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| Kandy Shepherd & Joanne Lockyer |
What's better than welcoming an awesome Aussie author (say that three times) to The Romance Dish? Welcoming two! That's right, readers. Today we have two of my favorite people from Down Under visiting us. I've been reading Kandy Shepherd's books since discovering her at the Romance Bandits blog in 2009 and have enjoyed getting to know the woman behind the books since our first "in person" meeting at the 2010 RWA national conference in Florida. She's upbeat, friendly, a fellow animal lover and a talented author, currently writing for Harlequin Romance. Her new book, The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner is the second entry in her wonderfully emotional Dolphin Bay series.
I can't remember where I first met Joanne online but I have a vivid memory of our first face-to-face meet at the 2009 RWA national conference in Washington, DC. She was photographing people at the post-RITA® reception which created an immediate common bond between us but it was her infectiously friendly personality and ability to put people at ease and make them feel as if you'd been friends with her forever that convinced me this was someone I'd like to know. For the next several years, I followed her writing journey through Golden Heart® finals and world-wide travels, catching up at conferences, exploring new horizons vicariously through the lens of her camera and waiting patiently for the debut that I knew in my heart would be amazing. (It is.)
When I met Kandy for lunch at this year's RWA conference in Texas, I had just finished reading Joanne's debut, The Last Light of Dusk and couldn't stop talking about it. Turns out Kandy had been following Joanne's journey as well and planned to read the book as soon as she got home. The idea light blub flared and voilá! I'm delighted to welcome Kandy Shepherd and Joanne Lockyer for an author-on-author interview - Australian style!
Kandy: I first met Joanne Lockyer when she was an
aspiring writer at a Romance Writers of Australia conference way back in 2006.
It was her first writer’s conference, though I was to catch up with her at
several Romance Writers of America conferences in the years to come—the most
recent being in San Antonio, Texas in July 2014.
At that 2006 Australian conference, this
beautiful, smart young woman sat next to me in a workshop. She was bubbling
with enthusiasm and passion, determined to soak up as much knowledge as she
could about the craft of writing romance.
After the workshop, we chatted and I asked her
what she wrote. As she drew me into an enthralling tale of romance set in the
time of the Napoleonic Peninsular War, I knew I was listening to a natural born
storyteller.
I followed Jo’s career with interest, confident
such talent would be recognized. When she finaled in the Romance Writer’s of
America prestigious Golden Heart contest for an unpublished manuscript in both
2012 and 2013, I knew she was on her way.
Joanne’s debut novel The Last Light of
Dusk was released on July 8. It’s a passionate, Regency-set historical
romance between an unconventional hero and heroine: the rugged sea captain and
adventurer, Jonathon Lecky, and the spirited shipping heiress Rachel Cavanagh,
granddaughter of an infamous privateer. The story is beautifully written, rich
in historical detail and lush with romance and intrigue. It was well worth
waiting for!
I spoke to Jo about her journey as a writer.
Kandy: Jo, you have an interesting background.
You have a Masters of Applied Law specializing in environmental law. Your “day
job” has involved donning a hard hat and working on major resource and energy
projects.
Joanne: Hi Kandy, yes! For many years I’ve
worked in environmental and social impact assessment for major projects in
Australia; from mines to power stations, gas fields and liquefied natural gas
plants. In the midst of it all, when I finished my Masters—wow, yes, back in
2006!—I knew it was time to write.
Kandy: So why write historical romance? The
historical detail in The Last
Light of Dusk, which opens in
1816, seems very authentic, yet you weave it through the story so
it doesn’t overwhelm.
Joanne: Thank you, Kandy! Growing up, the very
first romances I ever read were historical. Next (by a roundabout route) I
completed an undergraduate degree in history, which had a strong emphasis on
19th century social history. I love that “the past is a foreign land” and feel
that events of the past add such incredible texture and depth to characters’
experiences. I love using historical events to add depth and authenticity to
both the plot and the characters’ emotional experiences.
Kandy: You live in Australia but you’ve
travelled a lot, has that influenced your writing?
Joanne: Oh, absolutely! In obvious ways—my
imagination triggers when I visit historic places and I start asking myself
that writer’s question: “What if?” But my love of roaming creeps into my
characters too. They’re adventurers; people who have sailed from England’s
shores either out of duty, such as going to war, or to explore. Their worlds
and awareness stretch far beyond English shores.
Kandy: If a
movie was to be made of The Last Light of
Dusk, who would you cast as Lecky and Rachel?
Joanne: As
Jonathon Lecky I’d cast Jake Gyllenhaal,
as he played Prince Dastan in Prince of
Persia. (PJ here, jumping in to say I think this is perfect casting! Click to see Joanne's vision of Jonathon Lecky.) As Rachel Cavanagh I’d cast a grown-up Emma Watson.
Kandy: I could definitely see those actors in the
roles! There are some interesting secondary characters in your novel including
the Marquess of Rossum. The memoir extracts of Rachel’s grandfather, the
infamous privateer Rhys Cavanagh, also bring him to life. Will be seeing these
characters in future books? What’s next for Joanne Lockyer?
Joanne: Haha! I already have requests for Rossum’s
story, so that is definitely on the cards. (And will be an interesting
challenge, as readers of the Last Light of Dusk will understand.) First however, I’m intending
to release Before Come Light of Dawn in early 2015, which will
introduce some new characters into the world of The Last Light of Dusk. In other words, it’s linked, but readers
haven’t met the hero and heroine yet!
Kandy: Joanne, thank you for chatting with me. I’ll
look forward to reading more of your books—keep writing!
PJ: Joanne and Kandy, thank you so much for that wonderful interview! Joanne, would you like to ask our readers a question?
What Hollywood coupling would you like to imagine as hero and heroine of a novel?
The past is a foreign land: what aspect of the Regency era would you most like to experience and why?
PJ, again. I'm giving away two books today: a Kindle e-book copy of The Last Light of Dusk (open to everyone) and a signed print copy of The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner (U.S. addresses only).
She’s the brilliant granddaughter of England’s most infamous privateer
When Rachel Cavanagh is rescued from drowning by English seafarer Jonathon Lecky, her life is irreparably changed. Despite the briefness of their meeting amidst the chaos of the wreck, a bond of trust is formed between her and the rugged, unconventional boat captain. Lauded for her survival, her family and indeed all of England would have her marry Britain's most eligible bachelor. Still, her dreams of exploring far away places and the storm-gray eyes of a handsome seafarer call to her soul….
He’s the adventure she’s been longing for
Returning to England’s shores with wrongs to redress after eight years in North Africa, the shadows that have chased Jonathon Lecky across continents allow no place in his life for romance. Yet when he again meets the woman he rescued but can’t forget, he knows someone has to show the captivating shipping heiress that it’s right to want something different….
Joanne's website is under construction. Readers can connect with her online at Facebook and Twitter.
The Last Light of Dusk is currently available at:
Amazon
Kobobooks
Readers can find more information about Kandy and her books at her website and connect with her online at Facebook and Twitter.
Kandy's current book, The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner (Harlequin Romance) is available at most book-buying locations.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobobooks
