I came to know Lori by chance--- I think a friend of hers owns one of my paintings. The lovely Lori then decided that she wanted to do a special project that I was happy to help her with--- she had just sold her first novel Wild Heart and wanted to commission a portrait of her main character, Ella. Using Lori's character description and having the privilage to read her first chapter to get an idea of Ella's personality, I came up with this paining:
Now that
Wild Heart is making it's debut, Lori has agreed to do a little interview and give a free copy of her book to one of my lucky readers! Get to know Lori in our interview....
Author Lori Brighton
1) Congrats on the publication of your first novel! How does it feel to be a published author?
Thank you! It’s definitely exciting, especially now that the book is out. It takes about a year from when a book is sold until it hits shelves. Sometimes longer. So it’s a long wait!
As for how I felt when I sold…I’d been writing for six years, so of course I was thrilled. But there was something else too….a feeling I couldn’t quite identify. Then I read another author’s answer to that question and realized what it was. When someone asked her if she was thrilled when she got a contract, she replied with yes, but at the same moment there was this feeling of “it’s about damn time.” lol. That is exactly how I felt… excited, nervous and it’s about damn time.
2) Before you became a writer, you received your degree in anthropology and worked in a museum. How has that influenced your writing?
I never thought I’d be a writer. I’d always loved history and wanted to travel the world and experience different cultures. I went into anthropology/archaeology because of these interests. But I realized digging in the dirt wasn’t for me. So I went to work in a museum, which, I loved. The only opening was for a Natural Science Curator. I knew nothing about Natural Science, but have always loved nature and hiking. I adored working with the objects and learning about subjects I found fascinating. Of course I snuck into the cultural section as often as I could. Shrunken heads, that’s one of the more unique objects the museum had.
It wasn’t until after I quit my job to move closer to family that I decided to try and write a book. I could travel from my home. ;) As for how my career choices have influenced my books… I think Wild Heart has an adventurous Indiana Jones type feel to it. Even more so, the second book which will be out next year. Obviously, since the book is a historical I’ve used the knowledge I gained with my degree for something useful. As for Natural Science, I always find that my characters are natural science experts of some sort. Ella, my heroine, has an affinity for animals. In the manuscript I’m writing now, the heroine is working on a book about Wildflowers. I don’t set out to make them nature lovers, yet somehow they always are.
3)Your novel is set in Victorian England--- but has a ‘paranormal’ twist. What was your inspiration for that?
When you’re a writer, everything always starts with a “what if?” I’ve always liked reading both historicals and paranormals. In fact, I’ll read pretty much anything. When I started writing Wild Heart it was going to be a straight historical romance. Leo, the hero, lived a sort of animalistic life in the wilds of India. At first Ella, my heroine, was merely going to be an animal lover, but then I realized, why not make it paranormal? What if Ella had powers to control and sense the feeling of animals? Since Leo is more animalistic than most, she would be able to sense his emotions. I felt like it would make the story more unique and connect Leo and Ella in a way they wouldn’t have been. And I did have people tell me that I didn’t need that paranormal aspect. Fortunately I stuck with my instincts. You’ll see even more of a paranormal element in the second book.
4) What appeals to you most about the time period your book is set in?
I’ve always loved the Victorian era, probably because it’s the era most noticeable in the United States, especially the Midwest where I grew up. Big, old Victorian homes and those gorgeous dresses and ornate furniture. It was a very elegant time period, but also an era when people were expanding on their knowledge and environment. It was a big era of travel, antiquities and natural science. It’s also the first time period in which you have women leaving the home, so in that way there’s more freedom. Everything about it intrigues me.
5) Describe your hero and heroine
Leo is very alpha male. I tried to keep him true to life; what a real person would be like if they’d experienced what he has. On a trip to India, his parents were murdered. He was forced to stay in hiding in a country he knew nothing about. Much like The Count of Monte Cristo (one of my favorite books), vengeance has kept him going. He’s very determined and blunt, but he’s also very honest and loyal. He definitely doesn’t let people push him around.
Ella is the opposite. She’s very sweet and caring. She’s always been told what to do because she’s a woman and she’s poor. She’s almost too caring at times. She also has an underlying sense of guilt because of her powers. A tiny part of her thinks that perhaps her abilities are evil.
When she meets Leo, he teaches her to believe in herself, and she teaches him to let go of the past and see the beauty around him.
6) Can we expect a sequel, or have you ‘closed the book’ on Leo and Ella?
