Amelia is independent and resourceful. She has no problem digging in when
there’s something to be done. She’s not squeamish or spoiled. She thinks she
has a plan for her life, but her tyrant father has other things in mind.
She is a colonist who grew up on a sugar plantation, so she doesn’t quite
fit in with the ton of London. Her clothes aren’t the right style, her manners
aren’t refined. But frankly she doesn’t care about that sort of thing.
She has a good heart and while she’s wary and proud in the beginning, she
learns to trust the captain and officers and even the seamen aboard the ship.
Is she inspired by any other literary heroine you admire?
Lizzie Bennett, of course, but also I like Sheridan from ‘Until You’ by
Judith McNaught. For some reason I picture Amelia looking like the actress the
who plays Snow White on Ever After. Sort of plucky and happy. Bright blue eyes.
Now Jennifer, tell us something about yourself and your
passion for historical romance. What age do you prefer to set your novels
in?
I love military history and I have a particular interest in the
Napoleonic wars and the Navy during this time.
Also, the wild west and the 1600’s—pirates, you know.
What were the most exciting aspects of that age you
discovered while researching
SO many. One of my favorite things is the “word is my bond” that was so
important to the gentlemen. I love reading about enemy captains shooting at
each other with cannons and the winner inviting the loser to dinner in his
cabin where they talked about each others’ strengths and weaknesses.
I love the discipline and the order that goes into running a ship that’s
full of men who were impressed or captured.
I was fascinated by the lifestyle aboard a ship, the officers, marines,
etc. And I was interested in the strategies of war—I had to leave a lot of that
stuff out, because it’s a romance, not a war documentary.
How difficult was life for a woman at that time
Women had very little say. They could not own property (unless the writer
of the will went through all sort of hoops) They were completely at the mercy
of the men in their lives. She would hope to marry someone who was kind and
would give her children a good home, but rarely married for love.
If a woman became pregnant out of wedlock, for example, she was a “fallen
woman” and disgraced and the man didn’t have to have anything to do with her.
Her family usually sent her away to avoid any more embarassment, and the man
just went on with his life.
Compared to the freedoms women enjoy now, it was horrible, but at the
time it was what they expected and what they were used to. So, they saw it as
“how it is” and we see it as “I would never stand for that.”
What is the most important ingredient in your book? Mystery?
Romance? Adventure?
Romance. I do love the adventure, but I think love is what affects change
in the main characters.
Who did you have in mind while depicting your male hero,
Captain, Sir William Drake? Do you have any muse?
I love the actor who plays Horatio Hornblower in the A & E movies.
So, he was sort of my inspiration. William is a little more grumpy and much
less patient, I think. He’s sort of “broody.”
And what is the most intriguing side of writing historical
fiction? And what is instead the hardest aspect?
I love the research. Learning about the time and events and having my
story happen within a world that was already created. And at the same time,
this is the hard part, because I have to stick to what actually happened which
sometimes forces me to ditch really great ideas I have to remain true to the
time or the history.
What do you think of historical accuracy in this kind of
fiction?
To me it’s very important. I have read other books that aren’t written as
accurately, and sometimes it bugs me and other times I’m just enjoying the
story and go along with it. I really try to get all my facts right. Some little
details—like one sentence long—took me hours to uncover and I’m proud that
they’re right.
There’s a part in the story where William is thinking about the warship
and about the cost of it, and at first I had him say something like, It was
millions of pounds, but I am glad I looked into it. The conversion charts and
inflation and all that was something I had no feel for, and by the time I found
what i was looking for, I was way off. In reality a warship in 1809 cost like
47,000 pounds.
When you are not
writing,what do you like doing?
I’m pretty boring. I read a lot. I help kids with homework, I go to tons
of soccer and football games and practices, I do regular things like clean the
house and make dinner.
What are you up to at present or in the next future?
I’m working on the fourth book in this series. It takes place in Jamaica,
and I am researching my tail off. I’ve read about 25 books about the history of
the Caribbean, and it’s time to start outlining and I hope to have a rough
draft finished by Halloween.
I’m working with my editor on edits for a contemporary romance that will
come out sometime next year, and starting to edit the next book in this series,
‘Lady Emma’s Campaign.’
I also have a son leaving on an LDS mission in six weeks, so I’m getting
him ready.
About the author
About the book
Amelia Beckett is delighted to be a
widow. Married by proxy to a man she’d never met, Amelia recognizes that a
fortuitous entry into widowhood frees her from meddlesome chaperones and
matchmakers. Heiress to her mother’s sugar plantation in Jamaica, she happily
anticipates working in a man’s world, with the additional credibility of her
new title: Lady Lockwood. But with the arrival of Captain Sir William Drake,
her plans quickly go awry . . . William has traversed the Atlantic with one
purpose. If he cannot prove that Amelia’s marriage to his brother was a fraud,
she will be entitled to a sizeable portion of his family’s estate. He is
determined to return this duplicitous Lady to London for an official hearing,
and he carries with him a letter that will ensure her cooperation . . . Left
with no choice, Amelia joins the captain on his return voyage to England, and
the two quickly find that ship life does not allow for evasion. Amelia and
William are ceaselessly thrown together, and amidst fierce storms and ocean
battles, what began as antipathy seems to be evolving quite unexpectedly. But
as they draw ever closer to their destination, will the impossibility of their
circumstances shatter any hope of a future together?
Read an excerpt
William placed his right hand on the small of her back and pulled gently with his left hand, leading her in a simple series of steps, which she quickly mastered. She focused her eyes on the captain’s shoulder where her hand rested tentatively. He moved lightly, but her movements were stiff. She was afraid of relaxing when he was practically holding her in his arms.
After a few turns around the room, Amelia felt her tension ease. The music was beautiful, and Captain Drake had a way of drawing her across the floor as if she was floating. When she finally braved a glance at his face, she met his eyes, and her nervousness returned.
“And is your punishment so dreadful, Miss Becket?” he asked. “I have yet to see you smile.”
Amelia allowed herself a small smile. “It is a very nice punishment indeed, sir. Is it one you utilize regularly?”
“Perhaps I shall, if you believe it will keep the men in line.”
Amelia laughed. “I do not know what they would think if you waltzed with each sailor who failed in his duty.”
“I imagine it should be quite effective at discouraging rule breaking, don’t you?” William looked thoughtful, as if considering the idea.
“Perhaps. Until some of the men develop a taste for waltzing. You might begin to worry when the same men continually require discipline.”
William laughed. Amelia had only heard his laugh a very few times and found she quite liked it. Especially knowing she was the one who had inspired it. She also realized that the sound had caused her heart to trip ever so slightly, and to her dismay, she found that she quite liked that as well. She lowered her eyes, suddenly finding the gold buttons on the captain’s coat fascinating. She was extremely aware of the captain’s arm, the way it wrapped around her, and his hand resting on her lower back. The hand that held hers was strong, and she felt each movement of his fingers and the subtle tightening around her own hand. And had he always had such a pleasant smell?
“Moore does a lovely job of showcasing sizzle in this must-read for fans of regency and historical romance.” ~ Foreword Reviews
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1 comment:
This sounds wonderful! I like your heroine's attitude, and your commitment to historical research. I hope she left her mother's plantation in good hands while she is away with the Captain. Thanks for the interview and excerpt!
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