Because I love historical novels, particularly those set in Scotland, I decided to try my hand at writing one. At the time I made this decision, I was taking a Viking/Scotland class and remembered something my mother had told me years earlier.
It seems that, although all of us are of Norwegian descent, my maternal grandfather, who emigrated from Norway, had a Scottish name. This intrigued me, so I sent an email to the instructor and eventually learned his name had a Gaelic counterpart. Did this mean that I had long ago ancestors living in Scotland sometime after the year 900? Possibly, as the Vikings invaded Scotland, and other parts of Europe, from 800 to 1000 A.D.
I took as many classes about Scotland as I could and then, when HHRW announced a class about pirates, I eagerly signed up. That turned out to be a blessing. According to legend, there was a lady pirate by the name of Alfhild on one of the Viking pirate longboats. Unfortunately, historians never proved this, as the Vikings believed the written word to be evil and therefore did not have a written language.
Nonetheless, I was delighted with this information. Alfhild, as I happen to know, is a rare name even in Norway. It was also my mother's first name.
So, I began designing my book, starting with the landing of Viking pirates at Orkney and created a main character, Lars, the son of the captain and one who escapes the longboat and makes his new life in Orkney. I also added a lady pirate, though I didn't name her Alfhildl.
When a suggestion was made by an instructor, I tracked down a copy of The Orkneyinga Saga, a book written somewhere around 1258, and read it. It was there I discovered there was an earl by the name of Rongvold, which was my maternal grandfather's given name.
I'm not done researching. Who knows what will turn up next?
I'd love to know if any of you have uncovered interesting facts about your family while researching for a book, or, for tht matter, any unusul facts.
Joan K. Maze
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
April 12, 2010
Guest Author Paty Jager on Researching a Book
Anna Kathryn,
Thank you for allowing me to spend time on your blog today.
My name is Paty Jager, and I write historical and contemporary western romance. While researching for my books I can get lost in the newspaper archives and local museums as well as trekking to the areas I set my books.
For my latest release, Miner in Petticoats, my daughter and I loaded up in my Jeep and headed to the gold mining area around Sumpter, Oregon. I wanted to get a feel for the Cracker Creek area since that was where my hero would set up a stamp mill. While there was a good deal of mining on the Cracker Creek, there was never a stamp mill. That's where I like fiction. I can take a real area and add what makes my book work.
We did run across several old mining sites, but they were either boarded up or looked too precarious to search through. But I did get a good feel for the area and when I wrote my scenes I could easily visualize the canyon and tree filled mountain sides.
With the whole book being based on Ethan setting up a stamp mill, I had to research the different ways of finding gold as well as how a stamp mill worked and the set up. A stamp mill could be anywhere from three up to ten stamps. The stamps were heavy iron "feet" that moved up and down in a synchronized pattern and smashed the rock to separate it from the gold or silver ore. The huge mills were usually set up on the side of a hill to allow gravity to feed the rock down through the machines. Before electricity or in areas of no electricity water or animals were used to make the mechanics for the mill run.
In my book, Ethan finds the perfect spot on the side of a hill with a good section of fast running water on Cracker Creek to run the mill. The only problem is the widow who owns the land isn't about to give it up. And thus the sparks fly.
Here's an excerpt from Miner in Petticoats available at The Wild Rose Press in e-book or print and Amazon.
“Mrs. Miller?” he asked, extending his hand. She kept her head tipped forward just enough her face was shadowed and hidden behind the brim of the hat.
“Who be askin’?” Her voice caught his attention with its deep, lyrical tone.
“I’m Ethan Halsey. My brothers and I have a claim just over the ridge.” It aggravated him he couldn’t see her face and register how she took his words.
“Are ye lost?” The voice vibrated under his skin, causing his body to warm.
He cleared his throat. “No, I’m not lost. I’m looking for Mrs. Miller. I’m assuming that is you,
since you’re the only grown woman I see here.”
“Ah m Aileen. Ah dinnae fancy bein’ called Mrs. Miller.”
This disclosure piqued his curiosity. “Mrs— Aileen. I’ve come with an offer.” Her head tilted, tipping the wide-brimmed hat to the side and revealing a slip of her face.
