I met Amara Royce at the Books and Writers Forum, of course. ; ) There’s no better place to meet new
authors and trade critiques and tips on craft. Amara’s wonderful debut novel Never
Too Late was published May 2 and I read it in less than two days. It’s a
great read and I’m thrilled to post an interview with Amara. Check out her
website at amararoyce.com.
(Amara's publisher will be giving away a of the ebook to a random commenter. Be sure to read to the end for details. ; )
Expect the unexpected, especially in a room filled with books…
Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy
prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of
handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount
has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets
on London’s basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her…
Coerced to investigate Nora’s controversial pamphlets, Devin
expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora’s womanly
beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task
becomes a pleasure, and Devin’s job becomes more dangerous—for them both. For
Nora has no idea of the vicious element she’s crossed. Now Devin will risk his
reputation to protect her—and much more to win her love…
Never Too Late is a rousing
romance with a big heart for the social ills of Victorian England. Add a
wonderful flip of the usual older hero/younger heroine and it moves into
welcome new territory for romances.
ZM—What draws you to the Victorian Era?
Amara—First, THANK YOU so much,
Zan Marie, for this opportunity and for your kind words about NEVER TOO LATE!
It’s a pleasure to be here and chat with you about my work!
I’ve been interested in the
Victorian Era since I was an undergraduate in college. If I had to guess, I’d
say it was sparked by my first British Literature II class, although can’t
remember the assigned readings anymore. The catalyst was most likely Charlotte
Bronte’s Jane Eyre, which is so atmospheric and dramatic. And yet, my
appreciation and understanding of Victorian literature is so much deeper now than
it was back then. The literature and the time were so complex, so multivalent,
and so contradictory in many ways. There were some sharp cultural shifts going
on that made the Victorians challenge their beliefs and values and even their
understanding of reality. For instance, Darwin’s work and other Victorian
scientific discoveries really destabilized what people knew about how the world
works. Ultimately, so much of what we “know” today and perhaps even accept as
“tradition” really comes out of the Victorian age.
ZM—Where did the idea for the “Evans Principles”
come from? They fit each chapter perfectly, enlightening and titillating at the
same time.
Amara—Thanks! I’ve seen such
chapter starters used by other historical romance novelists, and I love how
they use the technique to hint at the chapter’s events and to tie the novel
together! For example, Julia Quinn used Mrs. Whistledown articles to start
chapters throughout her Bridgerton series, and Sarah Maclean used a similar
technique in her Rules trilogy. As for the “Evans Principles” themselves, well,
those were pure fiction, based on what kind of advice I thought a concerned and
doting father would leave to his daughter when passing along the family
business. Sometimes, a principle popped into my head and I constructed a
chapter around it; other times, the chapter came first and I figured out the
rule afterward. I’m glad they worked for
you!
ZM—Your heroine is older than the hero and I
love that. What’s been the reaction to that flip of the usual romance pattern?
Amara—So far, it’s been really
positive, at least as far as I can tell. Even as I drafted the story, I
wondered how the unusual coupling (no pun intended!) would be received. But
that’s how the characters came out. And
I would understand if some potential readers decide the older heroine/younger
hero trope isn’t for them—we all have our personal likes and dislikes. Overall,
I think people are intrigued and interested in historical romances that feature
women over age 28, in part because such heroines are relatively rare. Perhaps
it will be a new trend! J
ZM—Tell us about your journey from draft to
publication. How did you like working with Kensington Books?
Amara—I started writing Never
Too Late at a pivotal time in my life, a time when I seriously doubted my
writing ability. I started out writing literary fiction, and it was going
poorly. I went through a very long dry spell, and it seemed like every word I
put on the page was tortured and inadequate. I was on the verge of giving up
writing entirely.
So, as a last-ditch effort, I
gave myself permission to write whatever felt like fun. Silencing my inner
critic, I gave myself permission to be outrageous and exploratory. And suddenly
I produced more writing in two months than I had in the previous two years! It
was completely rejuvenating.
As for the path to publication, I
still feel like I’m going to wake up from an impossible dream any minute now. I
started querying agents in June, 2012, and received some requests for material,
which in itself was a very pleasant surprise. But querying doesn’t generally go
very quickly. As I waited for responses (and collected rejections too), I got
impatient and queried a few publishers that don’t require agented submissions.
