Featured Author: Emily Bryan

Howdy, Armchair Heroines! I'm thrilled to host historical romance author Emily Bryan today. She's had some interesting experiences, and I love her books!

So, how about a round of e-applause for Emily?!

Welcome, Emily! Vexing the Viscount is your latest release. Please, tell us about it.

VEXING THE VISCOUNT is a sexy, light-hearted romp (with a more serious story-within-a-story embedded inside it.) It’s the tale of Daisy Drake, a well-born miss who developed a childhood infatuation for Lucian Beaumont, now Viscount Rutland. Unfortunately, his father holds a terrible grudge against her uncle, but Daisy doesn’t let that daunt her. She masquerades as a French courtesan to convince Lucian to let her help him find the lost Roman treasure he seeks.

The secondary love story explains how the Roman payroll went missing in the first place. Readers can sample a little of both on my website http://www.emilybryan.com/ .

Sounds wonderful! Readers, you can purchase your very own copy of Vexing the Viscount here. You sang opera for awhile (in Colorado - my home state). Does that experience carry over to your writing? If so, how?

Yes, I confess, I was a schleppy soprano. I made my debut with the Denver Symphony and actually won the Metropolitan Opera auditions there in Colorado! My singing experience carries over to my writing because when I prepared an operatic role, I always devised a backstory for my character (you know what I mean, the whole “What’s my motivation?” dilemma actors go through!) I still love opera, though I always hate to see the soprano die just when the tenor finally figures out that he loves her! In my books, my heroines get to live AND keep the guy (who’s much smarter than the average operatic tenor!). It makes a nice change.

Getting to live and keeping the guy...now that's a happily ever after! :0) Did you always know you wanted to write historical romance?

I didn’t even know I wanted to write till 2001, but I was always a voracious reader and gravitated toward historicals. I love the whole “take me away” quality of a good historical. Sub-genres tend to go through cycles of popularity, but historicals are the “little black dress” of romance. They’re always in style.

I have to agree (although I love many different romance genres), there is something about historicals that really take me away from reality for awhile! Tell us a little about how you research your books.

Once I know when I’m placing my story, I start with TIMETABLES OF HISTORY by Grun. This is a quick overview of the political, cultural, religious and scientific events of any given year. I hit the internet for background material, of course, but I don’t take anything I find there as gospel unless I can confirm it with a 2nd citing.

I love to visit art museums and study portraiture to get a handle on how people presented themselves in different eras. You’d be surprised what you can glean about clothing, cosmetics, weaponry, even pets, from a study of the art of a period.

My old music history books even give me a peek into how people lived in other times. For instance, did you know that JS Bach walked 100 miles to hear his favorite organist, Buxtehude, play in recital? Now that’s a devoted fan!

Interesting approach, and I'd never heard that about Bach before! What can we expect to see from Emily Bryan next?

VEXING THE VISCOUNT is still available in bookstores now. My next release is A CHRISTMAS BALL, due out September 29th! For this holiday anthology, I’ve teamed up with USA Today Best Seller Jennifer Ashley and exciting new author Alissa Johnson. All our characters are attending Lord and Lady Hartwell’s grand Christmas Ball and YOU are invited too!

My current WIP, STROKE OF GENIUS is the story of a Bostonian heiress who takes courting advice from the brilliant artist who’s engaged to sculpt her hands. She attracts the attention of a duke, but finds herself yearning for the brooding, darkly dangerous genius who helped her transform from an ugly duckling into a social swan. Look for STROKE OF GENIUS in the summer of 2010!

Please sign up for my newsletter at http://www.emilybryan.com/ for reminders of what’s coming next!

Both sound intriguing, and I love the idea of seeing an event through the eyes of three different authors and their characters. Can you tell us about some of your favorite interactions with readers?

Hand’s down, it’s got to be my 50day/50blog VEXING THE VISCOUNT tour! I set off on a whirlwind trip through cyber-space at the first of the year and picked up a fun core group of “blog touristas” who came along for the ride. We had a great time and still do, at my personal blog http://www.emilybryan.blogspot.com/ .

The high point of my recent Romantic Times Convention was meeting two of my touristas, face to face!

How fun! If you could lead a secret double life, what or who would you moonlight as?

Don’t look now, but I’m already doing it. Mild-mannered house-wife by day and romantic wild-child by . . . day, too. Actually I squeeze the wild-child in between loads of laundry and walking Susie the Wonder Dog.

We should start a secret sorority...Sisterhood of the Romantic Laundresses/Writers! ;0) Which of your characters are you most like? Most unlike?

That’s a toughie. Actually, there’s a little of me in all of them since they all sprang from my subconscious. (Which sort of makes me go “hmmmm” when I think about the less-than-nice villains who abound in my stories.)

I’d like to be more like Daisy Drake, who knows what she wants and is willing to go after it no matter what that entails. Admit it! Haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like to wear a courtesan’s shoes? Daisy knows first hand.

I can't wait to read more about Daisy! With Mother's Day just around the corner, what is something invaluable you learned from an important woman in your life?

I have many incredible women in my life, including my two daughters. But I have to say I learned about keeping love alive from my mother. My dad was a railroader and she always made it an occasion when he came home. We’d all run to hug and kiss him. (I have 3 sisters—like I said, lots of incredible women in my life!) Every single time, it was as if the conquering hero had returned. She didn’t greet him with news of the leaking hot water heater or the trouble one of us girls might have gotten into while he was gone (remember I said incredible women, not perfect!)—no, she welcomed him like a king. She and my dad have been married for over 50 years and he’s always treated her as his queen.

‘Scuse me, my DH is at the door. Time to run for a hug and a kiss!

Thank you so much for being here, Emily! Any parting words?

Thanks again for having me, Tiff. Readers can learn more about my books at http://www.emilybryan.com/ . I’ll be back to respond to comments or questions. As an added incentive, anyone who leaves a comment or question will be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of PLEASURING THE PIRATE.

You heard her, AH Readers. Let us know what's on your mind for your chance to pick up a copy of PLEASURING THE PIRATE. The winner be announced right here by Friday!

Happy Wednesday!

The winner of Pleasuring the Pirate, generated by Random.org is:

Mari

Congratulations, Mari! Email me at Tiffany@TiffanyJames.net with your snail mail address and Emily will get your book "sailing" your way! :0)

Thanks to everyone who joined us yesterday - what fun! Be sure to stop by Emily's blog on Monday to say "hi" and then get your patooties back here on May 20th to meet historical romance author Kris Kennedy.