but how did they get on with one another? That, to me is the most important factor. I also dabble in historic recreation groups and I have to say, there is a different mindset that you find yourself in when you’re wearing a long medieval gown, or a corset. You hold your body differently, you move differently. And that, in turn, changes your outlook on your surroundings. It becomes easier to imagine what your choices might be if you really lived in a different time.

For romance:

1. What is your favorite romance novel trope?

I LOVE the unrequited love trope, specifically when it’s the male protagonist suffering (haha!). I love watching one character suffering while the other slowly realizes their own feelings. Also, love with no expectation of its return seems so pure to me.

• How do you pair two characters together? What do you think when creating a compelling leading couple?

I always gravitate to characters that need to grow in order to reach their full potential and I like to pair them with other characters so that as they help one another grow, their love can grow right along with them. Sometimes the characters are of opposite personalities so one’s strengths can help the other’s weaknesses. Sometimes the characters have similar weaknesses or lessons to learn and they grow together.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I love to sew historical costumes. My plague/lockdown project was to hand sew a replica of Eleanora di Toledo’s black and white gown. It took me 140 hours but it was such a satisfying project. I learned a lot about sewing and myself, to be honest!

What is the first book that made you cry?

I have no idea! But I do remember my most memorable book cry! I was reading Dragonfly in Amber (book two of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series) right around the time I was getting married. The book was so good, I couldn’t put it down and I was racing through it on the plane while flying to my honeymoon. I wanted to sob out loud at the end when Claire goes back through the stones, but I was on an airplane, surrounded by people (and on my honeymoon!). So I had to contain all that delicious misery—it was torture!

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I had a Steampunk clothing line for about three years. I designed and made all of the clothes. I loved the design process and the clothes were a hit, but it was way too much work!

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

It mostly energizes me. I love when I’m fully immersed in my characters and their story and I think about it constantly.

How many hours a day do you write?

This varies greatly from day to day. To me, it’s more important to write consistently, so even if I only scribble frantically for fifteen minutes, it keeps the characters active in my head and the next day I might write for two hours.

What did you edit out of this book?

Gah!! The whole backstory of Catherine’s first marriage and how she came to need to remarry. I loved the deep dive into her experiences, but it did detract from the NOW romance. You learn her backstory in bits throughout the book, but there were two or three chapters that were (rightly) edited out!

Do you Google yourself?

            Never! Haha!

What are the ethics of writing about historical figures?

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

My first romance was heavily influenced by Judith McNaught’s Regency/Victorian books and so there was a lot of “mean girls” vibes and too much angsty man, which is not the style of story I like to tell. I half wrote a medieval story that took place during Tudor times, but the male protagonist either had to be a bit of a stick in the mud to stay true to his ideals or completely cast them off to make the story work and I couldn’t ask that of him. Finally, I have a half-finished modern, non-romance that is waiting for me to return to it. It cut a little too close to home at the moment!

What inspired you to write your book(s)? (Current title being promoted.)

I love reading and writing about women who come into their own. I consider myself a late bloomer and I identify with characters who don’t have it all together when the book opens. For example, Catherine in The False Countess didn’t question when her father married her off to her first husband so she would be secure. But as she discovered a love of reading and began to realize what a wide world there was outside her narrow experience. When she is faced with having to remarry, she dares to grab one wild experience. I’ve made a few scary decisions in my life that completely changed my course and this action of Catherine’s really resonated with me.

What is your personal favorite part of your book?

I love watching my characters fall in love and recognize the emotion. But in this book, two of my favorite parts are the interactions between Robert and Catherine’s young son. Writing those scenes came very naturally and feel very genuine. I also sob each time I read Robert’s interactions with his dying brother!

Do you draw from your own life when you write?

I didn’t use to think I did, but a few years ago, I realized that each of my characters has a different aspect of my personality that informs her actions. Now I consciously take parts of me that I want to examine and exploit it for the character’s benefit!

Can you give us some insight into what makes your characters tick?

Catherine wants to please people: her father, her first husband, her in-laws. But being a people-pleaser can leave you empty and with a bit of a wild streak that will lead you to take a daring chance!

How do you handle writer’s block?

Honestly, I haven’t had writer’s block since I started writing my books longhand, rather than typing them into the computer. I think there are two reasons behind this. First, I’m not distracted by the typo I just made or the squiggly red line that says I misspelled something. I am also not tempted to go look something up every time I need a bit of research. I write in a notebook with whatever implement is handy and I don’t worry about using the wrong their/they’re. When I need a historical bit, I put a note in the margins for later. If I don’t know the name of a character or a town, I put an XXX in its place and worry about it later. In other words, I don’t let anything stop the flow of words. The second reason this method prevents writer’s block is that I don’t write by hand as quickly as I type. Therefore, as I’m getting one sentence down on paper, the next is forming in my head. As I’m taking an hour to write one scene, the other is filling out subconsciously. 

