AUTHOR'S SPOTLIGHT TOUR: MEET SHERRILL BODINE, AUTHOR OF "WRITTEN IN THE STARS"

Hello Sherrill and welcome to FLY HIGH! I’m glad to talk about your  “Written in the Stars” as well as writing and reading with you. Could  you briefly present yourself to our readers?

Thank you so much for asking me here!  I’m thrilled to talk about Written in the Stars, my 19th book.  After writing three contemporaries for Grand Central Publishing and co-authoring a comic book series (an ongoing project) I loved the change back to a historical period ( I did 6 Regency novels for Fawcett).

Romance and black magic, past and present,  suspence and adventure. “Written in the Stars” promises to be a real  gripping page- turner. Where did you take inspiration for such an intriguing blend?

The subject of Reincarnation has always fascinated me and I loved writing Intrigues for Harlequin so to combine both – plus history into this epic love story was too yummy to resist!

The two heroines , Lady Elizabeth of York in the past and Cordelia Ward in the present,  experience  passionate  love. “A love so powerful that it conquers time”,  I read in a review. Tell us more about Elizabeth,  Cordelia  and love in your book.

Elizabeth and Cordelia are both passionate determined women who will never surrender until they  get what they desire.

And now the heroes in your novel. Are they inspired to real men or to other literary figures? What are they like?

Like all my heroes – they are the men of my dreams.

What about historical accuracy in your writing about  17th century England? Did you work a lot on research?

I always do a great deal of onsite research for my contemporary novels ( I’ve gone to prison, observed open-heart surgery standing beside the doctor, etc) so I did the same for Written in the Stars by visiting castles in the English countryside – one of my favorite places on the planet.

While researching about 17th century England, what was your most interesting discovery?

Researching Elizabethan Dance opened up a whole new world for me!

What was the thing you most liked writing for this story? What was instead the page/moment you had to work the hardest on?

Cross my heart – I’m being utterly sincere – I LOVE this book!!! The language of the period and the emotions flowed from my pen! ( I do all my first drafts writing with a pen on a paper tablet!)

What are you like as a reader? (favourite genres, authors, books, reading habits, books or e-books)

I adore biographies of powerful interesting women.  My very favorite fiction books are The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett

Which is your favourite heroine/hero?

My favorite heoine/hero are the ones I have brought to life.  Outside the characters in my own 19 books, it would be Francis Crawford of Lymond and Philippa Somerville

If you could live in a book, which one would you choose and which character would you like to be?

No contest – I would live all six books of the Lymond series!  And of course I would Philippa Somerville so I could be with Francis Crawford of Lymond!!

What is the latest book you read and what instead do you have on your night stand at present?

I spent the winter re-reading all six books of the Lymond Chronicles.  Recently I returned from Russia and I have a book on Catherine the Great on my bedside table.

How would you advertise “Written in the Stars” in about 50 words?

Written in the Stars is the epic love story of two indominable people.  Their tale is filled with passion, intrigue, adventure and a desire so strong it defies time and space.

Ok. Final questions: What was it like to write this book with Patricia?

Patricia and I have been friends for years and members of the same small critiques group.  Plus she is one of the co-authors of our comic book series, Whispers from the Void – so it was a natural and easy working relationship.  We believe we have created a very special book in Written in the Stars.  I hope the readers feel the same way!!!  

About the author

I’m sure growing up in my grandmother’s house, taking care of my developmentally disabled mother, forged who I am, but I don’t believe any one thing defines me. My philosophy of life is that we are all in this together—and we need to embrace one another with as much grace, humor and compassion as we can muster. I see life as big, bigger, biggest, and I want to take everyone along with me on the journey. I not only attend black-tie affairs and work on charity board projects, but I am also just as likely to be taking a grandchild to lunch and a movie. I’m happily married to John, with whom I eloped when I was an 18-year-old freshman in college. It was quite the scandal. We have four beautiful children and 11 grandchildren.

I won my first writing award in the seventh grade in a statewide essay contest about a television broadcast of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates. Instead of Silver Skates, they sent real skates, which I enjoyed immensely. I’m only sorry I don’t still have them so they could hang in my office.

While moving 22 times across the country and rearing our children, I sold stories to Fate Magazine, Home Life Magazine and True Confessions. In 1988, I sold my first novel and a week later received a two-book contract from Fawcett. Sixteen novels later, I’ve seen The Other Amanda win the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America Write Touch Readers’ Award and Talk of the Town chosen by Cosmopolitan magazine as its “Red Hot Read” for February 2009.

Sherrill is also known as Lynn Leslie and Leslie Lynn.

                                           Sherrill’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read an excerpt from the book

There was little Will had not seen in court, the battlefield, or the bedroom, yet watching Elizabeth walk to the warm, spring-fed pool at the edge of the woods behind his grandfather’s cottage filled him with wonder.

He slipped his arm around her waist and her head rested on his shoulder. Freed of her ribbons, her ebony hair blown by the evening winds flowed across his throat and chest, filling the air he breathed with the scent of lavender.

At the far side of the pool they came to the limestone rim, festooned with vines and heavy purple blossoms.

Laughing, she slipped off her kid boots, slowly uncoiled her celestial girdle and placed it carefully on the ground. Wearing only her loose gown with hanging sleeves, she walked into the shallows.

Turning back to him, her thick, wavy hair cascading over her breasts, her huge eyes lit by the setting sun, she beckoned to him.

“Come, Will. Join me in paradise.”

Leaving most of his clothes in a pile next to hers, Will waded toward her. He felt the warm spring water rush over his feet and calves.

To him, Elizabeth was a creature of magic, of desire, of love he would follow through eternity.

• Written in the Stars on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
• Publication Date: August 12, 2013
• Published by Entangled Publishing - Suspense Imprint