Guest Author - Eryn Lockhart
Not long ago, I enjoyed welcoming another romance writer to my blog for the first time, so I've decided to make it an occasional event. Today, I bring you Eryn Lockhart! :)
Eryn is the author of Regency romances After Midnight and The Hellfire Bride. Today I'll be interviewing her to find out more about her and, of course, her books!
First, the personal questions...
What's your star-sign? Eryn: Gemini verging on Cancer.Ranae: Ah, Gemini. For some reason, virtually all of my friends, and my husband, are Gemini. I guess you could say it's my favorite sign. :)When you were 12, you got your first taste of romantic reading by raiding your mom's 'special' book shelves. Do you remember the first romance novel you read, and did you have a favorite from her shelves? If so, what were they? Eryn: The first romance I can remember reading was Once & Always, by Judith McNaught. My mom caught me when I was half-way through, and took the book away. After two months of a vicious cycle of groundings, undeterred hunts to liberate the book from the newest hiding place, and parent teacher conferences regarding my choice of reading material, I was finally able to finish it. It was several more months before my mom gave up trying to keep me from reading romance ever again—she just sent the more explicit books (aka: Beatrice Small) to my aunt. My favorite books were those written by Judith McNuaght, Elizabeth Lowell, and Diana Palmer. Ranae: Parent teacher conferences...lol. I kinda wish I could say I'd gotten in trouble for reading romance as a kid. I didn't, although one of my teachers did intiate a conference with my mom because of my 'morbid' doodlings... Hee hee. There are a lot of genres out there. Why do you enjoy reading and writing romance? Eryn: Any genre you can find in the wider world of literature, you can find in a romance sub-genre. More than any mode of storytelling, romance focuses on the human element—on developing connections between characters, on not just what it means to be human (or some other creature), but why it matters. Not just the facts of living, but what makes it worthwhile. They are a modern take on the heroic tradition of literature that's been around for more than a thousand years, with a focus on the heart. The hero and heroine don't just triumph against all odds; they do so knowing that they've found the person that makes that effort worthwhile. Romances are also vehicles of empowerment—as Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has said: they encourage women to be the heroines of their own lives. Ranae: I completely agree. Couldn't have said it better myself, in fact! :)What's your favorite dessert? Eryn: Anything with chocolate.Ranae: You have good taste. ;)
And now for the writing questions...You write Regency romance novels. What is it about the Regency era that appeals to you so much that you were inspired to set both of your books then?Eryn: I actually write in a variety of romance subgenres, but I do have a special place in my heart for Regency due to the accessibility the period. It's a by-gone era filled with drama, intrigue, a war between empires, romance…and since it took place only about 200 years ago, quite a lot of primary materials, publications, maps, fashion plates, ect…are still around. Writers and readers can more fully immerse themselves in the Regency period because we can re-create it through what's been left behind; there aren't a lot of holes that were left blank. Also, the people of the Regency weren't so terribly different from us—take away the Balls and the Season, and you're left with a society in which some women are struggling to expand their roles beyond the home, and take a more active voice in government and business despite pressure to conform to traditional roles of wife & motherhood. You're seeing an age with a proliferation of female authors (such as Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Mary Shelly, George Elliot, and Mrs. Radcliffe, among others), struggling for respect in a literary sphere that looks upon them and their work with disdain. You're looking at a society whose advent into the industrial age brings to mind some of today's struggles with out-sourcing and sweat shop labor, whose military involvement resulted in various trade embargoes, loss of life, a military class, and the trauma and pain of war, with weary veterans trying to fit back into society after more than a decade of war (just as we're dealing with now in the wake of 9/11). You're facing a social & legal justice system with serious flaws in regards to blaming the victim for sexual assault and misconduct, just as we continue to deal with today as evidenced by various women's movements (most recently Slut Walk), and you're facing a wide body of the population that is pressing for reforms and increased accountability in government, just like today's Occupy Wall Street. You're looking at Society that faced very similar concerns to our own, yet still found time to enjoy life, to indulge in the arts, beauty, and live out their lives as best they could. The Regency period is timeless, and in its own way, remains as relevant and current in literature