Sarah Richmond's Blog, page 2
January 4, 2016
New Release March 25:A Perilous Proposal A foolhardy ven...
New Release March 25:A Perilous ProposalA foolhardy venture: Dolly Wycliffe wishes to sue an English peer for the wrongful death of her father. An ambitious wager: Edmund Caruthers bets the old boys at his club he can win the case. Together, Dolly and Edmund uncover a murder-for-hire plot that will rock London society as they risk ridicule and ruin to expose a most foul deed. Will Dolly accept his lordship's offer of a generous annuity for her family so they won't be turned out into the streets? Will Edmund encourage her to take the offer so he can win a wager he cannot possibly cover if she doesn't?
Can justice prevail? And at what price?
A Perilous Proposal will be available as an ebook and in print from Amazon.com
New Release March 25:A Perilous Proposal A foolhard...
New Release March 25:A Perilous ProposalA foolhardy venture: Dolly Wycliffe wishes to sue an English peer for the wrongful death of her father. An ambitious wager: Edmund Caruthers bets the old boys at his club he can win the case. Together, Dolly and Edmund uncover a murder-for-hire plot that will rock London society as they risk ridicule and ruin to expose a most foul deed. Will Dolly accept his lordship's offer of a generous annuity for her family so they won't be turned out into the streets? Will Edmund encourage her to take the offer so he can win a wager he cannot possibly cover if she doesn't?
Can justice prevail? And at what price?
A Perilous Proposal will be available as an ebook and in print from Amazon.com
July 16, 2015
Something Old, Something New, Something borrowed, Somethi...
Something Old, Something New, Something borrowed, Something blue:
Rose Adagio now as an Ebook:
In the gilded age of Edwardian England, when wealth and title were the measures of a man, John Darlington, Seventh Earl of Westhaven, schemes to marry a Wainwright heiress. His ancestral home is near bankruptcy because of death duties and only a marriage to wealth will save him.
The issue of a first marriage, the child shuttled off to boarding school and forgotten, Helen Wainwright is a modern woman who supports herself by teaching school. Upon her father’s death, Helen returns to his home to discover her family in turmoil over the earl’s arrival as they seek position and security for two stepsisters.
John must convince Helen that the past is worth preserving and Helen must let go of a past that has rejected her. As the Empire prepares for the coronation of a new monarch, they both learn that life’s greatest gifts are the ones that bring you home.
What the critics are saying…
“Ms. Richmond was able to pull me into the story and let me feel some of the heartache, laughter and joy through the well-developed characters in the story.”Romance Reviews
“Sarah Richmond is an ingenious storyteller and I will look forward to reading more from her.”Fallen Angels Reviews
www.amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Adagio-Sarah-Richmond-ebook/dp/B011OXSSBO/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437065351&sr=1-11&keywords=sarah+richmond
Something Old, Something New, Something borrowe...
Something Old, Something New, Something borrowed, Something blue:
Rose Adagio now as an Ebook:
In the gilded age of Edwardian England, when wealth and title were the measures of a man, John Darlington, Seventh Earl of Westhaven, schemes to marry a Wainwright heiress. His ancestral home is near bankruptcy because of death duties and only a marriage to wealth will save him.
The issue of a first marriage, the child shuttled off to boarding school and forgotten, Helen Wainwright is a modern woman who supports herself by teaching school. Upon her father’s death, Helen returns to his home to discover her family in turmoil over the earl’s arrival as they seek position and security for two stepsisters.
John must convince Helen that the past is worth preserving and Helen must let go of a past that has rejected her. As the Empire prepares for the coronation of a new monarch, they both learn that life’s greatest gifts are the ones that bring you home.
What the critics are saying…
“Ms. Richmond was able to pull me into the story and let me feel some of the heartache, laughter and joy through the well-developed characters in the story.”Romance Reviews
“Sarah Richmond is an ingenious storyteller and I will look forward to reading more from her.”Fallen Angels Reviews
www.amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Adagio-Sarah-Richmond-ebook/dp/B011OXSSBO/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437065351&sr=1-11&keywords=sarah+richmond
July 10, 2015
Let’s Talk About Villains bySarah RichmondYou know, those...
Let’s Talk About Villains bySarah Richmond
You know, those nastycharacters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions froma reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find outif these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my TopTen Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please sharethem!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of theKing to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly marriedScottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidelyholds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgageisn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, butwe children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky.More booing.