“And whit may this grand offur be?” He saw the slightest curve on one side of her lips.
“Ma’am, not to sound bossy, but I’d like to see your face as we discuss this proposition.” Her
shoulders dipped slightly before she squared them, stretched her neck to its full length, and
whipped the hat from her head. Copper sparks reflected off her hair as the sun lit her dark locks.
Ethan hadn’t believed the words of a cowardly man like Miles, and he was happy to see there
wasn’t any kind of mark on the woman’s face, at least none put there by the devil. Her skin was
abundantly sprinkled with angel kisses. That was what his mother had called the freckles on her
face. Angel kisses. He’d always had a fondness for freckle-faced women and children.
“Thank you, I appreciate seeing people’s eyes when talking business.” Ethan took a step closer
to the porch, waiting to be invited to the shade.
“And whit be yer business?” The woman didn’t seem inclined to invite him any closer.
“I’ve scouted the land all around our claim. The five acres of your land down where Cracker
Creek drops in elevation is the perfect spot to set up a stamp mill. The side of the canyon has the
right slope and the water is moving fast enough to power the mill.”
“So yer business is askin’ me tae sell ma land?” She clamped work-reddened hands onto
those ample hips and glared at him.
“We’d give you a fair price for the five acres, and you could use the stamp mill to claim more
gold from your mine.” The information didn’t seem to change her opinion. She still glared at
him. “We’re allowing the nearby claims to build rails to bring their ore to the mill. They can use
the stamp mill, giving us a small cut of their profits.” He smiled at his family’s generosity.
“So ye’re doin’ this oot o’ the goodness o’ yer heart? Takin’ yer neighbor’s land and their gold.”
Her light green eyes flashed with indignation.
Thank you for hosting me today!
Paty Jager
http://www.patyjager.net/
http://www.patyjager.blogpsot.com/
Thank you for allowing me to spend time on your blog today.
My name is Paty Jager, and I write historical and contemporary western romance. While researching for my books I can get lost in the newspaper archives and local museums as well as trekking to the areas I set my books.
For my latest release, Miner in Petticoats, my daughter and I loaded up in my Jeep and headed to the gold mining area around Sumpter, Oregon. I wanted to get a feel for the Cracker Creek area since that was where my hero would set up a stamp mill. While there was a good deal of mining on the Cracker Creek, there was never a stamp mill. That's where I like fiction. I can take a real area and add what makes my book work.
We did run across several old mining sites, but they were either boarded up or looked too precarious to search through. But I did get a good feel for the area and when I wrote my scenes I could easily visualize the canyon and tree filled mountain sides.
With the whole book being based on Ethan setting up a stamp mill, I had to research the different ways of finding gold as well as how a stamp mill worked and the set up. A stamp mill could be anywhere from three up to ten stamps. The stamps were heavy iron "feet" that moved up and down in a synchronized pattern and smashed the rock to separate it from the gold or silver ore. The huge mills were usually set up on the side of a hill to allow gravity to feed the rock down through the machines. Before electricity or in areas of no electricity water or animals were used to make the mechanics for the mill run.
In my book, Ethan finds the perfect spot on the side of a hill with a good section of fast running water on Cracker Creek to run the mill. The only problem is the widow who owns the land isn't about to give it up. And thus the sparks fly.
Here's an excerpt from Miner in Petticoats available at The Wild Rose Press in e-book or print and Amazon.
“Mrs. Miller?” he asked, extending his hand. She kept her head tipped forward just enough her face was shadowed and hidden behind the brim of the hat.
“Who be askin’?” Her voice caught his attention with its deep, lyrical tone.
“I’m Ethan Halsey. My brothers and I have a claim just over the ridge.” It aggravated him he couldn’t see her face and register how she took his words.
“Are ye lost?” The voice vibrated under his skin, causing his body to warm.
He cleared his throat. “No, I’m not lost. I’m looking for Mrs. Miller. I’m assuming that is you,
since you’re the only grown woman I see here.”
“Ah m Aileen. Ah dinnae fancy bein’ called Mrs. Miller.”
