[Timeless Tour] Q & A with Genevieve Graham, author of COME FROM AWAY

For my Timeless Tour post today I'm sharing a Q & A from Genevieve Graham, author of COME FROM AWAY!

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Q & A

1. What draws you to writing historical fiction?

My initial reaction to that question would most likely be “adventure and romance”, but it’s so much more than that. Growing up, I never had any interest in history. History was something for exams or museums, that’s all. Then my mom passed me a copy of “Outlander”, and I was hooked. After that series, I devoured everything historical I could find. It’s more than just adventure within those covers. It’s imagining ourselves living in that time period, learning how they lived, what they believed, how they dealt with a world so much more difficult than ours is today. I wanted to know all the little details, and the more I researched the more I needed. Then I began to write Canadian Historical Fiction, and I’m more compelled than ever before. Our country is rich with history that is rapidly fading into oblivion. It’s my mission to make sure that doesn’t happen!

2. What is your writing process like? For example, do you listen to music, do you plan or just wing it when you write?

I’m lucky because I have my own perfect little office in my house – with a door that closes and everything! I am surrounded on three sides by windows, but to be honest, sometimes the Great Outdoors is too much of a temptation so I have to pull the blinds. I’ll admit, I am easily distracted, and research has to be done without interruption. The same goes for joining my mind to those of the characters. I need quiet. So despite my degree in and love of classical music, I write in silence, generally. I usually have a candle burning and a glass of water by my side (frequently filled, if my efficient husband is home!), and I try not to have too many snacks within reach. As far as my writing, I have a general idea of what I want to accomplish in a day. Unfortunately for me, my general style is that of a “pantser”, writing by the seat of my pants. I wish I were more organized, and I do try, but I have more unfinished planning charts and timetables in my office than I have of anything else. I know the story direction I want, and fortunately I can usually rely on my characters to lead me, since they are often more decisive than I am. I follow their lead, then they wait patiently at the side while I rush off to research what they need for their next move.

3. How do you go about writing your characters into history? Do you start with the historical elements or the characters?

Before I get into the actual creative process of writing, I do three things:

1. Learn about the event itself.
2. Learn about the people of the time – how they lived, dressed, spoke, thought, etc.
3. Drop myself into that crowd of people two days before the event and see how I must live, what I have to do to be one of them. From within the crowd, I can see my characters, and they show me how it’s done.

When it comes to research, the first rule is to make sure the information is right. That means going over as many sources as I can find to ensure I’m getting the truth. Once I have that under control, the characters begin to emerge. They have to be true to the time and they have to be relatable. No one wants to read a story where they don’t care about the characters, after all. What pulls the research and the characters together to make a good story? Details ... and that goes right back to the research. Find the little things that make it real. For example, when Grace is heading out to the Christmas dance and she has no stockings because of rationing, she must do what so many other girls of the time are doing: she pencils a line on the back of her leg so it looks like she’s wearing stockings!

4. If you had to pick a song (or songs) that would make up a playlist for COME FROM AWAY, what would you choose, and why?

It’s difficult for me to think of Playlists, because I write – most of the time – in silence. If I do play music at all, it is usually classical. On the other hand, COME FROM AWAY includes a fair amount of music, from Grace’s father’s phonograph to Christmas music to the dance where she encounters a mysterious group of strangers, huddled in the corner of the hall. So I listened to a lot of big band and jazz while I was writing, in particular the wailing trumpet of Harry James and the soothing crooner, Bing Crosby. The 40s had some awesome music. I’m tempted to write another ww2 era novel just so I can indulge myself. So ... two songs in particular? How about “You Made Me Love You” (Harry James) and the song Rudi plays on his new Philco at the very end, “I Love You” (written by Cole Porter, sung by Bing Crosby). Why doesn’t anyone write music like that anymore? * sigh *

5. In one or two sentences, how would you pitch COME FROM AWAY to someone who hasn’t heard of it before?

In the middle of WW2, a charming but mysterious stranger with a strong German accent appears in Grace Baker’s tiny village on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Just as his disturbing truth is revealed, shocking secrets from Grace’s own family surface, and she is forced to question everything she has ever believed.

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ABOUT COME FROM AWAY:

From the bestselling author of Tides of Honour and Promises to Keep comes a poignant novel about a young couple caught on opposite sides of the Second World War.

In the fall of 1939, Grace Baker’s three brothers, sharp and proud in their uniforms, board Canadian ships headed for a faraway war. Grace stays behind, tending to the homefront and the general store that helps keep her small Nova Scotian community running. The war, everyone says, will be over before it starts. But three years later, the fighting rages on and rumours swirl about “wolf packs” of German U-Boats lurking in the deep waters along the shores of East Jeddore, a stone’s throw from Grace’s window. As the harsh realities of war come closer to home, Grace buries herself in her work at the store.

Then, one day, a handsome stranger ventures into the store. He claims to be a trapper come from away, and as Grace gets to know him, she becomes enamoured by his gentle smile and thoughtful ways. But after a several weeks, she discovers that Rudi, her mysterious visitor, is not the lonely outsider he appears to be, but someone else entirely—someone not to be trusted. When a shocking truth about her family forces Grace to question everything she has so strongly believed, she realizes that she and Rudi have more in common than she had thought. And if Grace is to have a chance at love, she must not only choose a side, but take a stand.

Come from Away is a mesmerizing story of love, shifting allegiances, and second chances, set against the tumultuous years of the Second World War.

About Genevieve Graham:

Genevieve Graham is the bestselling author of Tides of Honour and Promises to Keep. She is passionate about breathing life back into Canadian history through tales of love and adventure. She lives near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Visit her at GenevieveGraham.com or on Twitter @GenGrahamAuthor.

Follow Genevieve: Facebook | Twitter

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Follow along with the Timeless Tour on the tour website, www.timelesstour.ca.

Come From Away | Bellewether | Songs of Love and War | Bachelor Girl

You can also find a tour schedule on my
[Timeless Tour] Kick Off Questions & Full Tour Schedule post.

