The Interview!

Today in the hot seat is Juli D. Revezzo, revealing aspects about her self and her novel "Watchmaker's Heart". 

So a big thank you goes to Juli, for taking time out from her busy schedule to  enlighten and delight us with news of her career as an author and what inspires her writing! 

~

Juli D. Revezzo writes fantasy and romantic stories filled in with elements garnered from a lifetime love affair with magic, myth, witches, wizards, and fated lovers and legend. She is the author of The Antique Magic series and the Paranormal Romance Celtic Stewards Chronicles series, steampunk historical romance WATCHMAKER'S HEART, and short stories published in ETERNAL HAUNTED SUMMER, LUNA STATION QUARTERLY, among others. She is also a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour. To learn more about this and future releases, visit her at: julidrevezzo.com

Follow her on Facebook: facebook.com/julidrevezzo

or Twitter: @julidrevezzo

Questions:

(1) What actually inspired the writing of your novel(s)?

Ans: I think it was inspired by art, actually. I’d always enjoyed Pre-Raphaelite art, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, andDante Gabriel Rossetti and I wondered how their work would impact a young girl in the Victorian age. Well, Phoebe decided she lived in the later end of the age, but she admires them, nonetheless. The rest of the story came with her as she brought along her own art and take on the era.

(2)  Alpha or beta hero –profession/title/rank?– brief description!

Ans: I think you’d call Mortimer a beta hero. He is a watchmaker and (actually) an ex-thief. Thieving is a profession he gave up in his youth, when a generous watchmaker took him under his wing and showed him a better path.

(3)  Can you describe your heroine’s personality- title/rank?– description!

Ans: My heroine, Phoebe, is a spitfire. She is born to a man with ambitions to a higher class, which don’t jive with her own ambitions, to be an inventor. So you can imagine she and her parents butt heads now and then.

(4)  Are there secondary lead characters with important roles?

Ans: Yes, there is this one character who is the leader of the gang that is blackmailing Mortimer, but he has a double life as a gentleman. (It’s a bit of a spoiler so I don’t want to say which character I mean. J)

(5)  Where is the novel (s) set? – time-frame – country etc.

Ans: The novel is set in London in the year 1898.

(6) What is it about your chosen era/periods that you most enjoy?

Ans: I like that it was just on the cusp of our modern world, that women were finally making some strides into roles that we here in modern day, now take for granted. It gave Phoebe a little more wiggle room than, say, setting it fifty years or so earlier. Not much, but some.

(7)  Which if any of your characters do you dislike, and why?

Ans: Grunel and Sykes! They’re just real…ahem, unlikeable guys. Grunel is just a sleeze and Sykes is a stuck up punk. I wrote him and I’d like to throttle him.

(8)  Do you avoid sex scenes, gross violence or other in your works?

Ans: In Watchmaker’s Heart, there are no graphic love scenes but there are hints in the background; as to violence, there are a few, slight fisticuffs here and there in this book. But it really depends on the story. I do tend to write more closed door love scenes overall, but some of my other books have plots that revolve around fantasy wars, for instance my Celtic Stewards Chronicles fantasy romance series is based on the Irish myth of the Battle of Mag Tuired, so there are various battle scenes involved and some closed door love scenes.

(9)  How would you rate your novel – historical fiction, romantic fiction, tear-jerker, emotional drama, swashbuckling adventure, or...?

Ans:WATCHMAKER’S HEART ishistorical romantic fiction with a little fantasy and a little humor, for good measure.

  Back cover blurb:

For Miss Phoebe Lockswell, fashionable London tea parties and balls aren’t her style. Instead, she prefers to tinker tirelessly with a clockwork diffuser she’s built from scratch. If only she can get the invention to work on command, she might earn her way out of an arranged marriage to a repugnant member of the House of Commons.

London watchmaker Mortimer Kidd was brought up hard in the arms of an infamous London gang. Despite the respectability he strives for now, the gang leader is blackmailing him. When Mortimer sees Phoebe’s diffuser, he thinks he’s found a way to buy himself out of trouble. The brash Phoebe manages to steal his heart, however, before he can purloin her invention.

Will Mortimer’s unsavory past catch up to him before he convinces Phoebe of his devotion? Worse, once Phoebe learns the truth, will she ever trust him again?