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

Maintaining the trust your reader places in you when they open your book. Don’t have characters change their personality type mid-stream. Don’t have glaring historical errors that pull them out of the story. Don’t interrupt the flow of their reading!

What comes first, plot or characters?

Hmmm…I know this sounds wild, but it’s the vision of a scene I mentioned earlier. Within that brief snippet, I get an idea of the personality of the characters and how the plot will help them grown.

Excerpt

London, 1817

If not for his mother’s plea and a promise to his dying brother, Robert Carlisle could have remained out of range of his father’s vitriolic ranting.

He clenched his jaw and wished he were anywhere but here. Not just this damned crowded drawing room, but England. The guests, who included actors, opera dancers, playwrights, poets, and courtesans, had gathered to celebrate the opening of a new play at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden. Many noblemen and wealthy gentry mingled with the members of the demimonde—those not-quite-respectable-but-still-wildly-popular members of London’s society. Tonight, even members of the royal household shared in the laughter, ribald jokes, political debates, and overt flirtations that filled the room.

Robert should have been enjoying himself but couldn’t muster any interest. The weeks since his return to England after a three-year absence had been anything but tranquil, and he was done in. Life as the Marquess of Dunsbury was not the life of leisure most people imagined. He considered joining the play at the card table, but that appealed to him as little as any of the other amusements offered at the party.

“Gads.” He downed the last of his drink.

“I quite agree.” His friend, Lord Noel Wayland, shook his head. “I think Mrs. Wilson waters her drinks. Not a terrible idea considering the amount this crowd is likely to consume, but it does leave one in want of a decent brandy.”

Mrs. Wilson was a rather notorious courtesan, her favors so sought after that she could afford a luxurious townhouse where she hosted glittering parties.

Robert glanced at his empty glass and realized he hadn’t even tasted its contents.

“Shall we head to my club? We can get a decent drink there,” Wayland said.

“I suppose so.” No amount of alcohol could dull Robert’s ill humor. He sighed, feeling like the very type of man he disdained—the one who constantly sought new amusements, only to be unimpressed by any of them. It was quite fashionable to sport an air of ennui—but having spent the last three years traveling through war-ravaged Europe, he found such an affectation as ineffectual as it was annoying. Still, he could think of no other word for the mild restlessness that refused to let him enjoy the evening.

Wayland grinned. “Don’t grow too excited, old man. I shouldn’t want you to overexert yourself.”

Robert smiled. “Sorry. I’m not good company this evening. Tell me, Wayland, what’s worse, to be suffused with boredom or to realize you’ve become the very thing you’ve always abhorred?”

His friend laughed. “My, you are in a state tonight.” He flagged down a footman and took two glasses of champagne. “Here, drink up. It’s not brandy, but there’s no way to water down champagne. The bubbles will tell.”

Robert sipped the sparkling wine and tried to push aside his melancholy.

“Now tell me what’s nagging you. The Robert Carlisle I’ve known since Eton is never bored and would throw himself into the Thames before being classified as a pampered aristocrat.”

Robert’s attention snagged on the crowd across the room. Someone or something caused a stir, but he couldn’t see through the press of bodies.

“It’s your mother, isn’t it?” Wayland asked.

Robert frowned. “My mother?”

“She’s pushing you to marry, isn’t she? It’s no surprise seeing as you’ve been gone for so long.”

“What? No! Well, I mean, she’s mentioned it, but she’s not forcing the issue.”

“Gads, I envy you. My mother practically invites young women into my bedchamber.”

Robert choked on his champagne. “Are you saying your mother is a madam?”

Wayland laughed. “Certainly not to her face. Still, I can’t believe you’ve escaped the daily reminders about duty and preserving the title and all.”

Robert avoided his friend’s gaze. “Yes, well, my father is still alive, so the need is not as pressing as it is for you.”

“Oh, I’d heard— Well, I don’t mean to be indelicate, but my mother was under the impression your father was…on his deathbed.”

Robert’s stomach clenched at the mention of his father. It was a common enough feeling that he should be able to ignore it, but somehow, the sharp pang of betrayal never dulled. “Your mother is not wrong. It’s just that he’s been there for the better part of a year, and I suspect he’ll stay around to torment us all for years to come.”

He glimpsed Wayland’s sympathetic glance, though thankfully, he let the matter drop.

Robert returned his attention to the knot of people across the room who were laughing uproariously and cheering. “What is going on over there?”

“Perhaps something to cure your boredom.”

They wove their way through the room, trying to find a gap in the crowd. One young buck gasped, and as another stepped aside to take a flute of champagne, Robert ruthlessly stole the man’s spot. Though still at the back of the gathering, Robert could see a chess match between the Duke of Newcastle—Lord Chamberlain to His Majesty—and a woman.