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What do you think of Genevieve's answers?
Are you adding Come From Away to your to-read list?

[Timeless Tour] Q & A with Susanna Kearsley, author of BELLEWETHER

For today's Timeless Tour post I have a Q & A with Susanna Kearsley, author of BELLEWETHER!

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Q & A

1. What draws you to writing historical fiction?

I was born into a family of amateur genealogists, so for as long as I can remember I’ve had this strong sense of connection to my ancestors. I grew up seeing their photographs and portraits, reading their wills and their letters, knowing details of their everyday lives and the work they did, and this made them very real people for me. So when I was studying the Napoleonic wars at school, I’d be thinking of my ancestor who’d claimed that as a boy he’d heard the cannons on the battlefield at Waterloo, and when I was studying the Industrial Revolution I’d be thinking about my ancestors who moved from mill town to mill town across the north of England to find work as weavers. And that’s something I still enjoy—putting a personal face on the past.

2. What is your writing process like? For example, do you listen to music, do you plan or just wing it when you write?

My writing process isn’t elaborate. I can write pretty much anywhere, as long as it’s quiet—no music, no talking—or I have white noise on my headphones. I don’t have an outline. I do a lot of research, but the storytelling part is very subconscious-driven. I let the characters loose on the page and they lead me where they want to go, so when I sit down each day I only have a very general sense of what I think might happen. I might think, “This is where she should go to New York and talk to her cousin.” But the characters might lead me somewhere entirely different that day, and I’ve learned that it’s best just to follow them.

3. How do you go about writing your characters into history? Do you start with the historical elements or the characters?

With most of my books, I’m dealing with a specific historical event or a short span of time, so I start with that, and as I’m doing my research and reading the primary documents—letters and journals and anything else I can find from the period—I start to look for the people that I might be able to use in the story. There will be real people whose voices come through particularly clearly for me, or who capture my interest for various reasons, and then there will be spaces I know I’ll want to fill with invented characters. But the history is the starting point.   

4. If you had to pick a song (or songs) that would make up a playlist for BELLEWETHER, what would you choose, and why?

It’s interesting that you should ask that because, even though I write in silence, I gather a playlist of songs on my iPod to play between sessions. Some songs, I’ve learned, set certain characters in motion in my mind, and while the music’s playing, it’s as though I’m watching a short film in my imagination. The playlist for BELLEWETHER ended up being fairly long, with some songs for the present and some for the past, but there were two songs that straddled both storylines with equal resonance—Human, by Christina Perri, which seemed to speak for both heroines and their situations, and Breathe, by Ryan Star, which gave a voice to both the heroes.

5. In one or two sentences, how would you pitch BELLEWETHER to someone who hasn’t heard of it before? 

I would probably tell them it’s the story of a young museum curator, trying to keep her balance and hold everyone together in the wake of a family tragedy, who finds a reflection of her own struggles in the story she uncovers of a woman living in the same historic house three hundred years earlier.

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ABOUT BELLEWETHER:

Some houses seem to want to hold their secrets.

It’s 1759 and the world is at war, pulling the North American colonies of Britain and France into the conflict. The times are complicated, as are the loyalties of many New York merchants who have secretly been trading with the French for years, defying Britain’s colonial laws in a game growing ever more treacherous.

When captured French officers are brought to Long Island to be billeted in private homes on their parole of honour, it upends the lives of the Wilde family—deeply involved in the treasonous trade and already divided by war.

Lydia Wilde, struggling to keep the peace in her fracturing family following her mother’s death, has little time or kindness to spare for her unwanted guests. French-Canadian lieutenant Jean-Philippe de Sabran has little desire to be there. But by the war’s end they’ll both learn love, honour, and duty can form tangled bonds that are not broken easily.

Their doomed romance becomes a local legend, told and re-told through the years until the present day, when conflict of a different kind brings Charley Van Hoek to Long Island to be the new curator of the Wilde House Museum.

Charley doesn’t believe in ghosts. But as she starts to delve into the history of Lydia and her French officer, it becomes clear that the Wilde House holds more than just secrets, and Charley discovers the legend might not have been telling the whole story...or the whole truth.

About Susanna Kearsley

A former museum curator, Susanna Kearsley brings her passion for research and travel to her novels, weaving modern-day and historical intrigue. She won the prestigious Catherine Cookson Fiction Award for her novel Mariana, the 2010 Romantic Times Book Review’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction novel for The Winter Sea, was shortlisted for a 2012 RITA Award for The Rose Garden, and was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel from the Crime Writers of Canada for Every Secret Thing. Visit her at SusannaKearsley.com or follow her on Twitter @SusannaKearsley.

Follow Susanna: Facebook | Twitter

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Follow along with the Timeless Tour on the tour website, www.timelesstour.ca.

Come From Away | Bellewether | Songs of Love and War | Bachelor Girl

You can also find a tour schedule on my
[Timeless Tour] Kick Off Questions & Full Tour Schedule post.

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What did you think of Susanna's answers?
Are you planning to add Bellewether to your to-read list?

[Timeless Tour] Q & A with Kim Van Alkemade, author of BACHELOR GIRL

Today's Timeless Tour post is a Q & A with Kim van Alkemade, the author of BACHELOR GIRL!

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Q & A

1. What draws you to writing historical fiction?

To me, learning about history is like reading a collection of fascinating true stories. My grandmother, who lived to be 98 years old, was born in Manhattan in 1918, so I feel especially connected to early twentieth-century New York. Although they take place in other times and places, historical events are, at heart, about the people who lived them. I love combining imagination and research to create historical worlds where my characters can tell their stories while readers learn something new about our common human experience.

2. What is your writing process like? For example, do you listen to music, do you plan or just wing it when you write?

I always have a plan before I start writing, but I stay open to the surprises that come along during the drafting process. I like a silent room while I write. When things are really flowing, I lose track of time and get immersed in the process. Drafting, for me, is the hardest part, so I set word-count goals every day until I have a complete draft. I really like the process of rewriting and revising, which is where the characters and the story begin to come alive for me. Editing is like the icing on the cake! I am so thrilled to get to the point where my biggest concern is which word to choose. 

