Posts Tagged ‘Princess Avenger’
Tonight I have Bernadette Rowley here to chat about her new novel, The Lord and the Mermaid, newly out with Momentum. She also chats about her love of fantasy and world building. So get yourself a hot drink (hot chocolate with honey is my favourite on a cold night), settle in and enjoy finding out more about Bernadette and her work.
Hi Bernadette. Thanks for being a guest on my blog. It’s really exciting to have you here once again to tell us about your new novel, The Lord and the Mermaid.
Hi Leisl, it’s great to be back!
Can you tell us a little bit about your new novel, The Lord and the Mermaid?
The Lord and the Mermaid is basically my retelling of The Little Mermaid. Mermaid Merielle flees her people, hoping for a better life. She is determined to find a human man and make him fall in love with her, believing his love will make her human in turn. The man she happens across is Lord Nikolas Cosara, a hunky ship’s captain, who has exiled himself after a past tragedy. He is the last person who would ever love a mermaid but they experience an instant attraction and the story flows from there.
It’s been quite the roller coaster ride for you in the last year or so since your last novel was released, The Lady’s Choice – something I’m experiencing a bit myself at the moment. Can you tell us about it?
Princess Avenger and The Lady’s Choice were published in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Being a new imprint when I started with them, it took a couple of years to find its way and they eventually decided to stop publishing fantasy as a genre. That left me unwilling to part with my series and needing to find a new publisher for The Lord and the Mermaid. I didn’t know if someone else would wish to take me up but didn’t want to go out on my own. I pitched my mermaid story to Momentum’s Haylee Nash at conference and she offered me a two book deal. I got the rights back for Princess Avenger and The Lady’s Choice and have self-published them. I now have the best of both worlds!
The Lord and the Mermaid is a novel related to your Princess Avenger series – how is it related? Are any of the characters the same?
Princess Avenger is set in Brightcastle, a city about four days ride west of Wildecoast where The Lord and the Mermaid is set. Both cities are in my fantasy world of Thorius. Readers were introduced to Thorius in Princess Avenger and to Wildecoast in The Lady’s Choice. Some of the minor characters are the same. You could say that the books that have gone before are prequels to The Lord and the Mermaid.
Is it a standalone novel, or is it going to be a part of a larger series? – I love a good series.
You know me, Leisl. If I’m writing a book it’s part of a series, the longer the better. Having said that, The Lord and the Mermaid can be read on its own. Merielle and Nik’s story is the first in the Wildecoast Saga with Momentum.
Where did the idea for this series come from?
It was perfect timing, really, I had a story set in the same world but a different city with new elements (being the increasing threat from the dark elves) and Momentum wanted to start from scratch with this book. So we created The Wildecoast Saga.
What inspires you to keep writing in this world?
I love this world that I’ve created. I can make whatever rules I wish for and my characters have amazing abilities. Why wouldn’t you want to keep writing new love stories that take the secondary themes, of intrigue and war, forward?
You have recently self-published your first two novels after getting the rights back from your previous publisher. Can you tell us a little bit about this process and how you’ve found it? What have you learned from it that’s helping you with your writing in general? Would you self-publish other works in the future again?
Self-publishing was daunting at first but I started with Smashwords and they made it easy. I enlisted a cover designer and she also did the formatting. I was so excited when I saw my very own covers and think they are rather beautiful. I have two more to reveal when I release book 2 and 3 of the Princess Avenger trilogy. I also worked with Tracey O’Hara in editing Princess Avenger and learned quite a lot from that. Don’t we all wish we could go back and fix some of the weaknesses in our first book? I think you learn a little each time you publish a book, no matter how you do it and I definitely will be doing so again. I’m hoping to have part two of my trilogy out this year.
Are you planning any novels in the future that are set in a new fantasy world? Or have you got any aspirations to write in a different genre?
I have no new fantasy worlds planned but I do have the beginnings (first two books) of a space opera series. I also have two books in a junior fiction series written.
You’re a vet by day, as well as a mother. How do you find the time to write? Talk us through your process.