And Watchmaker’s Heart, of course, is available at Amazon: 

http://amzn.com/B01CF0HOZG

Your readers can find my website and blog at:

http://julidrevezzo.com

Thank you for having me today, Francine!

Opting for Exclusivity at Amazon!

The advantage of exclusivity at Amazon!



The advantage of exclusivity at Amazon. And yes this may sound a bit like a Promo for Amazon. But that said, I do think Jeff Bezos deserves a pat on the back for giving the great unpublished a worldwide platform that never quite existed before Amazon opened its virtual doors.

 

Indeed there were small on-line presses and a lot of small niche/romance publishers had their own web sites, some with stores, but it was a hit 'n' miss market place for readers and authors alike. OK, so... there were others who first dreamed up mass market on-line e-book stores, some succeeded like Smashwords/Lulu et al, and others dreamed up e-book readers, and yes, Kindle stole the lead on good marketing. Plus Amazon's uploading facility was slick, unlike other cyber platforms, though it's fair to say one or two of the others have improved somewhat, but not all.

 

 

So why have I chosen to keep the majority of my books exclusive to Amazon? Ans: Loyalty! It gave me a second crack at getting my books to readers, some old republished editions along with new ones, and I've found Amazon staff a pleasure to contact, and have in general received a polite and charming personal footnote to e-mail correspondence, except in one case when a female member of staff was clearly having a bad day at work or was simply devoid of social graces, hence her response was curt and unhelpful. But, out of the blue, I received a follow-up e-mail from a male who had taken up my query and had run with it, and the response was great: mission accomplished!

 

So yes, despite the fact other authors complain about Amazon's bully tactics, and at how Amazon's exclusivity deals restrict other opportunities, I'm a fan of Amazon and loyalty is two-way stretch in my little book of honour against the odds, and I'm betting not one of you can claim greater sales on any of the other cyber platforms, and I'll second wager, the majority of your income is acquired via Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

Ride the TITLE WAVE into the 17th century



 

 

There’s a vast crowd of enthusiasts reading and discussing everything medieval and renaissance. But time didn’t stop with Elizabeth Tudor’s death in 1603. Are you looking for the rest of the story?

 

King James, his son King Charles I, and grandsons Charles II and James II kept the drama level high and dangerous in the seventeenth century. Their marriages and lovers, births and deaths, political intrigues, religious conflicts, witch hunts, and wars marked the beginning of our modern period. Their aristocrats and politicians, tradesmen, midwives, ministers, writers, musicians, scientists, and artists changed the world.  

 

Have you noticed that it’s the gift-giving season?  Why not knock out your whole gift list right now with these suggestions? Some people find it convenient to buy books for all their siblings, or as appreciation gifts for their children’s teachers. You might give paperback books to some in the family, or use the Kindle-gift option. Some books are stand-alone, some are part of a series.

 

This is a list of authors who have the 17^th century covered, from Shakespeare and midwife forensic investigators to barber surgeons, Charles II’s mistresses, men and women who founded American democracy, servants and highway robbers, people who gave their lives for their principles or just because they were falsely accused as witches. In these books you’ll find sumptuous gowns and high society, educated women, poverty, prostitutes, and massacres, childbirth and plague, castles and manors, cathedrals and meetinghouses—even a vampire.

 

Our ninth or tenth great-grandparents knew these people—or were these people. (Well, probably not the vampire—but everyone else!) Discover what their lives were like, and how their lives formed who you are. Many of the book characters from the 17^th century are based on facts, events, and real people. The authors, in addition to their literary skills, have spent months and years in research to get the 17^th century world “just right,” so you’ll get your history veggies in a delicious brownie.

Ride the wave of the time-space continuum into the 17^th century with these award-winning and highly-rated authors. The images you see are a small sample of what's available from this talented group! Click the highlighted author’s name to open a new tab.