Robert’s breath caught. He’d long scoffed at the poets who claimed love at first glance. To experience such a visceral and instantaneous reaction startled him. He studied the woman more closely. Light chestnut hair, gray eyes, a scattering of freckles, and a full mouth curved in a wry smile. She was pretty, to be sure, but there were a dozen ravishing beauties in the room, and none of them had captured his attention. He couldn’t understand why she had such an effect on him. She wore an elaborate gown, its red and white velvet bodice embroidered in gold that hugged her body more tightly than the high-waisted dresses currently in fashion.

He dragged his attention to the chessboard for a moment, conscious of how the woman played the game.

“I’ll be dammed!” A surprised smile creased Newcastle’s face. “She’s got me trapped!”

“I believe you call that checkmate, no?” the woman said in a throaty Russian accent. She didn’t quite successfully repress a smile.

Victory and mischief lit her eyes, and a hectic flush stained her cheeks. Robert’s body tightened, and for the second time in as many minutes, he found himself confounded at his reaction to this unknown woman.

The crowd erupted into cheers and good-natured ribbing of Newcastle, who was purported to be a master chessman.

The mystery woman stood and wound her way through the well-wishers. She passed Robert, and he caught a whiff of lemon verbena, a scent so quintessentially English it caught him by surprise.

He wanted to introduce himself but knew he would only be one of many fawning admirers. Instead, he let her pass and watched while she circulated through the guests, skillfully disentangling herself from the more eager men until she disappeared down the hallway leading to the retiring room. Robert bided his time, positioning himself where he could see all entrances to the room.

Wayland stepped up beside him. “Well, I fear your boredom is contagious. I suspect that chess match was the highlight of the evening. Shall we find a livelier diversion?”

“Boredom?” Robert asked. “I’m not— Oh.” He flushed.

“Ah, she’s intrigued you, has she?”

“Who is she?”

“Apparently, she’s a Russian countess, recently arrived in London. At least, that’s what Penny said.”

“Penny?” Robert asked, confused.

“The actress. Of the play that just opened. I say, are you drunk? You appear dazed.”

The countess in question re-entered the drawing room and paused just inside the doorway as if unsure of herself.

“Why is she in London?” Robert asked.

“No idea. As far as I’ve heard, this is the first event she’s attended.”

“A patroness of the theater, then?”

Wayland chuckled. “I’m sure I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her yourself?”

“I shall.” Robert handed his empty glass to his friend then strolled through the crowd in her direction.

She watched the party with wide-eyed wonder as if she’d never seen such a glittering assortment. Her childlike air belied her confidence when she’d beaten the Lord Chamberlain at chess. Robert had heard tales of the opulence of the Russian court but wondered if perhaps she’d never attended. Certainly, this collection of London’s demimonde was colorful, but nothing compared to a formal ball. Robert had the absurd desire to take her to such an event just to enjoy her reaction.

One eye on her, he paused to exchange a few words with the hostess, then continued a few more paces to watch a card game before taking another glass of champagne from a waiter near the countess.

Gaze on the action in the center of the room where a young man loudly recited bad poetry to one of the actresses, Robert sipped in silence for a moment before saying, “You could have ended that game earlier.”

The countess turned to look at him. “I beg your pardon?”

He faced her and raised his left eyebrow. “The chess game. You could have had him in checkmate two moves earlier.”

She chewed her lip as she stared at him, and he wondered if she was not as fluent in English as he assumed. He started to repeat himself more slowly, but she inclined her head.

“This I know, but it is not always enjoyable to end things early.”

He grinned. “Indeed.”

She put a hand to her chest and blushed as she clearly grasped his meaning. So, she was not as sophisticated as he’d first thought. How had an ingénue come to be at a party such as this? While the crowd was certainly not of the lowest order, actors tended to be a rather bawdy bunch.

“I imagine this party must seem quite shocking to you,” he said to put her at ease. “Not all of London’s events are as indecorous, I can assure you. Perhaps your host should have taken you to a dinner party for your introduction to the ton.”

“The ton?”

“London’s high society.”

The countess studied him for a long moment—long enough for him to see that her gray eyes held no flecks of hazel but were the clear, soft color of a dove’s wing, framed by lashes and brows several shades darker than her ginger hair. Her gaze lost its expression of naïveté, and she lowered her lids, looking at him through the fringe of her lashes. While the color stayed high in her cheeks, he had the impression her reaction was more excitement than embarrassment. It was almost as if the countess had pulled off a mask—or put one on—so great was the transformation.

“On the contrary. My only surprise with this gathering is it seems so much tamer than the artist’s parties in my home country.”

Her Russian accent sent an erotic thrill through his body. He huffed a short laugh. “Do tell, Countess.”

She narrowed her eyes. “For example, an—how did you say—indecorous party in Kursk would not allow a chess game. Unless, of course, it was disrobe chess.”

“Disrobe chess?” He lifted a brow, pretending not to understand.

“Dah. When you lose a chess piece, you must remove an article of clothing.”