The first two days of the week are given over to vet work and then my five day writing week begins! I try to do some every day and when I’m writing draft I aim for one to two thousand words each day. All this year has been given over to editing but I’m currently working on a story that will be book three in the Wildecoast Saga.
I, of course have plenty of housework to take care of but usually write late morning and in the afternoon. I always try to be available to my sons who are 17, 19 and 21. They’ve been encouraged to follow their dreams no matter what.
What’s been the most surprising aspect of your writing career so far? What have you had the most difficulties with? What have you learned the most from?
I can’t believe how long the editing process is and that no matter how good your book is, there are always ways it can be improved. I’ve had the most difficulties with promoting my work – I’m not very good at talking about my books. I’ve learned heaps from each editor I’ve worked with and expect to continue to learn with each book.
Thank you so much for being a guest on my blog today, Bernadette. It was fun finding out a little bit more about you and your writing.
Bernadette has very generously decided to give away a copy of her new novel, The Lord and the Mermaid. All you have to do is comment on what fantasy characters you like reading about? Mermaids, Shifters, Vampires, Elves, Dragons, Fairies… Bernadette will pick the winner from these. So, comment away and share what your favourite fantasy characters are…
You can buy Bernadette’s novels from:
The Lord and the Mermaid: http://momentumbooks.com.au/books/the-lord-and-the-mermaid/
Princess Avenger: FREE at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/546489
The Lady’s Choice: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/546751
World of Thorius Boxed Set: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010SDVQG0
Author bio:
Bernadette Rowley is an author of fantasy romance who grew up on rural properties on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Her teenage years were spent training her beloved horses, reading the fantasy stories of Tolkien, Brooks and Eddings and dreaming of becoming a vet.
She graduated as a vet in 1987 and now works part time, allowing her five days a week for her passion- writing. Bernadette lives in Townsville with her husband of 27 years, their sons and Slippers the cat. Her other interests are reading (fantasy and romance), singing (a capella), cricket and music.
You can find out more about Bernadette at:
Bernadette Rowley is on my blog today to talk about her recently release book, The Lady’s Choice and all things writerly. Hi Bernadette. Thanks for being a guest on my blog. It’s really exciting to have you here.
BR: Thanks for the invitation, it’s great to be here.
LL: The Lady’s Choice, your new novel in the Princess Avenger series, follows on from the first with the lovelorn Squire Ramon and a feisty new heroine – I’m so glad to see Ramon get a story and win a worthy love. Can you tell those who’ve not read it a little more about it?
BR: In The Lady’s Choice, we get to catch up with Squire Ramón Zorba who was infatuated with Princess Alecia (in Princess Avenger). He is determined to find Alecia and is working on his fighting skills so that he can best the man Alecia ran away with, the dark and dangerous Vard Anton. Ramón is focussed on this objective when Lady Benae Branasar arrives in Brightcastle intent in winning the hand of Ramon’s employer, Prince Zialni. Benae makes quite an impression on Ramón and when the two are thrown together on a trip to fit Benae’s wedding gown, neither of them can ignore what is developing between them.
LL: I’m fanning myself already. The Lady’s Choice is part of a fantasy series – I love a good series. Can you tell us if you have anything more in store for this series?
BR: I love series too, and new ideas keep cropping up, or rather new characters who are ideal for their own love story. Readers will be especially pleased to hear that Alecia and Vard’s love affair is far from over. At the moment I’m almost finished a related story, set in Wildecoast (the king’s seat) which spins off from The Lady’s Choice although both hero and heroine are brand new. Each story fits in with previous stories so that readers can follow a timeline and some of the stories overlap others. I get a buzz out of the cross references and I hope readers will as well.
LL: Sounds fascinating. And I’m glad to hear you get to see more of Alecia and Vard – they were compelling characters. I love fantasy books and have bookshelves full of them. What inspires you to write fantasy? What’s their appeal to you? Where do your ideas come from?
BR: Up until the last few years fantasy was all I ever read. I started with Terry Brooks and the Sword of Shannara and moved on to Tolkien and then Eddings and Feist.