 

Anna Belfrage — Time-slip (then and now) love and war.	Jo Ann Butler — From England to New England: survival, love, and a dynasty
Susanna Calkins — Murder mysteries set in 1665 London.	Francine Howarth — ECW -  Restoration Heroines, swashbuckling romances
Juliet Haines Mofford — True crime of New England, pirates, Salem witch trials	Mary Novik — John Donne and daughter
Donald Michael Platt — Spanish Inquisition cloak and dagger.	Katherine Pym — London in the 1660s.
Diane Rapaport — Colonial New England true crime.	Peni Jo Renner — Salem witch trials.
Christy K Robinson — British founders of American democracy and rights.	Anita Seymour —  Royalists and rebels in English Civil War
Mary Sharratt — Witches (healers) of Pendle Hill, 1612	Alison Stuart — Time-slip war romance, ghosts.
Deborah Swift — Servant girls running for lives, highwaywoman.	Ann Swinfen — Farmers fighting to keep land, chronicles of Portuguese physician.
Sam Thomas — Midwife solves murders in city of York	Suzy Witten — Salem witch trials.
Andrea Zuvich — Vampire in Stuart reign, Duke of Monmouth and mistress.	Elizabeth Kales — French Huguenot survival of Inquisition
Judith James — Rakes and rogues of the Restoration.	Marci Jefferson — Royal Stuarts in Restoration England.

Avoidance of plagiarism!

Avoidance of plagiarism - Literary snobbery aside - the conscious Vs the subconscious when penning historical novels.

 

I dare any author of historical novels to deny they have read books and historical accounts of their chosen period before they began painting pictures with words and thus conveying a story intended to delight readers. No matter what we read, whether it's a fiction novel, a biography or indeed historical records etc., we glean and thus we gain knowledge. As authors our imaginations can run rife and our subconscious will log details whilst the conscious mind is distracted by all manner of things.

 

 

However, when we finally settle to the task of writing our novel the "subconscious" jogs the "conscious" and then, as we consider the opening sequence, is it merely our imagination taking hold or is it a memory of something we read, some aspect having struck us as unusual, brilliant or beautiful?

 

Casting omnipotent godlike perspective aside, take Novels with simple dialogue as the opening to a book.

 

a) Sometimes the reader is most definitely eavesdropping (as though standing near) as characters reveal elements about themselves and their surroundings: the latter drip fed to the reader through the eyes of the characters, and the sequence is all action from start to finish.

 

b) Now consider the "narrative" approach to the same scene with the same dialogue whilst the author/narrator describes the surroundings, character features and dress, and the conversation is just that a conversation and every nuance of character action is fed from the narrator's viewpoint.

 

 

Who would you say tends toward the former (show) and who the latter (tell) of the great novelists who depict whatever era?

The Interview - David W. Wilkin.

Today I have the inimitable D. W. Wilkin, talking about his latest novel:

"Caution's Heir".

 



 

 

 

Award winning author, Mr. Wilkin is a graduate in history. He has been writing in various genres for thirty years. Extensive study of premodern civilizations, including years as a re-enactor of medieval, renaissance and regency times has given Mr. Wilkin an insight into such antiquated cultures.

 

Trained in fighting forms as well as his background in history lends his fantasy work to encompass mores beyond simple hero quests to add the depth of the world and political forms to his tales.
Throughout his involvement with various periods of long ago days, he has also learned the dances of those times. Not only becoming proficient at them but also teaching thousands how to do them as well.

 

Mr. Wilkin regularly posts about Regency history at his blog, and as a member of English Historical Fiction Authors. You can read that blog at English History Authors. His very first article was published while in college, and though that magazine is defunct, he still waits patiently for the few dollars the publisher owes him for the piece.

 

Mr. Wilkin is also the author of several regency romances, and including a sequel to the epic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. His recent work, Beggars Can't Be Choosier has won the prestigious Outstanding Historical Romance award from Romance Reviews Magazine.

 

The Interview:

 

(1) What actually inspired the writing of your novel(s)?

 

 

I started the first draft over four years ago and I am now not sure how I came to this story. The character of Mrs Bottomworth was clear from the first moment. A guide for my heroine that was provocative and evocative. But the basic plot and story points are now lost to my memory. I believe I thought that Heyer might have used such a device and perhaps I thought that I could tell the same idea in my own style. A man wagers all and loses his home and all his belongings on the play of the cards. Including his daughter…

 

(2) Alpha or beta hero –profession/title/rank?– brief description!

 

 

I think of Lord Arthur, the Earl (courtesy) of Daventry, as an Alpha. The father of a friend who seeks a polishing influence has a discussion with Arthur, and we see that our hero is one who is a sober example of what one should be in the Ton. His father spent the family fortunes in his youth and so when Arhtur went off to school he had very little. He has used what skills he has with cards to add to his small allowance and with good investment and guardianship, he has done well.

 

(3) Can you describe your heroine’s personality- title/rank?– description!

