August
Back To School Web sites and an interview with Deborah Hale
August, just
the mention of that month and I can automatically feel the anxiety
of thinking about going back to school. Whether you are in
college or high school you know the importance of finding the right
school supplies and just the right "in" clothes. I
have took the liberty of searching the web for some of the hottest
spots. I hope that you will find each one as interesting as it was
to discover them.
Back
to School Ideas, Activities, and Ideas
Getting to Know You, Icebreakers, Learning Names, and More to Help
You Through. Find back-to-school ideas and activities for the first
day of school and first weeks of school.
Back
To School Survival Guide
Just what parents and kids need to start back into the routine of
school.
Back-To-School
Lunch Ideas
Back to school lunches - recipes and information for kids lunches.
Back
to School - Products, Sales and Learning Tools
Back to school time - great sales on supplies, clothes, and more!
Learning tools and testing aids. Make your learning a more powerful
and productive experience!
Office
Depot
Pens, Pencils, Planners, Organizers Tape, Dorm supplies and more.
For the month of August
, I had the privilege interviewing Deborah Hale. I first discovered
Ms. Hale through her May 2003 Harlequin Historical Beauty and
the Baron. From page one I was captivated by her delightful
cast of heart felt characters. Ms. Hale is the type of writer who
you will long remember after you finish her books. Her writing style
stands in a class all by itself.
Turning
Priceless Movies Into Books To Treasure
An Interview with Deborah
Hale
Suzie Housley: Thank
you for taking time out of your daily work schedule to conduct this
interview. It is a pleasure having you here for August's Beneath
the Cover interview.
Deborah
Hale: It’s my pleasure. I always enjoy talking about writing.
Suzie Housley: I am totally
enchanted by your book Beauty and the Baron. I hope to see more
books published with this same theme. Will this be a possiblity?
Deborah Hale: Thanks so much!
I love it when my stories can touch a reader that way. I don’t have
any immediate plans in that direction, but Beauty and the Beast
is one of my favorite fairy tales and I love finding fresh ways
to present it. My very first book, My Lord Protector, had
some elements of Beauty and the Beast, since the hero was older
and quite gruff at first.
Suzie Housley: You combined
three of my all time favorite films to create Beauty and the Baron
(Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera and Cyrano de Bergerac).
Did you plan it this way, or did the plot come to you as your wrote?
Deborah Hale: Those are my
favorites, too! I did plan it to a certain degree. My stories have
often borrowed from films, fairy tales or classic stories. My second
book, A Gentleman of Substance is a blend of Sabrina and
Pride and Prejudice. The Wedding Wager is a twist on Pygmalion/My
Fair Lady and Carpetbagger’s Wife is based on the film Sommersby.
Since I was doing that anyway, I decided to think about my favorite
films/stories. Those three came to mind and before I knew it, I
had a scarred, masked hero trying to woo the woman he loves on behalf
of another man.
Suzie Housley: Did you have
a difficult time selling the concept of Beauty and the Baron? I
ask because my future novel features a perfect/imperfect theme.
Deborah Hale: It was a very
easy sale – I hope yours will meet an equally enthusiastic reception.
At the time, I was hoping to sell Harlequin Historical a series
about five sisters. Beauty and the Baron was to have been a part
of that series. Senior Editor Tracy Farrell had reservations about
the series, but she was very enthusiastic about this story and said
she’d like to see it as a stand alone. Because she particularly
liked this story, I dedicated it to her for the wonderful editorial
support she’s given me since I sold my first book to Harlequin.
Suzie Housley: What has
been the most exciting thing you have experienced as a writer? What
have been your biggest drawbacks?
Deborah Hale: One of the most
exciting things for me is seeing my covers. The art department at
Harlequin have done such a beautiful job on each one. They’re all
so unique and well-suited to the books.. I also get very excited
seeing my foreign copies and thinking of people, in countries I’ve
never visited, reading my stories and possibly knowing my name.
Any time I hear from a reader who has enjoyed one of my books, it’s
enormously fulfilling. I haven’t experienced too many drawbacks.
