Charlotte Featherstone Interview and Giveaway

CharlotteFeatherstone:

 I am here today to welcome you to easily one of my personal most anticipated interviews I have done! Today we welcome Charlotte Featherstone. 

Charlotte is author to some amazing books, some which include – Sinful, Addicted and The Brethren Guardians. 

Elena and I were like giggly school girls when we got to do the interview and Im still Happy Dancing around my office. 

Charlotte not only an amazing author but an amazing person and we were honoured to have her on our blog. 

If you haven’t read Featherstones books yet – then read on and enter our fabulous giveaway. We have four books to giveaway today. 

CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW TO SEE SOME OF SER'S REVIEWS...

Sam: Let’s start with a doosey ; Charlotte can you tell us five things about yourself that people might not know? 


Charlotte: This should be easy! Lol! There are quite a few things that people don’t know about me and I am happy share.

1. 1.      I tend to be reserved, and this can sometimes come off as being antisocial. But I think most writers have a tendency to lean that way.

1. 2.      I lack confidence at times

1. 3.      I actually can hear my characters talking in my head. (hubby sometimes gets worried over this! Lol!)

1. 4.      I get my ideas for scenes and dialogue when I am grocery shopping, cooking or doing dishes.

1. 5.      I originally wanted to be an author since the age of eight, and was accepted into my dream school, Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, but decided at the last minute to instead follow a more certain mode of employment by becoming a Registered Nurse. I couldn’t give up the dream, however, and decided in 2000 that I needed to follow that dream—and here I am!

• 6.      And the bonus....I am a deplorable housekeeper. Seriously. If you dropped in unannounced I would most likely pretend I am not home because my house would be in complete disarray. This may change though, since I have recently gotten myself a housekeeper!!!

Sam: Your newest release, Pride and Passion, would you tell us a about what we can expect and where your wicked ideas for this novel came from? 

Charlotte: I think readers can expect an emotional read, which is kind of typical of my books. I have a great fondness for exploring the human dynamic in all its forms. Sometimes it’s not always nice, and sometimes it’s just beautiful. I really like to weave the human experience into my stories, and my characters flaws, personalities and strengths. I think readers can also expect to find a rather steamy read, too. I do love writing love scenes!

Where did the idea come from....hmmm, I can honestly say I am not sure. When I wrote Seduction and Scandal, the first book in the series, I had a very definite idea about Lord Black and Isabella, but not so much with Sussex and Lucy from Pride and Passion. I do remember sitting down and telling myself that I had to get something on the page. And once I just loosened up, their story poured onto the screen. This sometimes happen to me, and thankfully, it all comes together in the end.

I think readers are really going to love the way Sussex is devoted to Lucy! Oh, and did I mention some yummy love scenes and the fact that Sussex has a tendency to talk during them....I do love a naughty talker!LOL! 

Sam: I could sit here and drool all day at the covers of your books!  Sinful is easily my favourite. Do you get alot of input into the covers of the books? 

Charlotte: You know, my husband and I were talking about covers last night, because I was staring at the cover of Pride and Passion. I love that cover, so much. It reflects the couple so well. My husband claimed his favourite was Addicted, and I said, if pressed, I would probably pick Sinful as my favourite cover! I think that lone man, and his stance perfectly portrays Lord Wallingford, and the struggle within the book!! It’s a simple cover, really, and yet so powerful.

As to whether I get input. Yes. Some. Harlequin has you fill out quite a detailed art fact sheet. You describe your characters both physically and emotionally. The conflicts within the story, any themes, you always send them any images of things you might have used while writing the book, or that inspired you. You describe pivotal scenes, and what sort of imagery you are looking for. And that is it. The art department then takes over. I have been absolutely blessed with my covers. The art director who does my covers really gets me and my writing, and she continually captures the feel and tone of what I am going for in each book. I think the better an author can articulate the crux of her story, the more the artist has to work with. That said, designing a cover is an art unto itself, a creative aspect for the artist, and I do like to see what they come up with in their own right! It’s always so exciting to get that cover art reveal! 

One day I would absolutely love to be able to attend a shoot for one of my covers. I think that would be so, so, so exciting!!!!!!! 

Sam: Have you killed of a character and then regretted it? 

Charlotte: Not yet! Lol! But I do regret that one character never fully developed for me, and that is Garrett, Lord Broughton, from Addicted. I do not know what it is, but he has never really spoken to me. I don’t know him intimately, but would love to. There are so many readers out there who would love to have his story, but I really don’t know his story. Maybe one day I will, and will be able to write it!

Sam: Who would be your pick of the crop to co-write with be if you could pick anyone!

Charlotte: Well, an author from the past would most definitely be Charlotte Bronte! That woman could write brooding men, and I love brooding!  And present, well, it would probably be Lisa Kleypas. I admire her so much, and I love her stories.

Sam: If you had the chance to go forward or back in time, what would it be and why?