3. How do you go about writing your characters into history? Do you start with the historical elements or the characters?

I like inserting fictional characters into a historical situation. By fictionalizing historical characters, it makes it seem as if the characters I invented really could have lived in a specific time and place. I am a huge fan of E. L. Doctorow’s approach to historical fiction—I read Ragtime every couple of years to keep it fresh in my mind—and I am so inspired by his audacity in creating a fictional version of the historical world. If I am successful, then my reader won’t quite be able to tell where the historical world ends and the fictional one begins.

4. If you had to pick a song (or songs) that would make up a playlist for BACHELOR GIRL, what would you choose, and why?

In Bachelor Girl, there is a scene in a black-and-tan club in Harlem where I imagined the band performing Bessie Smith numbers, and in Antonio’s, the Greenwich Village club I imagined where Albert would meet up with his friends, I evoked songs by Gladys Bentley, a blues singer famous as part of the Harlem Renaissance.

5. In one or two sentences, how would you pitch BACHELOR GIRL to someone who hasn’t heard of it before?

Bachelor Girl is the story of an actress in jazz Age New York City who finds the courage to pursue her profession—and her heart’s desire—after a surprise inheritance from the millionaire owner of the Yankees baseball team.

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ABOUT BACHELOR GIRL:

NOW AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

“Bachelor Girl plunges the reader deep into life during the Jazz Age…and the revealing of other secrets and confessions will keep readers up all night looking for answers.” —Booklist, starred review

From the New York Times bestselling author of Orphan #8 comes a fresh and intimate novel in the vein of Lilac Girls and The Alice Network about the destructive power of secrets and the redemptive power of love—inspired by the true story of Jacob Ruppert, the millionaire owner of the New York Yankees, and his mysterious bequest in 1939 to an unknown actress, Helen Winthrope Weyant.

When the owner of the New York Yankees baseball team, Colonel Jacob Ruppert, takes Helen Winthrope, a young actress, under his wing, she thinks it’s because of his guilt over her father’s accidental death—and so does Albert Kramer, Ruppert’s handsome personal secretary. Helen and Albert develop a deepening bond the closer they become to Ruppert, an eccentric millionaire who demands their loyalty in return for his lavish generosity.

New York in the Jazz Age is filled with possibilities, especially for the young and single. Yet even as Helen embraces being a “bachelor girl”—a working woman living on her own terms—she finds herself falling in love with Albert, even after he confesses his darkest secret. When Ruppert dies, rumors swirl about his connection to Helen after the stunning revelation that he has left her the bulk of his fortune, which includes Yankee Stadium. But it is only when Ruppert’s own secrets are finally revealed that Helen and Albert will be forced to confront the truth about their relationship to him—and to each other.

Inspired by factual events that gripped New York City in its heyday, Bachelor Girl is a hidden history gem about family, identity, and love in all its shapes and colors.

About Kim van Alkemade:

Kim van Alkemade is the author of the historical novels Orphan #8 and Bachelor Girl. Her creative nonfiction essays have appeared in literary journals including Alaska Quarterly Review, CutBank, and So To Speak. Born in New York City, she earned a BA in English and history from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and an MA and PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a Professor in the English Department at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches writing.

Follow Kim: Facebook | Twitter

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Follow along with the Timeless Tour on the tour website, www.timelesstour.ca.

Come From Away | Bellewether | Songs of Love and War | Bachelor Girl

You can also find a tour schedule on my
[Timeless Tour] Kick Off Questions & Full Tour Schedule post.

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What did you think of Kim's answers?
Are you adding Bachelor Girl to your to-read list?

Author Interview: Sarina Bowen & Sarah Mayberry (Authors of TEMPORARY)

I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader's copy of Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry's upcoming release, TEMPORARY. I'll be sharing my review next week, but I can tell you that I loved it!!! I was also given the chance to interview Sarina and Sarah, too!! 

TEMPORARY releases next week on September 12th, but in the meantime, I have my little interview to share with you all! Hopefully it'll get you as excited about TEMPORARY as I am! 

First, here's a bit about the book! Keep reading for the interview and to find out how you can connect to Sarina and Sarah online. :)

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TEMPORARY
by Sarina Bowen & Sarah Mayberry
Pub date: September 12, 2017



Description:

The most beautiful man I've ever seen is the one who can ruin everything...

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants.

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful -- pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to.

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works--if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can't afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose.

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo...

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Amazon.ca | iBooks | Kobo | B&N

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INTERVIEW

1. How does your writing process differ when you’re co-writing versus writing solo?



   
   Sarah: I’m much more dedicated when I know Sarina is waiting for me to pass the baton at the end of the day! And it’s great having someone else to nut problems out with.
   
   Sarina: Yes! I’m more focused when I’m co-writing because I know that Sarah is waiting to see what I’ll do. So I become fearless, because I need those words on the page.
2. Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
   
   Sarah: Everywhere and everywhere. Stories in the paper, something a friend tells me, a conversation overheard on the train, a book I read years ago….



   
   Sarina: Absolutely. As Nora Ephron said, “everything is copy.”
3. As an avid music fan, I always love seeing and listening to an author’s playlist for the books they write. Do you listen to music while writing at all?



   
   Sarah: I can’t! I need silence to write. In fact, I block out everything, to the point where it drives my husband crazy. So music would be wasted on me!
   
   Sarina: Sadly, I’m the same. And even when I find a song has influenced me in some way, I don’t usually reveal that. Music is so personal that if I cite a band my reader hates, it might taint the book for her.
4. I’m ALWAYS looking for new romance recs, so what are some of your favourite romances and romance authors?



   
   Sarah: Anything by Lisa Kleypas, both her historicals and contemporaries. Kirstan Higgins is amazing. Marie Force. Victoria Dahl… I could go on and on.
   
   Sarina: Lately I’ve discovered Avon Gale and Serena Bell.
5. If you had to give a quickie elevator pitch for your upcoming release, TEMPORARY, what would you say?
   
