Hazel StathamPlease tell us about MY DEAREST FRIEND, your latest release from Wings ePress.

MY DEAREST FRIEND is my second release with Wings ePress and is a Regency Romance. Here is a brief blurb:

Robert Blake, Duke of Lear, is a man of intense emotions who loves deeply and protects fiercely. Devastated and wracked with guilt by the death of his younger brother, Stefan, in the Peninsular War, he readily agrees to aid Jane Chandler to bring her seriously wounded brother back from Portugal.

Much against Jane’s wishes, he decides to accompany her and together they embark on the hazardous mission to retrieve the young soldier. However, the journey holds many revelations, not least of all the abiding friendship and growing love between the two travelers.

That special love is put severely to the test by the treachery that awaits them upon their return to England, when a tenant of Jane’s former home invades their lives, maliciously creating jealousy and misunderstandings for his own nefarious reasons.

Can their friendship and love conquer the emotions that threaten to tear them asunder?

My Dearest FriendCan you introduce readers to your hero, Robert Blake, Duke of Lear?

The Duke of Lear is a proud, erudite man. Unable to share his grief with others he retreats into aloofness to hide his emotions. However, he has a very strong sense of honor and desire to protect and when Jane Chandler seeks his aid, determined that no other young man should share his brother’s fate, he determines to take a hand in the young soldier’s deliverance In doing so, not realizing that he will find his own.

As a young man, he had found his first love to be duplicitous and from then trusted no woman with his heart. It is Jane with her caring and devoted nature that breaches the fortress of his emotions.

What qualities make the heroine, Jane Chandler, unique?

Her genuine care for others. Robert immediately perceives that she is no pampered society beauty and recognizes her compassionate nature. Her courage and determination to set out alone on the hazardous journey to save her brother proves her devotion to those she loves. At first, he doesn’t recognize his attraction to her, only the desire to assist her in her quest.

Can you explain to us how friendship plays a role in this love story?

A deep and abiding friendship develops between Robert and Jane before they recognize their love. It’s not only a physical attraction but the meeting of two souls. Each fulfilling every need of the other.

The plot of the story is about overcoming adversities such as grief and misunderstandings to find love. Why do you feel these types of events can bring two people closer?

It’s such times as these that the senses are heightened and the comfort and care of a loved one is paramount. When adversity threatens, reprieve brings its own compensations and generates the desire for one to cleave to the other. The all-consuming guilt and grief that Robert feels for the death of his brother is hard to overcome, but Jane’s gentle ways ease his torment. In turn, his strength and support guide Jane through the difficulties of retrieving her brother from Portugal. How could they not love each other?

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That’s a difficult one. When people asked me if I had any hobbies, I would say, ‘Yes, I write’, but the title of, writer, and even more so, author, felt so pretentious. I guess it really hit me that I was a writer when the city library contacted me asking where they could purchase my books. It hit me even harder when they told me that they would be putting a copy of each book into the archives, for posterity, under the title of ‘Local Author’. I never dreamt that my work would generate such interest.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I started writing many, many moons ago when I was fifteen and I have written on and off ever since. When I was fifteen, I devoured the works of the likes of the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Sabatini etc. and it generated a desire in me to create my own historical world. At seventeen, I found Georgette Heyer and my writing world expanded to include the wonderful Regency era. I wrote three books between the ages of fifteen and eighteen – I just wish I had those books now so that I could compare them with the work I am currently producing. Unfortunately, when we moved home, my earlier novels were lost.

Who or what has influenced your writing?

All of the wonderful authors I have mentioned above, plus many more that I have read over the years. I love to read and absorb all the rich details of these eras and am particularly motivated by the Peninsular Wars. There’s something very emotive about young men who were literally taken from the streets and without little or no training expected to fight toe-to-toe on the battlefield. Unlike today’s’ wars that are mainly fought from a distance, wars in history were fought on a more personal level.

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

England is rich in history and like all countries, we are taught about our ancestors from an early age. We had a wonderful teacher who brought history to life. She obviously loved her subject and imparted her enthusiasm to her students.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

It has to be Historical Romance. I wouldn’t even contemplate attempting a modern day romance. The nearest I have come to present day is a short WW2 story I wrote some years ago.

