INTERVIEW WITH SOPHIA JAMES by Allison Butler ~

In 2008 I was lucky enough to win the Romance Writers of New Zealand Second Chance Contest and one of the prizes to choose from was the Saturday and Sunday conference. My clever husband said I couldn't pass up such an amazing opportunity. I'm so glad I didn't.

On the awards night, after I'd collected my prize and returned to my seat, a gorgeous lady came to my table, congratulated me on my win, before stating she'd read my entry and loved it. She then introduced herself as SOPHIA JAMES. I managed to keep from tumbling out of my chair...but only just:)

Please join me in welcoming the lovely and talented SOPHIA JAMES to Historical Hearts ~

Hi Sophia, it's wonderful to have you here.

Thanks for asking me, Alli.

You have a new book coming out on the 24th of July, titled, 'The Lady With The Devil's Scar'. Can you please tell us a little about the era, the setting and what the story is about?

The story is set in Scotland in the 1360’s when the old patriarchal laws of land ownership were changing. My heroine, Isobel Dalceann, is caught in the middle of these changes and trying to save her castle from being taken over by the King’s men. She is a damaged warrior woman, a woman who can look after herself and her people.

The hero, Marcus de Courtenay, is one of David’s mercenary soldiers who has come to reclaim the Dalceann Keep. He is a leader of the armies of Philip of France and is as ruthless as he is solitary.

Oh My Goodness! It sounds like a fabulous story with strong characters and loads of conflict. I can't wait to read it. Here's the gorgeous cover and back blurb ~

Many writers have a trigger, an opening line, dialogue, an image, a circumstance, a discovery made while doing research, something that sets their mind on the next story they write. Was there a particular trigger that inspired you to write The Lady With The Devil's Scar?

The story begins in a storm off the wild coast of Fife Ness. I imagined my heroine swimming out to a shipwreck and finding my hero drowning. Marc wore a red gilded surcoat and the image of him in this through the water was one I could not let go of.

What a powerful image and a wonderful trigger.

What is the tone of this book?

I always write in two periods; Regency and Medieval Scotland. My Medieval books are always darker and harsher. I loved the raw challenge of this book, two people caught in the changing tide of history and trying to survive in the best way that they could. Medieval knights never apologise. The nearest they get to that is a small hint of shame. It’s such a relief to write characters who are allowed to do almost anything. Isobel defies every rule of her time, and dressed in boy’s clothes with a vivid scar across her cheek she marches across her world with barely a backward glance.

Isobel sounds like a fascinating heroine.

Have some of your books been easier to write than others?

This book was one of the easier books I have written. It just seemed to flow from the characters and I loved the fact that it did. One Unashamed Night, my R*BY winner from 2011 had the same sort of ease.

How do you feel when you've finished writing a book?

Relieved. Worried that I have not quite done the story justice. Desperate to start a new book. A myriad of emotions really. I always write ‘The End Copyright Sophia James’ and that is such a good feeling of accomplishment. I then say I will open a bottle of good champagne or buy a new dress but actually I never do.

Well, I definitely think you should:)

Can you start on the next story straight away or do you need to take a break in between stories?

I usually take a break for a while and think about the next book. A big part of my writing lies in this thinking time and it can be sometimes quite a number of weeks before I feel like I can start. I am not a very fast writer, but once I know the characters I can generally begin and move quite quickly. When I write I only ever do one good draft so I never go ahead with pages until I am completely satisfied about what comes before.

Is there something in particular you strive to achieve when writing a book?

A knowledge of the characters motivations. A shared feeling of hope that even in adversity good things can shine through. I like honesty in a book. I also like intelligent heroes and heroines. 

If you could give a single piece of advice from all you've learned on your writing journey so far, what would it be?

Can I give two pieces?

You can give as many as you'd like:)

Never underestimate your reader’s intelligence and always thread in layers of questions across the first five chapters. This will help the story blossom out into a book and keep your reader with you as you move on to explain the secrets.

Thanks for this priceless advice.

Is there anyone in particular you draw inspiration from?

Joanna Bourne, Diana Gabaldon, Judith Mc Naught, Julie Garwood. These are the authors whom I have read and reread. How do they make their books so marvellous? I wish I knew.

I think your books are marvellous, too:)

Now for a few fun questions ~

Your favourite season? Spring.

