Christa Bedwin's Blog, page 4
September 29, 2018
Reviews for Caterina's Renaissance: 5
With the constant worry of Amazon monkeying around with their algorithms, I wanted to copy these here!
W Smithwhab 4.0 out of 5 stars A Unique fairy tale come to life!September 26, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
***I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily reviewed it after receiving a FREE copy.***
What would happen if you awoke to find the man you had been dreaming of for a decade in your bed? Take this premise and let your fancy run wild! It's a joyous ride that reminded me of Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander", Christine Feehan's Carpathians mixed with Doctor Who's wistful sweetness.
I usually skip to the end of books to find out what is going to happen, but here I enjoyed the journey so much that I wasn't tempted to skip to the end, and was sad to see the journey end. I fell in love with the characters, major and minor, especially the heroine Catherine, or Caterina, as the hero renames her. She has a tragic past that binds her in sadness and to see her come into her strength of character is wonderful. I want more!!!
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
RenaissanceSeptember 25, 2018Format: Kindle Edition
This was a great read. It is magical and fantastical. I really liked the characters and I can’t wait to read what’s next in the series.
I voluntarily review for arc.
W Smithwhab 4.0 out of 5 stars A Unique fairy tale come to life!September 26, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
***I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily reviewed it after receiving a FREE copy.***
What would happen if you awoke to find the man you had been dreaming of for a decade in your bed? Take this premise and let your fancy run wild! It's a joyous ride that reminded me of Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander", Christine Feehan's Carpathians mixed with Doctor Who's wistful sweetness.
I usually skip to the end of books to find out what is going to happen, but here I enjoyed the journey so much that I wasn't tempted to skip to the end, and was sad to see the journey end. I fell in love with the characters, major and minor, especially the heroine Catherine, or Caterina, as the hero renames her. She has a tragic past that binds her in sadness and to see her come into her strength of character is wonderful. I want more!!!
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
RenaissanceSeptember 25, 2018Format: Kindle EditionThis was a great read. It is magical and fantastical. I really liked the characters and I can’t wait to read what’s next in the series.
I voluntarily review for arc.
July 29, 2018
Book titling challenges. ha.
Along the lines of discussing writing craft, maybe some of you could help me with something that's been niggling at me for weeks. I am having trouble with the title of the novella I'm working on, and I want to get it it right because I'm hoping to publish it in August.
I would love to know what to think from an industry historical-romance-titling angle.
INFO:It's the second of three little books. The first one is Idelle's Inheritance, and the third one is Idelle's Enlightenment. (In the first, Idelle travels back to Englightenment-era Edinburgh, and her orange-haired, crackling-with-energy "cousin" Moira comes boldly back to present day Edinburgh with her, and loves it. (In the third book, we will finally have Idelle's story of her romance with her slow-starting modern hero, and they'll probably pop back in time for a bit too.)
This second one, I had originally titled as _1__Moira's Modern Mayhem___, though that's a big hokey, isn't it? And now I know she's dating a sort of suave, Elon-Musk (with less ego) sort of guy, she's not chaotic at all. She got so much happier and more peaceful once she got to the modern world. She is less at moral conflict now (nearly all her peers in 18th century upperclass society in Edinburgh had earned their money from the slave trade, and she could not come to peace with that). And she's found her perfect match -- a man she can be fully herself with. Intelligent, brave, fiery, committed to the good of others in society. He's super-brilliant and the same way, so there's no conflict for her. It works. Well I mean there are conflicts of course... like how to broach the topic of being 220-years from the past, and she makes up _so_ many lies to cover it. They go on a fabulous date/work trip to Provence. It's fun.
Anyway. Since first one felt too hokey, and she wasn't causing Mayhem after all, then I tried_2__Ms. Moira Gets Modern___ (because Moira is definitely a feminist and would prefer Ms. I think, to Miss, given the choice)and a friend who drafted a (funny) cover thought it was _3__Moira Goes Modern___ instead of "Gets."And a Facebook friend suggested _4__Miss Moira Gets Modern___ or maybe _5__Miss Moira Goes Modern___sounds better than Ms., which I have to agree with... More pickupable as a romance, even if Moira DOES succeed in getting people to call her "Ms." within the pages.So anyway. I'm totally confused. I also tried._6__Moira Modernizes___ and_7__Moira's Modernization___, but, mm, kinda ick I think.Anybody have ideas? Which one of 1 to 7 is best, or do you have a better idea?
Please let us know if it's just your opinion (which I value!) or also based on some industry "how to title a book" principles, which I'd sure love to hear about now, and I'm sure others here would love if you have that knowledge, too.