   Hot Aussie playboy, determined New York heroine, fabulous art, great wine, and a poodle who never met a crotch she didn’t like. 

About the Authors

SARINA BOWEN is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives in Vermont's Green Mountains with her family, six chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.

In 2016, Sarina became a Rita Award winner! The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.

Connect to Sarina: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Sarindipity FB Group | Newsletter Signup

SARAH MAYBERRY lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her partner of nearly twenty years (who has recently become her husband!). When she's not in her pajamas eating peanut butter sandwiches and typing away madly on her latest story, she enjoys reading, cooking, sleeping, pilates, going to the movies and shopping. Not necessarily in that order!

Some of Sarah's favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Rachel Gibson, Karina Bliss, Mary Balogh, Julie James, Sherry Thomas, Meredith Duran, and Loretta Chase. Her favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally, although she is also very fond of His Girl Friday and Something About Mary.

Sarah loves to hear from readers via her website at www.sarahmayberry.com

 Connect to Sarah: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter Signup

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What do you think?

Did Sarina and Sarah sell you on TEMPORARY with that pitch?

#TimelessTour - Q&A with Sally Christie, author of THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES

Hello fellow historical romance readers!!

Today, I'm here to start off Simon & Schuster Canada's TIMELESS TOUR! 

Over the next few weeks, I'll be a part of a group of bloggers sharing posts relating to three of S&S Canada's big historical romance books this season: PROMISES TO KEEP, THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES, and THE SCRIBE OF SIENA!

I'm lucky enough to launch the Timeless Tour, so welcome, welcome! I hope you enjoy all of our fabulous posts, and that you go away from this tour with three new books that you just can't wait to read!

My first post for this tour is a Q&A with Sally Christie, the author of THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES, the third and final book in THE MISTRESSES OF VERSAILLES TRILOGY!

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To start us off, here's a bit of an introduction for THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES:

THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES
(The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy #3)

Author: Sally Christie
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: March 21, 2017
Number of Pages: 416 (Paperback)

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In the final installment of Sally Christie’s “tantalizing” (New York Daily News) Mistresses of Versailles trilogy, Jeanne Becu, a woman of astounding beauty but humble birth, works her way from the grimy back streets of Paris to the palace of Versailles, where the aging King Louis XV has become a jaded and bitter old philanderer. Jeanne bursts into his life and, as the Comtesse du Barry, quickly becomes his official mistress.

“That beastly bourgeois Pompadour was one thing; a common prostitute is quite another kettle of fish.”

After decades of suffering the King's endless stream of Royal Favorites, the princesses of the Court have reached a breaking point. Horrified that he would bring the lowborn Comtesse du Barry into the hallowed halls of Versailles, Louis XV’s daughters, led by the indomitable Madame Adelaide, vow eternal enmity and enlist the young dauphiness Marie Antoinette in their fight against the new mistress. But as tensions rise and the French Revolution draws closer, a prostitute in the palace soon becomes the least of the nobility’s concerns.

Told in Christie’s witty and engaging style, the final book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy will delight and entrance fans as it once again brings to life the sumptuous and cruel world of eighteenth century Versailles, and France as it approaches irrevocable change.

Links: Indigo | Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

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Now that you know a bit about the book, it's time for the Q&A you've been waiting for!

Q&A with SALLY CHRISTIE!

1. The Enemies of Versailles is the last book in The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy. Which of the mistresses was your favorite to write? 

I loved the Comtesse du Barry the most of all of my characters – she was such a warm, friendly, genuinely nice person. We all know people like her – I think of them as “favored angels” – they have everything, but rather than becoming cold or superior, they retain their essential goodness. I also hate how the Comtesse du Barry has been portrayed recently – for example in Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette – and felt she needed some vindication!

So the Comtesse du Barry was my favorite character, but I had the most fun with Pauline from The Sisters of Versailles – her blithe bitchiness was really fun to write.

2. The Sisters of Versailles and The Rivals of Versailles both heavily feature letters, whereas Enemies does not. Was this a conscious decision? 

Sisters has four rotating viewpoints, and the letters (which were an excellent idea suggested to me by an editor, and one to which I was initially resistant) are a great way to keep all four characters alive and updated in the minds of the readers, as well as to pepper in a lot of fun facts and anecdotes. Rivals also has rotating viewpoints, but not alternating – Pompadour has the first half of the book, then some of her rivals get a chance to speak, then she finishes up – and in this case the letters were a good way to keep her involved and central even when she was “off stage” and the other mistresses were speaking.

For Enemies, I didn’t hesitate for one minute about the structure – I just knew it had to be Jeanne du Barry and Madame Adelaide. With only two narrators, who were together at Versailles for a good chunk of the book, there just didn’t seem to be any need for them. I toyed with the idea of including a couple of real letters in the book (there are some surviving examples from Jeanne du Barry to her lover Hercule, for example) but that idea never took flight.

3. The titular enemies Comtesse du Barry and Madame Adelaide have very opposing personalities. Du Barry is naïve and eager-to-please, whereas Madame Adelaide is pious and jealous. How did you strike a balance in portraying two very different characters while giving them each validity and agency? 

Their differences are what made them so fun and interesting to write. It was easy to make Jeanne a relatable character – she is someone who is easy to fall in love with, and like the modern reader, she is the ultimate outsider to the world of Versailles with all its ridiculous rituals and rules.

Adelaide is a more difficult character to relate to, especially in the first half of the book, where her rigidity and pedantry combine for a very annoying personality. I think her best moments, and the ones where readers might warm to her, come when she experiences heartbreak because of her father, and then as she comes to slowly realize that maybe, just maybe, much of Versailles and the world she was born to, might have a few faults…

4. Because of the stark contrast between Comtesse du Barry and Madame Adelaide, do you think readers will gravitate to one character more than the other? Is it important for your characters to be likeable? 

I think readers will definitely gravitate to the Comtesse du Barry over Madame Adelaide, and in a sense, though they both get equal page count, the Comtesse du Barry is really the star of the book and Madame Adelaide is her foil. I don’t think it’s important at all for characters to be likeable (though I know many readers disagree!) but I do think they have to be relatable – i.e. the reader should see elements of people they know (and possibly dislike) in my characters’ personalities.

