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Ms. Jordan it is a pleasure to have you join us this
month as one of our featured authors. I am especially
delighted to have this opportunity to interview you, as
I thoroughly enjoyed Too Wicked Too Tame.
Congratulations on being named to USA Today's
Bestseller's List and having reached the international
markets in Japan, Russia, and Spain.
MONICA: Sophie, there are numerous authors that write
historical romance, what separates your writing from
theirs considering the tremendous success you have
experienced in a short period.
SOPHIE: You know, I've tried to figure out for awhile
what it is I "do well" -- because I believe every author
has something that sets her apart, and in my case,
knowing this would, presumably, keep me going on the
right tract. I guess the common thread in all of my
books is the emotional intensity. I don't have a lot of
extra stuff going on aside of the developing
relationship between the hero and no mystery (that's not
to say I don't toss in a couple twists), not always a
definable villain, etc. I give my hero and heroine
enough baggage that it takes 380 pages for them to just
overcome that and accept their love for one another.
Much of my success, I credit to a great publisher that
gets me on the shelves with catchy covers, and of
course, all my fans.
MONICA: How difficult is it for you to transition from
writing historical romance to paranormal? Both genres
have the romance element but subscribe to a totally
different kind of romance.
SOPHIE: Whenever I finish a book, I'm eager and ready to
dive into the next one - be it historical or paranormal.
It's a treat to take a break from the one genre and
submerge myself in another. And my paranormals, while
still having the emotional intensity, are a fun change.
I usually have elements of suspense. They're grittier
and edgier ... and just all around fun to write. I read
a myriad of genres, so why not write them, too?
MONICA: If you could incorporate characters from a
classic love story into one of your books, whom would
they be, from which story and why?
SOPHIE: I taught English, so I have many favorites. I
love talk about your kick-butt heroines. But, I also
love Cordelia from King Lear and Julius Caesar's Antony!
His funeral oration gave me goose bumps. Hmm, I just
noticed I'm leaning toward tragedies. See! I go for the
emotion that sticks in your throat.
MONICA: Tell us a little about Sharie Kohler and the
paranormal titles.
SOPHIE: Well, I am Sharie Kohler! It just seemed less
confusing to use my own name when writing contemporary
paranormals. My first book, MARKED BY MOONLIGHT released
last January. It's Book #1 of the Moon Chasers series. I
pitched it as romancing the Stone meets Underworld. You
have a mousy woman dragged into danger and transformed
(literally!). The hero is lycan hunter, intent on
terminating her since she's been infected. Eventually,
they team up to find the alpha wolf responsible for her
attack -- hoping to kill it before the full moon when
she will shift, kill, and lose her soul. The world I've
created in the first book has exploded on me! So far,
there are four books planned for the series. I've
introduced more/other species in the future books. So,
it just won't be lycans vs. humans.
MONICA: What advice can you offer aspiring writers?
SOPHIE: Everyone's path is different, so don't try to
mold yourself into the person next you. Do what works
for you. Attend craft workshops, soak up everything you
can and write, write, write! Oh, and find a good agent.
MONICA: Lets talk about your latest release, SURRENDER
TO ME, which I enjoyed almost as much as TOO WICKED TOO
TAME. The characters seem to have a quiet complexity (if
there is such a phrase). I just loved the Scottish
lairds MacFadden and Gallagher and the roles they would
play in the story. How much does research factor into
your writing?
SOPHIE: Thank you, Monica! TOO WICKED TO TAME was a
favorite among so many of my fans, so that means a lot.
Quiet complexity I love that expression! I did
research Scotland quite a bit, never having written a
book in this setting. When I discovered that a famine
was going on in my time period, I thought it was perfect
for my book! The Scottish people were migrating. Robbery
and crime were at an all time high. The roads were
unsafe. Griffin and Astrid are traveling through a land
during very desperate times. It only added to the
intensity of personal conflicts. The grandfathers are
from fictional clans, but I researched various clans,
focusing especially on the of rivalry between clans and
how the rivalry manifested itself i.e.,
MONICA: SURRENDER TO ME is the follow-up for TOO WICKED
TOO TAME was that intentional? Also, describe for our
readers how you developed the main characters. I
particularly enjoyed the strength of Astrid's character
and how she faced adversity head on and remained strong
throughout the story. Griffin's character was very
confident, yet when he met his family, I detected a
vulnerability that was not present before. Lastly, were
your character developments a natural occurrence during
the writing process?
SOPHIE: When I wrote TOO WICKED TO TAME, SURRENDER TO ME
was not planned. When I finished TOO WICKED TO TAME and
took a hard look at it, one secondary character caught
my eye. The cold sister-in-law Astrid. Even with her
dastardly behavior, I felt compassion for her. She
seemed so alone. So remote. Yet tough. Her husband
abandoned her, left her to the wolves, and I couldn't
forget her. That's when I came up with the idea for
SURRENDER TO ME. Astrid is the most different historical
heroine I have ever written. I almost wrote her like a
man. She is hardened and unsentimental in the way we
often find our heroes to be -- at least at the beginning
of the book. My characters did develop somewhat
naturally. Halfway through the book, I realized what I
had were two characters so very much alike (maybe
because I wrote Astrid as I often write my heroes). Both
the hero and heroine eventually see that they are two
sides of the same coin. Both damaged and blaming
themselves for events of the past and denying themselves
a future.
MONICA: Why did you decide to limit Bertram's presence
in the story? I envisioned a little more conflict and
hoped for he and Griffin to have significant
interactions.
SOPHIE: I debated giving Bertram a bigger role, but I
felt that since he is Astrid's husband, Griffin and
Astrid's story could never really begin until he was out
of the picture. I was very satisfied with Astrid's
confrontation with Bertram early in the book. It showed
her mettle and dignity. Of course, Bertram's "ghost,"
metaphorically, is still there.
MONICA: If you were to re-write a portion of this story,
would it be the beginning, middle or end and why?
SOPHIE: As a writer, I've learned to let go of what I
cannot control. Playing the coulda woulda game once the
book is out of my hands can make you nuts. I'm happy
with how this book turned out. I love the epilogue! I
think it was the perfect way for the book to end. I'm
sure I'll reevaluate once more reviews trickle in, and I
can consider all the various feedback ... and put what
I've learned into the next book.
MONICA: Sophie, do you have any plans to write
contemporaries? What is next?
SOPHIE: Well, I do love that my paranormals are
contemporaries. That's perhaps the most exhilarating
part of writing my Moon Chasers series. But I do love
reading straight contemporaries (Rachel Gibson, Anne
Holmes, Heather Macalister)... so I'll never say never.
Who knows what the future holds. The next book to hit
shelves after SURRENDER TO ME is book #2 of my Moon
Chasers series, KISS OF A DARK MOON, releasing in spooky
October! Perfect timing! Then in April 09, it's another
historical. And in Sept 09, another paranormal
MONICA: Finish this sentence; I love writing because it
allows me the opportunity to
SOPHIE:
write the books that I fantasize about
reading.
MONICA: Thank you so much for visiting us here at The
Romance Readers Connection and best wishes for continued
success.
SOPHIE: Thank you, Monica - especially for asking such
great questions.
For more information about Sophie and her upcoming or
past releases, please visit
http://www.sophiejordan.net
(Click for a review of
SURRENDER TO
ME) |