“Interesting. Such play must make for uncomfortable games in winter.”

She waved a hand. “An Englishman may find it cold. A Russian has vodka.”

“And what happens in the case of checkmate?”

The countess shrugged. “The loser must remove his remaining clothes.”

“Of course.”

She frowned, and her accent thickened. “You do not believe me?”

“To the contrary. I simply imagined it would be an incentive to master your strategy. So, tell me, how often have you found yourself in checkmate?”

“I am a very good strategist,” she replied, her tone coy.

“Perhaps you could teach me this Russian version of chess.”

A flicker of wariness crossed her face. “Sadly, we are not in Russia. We must abide English customs here, dah?”

Robert smiled at her sidestep. “Dah.”

She frowned. “Is it not an English custom to introduce oneself to a stranger before making unseemly propositions?”

“Unseemly? Well, if we’re being proper…” He executed a bow. “I am Robert Carlisle, Marquess of Dunsbury.”

"I am Countess Alisa Borodinicha, recently from Novogorod.”

She extended her ungloved hand. Robert swallowed at the erotic sensuality of her small hand in his.

She inhaled sharply and jerked her hand as if she intended to pull it back. Instead, she left it in his grasp, and he lightly ran the pad of his thumb over the softness of her skin. With a small shake of her head, she freed her hand.

“A marquess?” she asked, clearly trying to regain her composure. “Is that terribly important? I do not know your English ranks of aristocracy.”

A renegade curl slipped from the countess’s coiffure and dangled over her brow. He ignored the disconcerting urge to smooth it back then trace the curve of her cheek.

She arched a brow, and he realized he hadn’t answered her.

“How important can a title be when it’s simply bestowed upon you at birth?” he asked.

“This is an unusual belief for a man with a title, is it not?”

Robert grinned. “Perhaps I’m an unusual man.”

“Perhaps,” she said, though her suppressed smile and tone implied otherwise.

She didn’t flirt at all like other ladies, and he found he quite enjoyed it. The Russian countess intrigued him. She teased him, challenged him, and represented something he’d long ago forsaken. “Perhaps I’m simply trying to pique your interest.”

She frowned. “Why would you wish to do that?”

“Russian countesses are few and far between, especially beautiful ones. I’d wager you could have any man in this room at your beck and call with a mere snap of your fingers.”

“Do you think so?” Russian accents didn’t lend themselves well to expressions of delight, but the countess appeared enchanted despite her harsh Slavic pronunciation. She glanced around the room then caught her lower lip between her teeth. The abused flesh reddened, and Robert wondered how it would taste and feel if he had a chance to nibble on it.

He smiled. “I do.”

“And what would it do to beckon any of these men?” She flicked her fingers at the increasingly rowdy gathering. “They are nothing but drunkards.”

“A harsh critique from a Russian.”

She shrugged. “A Russian man who cannot hold his alcohol is no use to anyone.”

“Thankfully, I keep my wits about me even at the bottom of a bottle.”

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by Scarsdale Publishing

An interview with Summer Hanford

February 13, 2022Valentine's Day 2022

Writer to Writer

1. What inspired you to become a writer?

SH: Reading. I love reading.

• How did you get published?

SH: The old fashioned way, to start with. Researching publishers and submitting to them.

• What is it like working with a professional editor?

SH:That depends on the editor.

• What is your favorite writing exercise?

SH: Inventing characters.

• What is the best piece of writing advice you have received?

SH: Write the stories that speak to you. If you don’t love what you’re writing, you can’t expect other people to love it.

• What is the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

SH: To never employ the past perfect tense.

• Do you have any ‘don’t ever do this’ author advice?

SH: Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something with your book. I could give you hundreds of rules but the truth is, if you do it in the right way, you can do anything.

• What advice would you give first-time writers?

SH: Write and read as much as you can. Writing is a skill. Practicing it will help you improve. If you have a story that is very, very important to you, consider writing other stories first so that you make yourself into a better writer before tackling that pivotal manuscript. You wouldn’t put a student driver in a race car, or give someone truffles to cook the first time they tried to make a meal.

• How do you start your story?

SH: With the setting, then the characters, then the difficulty they’ll need to overcome and how it will change them.

1. Has a reader ever told you that you made mistakes in your research facts?
   SH: Yes.
2. Do you have a favorite part of your own book(s)? If so, which part and why?

In general, I enjoy sections with banter or action…because I like reading and writing banter and action.

1. How do you create a fleshed-out main character?

SH: They need a history, which informs their personality, even if little or none of that history will make it into the book. They also need strengths and weaknesses. They need flaws. Most importantly, they shouldn’t be the same person at the end of the book as they were at the start. In at least one way, they should change.

1. How do you get ideas for books?

SH: I have the world and the character. By the time I’m done inventing or researching both of those, it’s generally obvious what the obstacles before them are, and resolving those obstacles becomes a story.

