Ask the Author: Julia Quinn
Answered Questions (48)
Julia Quinn
You know, I've thought about this. I do like to work this into my books, but not necessarily as the main focus. For example, in When He Was Wicked, the hero has malaria. When he talks about how it is transmitted, he's completely wrong--he said it's through noxious air (hence, mal-aria) but of course now we know that mosquitoes are the vector. As a science geek, it was painful for me to include misinformation, but that was was what people thought at the time.
I also gave Marcus a badly infected leg wound in Just Like Heaven. It's the sort of thing that would be easily treated now, but in the age before antibiotics, this sort of thing was frequently deadly.
Finally, in To Sir Phillip, With Love, I explored how clinical depression was viewed at the time. (Not with the main characters; the hero's first wife clearly suffered from it.)
Eloisa James has written a book---When Beauty Tamed the Beast---which has a doctor hero. You should try it!
I also gave Marcus a badly infected leg wound in Just Like Heaven. It's the sort of thing that would be easily treated now, but in the age before antibiotics, this sort of thing was frequently deadly.
Finally, in To Sir Phillip, With Love, I explored how clinical depression was viewed at the time. (Not with the main characters; the hero's first wife clearly suffered from it.)
Eloisa James has written a book---When Beauty Tamed the Beast---which has a doctor hero. You should try it!
Julia Quinn
That's a good question. I'm not really sure. I suppose I would go back to my very first book to try to flesh out the main characters. I don't think they are stereotypes, but they are definitely less three-dimensional than the ones in my current novels.
P.S. I couldn't answer your other question because it had a spoiler in it!
P.S. I couldn't answer your other question because it had a spoiler in it!
Julia Quinn
Thanks! The Duke and I is also very special to me, not because it's the first Bridgerton book but rather because I felt that my writing really grew and advanced with it.
As for Splendid, I'm always tickled when someone says it's her favorite. It was my first book, and so to me it seems less polished. But I do think you can see joy in the writing---I was having so much fun!
We probably won't see more about Charlie, though. I think I'm done with those characters. The books in the Splendid series were written so long ago--I just don't really feel like I'm "in" that world any longer.
As for Splendid, I'm always tickled when someone says it's her favorite. It was my first book, and so to me it seems less polished. But I do think you can see joy in the writing---I was having so much fun!
We probably won't see more about Charlie, though. I think I'm done with those characters. The books in the Splendid series were written so long ago--I just don't really feel like I'm "in" that world any longer.
Julia Quinn
Oh, yeah, all the time. Ned Blydon (from my first three novels) went without a story for years. I needed to give him time to "grow up" in my head, and then I got caught up in other projects. So when I had the opportunity to participate in the Where's My Hero? anthology, I knew I had to go back to him.
Secondary characters I have at some time thought about writing a story for (and still might):
Winston Bevelstoke
Anabel's cousin Louisa (from Ten Things I Love About You)
Judith from Brighter than the Sun
Elizabeth's siblings from How to Marry a Marquis
And of course the Rokesbys, but those are definites.
Secondary characters I have at some time thought about writing a story for (and still might):
Winston Bevelstoke
Anabel's cousin Louisa (from Ten Things I Love About You)
Judith from Brighter than the Sun
Elizabeth's siblings from How to Marry a Marquis
And of course the Rokesbys, but those are definites.
Julia Quinn
The Rokesbys! Because of Miss Bridgerton was the first in that series, and my next book, The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband, is the second.
Julia Quinn
I could never choose! Each one has different characteristics that I love and/or are meaningful to me.
Lame answer, I know, but it's the truth.
Lame answer, I know, but it's the truth.
Julia Quinn
I figured it out at the end of writing The Duke and I. So I basically wrote that whole book without knowing who it was. When I DID figure it out, I went back through the manuscript with a fine tooth comb to make sure there was no reason that the the person I'd chosen couldn't have done it. (IOW, I had to make sure the person was always in the right place at the right time.)
Julia Quinn
Honestly, I don't remember! I do recall how Lady Whistledown came about, though. I was trying to figure out how to get a lot of background information into the story without it being overwhelming, and on a lark I put it into a gossip column. Then the book naturally opened with Daphne and Violet talking about the gossip column, and the rest is history...
Julia Quinn
I don't think I would ever write paranormal or fantasy, but I do like reading YA, so you never know. The thing is, though, I'm not a very fast writer. So if I wanted to try something different, it would have to be instead of what I'm doing, rather than in addition to. And as I still very much enjoy writing historical romance (and make a pretty decent living doing it) there isn't really a compelling reason to change...
Julia Quinn
Hi Theresa--I went to the Overdrive site, and it looks like all of my books are available there. The only exception is my newest---in general, these only go into the Overdrive catalog after they have been on sale for a certain period of time.
As for the audio books, some of my novels haven't been recorded yet, but I'm happy to say they all will be soon!
As for the audio books, some of my novels haven't been recorded yet, but I'm happy to say they all will be soon!
Julia Quinn
I should definitely do that sometime! Sarah is a good friend--we always have fun chatting.
Julia Quinn
I don't think I "decide" about certain words. It's more that these are the words that come to me while I'm writing, and I rarely see any reason --not-- to use them.
The big exception would be To Catch an Heiress, because the use of vocabulary is actually part of the structure of the book.
The big exception would be To Catch an Heiress, because the use of vocabulary is actually part of the structure of the book.
Julia Quinn
I don't have any plans to write in that era, but I do like Elizabeth Boyle's Brazen series a great deal. Also, The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne is excellent.
These might be a little earlier than the time period you're asking about, though.
These might be a little earlier than the time period you're asking about, though.
Julia Quinn
I have no idea! Do the Snoopy dance, probably, and then eat something wildly bad for me.
Julia Quinn
I'd love to, but thus far I haven't received any suitable offers from filmmakers. Thanks for asking!
Julia Quinn
If I'm working on a series I usually know one of the characters who will star in each book, but I don't usually have them both in mind. An exception would be Romancing Mr. Bridgerton--I always knew it would be Colin and Penelope.
I don't often have a character come along demanding a book if I wasn't already planning to write one for him or her. The closest I can think to an exception to this would be Sebastian Grey. I was pretty sure I was going to write about him after What Happens in London, but when he got up and read Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron that totally clinched it.
I don't often have a character come along demanding a book if I wasn't already planning to write one for him or her. The closest I can think to an exception to this would be Sebastian Grey. I was pretty sure I was going to write about him after What Happens in London, but when he got up and read Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron that totally clinched it.
Julia Quinn
It's not a silly question at all, although I'm not sure why I choose certain names. I do consult several different sources to make sure that they are historically and geographically accurate before I use them, though. There are lots of different resources on the web, and I often look through the student directory from when I went to school in England.
Julia Quinn
No book for Daisy, I'm afraid. I don't think I could put up with her for an entire novel. I don't think I'll be writing about Marie-Claire, but I haven't ruled it out.
So glad you're enjoying my books!
So glad you're enjoying my books!
Julia Quinn
Honestly, I don't know. I get ideas and inspiration from all over the place. A song lyric, a great opening line... it can come from anywhere.
Julia Quinn
I break it up into chapters as I go along.
As for characters, yes, I usually give them names as soon as they appear in the text. Very rarely have I gone back to change them.
As for characters, yes, I usually give them names as soon as they appear in the text. Very rarely have I gone back to change them.
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