Negative reviews can be hard on the ego, but I’ve made peace with
the fact that I can’t please everyone. The pressure of deadlines
can be difficult. I usually try to build in plenty of time to allow
for life happening, but sometimes an special opportunity arises
that I feel I have to go for, and if that means putting other things
on hold and sweating a tight deadline, so be it.
Suzie Housley: How did you
go about selecting the publisher for your book? Did you apply to
random companies?
Deborah Hale: At first I did
because I knew so little about the business. Gradually I learned
more, and I feel fortunate that those publishers rejected my first
book. I’m not sure I would still be publishing and working as happily
if I’d started with a different publisher. After I won the Golden
Heart, I secured the representation of a knowledgeable agent who
submitted my story to a number of publishers including Harlequin.
They were willing to take a chance on the imperfect hero of my first
book.
Suzie Housley: Are you a
full time or part time writer? Has you life changed drastically
since you incorporated writing into your lifestyle?
Deborah Hale: I write full
time and I’m also a full time stay-at-home-Mom. I have four children
– 15, 12 and 9-year-old twins who keep me busy. Unless I’m on a
very tight deadline, I arrange my writing schedule around their
school time. I wrote my first manuscript when my eldest son was
a toddler and my daughter an infant, so it’s hard to remember what
life was like before that. My children have grown up with me writing.
Getting paid for writing was a very welcome lifestyle change!
Suzie Housley: How do you
rate a good unforgettable romance book? What elements do you look
for when you give one this worthy title?
Deborah Hale: A couple of elements
that make a romance unforgettable for me are characters that stay
with me after I close the book and a vivid sense of place (particularly
important in historicals). I admire a unique writing style that’s
suited to the type of story and I love it when a story evokes strong
emotion in me.
Suzie Housley: Your online
serials have been very captivating, I have enjoyed reading them.
Is there any chance that you will offer a link on your web site
in the future?
Deborah Hale: Thanks for checking
them out! I had great fun writing both Midsummer Masque and Mistress
of His Heart. My web site will soon be undergoing major renovations
as I branch out from historical romance into the realms of otherworld
fantasy. Links to the on-line reads at Eharlequin.com would be a
great addition to the site. I appreciate the suggestion!
Suzie Housley: The cover
of Beauty and the Baron is very romantic. What can you tell us about
the cover models?
Deborah Hale: I was so delighted
with the cover – that lavender-gray mist, and a tasteful clinch
on the back cover. I’m not sure who the model for Angela is, but
the model for Lucius is a very striking Austrian cover model Stefan
Andreas Schwarz. I discovered that by accident when I did a Google
search for Beauty and the Baron and found he had posted the cover
on his web site. I couldn’t have picked a more perfect Lucius Daventry!
Suzie Housley: Do you see
a trend of authors that are writing what is the "in" theme for the
year? Or do you believe there is a diverse range of subjects out
there to select from.
Deborah Hale: I’m not sure
there’s an “in” theme, but historical Regencies do seem to be an
“in setting” with the historical market getting increasingly narrow.
There are fewer Westerns and fewer medievals, let alone really unusual
settings. That’s one of the many things I love about writing for
Harlequin Historical. The program is dedicated to offering historical
readers a variety of settings. They are still willing to take risks
on ones that haven’t been done much, like my third book which is
set in my native Atlantic Canada in the early 1820’s. Since then,
they have published other Canadian-set stories, which I was once
told were a hard sell.
Suzie Housley: What advice
would you give to a new writer trying to break into the published
market?
Deborah Hale: View the journey
to publication not as a sprint, but as a marathon. Pace yourself
and be prepared for it to take awhile. Celebrate every little success
and think of rejection letters as badges of honor. One of the best
pieces of advice I got when I started out was from NYT bestseller
Jennifer Blake. She said, “Write the kind of story you’ve always
wanted to read but can never find.”
Suzie Housley: What do we
have looking forward to in your next book? Could you give us a preview
of what is to come?
Deborah Hale: I’d love to!
