Today's Special -- Shana Galen

We are thrilled to have historical author Shana Galen joining us today. As a busy mother and frequent blogger at The Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quill (an author blog site) Shana keeps her readers coming back for more with her stories of intrigue and romance. Her latest novel, THE ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE, will be released on February 7, 2012, and boy is it a good one (check out Buffie’s review here). Please give a warm welcome to Shana Galen.



Shana, thank you for joining us today. Let’s jump right in. Please tell us a little bit about your newest release, THE ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE.
First of all, thank you for having me!

The Rogue Pirate’s Bride is the third in my Sons of the Revolution series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. It’s the story of Bastien, one of three brothers who are separated as children during the French Revolution. Bastien is a pirate, though he prefers to be called a privateer, and he is seeking revenge against a Barbary corsair who betrayed and murdered his mentor and father-figure.

Raeven is the daughter of a British Admiral and she also wants revenge. Bastien killed her fiancé, and she’ll do anything to avenge his death. It’s an exciting book with sword fights, chases, naval battles, and of course, a happy ending.
I really enjoyed reading Bastien and Raeven’s story, as you could tell from my review. There just something about a pirate, a man living life by his own rules. I absolutely love pirate books, but there seems to be a small quantity of them. What made you decide to write one?

I’ve always wanted to write a pirate book. Like you, I love pirates and can’t ever find enough books featuring pirate heroes. One of my favorite books ever is Marsha Canham’s THE WIND AND THE SEA. The hero isn’t a pirate, but the heroine is a pirate’s daughter. I started thinking about writing a book where the heroine is as knowledgeable and experienced in naval matters as the hero, and that was the beginning of the idea for THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE.

Several scenes in the book are set around Gibraltar. Did you visit the area to conduct research?
I can only hope to visit one day. I had to research online, but my sister was working in Morocco at the time, so I was able to ask her lots of questions about North African cities and markets.

While most historical romances have English heroes, Bastien is a man of French heritage. Did you consciously make an effort to write a non-English hero? And by chance are you of French descent?
For whatever reason, French heroes are not that popular with readers, so I definitely didn’t make a conscious effort to write one. The smarter move would have been to write a British or Scottish hero, but that wasn’t the book idea I had. I have always loved the period of the French Revolution, and I wanted to explore the ramifications of a revolution like that. Bastien fled the revolution as a boy and signed on as a cabin boy on the first ship he found. It turned out to be a pirate ship. The men on board became his family. He had no other family because he thinks they all perished in the Revolution.

No, I’m not of French descent. I’m Dutch and German.

I have to say that I found a French hero very refreshing. And Bastien is one hero that will have all the girls swooning!

Other than your family, who has been your greatest supporter during your writing career?

I’d have to say two people, Tera Lynn Childs and Christina Hergenrader. Both are writers and both have been there for me for the good times and the bad. Most authors go through periods when they think they might never sell another book, and both of these friends stood by me and encouraged me to keep writing during that period for me.

It is so nice to have such moral support from people in the profession.

I love the show Inside The Actor’s Studio, which is hosted by James Lipton. I enjoy the questions he ask every actor on his show and find I’m always fascinated by the answers given. Therefore, I’m going to ask you a few of Mr. Lipton’s usual questions.

What’s your favorite word? It changes, but lately it is sonorous.

What’s your least favorite word? Sucks, as in “This sucks.”

What sound do you love? Silence. I don’t get much of it.

What sound do you hate? My daughter’s crying. It must be instinctual in mothers. It doesn’t bother me when other kids cry, but when mine starts crying, I cringe.

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? I have always wanted to work with animals, so maybe I’d be a veterinarian or run a shelter.


Now on to our Quick Six Questions.
Early bird or night owl? Early bird, definitely.
Mexican or Italian food? Tough. I think Mexican. I live in Houston, and we have great Mexican food.
Beach or mountains? Beach. The sound of the waves is relaxing.
Chocolate or peanut butter? Why not together? Chocolate over peanut butter, unless they’re together or caramel is involved
Heels or sneakers? Sneakers.
Silver or gold? Silver.

Since THE ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE was the last in the series, I’m sure you must be working on something fabulous. Please tell our readers what is up next for you.
I’m working on a new series about three glamorous courtesans in Regency London. They become involved with some dangerous diamonds and some equally dangerous men. It’s been a lot of fun to write and is action-packed. The first book comes out in September, and it’s titled WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND.

Wow, that sounds like another fabulous series. But, of course, that is what we expect when we pick up a Shana Galen book. It has been such a pleasure having you with us today. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule.

Dear reader, Shana would love to hear your response to the Quick Six Questions she answered in our interview. So are you an early bird or a night owl? Do you prefer chocolate or peanut butter? Come on, answer those six questions and let's get to know each other a little better.

Thanks to Shana, two random commenters will win a copy of THE ROGUE PIRATE’S BRIDE.

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.



~ Buffie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shana Galen is the author of numerous fast-paced adventurous Regency historical romances, including the Rita-nominated Blackthorne’s Bride. Her books have been sold worldwide, including Japan, Brazil, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and the Netherlands, and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. A former English teacher in Houston’s inner city, Shana now writes full time. She’s a wife, a mother, and an expert multi-tasker. She loves to hear from readers: visit her website at www.shanagalen.com or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.