Apart from the Marquise de Pompadour and perhaps Marie Anne and Pauline, most of the other mistresses I write about would have been quite shallow women, largely uneducated and really only focused on themselves and their immediate world. One struggle while writing characters like that is that I have to be true to their worldview, even if their worldview consists of exclusively worrying about what the next meal will bring or which new dress she should buy. I can’t make them conduits for political developments or events that they wouldn’t be interested in!

 5. Why did you decide to start Jeanne’s story when she was 7, rather than an age closer to her introduction to Versailles? 

I’m coming to see there are two groups in this world – those that like reading about childhoods, and those that hate reading about childhoods. I’m firmly in the first group, while it seems all my editors and agents are firmly in the second!

One of the rules of writing is apparently to “start where the action starts”. But I personally really enjoy learning about and experiencing a character’s childhood, as well as writing from that perspective. I always try to sneak as much childhood in as I can, but a lot gets cut –in the first draft of Sisters, I spent a lot more time on their collective childhood, and for Rivals I had a lot more about Jeanne de Poisson’s young life.

6. Jeanne takes on many names throughout the book (Mademoiselle Rancon, Mademoiselle L’Ange, Madame Vaubernier, Comtesse du Barry); which name do you think was the most significant to her character’s development? 

Definitely du Barry! It absolutely defined her and created her and that is who she became.

7. You’ve done a large of amount of research for all of your books. What’s one book/resource from your research you would recommend to readers who want to learn more about 18th century Versailles? 

There’s a good introductory book about Versailles called Versailles: Biography of a Palace by Tony Spaworth. It’s a good general overview of the history and the development of the palace and palace life through the 17th and 18th centuries.

 I personally find the contemporary “memoires” of the day – most can be found online and some in English – to be really fascinating reading. The style of writing, the details, the situations we would judge to be ridiculous yet appears perfectly normal to the author – they really give you a glimpse into the worldview of the 18th century aristocrat. A fun one is the Duc de Richelieu’s memoires – you can find fragments and various versions in English online.

8. Were there any facts/anecdotes about Comtesse du Barry or Madame Adelaide that you weren’t able to work into Enemies? 

On my website I list a number of omissions about their lives which didn’t make it into the story. The last third of the book is really their experiences in the lead up to and during the Revolution, and it was hard to get both their stories in there alongside everything that was going on in the larger context: a lot got cut in that part.

For example, Jeanne had a very torrid love affair that lasted a few years with an Englishman – this happened before she met Hercule – and also her possible role as a spy during the Revolution is left unexplored.

9. In your Author’s Note you mention that The Mistresses of Versailles trilogy examines the intimate and personal moments that make history. Why is it that Louis XV’s mistresses had more political influence that the Queen? 

The Queen had a very timid personality, and was eternally grateful for the stroke of fate that plucked her from provincial Polish obscurity. She was also very pious and that led ultimately to separate beds for her and her husband, which opened the door for the mistresses to come through. Louis himself was quite weak-willed and very malleable, and came to rely on his mistresses even more than his ministers, and certainly more than on himself.

But I think his “malleability” needs some context: imagine that every decision you made or approved – a new appointment, a budget cut, a new decree – could cause anger and jealousy and a host of unforeseen consequences – naturally you’d shy away from making decisions!

10. Now that you’ve completed this trilogy, what can readers expect from you next? 

I did start a book set partially at Versailles during the time of Marie Antoinette, but I had to give it up – while it’s a fascinating world, there are so many other interesting places and times, and I think I have had my share of Versailles!

So my next project will definitely be historical, and definitely not at Versailles, but apart from that I haven’t decided yet.

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About SALLY CHRISTIE:

I’m a life-long history buff and I really wish time travel were a possibility—I’d be off to the eighteenth century in a flash!

Since I can’t travel back in time (yet), I have done plenty of global travel: as a child I lived in England, Canada, Argentina, and Lesotho, and attended eight schools in three languages. I continued my global wanderings with a career in international development, but now I’m settled in Toronto and loving it.

The Sisters of Versailles is my first novel, though I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil. When I’m not writing I’m reading, reading, reading; disappearing down various rabbit holes of historical research, and playing lots of tennis.

Links: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Follow the rest of the TIMELESS TOUR:

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What did you think?

Did you enjoy my Q&A with Sally Christie?

Are you a fan of historical romance?
And are you excited for THE ENEMIES OF VERSAILLES?

Firsts Blog Tour: Review & Mini Interview!

I'm so excited to be a part of Raincoast Books's FIRSTS blog tour!! I first heard about FIRSTS back in August, and I was immediately intrigued!! When I got an egalley from Netgalley, I actually giggled with glee, and once I started it, I was hooked!

Today for my post in the FIRSTS blog tour, I'm sharing my review and a Q&A with the absolutely fabulous author of FIRSTS, Laurie Elizabeth Flynn! :)

Title: FIRSTS
Author: Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Source: egalley from the
publisher through Netgalley
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: January 5, 2016!
Number of Pages: 320 (Hardcover)



Description from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.

Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LAURIE ELIZABETH FLYNN writes contemporary fiction for young adults. FIRSTS is her debut novel.

Laurie went to school for Journalism, where the most important thing she learned was that she would rather write made-up stories than report the news. She also worked as a model, a job that took her overseas to Tokyo, Athens, and Paris.

Laurie now lives in London, Ontario with her husband Steve, who is very understanding when she would rather spend time with the people in her head. Laurie can mostly be found writing happily at her desk, with the world’s most spoiled Chihuahua on her lap. Laurie drinks way too much coffee, snorts when she laughs, and times herself when she does crossword puzzles.

Connect with Laurie: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Tumblr | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

As soon as I started reading FIRSTS, I was hooked! The story itself is incredibly intriguing, the writing is fabulous, and the characters all jump right off the page! I especially loved that it challenged stereotypes about sex, and about female sexuality.

