Reader’s Life Magazine
Editor's Note Reader’s Life Magazine is proud to present our 9th issue, this is the Historical issue that features Authors Collette Cameron and Piper Huguley.
Contents 5-12 Collette Cameron 14-20: Piper Huguley
Collette Cameron Bestselling, awardwinning author, COLLETTE CAMERON pens Scottish and Regency historicals featuring rogues, rapscallions, rakes, and the intelligent, intrepid damsels who reform them. Mother to three, Collette admits to a quirky sense of humor, enjoys inspiring quotes, and anything cobalt blue. A self-confessed Cadbury chocoholic, she lives in Oregon with her husband and fiveminiature dachshunds.
You’ll always find dogs, birds, occasionally naughty humor, and a dash of inspiration in her sweet-to- spicy timeless romances.
1. How long have you been writing? In February 2011, I decided to see if I could write an entire story around a scene that had popped into my head and wouldn't go away. Highlander's Hope was the result, and I just celebrated that novel's 3-year published anniversary May 23, 2016. So, from the first word until now, I've been writing just over five years. 2. What made you get started writing? I'd just finished a my Master's Degree in Teaching and was substituting part time.
But I was suffering from empty-nest syndrome after my youngest headed off to college. I had lots of free time on my hands and thought if I was ever going to write a book, now was my chance. I'd toyed with the idea of writing for years, but had never considered writing a romance novel until that scene kept pestering me. I didn't have a clue what I was doing when I started!
3. What inspired you to write your first novel?
4. Can you tell me about your journey to publishing?
Oh, I should have anticipated this question. I gave the answer away already, but I'll elaborate.
Of course!
In Highlander's Hope, there is a scene at the Banbury Inn where Yvette wakes up in a stranger's bed and she's not alone. I'll not spoil the story for those who haven't read it, but I was curious to see if I could develop an entire story with that scene included. Once I started writing, I fell in love with the craft, and opted not to pursue full-time teaching after all.
As I've mentioned, in February 2011 I began writing Highlander's Hope, thought the working manuscript had a different title. I finished it the summer of 2011. It was a 156,000 word monstrosity, so I rewrote it, cutting nearly half. At that time, I was still intent on teaching full-time. After I'd entered the manuscript in a few contests and received mixed reviews, I made more changes and submitted to four publishing houses.
They all politely declined, so I rewrote the book again and changed the title. By now, a year had passed, and it was August 2012. I submitted that manuscript, and within four days had a request for a full. Four days later, I had a publication offer. I haven't looked back since! 5. How have readers reacted to your works? I am blessed to have a fabulous, loyal readership. That's not to say, all readers like my voice, my humor, or word choice, but the faithful ones, look forward to my releases and are amazingly supportive.
When I was first published, I thought I had to please all readers, and I've since learned that like most things, reading is a matter of personal taste. I don't like every book I read either, but that doesn't mean another reader might not think it's marvelous. Now when someone doesn't like one of my books, I just say, "Mushrooms." I started doing that after using an analogy where I compared books to mushrooms. Personally, I can't stand them, so much so, that when my mushroom-loving hubby tries to kiss me after eating some,
I make him brush his teeth first. *Shudder*
7. If so why is it your favorite?
The point is, just because I don't like mushrooms, doesn't mean other people shouldn't or won't, and just because they do, doesn't mean I should. One isn't right and the other wrong.
Well first, I adore both my hero and heroine, and I liked the way they interacted with one another. Neither was the typical Regency character either, and that made the story a bit refreshing. I'd never had a privateer as a hero before, and Nic was quite the charmer to work with.
6. Do you have a favorite book you have written? You know, I always think the book I'm working on is my favorite, but overall, I really love "To Tame a Scoundrel's Heart" the most. Shh. Don't tell my other books. They're like children and get jealous when a parent shows favoritism.
I'd introduced Katrina in one of my full-length novels and knew she'd needed her own story. I was excited to see just what that story would be.
8. Do you have any authors that have inspired the way you write? I've been reading historical since I was thirteen and fell madly in love with the genre after reading Kathleen Woodiwiss's "The Flame and the Flower." As I've often shared, I named my daughter Brianna, after the heroine, Heather Brianna. I'm not sure there are any authors who necessarily inspire the way I write, because I've tried really hard to develop my own voice and style, but many authors inspire me.