LL: I love Feist – he’s my favourite. Oops, sorry, I’ve interrupted – my enthusiasm got the better of me. Who else do you love?
BR: I’ve enjoyed Sara Douglas and Robert Jordan and more recently Harry Potter and paranormals like the Twilight series. What I really crave are ‘coming into power’ stories where the hero begins as an innocent and ends up the most potent being in the world. In my stories, the heroes and heroines are all learning about themselves and growing through their trials. I also love a tortured hero. Ramon from The Lady’s Choice is a beta hero so he is pretty perfect already but he is growing into his sexual self (yes, he is a virgin) and navigating questions of right and wrong and honour versus love. The ideas for my stories just come to me but I think they are distilled from the fantasy authors I’ve read. All those characters and worlds have influenced my books.
LL: I know what you mean. You are a veterinarian and mother in your ‘other’ more normal life. Tell us a little more about yourself and what led you to writing fiction.
BR: I loved writing at school but then university got in the way. Even through all that study, I read a lot of fantasy so I guess I was in training then. I work two days a week as a vet and devote the rest to my family and writing. I find that my love of animals and my healing resonates in my writing. Lady Benae has a special bond with her horse Flaire and she is a gifted healer as well. I think readers will enjoy that aspect of The Lady’s Choice almost as much as the romance. What led me to writing fiction? I realised about fifteen years ago that I had a book in me. It was after a goal setting workshop but I began from a very different place to fantasy romance.
LL: Ooh, that sounds interesting and leads onto my next question. Writers are always being given advice to diversify and write in different genres – although this doesn’t work for everyone. Aside from fantasy, do you write or have aspirations to write any other genre? What genres do you read other than fantasy?
BR: I started with a Children’s writing course and wrote a picture book, soon learning that I had selected a most difficult genre. I moved then to junior fiction and have two books written in that genre, inspired by my oldest son. That series centres on a magical plant and the boy who discovers it and tries to protect it from exploitation. I love that series and still hope to have it published one day. Then my husband had an idea for a science fiction/space opera series that looks to be nine books long – I’ve written two of those and there is a strong romantic thread. When I started writing romance, it just had to be fantasy and a series. I can’t help it! And other than fantasy I read lots and lots of romance – whatever my fellow authors are publishing – I especially enjoy regency and suspense.
LL: Tell us about when you got ‘The Call’.
BR: I kept missing a call from a NSW number on my mobile while at work. I didn’t bother phoning back as I assumed it was a telemarketer – wrong assumption. It was actually Carol George (Destiny Romance) who finally had to email me, asking me to call her. After a bit more phone tag, we hooked up and she made me the offer for Princess Avenger – my first ever romance. It was pretty special.
LL: I know that feeling – one of the best days ever! What’s been the most surprising aspect of your writing career so far? What have you had the most difficulties with and learned the most from?
The most surprising aspect is how good it feels when someone enjoys your book. I love making a connection with readers. It’s so much more important than how many books you sell- though I’m always happy to sell more books. I’ve had the most difficulty with getting my head around promotion of myself and my books – still working on that. I’ve learned the most from two things – working with two incredible mentors AND working with Penguin editors.
LL: They’re pretty special, aren’t they? Well, thanks so much for being a guest on my blog today, Bernadette. It was fun finding out a little bit more about you and your writing.
You can buy Princess: Avenger and The Lady’s Choice from:
The Lady’s Choice:
With her people on the brink of starvation, beautiful Lady Benae Branasar has the perfect plan. She will marry the powerful Prince Jiseve of Brightcastle and use his fortune to save them. But first she must compete against three princesses equally determined to win his hand.
When she finds herself irresistibly attracted to her reluctant escort, the handsome Ramon Zorba, her plans begin to unravel. Ramon is dealing with problems of his own, but as he begins to thaw, Benae begins to glimpse the devastating man underneath. The more time they spend together, the harder Benae finds it to focus on her objective. Will she stay true to her people and pursue the prince? Or will love and fate intervene?
Find Bernadette at:
Blog: http://bernadetterowley.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bernadetterowleyfantasy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bt_rowley
