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TRRC is delighted to welcome historical romance
author Alexandra Benedict as one our authors of the
month!
Angela Etheridge: Thank you for joining us at TRRC, Ms.
Benedict. How long have you been writing? What inspired
you to publish your novels?
Alexandra Benedict: Thanks for having me. I'm happy to
be here!
I've been writing for about ten years. After taking a
creative writing course in high school, I re-discovered
my love for storytelling. I set to work on my first
novel at age nineteen. It was a personal challenge,
really. I wanted to see if I could actually write a book
(not just a false start or a short story). After I'd
reached my goal, it was my mom who encouraged me to set
a new goal: publication. I really needed that kick in
the behind, so thanks mom!
AE: All of your novels are historical romance. What
inspires you to write in historical settings?
AB: I love history. I studied history at university and
I work part-time in a museum. I enjoy writing historical
romance for the social dynamic. Once upon a time there
were so many rules about who you could marry. I love
writing about this. I love making my characters break
the rules.
AE: Your newest release, TOO DANGEROUS TO DESIRE, is the
final installment in a trilogy. How do you feel about
concluding the series?
AB: I feel great about bringing the series to a
satisfying conclusion. I'm a very neat and organized
person; I don't like loose ends. And there were so many
loose ends after I'd finished the first book: TOO GREAT
A TEMPTATION I had to tie up all those loose ends and
I'm thrilled with the result.
AE: In TOO DANGEROUS TO DESIRE, the central conflict
focuses on Evelyn and Adam. Both have personal torments
that weigh heavily on their souls. How do you balance
personal struggles and joys in a romance that involves
so much internal and external conflict?
AB: Great question! I think it's all a matter of pacing.
After an emotional /high action scene, it's important to
write a softer, more sensuous scene. For example, after
a fight, the h/h in TOO DANGEROUS TO DESIRE come
together and form a shaky truce. The hero teaches the
heroine how to swim … at night … in the moonlight. This
scene offers the characters (and the reader) a chance to
breathe and to enjoy the romance.
AE: Reflecting on the trilogy, of which novel do you
feel most proud? Which character did you enjoy most?
AB: Hmm … This is a tough one. I really love all three
books for different reasons. TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION was
the first book in the series, so it was an ambitious
project and offered me immense satisfaction to complete.
TOO SCANDALOUS TO WED was so much fun to write; the
heroine was a joy to create. And the h/h in TOO
DANGEROUS TO DESIRE are so vulnerable, I really feel for
them. I don't think I could choose a favorite.
AE: Your website indicates you are in the process of
developing a new series. What's in store next for
readers?
AB: Yes, I'm working on a new series about the Hawkins
brothers! The Hawkins brothers first appeared in TOO
GREAT A TEMPTATION. Now that their sister (the heroine
in TGAT) is married to a duke, it's time for the rogue
pirates to retire their wicked ways, polish their
manners … and enter high society. Look for the series to
begin Summer 2009.
AE: Were you a big reader when you were younger? What
childhood books did you cherish?
AB: Yes! I loved reading as a kid. I loved stories like
MILLICENT AND THE WIND by Robert Munsch or THE LITTLE
MATCHES GIRL by Hans Christian Anderson. In my pre-teens
I discovered THE CALL OF THE WILD by Jack London and I
loved every BABY-SITTERS CLUB book.
AE: What authors can be found on your bookshelf today?
What genres do you enjoy?
AB: My favorite author is Emily Bronte, so you can find
different editions of WUTHERING HEIGHTS on my bookshelf.
I'm also a big fan of biography. I'm currently reading
BECOMING JANE AUSTEN by Jon Spence, VIRGINIA WOOLF: AN
INNER LIFE by Julia Briggs, and CLEOPATRA THE GREAT: THE
WOMAN BEHIND THE LEGEND by Joann Fletcher. I like to mix
things up by reading more than one book at a time.
AE: What do you hope readers get from your books?
AB: If readers walk away feeling inspired—about love,
life, everything!—then I'm most happy.
AE: Many readers are also aspiring authors. What is the
one most important piece of advice you would give them?
AB: If you're writing romance, focus on conflict: the
conflict between the h/h and the inner conflict each
character struggles with in the book. Without conflict,
there is no tension or suspense. And without tension or
suspense, there's nothing to keep the reader flipping
the pages.
AE: Is there anything else you would like to share with
readers?
AB: Right now I'm hosting a contest. Visit my website
for your chance to win all three autographed books in my
current series.
Thanks for having me at TRRC!
Cheers!
(Click for a review of
TOO
DANGEROUS TO DESIRE) |