This disclosure piqued his curiosity. “Mrs— Aileen. I’ve come with an offer.” Her head tilted, tipping the wide-brimmed hat to the side and revealing a slip of her face.
“And whit may this grand offur be?” He saw the slightest curve on one side of her lips.
“Ma’am, not to sound bossy, but I’d like to see your face as we discuss this proposition.” Her
shoulders dipped slightly before she squared them, stretched her neck to its full length, and
whipped the hat from her head. Copper sparks reflected off her hair as the sun lit her dark locks.
Ethan hadn’t believed the words of a cowardly man like Miles, and he was happy to see there
wasn’t any kind of mark on the woman’s face, at least none put there by the devil. Her skin was
abundantly sprinkled with angel kisses. That was what his mother had called the freckles on her
face. Angel kisses. He’d always had a fondness for freckle-faced women and children.
“Thank you, I appreciate seeing people’s eyes when talking business.” Ethan took a step closer
to the porch, waiting to be invited to the shade.
“And whit be yer business?” The woman didn’t seem inclined to invite him any closer.
“I’ve scouted the land all around our claim. The five acres of your land down where Cracker
Creek drops in elevation is the perfect spot to set up a stamp mill. The side of the canyon has the
right slope and the water is moving fast enough to power the mill.”
“So yer business is askin’ me tae sell ma land?” She clamped work-reddened hands onto
those ample hips and glared at him.
“We’d give you a fair price for the five acres, and you could use the stamp mill to claim more
gold from your mine.” The information didn’t seem to change her opinion. She still glared at
him. “We’re allowing the nearby claims to build rails to bring their ore to the mill. They can use
the stamp mill, giving us a small cut of their profits.” He smiled at his family’s generosity.
“So ye’re doin’ this oot o’ the goodness o’ yer heart? Takin’ yer neighbor’s land and their gold.”
Her light green eyes flashed with indignation.
Thank you for hosting me today!
Paty Jager
http://www.patyjager.net/
http://www.patyjager.blogpsot.com/
January 21, 2009
Great 1800's Timeline Website
Did you know that in 1877 both Charles Cros of France and Thomas Edison in America invented the phonograph? Or that in 1870, Jules Verne released not one but two novels? The University of Minnesota has a wonderful archives of time lines, not just for 19th Century.
At this site you learn that The Boston Globe wasn't always here, neither was the U.S. Post card. But by the end of the decade these items, as well as, many others were available.
Historical writers need to do research, so we don't have the postcard being sent before it was available, for example. I've found this site to be a wonderful place to start my research on everyday items and when they were available.
http://www.mediahistory.umn.edu/timeline/1870-1879.html
Visit the link above and then go to my website. There you can enter a contest to win a copy of SALVATION BRIDE. Just find an event that happened in 1873 and leave a comment about it on my guestbook (link can be found at the bottom of the HOME page).
http://www.aklanier.com/
Be sure and leave a message here, too, and you could win a "Smart Women Read Romance" T-shirt.....also, be sure to leave your e-mail, so I can contact you if you win....
Anna Kathryn
At this site you learn that The Boston Globe wasn't always here, neither was the U.S. Post card. But by the end of the decade these items, as well as, many others were available.
Historical writers need to do research, so we don't have the postcard being sent before it was available, for example. I've found this site to be a wonderful place to start my research on everyday items and when they were available.
http://www.mediahistory.umn.edu/timeline/1870-1879.html
Visit the link above and then go to my website. There you can enter a contest to win a copy of SALVATION BRIDE. Just find an event that happened in 1873 and leave a comment about it on my guestbook (link can be found at the bottom of the HOME page).
http://www.aklanier.com/
Be sure and leave a message here, too, and you could win a "Smart Women Read Romance" T-shirt.....also, be sure to leave your e-mail, so I can contact you if you win....
