I guess I learned to honor my book’s vision, to trust my writing instincts better. And I also found that no matter the length, the right publisher will accept the book.
Marie Lavender – 4 April 2017
The Back Flap
The Hill family saga concludes as loyalties are questioned, faiths will be tested and undying love may come at a terrible cost…
Fara Hill, mother and faithful wife, is torn between her family at home and her urge to be at sea. Soon, she learns some disturbing truths. Was the past a fairy tale instead of reality?
Chloe Hill, loving wife and young mother, questions her faith when her husband sets an ultimatum she cannot meet. Will she be able to keep her marriage from falling apart?
Adrienne Bellamont Hill, born of a valiant captain and a fiery redhead, is untamed to her core and will bow to no man. Then Christian du Plessis enters her life with an offer she can’t refuse. Discovering the man behind the polished gentleman, she is drawn to him in many ways. Holding out for love is a family tradition, but can she resist the temptation of passion?
Christian finds this young woman to be a fascinating challenge, and is torn between keeping his distance from her and succumbing to her charms. A fierce battle of wills ensues as he sees she is much more than he ever imagined.
But danger lurks, threatening to destroy everything…
Can these two strong-willed individuals unite in the cause before time runs out?
About the book
What is the book about?
This book details the trials of love within the Hill family, their successes and losses, as well as the risks they take to protect those whom they love. Upon Your Love is a Victorian romance, set partly in New Orleans, but also takes place in other ports.
When did you start writing the book?
I actually began writing the first scene which came to me in 2013, but I didn’t get to focus fully on UYL until sometime in 2015.
How long did it take you to write it?
The full-length novel took me about a year and half to write, then six months to edit and submit it to my publisher.
Where did you get the idea from?
I always knew I wanted to tell Adrienne’s story, as she was a character who appeared in Upon Your Honor, the second book in the series. But while writing the novel, Upon Your Love became so much more than a romance between her and the man she came to love. It grew into a family saga with many interwoven tales.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Fight scenes are always challenging. I had to familiarize myself with duels by watching fencing videos and learn about the code of honor in order to make those scenes come to life.
What came easily?
Every character’s journey wasn’t easy, but I’d have to say that the love scenes were the easiest to write because I based each one on the character’s perspective at the time. Being in that person’s head made it so much easier to show events from their point-of-view.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Yes, they’re mostly fictional characters, though some may have traits I strongly identify with.
Do you have a target reader for this book?
Anyone over the age of 18 who enjoys historical tales and doesn’t mind learning about the generations of a special family, as well as their loves and losses.
How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?
I told this book differently than I usually do with my stories or novels. Instead of using one character’s point of view, or even two at different times with a romance tale, I shared the perspectives of twelve different people over a period of time. Each character’s personal story ties into the next, and so on, and so forth.
What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?
I guess I learned to honor my book’s vision, to trust my writing instincts better. And I also found that no matter the length, the right publisher will accept the book.
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of Upon Your Love from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