Favourite flower? Violets.

Favourite time of day/night? Evening.

Favourite food? Cherries.

Favourite way to relax? Walking.

Sophia, thank you so much for sharing part of you and your writing life with us here at Historical Hearts.

If anyone would like to know more about Sophia's fabulous books please visit her website here ~ www.sophiajames.net

Sophia has kindly offered to giveaway 2 copies of her up-coming release, 'The Lady With The Devil's Scar' to 2 lucky people who leave a comment.

All you need to do is tell me the names of the hero and the heroine of her new book 'Lady With The Devil’s Scar.’

Good Luck!   

The City of London.

Because my historical romances are set in London or other parts of England, I am fascinated by the enormous growth of the City of London and its importance throughout history. 

I hope you enjoy learning a little more about the Square Mile which is now only a tiny part of 'Greater London' yet is so famous.

Enjoy, 

Suzi Love.

General 

The City of London is an area in central London, England, which made up most of London in Medieval times but is now only a small part of ‘Greater London’. It is just over one square mile (1.12 sq mi/2.90 km2) in area, so is referred to as the ‘City’, or the ‘Square Mile’.

Add Borders of the City of London, showing surrounding London boroughs and the pre-1994 boundary (where changed) in red. The area covered by the Inner and Middle Temple is marked.

 It is one of London’s 32 boroughs, alongside the City of Westminster and only has a little over 11,000 residents, although around 316,700 people work there, mainly in financial services. It is England's smallest ceremonial county by area and population and the fourth most densely populated.

City and financial district

In the 19th century, the City was the world's primary business centre and today it still ranks above New York City as the leading centre of global finance. The legal profession takes up most of the Western area, especially with the Inns of Court in the Temple and Chancery Lane areas, having the Inner Temple and Middle Temple both within the City of London.
Many Roman sites and artefacts can be seen in the City of London today, including the Temple of Mithras, sections of the London Wall (at the Barbican and near the Tower of London), the London Stone and remains of the amphitheatre beneath the Guildhall. The Museum of London, located in the City, holds many of the Roman finds and has permanent Roman exhibitions, as well as being a source of information on Roman London generally.

Boundary

Borders of the City of London, showing surrounding London boroughs and the pre-1994 boundary (where changed) in red. The area covered by the Inner and Middle Temple is marked.
The City borders Westminster, crosses the Victoria Embankment, passes to the west of Middle Temple, along Strand and north up Chancery Lane, where it borders Camden. It turns east to Holborn Circus, with Baltic Street West as the most northerly boundary and in the south in includes Bishopsgate and Petticoat Lane. The City controls the full span of London Bridge but only half of the river underneath it.
Boundaries are marked by black bollards bearing the City's emblem, and by dragon boundary marks at major entrances e.g. Holborn, with a similar monument at Temple Bar on Fleet Street.

 Dragon statue atop the Temple Bar monument, which marks the boundary between the City and Westminster.

Roman London was established as a trading port by merchants on the tidal Thames around 47 AD but by the time of the construction of the London Wall, the city's fortunes were in decline, with problems of plague and fire. Alfred the Great, King of Wessex and arguably the first king of the 'English', began resettlement of the old Roman walled area in 886 and appointed his son-in-law Earl Æthelred of Mercia over it as part of their reconquest of the Viking occupied parts of England.

  The 1666 Great Fire destroyed nearly 80% of the City.

Map showing the extent of the Great Fire of London.

The 18th century was a period of rapid growth for London, reflecting an increasing national population, the early stirrings of the Industrial Revolution, and London's role at the centre of the evolving British Empire. The urban area expanded beyond the borders of the City of London, most notably during this period towards the West End and Westminster.
By the beginning of the 19th century, London was expanding rapidly in every direction and railways and the Tube allowed it to spread over a greater area. To the East, the Port of London grew when new docks were needed because the Thames at the City could not cope with the volume of trade. In 1894, an attempt was made to amalgamate the City and the surrounding County of London, but it did not succeed so the City elected four members to the unreformed House of Commons, which it retained after the Reform Act 1832 and into the 20th century.

St Paul's Cathedral, 1896.

During World War II, The City was aerial bombed in ‘The Blitz’ and although St Paul's Cathedral survived, large swathes of the City did not and the particularly heavy raids of late December 1940 led to a firestorm called the Second Great Fire of London.
 