1. What are common traps for aspiring writers?

SH: Copying too closely something they love. Rushing their book. Scenes that don’t move the story forward. Not learning enough about the actual craft of writing (as opposed to storytelling) so the writing is poor (spelling, grammar, point of view, etc.). The misconception that the moment they finish writing the book, their work is over.

1. What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

SH: Small presses who require authors to purchase a certain number of author copies.

1. Do you have any advice for marketing?

SH: Work hard at your mailing list.

1. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

SH: I google things, of course, and try to watch my sources. There are plenty of good ones, but there are bad ones. I also have reference books, especially about clothing, accoutrements, architecture and food. For Historical Romances, I used to read other Historical Romances for information but I found that generally what I got wrong (for readers to point out) came from reading other people’s books and assuming they were accurate. Much like websites, some authors are more historically reliable than others and, at first, it’s difficult to know which.

1. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

SH: I’ve added more and more layers of proof reading.

1. Do you believe in writer’s block? Believe in it?

SH: Of course. Suffer from it…knock on wood…

• For historical fiction:
  • What drew you to this time period or moment in history?

SH: Jane Austen

• What content or experiences helped you understand this historical period? SH: I enjoy the exaggeration of the issue of male/female equality. Also, I prefer horses and swords over airplanes and cellphones.
• For romance:
  • What is your favorite romance novel trope?

SH: Spies/secret identity/superhero

• How do you pair two characters together? What do you think when creating a compelling leading couple?

SH: They need to have a conflict that hinders their relationship.

• For multi-book/series authors:
  • How does your first book compare to your current book?

SH: I always think the book I’m working on is the best book I’ve ever written.

• How do you grow from book to book?

SH: I don’t know if I grow, but I like to begin with characters who don’t know much so that the reader can delve into the complexity of the world along with the characters.

• Do you start a series knowing how it will end? How does that impact your writing?

SH: Yes, I do. I’m one of those authors who outlines before writing. There is flexibility and change, but there is a plan and an outline. It allows me to ensure that details in early books are consistent with the overall plot so that I’m confident in putting out early books before the whole series is actually written.

For my Readers

1. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

SH: Sleep…I love to read, especially with my cats. I cook. I play outside with my dog. I like online multi person roll playing games (MOMPRGs) but I never have time for them. I enjoy doing graphics work so for me formatting or promotional work can be fun.

• What did you want to be when you grew up?

SH: An author…who lived in a tower with cats. Two out of three isn’t bad.

• Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

SH: I repeated second grade because I could neither learn to read nor to write.

• If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? SH: Persistent and kind.
• What is the first book that made you cry?

SH: Novel, Of Mice and Men. Book, The Giving Tree (which will still make me cry, without fail).

• Does writing energize or exhaust you?

SH: First one, then the other.

• What is your writing Kryptonite?

SH: Lack of exercise so my brain doesn’t work at its best…or if you mean while writing, spelling.

• Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly? SH: Yes.
• If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

SH: I know it’s difficult but please try not to be so shy because someday you’ll overcome it but you’ll miss opportunities before you do.

1. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

SH: I honestly don’t understand a time before that.

1. What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

SH: If it’s been read, it’s appreciated. I guess I don’t keep enough track of how ‘big’ novels I read are. Of my own…More Than He Seems.

1. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

SH: Four full length novels, at least two of those with half written sequels. About thirty rough outlines in various stages of completion.

1. What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? SH: I grew up a tomboy. Sometimes I feel as if I have more trouble writing women than men.
2. How many hours a day do you write?

SH: On a good day? Five. On a bad day, none. On average, two.

1. What did you edit out of this book?

SH: This book? I had Betsy more clueless about the world than she is in the final draft. I almost edited out Mr. Relógio being black out of nearly paralyzing fear of crafting a poor representation but I believe in the obligation of authors to bring in more and more representation and I had to begin somewhere in my painfully white Regency world. I’m still worried there’s too much of a Bagger Vance vibe, but I would have written the character exactly the same way no matter what his heritage.

1. What are the ethics of writing about historical figures?

SH: I try not to use many real historical figures. If I do, it’s simply to mention them. I don’t like to make them characters. A lot of them have living relatives.

1. How do you select the names of your characters?

SH: Lists of baby names and a spreadsheet sometimes. Other times, I have particular reasons.  

1. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

SH: I would do research in a sub discipline of biology.

1. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

SH: Yes. For example, I recently wrote a book where the main male character is named William Raymond and he’s a curate’s son…which has to do with an old, famous, song that I enjoy. In The Tailor and the Demoiselle, the people and place names are all carefully thought out to relate to Beauty and the Beast and adaptations of that work. For example, the French castle that inspired the Beast’s castle is Chateau de Chambord, so I named Betsy’s castle ‘Rodchamb’ which is an anagram of ‘Chambord.’ Few people will notice.

• What was your hardest scene to write?