as it was during the years it took place.Ranae: That's a great answer...my own wouldn't have been half as thorough or good. Though maybe I shouldn't have admitted that. lol :)If you had the option of living in Regency era England instead of the modern-day, would you?Eryn: Possibly. I'd most likely be a bluestocking, a novelist, or a singer…I can't see myself in the role of a traditional lady, but one of the Originals of the day? That's another matter entirely. Ranae: Yeah, as a modern woman, it's hard for me to imagine being waited on hand and foot like a Regency Lady. Although I might be willing to try to adjust... lolIf Lucien and Jacqueline (the hero and heroine from your novel After Midnight) could spend a night and a day together at any location in the world, where do you think they'd choose?Eryn: I think they'd choose the Orient…Luc still has some contacts there, and given that both of them have spent years undercover, going back and forth behind enemy lines, for a relaxing holiday I think they'd choose somewhere as far away from war and Napoleon's reach as possible. Besides, Jacqueline's never been there, and I think Luc would enjoy taking her to see the sights.You currently have two available books – After Midnight & The Hellfire Bride. Any idea when we can expect your next title and which one it'll be? Eryn: I have a couple of stories in the works: Bittersweet (contemporary romance), Dragon's Desire (urban fantasy/paranormal romance), A Stolen Season (Regency romance), and A Rake's Conquest (Regency Erotica—it will most likely be published under a separate pen name). I'm hoping to get two new titles out before the end of the year—but which two it will be is anyone's guess.Ranae: Wow, two new titles within the next couple months. That's alot of work. Good luck!
You can find out more about Eryn at: http://www.erynlockhart.x10.mxAnd connect with her on...Twitter: ErynLockhartFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eryn-Lockhart/245969985445975
And last but certainly not least, here are Eryn's books, which are available through all the usual venues, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance.
Lucien Warrick's years of service as an agent of the Crown have prepared him for anything...except Jacqueline Gervais; a spirited French refugee who's skills in deception and sabotage rival his own. Together, they discover that the path to true love goes hand in hand with a mission that can make or break an empire.
A hero's quest to avenge the woman he loved and lost leads him to the darkest underbelly of Regency London, where rescuing a feisty heroine allows him to see that love can heal even the deepest scars.
Eryn is the author of Regency romances After Midnight and The Hellfire Bride. Today I'll be interviewing her to find out more about her and, of course, her books!
First, the personal questions...
What's your star-sign? Eryn: Gemini verging on Cancer.Ranae: Ah, Gemini. For some reason, virtually all of my friends, and my husband, are Gemini. I guess you could say it's my favorite sign. :)When you were 12, you got your first taste of romantic reading by raiding your mom's 'special' book shelves. Do you remember the first romance novel you read, and did you have a favorite from her shelves? If so, what were they? Eryn: The first romance I can remember reading was Once & Always, by Judith McNaught. My mom caught me when I was half-way through, and took the book away. After two months of a vicious cycle of groundings, undeterred hunts to liberate the book from the newest hiding place, and parent teacher conferences regarding my choice of reading material, I was finally able to finish it. It was several more months before my mom gave up trying to keep me from reading romance ever again—she just sent the more explicit books (aka: Beatrice Small) to my aunt. My favorite books were those written by Judith McNuaght, Elizabeth Lowell, and Diana Palmer. Ranae: Parent teacher conferences...lol. I kinda wish I could say I'd gotten in trouble for reading romance as a kid. I didn't, although one of my teachers did intiate a conference with my mom because of my 'morbid' doodlings... Hee hee. There are a lot of genres out there. Why do you enjoy reading and writing romance? Eryn: Any genre you can find in the wider world of literature, you can find in a romance sub-genre. More than any mode of storytelling, romance focuses on the human element—on developing connections between characters, on not just what it means to be human (or some other creature), but why it matters. Not just the facts of living, but what makes it worthwhile. They are a modern take on the heroic tradition of literature that's been around for more than a thousand years, with a focus on the heart. The hero and heroine don't just triumph against all odds; they do so knowing that they've found the person that makes that effort worthwhile. Romances are also vehicles of empowerment—as Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has said: they encourage women to be the heroines of their own lives. Ranae: I completely agree. Couldn't have said it better myself, in fact! :)What's your favorite dessert? Eryn: Anything with chocolate.Ranae: You have good taste. ;)
