It’s a fabulous day! Ashlyn Macnamara, author of A Most Devilish Rogue is visiting The Blue Rose Writing Room Today.
Welcome Ashlyn!
Ashlyn’s giving a way a copy of A Most Devilish Rogue and an extra surprise to one lucky commenter (North America only please). Be sure to leave your email address when you comment.
Now, let’s ask Ashlyn some questions.
Do you use a pen name/pseudo name? If so, why. If not, why did you decide to write under your own name?
I realize this may come as a shock, but the name that appears on my birth certificate is not Ashlyn Macnamara. Part of the fault lies with my husband—not because I married an Irishman; he’s French-Canadian. Back when I first started reading romance, in the 80s when the covers were bedecked with Fabio’s flowing locks and lurid colors, I told my husband I thought I could write one. He looked at the cover, looked at me, and said, “You’re not going to publish it under your name, are you?” So I promised him I wouldn’t. And I kept that promise—although I don’t feel my covers are embarrassing in the least.
I’m chuckling here. Can you tell us, how long have you been writing?
Since 2001, but that was for fun. I didn’t start writing with the goal to be published until 2008.
What’s one thing you absolutely can’t tolerate during your writing? One thing you can’t write without?
More like I shouldn’ttolerate it, because I’m so easily distracted—the internet. It can get to where I have to write on paper, so I don’t stop every five minutes to check email, Facebook, and Twitter. And yet, I also can’t write without it. Historical authors have it relatively easy these days, when many questions can be answered with a five-minute Google search. But the trick is not to get sucked down a rabbit hole of shiny, interesting facts.
Oh my gosh. I know exactly what you mean. What’s one place you absolutely want to visit before you die?
I probably ought to say England here, since my stories are set there, and I’ve never been—unless you count a three-hour layover in Heathrow while waiting for a flight to Germany. I was three months pregnant at the time and coming off an overnight flight from Toronto, so I may have dozed through a good bit of that time.
But if I’m being honest, I’ll have to say New Zealand. I would love to go on one of those tours were they take you to visit the locations where The Lord of the Ringsmovies were filmed.
New Zealand and Australia are on my list. So, why did you choose to write in this genre? Have you ever written any other genre? Do you plan on doing so in the future?
I didn’t choose to write Regency; it chose me. I was in the middle of a series set during the Revolutionary War when the idea for A Most Scandalous Proposal sunk its teeth into me and wouldn’t let go. Try as I might to set that story in Colonial Williamsburg, it refused to cooperate until I let it be a Regency. And then I sold it and my publisher wanted more Regencies to go with the first.
I have written in other historical eras, and I will not complain at all if American-set historicals come back into vogue. I can dust off my Revolutionary War saga and give it another go. I’ve also been toying with the notion of writing something a bit more fantastical recently. I’m still thinking about the world-building there, and I find it daunting, although I’m not sure why. If I have a question about a fantasy world, I get to make up the answer rather than letting Google distract me.
Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that. What are you most afraid of?
Centipedes. Spiders I can deal with, but the more legs a thing has, the creepier it is.
Shuddering here. There was a spider on steroids in my bedroom last night. Naastyyyy! Do you have a favorite quote?
Lately, it’s been something children’s fantasy author Lloyd Alexander said: “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”
I think that’s true. To write a convincing fantasy, your characters still have to have recognizable human reactions and emotions. By taking a person out of the real world and giving them different problems, you’re still going to have to explore how they react. I think historical fiction is similar. Mores and standards were different—society had different requirements—but people have always been people whether it’s 1813 or 2013. And you have to stay true to that.
What a wonderful quote! Will you tell us something unusual, quirky, or odd about yourself?
I live in the French-speaking part of Canada, in a mainly French town. I speak more French in my day-to-day life than I do English. I guess I let the English out through my writing.
Okay, now for the quickie questions: Answer in three words or less. Ready? Go!
Favorite Disney Character? Would it be awful of me to say I don’t have one?
Favorite Fruit? Strawberries
Favorite Hero? Sebastian St. Vincent
Favorite Eye Color? Blue
Best Vacation destination? My imagination
Food you can’t stand? Liver
What annoys you? Hypocrisy
Coffee, tea, or something else? Coffee!!!
Nightgown or Jammies? T-shirt and shorts (I know, I’m such a sex kitten)
Prefer dogs or cats? Cats
Ashlyn Macnamara writes Regency romances with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. She considers this writing gig her midlife crisis, but figures it’s less risky than rock climbing or skydiving. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research. Despite her insistence on looking toward the past, she can be found on Facebook and Twitter. She also likes to play at being a Duchess from time to time.
The blurb about A Most Devilish Rogue
George Upperton is a man in trouble with debts, women, and a meddling family. He is, by all accounts, the last gentleman on earth Isabelle should be drawn to. But loneliness is a hard mistress, and caution gives way to desire . . . even though Isabelle is convinced that happiness can’t be found in the arms of such a devilish rogue. Only when Jack is kidnapped does Isabelle discover the true depth of George’s devotion—and how far a good man will go to fight for the woman whose love is all that matters.
Enjoy an excerpt from A Most Devilish Rogue
You can read the first chapter on my website.
Here’s how you can contact Ashlyn
Thanks again, Ashlyn for joining me here today.
Buy links
