Author Interview | Conversing with #HistRom novelist Rebecca Connolly about her wickedly curious Spinster Chronicles Romance series!

Posted Tuesday, 6 November, 2018 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts, remember how much I *love!* Historical Romances!?

IF you’ve been visiting with me for awhile now, you’ve noticed a particular appreciation for Historical Fiction & the lovely niche of Historical Romance floating into my archives here at Jorie Loves A Story! This is because I was charmed by the Historical past eons ago in childhood wherein I first picked up my very first #HistRom round the age of eight or nine – the exact year alters depending on which day I remember gathering those Victorian & Regency Christmas novella anthologies! Those gentle stories of yesteryear centred inside two eras of British History I fell head over heels in love with at *first sight!* became the moment where my bookish heart could not get enough Historical Romances in my life!

I believe Historical Romances should keep in mind the people in power, the situations of the world during the specific time period being explored and of course, keeping mindful of living persons whilst having the internal time-line of the story altered in scope against the known one in History. Some writers alter historical time for literary time which is generally alright for me if it is done in such a way to be believable within their story.

When it comes to Historical Romance, I am not reading it strictly to learn about ‘history’  per se but rather want to feel caught in the joy of the relationship being built against the historical backdrop it is placed. Which tracks well with the choices I make in which Historical Romance authors draw my eye towards their works of literature! In this particular instance, what drew me into a curiosity about the Spinster Chronicles is the curious point of entrance into the women whose lives are at the centre of the series! It is a unique perspective but also an interesting premise – of how thread a series out of a particular set of circumstances and yet, leaving the door ajar for these women to find their happier-ever-afters as well!

I hope you will enjoy your visit today – learning more about the writer’s (Ms Connolly’s) writing process, a few insights into her series (the Spinster Chronicles) and perhaps, you’ll pick up a new read you hadn’t found previously! I was originally meant to feature the first novel in this series “The Merry Lives of Spinsters” but opted instead to run my interview early as the novels were delayed reaching me by Post. However, I have wonderfully lovely news to share with my readers – guess what the postman brought Jorie *today?!* Ooh, could it be the Spinsters? Ooh, I think it could! I can’t wait to share my ruminative thoughts on behalf of this delightful new series I am overly eager to begin reading! You’ll find my reviews of both novels coming to Jorie Loves A Story as soon as I get the proper chance to devour them!

May your #AutumnReads be as excitingly awesome as mine are becoming!

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The Spinster and I by Rebecca Connolly

Poor, unfortunate Spinster…

Prudence Westfall, spinster, has unexpectedly had the greatest misfortune of all: she has inherited a fortune, and is now an heiress. But as a Spinster, and a stammering shy one, nothing could be worse than having a bevy of suitors pay her attention.

Opportunity strikes at a house party when the most unlikely person offers the perfect solution. Camden Vale is no gentleman, and he’s not prone to saving anyone, but something about Prue changes all that. When his offer to befriend her extends beyond the house party, and his feelings extend beyond expectation, no one is more surprised than he. Except, perhaps, for the other Spinsters, and they have much to say on the subject.

Published By: Phase Publishing (@PhasePubLLC)

Add to LibraryThing

Published on: 1st November, 2018 | ISBN: 9781943048700

Formats Available: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #SpinsterChronicles, #Regency and #HistRom

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As a Romance novelist, what were your earliest memories of falling in love with the genre, the characters and their relationships as well as setting and timescape? Were you hinged to loving both the Contemporary and Historical sides of the genre or did you move in and out of each over time?

Connolly responds: When I was around 10 years old, my grandma, who ALWAYS fostered my love of reading, let my mom and I borrow her set of a new miniseries, Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. I was absolutely hooked, and Grandma proceeded to send me Jane Austen books, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Captain Blood, and any other classic romance set in a historical period. I definitely started off loving historical more than contemporary, but contemporary has grown a lot since then for me. What can I say, I’m a hopeless romantic!

How important was it to write a series from the point-of-perspective of women who were still single but who had hoped to marry but found their life was going in a different direction towards that end? Meaning, of having a strong series rooted in the lives of women whose life’s trajectory was adjacent to their peers but rooted in how you can still find happiness and have worth in where your life leads? Especially considering today’s modern world and how not everyone finds their partner at a young age?

Connolly responds: When the idea for the series came to mind, I was so driven by it that I actually interrupted my writing lineup at the time to make room for this series. I wanted to give a much more real perspective from women in this situation, for the wishes they have and the pain they feel from unfulfilled wishes. But I also felt very strongly that these women should not be constantly living in a “woe is me” state. We all know very well there were and are women like that, but the women in this series are not them. They are continuing to live their lives the best way that they can, given their situations, and choosing to get on with it. And so should we.

Writing a romantic series from the point of perspectives of spinsters is an engaging premise on the offset – how will you endear to keep readers guessing about what will enfold throughout the installments as you shift points-of-view onto the different lead and supporting characters?

Connolly responds: I worked hard to make sure each of the Spinsters has a distinct personality and set of wants and needs. Their situations are different, as is the supposed reason for their spinsterdom. Just from that set up, each story will be very different, and so will the male counterparts. But people are unpredictable, and I try to stay true to that with my characters. I love to throw in a good plot twist with such engaging characters!