When I got The Call from my now-editor John Scognamiglio at Kensington, I was
so shocked I probably sounded like a blithering idiot. So I ended up getting an
agent with Kensington’s book offer in hand—and Jessica Alvarez of BookEnds is a
dream agent! (Seriously, I started querying in June and had both a book
contract and an agent in early September.
This just doesn’t happen, right? I just *know* someone will pinch me
soon and I’ll go back to real life.)
Working with Kensington is
wonderful. Everyone is very responsive and helpful and supportive! I’m looking
forward to working with them for Book 2 (and possibly more)!
ZM—I loved your release party! Would you do it
that way again?
Amara—Yes! I got the idea from
fellow BookEnds authors, Melissa Cutler and Sharla Lovelace. They’ve hosted two
“write-in” days on Facebook, one in December and another in April, where
BookEnds authors and other writers spent the day doing writing sprints and
cheering each other on. During breaks between sprints, BookEnds authors gave
out virtual party favors, such as book swag, free books, and gift cards. I had
so much fun with those “write-ins” that it made sense to use the same sort of
format for my own book release party.
I might tweak a few things next
time, like scheduling the party for a shorter time period. I also definitely
hope that my next release party isn’t scheduled during such a chaotic and
demanding time in my academic calendar! Still, I had a great time, and I hope
everyone who joined me did too!
ZM—What’s next for you? Do you have a new book
in the wings? (I hope…; )
Amara—Thank you! I’m currently
working on Book 2 for Kensington, tentatively entitled ALWAYS A STRANGER. It’s
set in the same world as NEVER TOO LATE and will feature cameos by several NTL
characters. AAS focuses on a Japanese performer in the Great Exhibition of
1851, whose “troupe” turns out to be a front for sex-trafficking. Her employer
plans to sell her to the highest bidder. The hero is a member of the Royal
Commission of the Great Exhibition, who has been charged with confirming that
all the performers at the Exhibition are properly contracted and beyond
reproach. As he slowly uncovers the truth about the Asian troupe, he becomes
enamored of the Japanese performer and is determined to save her from a fate
worse than death. She isn’t the only one at risk, though. And even if she and
her companions can be freed, there’s no guarantee she’ll be accepted into his
life legitimately.
ZM—Many craft books stress that writers must
read and read a lot. Who is your favorite author, or what is your favorite
genre? What draws you to a book you read for enjoyment?
Amara—This isn’t an easy answer
for me. How much time do you have? J I have multiple favorite
genres and therefore favorite authors within those genres. I suppose my “go to”
genre is literary fiction, especially classics…mostly classics from the
Victorian era. So, in that area, one of my favorite authors is George
Eliot/Mary Ann Evans. In contemporary fiction, I’m also a big fan of A.S. Byatt
and Haruki Murakami and Diana Gabaldon. But I also love historical romance and
have lots and lots of favorite authors in that genre…and it seems more
favorites pop up every day!
As for what draws me to a book I
read for enjoyment, honestly this varies widely for me too. I suppose I’m most drawn to books that
incorporate history, do interesting and unusual things with literary techniques
(like voice and figurative language and structure), and are basically
mind-blowing.
ZM—Finally, what question do you wish
interviewers would ask, but they never do?
Amara—Ooh, what a great question.
Keep in mind that I’m very new to this and haven’t had many interviews! Plus, I’m
virtually incapable of providing quick and easy responses. So here are a few interview
questions I’d enjoy responding to: How would you respond to people who
categorize romance as “mommy porn”? What’s been most surprising to you in the
publishing process? What tips would you have for other aspiring writers?
Amara Royce writes
historical romances that combine her passion for 19th-century literature and
history with her addiction to happily ever afters.
She earned a PhD in
English, specializing in 19th-century British literature, from Lehigh
University and a Master's degree in English from Villanova University, and she
now teaches English literature and composition at a community college in
Pennsylvania.
When she isn't
writing, she's either grading papers or reveling in her own happily ever after
with her remarkably patient family.
Interested in a copy of Amara's wonderful Never Too Late? Include your email in the comment and I'll pick a winner by random. Amara will email you the details for how to pick up your copy. ; )
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