Thursday, July 15, 2010

Author Interview - Nicola Cornick



 
Drawing Winner is:  Sue B - Congrats!


Thank you for joining us today to chat with Nicola Cornick, Regency romance author from the UK. We are both pleased that you stopped in with so many other sites out there loaded with information. We’re on location in the parlour at a local English castle and glad you joined us dressed in the Regency period gowns. You all look fabulous! Please help yourself to refreshments, chocolate covered strawberries and the champagne fountain is bottomless!




Nicola:  First of all, thank you very much indeed for inviting me to your blog! I am very excited to be here!

Deanna:  Nicola, I love anything English and love the historical romances so I'm delighted you're here...and your accent is fun to listen to. Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.

Nicola:  Something about me that readers might not know… Well, one of my passions is traveling particularly if I discover places I might use as settings for my books. I have driven myself across Africa and Central America, I’ve climbed a volcano in Iceland and I’ve encountered polar bears in the Arctic!

 Deanna:  I didn’t know you’d done all that! How exciting, that’s a lot of travel and adventure for sure. What's all the commotion about? Someone new has joined our party! Oh my, he is sure to keep the ladies company today!


Nicola:  That's Alex, the hero from my next novel. He said he might stop by today. He's absolutely charming in his Navy uniform and looking a bit unshaven I'm afraid.

Deanna:  That doesn't seem to matter in the least!

Nicola: (holding up her fan and leaning toward Deanna) He's been travelling across country from the coast for several days. He looks a bit rough and ready to be in a lady's parlour since wrestling polar bears is more his thing. But he's frightfully charming so he will soon soothe the ruffled sensibilities that his unexpected arrival has caused. Plus he's Scottish so they will love his accent!

Deanna: He's on his way over here, Nicola. Now yes, he is definitely easy on the eyes.

Alex:  Nicola, how nice to see you here. I said I'd stop by when I arrived and I came straight to your party. I do hope that is agreeable. May I say, you do look ravishing today!

Nicola:   Alex, you are a charmer. I'm glad you stopped in. They all wanted to meet you. This is Deanna.

Alex:  My pleasure to meet you. I don't wish to interfere in the interview so I'll wait at the refreshment table until you finish. As I promised, I'll stay and chat with all of you later. Deanna...(Alex nodded before heading to take refreshments)

Deanna:  (fluttering my fan) He IS a distraction. How'd you get any writing done? Oh my! Now where were we? Sorry ladies, you can chat with him shortly, we promise! Nicola, did something happen that made you want to become a writer?

Nicola:  I became a writer by accident really. It was never a conscious decision and gradually my hobby took over from my day job. I was an only child and read a lot and also I was an observer. I love people watching. Characters fascinate me. And like so many other people I have had my share of difficult emotional experiences to cope with in life, which I find myself drawing on to give depth to characters and situations.

Deanna:  Do you write under a pen name?

Nicola:  No. Right from the start I used my own name.

Deanna:  Is there a certain type of character that is easier to write than another?

Nicola:  Ooh, interesting question! I like that. I do find that I tend to gravitate towards writing very honourable heroes, probably because I admire men with the qualities of strength and courage and integrity. My editor frequently tells me my heroes are too nice and I have to go back and give them more edge. Generally, though, I enjoy exploring all sorts of different characters in my writing.

Deanna:  Do you read in the same genre that you write in?

Nicola:  Yes! There are a lot of Regency historical authors that I enjoy reading very much. I never read their books when I’m writing though. I read them as treats when I have finished a manuscript! When I’m writing I read historical biography (at the moment I’m reading about Bess of Hardwick, the second most powerful woman in Elizabethan England). I also enjoy historical fiction, crime novels and thrillers.


Deanna:  Bess was indeed an interesting woman. Why did you choose to write in the Regency genre?  What was the draw for you?

Nicola:  I love the Regency period because it was a time of huge changes and contrasts, with all the glamour and squalor of the Georgian period merging into an age of massive change in politics, arts and technology. You have the high society and the underworld and all shades of people and backgrounds between. So much to explore as a writer!

Deanna:  What do you believe are the most important ingredients in a historical romance novel?

