New Interview with Rue. Thanks for stopping by. Let’s get started…
Why did you decide to write romance novels?
In 1996, I received my Ph.D. in Middle English Literature. I had written a 300+ page dissertation on dream visions. Reading romances was one of the few things that made academic writing tolerable. When I finished the dissertation, I figure if I could write that many pages of boring academic text, I could probably manage 250+ pages of a much more interesting romance novel. I was right, but it took me three years to get good enough at it to interest a publisher.
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
Both a lot and a little. I try to use settings from places where I have actually been. (I’ve never been to England’s east coast, but we’ll talk about that later). If I can, I use information from past employment and activities. Much of the emotion I write originates in feelings I’ve had at one time or another. However, I can categorically state that nothing—with the exception of geographic locations–I write relates directly to anything I’ve done or experienced.
Which comes first, the story, the characters, or the setting?
For me it’s either title (which often changes as I write) or character. The character tells me everything important, where when what why etc. Usually, title is only first if the book is not part of a series. An example of this is my first regency, The French Duchess. I had been asked by an editor to write a book about a duke. I thought dukes had been overdone, so I offered a duchess book instead, and The French Duchess popped into my head. Then I had to figure out exactly who this duchess was and why she was known as ‘The French Duchess’ when she was very definitely English.
What inspired you to write this particular novella, Wait for Me?
I had been working on The French Duchess when I was invited to join a group of authors called The Bluestocking Belles. All of the authors write regency romances. Some of us branch out into other sub-genres of romance. Every year we put together a collection of novellas. Each novella is related to the others, most often by setting. Occasionally characters from one novella will appear in another. The cooperative writing of these novellas is great fun and very inspiring. However, I digress.
Once I finished The French Duchess, I knew there would be at least two more Duchess books. The next in the series would be The Pirate Duchess. I was starting work on that novel when the Belles decided to create their most recent collection Storm & Shelter. Because my mind was already full of heroine Esmaralda Crobbin (pirate, although she would say privateer) and her hero Captain Brandon Gilroy of HM Royal Navy, I decided to write the novella Wait for Me as one part of their journey from enemies to lovers. It was the perfect story to include in The Bluestocking Belles and Friends collection, Storm & Shelter. That book is available now on pre-order for $.99. When the book is released on April 13, 2021, the price will go up.
About Wait for Me: Fate trumps nature, and these enemies became good friends then casual lovers. Only doubt and family secrets can keep them from sealing their love with marriage.
Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy were enemies by nature who first met during a battle at sea. But fate trumps nature when a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity. Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?
About Storm & Shelter: When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel. One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.
Buy Links:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3kgRmLG
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3lZYHja
Barnes & Noble: TBA
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3o0z977
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/b5k2pO
International:
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2T3PbPh
Angus & Robertson: https://bit.ly/3kabdvH
About Rue Allyn:
Award winning author, Rue Allyn, learned story telling at her grandfather’s knee. (Well it was really more like on his knee—I was two.) She’s been weaving her own tales ever since. She has worked as an instructor, mother, sailor, clerk, sales associate, and painter, along with a variety of other types of employment. She has lived and traveled in places all over the globe from Keflavik Iceland (I did not care much for the long nights of winter.) and Fairbanks Alaska to Panama City and the streets of London England to a large number of places in between. Now that her two sons have left the nest, Rue and her husband of more than four decades (Try living with the same person for more than forty years—that’s a true adventure.) have retired and moved south. When not writing, enjoying the nearby beach or working jigsaw puzzles, Rue travels the world and surfs the internet in search of background material and inspiration for her next heart melting romance. She loves to hear from readers, and you may contact her at Rue@RueAllyn.com. She can’t wait to hear from you.
Social Media Links: Website Blog Facebook Twitter Amazon Goodreads BookBub
Keep up with all the news about Rue Allyn and deals for her books, Sign up for Rue’s News quarterly newsletter here, and receive a free download.
Review: “Storm & Shelter is a wonderful collection of short stories that every fan of Regency Romance will adore!” Amanda Carlisle, Reviewer for InD’Tale magazine