 

 

Lady Louisa. For all but the last few months, she was the Honourable, for her grandfather and uncle were a Marquess. Then recently her father became the Marquess, and yet he is the worse one imagines with such a title. For he does rather quickly gamble away all his wealth, and then absconds for the new world. Leaving her behind and with nothing. She however had only the good traits she has learned form her other relations. The late Marquess, and that family which allowed her profligate father and she to live on the manor grounds.

 

(4) Are there secondary lead characters with important roles?

 

 

There are many secondary characters for Daventry leads a set. This includes a young man whose mama wants him married, and who needs some more maturity. Lady Louisa has a boon companion thrice her age in Mrs Bottomworth whom I am told is a favorite from amongst the first readers.

 

(5) Where is the novel (s) set? – time-frame – country etc.

 

 

It is Town and Country. Post war. Our heroes are only just thinking of what they need to accomplish in life and so have yet to take up any serious profession. Nor are they old enough to have served functionally in the war. Near the end of the reign of George and near the beginning of William, though nothing of worldly events intrudes on the tale.

 

(6) What is it about your chosen era/periods that you most enjoy?

 

 

This is my sixth regency (and I have a modern book with Jane Austen, so perhaps this is #7) and so I feel comfortable here. I have the tropes down, and I explore different themes. Two Peas, for instance covers a lot of ground of men just back from the war, and carrying the burdens of what they have seen, while the regular Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, regency motif plays along. I find the regency a place I can have fun as a writer, with he said/she said, misunderstanding, love.

 

(7) Which if any of your characters do you dislike, and why?

 

 

I don’t dislike any of my characters. Even the ones I have my heroes plant facers on! They serve a purpose and I use them for that. Some of my characters I really like, and there are some tales where I wish I could jump right in and live the life I have made for that character (In regency and fantasy though I need to create indoor plumbing to make me truly wish I could jump in, and a parrallel for Tums…) Sometime I do have pure evil, but usually those who we see as bad, live to their own code and see what they are doing for the expedient reasons that they need to. One countries bad seed, is another countries hero. (Or sometimes just plain crazy and in power.)

 

(8) Do you avoid sex scenes, gross violence or other in your works?

 

 

I do avoid most of that. My Regencies tend to end at the last page with the first kiss between our hero and heroine. In Beggar’s I had to have the couple be married so sex was off camera! There was one scene of nudity that was needed for the story line, but otherwise, (and our heroine there was married and had two children as the story progressed) there was the thoughts of what lovemaking had entailed, but not the action of it. In a few stories (I just finished a first draft in a fantasy) short quick euphemisms serve to take us in a sentence through the beginning, middle and end of foreplay, the act itself, climax and le-petit-mal. There are plenty of places I find that one can read that, and to me it detracts from the telling of a story.

 

 

Or let me put it this way, if I had my faithful fans sitting around a campfire wanting me to read my story to them, what could I read aloud and none of us be embarrassed.

 

(9) How would you rate your novel – historical fiction, romantic fiction, tear-jerker, emotional drama, swashbuckling adventure, or...?

 

 

I think Caution’s Heir is Romantic fiction. I do not take a great deal of time in putting in a time point in history in this particular tale. It happens in the later part of the regency, but we don’t see much of the world beyond what our characters encounter as they go through their lives.

 

 



 

 

 

Back cover blurb:

 

 

Teaching a boor a lesson is one thing.
Winning all that the man owns is more than Lord Arthur Herrington expects. Especially when he finds that his winnings include the boor’s daughter!

 

 

The Duke of Northampshire spent fortunes in his youth. The reality of which his son, Arthur the Earl of Daventry, learns all too well when sent off to school with nothing in his pocket. Learning to fill that pocket leads him on a road to frugality and his becoming a sober man of Town. A sober but very much respected member of the Ton.

 

 

Lady Louisa Booth did not have much hope for her father, known in the country for his profligate ways. Yet when the man inherited her gallant uncle’s title and wealth, she hoped he would reform. Alas, that was not to be the case.

 

 

When she learned everything was lost, including her beloved home, she made it her purpose to ensure that Lord Arthur was not indifferent to her plight. An unmarried young woman cast adrift in society without a protector. A role that Arthur never thought to be cast as. A role he had little idea if he could rise to such occasion. Yet would Louisa find Arthur to be that one true benefactor? Would Arthur make this obligation something more? Would a game of chance lead to love?

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