And now for the writing questions...You write Regency romance novels. What is it about the Regency era that appeals to you so much that you were inspired to set both of your books then?Eryn: I actually write in a variety of romance subgenres, but I do have a special place in my heart for Regency due to the accessibility the period. It's a by-gone era filled with drama, intrigue, a war between empires, romance…and since it took place only about 200 years ago, quite a lot of primary materials, publications, maps, fashion plates, ect…are still around. Writers and readers can more fully immerse themselves in the Regency period because we can re-create it through what's been left behind; there aren't a lot of holes that were left blank. Also, the people of the Regency weren't so terribly different from us—take away the Balls and the Season, and you're left with a society in which some women are struggling to expand their roles beyond the home, and take a more active voice in government and business despite pressure to conform to traditional roles of wife & motherhood. You're seeing an age with a proliferation of female authors (such as Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Mary Shelly, George Elliot, and Mrs. Radcliffe, among others), struggling for respect in a literary sphere that looks upon them and their work with disdain. You're looking at a society whose advent into the industrial age brings to mind some of today's struggles with out-sourcing and sweat shop labor, whose military involvement resulted in various trade embargoes, loss of life, a military class, and the trauma and pain of war, with weary veterans trying to fit back into society after more than a decade of war (just as we're dealing with now in the wake of 9/11). You're facing a social & legal justice system with serious flaws in regards to blaming the victim for sexual assault and misconduct, just as we continue to deal with today as evidenced by various women's movements (most recently Slut Walk), and you're facing a wide body of the population that is pressing for reforms and increased accountability in government, just like today's Occupy Wall Street. You're looking at Society that faced very similar concerns to our own, yet still found time to enjoy life, to indulge in the arts, beauty, and live out their lives as best they could. The Regency period is timeless, and in its own way, remains as relevant and current in literature as it was during the years it took place.Ranae: That's a great answer...my own wouldn't have been half as thorough or good. Though maybe I shouldn't have admitted that. lol :)If you had the option of living in Regency era England instead of the modern-day, would you?Eryn: Possibly. I'd most likely be a bluestocking, a novelist, or a singer…I can't see myself in the role of a traditional lady, but one of the Originals of the day? That's another matter entirely. Ranae: Yeah, as a modern woman, it's hard for me to imagine being waited on hand and foot like a Regency Lady. Although I might be willing to try to adjust... lolIf Lucien and Jacqueline (the hero and heroine from your novel After Midnight) could spend a night and a day together at any location in the world, where do you think they'd choose?Eryn: I think they'd choose the Orient…Luc still has some contacts there, and given that both of them have spent years undercover, going back and forth behind enemy lines, for a relaxing holiday I think they'd choose somewhere as far away from war and Napoleon's reach as possible. Besides, Jacqueline's never been there, and I think Luc would enjoy taking her to see the sights.You currently have two available books – After Midnight & The Hellfire Bride. Any idea when we can expect your next title and which one it'll be? Eryn: I have a couple of stories in the works: Bittersweet (contemporary romance), Dragon's Desire (urban fantasy/paranormal romance), A Stolen Season (Regency romance), and A Rake's Conquest (Regency Erotica—it will most likely be published under a separate pen name). I'm hoping to get two new titles out before the end of the year—but which two it will be is anyone's guess.Ranae: Wow, two new titles within the next couple months. That's alot of work. Good luck!
You can find out more about Eryn at: http://www.erynlockhart.x10.mxAnd connect with her on...Twitter: ErynLockhartFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eryn-Lockhart/245969985445975
And last but certainly not least, here are Eryn's books, which are available through all the usual venues, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance.
Lucien Warrick's years of service as an agent of the Crown have prepared him for anything...except Jacqueline Gervais; a spirited French refugee who's skills in deception and sabotage rival his own. Together, they discover that the path to true love goes hand in hand with a mission that can make or break an empire.
A hero's quest to avenge the woman he loved and lost leads him to the darkest underbelly of Regency London, where rescuing a feisty heroine allows him to see that love can heal even the deepest scars.
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