Michelle Miles Author

Adventure Awaits

Inkwell Guest: Elizabeth Essex, #HistoricalRomance

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Hi, beautiful readers! Today I’m very pleased to have Elizabeth Essex. She agreed to do a 5-question interview with me. PLUS she’s giving away a print copy of SCANDAL IN THE NIGHT! Just comment to win and contest goes through midnight CT. Winners will be notified by email.

ScandalintheNightHi, Elizabeth! Thanks for joining us here on the inkwell. What draws you to historical romance?

So many different things: The clothes. The restrictions of society, especially for women within society. When I started writing I chose to write historicals set in in the late Georgian period, because the time was something I already felt I knew. I had studied history, and the “Age of Fighting Sail” extensively as a nautical archaeologist, and I felt I had the ability to tell stories no one else could tell.

In your third Reckless Brides book, SCANDAL IN THE NIGHT, you have a dual timeline. How difficult was that to keep track of?

Well, I knew I wanted to start the book at the end of one part of the story and the beginning of the next, but I didn’t want the first half of the story to be treated like backstory, so I wanted it to unfold as the cast of characters discovers what happens, even if it happened to them. I thought I would have to write out one entire part of the story first (the part that happens in India) but I never had to do that because I knew in my head what happened there. It was what happens in England, during the second part of the narrative that I wasn’t sure about. In fact I didn’t know what was going to happen until I wrote it!

I love your characters and I love how you tie all the books together. What made you want to write the “second sons” stories? Especially Thomas Jellicoe (who’s wonderful!).

I just really like the idea of the self-made man. And as much as I love the stories of the aristocracy that dominate the Regency romance market, I wanted to write about a different kind of man—a man who had to find his own place and career. And because I chose to write almost exclusively Naval officers (there is one Marine Colonel in the entire collection), these men could only rise in their profession through their own merit. And I chose to write about Thomas mostly because he was the right age for the time period I had in mind for SCANDAL IN THE NIGHT, and had been enough of a character in A BREATH OF SCANDAL that people felt like they knew him a little, but were interested to see what sort of man he became. (Hint: the very best sort—a romance hero.) 🙂

He IS the best sort and I loved his character. What was the best part about writing that book? I seriously felt like I was THERE when I read it.

Well, Huzzah and thank you! I have to admit I have a very visual way of thinking (perhaps it comes of having studied Art History) and I surrounded myself with images of India, and India art and architecture that sparked my imagination. (I also collect them on Pinterest – do you want the link? http://pinterest.com/elizabethessex/scandal-in-the-night/ ) I listened to Indian music, and looked at art of the period. I also read first person accounts of Englishmen and women who lived in India during the 1820’s. I am very glad to know your experience of the story was so immersive. I hope it means I did my job right. 🙂

You did! Now for fun: What is your favorite dessert?

Depends upon the time of year. In summer it is hands down my blueberry pie. Seriously divine. Tart and sweet and even better the second day, especially chilled. Breakfast of Champions. But in the winter I make something that’s called Brownie pie in my family, but it’s not brownies—its chocolate cookies crushed into meringue with whipped cream icing and curls of chocolate on top. De-lish. 🙂

Thank you for being here, Elizabeth!

And…THERE’S A GIVEAWAY! Elizabeth is giving away a copy of SCANDAL IN THE NIGHT to one lucky commenter. So be sure to leave a comment to enter. Contest goes until midnight CT tonight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wow, Elizabeth. I am in awe of your knowledge and ability to write historical. Your heroes sound like my kind of guys. And um, brownie pie? Yes, please. Great interview.

  2. I have always enjoyed reading second sons stories. They have more fun! I’m always drawn to the historical romances that have some India background. My little sister was adopted from an orphanage in India when she was 4 months old. Looking forward to reading this series that has been on my TBR pile for awhile… 🙂

    • Kylan, I’m so glad to hear you are drawn to this book. 🙂 And I love your personal connection. So very lovely.
      Now we need to find you some uninterrupted reading time to get to that TBR pile. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by to chat today!

    • Hey Sylvia,

      I am not much of a cook, but I will say that baking, and pies in particular are my forte! I will have to find a way to share my secret family recipe. Or maybe I should just share the pie. 🙂

      Thank so much for stopping by to chat, and here’s hoping you can find some uninterrupted reading time before the summer is gone. 🙂

    • Barb,

      I definitely need to post some of these recipes. 🙂 But my secret for the blueberry pie is to let the berries sit a long while in a sugar, flour and tapioca mixture before hey go into the pie. And then I brush my pie crust with orange juice. Seriously—I do that for my fall apple pies to—it makes the crust all golden and perfect. 🙂

      Mmmm. Now I’m hungry. 🙂

  5. i like the self made man too. Smart, capable & willing to work for what he wants – especially when it holds true when it’s the heroine!

    The book sounds fantastic.

    • Linda,

      You said it perfectly: “Smart, capable & willing to work for what he wants – especially when it’s the heroine!”

      That is exactly why I love to write about self-made men who have been tested by themselves and others. Wonderful fodder for great stories.

      Thanks so much for stopping by today to chat!

  6. Glad to know someone else uses Pinterest that way LOL I was beginning to think I was alone and worried my friends my think I was even crazier than they knew!

    • Hey JC!

      I do love Pinterest. It is my Sunday morning indulgence, but working with visual images always stimulates my imagination. But I’m having the devil of a time turning one of my boards from Secret to Public. I just can’t seem to do it no matter how I try. But I will keep trying, even if I have to make a new board and put all the pins in again. 🙂

      Now I’m off to see your boards! 🙂

  8. I write contemporaries, but when I read romance, I usually prefer historicals. Easier to suspend my disbelief. I loved Almost a Scandal. Your knowledge of seafaring is amazing but I never felt like I was reading a research paper because it was blended so well with the story and wonderful characters.

    • Linda,

      You are so kind. I do have to say I LOVED writing all the seafaring portions of that book. It was heaven for me to indulge two of my great loves—sailing and storytelling—at the same time. And I hop you’ll be happy to find out that I am currently hard at work on the beginning of a new story with a Naval Lieutenant hero and the scientific conchologist he sails to the South Pacific to pursue her passion for seashell classification. I do believe there is going to be a shipwreck. 🙂

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