Nicola:  I think that the relationship between the hero and heroine needs to be really strong. They must be people with compelling backgrounds and pasts. I like the story to be set against an interesting historical background as well. Authentic historical detail is important to me as are humour and adventure, and I enjoy novels that explore the less familiar aspects of a period.

Deanna:  Which aspect of your research do you enjoy the most?

Nicola:  I love traveling to places like Scotland for my research. That’s no hardship! I absolutely love visiting country houses and historic sites and draw on them heavily for inspiration. To be honest, I like everything about historical research, from visiting costume museums to trying my hand at driving a carriage!

Deanna:  Do you listen to music when you write?

Nicola:  I don’t actually listen to anything when I write because I can’t work well with noise around me, but for each book I have a song or series of songs that sum up for me the theme of the book or the characters. I often post about this on my blog and website.

Deanna:  I know you’re on FaceBook and you have a newsletter they can sign up for on your website. Where else can readers find you and your books?

Nicola:  My website is at www.nicolacornick.co.uk and my blog, where I chat about history and writing is www.apassionforhistory.blogspot.com  I also blog with the Word Wenches at www.wordwenches.com and I love nothing more than chatting with readers about books, writing, history, and anything else we like!

Deanna: Thank you so much for allowing us an insight to you as an author. I love introducing authors to readers who may not have read you yet. We get quite a few comments telling us they’re glad they found another new author!





Nicola is doing a giveaway on Saturday and will pull the winner from those who leave a comment here. The winner will receive a signed set of the Brides of Fortune trilogy. The rules are listed below and please feel free to ask Nicola a question or two, she’ll be around Thursday and Friday to chat with you! Oh, don't forget Alex is around here somewhere also!

Contest Comment Rules: Tell us in your comment here which book won the 2009 Cover Cafe Contest? (Hint, visit her website, in a new window, for the answer then come back here) Be sure to leave your email addy so Nicola can contact the winner.

22 comments:

  1. Nicola, I'm going to check on more champagne and strawberries but I'll be back later. Have a great time with our readers.

    Alex, you are a most charming Scotsman, to say the least!

    Ladies....he's all yours!

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  2. Thank you, Deanna. What a delicious champagne tea! It's wonderful to be here.

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  3. Hi ladies! And you too, Alex. Oh, my!

    To answer your question, the book Scandals of an Innocent won the 2009 Cover Cafe Contest.

    I love this interview! So fun and entertaining. Excellent job, ladies! Have fun today. :o)

    ~Jaimey
    jaimeygrant[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  5. Nicola, my dear! Felicitations on your TIC Cover Cafe win for Scandals of an Innocent. Well done. And what a lovely gown. You look--

    Oh, Lord Grant, I had not expected to see you here. No, my lord, I remain sure that I am not of Russian descent. Truly, it was but my father's homage to Columbus's discoveries which brought me such a name. Very fond of America he was.

    Now, if you will both excuse me, I must find our hostess and demand the recipe for this delicious champagne tea. It complements the raspberry tarts so well. Oh, Deanna...

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  6. Hi Nicola, I'm not surprised Scandals of an Innocent won the Cover Cafe contest, it's gorgeous!!

    Love your books, especially when there's a trilogy or sequel so I can keep up with the characters that have already become friends in the first story.

    Can't wait to meet Alex, he sounds like a real man, and a man in uniform no less (she trembles in anticipation!)......

    Kim Colby
    kimberley_nz1@yahoo.com

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  7. Hi Jaimey! Thank you so much for dropping in. I'm so pleased you like the interview!

    Nina, you look truly stunning in that delightful gown! I love the idea that you were named in tribute to Columbus's ship!

    Kim, thank you for calling! I'm so pleased you enjoy series. I love writing linked books, maybe because I never want to say goodbye to my characters!

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  8. Hi Jaimey, Nina, Kim - we're so happy you all stopped in! What a wonderful gathering and to be among friends is great.

    The staff has promised to keep the strawberries and tarts plentiful for us and the champagne fountain full. We do have the carriage available for those who need a ride later!

    Nicola, tell us a bit more about Alex please! A man in uniform is always interesting; he's been to so many places.

