Wednesday, January 6, 2010

An Interview with Helen Scott Taylor

Gannon: Hi, Helen and welcome to The Romance Dish! Your latest book, The Phoenix Charm, was released on December 29. Can you tell us a little bit about it?


Helen: The Phoenix Charm is the sequel to The Magic Knot, set in my Celtic contemporary fantasy world. (The book works as a standalone story as well.) The hero of The Phoenix Charm, Michael, is left in charge of his small nephews. Michael is a storyteller with an eye for the ladies, a taste for Irish whisky, and heaps of fairy glamour. In short, he’s a bit of a rascal. When one of his nephews is trapped in the Underworld, he has to shape up fast. With the help of the Cornish pisky wise woman, Cordelia, and Nightshade, a vampiric winged fairy, he travels to the Underworld to rescue the child.

The story is a journey of discovery for Michael as he comes to terms with the nature of the power he has inherited from his father, and a journey of self-acceptance for Cordelia as Michael helps her come to terms with her secret water nymph sensuality.


Gannon: I really loved Michael--charming and sexy from head to toe! But it was his tenderness with Cordelia that really won me over. Where did you come up with the idea for this series?


Helen: The first book in the series, The Magic Knot, started life in my head as a short contemporary story about identical twin Irish brothers who ran a pub in Cornwall. This is because when I started writing I attempted short contemporary romance before I tried paranormal. When Harlequin rejected my first story because my characters were too unconventional, my Irish brothers morphed into fairies and my Magic Knot world was born. When I wrote the first book, I intended it as a standalone, but my subconscious must have wanted to make it a series as I wrote in a number of secondary characters who begged for their own stories. I have a soft spot for Michael. Even though he was a rascal in the first book, he has a heart of gold. He was the obvious choice for the second book. The third book, The Ruby Kiss, about Nightshade the vampiric nightstalker, is scheduled for release at the end of 2010.


Gannon: I'm looking forward to book #3. Do you plan to have more books in this series?


Helen: I’m planning five books in the series. The fourth will be about Devin, the djinn character who appears for the first time in The Phoenix Charm. I went to Morocco to do research for his character and I’m looking forward to writing his book. Much of the setting will be very different to anything I’ve written before. The final book in the series will be about Troy, the father of some of my other heroes. He will be the only character to appear in every book and I’m enjoying discovering more about him with each installment. I also have two novellas allied to the series. The first is called The Feast of Beauty and is in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance due out in a few weeks. This story is about King Esras, who is mentioned in both my first two books. It is a little different, as Esras is a sea fairy, one of the people of the Irish Sea god Lir. The other novella will be in a fantasy anthology with four other authors due out October 2010. I am writing that story now.


Gannon: I love “call” stories. Can you tell us about your call telling you had sold your first book?


Helen:
My ‘call’ was a little different to most authors. I sold the Magic Knot to Dorchester by winning The American Title IV contest run jointly by Dorchester and RT Bookreviews magazine. Excerpts and details of the finalists’ stories appeared in the magazine and readers voted on which they liked best. Luckily for me, the readers liked The Magic Knot. So my ‘call’ was actually an email from one of the editors at RT Bookreviews saying I’d won. The following day my Dorchester editor Alicia Condon called me to discuss the book.



Gannon: Are you a plotter or a pantser?


Helen: I have tried plotting before I write a story, but my brain then thinks I’ve written the story and wants to move on to the next one. I get to know my characters well, then watch them as they live their story. I simply write it down. There is a scene near the end of The Phoenix Charm where Michael the hero has to defeat a huge, aggressive nightstalker. Going into that scene, I had no idea how Michael would triumph. He solved the problem in his own inimitable fashion. I’m still surprised by what he did. I usually don’t know what’s going to happen during the book, although I have to give it a best guess so I can write my editor a synopsis.


Gannon: Who are your favorite authors? Is there a particular one who influenced you?


Helen: My favorite genres are romance, women’s fiction, fantasy, and mystery. I love a good cozy and read authors such as Michele Scott and Melinda Wells. I read so much romance it’s difficult to pin down favorite authors, but I always love Nora Roberts, Jayne Anne Krentz, and Julia Quinn to name a few. Trudi Canavan is one of my favorite fantasy authors and in women’s fiction I enjoy Santa Montefiore’s books. I’ve recently started reading the Little Black Dress imprint—a mix of romantic comedy and chic lit. I also enjoy reading YA stories. I’m currently reading a fabulous book called Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon. I can’t think of any author who influenced me especially. I tend not to read much paranormal romance. I like to keep my ideas pure and not be influenced by other authors’ ideas.


Time for quick six.