Anna Kathryn
November 9, 2008
Inerview with Donna Hatch
1. So, tell us a little about yourself? What is your typical day like?
I get my children off to school (no small feat, considering I have six!), then get ready and do a little housework (and I do mean little) or run errands. Then I sit down at the computer and write, or edit, or do research. After lunch, I go to work at my part time job as a secretary. After dinner, we do homework (the children’s – not mine), and then I get them ready for bed. If bedtime goes fairly well, I have time to play the harp and then read my email or sometimes just read. I write or edit if I’m really in the “mood” or have a pressing deadline but usually I’m sorta burned out by night. Which is ironic in a way, because when my children were small, late at night was my best time to write. Must be getting old that I can’t say up half the night anymore. Having time to write uninterrupted during the day makes a big difference, too.
2. When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I wrote my first story when I was 8, and my first full-length novel when I was in 7th grade. They were both so bad that they will never see the light of day (and neither will my husband if he ever posts them on the net!) About five years ago, I really got serious about writing, and I got my first book contract roughly two years later.
3. How did you break into publishing?
The first thing I did was join a local chapter of Romance Writer’s of America. I took writing classes and workshops, got critiqued, entered contests, got more critiques, attended conferences, pitched to editors and agents, got more critiques, submitted my manuscripts to agents and editors, and found a critique group who I really trust. I never gave up, no matter how many rejections, or how discouraging the critiques were, and I kept working to learn the tools of the trade. Plus I got enough positive critiques that those helped me keep going. When I started winning writing contests that gave me a huge boost and I carefully considered the input I received from contest judges.
4. What influenced you to write?
I’ve always loved to read, and writing seemed the next logical step. It seems to be some weird, insane compulsion. It also got me through some serious bouts of clinical depression. When I wasn’t writing stories, I wrote in my journal. Now I write when I’m happy, or sad, or anything in between. And I still read voraciously.
5. What inspired you to write romance?
I feed off the euphoria of new love and I need a happy ending. It’s like having a piece of chocolate at the end of the day. Only not fattening. There are some great books out there, but if there isn’t enough romance, I’m disappointed. And if it doesn’t have a happy ending, I’m totally bummed out. Reading doesn’t feel like an escape if the book doesn’t end well and happy. Life throws so many challenges and disappointments that I need the escape of a great book with a satisfying ending.
6. What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
I write fantasy and Regency, but so far, I’m only published in Regency. I love historical overall. I grew up on Little House on the Prairie books, Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables. Historicals are like a whole new world, totally different from the modern world in which I live. Regency in particular is fun because the manners and mores of society are so formal and lavish (unlike my reality). Besides what’s not to love about men who can dance? Not to mention that there are few things as manly as a man riding horseback or fencing or willing to engage in a dual to protect his honor. Or that of his lady love. I have a thing for medieval romances, too. Love those knights. I might write medieval romances some day when I work up the courage to begin research into a whole new time period. The thought is totally intimidating at the moment.
7. What difficulties does writing this genre present?
I’ve actually wanted to write Regency for years, but was intimidated by the amount of research I’d have to do. The time I spend researching alone is daunting. Even after spending the last three years researching the Regency era, I learn something new almost every day. Some of my book ideas are simply not possible due to customs or laws of the day in that land. If I’d failed to adequately research, I would have spent all that time and effort writing them and learned my errors later. One of my biggest fears is that years from now, I’ll discover some historical inaccuracy in one of my books despite my efforts.
8. What motivated you to write your current book?
I’ve always been drawn to the arranged or forced marriage situation; two good people who are thrust together, not necessarily happy about it, but learn to fall in love and make the best of it. (No, it’s not based upon my real life!) I also enjoy love triangles. I’ve always kinda wondered what would have happened if Christine in Phantom of the Opera fell in love with the Phantom instead of the young handsome viscount. Or if maybe she’d felt really torn between them.
9. How much time do you devote to writing each day?
Generally 3 to 4 hours a day are spent in writing or editing. Back before I started working, I spent 5 to 6 hours a day writing.
10. Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
I have a novella coming out in April. Here’s the backcover blurb: Desperate to escape her estranged husband and a home enshrouded with death and despair, Julia flees in the middle of the night. Little does she know, her determined husband is in pursuit. Along the journey, she discovers a telling revelation. But will it be enough to banish the ghosts of the past and quiet her troubled heart?