How did you come up with the title?

My dearest friend, is what Jane first calls Robert and states that no matter whatever else they become to each other, he will always remain her friend. It just seemed the most natural title.

What book are you reading now?

‘Flowers From The Storm’ by Laura Kinsale (for the third time!) I love this book and it’s in my top three comfort reads. My other two are ‘Jane Eyre’, Charlotte Bronte and ‘These Old Shades’, Georgette Heyer.

Do you see writing as a career?

Not a career, but a compulsion. I would write even if my work was never published. I love sharing the lives and times of my characters.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. Robert and Jane are two of my favorite characters and their emotional struggles were very real to me.

Your books have rich historical detail. Can you tell us how you research your books?

We go back to the teacher here. She taught us just how rewarding research can be. I have several reference books and the internet is a wonderful research tool, plus the books I have read over the years have given me a ‘feel’ for the eras in which I write.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Originally, the book was written for my own amusement with no thought of submitting to a publisher, but the lecturer who headed a writers’ group I joined, badgered me into sending my work out. Taking that final decision to submit was the hardest part.

What book are you working on next?

I am currently working on another Regency romance with a working title of ‘Sarah’ (which will probably change). However, it has been suggested that I give Major Harry Chandler from ‘My Dearest Friend’ a book of his own and I am slowly putting his story together.

Please tell readers how they can stay informed on your latest books and author news.

I have a website www.hazel-statham.co.uk where they can read excerpts and reviews of my current and upcoming work. Also, I have a newsletter to which readers can subscribe by sending an email to hazel.statham1@ntlworld.com with Subscribe in the subject line. I promise not to inundate anyone’s inbox with mail as I only send my newsletter out when I have something important to impart.

I love to hear from my readers and promise to answer all my mail.

A Rush of Wings by Adrian PhoenixTara Green read A RUSH OF WINGS and had to contact author Adrian Phoenix. She graciously agreed to this interview. Let us know what you think by posting a comment!

Tell us about A RUSH OF WINGS.

A RUSH OF WINGS is a riveting, fast-paced story of betrayal, shattered beliefs and blackest secrets as Special Agent Heather Wallace trails a serial-killing sexual sadist to New Orleans. An unexpected twist leads her to Club Hell and Dante, gorgeous, talented and vampire, and the killer’s next target. Heather tumbles into a deadly moonlit world of vampires, fallen angels and hidden experiments in sociopathology. Caught in a web of deception stretching to the Bureau and beyond, Heather runs a desperate race - against time, against other agents, even against her own deepening feelings - to keep Dante alive, but she can’t save him from his own stolen past or his destiny.

Why did you decide to make Dante bisexual?

The funny thing about it is I didn’t decide – he just is. No real thought went into that, it was simply a part of who he is. And it makes sense. He’s young and passionate and curious, and since females and males are both attracted to him, it makes life that much easier. Plus, when he’s attracted to someone, gender never figures into it; he can give himself to that person and their mutual desire without any hesitation.

Tell us how you know so much about the Goth world and club scene?

Participation and research. I’ve always considered myself Goth at heart. I’ve explored the club scene (including private members-only Goth clubs) and researched what I didn’t know. Between work and writing, I really haven’t had the time to go clubbing and – to be honest – as I’ve gotten older, I’m more attracted to a movie theater than the dance floor. (But I still hit NIN shows every chance I get.) I keep up on the scene and love checking out the fashion in Gothic Beauty magazine. Research and experience are the writer’s nearest and dearest.

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing short stories and poems since grade school. Writing is in my blood, I think, because being a writer is all I ever wanted to be. As a teenager, I wrote stories all the time, then would give them to my sister and friends to read. Even then, my head was stuffed full with characters whose stories I wanted to tell. I wanted these characters to live and breathe and I wanted to share their stories – often heartbreaking ones – with readers who would feel what they felt, would walk, breathe and dream with these characters, and let them into their lives.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I hadn’t written a novel because, for some reason, I thought writing one was beyond me, that I didn’t have the knowledge or that there was some arcane, mysterious process involved. LOL. I went to a workshop on story structure taught by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and a light bulb clicked on over my head (I also heard an angelic chorus singing in triumph in the background too). No arcane, mysterious process! Just tell a story! I thumped my forehead (duh!) and went to work. Eight months later, I had A RUSH OF WINGS.

