The Wednesday Interview

Jean Hart Stewart is the brilliant author today with her latest release Song of a Druid Princess. She has the patience of a saint. I drove Jean nuts when I lost her interview, but instead of cyber slapping me she was very gracious and re-sent it to me. I’m sure maybe she rolled her eyes, but she was very polite. Jean has a successful series of books out called Garland of Druids through Cerridwen Press. Next week’s interview is author and blog mate Kelly Kirch and her soon to be released book Time for Love.

Song of a Druid Princess - Book III of the series, Garland of Druids

The Blurb...

When Kate Dellafield is accepted as a student at the Conservatoire de Paris, she’s ecstatic to attend her first class as a student of the renowned Gabriel Jourdain. Gabriel is revered throughout France for his brilliance as a pianist and his wartime heroism. Handsome, commanding, charismatic, with a shock of hair attractively greyed by the war, he tries to drive Kate from his classroom with sarcasm. Kate refuses to leave, and Gabriel must then fight daily against his compelling attraction for the beautiful Druid.

Can Kate overcome his gifts and make him acknowledge their ever-growing love? When a student stalks her and kidnaps her, Can Gabriel find her before she is raped or mutilated.

Even when he finally admits his love, he claims they have no future together. Can Kate make him acknowledge the secret that is keeping them apart? Even when he seems to accede, she needs Druid power to save them both. Will he acknowledge his love and her Druid abilities in time for a happy ending for them both?

Will the lilting song in her heart convince him they belong together?


The Interview

1. How hard is it to write sex and make it convincing?

Writing sex scenes is always difficult. It’s fairly easy to describe the act in an objective manner, but then you only end up with one body part fitting another body part. The hard element is to get enough emotion into the scene that your reader can feel the passion motivating the couple, their responses that make you feel you’re in the bedroom with them and thrilling to their rapture. I read other writer’s scenes that I’ve admired to get me started, think a little,(or something a lot) while I try to put myself into the minds of my heroines and hero. By this time I know them well can picture their response as individuals I’ve grown close to. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes not.

2. Romance and the condom. How hard do you find to slip it in or on when the action is hot between characters?

Romance and the condom. I’ve never worried about that. My books are historicals and even as late as my last one (1933) condoms weren’t a big deal. Pregnancies were. Lots of suspense possible there. The hero might have compunctions about putting his partner at risk but the blazing attraction usually overrides his qualms.

3. Do you think romance just happens or do you make your characters work for it?

Definitely my characters work hard to deserve romance. They may feel the attraction pretty instantly, but sometimes fight it, sometimes don’t recognize it. They generally have a bumpy road to fulfillment.

4. What is it about your hero that makes him irresistible to women?

My heroes are all strong in some particular way. Generally physically, but that isn’t what counts. Book IV, (Kiss of a Druid Bard) is released Dec. 13th and Stephen must fight to protect his love in every possible manner, including calling on his Druid powers. In Druid Redeemed Book V (coming next March) Devon has decided he can’t ever live up to his perfect parents so doesn’t try. Only when he realizes he has to change to win Jocie’s love back does he become the man he was meant to be. Adam in Book VI (Druid Triumphant is strong and protective in a very sweet way. I just finished the first edits on Adam. Of course they’re all drop-dead gorgeous men. (I’m licking my lips here)

5. Do you think readers want to escape or do they want to identify with a character?

Readers want to both escape and identify. You can’t do one without the other.

6. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when writing romance?

The most important thing to remember when writing romance is you’re writing for real people and so your characters must be completely real to you. If they aren’t real to you they won’t be to anyone else. I spend several weeks before I start a new book sketching out the life and background of my hero and heroine, and the past events that made them what they are. I don’t refer to much of that at all, sometimes almost none, but I know them well before I put down a word.

7. What are you working on now?

I’m just starting book VII in the Druid series. Have my characters sketched out and firmly in my mind, and am doing research for the plot. It will tell the story of Jamie, the litte boy kidnapped and rescued in book one, Druid’s Daughter. He’s grown up now, thinks it’s time he married, but has been surrounded by strong Druid women all his life and doesn’t want to marry one. Not about to happen. Tentatively titled My Own Druid, but that will probably change. It’s going to be fun to write.

***Click on the cover and buy the book***

Last week brilliant author – It was me as I had a dizzy spell and forgot to have an interview scheduled – forehead slap

Anny has the latest in the blog saga on www.annycook.blogspot.com today as well as being Santa’s little helper. Not sure what Kelly will wax lyrical on though it’s bound to be fascinating so check out www.kkirch.blogspot.com and be amazed…or not.



12 Days of Romance Contest

Do you want to win some fantastic holiday reading? If so come celebrate the Twelve days of Romance with 12 authors from Ellora's Cave, Wild Rose Press, Total-E-Bound and Cerridwen Press. Each day beginning December 8th and running through December 19th one of the twelve authors will tell what their "True love gave to them" on either their blog or website.

Collect all twelve answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with 12 days of Romance in the subject line to win some great books. There will be three lucky winners. The prizes –1st prize--6 books2nd prize--4 books3rd prize--2 booksAll books and prize winners will be drawn randomly

Anny Cook Winter Hearts
Sandra Cox Boji Stones
Bronwyn Green Ronan's Grail
Heather Hiestand Cards Never Lie
Barbara Huffert Deal of a Lifetime
Amarinda Jones Mad About Mirabelle
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Cindy Spencer Pape Cowboy's Christmas Bride
Brynn Paulin Fallen
Jacquéline Roth Access Denied
KZ Snow Mrs. Claws
Lacey Thorn Earth Moves

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?