In the decades following the war, there was a major rebuilding programme with modern and larger-scale developments.

They altered the City's urban landscape, although the parts which survived the bombings retained smaller buildings and old character.

The street pattern, which is still largely medieval, was altered slightly in certain places, although there is a more recent trend of reversing some of the post-war modernist changes made, such as at Paternoster Square.

Political and Legal   

The City is a ceremonial county, although it has a Commission of Lieutenancy, headed by the Lord Mayor, instead of a Lord-Lieutenant. Instead of a High Sheriff, two Sheriffs hold quasi-judicial offices and are appointed by the Livery Companies, another ancient political system based on the representation and protection of trades. Senior members of the Livery Companies are known as Liverymen and form a special electorate called the Common Hall and this body chooses the Lord Mayor of the City, the Sheriffs and certain other officers.
The local authority for the City, the City of London Corporation, has unusual responsibilities, eg. the police authority for the City, and holds ownerships beyond the City's boundaries. The Corporation is headed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, an office separate from, and much older than, the Mayor of London.

The Guildhall - the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City

Numerous Functions of the City 

The City has an independent police force, the City of London Police, and the Common Council is the police authority, while the rest of Greater London is policed by the Metropolitan Police Service from New Scotland Yard.

The Corporation owns and runs both the Smithfield and Leadenhall Markets  and a number of locations beyond the boundaries of the City, which include parks, forests and commons eg most of Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath and many public spaces in Northern Ireland through The Honourable The Irish Society.

It also owns Old Spitalfields Market and Billingsgate Fish Market, both of which are within the neighbouring London Borough of Tower Hamlets, owns and helps fund the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court for England and Wales, as a gift to the nation, it having begun as the City and Middlesex Sessions.
In 1123, the only hospital, St Bartholomews at Smithfield, was founded. Known as 'Barts', the hospital is undergoing a long-awaited regeneration.

The City is the third largest UK funding-patron of the arts. It oversees the Barbican Centre and subsidises several important performing arts companies.

The Corporation is The Port of London's health authority, includes the handling of imported cargo at London Heathrow airport, oversees the running of the Bridge House Trust which maintains five key bridges in central London, London Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge. The City's flag flies over Tower Bridge, although neither footing is in the City.

Mansion House - the official residence of the Lord Mayor

Former Lord Mayor of London John Stuttard during the Lord Mayor's parade of 2006

Historical Hearts Launch Party - Day 4

Dear Reader

I am so glad you have found your way to our Historical Hearts Blog. I’m Annie Seaton and I love all things historical. I write Steampunk romance.

I live on the beautiful east coast of Australia, where I spend most of the day sitting in my writing chair, gazing at the ocean and dreaming up stories. I have found my niche writing steampunk, where strong heroines and brooding heroes fight together to make their alternative world a better place.

I have recently signed with Lyrical Press, and I am looking forward to seeing my first novella, Winter of the Passion Flower released in March 2012. I am currently working on my second steampunk project, Summer of the Moon Flower, a novel length follow up.

Steampunk? What is steampunk you ask? Sounds slightly steamy?

Steampunk as a literary genre began to gain popularity in the 1980s. It began as a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy, and developed as a rebellious response to the science fiction that preceded it. Steampunk includes the core elements of

· Steam power

· Alternate history settings (mostly Victorian/Edwardian era England, and sometimes the wild, wild west)

· SF/Fantasy elements

· Devices that reflect the period but are ahead of their time. For example, difference engines, airships, and all sorts of clockwork and steam powered devices

I will let you peek at a directional perambulator, a device in my upcoming steampunk novella (March 2012) as an example.

“Steam lift,” Indigo spoke loudly above the humming. “Precision movement defined by the cogs. The perambulator ascends, descends and moves sideways if needed." 

Steampunk is warm, sassy, and larger than life. The new direction is now steampunk + romance and a major appeal is the historical setting, and a steampunk author can use familiar settings and times.

Steampunk romance has the potential to offer something familiar, yet different. Authors can stretch their creative wings. Sassy heroines can stretch the limits of Victorian dress codes...

Her signature red bustier topped an emerald green skirt embossed with the symbols of industry flowing around her ankles, neither satisfying air safety dress regulation for dirigible travel. 