Coffee or tea? Coffee or Earl Grey tea.
Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
Winter or summer? Summer.
Cake or pie? Oh, hard one. Depends on the type of cake or pie.
Mountains or beach? Mountains.
Milk chocolate or dark? Both. :)




Thanks again, Helen, for dishing with us today. If anyone would like to know more about Helen and her books, check out her website. You can also read my review of The Phoenix Charm here.


Helen is giving away a signed copy of The Phoenix Charm to one lucky commenter today! Tell us readers, What type of paranormal or magical creature would you love to discover was real?

She has a new book video for The Phoenix Charm, too!

49 comments:

  1. Loved the interview. I have been searching for something to catch my interest and your books sound like they will do the trick. Going to get The Magic Knot today! Great interview!

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  2. Hi Cyndi,

    Delighted you enjoyed the interview. I hope you enjoy The Magic Knot.

    Helen

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  3. Fun interview! Welcome, Helen! We're delighted to have you with us today. I loved The Magic Knot and can't wait to pick up The Phoenix Charm but the book I'm really excited about is The Ruby Kiss. Nightshade has captivated me from his very first appearance in The Magic Knot. Can't wait to see what you have in store for him!

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  4. Great interview, Helen and Gannon! If I wasn't already intrigued by this series based on Gannon's review, I would be now! I especially love Helen's quick six answers. :)

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  5. Welcome Helen and oh, how I love those interviews!

    I have to admit that I haven't read any of your books yet but both The Magic Knot and The Phoenix Charm went to my TBB-list right away after I read the review for TPC here.

    I'm very intrigued with that whole fairy-world. I'm writing about elves but I've always thought of fairies as very small, fragile, glittering little personas with great magical powers but not with physical ones. I'm so very interested in how your world is built (I'm a very big fan of world building in general).

    However, a hero who is the father of some of your other heroes? So will this book be a flashback and tells the story of the heroes' parents or will there be a new partner and that's okay because fairies don't age? Now you've got me fascinated for sure!

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  6. Lovely interview, Gannon and Helen.

    What an imagination you have, Helen! Wow, and to be able to use it to write about such fascinating characters and creatures! Your books sound really intriguing and good, so I look forward to reading them.

    Thanks, again, TRD Ladies, for broadening my reading genre horizons! :)

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  7. Thanks for chatting with us today, Helen! I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series.

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  8. I did a little edit, everyone. Helen is giving away a signed copy of THE PHOENIX CHARM to a commenter today. Here's a fun question she asked: "What type of paranormal or magical creature would you love to discover was real?"

    If we're going more with the "human" form, then I'd definitely choose faeries! But I think finding a real unicorn would be pretty fantastic, too! :)

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  9. Cyndi, I know you'll love Helen's books! You and I have the same taste in books, so prepare to be hooked. :-D

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  10. PJ, I can't wait for Nightshade's story! He's incredibly interesting and I'm dying to find out more about him.

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  11. Andrea, you really must read Helen's books! I loved her quick six answers, too. :)

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  12. LisaK, Helen has created an amazing world with a cast of intriguing characters! And Troy will make a fascinating hero for sure.

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  13. Deb, we are happy to broaden your horizons. LOL You'll just love this series!

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  15. Gannon, wait until you read The Magic Knot. There's a scene between Nightshade and Niall that will blow you away!

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  16. I think it would be fun to meet Jul Nissen, Danish Christmas elves. They are, supposedly, mischievous and fun. They wear little red outfits and matching red hats and clogs.
    It would be interesting to meet pixies or fairies, too.

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  17. PJ, it's hinted at in THE PHOENIX CHARM, so I'm sure it will be amazing!

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  18. Deb, I've never heard of Jul Nissen. Fun!

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  19. Nice interview!
    I would love to discover that dragons are real, they have always been my favorite fantasy creature!

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  20. Hi PJ,
    Thank you for the warm welcome. I had so much fun writing the first draft of Nightshade's story. He has a feisty Scottish heroine called Ruby who doesn't let him get away with any nonsense.

    Hi Andrea,
    Thank you for having me as a guest today. Glad you like the sound of the books.

    Helen

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  21. Bought The Magic Knot--looking forward to reading some of it this evening!!!! Yeah.

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  22. Spav, dragons would be cool! BTW, I love your avatar! Thanks for stopping by today.

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  23. Cyndi, enjoy The Magic Knot! If the weather is as cold and snowy up your way as it is here, it's a perfect day to stay in and read.

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  24. Hi LisaK,
    I love elves as well. Especially the tall beautiful type in LOTR.