Thank you,Christa
(P.S. extra babbly amount of information, perhaps you don't need to know to answer the question about Moira's title)
I noticed that I have a definite pattern of titles lately. The books I have recently done or have on the go all seem to go Heroine:Thing. I like it. It tells you about the heroine and her journey right away and it sounds good. Maybe it's my trademark. Of course... I can't claim amazing sales on any of these yet, so maybe this post will become a historical document I will laugh at later!
Like these ones: (first three are time travels with dragons)Caterina's Renaissance - publishedBlodwyn's Redemption - sequel, in progressSeverine's Separation - (that's in the works, maybe title needs to change)Straight historical:Rozen's Resillience (medieval, in progress)
My "retro" 90s novels (I think I'm going to add a "sticker" to the front of their covers when I get around to it) were mainly titled based on their locations:The Celtic Coast ConnectionLanette of the LandTwo Secrets & a Chase
I would love to know what to think from an industry historical-romance-titling angle.
INFO:It's the second of three little books. The first one is Idelle's Inheritance, and the third one is Idelle's Enlightenment. (In the first, Idelle travels back to Englightenment-era Edinburgh, and her orange-haired, crackling-with-energy "cousin" Moira comes boldly back to present day Edinburgh with her, and loves it. (In the third book, we will finally have Idelle's story of her romance with her slow-starting modern hero, and they'll probably pop back in time for a bit too.)
This second one, I had originally titled as _1__Moira's Modern Mayhem___, though that's a big hokey, isn't it? And now I know she's dating a sort of suave, Elon-Musk (with less ego) sort of guy, she's not chaotic at all. She got so much happier and more peaceful once she got to the modern world. She is less at moral conflict now (nearly all her peers in 18th century upperclass society in Edinburgh had earned their money from the slave trade, and she could not come to peace with that). And she's found her perfect match -- a man she can be fully herself with. Intelligent, brave, fiery, committed to the good of others in society. He's super-brilliant and the same way, so there's no conflict for her. It works. Well I mean there are conflicts of course... like how to broach the topic of being 220-years from the past, and she makes up _so_ many lies to cover it. They go on a fabulous date/work trip to Provence. It's fun.
Anyway. Since first one felt too hokey, and she wasn't causing Mayhem after all, then I tried_2__Ms. Moira Gets Modern___ (because Moira is definitely a feminist and would prefer Ms. I think, to Miss, given the choice)and a friend who drafted a (funny) cover thought it was _3__Moira Goes Modern___ instead of "Gets."And a Facebook friend suggested _4__Miss Moira Gets Modern___ or maybe _5__Miss Moira Goes Modern___sounds better than Ms., which I have to agree with... More pickupable as a romance, even if Moira DOES succeed in getting people to call her "Ms." within the pages.So anyway. I'm totally confused. I also tried._6__Moira Modernizes___ and_7__Moira's Modernization___, but, mm, kinda ick I think.Anybody have ideas? Which one of 1 to 7 is best, or do you have a better idea?
Please let us know if it's just your opinion (which I value!) or also based on some industry "how to title a book" principles, which I'd sure love to hear about now, and I'm sure others here would love if you have that knowledge, too.
Thank you,Christa
(P.S. extra babbly amount of information, perhaps you don't need to know to answer the question about Moira's title)
I noticed that I have a definite pattern of titles lately. The books I have recently done or have on the go all seem to go Heroine:Thing. I like it. It tells you about the heroine and her journey right away and it sounds good. Maybe it's my trademark. Of course... I can't claim amazing sales on any of these yet, so maybe this post will become a historical document I will laugh at later!
Like these ones: (first three are time travels with dragons)Caterina's Renaissance - publishedBlodwyn's Redemption - sequel, in progressSeverine's Separation - (that's in the works, maybe title needs to change)Straight historical:Rozen's Resillience (medieval, in progress)
My "retro" 90s novels (I think I'm going to add a "sticker" to the front of their covers when I get around to it) were mainly titled based on their locations:The Celtic Coast ConnectionLanette of the LandTwo Secrets & a Chase
July 28, 2018
the Scots-Irish go to America
I often put on a little Youtube when I'm working at home. This morning, much to my delight, a random little video added the layer of depth that Graeme (Idelle's as-yet-unrequited and confusing love) needed.This is an enchanting little video about the Scotch Irish going to America after the Irish rebellion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOyYQ0Wm_I
Neat line about the Germans, English, Irish: When they came to America, they said the British would build a church, the Germans would build a good solid barn that would last, and the Irish would build a whiskey still!
Oh, the millions of tragedies that rolled out from the first and last one... I only know personally one story involving a German barn, but lots of stories of Irish alcoholism and British religious persecution in my own family's 140ish years in Canada.
And here's a really lovely musical follow-up, too. A BBC special on The Scots-Irish musical legacy in the USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN3H2JPqKRY
This little rabbit hole also led me to learn about yet another dreadful English colonial scheme: the Plantation of Ulster in the early 1600s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Scots_people
I didn't happen on that video on purpose, but I'm so excited that I did watch it, because it's added just the depth I didn't realize I was looking for, to Graeme. It's so neat when the historical research all clicks together to make the story sing. I love the mixing and comparison of cultures my characters get through their time travel, too.