8.) The Sheriff ofNottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not becauseit’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King.We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickmanin Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.(1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greedisn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we areof the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from CharlesDickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take inthose street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is asurefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: Thesmooth-talking bad boy in Justified.(On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonardcalled Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicatedbecause he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) butthe bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused aboutwhether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at hisantics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain whowants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made ofthis.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, noamount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with JeanValjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served outhis prison sentence.
Number One. None other than thedevil himself. The master Villain. Ironically,just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
You know, those nastycharacters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions froma reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find outif these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my TopTen Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please sharethem!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of theKing to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly marriedScottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidelyholds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgageisn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, butwe children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky.More booing.
8.) The Sheriff ofNottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not becauseit’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King.We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickmanin Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.(1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greedisn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we areof the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from CharlesDickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take inthose street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is asurefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: Thesmooth-talking bad boy in Justified.(On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonardcalled Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicatedbecause he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) butthe bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused aboutwhether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at hisantics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain whowants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made ofthis.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, noamount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with JeanValjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served outhis prison sentence.
Number One. None other than thedevil himself. The master Villain. Ironically,just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
Let’s Talk About Villains by Sarah RichmondYou know, thos...
Let’s Talk About Villains by Sarah Richmond
You know, those nasty characters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions from a reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find out if these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my Top Ten Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please share them!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of the King to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly married Scottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidely holds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgage isn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, but we children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky. More booing.
8.) The Sheriff of Nottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not because it’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King. We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickman in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. (1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greed isn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we are of the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take in those street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is a surefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: The smooth-talking bad boy in Justified. (On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonard called Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicated because he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) but the bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused about whether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at his antics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain who wants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made of this.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, no amount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with Jean Valjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served out his prison sentence.
Number One. None other than the devil himself. The master Villain. Ironically, just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
You know, those nasty characters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions from a reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find out if these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my Top Ten Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please share them!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of the King to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly married Scottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidely holds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgage isn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, but we children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky. More booing.
8.) The Sheriff of Nottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not because it’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King. We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickman in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. (1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greed isn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we are of the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take in those street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is a surefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: The smooth-talking bad boy in Justified. (On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonard called Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicated because he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) but the bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused about whether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at his antics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain who wants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made of this.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, no amount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with Jean Valjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served out his prison sentence.
Number One. None other than the devil himself. The master Villain. Ironically, just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
Let’s Talk About Villains by Sarah RichmondYou know,...
Let’s Talk About Villains by Sarah Richmond
You know, those nasty characters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions from a reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find out if these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my Top Ten Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please share them!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of the King to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly married Scottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidely holds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgage isn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, but we children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky. More booing.
8.) The Sheriff of Nottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not because it’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King. We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickman in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. (1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greed isn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we are of the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take in those street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is a surefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: The smooth-talking bad boy in Justified. (On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonard called Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicated because he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) but the bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused about whether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at his antics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain who wants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made of this.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, no amount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with Jean Valjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served out his prison sentence.
Number One. None other than the devil himself. The master Villain. Ironically, just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
You know, those nasty characters we love to hate. The writer can pluck the worst and best emotions from a reader by creating believable villains. We keep turning the pages to find out if these dastardly ne’er do wells get what he or she so justly deserves.
I’ve created a list of my Top Ten Villains. I’m sure you have some hum-dingers of your own. Please share them!
10.) King Edward Longshanks: In Braveheart, how very villainous of the King to invoke Primae Noctis—the right of the a lord to take a newly married Scottish woman to his bed. The injustice is enough to make him despicable.
9.) Snidely Whiplash: Snidely holds the mortgage to Nell’s home and threatens to evict her if the mortgage isn’t paid. I could never figure out why he tied her to the train tracks, but we children booed anyhow. Also, Snidely has a villainous sneer and is sneaky. More booing.
8.) The Sheriff of Nottingham: The nemesis of Robin Hood, the Sheriff upholds the law not because it’s the right thing to do but because he wants to curry favor with the King. We’ve all known people like him. My favorite Sheriff was played by Alan Rickman in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. (1991) Boo. Hiss.
7.) Gordon Gecko: in Wall Street. First of all, lovely name. Second, greed isn’t good and if you shuddered when he gave his famous iconic speech, we are of the same generation. The oily hair helped make him a repulsive character.
6.) Fagen, from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. He did take in those street kids and teach them a trade. However, anyone who hurts children is a surefire villain. Unfortunately, we read about people like him in modern times.
5.) Boyd Crowder: The smooth-talking bad boy in Justified. (On the FX channel.) This character is taken from a book by Elmore Leonard called Fire in the Hole. Boyd is complicated because he is likeable and has good traits, (and is a hunk with great hair) but the bad things he does are really bad, leaving a fan dazed and confused about whether Boyd should be punished for his crimes.
