Book Promo: Q & A with Connie Brockway and a Giveaway

Posted December 15, 2011 by Tracy in Reviews | 29 Comments

Question: You’ve written over 20 different titles ranging from historical romance to contemporary women’s fiction. What inspired you to write The Other Guy’s Bride?

Connie Brockway: For years, readers have been asking me to write sequels to two of their favorite books, As You Desire and All Through the Night. Happily, they happen to be two of my favorites also, so the idea of revisiting the characters and settings has always been particularly appealing and always something I intended to do. After spending the last five years doing Regency romances, I’ve been starving to write something set outside the British Isles, something that would be both familiar and exotic. Turn-of-the-century Egypt fit the bill. Not only is it historically and culturally rich, but a treasure trove of fun and fascinating minutiae (and I do love my minutiae). Bonus points for being peopled with intriguing historical figures from all over the world. And finally, that sort of milieu provides the opportunity to write a love story outside the mainstream of Polite Society, where the rules are different, the stakes are higher, the romance more exquisite.

Question: Since this is, as you mentioned, a departure from your Regency romances, what research did you do while writing the book to help you create the setting and your characters?

Connie Brockway: Books. Dozens of nonfiction books. I read about Thomas Cook’s ship tours and the advent of all-inclusive cruising, Mark Twain’s journals about his trip to Egypt, histories of ancient Egypt and the Sudan, books about the French Foreign Legion and the life of Sir Eldon Gorst and books about the birth of archeology and the establishment of Arabian horse bloodlines. And then there were the websites and the hyperlinks, and…

Question: Is there any character you most identify with? Why?

Connie Brockway: Well, since I just finished cleaning up the house after the Easter extravaganza, I’d have to say the housemaid.

Question: How does The Other Guy’s Bride compare to your previous titles? What can readers expect?
Connie Brockway: I expect readers will find all the elements they’ve enjoyed in the past: engaging characters, irreverent humor, and sigh-provoking romance. But it will have a freshness and spark that comes out of my feeling less of a need to follow a proscribed romance blueprint.

Question: What other authors or books have influenced your writing?

Connie Brockway: Such a hard question! I read constantly in all sorts of genres and it’s hard to pin-point specific titles but as far as romances go, I started out being drawn to the rich, detailed narrative styles of Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart. Dorothy Cannell’s mysteries, starting with The Thin Woman, gave me my first inkling that romance could be downright hilarious and still breathtaking. The unique, fully-fleshed characters created by authors as Pat Gaffney, Laura Kinsale, and the wonderful late Edith Layton have certainly inspired me to be equally conscientious in creating my own characterizations.

Question: Have you considered trying your hand at other genres?

Connie Brockway: I’ve already authored two books that crossed from contemporary romance into contemporary women’s fiction. I’m very intrigued about relationships outside of a strictly romantic one, how those bonds morph and develop throughout a lifetime, as well as community and family dynamics. Those books gave me the chance to indulge my curiosity. As for the future, I’m almost always in the middle of reading a mystery and hope to some day try my hand at historical mystery.

The Other Guy’s Bride came out in digital format on  Nov. 22nd from Amazon’s Montlake Romance.  The print book will be available on December 22nd. 

 

Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Other-Guys-Bride-Connie-Brockway/dp/1612181449/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322611765&sr=1-1
Digital:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Other-Guys-Bride-ebook/dp/B004TTHKPG/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_ke?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321306477&sr=1-1
Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Connie-Brockway/e/B000AQ0W52/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Connie Brockway website
http://www.conniebrockway.com
FB page
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ConnieBrockwayFans

Entertainment Marketing Group is offering 3 print copies of The Other Guy’s Bride as a giveaway.  Leave a comment on this post with your email address no later than Monday, December 19th at 7:00pm to enter to win.  Winners must live in the US or Canada (no PO Boxes) sorry.

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29 Comments

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29 responses to “Book Promo: Q & A with Connie Brockway and a Giveaway”

  3. orannia

    Wonderful interview – thank you Connie & Tracy. I've been lucky enough to visit Egypt, and it was a fascinating place. It's a refreshing setting and I like that the book appears not to have followed a proscribed romance blueprint. It's the books (and characters) that step outside the box that I like.

    Oh, and confession time. I adored your medieval novella in Once Upon a Pillow (I love medievals) and The Rose Hunters trilogy. I keep hoping you'll write the story behind the yellow rose, which IIRC was brought back from the Crusades?

    All the best with the release!

    Reply
  4. SidneyKay

    Big fan! I just ordered your book, but thought I pipe in anyway. I loved the video you and Eloisa James, Teresa Medeiros did a few years ago. Speaking of sequels, I've always wanted a sequel to Promise Me Heaven. That has one of my all time favorite romance scenes in it. When she walks in on him about to be you-know-whated.

    Reply
  5. Christine

    Great Q&A. It's nice to hear romance authors have the freedom to write outside the "blueprint" these days. It's what makes romance fiction so exciting to read. I know the happy ending will be there, but how is the author going to get the couple there?!

    I would love to win this book! Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
  7. Tracy

    Glad you all are so interested! Thanks for entering. Just curious…who read the original book in the series and has been waiting all these years for the next book?

    Also, I wish I could take credit for the interview but alas it was given to me already done – I was just lucky enough to be able to post it. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Dr J

    I have read a couple of Connie's Regency romances and turn-of-the-century Egypt sounds fascinating. It is a locale that has drawn me away from contemporary and Regency historical from time to time. Sometimes they get a bit far fetched, but that time period is so dark and mysterious for us Western citizens that I guess all of it is just a bit far-fetched in a way. Would love to read this new book.

    Reply
  9. Connie Brockway

    Thanks, Orianna,

    The medieval novella was by far the most fun one I;ve written and i would love to do a 15th c setting book. You reminded me today of just how much and now I CAN! I WILL! Thank you and thank you all for the kind words and encouragement!

    Reply
  17. Connie

    Connie Brockway is a fabulous author and I'm so very looking forward to reading her new book. Now, if Santa is really good to me, it will be waiting for me on Christmas morning!! Thanks for this interview and giveway.

    Reply
  24. orannia

    You're so very welcome Connie 🙂 The medieval novella was so much fun to read and I would love to read a 15th century book written by you. *claps hands with glee* Happy writing *beams*

    Reply
  29. Tracy

    And the winners of the giveaway are (decided by random.org):

    Alyn
    Shelley B.
    Martha Lawson

    Congratulations! I'll be emailing you all.

    Reply

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