Welcome to Andrea Pickens' guest blog & contest

Welcome Ms. Pickens to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing novels about ten years ago, but my first literary work was actually created when I was five. It was a Western, complete with crayon drawings of cowboys and horses with steering wheels attached to the saddles, and it’s still in my mother’s scrapbook. So even as a child, I had a fascination with putting words on paper.

Did you always want to become a writer?

I have always loved books, but for a long time my main focus was art. I studied graphic design in college, and then the first books I ever got published were illustrated children’s books. I was lucky enough to take a course with the legendary Maurice Sendak, and I learned so much about storytelling from him. From there, I found myself wanting to write longer, more complex stories. So here I am!

What inspired you to write in the first place? Does the same thing inspire all of your stories?

Well, I’m an avid reader. I love getting swept up in a story and its characters, and I wanted to be able to create that same joy for other people. And hey, I get to meet all these drop dead gorgeous men, right?

What influenced you to get published? How long did it take you to get your first book published?

I was very, very lucky. A friend introduced me to a wonderful agent and when I told him that I had just written a Regency-set romance he offered to show it to an editor he knew at Signet, which at that time published a line of traditional Regency romances. Three days later he called back to say he had sold my first book!

What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

I love the challenge of taking an initial story idea and fleshing it out with the characters and plotlines. Since I have an art background, I think of it in terms of making a picture—I sketch in the outlines, then get to add all the nuances of color and detail. At times, it’s not easy, but it’s always exhilarating.

As for the least interesting . . .well, these days, authors have to pay a lot of attention to the business of publishing. It’s not that such things aren’t fun too, but they take a lot of time away from the actual writing. I sometimes wish I could clone myself, and put the “extra me” to work on the administrative details!


How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book in a bookstore?

I probably made a complete fool of myself jumping up and down when I saw my first book in a store. And to this day, it’s still a real thrill to see it on the shelves next to authors I grew up admiring. And chocolate is always the perfect way to celebrate.

Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write. Was this true for you? If so, what helped you get through it?

I’m pretty disciplined, so when I decided to sit down and try my hand at writing a complete manuscript, I was able to stick to it. A big motivation was simply proving to myself that I could actually take all the ideas I had floating in my head and craft them into a coherent story. It was probably a good thing that I knew nothing about all the “rules” of writing. I would have been too intimidated to try.

Do you usually outline your stories before you write them, or do you "go with the flow"?

I have a very rough outline, but for the most part, I go with the flow. There are many days when I sit back after finishing a scene, and wonder “How did THAT happen?” But for me, that’s part of the fun of creating a book. Ideas happen when you least expect them, and I know it sounds weird, but the characters really do sometimes have a mind of their own . . . I have to keep a pad and pencil handy at all times, so that when I am standing in the grocery line, and suddenly think of a new plot twist or bon mot, I can write it down.

What does your writing day look like?

Well, I have a real job too, so I have to set aside specific times to write. Unlike some people, who can write in short chunks of times, like waiting in a doctor’s office or at a school soccer practice, I need long stretches of time to get into the story and characters. I’m fortunate in having a flexible schedule, so I am able to take two days a week to write for the whole day with no interruptions. Sometimes I can grab a little time on weekends, but they usually are taken up with other things that are far less fun . . . like cleaning and doing laundry.


How do you handle family and your writing career? Is your family understanding of the time that you have to give your career? Is it sometimes difficult for you?

Yes, I think all writers need the support and understanding of their families to make such a commitment of time and effort. Mine is really good about respecting my “writing time.” And yes, sometimes it’s hard, but I think the key is to be flexible. If something comes up that demands giving up some work time, then I just find a way to make it up later. You have to try to keep a balance in your life. Whenever I find myself getting too stressed, I remind myself of how lucky I am to be a published author.


How did they react to fact that you have some really steamy scenes in your books? Has your Mom read one of your books?

Yes, and she very tactfully told me that I had handled “IT” very well!

