Interview with Camy Tang/Camille Elliot and a Giveaway

I am so pleased to invite Camy Tang/Camille Elliot to my blog today for an interview, and she has graciously offered an opportunity for someone to win a signed copy of her new regency novel, Prelude for a Lord (entry details will be at the end of this post). If you haven’t had a chance to read it, it is a wonderful book filled with music, romance, and intrigue. You can also read my review of the novel HERE.

So far, the novels you have written have all been romantic suspense. Why the move to regency romance?

 I’ve loved Regency romance since I was 13 years old and have read them ever since. The Regencies I’ve read have almost numbered in the thousands! I also read a lot of Regency research books just for fun because I loved the time period so much, but I never really thought I’d write a Regency since I had so many other projects going on.

Then my editor at Zondervan at the time, Sue Brower, dared me to write a Regency. She and I both love reading them and like to talk about books we’ve read recently that we liked. One day we were talking and she said I should write one to fulfill the next book in my contract. I’d had this idea about a recluse musician in my head for a while, so I started working on Prelude for a Lord and it just came together.

Alethea  Sutherton is such a fascinating character. What was your inspiration for developing her personality and love of the violin?

 It’s kind of strange, but I had the idea for her character and for Dommick’s in my head for a really long time. I’m not sure where they came from, but I could picture the scene of them playing together for the first time, and how it makes each of them change their perspective of the other. The book sort of built itself from that one scene.

 Also, I love music myself even though I’m not a very good musician. However, I can appreciate it and wanted to show the beauty of music through words. It was a really great experience for me to write those scenes.

 What theme or message do you hope readers pick up on in Prelude for a Lord?

 God loves you absolutely, deeply, completely. You are not alone.

 Can you tell us about any future projects we can look forward to?

 I’m right this minute working on a Regency novella that will be published in the third Inspy Kisses anthology, set to release in December, tentatively titled Mistletoe Kisses. I’m also planning to write 3 more books in the Prelude series, either with Zondervan or self-published.

 What does a typical writing day look like for you? Any interesting writing habits?

 I’m a bit ashamed to admit this, but I am a terrible night owl. I mean, TERRIBLE. I do my best work after midnight. No joke. So I typically go to bed really late and get up around noon. I’ll do email, some marketing, and then write or plot until my husband comes home, and then after he goes to bed, I’m up writing some more.

Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

 Everyone learns differently, but for me, I read a lot about how to write. I took Fiction 101 and Fiction 201 from Randy Ingermanson (http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/), I read and re-read Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain, I read hundreds of writing articles, and I took some online classes with Margie Lawson (her Empowering Character Emotions class or lecture packet is absolutely fantastic: http://www.margielawson.com/lecture-packets/empowering-characters-emotions).

 I also read a lot in the genre I wanted to be published in, and for the publishers I was targeting (reading Love Inspired Suspense novels was especially helpful for me to get my manuscript accepted by them).

 

And just for fun:

 What are the top two things on your bucket list?

 Go to Italy, which I will hopefully do in a couple years for a family vacation with my parents.

Go back to England, which I will hopefully do next year.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

 A writer. 🙂 But it was either that or a physicist. (Yeah, I know.) Math in college killed me so I moved to biology. (Yeah, I know!) Then I started writing while I was working as a biologist and realized that was what I wanted to do with my life.

What is your favorite dessert?

Malasadas (they’re a Portuguese donut popular in Hawaii)

If you could meet any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Jane Austen! Hands down. I LOVE her books.

What is your favorite book?

Persuasion by Jane Austen. I re-read it at least once a year. That letter at the end is the most romantic thing I’ve ever read. EVER.

 

 

And finally, What is your favorite Bible verse?

Philippians 3:7-11. I love how it reminds me to completely surrender to God.

If you would like to learn more about Camy Tang/Camille Elliot and her books, you can visit the following links:

• Camy Tang’s Website
• Camille Elliot’s Website
• Visit Camy Tang on Facebook
• Visit Camille Elliot on Facebook
• Connect with Camy Tang on Twitter
• Connect with Camille Elliot on Twitter
• Read what Camy Tang is reading on GoodReads
• Read what Camille Elliot is reading on GoodReads
• Check out A Prelude for a Lord on Amazon

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About the Giveaway: 

This giveaway has now ended. Thank you to those who entered.

 

To enter into the drawing for a signed copy of Prelude for a Lord, please comment on this post (you can tell us who you would like to meet if you could meet anyone or what your favorite regency novel is) and include your email in a safe format (name(at)website(dot)com).

U.S. winners are eligible to win a signed copy of the book, Prelude for a Lord. International winners will receive a free eBook copy through kindle, nook, kobo or iBooks.

Contest is open until September 9, 2014 at midnight. I will select a winner through random.org on September 10 and they will be contacted by e-mail. Please respond in 48 hours, or another winner will be selected.