I absolutely LOVED Mercedes. I'm nothing like her, but I really appreciated the honesty of her narrative. She was snarky (which I loved!), and dishonest with her friends, but as a narrator, she held nothing back. While certain parts of her past were revealed later in the story, I really appreciated the transparency that her narrative had when she was considering things, and I loved seeing her slowly open up to the people in her life, too.

I loved that Mercedes for the most part was in control when it came to sex. Her personal reasons for helping out virgins are something that you'll have to read the book to find out about yourself, but she definitely did everything that she did to help them. While her desire to help guys give their girlfriends a good first time was honourable in a way, it did bug me that she was sleeping with guys that had girlfriends. I loved that she was in control of her sexuality, but I did wish that she wasn't sleeping with guys in relationships. There were also a couple of minor moments where I really wish Mercedes had stuck up for herself and stuck to her original decisions, but overall, I was still really happy with this story.

As I said before, I loved how FIRSTS challenged preconceived notions about sex that so many people have. I LOVED that it pushed boundaries, and I loved that even Mercedes' notions about relationships were challenged throughout the story. I loved seeing her friendships grow, and I especially loved when she finally allowed people to see the real her. She changed a lot throughout the story, and that was because she finally decided to start letting people in. Her friendships with Angela, Faye, and Zach were my absolute favourite part of FIRSTS. I did appreciate and love the romance too, but I loved that friendship had such a high importance in the story.

FIRSTS was a wonderful story! The characters were fantastic and complex, and I absolutely loved the writing. I loved how Laurie Elizabeth Flynn challenged so many different preconceived notions about sex, and I'm really looking forward to whatever she writes next! :D

Q&A

1. As FIRSTS is your debut novel, what was the process of writing it like, and what advice would you give to other aspiring authors? 

FIRSTS is my debut novel, but it’s not the first book I wrote. Previously, I wrote two New Adult contemporaries, both of which were meticulously plotted. With FIRSTS, I let myself experiment with a new style of writing: Flying by the seat of my pants. I had the hook and the main character’s name, but that was it. I was both ridiculously excited and scared to start writing, but as soon as I wrote the first line, I knew this method was a great fit for me. I wrote quickly and freely and finished the first draft in three weeks as opposed to several months. Most importantly, I had so much fun!

One thing I’d tell aspiring authors is to not be afraid to experiment with their writing. Not every project will follow the same formula, and that’s okay. Take chances. Take risks. Try new things. Tackle ideas that scare you. Most of all, write what you want to write, because that’s the story only you can tell.

2. If your characters went to Hogwarts, which houses do you think they would belong to and why? 

 What a fun question! I think Mercedes would be a Slytherin. She’s very ambitious and resourceful and has a plan to get what she wants in life. Zach would be a Hufflepuff. He’s incredibly loyal, patient, and kind. Angela would be a Ravenclaw—she’s smart and sensible and doesn’t like surprises. Faye… well, Faye would definitely be a Gryffindor. She’s bold, daring, and has a heart of gold.

 (Fun fact: I’m a Slytherin!)

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I loved Laurie's answers to my questions!! She's given some great advice for writers, and I love her Harry Potter house picks for her characters!! I definitely agree with them all!! :D

What do you think?
Does FIRSTS sound like something you'd like to read?
And what did you think of my Q&A with Laurie?

The Fall Blog Tour: Author Interview with Bethany Griffin! #AuthorInterview #Giveaway @_bethanygriffin

I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Bethany Griffin's upcoming book, The Fall, so I jumped at the chance to be a part of its blog tour...and today I get to share my post with you all! I've also shared the tour giveaway with you all...so don't miss it! :D

 I was super lucky and got to interview the lovely author of The Fall, Bethany Griffin! :D I hope you love it! :D I've put my questions in bold, and Bethany's answers are right after them. :D

Without further ado, here's my interview with Bethany Griffin!

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Welcome to Burning Impossibly Bright, Bethany! I’m so glad to have you here, and I’m extremely excited for the release of your newest book, The Fall!

The Fall, and your previous two books, The Masque of the Red Death and The Dance of the Red Death, were inspired by works of Edgar Allan Poe. What is it about Poe’s works that you find inspiring? 
Maybe it’s the time period when I was introduced to Poe- middle school—when I was still quite impressionable. Maybe it’s the atmosphere, the darkness, the hopelessness of Poe’s work? Maybe it’s just that I think Poe can be difficult to get into, and in some ways I’m providing an introduction for teens of a certain age to Poe. Maybe it was just a reason to delve into dark gothic literature. Regardless, I’ve enjoyed every moment of writing these books!


Other than Poe, what influences do you have towards your writing? 
Well, I read a lot of Anne Rice when I was younger, and I think some of her imagery really made an impression on me. I love The Time Traveler’s Wife, and so I’m going to say that maybe the idea for writing The Fall in a non-chronological order was influenced by the brilliance of that book. I was also heavily influenced by my mom’s shelves of gothic writers, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Susan Howatch. I bought a ton of those books at library sales during my college years and still have quite a few of them.


What’s your writing process like? Do you listen to music? And if you do, I’d definitely love to know some of the songs you listened to while writing if you’re up for sharing them! :D
I actually don’t listen to music while I’m writing; in fact I’m very good at tuning music out when I’m thinking, which is why sometimes I get into my car and find my music blasting. When I’m thinking about writing, I often listen to soundtracks, or atmospheric things like Portishead, or The Cure. I have a soft spot for Nine Inch Nails and Tool and the Smashing Pumpkins as well.

My actual process…is that I curl up with either a notebook or my laptop. I get up and walk around a lot. I switch from writing by hand to typing, to walking around to jotting down ideas again. Does that sound crazy? I spend a lot of my writing time stretched out either on the couch in my office or on the chaise lounge on my back deck, typing away. But I always have a notebook and pen at hand, and I’m always ready to take a walk around my neighborhood to either mull over ideas or clear my head.

I tend to move around a good bit, and pace, and sometimes talk to myself during the drafting process. Later when I’m revising I’m much more still, focused, and unmoving.