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

That’s a tough question! I love to read, and always have a book going. I enjoy so many different genres that’s it’s almost impossible to list all the writers I admire. I’ll start with Jane Austen, of course, and other classic authors like Wilkie Collins, Leo Tolstoi and Alexander Dumas. In modern day romance, I’m a big fan of Loretta Chase, Mary Jo Putney, Pat Rice, Elizabeth Hoyt, Liz Carlyle and Amanda McCabe. In mystery, I like Ian Rankin, Elizabeth George and Elizabeth Peters . . . and that’s just the beginning! As for influencing my writing, I am always paying attention to how other authors craft a story. Pacing and language is very important to me, so those are things I am very aware of. So while it’s hard to say that any one person is an “influence”, I definitely “learn” through reading,

Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role models for your characters?

Oh, my characters definitely become my best friends while I am writing their book. Occasionally, I’ll see my “real” friends looking at me strangely and realize that instead of listening to them, I’ve been having a conversation in my head with one of my characters. And then, there are times when I’ll sit there and think, “Oh, I wonder what Jack is going to do next . . .“ Then I have to slap myself and say, well he is going to do exactly what you tell him to do!

Like a lot of authors, I definitely cut out photographs of people who I picture as my heroines and heroes, to use as inspiration. Keira Knightley in her “Pirates of the Caribbean“ role was the perfect role model for my “Merlins”!


Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Ideas come from so many different sources! For example, after watching the movie You’ve Got Mail, I suddenly thought, wouldn’t that be fun to translate into the Regency time? So I had my hero and heroine become very good friends by exchanging letters, but disliking each other in person. Another time, I read a snippet in a history book about a girl being married at age eleven, but being kept at home for 4 years before meeting her husband, so that sparked an idea for a book about a husband and wife meeting each other and not knowing they were married. Inspiration just comes from serendipitous thngs like that—a chance comment, seeing an interesting object in a flea market. I never know where the next idea will come from!

Do you find it difficult at times to write love/sex scenes?

Oh, no, I just call in Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom for a little rehearsal, and then it’s no problem at all! (Sometimes I have to settle for Daniel Craig, but what’s a girl to do!)

Have you ever suffered from "writer’s block"? If so, what did you do to get out if it?

I bribe the Muse with LOTS of chocolate truffles.

How do you handle the deadline hell?

Cry, snivel and feel very sorry for myself. When that doesn’t magically make words on the computer screen, I glue my fingers to the keyboard glue until the manuscript is done!

Did you ever expect your books to become so popular? Why do you think your books are in such demand?

It’s a wonderful feeling to see that readers enjoy my books. I think one of the reasons romance is a popular genre is because people want to believe in the redemptive power of love. The world is a tough place these days, and we all have lots of stresses and hardships to deal with. Spending a few hours with a story that makes us feel good, and inspires us to believe in happy endings is something we all need.

What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

Oh, that’s a very tough question! It’s like asking a mother which is her favorite child! But that said, I really do love the heroine in my latest book, The Scarlet Spy. She is very smart, very sexy and isn’t intimidated by anything, not even the room full of naked . . . Oh, but that would be spoiling all the fun! Readers will just have to find out for themselves what she is up to.

Do you have plans to give another genre a try, like Paranormal or something else or another time period, in the near future?

I’ve just finished a Young Adult historical that has paranormal elements to it, And I’m working on a contemporary thriller. We’ll see what happens—it’s always fun to try new things.

If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

It would be great to go back to 19th century England and meet Lord Byron. He was the real “bad boy” celebrity of his day, a brilliant poet, a rake and an all-around hellraiser who was considered “Mad, bad and dangerous to know.” I mean, isn’t fun to be just a little naughty at times?

Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

I have to listen to classical music so I don’t sing along with the words, or start adding Eric Clapton lyrics into a character’s dialogue. Handel’s Music For Fireworks is a favorite for the last chapter of a book.

