Today, I am hosting my long-time online friend and fellow RNA member, Nancy Jardine - welcome Nancy! So happy to have you here to find out more about your latest release :) Hopefully one day we'll get to meet in person!
Let's get started with the questions...
1)
Did you
set any goals for 2014?
My
plans are to write Book 4 of my Celtic Fervour Historical series for Crooked
Cat Publishing; to get my time-travel historical for early teens published, and
to complete at least Book 1 of my family saga starting in 1850s Scotland. My
first two published novels are now being revised, the intention being to self-
publish them sometime soon. That wasn’t expected back in January, but has been
added to the overall plan. However, all plans are delayed since my toddler
granddaughter and thirteen week old grandson are currently living with me till
their own new house is built!
2) How long does it take you
to write a 50,000-60,000 word manuscript?
One of my
contemporary novels took around eight weeks of fairly consistent writing for an
80,000 word manuscript. Another needed a lot more research and took around five
months. My historical novels have needed a lot of research and have taken
longer since I like to set them in a sound historically accurate environment.
I’m not a full time writer, though, and need to snatch time from gardening and
child minding duties.
3)
Tease us
with a blurb/short excerpt
This
blurb comes from After Whorl: Donning Double Cloaks - Book 3 of my Celtic
Fervour Series of historical romantic adventures, published end of March 2014.
Pursued by Rome.
AD73 Northern Britannia
After King Venutius’ defeat, Brennus of Garrigill – known as
Bran – maintains a spy network monitoring Roman activity in Brigantia. Relative
peace reigns till AD 78 when Roman Governor Agricola marches his legions to the
far north. Brennus is always one step ahead of the Roman Army as he seeks the
Caledon Celt who will lead all tribes in battle against Rome.
Ineda of Marske treks northwards with her master, Tribune
Valerius, who is responsible for supplying Agricola’s northern campaigns. At
Inchtuthil Roman Fort Ineda flees seeking fellow Brigantes congregating on the
foothills of Beinn na Ciche.
Will the battle against the Romans bring Ineda and Brennus
together again?
Excerpt
Something
had altered the tribune’s mood. Ineda had no idea what but was determined to
find out.
“Your
new orders please you, Tribune Valerius?”
He
was deep in thought during the evening meal they shared in his quarters, fairly
unusual since they normally ate in her tiny cell. It was a time when they
conversed about mundane topics, but he had been silent. The smile that came her
way startled her; it was such a rare occurrence for him to show any feelings,
apart from displeasure or anger.
“My
new orders?”
“Your
grin must mean something pleases you.”
It
was unexpected when he reached forward and took her hand into his own. He never
made any contact with her body, except during the night dark.
“Something
does please me very much, Ineda, but it has nothing to do with any new orders.
Why would you think that?”
She
had no idea what to answer. He knew she was always interested in what was
happening around the fortress, though he was always close-mouthed about
relating any important developments. Anything new happening she gleaned from
his secretary, Pomponius. In no way did she want him to be suspicious of her
motives, or to curtail the small advantages she had obtained as his slave since
he had started to make love to her. “Only that such smiles are rare.”
He
continued to grin as he pulled her to her feet and led her to his resting
couch.
“It
is long past time for you to call me Gaius.”
Ineda
was not so certain of that. She had resisted thinking of him as anything other
than her hated captor, although time and his proximity were making her
understand more of the man who had taken her prisoner and used her as his
personal bed slave.
4)
Tell us
about a new author you’ve recently discovered
One
of my fellow Crooked Cat authors had a book published in Feb 2014 called The Ghostly Father. Sue Barnard’s debut
novel is twist on Romeo and Juliet and is about how it could have ended with a
happier ending. It appealed to me for its fresh approach; I loved that it still
held recognizable Shakespearean references and yet it was sharp and crisp
contemporary writing that reads almost as a play since it’s heavy on
excellently written dialogue.
5)
Name two
romances you’ve read more than once
Pride
and Prejudice and any of Jane Austen’s other novels. During the last decade or
so I’ve not read anything more than once – even though I might have wanted to
since there has always been something new to move on to. My personal reading
has included a lot of novels that haven’t been romances.
6)
Tell us
about your first car
It
was a left hand drive Mazda 323, bought when we moved to Holland in 1979. We
lived there for three years during which time my two daughters were born. When
we came back to Scotland, I had to learn to drive since lugging two young
toddlers on local buses was a nightmare. In 1983, I passed my driving test in a
normal driving-school car and then had to drive with the steering wheel on the
‘wrong’ side on the Mazda. You tend to hug the kerb as a ‘line’ to follow and
roundabouts can be a challenge.
7)
Tell us
something you’ve lied about?
Me?
Never. The world at large- via Facebook- knows my age so there’s no point in
lying about it!
8)
Kissing
in public? Yes or no?
I’m
not sure I’d personally indulge today, but before was another story… Kissing in
public per se doesn’t bother me, so
long as the participants are aware of limits and who might be enjoying the
spectacle!
Thanks
for a fun interview, Rachel.
Bio:
Nancy Jardine lives in Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, in an area that’s steeped in ancient standing stones, tombs, ruined
castles and fantastic Scots Baronial architecture. A lover of all things
Scottish, her homeland creeps into her writing as does her fascination with
history- Celtic/ Roman Britain in particular. Writing time is shared with
regular grandchild minding duties and tending her unruly garden.
Nancy is a member of the Romantic
Novelists Association. Her published work includes non fiction history projects
and six novels. Three novels are contemporary mysteries- Topaz Eyes being a
2014 Finalist for The People’s book Prize. The other three novels are from her
Celtic Fervour Series of historical romantic adventures.
Nancy loves to hear from her readers
and is able to be contacted at nan_jar@btinternet.com
or on her blog http://nancyjardine.blogspot.com.
Sign up to her newsletter, via her blog for her publishing updates.
Nancy’s novels are available from
Smashwords; Waterstones; Barnes & Noble; Crooked Cat Bookstore http://bit.ly/1fFq9vb Amazon UK
author page:
Hi Rachel. It's lovely to be visiting you today. Thank you for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteHi, ladies. A great interview. You're way too busy for me, Nancy! I loved the driving story. When I went to work for the post office, I had to learn to drive vehicles (in the states) with right-hand-drive. It got a little dicey now and then!
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