11. What are you working on now?
Book 2 of the “Rogue Hearts Series: The Guise of a Gentleman” which is about the brother of the hero in Book 1, The Stranger She Married. There are four books planned for this series, each about a brother of the same family, but each book is meant to be a stand-alone novel. Book two is about a spy infiltrating a pirate ring whose past comes back to haunt him…and endanger the life of the lady he loves.
12. How do you write? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
I’m a combination writer. I have a pretty good general idea of what the book is about, and typically I know several key scenes along the way, but most of it develops as it goes along. I wish I were a plotter; I can see how that would make it easier to stay on track and spend less time revising. My characters influence me the most and sometimes won’t do what I want them to do. One of my secondary characters kept trying to take over as the hero. I had to have a heart-to-heart with him. We made a deal; he’ll stop trying to be the romantic lead, and I’ll let him be more of a tough guy – with the possibility that he’ll get his own book some day soon. He started behaving after that. But then he got really tough and conflicted so now I have to write his story.
13. What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
I don’t know how unusual this is, but I often wonder about a secondary or walk-on characters and start thinking about what their story is or could be. Sometimes I don’t like how a book ended, or how it deviated from what I thought was important, so I write it as it should have been. Right now I have one percolating in my head that was inspired by something my boss said he did when he was a young adult just before he met his wife. It’s a great concept for another series.
14. If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who
would it be? And Why?
Jane Austen. She was so witty and had a snarky sense of humor that I find highly entertaining. Plus I’d like to ask her some pointed questions that I haven’t been able to learn in my research.
15. Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
One of my interviews gave me such glowing praise I almost blushed:
“It is an exceptionally well written book, filled with mystery, high adventure, and most importantly of all, a wonderful romance. Ms Hatch creates a wonderfully atmospheric book and just when the reader thinks she might have the mystery figured out, she throws in a delightful twist that leaves the reader guessing all over again! Regency readers will love "The Stranger She Married." And I will be eagerly awaiting Ms Hatch's next book!”
16. What is your all time favorite book?
There are so many, it’s very hard to choose. Jane Eyre ranks way up there. I mostly have favorite authors such as Lynn Kurland, Candice Hern, Julia Quinn, to name a few, rather than favorite books. I have two criteria for a masterful book: 1. unforgettable characters who are deep and complex and 2. are beautifully written with gotcha phrases that demand I go back and re-read just to savor, like taking a walk in a garden and stopping to admire a single bloom.
17. How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I take online classes, I read books – both fiction and nonfiction – written in the Regency era or thereabouts, and I belong to a Regency/Georgian online chapter of RWA and there are some really well informed authors there to guide me with questions and discussions.
I didn’t used to love research and saw it as a necessary evil. But I’ve learned to really love research and now I frequently uncover interesting facts. An interesting bit of research involved pirates, which was really fun. I also learned something about the way criminals were executed, (sounds morbid, I know) but if I tell you, it would be a spoiler, since I use it in my next book. Sorry.
18. What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Be persistent and work really hard to continue to develop your craft. Great artists – whether they be painters, dancers, musicians, or authors – must spend countless hours learning and practicing. Then keep working at it and don’t give up. Lots of people want to be writers, but most don’t have the determination to ride through the rough times or do the continuing education.
19. How do you like your fans to contact you?
I have a place on my website that says “contact me” and I’m always happy to hear from readers (as long as they don’t bring up a research mistake I’ve made. Just kidding!)
20. Tell us about your newly released book.
My current novel, “The Stranger She Married” is a sweet, yet sensual Regency romance with adventure, intrigue, a love triangle, and a terrible secret.
Torn between a disfigured war hero with the heart of a poet, and a handsome libertine who may not be all he seems, impoverished Alicia must marry by the end of the month. Despite a murder threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger of all … to her heart.
Order on line at www.thewildrosepress.com. Look for The Stranger She Married under the category “Historical.” It’s also currently listed under “Best Sellers” on the right side of the home page.
