Writer Wednesday Interview - Katherine Grey

Today I am delighted to be interviewing Katherine Grey, whose historical romances An Unexpected Gift and The Muse are published by The Wild Rose Press.  Welcome, Katherine.  Have you always written historical romances, or have you experimented with other genres?

I wrote a mystery about a year or so ago but apparently didn’t do a very good job with the red herrings as my friend told me she figured out who the murderer was by the third chapter.  It’s currently sitting on the shelf in my closet. I’m not sure if I’ll revise it and try to sell it or use it as a learning experience.

Can you tell us a bit about your most recent release and what inspired it?

My most recent release is An Unexpected Gift. It’s about two damaged people finding each other while searching for their loved ones. The hero was a secondary character in my novella, The Muse. I couldn’t get him out of my head so I knew I had to write his story.

You wrote ‘The Muse’ for the ‘Love Letters’ line.  How did you find writing for a line with very specific guidelines?

I actually didn’t have any problem with the guidelines, but I had a lot of difficulty keeping it within the required word count.  Writing novellas and/or short stories is a lot harder than it seems.

What kind of research do you do to make sure your historical scenes ring true?

I do a lot of reading of the time period. I haunt antique bookstores looking for diaries, maps and such. I try to talk to historians or authorities on certain subjects as they may pertain to my manuscripts. As part of my research for An Unexpected Gift I spoke with a gentleman who is an authority on the game of Hazard and its present form.

What’s the most surprising fact you’ve come across while researching a book?

I read an account of a highway man who stole from the rich. It turned out he was a vicar who was used the money and jewelry he stole from the aristocracy to help the needy in his parish. I’ve often wondered if he was inspired by the legend of Robin Hood.

Do you have a favourite hero and heroine from your books, and who would you like to see them played by in a film of the book? 

Lazarus and Olivia from An Unexpected Gift are my favourite hero and heroine. If a movie was made, I’d love to see Hugh Jackman play Lazarus (though I will admit that I’d be willing to watch him do nothing more than just stand in one place) and I could easily see Amy Adams play Olivia.

How would you sum up the philosophy, or message, behind your books?

Regardless of your present circumstances, if you have to courage to move forward, things will get better.

What have you found most useful in learning your craft, and what would you recommend for new writers?

Two things were the most helpful to me while I was learning the do’s and don’t’s of writing – joining a writing group whether it be a group that meets only online or in person. There are a lot of people who are willing to share their knowledge in this type of setting. The second thing was to attend workshops.

Do you mainly read romance, or do you get ideas from other genres too?

I read in a wide variety of genres. The only types I don’t read are horror (I have too vivid an imagination and end up having nightmares), erotica, and some types of science fiction.

Most writers nowadays lead a very busy life – have you any tips about how to find time for writing, or make the most of writing time?

I work a full time job so finding writing time is important to me.  One tip that was I was given that works for me is to set a weekly page goal. Some days we find we have more time to write than others so if you can’t write every day as long as you meet that weekly goal, you’re still moving forward and have that sense of accomplishment.

Where should we go to find out more about your books? 

You can visit my blog at http://katherinegrey.blogspot.com or my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Grey/265375626827267?sk=wall

Thanks Katherine.  I enjoyed hearing about your writing, and I can definitely see Hugh Jackman as Lazarus.  Roll on the film!