As an avid reader, I’m always looking for new books to read, so do you have any recommendations?
This is a loaded question for me. I took 2013-2014 off teaching, so I finally finished the 16k pages of the Wheels of Time, re-read Dune, and the Kushiel’s Dart series, and a ton of epic fantasy I hadn’t had time for! I also re-read the first 5 Outlander books and then read numbers 6-8 for the first time. I hope to reread Naomi Novik’s Temeraire books soon. At the same time, I was working on a degree in school library media, and I do love my YA, so I read and loved …Winterkill by Kate Boorman, I re-read the Curse-worker series by Holly Black, just started re-reading the Raven Boys/The Dream Thieves in preparation for the third book in the series, have read everything by Katie McGarry, The Program and The Treatment by Suzanne Young, and just finished Half Bad by Sally Green. Oh, and All of Jessica Spotswood’s books, and The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd. Taking a year off work was great for reading. I also discovered Susannah Kearsley, whose books are something of a throwback to the gothic books I read during my teen years.


With Hallowe’en coming up this month, it’s the perfect time to read those creepy and mysterious books. Do you know of any great Hallowe’en reads?
One of my favorite Halloween reads is Shadowland by Peter Straub. There’s something completely surreal about that book, as well as being ever so creepy, and I love it. The books that scare me the most are those that delve into the darkest parts of human nature. The Road by Cormac McCarthy is probably the darkest book I’ve gotten through, and I still refuse to think about certain parts of that book. Other YA books in the spirit of Halloween that I’ve enjoyed are The Forest of Hands and Teeth books by Carrie Ryan, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, and Rick Yancy’s Monstrumologist series. Really, I think any book where I feel the main characters might not make it, are the ones that scare me (Game of Thrones, anyone?) Impending doom to characters scares me, and for that reason I make my creative writing students read the opening of Stephen King’s It. There are several scenes in that book that are too dark to even deal with. One of them deals with cruelty to animals…nope can’t deal with that.


And my last question, what advice do you have for other aspiring authors? 
Write because you love to write and you can’t not write. The publishing part of the process isn’t what makes you happy. Writing books makes writers (at least me) happy. Obviously, we write to put the work into reader’s hands, but…if you can find it in yourself to be fulfilled by the writing and let the publishing part just be a step in the process, then I think you will be much more likely to retain your sanity. Other than that, it’s partly talent, partly timing/luck, partly hard work…and a really good idea doesn’t hurt, either!


Thanks again for stopping by Bethany!!! And The Fall comes out on October 7th….that’s just four days away, so HAPPY EARLY BOOK BIRTHDAY! :D

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About the Book

Title: THE FALL
Author: Bethany Griffin
Pub. Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 432
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.

About Bethany:

Bethany Griffin is a high school English teacher who prides herself on attracting creative misfits to elective classes like Young Adult Literature, Creative Writing, and Speculative Literature. She is the author of HANDCUFFS, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, DANCE OF THE RED DEATH, GLITTER AND DOOM, and THE FALL. She lives with her family in Kentucky.

Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

- 1 Grand Prize- A Poe Prize Pack with a Raven Scarf, Necklace, Candle, and a signed hardcover of THE FALL and a signed bookmark! (US Only)

- 3 Signed Hardcovers of THE FALL and signed bookmarks (International)

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

Week One:

9/29/2014 - Bookish - Interview

9/30/2014 - A Glass of Wine - Guest Post

10/1/2014 - Stories & Sweeties - Review

10/2/2014 - Novel Novice - Review

10/3/2014 - Burning Impossibly Bright - Interview (YOU ARE HERE! ;D)

Week Two:

10/6/2014 - Fiction Freak - Review

10/7/2014 - Once Upon a Twilight - Guest Post

10/8/2014 - WinterHaven Books - Review

10/9/2014 - Fiktshun - Interview

10/10/2014 - Two Chicks on Books - Guest Post

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What do you think?
Did you enjoy my interview with Bethany Griffin?
Does The Fall sound like something you'd like to read?

Caged Blog Tour: Author Interview with J.A. Belfield and Giveaways!!!

Today, I have a super special guest! It's J.A. Belfield, the author of the Holloway Pack series, which happens to be one of my favourites! I've asked her some questions and she's been lovely enough to give me some amazing answers! So, here is our interview! And keep scrolling down for some awesome giveaways once you've read the interview! :D

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Hey J.A! :D I’m super excited to have you here on my blog for this interview! I’ve spoken to your characters, and had you here for a multi-author interview, but this is the first time that I’m honoured to have you here all to myself…so, welcome! :D

\o/ I’m excited to be back here. :D

I know that you’re trying to keep spoilers for Caged to a minimum, and that the follow-up to Caged, Unnatural, is also being kept top-secret. Do you have a hard time keeping quiet about your books, and how do you plan to keep the narrator of Unnatural a secret once more information about the book is released?

Initially, my publisher wanted to keep it quiet about Caged’s narrator, until I spilled to them that I’d already done a helluva lot of chatting about the book on my Facebook page, as well as shared sneaky peeks at bits of it I was working on as the story grew, and that kind of put the kibosh on that idea. So, in all fairness, I didn’t keep as quiet about Caged as I probably should have. For Unnatural, however, it really was hard, because it will provide major spoilers for Caged if the characters for Unnatural are unveiled too early, so although I did share tiny sneaky peeks at bits and pieces I was writing for it, I had to eliminate character names from the excerpts. Also, I usually have a couple of folk I chat to throughout writing my books, and those couple know what to expect when I send them the book to beta read. Unnatural was the first time I’ve ever kept so quiet about what’s coming even to them, and so everyone who’s read it so far went in blind.

For those eager to know who’ll be fronting Unnatural, the wait won’t be much longer as the main character will be named in the blurb that goes live in September alongside the cover reveal. :D

You’ve been busy writing the Holloway Pack Series, but do have plans to write anything outside of that series?