I get my children off to school (no small feat, considering I have six!), then get ready and do a little housework (and I do mean little) or run errands. Then I sit down at the computer and write, or edit, or do research. After lunch, I go to work at my part time job as a secretary. After dinner, we do homework (the children’s – not mine), and then I get them ready for bed. If bedtime goes fairly well, I have time to play the harp and then read my email or sometimes just read. I write or edit if I’m really in the “mood” or have a pressing deadline but usually I’m sorta burned out by night. Which is ironic in a way, because when my children were small, late at night was my best time to write. Must be getting old that I can’t say up half the night anymore. Having time to write uninterrupted during the day makes a big difference, too.
2. When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published? How many stories did you finish before you were published?
I wrote my first story when I was 8, and my first full-length novel when I was in 7th grade. They were both so bad that they will never see the light of day (and neither will my husband if he ever posts them on the net!) About five years ago, I really got serious about writing, and I got my first book contract roughly two years later.
3. How did you break into publishing?
The first thing I did was join a local chapter of Romance Writer’s of America. I took writing classes and workshops, got critiqued, entered contests, got more critiques, attended conferences, pitched to editors and agents, got more critiques, submitted my manuscripts to agents and editors, and found a critique group who I really trust. I never gave up, no matter how many rejections, or how discouraging the critiques were, and I kept working to learn the tools of the trade. Plus I got enough positive critiques that those helped me keep going. When I started winning writing contests that gave me a huge boost and I carefully considered the input I received from contest judges.
4. What influenced you to write?
I’ve always loved to read, and writing seemed the next logical step. It seems to be some weird, insane compulsion. It also got me through some serious bouts of clinical depression. When I wasn’t writing stories, I wrote in my journal. Now I write when I’m happy, or sad, or anything in between. And I still read voraciously.
5. What inspired you to write romance?
I feed off the euphoria of new love and I need a happy ending. It’s like having a piece of chocolate at the end of the day. Only not fattening. There are some great books out there, but if there isn’t enough romance, I’m disappointed. And if it doesn’t have a happy ending, I’m totally bummed out. Reading doesn’t feel like an escape if the book doesn’t end well and happy. Life throws so many challenges and disappointments that I need the escape of a great book with a satisfying ending.
6. What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?
I write fantasy and Regency, but so far, I’m only published in Regency. I love historical overall. I grew up on Little House on the Prairie books, Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables. Historicals are like a whole new world, totally different from the modern world in which I live. Regency in particular is fun because the manners and mores of society are so formal and lavish (unlike my reality). Besides what’s not to love about men who can dance? Not to mention that there are few things as manly as a man riding horseback or fencing or willing to engage in a dual to protect his honor. Or that of his lady love. I have a thing for medieval romances, too. Love those knights. I might write medieval romances some day when I work up the courage to begin research into a whole new time period. The thought is totally intimidating at the moment.
7. What difficulties does writing this genre present?
I’ve actually wanted to write Regency for years, but was intimidated by the amount of research I’d have to do. The time I spend researching alone is daunting. Even after spending the last three years researching the Regency era, I learn something new almost every day. Some of my book ideas are simply not possible due to customs or laws of the day in that land. If I’d failed to adequately research, I would have spent all that time and effort writing them and learned my errors later. One of my biggest fears is that years from now, I’ll discover some historical inaccuracy in one of my books despite my efforts.
8. What motivated you to write your current book?
I’ve always been drawn to the arranged or forced marriage situation; two good people who are thrust together, not necessarily happy about it, but learn to fall in love and make the best of it. (No, it’s not based upon my real life!) I also enjoy love triangles. I’ve always kinda wondered what would have happened if Christine in Phantom of the Opera fell in love with the Phantom instead of the young handsome viscount. Or if maybe she’d felt really torn between them.
9. How much time do you devote to writing each day?
Generally 3 to 4 hours a day are spent in writing or editing. Back before I started working, I spent 5 to 6 hours a day writing.
10. Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
I have a novella coming out in April. Here’s the backcover blurb: Desperate to escape her estranged husband and a home enshrouded with death and despair, Julia flees in the middle of the night. Little does she know, her determined husband is in pursuit. Along the journey, she discovers a telling revelation. But will it be enough to banish the ghosts of the past and quiet her troubled heart?
