Today’s interview is with Elizabeth Rose, author of 29 romance novels. Let’s start the interview with a very personal question. What book do you consider your “guilty pleasure read?”
Thanks Suzy for having me as a guest on your site today. As for my “guilty pleasure read” I would have to say anything I actually have the time to read. Usually romance. Being an author who writes very quickly, I usually have a new book coming out every month or so. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for reading when I’m always writing, so any few moments I take to read is actually a guilty pleasure for me.
What book was most influential in your decision to become a writer yourself?
Well, I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but the book that got me started writing romance was The Saxon by Margaret Moore. I believe that was released back in 1995. I had been writing children’s books at the time, believe it or not, when I got something in the mail from Harlequin that said I won money and free books. So, being curious, I took the bait. I received my fifty-cent check in the mail and also four free historical romance novels. At the time, I’d never read a romance and had the silly impression engraved in my brain that they were cheap and trashy. So I decided to give them to my mother-in-law who read a lot, but thought I’d better read one first. After all, if they were that bad, I didn’t want to be embarrassed by giving them to her. Well, I read The Saxon and LOVED it. Right then, I was hooked on romance novels, knowing all the bad gossip I’d heard about them wasn’t true. Then someone in my writer’s group suggested I try writing romance. So I did, and now 29 books later know it was my calling in life.
If you could only read one sub-genre for the rest of your life, which genre would you choose and why?
I’d choose romance. After all, I believe that love is the most important thing in life, and I also love happy endings.
Let us turn the focus back to your writing – what is your favorite part of writing?
I love creating characters and settings and then throwing in the “what if” factor. I also love the fact that my characters don’t always do what I tell them and have minds of their own. I’ve decided long ago to just let them do whatever they want. Half the time, I am surprised by the turn of events or what they say or do. It is like I am a reader also, just taking dictation from them as I go along on the journey with them.
Has writing affected the way you read or the types of books you read?
Of course. Just like anything else, when it is your profession, you tend to be overly critical in your own mind of anything you are reading. I mainly read romance when I actually have the time to read, as it is my interest. Sometimes I purposely don’t read the subgenre I am writing at the time, because I really don’t want to subconsciously copy another author. But I think every author can say that it is hard to turn off the internal editor in your mind when you are reading a book. You tend to think that you would have done it differently, or their historical facts are wrong, or in my case I just get bored easily. Actually, I try samples of books I am interested in reading off Amazon. If the book doesn’t catch my interest in the first page, I don’t buy it. There are so many books out there nowadays that I only want to invest my time in books that catch my interest from page one. I also tend to write a lot of dialogue, and that moves the books along quickly. I don’t really like books that have little dialogue, and bog down the reader with a lot of narration right off the bat. But that is my personal preference only.
Finally, tell me about your latest upcoming book?
I just released the third and final book in my Scottish MadMan MacKeefe Series. It is called Ian – Book 3. Ian is one of three crazy friends of the same Highland clan. He has grown up with his friends, Onyx and Aidan, (the first two books) as well as Aidan’s younger sister, Kyla. It turns out that Kyla has been in love with Ian for some time, and when feelings start happening between them, he is confused by what to do since this is the sister of his best friend. He also has some inner demons that are driving him mad from his secret, tarnished past. And one night he sees in the bonfire on All Hallow’s Eve, the face of a man he’s killed years ago. It is said that on this night the veil is lifted between the two worlds and the dead can come back to life. And when he faces this man again, and to his horror Kyla has been betrothed to him, his life turns crazier than normal.
I invite everyone to visit my website at http://elizabethrosenovels.com to read excerpts of any of my novels as well as to watch my new book trailer videos. I do all my own covers and book trailers. By signing up for my newsletter, you’ll be sure to get all my updates on new and free books, which happen quite often. And by clicking the like button at my facebook page, my readers can keep up with notices there as well.
I have several series out, such as my Daughters of the Dagger Series. Readers can get my Free prequel book to get started. Legacy of the Blade Series is another that features Storm MacKeefe from Lady Renegade who makes guest appearances in my MadMan MacKeefe Series. I also have a Greek Myth Fantasy Series as well as an Elemental Series with four powerful women who hold the power to control the elements. And for those who like contemporary, I have my Tarnished Saints Series in the making. Twelve brothers, sons of a preacher are all named after the apostles. But they are far from saints, matter of fact they are nothing but trouble. Watch for the third book in the series, Judging Judas to be released in late spring.
And lastly, my books are available at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Apple. Thanks Suzy for having me as a guest today, I enjoyed it.