Interview with Hazel Statham:
Hi Hazel. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...
- Please tell us about your latest book.
‘My Dearest Friend’, is a story that is very dear to my heart. Here is a brief blurb:
Robert Blake, Duke of Lear, is a man of intense emotions who loves deeply and protects fiercely. Devastated and wracked with guilt by the death of his younger brother, Stefan, in the Peninsular War, he readily agrees to aid Jane Chandler to bring her seriously wounded brother back from Portugal.
Much against Jane’s wishes, he decides to accompany her and together they embark on the hazardous mission to retrieve the young soldier. However, the journey holds many revelations, not least of all the abiding friendship and growing love between the two travelers.
That special love is put severely to the test by the treachery that awaits them upon their return to England, when a tenant of Jane’s former home invades their lives, maliciously creating jealousy and misunderstandings for his own nefarious reasons.
Can their friendship and love conquer the emotions that threaten to tear them asunder?
- What can we expect from you in the future?
I have another Regency Romance. ‘His Shadowed Heart’, due for release with Wings ePress on June 1st, and a further two releases, ‘Consequence’, a Georgian Romance, and ‘Lizzie’s Rake’ Regency (2008, exact dates to be announced) with Highland Press.
- How do we find out about you and your books?
If you would care to visit my website www.hazel-statham.co.uk you will find reviews and excerpts of my current and upcoming publications. There are also two free short stories and a little information about me.
- How may readers contact you?
I love to hear from my readers and always respond to their letters. They can contact me by email at hazel.statham1@ntlworld.com I'd love to hear from you.
- How many readers/fans contact you?
I can’t give you an exact number, but I have had quite a few contact me over the past two years.
- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?
Each and every one is important to me and I will willingly consider any comments they care to make.
- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?
It has to be that they loved the book. It’s what every author longs to hear.
- Why did you decide to write romance novels?
I am not averse to writing pure Historical Fiction but Historical Romance is so much more popular and is what I have enjoyed reading myself for so many years. My first love is the Regency and Georgian eras and it is the opportunity to recreate the romance and elegance of the period.
- How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
Escapism and the opportunity to be transported, if only briefly, into another age and, if the writer has done her job well, to experience the mores of a bygone era. Love is love, no matter what the period but, for me, it seems so much more romantic away from the harshness of the 21st Century.
- Do you have a target audience, and if so, who are they?
I don’t target a specific audience. I write what I would like to read and welcome any readers it may appeal to.
- What motivated you to start writing in this genre?
At fifteen I devoured the classics from the pens of such authors as Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Rafael Sabatini etc and I suddenly had a compulsion to write a book of my own.
- Who would you say has influenced you the most?
I have to say, Georgette Heyer and Charlotte Bronte have been my main source of inspiration and I have re-read their works several times over the years.
- What are your main concerns as a writer?
I think an author has a responsibility to his/her readers to get it ‘right’. If I state facts, through research, I make them as accurate as I can. I make the story fit the fact, not the fact fit the story.
- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
I think it’s inevitable that occasionally a little bit of an author’s personality seeps into the characters they create. As to experiences, I am very lucky in the eras in which I write as I have lived with horses and dogs throughout my life and it is only natural to include them in my work. Although none play a major role in any of my books, there are several who have a little cameo part.
- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
As I previously mentioned, I started writing at fifteen (many, many moons ago). It was just a compulsion I couldn’t ignore, and it has remained so throughout the years. About three years ago, I joined a writers group that met at the local college and the lecturer who headed the group badgered me into submitting my work. I was terrified as I had written mainly for myself and to entertain family and friends. You can imagine my amazement and delight when I had two manuscripts accepted almost at once.
- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
It all depends. With the exception of ‘Dominic’ (which took about two months) I would say generally about three to four months, but there is always an exception to the rule and ‘Lizzie’s Rake’ took almost a year as I spent quite some time in hospital.
- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I usually go with the flow, although that ‘flow’ usually hits me very late at night or early in the morning. I have been known to get out of bed and head for the computer at midnight, staying there until well into the small hours. The same with the morning. I rise at the crack of dawn and start writing immediately.
- What is your writing routine once you start a book?
I don’t have a set routine but it is constantly on my mind and I use any and all excuses to spend time writing.
- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
That depends. I find it easier to write when my husband is at work and I have the house to myself as I hate interruptions, but if I have my little grandson with me, I find writing impossible. I like absolute quiet otherwise I loose my train of thought.
- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Read! It’s a constant joke amongst the family that they can leave me anywhere as long as I have something to read.
- Where do your ideas come from?
I find inspiration from many different sources, for example, ‘My Dearest Friend’, came from a dream, whilst ‘The Portrait’ came from the line ‘I want to be the man that you think I am,’ from a song in the film ‘Hawks’. ‘Dominic’ – well Dominic just strode onto the page, announced himself and away we went. He more or less wrote his own story!
- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?
Certainly it is important. Imagine how dull life would be with no humour in it. I also think that humour is an important part of a relationship. There are many times when it can lighten an otherwise dour situation and make things bearable.
- What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?