How did you come up with the title?

Originally, the book was called THE FALLEN. When it sold, my editor suggested we change the title. I’d been prepared for that because I knew several books were out in various genres called THE FALLEN or FALLEN. I think there was even a TV show on called THE FALLEN. She and I bounced ideas back and forth, and finally I pulled a line from the story – A RUSH OF WINGS. We both liked it and so did the marketing/sales department. I love the title now and am very glad we changed it.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That’s an interesting and complicated question. I’ve always considered myself a writer, but I’m sure you mean when I first considered myself a professional writer. When I made my first pro short story sale to Amazing Stories and truly realized I could not only make money with my writing, but connect with a vast world of readers, I couldn’t have been happier. But did I consider myself a professional? Not really, not yet. I started learning more about my craft – story skills, research, marketing, networking – all very important things any professional needs to know about their chosen field. But the most important thing to learn was discipline. Sit down and write every day. Set deadlines and goals and reach them. I really felt like a professional writer after I finished RUSH and even more so after I landed my agent. I was now dealing with the business side of writing and, almost without knowing it, became a professional. It wasn’t so much the agent or the sale – it was realizing I planned to make a career of writing and needed to treat it as such. I needed to learn about the business of my chosen field, writing.

What books have most influenced your life?

I read as much as possible and, like most of you, always have. But the first book I remember really having a strong emotional impact on me was THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton. The characters and the story were vivid and real and had me all knotted up inside. I remember not wanting the story to end. I pretty much devoured everything by S.E. Hinton as a teen. Stephen King also etched his stories into my mind, especially with THE STAND. Another book I didn’t want to end. Yes, the story had flaws, but I still loved it and the characters and I cried when Nick died. In fact, I was stunned by his death. It hadn’t occurred to me before that a main character could die halfway through the book. But his death served a purpose as it turned out, so subconsciously I was also learning story craft. Kris Nelscott’s DAYS OF RAGE is also another powerful and vivid book. When I reached the end, I was not only emotionally and deeply moved, all I could think was, the ending was perfect and profound and the book needed to be read by everyone.

Who or what has influenced your writing?

Music has been a huge influence on my writing. Music reaches in deep and provides an emotional soundscape for my characters and, at times, even sparks a character to life. All it takes is a lyric whispered just so, "Goddamn this noise inside my head," and I’m imagining who would whisper those words and why. Nine Inch Nails is my primary muse, but I also love movie soundtracks Batman Begins, Last of the Mohicans, for example, provide a rhythm and pulse for the stories – its heart.

People have influenced me too. I think two of the most important influences have been Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. They not only taught me craft, they showed me how to learn about writing – marketing, deadlines, business, discipline – but how to think of it as my profession and treat it as such. They also taught me how to push myself – a lesson I’m still learning – an invaluable aid to any writer – and how to listen to my subconscious. They are both consummate professionals.

What book are you reading now?

I just finished EYES OF CROW by Jeri Smith-Ready – a wonderful book! She’s created a vivid and utterly real world that feels completely natural to step into. Her characters are well-drawn and believable. I plan to read the second book, VOICE OF CROW next. I’m eager to return to the world she’s created and follow her characters as they face their destinies. She has a vampire book coming out in May called WICKED GAMES. A fun read with a fresh twist on vampires. I really enjoyed it. (I latched onto an ARC of the book.)

What can we expect from you next?

IN THE BLOOD will be out in January 2009 and will pick up with Dante, Heather, and Lucien three weeks after the events in RUSH. I’ll also be posting short stories on my website www.adrianphoenix.com about the characters and events prior to RUSH.

Thanks again for this wonderful opportunity to chat with your readers!

Adrian Phoenix