SH: In The Tailor and the Demoiselles, the scene where Betsy gives Isaac the paints, brushes, etc. The work of conveying the emotions of both while keeping in the correct point of view, and adding in the details of movement and description without hindering the emotions of the moment required careful balance. I wanted the reader to see and experience everything in that scene very fully but not to bog down the writing in any way.

• Do you Google yourself?

SH: Rarely, but I check my reviews about ten times a day.

• What is your favorite childhood book?

SH: Before I learned to read, Panda Cake by Rosalie Seidler. After I learned to read, Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey.

• What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

SH: Making myself stop. It’s important to engage with real life and the real world, and real people. It’s difficult when I’m writing well to come back out of the story. Like when you wake someone from a nap and they wake grouchy.

• How long on average does it take you to write a book?

SH: That depends on how much time I am able to devote specifically to writing and how long the book is, but a first draft, on average, six to eight weeks. My fastest would be a little over 100,000 words in four weeks, but that’s very exhausting and means I neglected everyone who cares about me. It’s a bit selfish to write that much all at once (if I do it).

• Who is your favorite author and why?

SH: It’s like a favorite song. It depends on my mood. There can’t be one, but if I had to pick only one, forever, Anne McCaffrey, specifically her Pern books. Why? Because she has adventure and romance. Politics. Epic struggles. Human struggles. Science fiction elements. Fantasy elements. Humor. Sorrow. A book for every mood and each of my reading interests.

• What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

SH: For authors, Jane Austen, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Rafael Sabatini, C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper and, to be honest, Shakespeare. These are authors by whom I have read many, if not all, of their works. For works, Beowulf, The Curse of Capistrano, Lochinvar, Robin Hood (I’ve read many versions).

• Favorite quote (doesn’t matter the source)

SH: “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”  

• How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

SH: At least thirty. My favorite…As I said, I always think the one I’m writing now is the best, but if I had to pick, an unpublished, unseen by the world manuscript that is Zorro fan fiction.

• What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book(s)?

SH: That sometimes you really do go back and read something that you truly don’t recall writing and you’re surprised how much you like it.

• Tell us about your first published book? What was the journey like? SH: It was about a ten year process from writing it, through submitting it everywhere, to realizing I was obviously doing something wrong, to taking writing classes to learn what I was doing wrong, to editing it many times, to resubmitting it again, to getting it picked up by a small press.

About my book The Tailor and the Demoiselle

1. What inspired you to write your book(s)? (The Tailor and the Demoiselle)

SH: The Tailor and the Demoiselle is a Beauty and the Beast inspired retelling.

• What is your personal favorite part of your book?

SH: Of this book? There are many parts I enjoy. It’s difficult to pick only one. I like when Grandma Adams tells Isaac and Betsy that they can’t marry, on the steps outside Rodchamb.

• Do you draw from your own life when you write?

SH: Not usually, no. I like to imagine things up. I already know all about my life.

• Are there any characters based on or inspired by people you know?

SH: Not really. I don’t know enough people to fill all the pages of my books.

• How do you think your book(s) reflect on the world today? \
• SH: I wish they reflected more on the world today. I feel it’s vital that we bring in more varied characters to our work to create better representation in novels.
• Can you give us some insight into what makes your characters tick?

SH: Betsy is a purely selfish, self-absorbed creature at the start of the book, to the point where she’s observed little of the world. Isaac is a people pleaser, a bit too dedicated to his mother, and more secretly unhappy inside than he realizes, since his efforts are generally aimed outward.

• What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

SH: The key challenge was to craft a Beauty and the Beast story with the Beast a woman, while not turning the book into Taming of the Shrew.

• Your story is set in Regency England. Why did you choose that as the setting for your book?

SH: Because that is the historical point in which I’m most comfortable writing and the point of this novel wasn’t to branch out as a writer but to create a Beauty and the Beast tribute.

1. What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

SH: Give other people some consideration and care.

1. Is there significance to the book’s title? And if so, what?

SH: Well, yes. It’s meant to reflect Beauty and the Beast, so Tailor comes first (as Isaac is the Beauty) and Demoiselles comes second (as Betsy is the Beast).

1. Who would you cast as your main characters?

SH: Honestly, I don’t know. I’m very bad at seeing people’s faces.

13. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

SH: It’s Portuguese. The language used that isn’t English.

14. Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart?

SH: If so, why? Isaac a little. I’ve fallen into the trap of working so hard for what other people need of you that you forget to remember yourself.

15. What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

SH: There won’t be a sequel. I generally put an epilogue if there’s no sequel, which I did. That goes a solid decade into the future so people can see how things pan out.

16. If you had to describe character Betsy in three words, what would those three words be?

SH: Good at heart.

Betsy is a purely selfish, self-absorbed creature at the start of the book, to the point where she’s observed little of the world. Isaac is a people pleaser, a bit too dedicated to his mother, and more secretly unhappy inside than he realizes, since his efforts are generally aimed outward.