'Im a huge fan of Christi Caldwell, Kathryn LeVeque, Grace Burrowes, Delilah Marvelle, Sarah Hegger, Tessa Dare, Darcy Burke, Jo Beverly (May she rest in peace) ... so many more. 9. What kind of projects are you working on now? I'm working on a Regency boxed with nine other authors that'ts set to release in July, and I'm also part of a large historical author cookbook that's in the works. I'm part of another author novel project too with a 2018 release date.
I'm trotting right along on "Passion and Plunder" the fifth book in my Highland Heather Romancing a Scot Series too. The fourth book in the series releases in September, and I should have the sixth, and final, book finished by then. 10. Do you have any advice for young writers? Don't try to model yourself after someone else. Develop your own voice, and network, network, network. I've learned so much from fellow authors. Keep honing your craft: read craft books, participate in workshops, and
attend conferences. Finally, don't get discouraged. It takes time to hit your stride, time to create an author platform, time to become recognized. Truly, the most important thing you can do is write your book. And then write another. And then another. Connect with Collette Website: http: //collettecameron.com Facebook: http: //facebook. com/collettecameronaut hor Pinterest: http://www. pinterest. com/colletteauthor/ Twitter: http://twitter. com/Collette_Author
Piper Huguley Piper G Huguley, named 2015 Debut Author of the Year by Romance Slam Jam and Breakout Author of the Year by AAMBC, is a twotime Golden Heart ®finalist and is the author of “Migrations of the Heart,” a five-book series of historical romances set in the early 20 th century featuring African American characters, published by Samhain Publishing. Book #3 in the series, A Treasure of Gold, was named by
Romance Novels in Color as a Best Book of 2015 and received 4 ½ stars from RT Magazine. Huguley is also the author of the “Home to Milford College” series. The series follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. On release, the prequel novella to the “Home to Milford College”
series, The Lawyer’s Luck, reached #1 Amazon Bestseller status on the African American Christian Fiction charts. Book #! in the series, The Preacher’ s Promise was named a top ten Historical Romance in Publisher’s Weekly by the esteemed historical romance author, Beverly Jenkins and received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Contest of SelfPublished e-books in 2015.
She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley. com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.
1. How long have you been writing?
4. What inspired the series?
On and off ever since I was a teenager, which has been for quite a while! But my most recent "on" time was about 6 years ago.
My great aunts and grandmother. I always told them I would write about them someday and I did.
2. What got you started writing?
5. Are you planning any more novels for the series?
Or rewriting? My son got into football and I was a bored football mom. He's not playing any more, but I'm still going at it!
The first three novels are currently published and I'm looking for a home for the remainder.
3. Tell me about series Migrations of the Heart.
6. Tell me about your series Home to Milford College.
It's about five sisters who leave home during the course of The Great Migrations. Each sister has her own love story.
This series traces the growth and development of a college over time from its founding by a couple,
a teacher who come to the south and the preacher who initially doesn't want her to be there. Of course they fall in love. 7. Where did the idea for it come from? As a professor at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) I've always been fascinated at how HBCU schools got started and persisted in spite of long odds. So the series is inspired by a mish mash of the founding and survival stories of these 100+ schools that are still in existence.
8. Are there anymore novels your writing to go with it? I'm currently working on The Songbird's Stand, the next novel in the series. My next novella projects are in the planning stages: The Washerwoman's War and The Cowboy's Christmas. They are not quite of the Milford series, but have connections to it. 9. How have people reacted to your novels? Readers have been very positive. I think the industry, as a whole, thinks I'm a nut job, but I'm determined to put this history out there for all to see.
10. What projects are you working on now? Besides the ones I listed above, I'm doing research for Project X, a new kind of historical project for me. 11. Do you have any advice for young writers? Yes. Read. It seems simple enough, but I'm stunned by the number of writers I'm coming across who don't read. It's part of the work that you do as a writer. It cannot be skipped.
Follow Piper @ Blog: http: //piperhuguley.com Facebook: https: //www.facebook. com/piper.huguley Twitter: @piperhuguley