4.) Grinch: We laugh at his antics but the message is clear.
3.) Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz: Again a villain who wants to harm children. Her laugh gives me the chills Bad dreams are made of this.
2.) Inspector Javert: In Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, no amount of sympathetic backstory makes up for this dude’s obsession with Jean Valjean, the man who stole a loaf of bread to feed his nephew and served out his prison sentence.
Number One. None other than the devil himself. The master Villain. Ironically, just the thought of him interfering in our lives forces us to be good.
INSIDE THE MINDOF A NOVELIST A Casting Couch BookIntervie...
INSIDE THE MINDOF A NOVELIST
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, wevisited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the sameera. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutalityand violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knowsnothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her tripto Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting byJohn Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded meof Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoyingan outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first andthen cast the characters, or was it characters first? Idecide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best helpshow the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine ison holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who hasescaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum differentfrom English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is anEnglishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch aninternational jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortablebeing dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend tobe someone he isn’t.
What she teacheshim about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for youto develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. Thechallenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive withoutbeing unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize withhis flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your charactersshould look? There aremany wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era.I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times,which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden,Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through Hand H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love withwhich leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also usepeople I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits ofthe people I have known. Marjorie is amisfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward,having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how toexpress love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sumyour characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals:he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites.There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book?Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is yourfavorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorieintroduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell meI have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroinewho can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy.She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so thatthe suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. Heunderstands her better than she understands herself.Meeting theright man makes all the difference!As for who I’dlike to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. Thevillain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, orwhat possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such agood conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for thisopportunity to talk about A MostIneligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes toall.
Sarah Richmond
A Casting Couch BookInterview by Sheila Claydon:
A Most Ineligible Suitor by Sarah Richmond
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, wevisited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the sameera. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutalityand violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knowsnothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her tripto Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting byJohn Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded meof Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoyingan outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first andthen cast the characters, or was it characters first? Idecide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best helpshow the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine ison holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who hasescaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum differentfrom English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is anEnglishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch aninternational jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortablebeing dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend tobe someone he isn’t.
What she teacheshim about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for youto develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. Thechallenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive withoutbeing unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize withhis flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your charactersshould look? There aremany wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era.I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times,which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden,Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through Hand H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love withwhich leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also usepeople I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits ofthe people I have known. Marjorie is amisfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward,having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how toexpress love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sumyour characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals:he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites.There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book?Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is yourfavorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorieintroduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell meI have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroinewho can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy.She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so thatthe suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. Heunderstands her better than she understands herself.Meeting theright man makes all the difference!As for who I’dlike to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. Thevillain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, orwhat possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such agood conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for thisopportunity to talk about A MostIneligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes toall.
Sarah Richmond
INSIDE THE MIND OF A NOVELIST A Casting Couch Book Interv...
INSIDE THE MIND OF A NOVELIST
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, we visited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the same era. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutality and violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knows nothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her trip to Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting by John Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded me of Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoying an outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first and then cast the characters, or was it characters first? I decide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best help show the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine is on holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who has escaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum different from English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is an Englishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch an international jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortable being dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend to be someone he isn’t.
What she teaches him about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for you to develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. The challenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive without being unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize with his flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your characters should look? There are many wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era. I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times, which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’ traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through H and H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love with which leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also use people I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits of the people I have known. Marjorie is a misfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward, having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how to express love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sum your characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals: he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites. There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book? Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is your favorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorie introduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell me I have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroine who can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy. She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so that the suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. He understands her better than she understands herself.Meeting the right man makes all the difference!As for who I’d like to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. The villain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, or what possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such a good conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for this opportunity to talk about A Most Ineligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes to all.
Sarah Richmond
A Casting Couch Book Interview by Sheila Claydon:
A Most Ineligible Suitor by Sarah Richmond
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, we visited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the same era. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutality and violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knows nothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her trip to Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting by John Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded me of Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoying an outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first and then cast the characters, or was it characters first? I decide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best help show the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine is on holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who has escaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum different from English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is an Englishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch an international jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortable being dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend to be someone he isn’t.
What she teaches him about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for you to develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. The challenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive without being unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize with his flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your characters should look? There are many wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era. I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times, which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’ traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through H and H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love with which leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also use people I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits of the people I have known. Marjorie is a misfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward, having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how to express love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sum your characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals: he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites. There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book? Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is your favorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorie introduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell me I have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroine who can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy. She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so that the suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. He understands her better than she understands herself.Meeting the right man makes all the difference!As for who I’d like to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. The villain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, or what possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such a good conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for this opportunity to talk about A Most Ineligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes to all.