Both excerpts from Winter of the Passion Flower – Annie Seaton (Lyrical Press March 2012)

So welcome to our blog, come along and say hello. I have some beautiful postcards and elegant pens for the person who can list three steampunk romance novels in a comment below!

Enjoy our launch week, come back and visit again.

Good Luck!

Annie.

Hello everyone. My name is Cassandra Samuels and I love everything Regency. The clothes, the manners, the people, the history, the entertainments, the clothes, the furniture, the music – did I mention the clothes? I think you get the picture and he looks a lot like Colin Firth. Hmmm I’ll let you think on that for a moment....

Right, onward! I am currently unpublished and writing – you guessed it – Regency Historical Romance. I love dashing Dukes, masterful Marquis’, enigmatic Earls and virile Viscounts – I mean who doesn’t? I love to write strong sassy ladies who give my heroes an adventure in love they never expected all with a touch of humor.

I will be blogging - Cassie’s Regency Tidbits. There will be interesting people of the period, historical trivia and other interesting things. My first blog will be about the language of the fan. It seems amazing that so much could be conveyed simply by placing your fan in a particular way. I hope you will enjoy my Regency tidbits’ and will let me know what you want to know about the Regency Period.

What do you like about the Regency era? As an incentive to creative answers there is a small prize up for grabs, an “I love Darcy” key ring all the way from the Jane Austen Tea House in Bath.

Good Luck!

Cassandra.

G-day all! I'm Danielle Lisle. The girls of Historical Hearts have asked that I introduce myself. My first thought was to shake your hand, but the limits of cyberspace make it rather difficult. Instead, I’ll have to give you a hot and steamy mental image of what I read and love to write. Surely that will imprint me in your memory? Well, let’s see... 

Men is skirts. In know it’s not all that sexy (well, perhaps it is if you swing that way) but stick with me and think of a Scottish warrior with a deep, thick accent (Gerard Butler *moan*) with bulging muscles, softly furred chest, his long, bulging and deliciously thick .... sword and eyes that could slay a woman’s soul. Oh yes, I have your attention. Now, this man in a skirt IS sexy!

Every writer writes for a different reason. I write stories of love, desire and passion, for a simple reason – I want to live it! Yep, I want to be that heroine, the damsel in distress who is saved by the hunky (and yes, sometimes damaged too) hero. I want him to whisk me away, cave man tactics and all, exposing me to the deep and dark passion of his soul. *sigh* Name me a woman who doesn’t want that?

You can likely gauge from my thought process in writing the above, that I write ‘naughty’ historical romances. Yep, I like it hot and there is nothing hotter than some hot and heavy passion leading the way to everlasting love.

I love reading all types historical’s as well. It’s not always romance, though granted most times it is. I find the path our ancestors have travelled to get the world to where it is today, remarkably fascinating. It is therefore my goal to have my stories as detailed and accurate as possible. Well, settings and events are at least. Everything else is totally my imagination. *cheeky grin*

Come on a whirlwind ride with me as I travel the strange and distant lands of our past and meet some very hunky men along the way.

Win Me!!!

Tell me what gets your blood flowing in the books you read. What is it about the hero or heroine that makes you refuse to put the book down regardless of the time of night? What is it that makes you say ‘to hell!’ with the pile of dishes in the sink or the dirty washing vying for your attention? All comments will go in the draw to win a copy of Judith Ivory’s, Angel in a Red Dress.

Good Luck!

Danielle.

Welcome to our Historical Hearts Blog. Hi I’m Elle Fynllay, one of your tour guides as we take the magical journey back through the mists of time. We’ll be passing back through Victorian time , stopping for a quite extensive view of the Regency period, back, back through the time of Cavaliers and Roundheads, deeper and deeper in to the mists to Medieval period and even deeper to the Time of the Romans and Druids.

My period is a medieval time where Kings, Lairds and heroes lusted for land, love and glory and their women lusted for…their alpha males, of course. My first novel “Siege of the Heart” is an alliance between an Anglo-Saxon Laird’s daughter and the Norman knight that brings his wealth and strength to the marriage but can the castle survive the turmoil between its fiery Lady and the Norman knight who has staked his wealth on a betrothal and can they both survive the treachery within the castle. There is more than one way to win a castle; through siege, battle or treachery. Who will win? Who will survive?