    I have to admit that my potential hero, Troy, who is the father of the first two heroes in the series is my favorite character. He is immortal (2000 years old), immensly powerful, with long blonde hair and a penchant for elaborate brightly-colored clothes. I find out more about him with each book I write. He's normally unemotional but he did something that surprised me in book 3. I love finding out more about him.

    Hi Deb,
    I live half my life in my imagination. To me all my characters are real. I'm sure my parents think I'm a bit strange LOL.

    Helen

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  25. Hi Gannon,
    Thank you so much for having me here as a guest. It's a pleasure. And did I tell you I love your review of The Phoenix Charm. :)

    Helen

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  26. Deb, I've never heard of the Jul Nissen. I'll have to look them up. I think I'd like to meet Santa Claus! I'm about to write a novella set in my fairy world for a 2010 Christmas anthology. Maybe I'll have my heroine meet Santa.

    Helen

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  27. Hi Spav,
    OMG, dragons, yes. Wouldn't that be fun. Unless they were like the dragons in that film where they terrorised and destroyed the world. There was a great pseudo-documentary a few years ago that pretended dragons were real and examined their natural history. If only...

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  28. Paranormal or magical creature? I'd go with the Tuatha De Danann though I'm sure some people claim they are real :)

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  29. I'd love to discover that the Heinzelmännchen are real, little dwarf-/gnomelike characters who appear at night and do the work of the people who live in the house. Wouldn't that be practical? However, if they're discovered only once, they disappear forever!

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  30. Helen, I'm so pleased you liked my review! :)

    Troy is fascinating, and I can't wait to find out more about him! :)

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  31. SusieD, the Tuatha De Danann is an excellent choice. I could get on board with them being real. *g*

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  32. LisaK, I like the sound of the Heinzelmännchen! I could use some helpers with all of my work right now. How great would it be to wake up and have the house clean, laundry done, etc.?!

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  33. I love reading about authors I have not read before, or new genres!
    You had me at Celtic and Irish. That alone interests me, but the rest of the plot sounds wonderful. The hero is a tender rascal? Even better!

    I always thought it would be cool if shape shifters were real, must have thought of those because I just finished Pamela Palmer's Feral Warrior series.

    All the best for your new release!

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  34. Drew, Michael is indeed a tender rascal and a delicious hero!

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  35. Hi Susied,

    I so wish the Tuatha De Danaan were real. I've visited Ireland twice and not met any yet--but I shall keep looking.

    Helen

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  36. Hi LisaK,
    I've not heard of the Heinzelmännchen before. They sound a little like brownies. They are reputed to do the housework or farmwork at night. I could do with a couple of those.

    Helen

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  37. Hi Drew,

    I just love Celtic and Irish. I have a shape-shifting fairy in the third in my series out at the end of 2010. He's the Scottish Unseelie fairy king. My favorite shape-sifters are big cats, preferably black panthers. But then I adore cats...

    Helen

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  38. Great Interview! I will save your information. My TBR pile is too big.

    Unicorns popped into my head immediately. I think it must be something from my childhood. I vaguely recall daydreaming about them. =)

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  39. Hi Jessica,

    I hear you on the subject of huge tbr piles. I have a tbr bookcase full of books. I shall have to include a unicorn in one of my books. They keep being mentioned.

    Helen

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  40. Shape Shifters I would like to believe that there Real and We just don't know it.Great Interview.
    sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com

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  41. Jessica, I love unicorns, too. Like you, I think it must be something from my childhood.

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  42. Stacey, that would be pretty crazy to think there are shape shifters walking among us. :)

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  43. Great post and interview. I would love to learn that faeries were real. Through stories I am just so mesmerized by their magical powers and sensual allure.

    I am certainly looking forward to reading THE PHOENIX CHARM.

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  44. I love to see Unicorns ! they are so beautiful Horse :)

    And Helen, your book sounds wonderful. i love to have the chance to read it :)

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  45. Helen, yes, I think the English brownies are pretty much an equivalent of the German Heinzelmännchen.

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  46. Armenia, you will particularly like Helen's faeries--they are very sensual.

    Mariska, there seem to be quite a few of us who like unicorns. :)

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  47. Hi Stacey,

    Shape shifters are such a favorite. I think it's the combination of man with that elemental force of a wild animal.

    Hi Armenia,
    I agree with you on the attraction of magic blended with sensuality and fairies do that so well. I love Making them very beautiful as well.

    Hi Mariska,
    Another vote for unicorns. I shall definitely be putting one in a book soon!

    Happy New Year to everyone. Thank you all so much for reading my interview and leaving a comment.

    Helen

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  48. Thanks again, Helen, for spending time with us! We'll be looking for that unicorn. :-D

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  49. Great interview! To answer your question, a magical creature I'd love to learn was real would be a gryphon (aka griffin.)

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