Charlotte: I would definitely go back in time. I would really love to get a sense of the era in which I write. Plus, I would not mind at all if some handsome, rakish lord swept me up into his carriage for a tumble! Lol! See, my imagination never stops!

Elena: What was your life like before becoming an author?

Charlotte: Good question. And a hard one. I was very happy in most aspects, except one aspect of it. I felt like in my career, I was missing something. I felt dissatisfied, and I knew it was because I was doing something I did not want to do. I wanted to write. I felt unfulfilled. It wasn’t until I started writing that I realized how much I missed it, how much it gave to me, and how happy it made me. One day, I hope to be able to give up the nursing gig, and just write. That’s the next dream to fulfil!!! 

Elena: Do you start with an idea and see where it leads you or do you plot out the complete book before you start?

Charlotte: Oh, I am definitely a pantser! I only jot down ideas, here and there. Most of my plotting is mental, I can spend hours, days, weeks just thinking of the characters, seeing them, hearing them. My mind wanders through scenes, and I seem to remember them, and connect with the characters in a far more intimate way then I would if I wrote everything out.

To me, plotting a book out is laborious, and I am not motivated in that vein at all. The fun for me in writing, is sitting down and watching everything pour out of me and onto the computer screen. I am learning as the characters speak. Its like watching a movie. I am afraid I would be totally bored with the book if I had to plot out everything before I even sat down to write it. I have to chalk it up to my personality, I guess, and my writing style. I know there are many authors who plot, and I do admire those authors, but I know that method isn’t for me.

Elena: "Addicted" and "Forever Yours" are my two top favorite novels you have written. These stories are heartfelt and warming. Can you tell us, when writing these stories, what your favorite parts were?

Charlotte: In Forever Yours, I just loved writing about a married couple who were still in love, but were growing apart due to life and children. I think that happens to everyone who has been in a long term relationship. I mean, marriage, and commitment is an ongoing thing. Its work, but there is such pleasure to be had in it, too. So, I really just had fun with making this couple come back to one another. I enjoyed every little thing about it! I have an idea for another story about a married couple, and would love to explore that as well. Hopefully soon!!!

Addicted....wow. Addicted and Sinful were such an experience for me to write. So draining, but rewarding. I was just so pleased to have found the right editor and the right publisher for these stories. I loved writing the whole book, but what made the experience so much better was during the edit phase. My editor and I were discussing things, and I had a scene written, that I had taken out. I was afraid what she would say, and then she shocked me by asking me how I would feel about adding a scene with Lindsay and Anais while he was using. We agreed it would have to be done in such a way as to make him sympathetic to readers. To say I was nervous, but thrilled is an understatement, because that was the scene I had deleted for fear of being too racy! Lol! That scene, and everyone seems to know THAT scene, when Lindsay believes he has lost Anais, and he himself gets lost not only in their lovemaking, but in the opium as well, was my favourite writing experience of Addicted. It stretched my skills, made me not think at all about what readers would think, and think only about the characters and their mindset, their emotions and fears. I think it really shows Lindsay, how he truly is, I love that it is raw, and open, and there are no barriers. So, yeah, I guess it would be that scene that I think of with Addicted.

 
Elena: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Charlotte: Definitely I would like to thank my readers for not only finding me amongst the thousands of authors out there, but for standing by me, for emailing me, for buying my books, and taking the time to type up reviews and by supporting me and promoting me through interviews, blog visits etc... I value every single one, and I keep every email—they buoy me up when I having a bad writing day! I couldn’t do what I love without them! So thankyou!!!!

Thankyou Charlotte for joining us on our blog! Im still doing  a happy dance.

Read on for our Giveaway:

CharlotteFeatherstone’s most recent release:

Click HERE to read an excerpt from this story. 

Lucy Ashton had long ago given up her quest for true love. In the rarified society of Victorian England, Lucy plays the game - flirting, dancing and dabbling in the newly fashionable spiritualism. Even marrying when - and who - she's supposed to. If the stuffy Duke of Sussex cannot spark the passion she craves, he can as least give her a family, a home of her own, and a place to belong. When her polite marriage reveals a caring and sensual man, Lucy begins to wonder if she can indeed have it all.

But Lord Sussex is not the man the London ton has come to admire. And Lucy has some ghosts of her own, as well. Thus, when a blackmail scheme turns to threats of danger, the newfound pease of the Sussex marriage is cast upon the rocks. Passion has a price, Lucy learns. And not all ghosts stay buried.

I have the Giveaway to end all Giveaways today! Charlotte Featherstone has gone above and beyond my expecations in  a giveway.

Charlotte is giving away:
PAPER BACK (USA AND CAN ONLY)

2x Copies of

Pride and Passion

 1X Copy

Addicted

1X Copy

Sinful

WOWZA!

Ok, all you have to do is enter the raffle-copter below  and please leave a comment or question for Ms. Featherstone because she will be stopping by to answer all your questions!