Romance Unlaced: Interview with Loretta Chase
You know that word "buzz"? I had no idea what it really meant until the talk about a particular romance novel turned into BUZZ. Before the concept of going viral even existed, the word of mouth on Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase came at me from all directions. It was the "must read" of the season. Witty, heartfelt, with a flawed hero and an indomitable heroine, its pacing was so perfect a reader could only hold on for the ride. It was no surprise that a book that pushed so many peoples' happy buttons ended up winning a RITA that year. I think there would have been a revolt if it had not.
I finally met the author of this famous book a few months ago. We had several encounters over coffee and a meal at a conference. Soft-spoken, low-keyed and friendly, there isn't one drop of diva in her despite her fame. Oh, and I now own a signed copy of Lord of Scoundrels, which still sells by the boatload.
That was not her first book, and she has had many since. All are marked by her distinctive voice and style and are reader favorites. And good news! Loretta has a new book, Vixen in Velvet, being released June 24 and available for pre-order now. She was happy to answer a few questions for HEA's readers:
Madeline: Please tell us about the new book.
Loretta: In Vixen in Velvet, the third book of the Dressmakers Series, the much-too-charming-for-anybody's-good Marquess of Lisburne matches wits and willpower with hardheaded Leonie Noirot, youngest Noirot sister and business manager of Maison Noirot.
Back cover copy blurb:
From the Diary of Leonie Noirot:
The perfect corset should invite its undoing . . .
Lethally charming Simon Blair, Marquess of Lisburne, has reluctantly returned to London for one reason only: a family obligation. Still, he might make time for the seduction of a certain redheaded dressmaker—but Leonie Noirot hasn't time for him. She's obsessed with transforming his cousin, the dowdy Lady Gladys, into a swan.
Leonie's skills can coax curve—and profits—from thin air, but his criminally handsome lordship is too busy trying to seduce her to appreciate her genius. He badly needs to learn a lesson, and the wager she provokes ought to teach him, once and for all.
A great plan, in theory—but Lisburne's become a serious distraction and Leonie's usual logic is in danger of slipping away as easily as a silk chemise. Could the Season's' greatest transformation be her own?
Madeline: What are some of your favorite elements of this book?
Loretta: The most fun of any story is the interplay between hero and heroine, and I especially liked their one-track minds: Lisburne's being so determined to get under Leonie's skin and his underhanded methods vs. her being so determined to stay focused on business — and her underhanded methods. She's a real challenge for him, and I loved dealing with that. Another part I got a kick out of was the poetry, some ghastly, some funny, of which there was a superabundance in the ladies' magazines of the time. Oh, and the makeover was a joy to write as well. Fact is, once I got this story on track, I had a delicious time with it.
Madeline: Your books are critically acclaimed and very popular. Is there any element in them that does not usually get mentioned, but of which you are really proud?
Loretta: I am proud of finishing them! Lots of people sit down — well, some do stand — to write books. But not everybody gets from beginning to middle to end, and every time I do it, I am stunned and delighted and give myself hearty congratulations.
As to the stories themselves: Every part of it is important to me, and I'm amazed at how differently readers view the same book and the reasons they cite for liking it. Some get a kick out of major elements, some pick up on more subtle ones. And so looking at the total picture, I can't complain of feeling underappreciated in any area.
Madeline: You began your career in traditional Regencies. Are you ever tempted to write shorter books again?
Loretta: One of the reasons I stopped writing Regencies was wanting to tell bigger stories. I've done the occasional novella and short story, and while those make a nice change once in a while, they're too short for Ms. Verbosity here. I'd probably write twice as long if I had more time, and if publishers and readers would put up with it.
Madeline: Tell us something about your career's trajectory. When in your career did you start writing full time? Any advice for new authors regarding that decision?