11. What are you working on now?
Book 2 of the “Rogue Hearts Series: The Guise of a Gentleman” which is about the brother of the hero in Book 1, The Stranger She Married. There are four books planned for this series, each about a brother of the same family, but each book is meant to be a stand-alone novel. Book two is about a spy infiltrating a pirate ring whose past comes back to haunt him…and endanger the life of the lady he loves.
12. How do you write? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?
I’m a combination writer. I have a pretty good general idea of what the book is about, and typically I know several key scenes along the way, but most of it develops as it goes along. I wish I were a plotter; I can see how that would make it easier to stay on track and spend less time revising. My characters influence me the most and sometimes won’t do what I want them to do. One of my secondary characters kept trying to take over as the hero. I had to have a heart-to-heart with him. We made a deal; he’ll stop trying to be the romantic lead, and I’ll let him be more of a tough guy – with the possibility that he’ll get his own book some day soon. He started behaving after that. But then he got really tough and conflicted so now I have to write his story.
13. What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? I mean, I’ve gotten a plot idea from a song I heard, from brainstorming with a classmate. What unusual thing caused you to think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’
I don’t know how unusual this is, but I often wonder about a secondary or walk-on characters and start thinking about what their story is or could be. Sometimes I don’t like how a book ended, or how it deviated from what I thought was important, so I write it as it should have been. Right now I have one percolating in my head that was inspired by something my boss said he did when he was a young adult just before he met his wife. It’s a great concept for another series.
14. If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who
would it be? And Why?
Jane Austen. She was so witty and had a snarky sense of humor that I find highly entertaining. Plus I’d like to ask her some pointed questions that I haven’t been able to learn in my research.
15. Tell us some of the things interviewers are saying about your story or stories.
One of my interviews gave me such glowing praise I almost blushed:
“It is an exceptionally well written book, filled with mystery, high adventure, and most importantly of all, a wonderful romance. Ms Hatch creates a wonderfully atmospheric book and just when the reader thinks she might have the mystery figured out, she throws in a delightful twist that leaves the reader guessing all over again! Regency readers will love "The Stranger She Married." And I will be eagerly awaiting Ms Hatch's next book!”
16. What is your all time favorite book?
There are so many, it’s very hard to choose. Jane Eyre ranks way up there. I mostly have favorite authors such as Lynn Kurland, Candice Hern, Julia Quinn, to name a few, rather than favorite books. I have two criteria for a masterful book: 1. unforgettable characters who are deep and complex and 2. are beautifully written with gotcha phrases that demand I go back and re-read just to savor, like taking a walk in a garden and stopping to admire a single bloom.
17. How do you do research for your books? What’s the most interesting bit of research you’ve come across?
I take online classes, I read books – both fiction and nonfiction – written in the Regency era or thereabouts, and I belong to a Regency/Georgian online chapter of RWA and there are some really well informed authors there to guide me with questions and discussions.
I didn’t used to love research and saw it as a necessary evil. But I’ve learned to really love research and now I frequently uncover interesting facts. An interesting bit of research involved pirates, which was really fun. I also learned something about the way criminals were executed, (sounds morbid, I know) but if I tell you, it would be a spoiler, since I use it in my next book. Sorry.
18. What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Be persistent and work really hard to continue to develop your craft. Great artists – whether they be painters, dancers, musicians, or authors – must spend countless hours learning and practicing. Then keep working at it and don’t give up. Lots of people want to be writers, but most don’t have the determination to ride through the rough times or do the continuing education.
19. How do you like your fans to contact you?
I have a place on my website that says “contact me” and I’m always happy to hear from readers (as long as they don’t bring up a research mistake I’ve made. Just kidding!)
20. Tell us about your newly released book.
My current novel, “The Stranger She Married” is a sweet, yet sensual Regency romance with adventure, intrigue, a love triangle, and a terrible secret.
Torn between a disfigured war hero with the heart of a poet, and a handsome libertine who may not be all he seems, impoverished Alicia must marry by the end of the month. Despite a murder threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger of all … to her heart.
Order on line at www.thewildrosepress.com. Look for The Stranger She Married under the category “Historical.” It’s also currently listed under “Best Sellers” on the right side of the home page.
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