1. What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?
2. SH: The key challenge was to craft a Beauty and the Beast story with the Beast a woman, while not turning the book into Taming of the Shrew.
3. What was the highlight of writing this book?

SH: Getting to craft perceptions of Isaac’s mother as they change throughout.

 

Questions about Writing

1. What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

SH: Don’t take yourself too seriously.

• How do you handle writer’s block?

SH: By creating outlines.

• What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

SH: It depends on your goals as a writer. Some people love to evoke emotion. Some people want to write literature. My goal is that people shouldn’t recall they’re reading. They should see, hear, smell and feel what the character is and the writing should be good and dynamic, but clean and simple, so it conveys without distraction. A stream of through going from the page into the reader’s mind without conscious effort.

• What comes first, plot or characters?

SH: They interweave but I suppose the overall arc of the plot comes first. Yet, characters influence it, if they’re well built.

• How do you develop your plot and characters?

SH: There are levels of plot. Overall, there’s almost no development for me to do. It is good vs evil, or a love story, or preferably both. They simply exist. As to the details of a plot, I begin with a very specific goal of, ‘Convey normal. World altering event. Characters react. World altering event. Characters react again…thinking things are all settled. World altering event. Characters react, and really settle things. Wrap up.’ Creating those points starts the story and then it is adjusted, twisted, tweaked based on the setting and the characters. As to the characters, I begin with their history, which comes into being in tandem with their key character traits. I pick a name and broad physical characteristics and enter them into my spreadsheet. Then I make them interact with the plot elements and see how the characters influence and change the plot elements and how the elements influence and change the characters. Then I start writing based on the outline and characters all the above created, and adjust it as needed.

• How do you come up with the titles to your books?

SH: I try to pick key elements that will intrigue but which will make fuller sense after the book is read, and then I google them and put them in book seller websites, to see if they’ve been used before, and adjust accordingly.

• What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

SH: As with many authors, promoting. Not simply because it’s a different skill set but because of that deep, lingering fear many of us have that we didn’t real write anything worth reading.

• How do you do research for your books?
• SH: I google things, of course, and try to watch my sources. There are plenty of good ones, but there are bad ones. I also have reference books, especially about clothing, accoutrements, architecture and food. For Historical Romances, I used to read other Historical Romances for information but I found that generally what I got wrong (for readers to point out) came from reading other people’s books and assuming they were accurate. Much like websites, some authors are more historically reliable than others and, at first, it’s difficult to know which.
• What are the tools of the trade?

SH: Word processing programs, PDF converters, various editing tools, a nice keyboard, access to the internet or else an extensive library. Tea and cookies.

1. When you’re writing an emotionally draining (or sexy, or sad, etc.) scene, how do you get in the mood?
2. SH: I reread what leads up to that moment. I will also use music, but not to set the mood. More of to put me into a meditative state, if you will. It’s always the same music no matter what I’m writing.
3. How do you deal with emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?

SH: That’s what the tea and cookies are for…and the workouts and the cats and the dog.

1. How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?

SH: I suppose a lot. For me, building the world is part of outlining the plot. The world and characters interact to make the story.

1. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing the story? SH: Yes, because I go in with a detailed outline. There’s a lot of staring out the window, or at split ends, while the hamster wheel turns.
2. When writing a series how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and yourself?

SH: In a romance series, there is a new main couple for each book. A new love story. A fresh set of obstacles to be overcome.

1. What was your favorite part, and your least favorite part, of the publishing journey?

SH: My favorite part is releasing a new book, which means my least favorite part is editing. I imagine many authors feel the same way.

1. Do you find it more challenging to write the first book in a series or to write the subsequent novels?

SH: Subsequent, to be sure. That’s why the spreadsheets. To start a series, I may have to do a lot of research to build my world and the details therein. At a certain point in the series, you have to do research in your own books or your own notes. It bogs down the writing by taking you out of the scene, and then you have to get back in.

Couple’s Therapy with Betsy and Isaac

“Mr. and Mrs. Bell, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dr. Williams. I understand you’re interested in addressing a few issues together.”

“Not issues,” Betsy said quickly. “We don’t have issues.”

“No,” Isaac agreed thoughtfully. “It’s more that we want to ensure we’re communicating openly.”

Betsy folded her arms across her chest. “It’s Isaac’s idea.”

“I see.” Dr. Williams nodded. “Well, open communication is very important in a relationship.”

Betsy huffed. “I didn’t say it’s not.”

Dr. William raised an eyebrow. “Shall we begin with some affirmation?”

Both Betsy and Isaac nodded.

“Well, then, how about you each state something you like about the other.” Dr. William inclined his head to Betsy. “Mrs. Bell, you may go first. What do you like best about your husband?”

She pursed her lips, thinking. “That he’s so considerate of people. He’s really very good with everyone, which means he’s good with me.”