If you could choose one of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you choose as the cast?

The Scarlet Spy would make a great movie, because it takes place in so many interesting settings in London. There are glittering ballrooms, dangerous alleyways, and an exotic pleasures palace. And of course, Scarlett Johansson would make the perfect heroine!

Congratulations on your newest release in October, The Scarlet Spy.

The spy trilogy reminds me of a mixture of Charlie’s Angels and Mission Impossible with a touch of James Bond’s Q thrown in.. What inspired you to write these books?
After watching all the old James Bond movies for more times than I care to count, I began to think—why is it that the boys get to have all the fun? They always get to be the spies. Or the pirates. So, I decided to turn tradition on its ear and create a trio of leading ladies capable of beating the men at their own game. And thus was born Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies, which is a Hogwarts for Hellions. The students were all once orphans from London’s toughest slums. Now they are learning the art of swordplay and seduction. Bold, beautiful, and oh-so dangerous, they are England’s ultimate secret weapons—spies that no mission can daunt and no man can resist.
I chose to set the trilogy in Regency England because I find the era is so richly romantic. It was a world aswirl in silks, seduction and the intrigue of the Napoleonic Wars. A time when old ideas were constantly clashing with radical new ones. What better place for an unconventional female to test her mettle?

The third book in the trilogy came out last month. Here is a small teaser . . .
“Looking for something to read, Contessa?”
Sofia laughed as she caressed the leatherbound books. “The party is rather a bore, Lord Osborne. I was seeking a distraction—and it seems you are of the same frame of mind.”
The flicker of the candlelight did not quite reach Deverill’s face.
“Perhaps we could make the night a bit more interesting,” she added coyly.
“Is that an invitation?” Deverill’s voice was as inscrutable as his expression. “I was under the impression that my advances were not welcome.”
“A lady must sometimes play hard to get.” Hearing voices at the far end of the corridor, she took a step closer. “Most gentlemen are hunters at heart. They find the chase exhilarating.”
“And when the quarry is cornered?”
She reached out her hand and touched his jaw, smooth, strong, with just a faint hint of stubbling against her fingertips. “Then I expect the hunter will move in for the coup de grace.”
Deverill hesitated for a heartbeat, then caught her up in his arms . .

What are you working on right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

I’ve started on a new trilogy that I’m very excited about. The heroines are a trio of beautiful, brilliant women, all experts in science. (Don’t worry, they are NOT geeks! They know about things like archeology, exotic plants and deadly poisons, to name a few things.)
But they share more than a common interest in learning. Each of them has a dark secret linked to her scientific expertise. And when the past threatens to destroy them, they find they need more than each other. Each of them is wary of men—and with good reason! Yet to survive, they are forced to join forces with some unexpected—and sinfully sexy—allies.
Each book will tell one lady’s story. Ciara, whose expertise in chemistry stirs accusations of murder when her nasty husband dies suddenly, is the first to face trouble. The last person on earth who seems likely to defend her is the rakish, fun-loving Earl of Hadley, whose outrageous stunts are the talk of the gossip pages. However, necessity makes strange bedfellows . . .
The books are scheduled to be released in early 2010, but I will be posting some special e-book short story “prequels” on my website in the coming months, so I hope readers will check them out.

Any final advice to aspiring authors?

I once heard Lisa Kleypas say that you have to be an armadillo if you want to be a writer. In other words, you have to have a really thick hide and be tough enough to get run over by a truck and still pick yourself up. It’s so true! You can’t get discouraged. You just have to believe in yourself and your dreams and good things will happen.


Thank you for spending time with us at Love Romances and More.

CONTEST:

I am going to choose tomorrow randomly 5 lucky persons, who win a copy of Andrea Pickens' latest relase THE SCARLET SPY. So post a comment, ask a question or just simply say hello. The winners will be posted here by tomorrow morning. Good luck everyone!



Reviews of Andrea Pickens' books:

Seduced by a spy