Actually, funny you should ask. Due to behind-the-scenes circumstances, Holloway Pack production is going to be moving a little slower after Unnatural, and so I’m going to be slowing down on my Holloway Pack writing to accommodate that. In the meantime, I’ve started writing a contemporary new adult, as well as a young adult post-apocalyptic (which may also fall into the NA category dependent upon the end result). I’m unsure how long those will take me to write, but hopefully not forever, because I’m eager to share them with the world. :D

I’m always interested in where authors’ inspiration comes from, so what inspired you to write Darkness & Light and the rest of the Holloway Pack series, and how did you craft your werewolves?

Sean inspired me to write Darkness & Light. He was a pretty strong presence in my mind and demanded I sit up and take notice. However, I can be as stubborn as my muse, and so didn’t give in to him completely by writing the story from Jem’s POV instead of his. However, his presence in my mind is what then went on to become the opening basis for the plot of Darkness & Light when Sean is a presence within Jem’s mind. To be honest, I never pictured Darkness & Light as anything more than a standalone. It was only when I reached the end that I realised I wasn’t ready to say farewell to Jem and Sean and so, within a week, the ideas started formulating, and after scouring a traditional spell book owned by my sister, the formula for Blue Moon was created. It was only once I’d begun writing Caged that I realised I’d created a potential series, because the initial idea for Caged came to me in Jem’s POV, but for some reason, I just couldn’t get it to weave together in my head, so I let the idea simmer—for an entire year—and it suddenly hit me that it wouldn’t form right because I’d got the POV wrong. As soon as I realised whose POV it needed to be, the story started to fully unfold. And I loved working with one of the other Holloway Pack so much, I decided I’d do so for all of them. :D

Do you have a process that you follow while writing? Like maybe listening to music (if you do…I would totally love a playlist! :D haha), or some routine, perhaps?

I don’t have a process. Only when I hit rock bottom for concentration do I resort to music, and whilst I do believe a decent pair of earphones and the Kings of Leon Only by the Night album is the way forward, I occasionally hit up my media playlist. Here’s the first ten songs from that:

Chasing Pavements (Adele); Head Over Feet (Alanis Morissette); Be Mine (David Gray); This Year’s Love (David Gray); Cold Desert (Kings of Leon); Seaside (The Kooks); Luka (Suzanne Vega); Make You Feel My Love (Adele); Someone Like You (Adele); You Learn (Alanis Morissette).

What tips do you have for aspiring authors?

Okay, it’s quite a list (so apologies up front).

1. Don’t assume. Don’t assume your first book is going to be good enough, that just having a story you want to tell makes you a writer, that your writing is going to be a bestseller, that you’re going to be the next J.K. Rowling, that the first agent you submit to will love your writing as much as you do—or the 100^th, that your beta readers are being 100% honest with you (especially if they’re friends), that you’re going to get rich like the other success stories out there, that everyone is going to love your book … assumptions bring disappointment, and a writer needs to have a thick skin if they want to enter this industry, otherwise they will fall at the first hurdle.

2. Don’t give up. There’s a quote somewhere that goes along the lines of: You’ve only failed once you’ve stopped trying. This is true. If you believe—and I mean, truly believe you have something worth sharing? Keep going. If you’re doing it for the right reasons, this is what you’ll do. If you quit? Then maybe it just wasn’t as important to you as you thought. However, there’s a fine line between persevering out of determination and persevering out of arrogance. Make sure you’re on the right side.

3. Write. And critique. You’ll learn as much from critiquing the work of others (this is not the same as reviewing a book and trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t—though this is equally important—but rather, dissecting sentences to discover how to create flow and interesting delivery, and pacing, and natural dialogue, and all of those key elements that create the greater whole). And you learn from writing more. Stephen King reckons a writer must have written 1 million words before they can consider themselves as being anywhere near decent. Listen to him. He talks sense.

4. And finally research. Research the industry. You want to enter this vast expanse of agents and publishers and avenues, right? Then make sure you know where you’re going BEFORE you get there; if you don’t, you’re going to get to get lost. Remember the saying: knowledge is power. Otherwise you’ll end up wasting a whole lot of not just other people’s time, but also your own.

I’m always up for adding more books to my to-read pile, do you have any that you’d recommend?

Recently read stuff I’ve LOVED include Susan Kaye Quinn’s Debt Collector Series, Ink by Amanda Sun, Hushed by Kelley York, Remember Me by Amaleen Ison, and Faking It by Cora Carmack. Oh, and The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller. :)

And my final question, what do you love best about being an author?

Knowing that somebody, somewhere, is enjoying something that I’ve created. I ♥ my readers with a passion. They rock my world.

Thank you for this wonderful interview, J.A., it’s always a pleasure talking with you!

Ditto. Thanks so much for having me back here. :D

About J.A. Belfield

One day, a character and scene popped into J. A. Belfield’s head, and she started controlling the little people inside her imagination, as though she were the puppet master and they her toys. Questions arose: What would happen if …? How would they react if …? Who would they meet if …? Before she knew it, a singular scene had become an entire movie. The characters she controlled began to hold conversations. Their actions reflected the personalities she bestowed upon them. Within no time, they had a life, a lover, a foe, family … they had Become.

One day, she wrote down her thoughts. She’s yet to stop.

J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, three cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.

Author Links: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

About Caged (Holloway Pack #3)

If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.

For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.

Not this time.

Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.

What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.

If he survives.

Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.

Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.

Add to Goodreads: Caged

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

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ALSO, BLUE MOON IS ON SALE IN HONOUR OF CAGED'S RELEASE!

During the Caged Tour, Blue Moon: Holloway Pack 2 is on SALE!
Grab YOUR copy for only $.99 at the following stores:
Amazon | B&N

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TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY

- International 

- Ends September 6th

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW: 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

EBOOK & BOOKMARK GIVEAWAY
- International
- 1 Winner will receive an ebook of Caged in the format of their choice and a Caged bookmark
- Winner will chosen using Rafflecopter, contacted via email, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize before a new winner is drawn.
- Ends August 30th at 11:59 PM (MST)

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the rest of the Caged Blog Tour HERE.

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Thoughts?

Did you enjoy the interview?

And are you excited to read Caged?