My next book won’t be out until April 2004, which will be my longest
lapse between books since I sold my first. It will be an otherworld
fantasy for Harlequin’s new imprint, LUNA, titled The Wizard’s
Ward. The story is set on a pre-industrial Earth-like world
where magic is a fact of life. It borrows a little from both Sleeping
Beauty and King Arthur legends. A young princess-enchantress must
find and wake the legendary Waiting King, who is destined to help
her save the kingdom from its cruel conquerors. In May 2004, Harlequin
Historical will release my next book for them. The Last Champion
is a 12th century medieval about a young woman who must persuade
a renowned warrior to take up his sword one last time in defense
of the lands that once belonged to him, but are now hers. After
those, I’m contracted for two more historical romances and a sequel
to the fantasy.
Suzie Housley: Is there
anything that we haven't covered that you would like to share with
readers?
Deborah Hale: I just wanted
to let aspiring writers know that they can find a variety of articles
and writing tips on my web
site. Before I became a writer, I was a teacher, so I enjoy
being able to pass along some of what I’ve learned about writing
craft to others. Also, any readers who want to chat with me can
usually find me on the Books and Authors
message board at eharlequin, in a discussion called The Harlequin
Historical Society.
Suzie Housley: How can fans
contact you?
Deborah Hale: I love to hear
from readers. They can contact me through my web site or by email
to deborah@deborahhale.com.
Or, they can write me at P.O. Box 829, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia,
Canada B4E 2R0.
Suzie Housley: Thank you
again, for being with us at Beneath the Covers. I wish you
all the best in your future writing endeavors.
Deborah Hale: Thanks for the
invitation and best wishes for your writing career!
Review
Reviewed
by Suzie Housley, MyShelf.Com
She brought
light into his darkened existence . . .
Lord Lucius
Daventry had returned from war bearing scars that will forever be
a constant reminder of what he had suffered in the Napoleon War.
He once had been known as a handsome carefree dandy who had broken
countless hearts in his pursuit of love and adventure. Now he lives
the life of a recluse, for he refuses to allow anyone to come close
enough to view the horrors of what the war had left of his ravaged
face. His life is cloaked in darkness and secrecy, his nightly adventures
has made him the talk of the local townsfolk gossip. They gave him
the nickname of "Lord Lucifier", for they were convinced these ventures
were of a sinister nature. When Lucius learns his beloved grandfather
is dying, he is determined to make his grandfather's last precious
days on earth as happy as possible. He devises a plan that will
require him to reveal himself by showing up on the doorstep of Angela
Lacewood. While he was away at war, Angela and his grandfather had
developed a close relationship. He knows it would please his grandfather
greatly if he believed the two of them were engaged, and she was
soon to become a part of their family. In return for Angela's agreement
to go along with the rouse, he offers to pay for her brother's commission
to the military. Will she be able to look past his scars and deformities
to see a man so deserving of love?
Beauty
is in the eye of the beholder . . .
Angela Lacewood
had accepted the fact that she was to live her life alone as a spinster.
She knew without a proper dowry, she wouldn't be able to entice
a proper match with only her charm and beauty. When she receives
an unexpected visit from Lucius Daventry she is stunned to hear
why he is paying her a visit. His unusual request is for her to
pose as his fiancée for the sake of his dying grandfather.
She finds herself torn between deceiving a man that she has grown
to care for and respect. Reluctantly, she agrees to pretend to be
engaged to Lucius. As each day passes, she finds a growing love
that is quickly developing among herself and Lucius. Will she be
able to erase the haunting memories that hold Lucius prisoner and
replace them with the happy times they are sharing? Or is she setting
herself up for heartbreak-for at the death of his grandfather, he
has sworn to release her and help her find someone worthy of her
love and devotion.
Beauty
and the Baron is by far the best romance book I have read in
2003. Ms. Hale does an outstanding job in capturing her readers
emotions. I found my heart being torn into shreds as I read the
highly emotional love scene, the dramatic conclusion was the material
that only top rate movies can produce. This book is a definite keeper;
I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a romance that will stay
with you for a long time to come. I plan on rereading this one for
many years to come, for it is an emotional roller coaster worthy
of the highest rating ever bestowed upon any book.
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