Yes! There will be a sequel and I’m very excited about it. When I signed with Kensington publishing it was for a two book contract. Wild Heart is the first book; the second wasn’t unwritten at the time. Even before I’d sold Wild Heart I knew I could make this a two book, three book, heck, even five book series. My editor said she wanted my second book to be a spinoff of the first and I eagerly obliged. The hero from my second book is actually a minor character in Wild Heart. He’s Colin, Ella’s cousin who you will meet toward the end of the first book. The second book is finished and it was a lot of fun to write. The entire manuscript takes place in India, so quite a different setting. I turned it into my editor about a month ago. If Wild Heart sells well and my publisher likes the idea, I could definitely turn this into a multiple book series. Fingers crossed!
7) What inspired you?
This is going to sound odd, but the Disney Cartoon Tarzan. My son was watching it a few years back. Around the same time, I saw a documentary on Discovery or some equally educational channel about feral children. I’d seen them both rather close together and thought, hmm, what it would it be like if my hero had been lost in the wild during his childhood? I also tend to like more alpha males and you couldn’t get a male more alpha than one who had had to survive on his own in a foreign country.
8) Alright….so you adore Regency and Victorian England…so you must love Jane Austen. Which Austen novel is your favorite? Any favorite couples?
Of course! I love them all. And this is horrible, terrible, but you’re much more likely to find me watching the movies than reading the books. lol. Yes, I’m that lazy. The first movie I saw was Emma, which was cute. I also really like Persuasion. At this point, I’ve seen them all. But yes, like most people, there is no greater love story than Pride and Prejudice. I prefer the Colin Firth version, but if I need a quick fix, I’ll watch the newer movie. As a writer of romance, Jane Austen is the ultimate. She’s our Queen Bee, the one we bow down to. At the same time, I find her life rather sad. The fact that she was probably in love, but couldn’t marry and ended up dying rather young…it’s a rather depressing story, don’t you think?
9) What other subjects/settings would you like to explore in other novels?
Honestly, I’d explore any setting! I’d love to explore Rome and the Gladiators. Perhaps a Western. I’d really like to try Colonial. I love the east coast and the Colonial time period. I also have some contemporary ideas. But most of my historical romances will probably be set in the 1800s. It’s the time period that feels the most right to me, and it’s also the time period that sells the best.
10) Where can readers purchase your book or find out more about you?
I have a website www.loribrighton.com where you can find a link to my blog. As for my book, check your local Barnes and Noble or Borders. And if you can’t find it there, you can order it online at Amazon!
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A big thank you to Lori for taking the time out of her busy author schedule to do the interview and giveaway a copy of her book! If you'd like to be in the running to win, just leave a comment on this post. And if you'd like to learn more about Lori and her adventures as a new author, please visit her blog HERE. It's a great place to read and learn about the ins and outs of being an author if you're an inspiring author, and also a great place to visit if you love romance novels, she's always doing great interviews and giveaways with authors.
GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBER 15
Good luck!~
Heather
Last night I came home from a friend's party and kicked my favorite pair of heels off beside my basket of little ornaments I've been working on. It looked so sweet in a funny sort of way that it inspired a 'shoes + ornaments photoshoot ;)
These are little heart shaped ornaments with vintage photos sewn on--- they were my first project :) I even attached a little metal hook on the back which I thought looked really neat...a juxtaposition of soft plush fabric and hard metal wire. I also got out the ol' vintage button collection and sewed some buttons on.
These are little heart shaped ornaments with vintage photos sewn on--- they were my first project :) I even attached a little metal hook on the back which I thought looked really neat...a juxtaposition of soft plush fabric and hard metal wire. I also got out the ol' vintage button collection and sewed some buttons on.
Then, I decided that an old pair of gray velvet slacks that I'd banished to the back of the closet post-baby needed a new life. As velvet doves. Then I made their red counterparts out of cordoroy. I heart heart heart them. I also stuffed each one with a few dried bay leaves to give them a really good smell...I bet I'm the only one at the show with herby birdies, dont you think? ;)
I came to know Lori by chance--- I think a friend of hers owns one of my paintings. The lovely Lori then decided that she wanted to do a special project that I was happy to help her with--- she had just sold her first novel Wild Heart and wanted to commission a portrait of her main character, Ella. Using Lori's character description and having the privilage to read her first chapter to get an idea of Ella's personality, I came up with this paining:
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We stayed at the always beautiful, dazzling and haunting 