Loretta: Before I started writing novels I gave up a salaried position — with fabulous benefits, by the way — to write full time, mainly for corporate video. It was a useful way of learning to cope with the insecurities of income fluctuation, paying self-employment taxes, health care, etc. Happily, in corporate video, there was usually work. (Once in a while I still hear from former clients who never heard of Loretta Chase, and need a script.) Then, when I backed off freelance to write books, it was at the instigation of a husband more than willing to support me through lean times. We did have some of those. I didn't earn anything remotely resembling a living wage from my books until about 10 years into my career. Then I had a writer's block or something in the late 1990s-early 2000s, and returned to corporate scriptwriting. So resilience, flexibility, willingness to take risks — all necessary, I think. My advice? Writing is a terrific Get Rich Slow scheme, so make sure you have the emotional/psychological wherewithal as well as financial backup.
Madeline: Your Lord of Scoundrels knocked the socks off the historical romance community. Did that surprise you, or did you know you had a hit when you wrote it? Is it one of your favorites? Why do you think it had the reception it did?
Loretta: When I wrote it, I knew it was a strong book but had no idea it would stay popular for so long. When it first came out, it was well received — it did win a RITA (!!!) — but I saw no indication it would become such a reader favorite. I love that book for a great many reasons, particularly the gift it was as a writing experience, the pure joy of writing it, and the incredible response it brings from readers. But I can't have favorites of my books. Favorites are for my readers to choose. I have to totally love and believe in what I'm doing in order to deliver the best book possible.
Madeline: What is your writing environment and schedule like? Do you have a page count per day? Do you write more than one story at the same time? Do you have any rituals when you write, to get you started or to fuel your inspiration?
Loretta: I have a room set aside a fraction of the size I need. To picture Lucifer's City of Pandemonium, I need only look at my office. I dream of a barn, to be converted into a studio, with miles of bookshelves and a vast wall space for my historical maps. Meanwhile I start amid the chaos with a cup of tea or coffee and panic. More than one story at the same time? Ha ha. You're so funny. The room contains many ritual objects, often buried under the debris. I try to write every day, but the schedule is haphazard. All I want to do is get some pages written, so that at the end of the day, when my husband asks, "How much writing did you do?" I can respond with something more than, "One paragraph."
Madeline: Describe your dream vacation.
Loretta: My job is a vacation. I mean, apart from the panic and stress and chaos. But my time is flexible, so vacations are more possible for me now. I can write in other places, and have done so in recent years. I dreamt of spending the winter in Florida, and got to spend a month, so we're working our way to that dream. We've been to Tuscany, one of the most beautiful places on Earth, twice. But the place I usually want to be is Great Britain: time in London and time elsewhere. It's what I write about, and visiting recharges my batteries.
Madeline: Will you share a favorite line or bit of dialogue from your new book with our readers?
Loretta:
"Venus's expression intrigues me," she said. "I wonder what she's thinking."
"There's one difference between men and women," he said. "He's sleeping and she's thinking."
"Somebody must think," she said. "And it does so often seem to be the women."
Madeline: Please share one thing about you that most readers do not know.
Loretta: I own a copy of Nancy Drew's Guide to Life. From Wilderness Tips, page 94: "Gesticulate like crazy to stop an ornery ox."
Find out more about Loretta and her books at www.lorettachase.com.
VIRGIN HEROES REVISITED
I received recommendations of other books that feature virginal heroes and thought I would share the list since the topic was popular. Here they are, in no special order:
• No Man's Mistress by Mary Balogh (Lord Ferdinand Dudley)
• Forbidden by Jo Beverley (Lord Francis Middlethorp)
• The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale (Samuel Gerard)
USA TODAY and New York Times best-seller Madeline Hunter is the two-time RITA-winning author of 25 historical romances. Her most recent book, The Accidental Duchess, was published June 3. Find out more at www.MadelineHunter.com. To contact Madeline about content for or in this column, please e-mail her at RomanceUnlaced @ gmail.com (close up the spaces). Due to the volume of mail, e-mails may not be answered personally but all will be read.