I write ‘sweet’, and that is by choice. Not because I have anything against more graphic work but because I feel that it’s just something I couldn’t do well and if it’s poorly portrayed could spoil the whole tone of the book. Therefore, even though my books are romantic, I close the bedroom door when my characters retire.
- What kind of research do you do?
I have several reference books and I also read books written in the pertinent eras but I find the internet my most valuable tool. I am forever amazed at the amount of information that’s at your fingertips on the web.
- Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?
For the moment, I just can’t envisage writing anything else, but sometimes little snippets of other genres come into my mind. Someday I will explore them more and who knows what the result will be.
- What does your husband/wife/partner think of your writing?
My husband is very supportive and encouraged me through every stage of my writing.
- Do you ever ask him for advice?
I have to admit to a terrible lack of geographical knowledge and frequently have to ask him where places are situated so that I can calculate how long it would take my characters to ride/drive there.
- Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
I live in the UK and have been married to my husband since 1969. We have a grown daughter and a beautiful six-year-old grandson who is a constant delight.
Apart from reading and writing my other passion is animals and until recently I was treasurer for an organisation that raised money for animal charities. Over the years, we have had several wonderful animals and have owned everything from hamsters to horses. We currently share our home with Lucy, a lovely yellow Labrador.
- Fill in the blank favorites –
City. London and Paris
Season. Spring
Type of hero. Alpha with a tortured soul (think Edward Fairfax Rochester!)
Type of heroine. Capable, but not harsh or managing
- What are some of your favorite things to do?
Visiting America is definitely top of my list. We also go to Centre Parcs once a year with my daughter and her family and have a great time. Anything to do with animals, although I must admit that my mobility is somewhat limited. Drawing and painting (animals of course). I also love to spend time with my grandson and we are great pals.
- Do you have a favorite author and/or a favorite book?
‘Jane Eyre’ – Charlotte Bronte, ‘These Old Shades’ –Georgette Heyer, ‘Flowers from the Storm’ – Laura Kinsale… really, there are far too many to list. My home is full of books as I can’t bear to part with a single one.
- -Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?
I am a member of EPIC and several on-line reader and author groups, especially those related to historical romance.
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully, still as a published author. It would be wonderful if my name became well-known within the genre but I will continue to write no matter what.
- How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have been writing on and off for 46 years. Initially, I had no thought of publication but just had this compulsion I couldn’t ignore.
- How many books have you written, how many have been published?
Over the years, I have written nine books, three of which were lost when I married and moved home. ‘Dominic’ was published in August, 2007, ‘My Dearest Friend’, January, 2008, ‘His Shadowed Heart’, June, 2008. ‘Consequence’ and ‘Lizzie’s Rake’, 2008 and ‘The Portrait’ which should have been published in September but due to Triskelion’s closure is now looking for another home.
- Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
It has to be ‘My Dearest Friend’, with Robert and Jane.
- What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
That’s easy. ‘Dominic’ was both the easiest to write and the most fun. He is also the youngest of all my heroes and his is a fun story. The most difficult to write is my current WIP that has a working title of ‘Sarah’. I want to make sure I get it right and it involves a lot of research.
- What sets the book apart from the other things you have written?
It deals with two very serious subjects and I want to portray them correctly.
- In what way is it similar?
It is Regency set but that is the only similarity.
- What will your next book be about?
I can’t really give the plot away except to say that it is about a young bride who absconds from her new husband after just one month of marriage. Her reasons must remain a mystery as they are what drives the plot. All I can say is that you are still assured of a happy ending.
- What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Seeing my books in print. I can’t describe the feeling of holding a book in your hands and knowing that you have written every word between its covers. It’s amazing!
- Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?
Definitely the story. All I need is a little something to spark an idea and I mull it over for a while, all the time adding elements to the plot. Then comes the characters and I work with them in my head until I know the main facets of their character and watch them grow. The setting tends to come with the story-line.
- What are the elements of a great romance for you?
A connection between the hero and heroine that blossoms and grows. Knowing that they can overcome whatever difficulties life throws in their way with the depth of their feelings.
- Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?
I must say that my characters tend to take over the plot. I just sit back and watch it all unfold, just like a play. Quite often words come out of their mouths over which I have no control and I find the story going off at a tangent which often adds extra elements, thus giving it more depth and meaning.
- Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?
Occasionally I come to a full stop but what I usually do is find something else to do until the urge to write comes over me again. I’m not writing to a schedule so there is no pressure – which I’m sure helps the creativity to return.
- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
The rewards are twofold. Firstly, and most importantly, giving readers pleasure with your work. Secondly, for me at least, spending time with my characters and being, if only briefly, part of their lives.
- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
For some authors, rejection is very difficult to deal with. They see it as a repudiation of their worth, but this is not necessarily the case. Just because your work is rejected does not necessarily mean that you’re a bad writer – just that your work is not suitable for that particular publishing house. What suits one doesn’t automatically suit another. For example, if you write ‘sweet’, it’s pointless submitting to a publisher who publishes only erotica. Choose which publisher you wish to submit your manuscript to and then research the type of material they are currently accepting
Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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