Back to modern times: The deeper we go in time the less we have evidence of the period. From the Medieval period we have manuscripts and a few drawings to refer to. In Regency, we often hear accounts of the plethora of ancestral paintings on the wall. Well Reader, look around you. How much of your history is on display? In this day and age of digital display there is little “Hard Copy“, that is, actual paintings or photographs of family that we can put our hands on. I have three silver finish photo frames, that will hold a 5’’x7” (13x18cm) photograph to give away to a reader who comments on their favourite time period and why.

Good Luck!

Elle.

Note: For your chance to win today's prizes, when answering the trivia questions or replying, please leave your name, email address and what draw you'd like to enter. Of course, you are more than welcome to enter all prize draws up for grabs. Good Luck!

Historical Hearts Launch Party - Day 2

YAY!!! The party continues ~ Hello and welcome to day two of the Historical Hearts Blog launch party. My name is Allison Butler and I write about sword-wielding, swaggering men and the determined, oft times defiant women who capture their hearts.
Have you ever been to Scotland? Ever stood in a valley, feeling terribly small, yet hugely blessed, as you slowly turn about and drink in the magnificence of the surrounding heather-kissed mountains?

Come, escape with me to medieval Scotland ~

I look forward to sharing snippets of information I found fascinating – and hope you do too - while researching medieval Scotland for my writing. Until then, I have two gorgeous Scottish thistle designed mini purse pens and bookmarks to give away. I will randomly draw two names from the comments left by those of you who answer the following question correctly.

What is the national flower of Scotland? (Hey, the hint is in the prize)

Good Luck!
Allison.

Welcome to the fabulous launch party of the Historical Hearts! I'm Christina Phillips and I write steamy historical romances about hot Roman warriors and magical Druid heroines. My published books, FORBIDDEN and CAPTIVE are set during the first century AD during the Roman invasion of Britain and Cymru. Born and brought up in England I've always loved the rich history of my heritage but it never occurred to me to actually write a historical romance until quite recently. But one night this unbelievably sexy Roman Centurion stormed into my head, searching for his Druid princess lover, and refused to leave until I'd unearthed his story. Since I'm a sucker for a hot Alpha warrior (and for the life of me couldn't figure out why a Roman soldier would risk his neck by falling for a Druid in the first place) I was happy to oblige!

However, my interest in hot heroes doesn't stop with the Romans. I'm also deep in revisions on a Scottish Highlander romance (what is it about heroes in skirts?!) and a Regency novella about a very bad-ass vampire. If you like your historical romance hot with elements of fantasy or the paranormal then I hope you'll enjoy hanging out here with me!

And because we're all about the partying this week, I have a copy of CAPTIVE plus some other goodies to give away to one lucky commenter! All you have to do is let me know in the comments which celebrity you'd love to see in hot warrior mode!

Good Luck!

Christina.

Welcome to Historical Hearts...

I'm Erin Grace and I have a passion for all things historical. From clothing to food to architecture, it's the tiny details of different periods that capture my interest. I mean, who else would get excited about buying a Victorian ceramic tooth powder canister?  In fact, one of my favourite hobbies is Lace Making - particularly Bedfordshire Bobbin Lace.

My first love is the early Victorian period, (...though as I writer,...) I have also dabbled in late 18th C, Celtic folklore fantasy and even Scottish time-travel! 

My heroes have included a Scottish Laird, a Sea Captain, an Irish Ghost, a Highlander...and a Blind Architect. So, as you can see, I don't believe that characters should fit a 'cookie cutter' mold.

Having just had my fifth book published, I look forward to blogging about a wide range of topics from the writing industry, to writing craft and lots of interesting historical tidbits.

My fellow HH members are devoted to their genres, so I'm certain you'll always find something fascinating to read about on our blog.

Now, for the fun part. To win a first chapter critique and a lovely lace bookmark just answer my historical trivia question.

• In Julie Garwood's book 'Ransom', what was the name of the precious box sought by the King?

Good Luck!
Erin.

Note: For your chance to win today's prizes, when answering the trivia questions or replying, please leave your name, email address and what draw you'd like to enter. Of course, you are more than welcome to enter all prize draws up for grabs. Good Luck!