As your a writer who loves it when a character surprises you about their unexpected natures, what were the most randomly brilliant things which have come up during the writing of these first two stories of the Spinster Chronicles?

Connolly responds: Well, I tend to have a problem with supporting characters becoming so entertaining that they need stories of their own, but I would have to say that the creation, and development, of Miranda Sterling was delightfully unexpected, and there is something coming up in book 3 of the Spinster Chronicles that absolutely tickled me to no end! You’ll have to wait and see on that one.

We share an equal passion for music and how music affect us as we write (or in my case, as I read, write and/or blog!) – what do you recall as being musically inspiring to listen to as you’ve set the foundation down for this series and why do you think those particular bits of music resonated with you the most?

Connolly responds: I am a huge movie soundtrack fan, so when I was starting off this series, I looked for especially moving and evocative soundtracks to get me started. But then as each particular book comes more into focus, there are different themes and tones that I wanted to capture. The first book is from Georgie’s point of view, and she is a little more driven and bold, so the instrumental pieces needed some umph to them. Prue, in this book, is timid to the extreme and yet has a powerful yearning in her heart, so I needed something softer and more moving. And you would find, if you saw my soundtrack for book 3, that things are much lighter, almost like dancing, because that is what is called for there!

How did you want to empower the Spinsters in your series to have a voice in print and through the articles their sharing? What motivated this aspect of their lives and did this have any contemporary influences?

Connolly responds: In a period where women rarely had any power or a voice, I decided that an anonymous commentary on society, and various aspects of it, would enable the Spinsters to express themselves in a way that would be devoured by the public while not necessarily impacting their reputation. I think this came from my own desire to express myself, and imagining how I would have felt. I also took some inspiration from Anne Elliot in Persuasion, who is just a phenomenal character, and I wanted to give Anne a voice and give readers a deeper look into her heart.

It isn’t oft you get to read a series whose author loves to encourage the kind of wit and banter your readers are celebrating being found in your stories. How do you find the balance between the seriousness of the plots with the light-hearted banterment your readers love to devour? Who are your favourite characters in this series you get to show the most wit from?

Connolly responds: I find that life requires a sense of humor, and that laughter is good for the soul. I can’t help but to give wit and humor to my characters, and to have conversations with some hilarious one-liners. It livens everything up and makes the characters more real, and gives them more dimension. In this series, Charlotte is probably our wittiest character, but I am very careful to give everyone some moments. Prue might take you by surprise in her book at times!

What drew you to writing clean romances set in the Regency era? Especially from the perspective of the ere itself – what charmed your heart the most?

Connolly responds: The clothes, the etiquette, the class structure, the propriety or was it a mixture of everything which stimulated the most interest? I have loved the Regency era for years and years. It was always going to be my era of choice, and it’s tough for me to say what it is that I love most. The fashions are awesome, the propriety and etiquette are really fun, and it’s just a really magical time period!

As your stories are being adapted to audiobook, what is your favourite part of hearing your stories read aloud by a narrator? What do you love most about audiobooks in general?

Connolly responds: There is something very surreal about hearing my characters actually speak the words I wrote for them, and when my narrator nails the timing of the banter, it is just perfection! I love the different dimension and depth that an audiobook can give a story, and how a good narrator can bring it all to life!

Of all the Spinsters, whom is your favourite to write and develop in the series and why?

Connolly responds: Prue has been my favorite so far, absolutely, followed very closely by Grace in book 4. Still working on more, so we’ll see if anybody can surpass them. Prue is a very special character, so developing her story was just a delight. The book almost wrote itself. Grace was really fun to write, being the “perfect” Spinster, and revealing the truth of her situation and her life. But I love them all and can’t wait to share them!

About Rebecca Connolly

Rebecca Connolly

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

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This Blog Tour Stop is courtesy of SLB Tours:

Singing Librarian Book Tours blog tour hostess badge is provided by SLB Tours and is used with permission.

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Follow the Virtual Road Map

by visiting the blog tour route:

especially as this is a tour offering a special giveaway

The Spinster and I blog tour via SLB tours.

I have some wonderfully lovely news to share | 14th December, 2018

a fellow book blogger *loved!* this convo so much, she humbled me with joy by shining a light on this post during her November Blog Love share fest!

Visit with Lou | Foxes & Fairytales

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Similar to blog tours where I feature book reviews, as I choose to highlight an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog. I provide the questions for interviews and topics for the guest posts; wherein I receive the responses back from publicists and authors directly. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them; I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers.

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{SOURCES: Book cover of “The Spinster and I”, synopsis, author photograph of Rebecca Connolly, author biography, as well as the 10 Behind the Scenes revelations, the blog tour banner and SLB Tours badge were all provided by SLB Tours and used with permission. Post dividers badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Conversations with the Bookish and the Comment Box Banner.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2018.

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About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

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Posted Tuesday, 6 November, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Singing Librarian Book Tours, Sweet Romance, the Regency era




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