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  9. Well, Deanna, I don't need to be invited twice to talk about Alex. Must admit that I love him to bits. I've wanted to write a rugged adventurer hero for years and the fact that he is in the Royal Navy as well is an added bonus! He's the hero of Whisper of Scandal, my new book coming out in October, and he escorts my heroine on a perilous journey to the Arctic. He's one of my favourite sorts of hero, in fact - the strong protector and just the man you need when you're trapped in the ice!

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  10. The answer is The Scandals of an Innocent won the 2009 Cover Cafe Contest. All your covers are beauriful. You are a new author to me. Will be adding your books to my reading list. They sound lovely. This was a wonderful post. Enjoyed it very much.
    Alex can you tell us what you do when you have some to yourself?
    Nicola do you have a say in your covers? What is your favorite place you have been to?
    Sue B
    katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. Hello, Nicola and Deanna! What a charming conversation! Both of you ladies look lovely. Chocolate, strawberries and champagne--most delightful! Your gowns are enchanting. I wore my latest in sapphire blue, which of course matches the sapphires and diamonds given by the hero of my own heart! Speaking of heroes, Alex looks dashing in his Naval uniform! Oh, my!

    The answer is: "The Scandals of an Innocent" won the 2009 Cover Cafe Contest.

    My question for Nicola: Is there any subject which you consider "taboo" in your own writing?

    gcwhiskas at aol dot com

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  12. Hi Sue! I am so pleased you enjoyed the interview. Thank you very much!

    You were asking what my favorite place is that I have been to and that is such a tough choice because I have been lucky enough to travel a lot. I love Scotland (my husband is half-Scottish and we visit his family there every year). I also love travelling to the US whenever I can and we did a marvellous trip last year to Arizona and California. I have American cousins so I always feel very welcome! And finally the Arctic, which I visited for Whisper of Scandal, is the most awesom place I've ever been. Thank you for your question!

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  13. Hi Virginia! Thank you for dropping by! Sapphires and diamond, eh? I would definitely hold on to that hero!

    Is there any subject which I consider "taboo" in my own writing? What a good question! Hmm. I think there are very few subjects I wouldn't tackle but there are a few I'm not very comfortable with. I struggle with infidelity in a romance book, mainly because of my dysfunctional family where that made a big impression on me as a child. That said, though, I've written that theme in the second of my new trilogy books out in the autumn so I do like to tackle stuff that can be a challenge for me as well as for readers. Actually for me the most taboo subjects are things like heroes shooting, hunting and fishing! I'm a great lover of wildlife and can't bear anything that hurts animals!

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  14. Hi, Nicola! Thanks for your reply! I do understand about loving animals. I am a "guilty carnivore". I am not a vegetarian. However, if I had to kill an animal for food, I couldn't do it! I live in a very small town in the beautiful mountains of Southwest VA, and hunting is a way of life and also a necessity. The deer are very beautiful, but they are plentiful and present a danger to drivers. We invaded their habitat centuries ago, and now we struggle to exist in the same space. I don't eat venison, but there is a program here called "Hunters for the Hungry" which provides venison to the food banks. It took me a lifetime to understand that the deer population must be controlled. If they are allowed to overpopulate, they will face starvation and shelter issues. Also, there will be an increasing number of unpleasant deer vs. human incidents. I admit to being a coward. I think deer are some of the most beautiful animals on earth, and I could never kill one unless it was a matter of mercy.

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  15. That's very interesting, Virginia. I am a guilty carnivore too and am very aware of the contradiction in my behaviour. Modern life allows me to be squeamish. We have a lot of deer around here too and they are controlled (as they are in Scotland too). They call it "deer monitoring" on our local estate in an attempt to make it sound more acceptable.

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  16. the answer is The Scandals of an Innocent

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  17. answer is Scandals of the Innocent k521@msn.com

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  18. Scandals of an Innocent k521@msn.com

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  19. Nicola - I had a hard time locating you in this crowd of visitors! LOL You've had so many stop in to cheer you on!

    We love crowds so they can all meet our authors and sometimes the heroes too! I see Alex is not lacking women to chat with. They seem to be enjoying his company.

    Glad to see the refreshments are still aplenty. Guests, please help yourself. Thank you all for coming to be with us!

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  20. Thank you so much!! I am so excited to win.
    Sue B

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  21. Kats, congrats on your win, you've been really lucky lately! Enjoy the books, I'm so jealous!

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