“High praise. Very good. Mr. Bell, what do you like best about your wife?”

“Her vehemence and strength.”

“An interesting combination,” Dr. Williams observed, writing something on the pad he held. “Now, what about a dislike? Something we can address together. And please, try to make it a quality, not an incident or direct accusation. Mrs. Bell?”

“Well…” Betsy glanced at Isaac. “He’s too nice.”

Isaac turned to her in surprise. “But you just said you like that I am considerate of people.”

“I do, but I don’t like when you let them take advantage of that.” She turned back to Dr. Williams. “And he becomes obsessed when he paints, and I may as well not even exist, even if he’s painting me.”

“He said one thing,” Isaac pointed out.

Betsy glared at him. “And he corrects me.”

“Yes, well, we’ll come back to that. For now, let us address the first issue, that Mr. Bell is too nice. Why does that trouble you, Mrs. Bell?”

Betsy left off glaring at Isaac to turn to Dr. Williams. “Because people take advantage of him.”

“And why does that trouble you?”

She frowned. “Because I have to stop them.”

“And that is a concern because?”

Her frown deepened. “Because then he’s terribly nice and I…I’m beastly. I don’t want to always have to be beastly.”

“I see,” Dr. William nodded along with his words. “Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter.” He turned to Isaac. “Were you aware of the effect your behavior has on Mrs. Bell?”

Isaac shook his head. “I thought she simply didn’t like me to be nice to people.”

“You what?” Betsy gaped at him. “Why wouldn’t I want you to be nice to people?” She jabbed a finger at Isaac. “You do think I’m beastly.”

He held up both hands, palms out. “I don’t.”

“Harrumph,” she muttered, crossing her arms again.

“Yes, well, moving on.” Dr. Williams tuned to Isaac. “And what is something you don’t fully appreciate about Mrs. Bell?”

Still frowning at Betsy, Isaac said, “She has a quick temper.”

Betsy rolled her eyes.

“And why does that trouble you, Mr. Bell?”

“Because it’s annoying.”

Betsy dropped her arm and cast an incredulous look at Isaac. “That’s not a good answer. I did a much better job with my answers.” She turned to Dr. Williams. “Do that thing where you ask him the same question again and again.”

Isaac threw up his hands. “It’s not a competition.”

Betsy smirked. “You only say that because you’re losing.”

“Ah, yes, well, let’s return to affirmation,” Dr. William cut in. “Mr. Bell, what is something that your wife enjoys?”

“She likes baking,” Isaac said without hesitation.

“And do you like that she likes baking?”

“I do. It makes her happy and she makes delicious things.”

Dr. Williams nodded. “Very good. Now, Mrs. Bell, what is something your husband enjoys doing?”

“I already said. He likes to paint.”

“And do you like that he enjoys painting?”

“He’s very talented and we have his art up in many of Rodchamb’s rooms.”

“Hm.” Dr. Williams write something on his pad.

“What are you writing?” Betsy asked. “What does ‘Hm’ mean?”

“He’s probably noting that you didn’t answer his question,” Isaac said.

Betsy tossed her curls. “I did so. He asked and words came out of my mouth in reply. That’s answering.”

“Your painting has come up multiple times now, Mr. Bell,” Dr. Willaims observed. “Why do you enjoy painting so much?”

Isaac thought for a moment. “It’s my time, only for me.”

“So, in a way, painting is you being selfish, as your wife wishes you would be more often?” Dr. Williams said.

“I didn’t say selfish,” Betsy protested. “I said not taken advantage of.”

“She didn’t say selfish,” Isaac seconded.

“Hm,” Dr. Williams responded and wrote on his notepad.

Betsy and Isaac exchanged a glance. Betsy rolled her eyes again, smiling. Isaac grinned back. Dr. Williams stopped writing and his head started to come up. They both smoothed their features into polite interest.

Dr. Williams looked from one to the other. “Yes, well, probably a good place to stop for this first session.”

“That’s all?” Isaac asked.

“But I didn’t even get to tell you about Isaac’s horrible mother,” Betsy protested.

“Or Betsy’s mad parents,” Isaac added.

Betsy nodded. “Or my domineering grandmother.”

“Or how a woman who wanted to marry me nearly got Betsy exiled to Australia,” Isaac said.

“Yes, well, plenty of time for that in other sessions.” Dr. Williams rose, so the Bells did likewise. He shook Isaac’s hand and nodded to Betsy. “I’ll see you next week. In the meantime, remember, two affirmations for any criticism.”

“Yes, Dr. Williams,” they chorused.

Isaac offered Betsy his arm. Side by side and smiling at each other, they left, Dr. Williams walking with them to the outer door of his offices.

After their footfalls faded down the steps to the street, Dr. Williams turned to his assistant. “Make sure we’ve plenty of notepads. Between the two of them, it sounds as if they have enough to tell me to fill a book.”

The End

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by Scarsdale Publishing