Sarah Richmond
INSIDE THE MIND OF A NOVELIST A Casting Couch Book I...
INSIDE THE MIND OF A NOVELIST A Casting Couch Book Interview by Sheila Claydon: A Most Ineligible Suitor by Sarah Richmond
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, we visited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the same era. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutality and violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knows nothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her trip to Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting by John Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded me of Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoying an outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first and then cast the characters, or was it characters first? I decide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best help show the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine is on holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who has escaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum different from English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is an Englishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch an international jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortable being dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend to be someone he isn’t.
What she teaches him about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for you to develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. The challenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive without being unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize with his flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your characters should look? There are many wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era. I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times, which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’ traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through H and H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love with which leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also use people I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits of the people I have known. Marjorie is a misfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward, having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how to express love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sum your characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals: he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites. There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book? Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is your favorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorie introduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell me I have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroine who can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy. She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so that the suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. He understands her better than she understands herself.Meeting the right man makes all the difference!As for who I’d like to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. The villain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, or what possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such a good conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for this opportunity to talk about A Most Ineligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes to all.
Sarah Richmond
What prompted the idea for this book? While on a visit to Lucca, Italy, we visited Puccini’s home. I wanted to write about a heroine who lived in the same era. Puccini wrote in the ‘verisimo’ or realism style. His plays show brutality and violence, poverty and want. My heroine has been sheltered. She knows nothing of the world outside her small circle of wealth and privilege. Her trip to Italy is an eye-opener for her. Another inspiration came from a painting by John Singer Sargent called ‘Group with Parasols’. The light he used reminded me of Italy. The ladies in the scene are dressed in white linen and are enjoying an outdoor picnic, something my heroine would love to do.
Did you work through the plot first and then cast the characters, or was it characters first? I decide on the story I want to tell and then pick the characters who best help show the elements of the story.
In A Most Ineligible Suitor, the heroine is on holiday with a distant cousin. She is very much a free spirit who has escaped to a country with fewer social restrictions and a decorum different from English society. She is having the time of her life. The hero is an Englishman. He is in disguise and his purpose for being in Italy—to catch an international jewel thief--is complicated by her antics. He is not comfortable being dishonest with her, and yet he has a duty to his profession to pretend to be someone he isn’t.
What she teaches him about life and love is the theme of the story.
Which characters were the hardest for you to develop and why? The male POV is more difficult for me. The challenge is to make the hero strong without being brutal, decisive without being unkind. The reader must understand his motivation, even sympathize with his flaws, but he can never be pitiful or weak.
How did you decide how your characters should look? There are many wonderful websites that show pictures of the ladies in the late Victorian era. I especially took note of the couture dresses and bridal dresses of the times, which are a delight. www.Victoriana.com is one of my favorite websites to visit.
How did you develop your characters’ traits? I rely on Heroes and Heroine by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When I have a heroine in mind, I look through H and H and find the worst possible traits in a hero for her to fall in love with which leads to all kinds of delicious conflict.I also use people I have met on my travels. Some characters are a combination of traits of the people I have known. Marjorie is a misfit in some ways and doesn’t realize why until she comes to Italy. Edward, having been raised in a strict household with no mother, doesn’t know how to express love. He may not even know, in the beginning, what love is.
All characters have goals. Can you sum your characters’ goals in a word or two, or are they multi-layered? There are the short term external goals: he is trying to catch a thief, she is on vacation and wants to see the sites. There are the long term internal goals: To love and find love.
Do you like the characters in your book? Are they people you would want to spend time with and if so, which one is your favorite, and which one would you most like to meet and why? Marjorie introduces herself this way: “My name is Marjorie Mayweather and people tell me I have a sunny disposition. Who wouldn’t with a name such as Mayweather?” I like a heroine who can be at ease with people, probably because I have always been rather shy. She’s smart. She knows in her circle she must act totally defenseless so that the suitor will feel manly. This does not bother her until she meets the hero. He understands her better than she understands herself.Meeting the right man makes all the difference!As for who I’d like to meet, the villain of the story is my favorite character of all. The villain is so much fun to read about, trying to figure out a motivation, or what possible reason there must be for such bad behavior. I could have such a good conversation with my villain, I think.
Thank you for this opportunity to talk about A Most Ineligible Suitor. I had so much fun writing the book.
Best wishes to all.
Sarah Richmond