Neat line about the Germans, English, Irish: When they came to America, they said the British would build a church, the Germans would build a good solid barn that would last, and the Irish would build a whiskey still!
Oh, the millions of tragedies that rolled out from the first and last one... I only know personally one story involving a German barn, but lots of stories of Irish alcoholism and British religious persecution in my own family's 140ish years in Canada.
And here's a really lovely musical follow-up, too. A BBC special on The Scots-Irish musical legacy in the USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN3H2JPqKRY
This little rabbit hole also led me to learn about yet another dreadful English colonial scheme: the Plantation of Ulster in the early 1600s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Scots_people
I didn't happen on that video on purpose, but I'm so excited that I did watch it, because it's added just the depth I didn't realize I was looking for, to Graeme. It's so neat when the historical research all clicks together to make the story sing. I love the mixing and comparison of cultures my characters get through their time travel, too.
July 13, 2018
Favourite Writers: MC Beaton/Marion Chesney
The writer who causes me the most lost time is British writer M.C. Beaton / Marion Chesney. Several things about her delight me:1. She's prolific.2. She's fun and silly.3. She only really got revved up in her writing career when she was 43... like me! So there's hope I can be that prolific and beloved too. Working on it.4. She's multi-genre.5. My son and I both adore her Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin series audio books, and we listen to them and my son has an amazing memory for them, so we discuss them a lot. Agatha is salty and ... oh, so lovable.MacBeth is... oh, so lovable too. Though at the same time both characters are so sort of naughty (or, well, irritatingly manly, in Hamish's case) that you don't mind when the author causes them all sorts of annoyance.
I started off loving her historical romances. Light, easy, delightful, quite silly, quite fun. I was SO happy when I went to the used book store in Bath, UK, and they had a big stack of her books. I bought all the ones they had. I'm happy that my library seems to have dozens of her books on downloadable audiobook. They're usually very well read and I often fall asleep to them.
(Of course... I would be more prolific if I was falling asleep at my own writing desk! So therein lies the problem. I wonder who MC Beaton listens to?)
I don't write mystery (yet), though there is one murder mystery I have to write -- it's the only possible genre appropriate for the mountain neighbourhood where I grew up!
I should add, this author's insights about human character in among all the silliness is deep and astute.
Sometimes my son complains about the behaviour or motivations of this character or that, and I usually say, well, yes, she's exaggerating a little in this case, but people really do base their lives on silly motivations like x, y, or z...
Hamish is a Scottish Highlands policeman and Agatha is a Cotswalds private detective -- kind of like Miss Marple but with much less awkward politeness. :)
It's sure fun having a smart teen to listen to audiobooks with! And sure fun to have such a delightful writer to listen to.
I started off loving her historical romances. Light, easy, delightful, quite silly, quite fun. I was SO happy when I went to the used book store in Bath, UK, and they had a big stack of her books. I bought all the ones they had. I'm happy that my library seems to have dozens of her books on downloadable audiobook. They're usually very well read and I often fall asleep to them.
(Of course... I would be more prolific if I was falling asleep at my own writing desk! So therein lies the problem. I wonder who MC Beaton listens to?)
I don't write mystery (yet), though there is one murder mystery I have to write -- it's the only possible genre appropriate for the mountain neighbourhood where I grew up!
I should add, this author's insights about human character in among all the silliness is deep and astute. Sometimes my son complains about the behaviour or motivations of this character or that, and I usually say, well, yes, she's exaggerating a little in this case, but people really do base their lives on silly motivations like x, y, or z...
Hamish is a Scottish Highlands policeman and Agatha is a Cotswalds private detective -- kind of like Miss Marple but with much less awkward politeness. :)
It's sure fun having a smart teen to listen to audiobooks with! And sure fun to have such a delightful writer to listen to.
July 11, 2018
Free Christa Bedwin ebooks for reviewers
As you are here on Goodreads, you are probably a reader who understands how valuable reviews are to authors! Did you know that I send free copies of my ebooks to readers who review my books?
Send me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal!
Christa
Send me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal!
Christa
Free Christa Bedwin ebooks for reviewers
As you are here on Goodreads, you are probably a reader who understands how valuable reviews are to authors! Did you know that I send free copies of my ebooks to readers who review my books?
Send me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal!
Christa
Send me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal!
Christa
Little photo adventure: Princess and her cat get a new book!!
I sent my friend Princess the proof copy of the new novella to check out, and she's so excited!
She and her cat Priscilla made a pot of tea and settled down to read. They called me up on Skype to tell me all about it!
Um, Princess, that's a little upside down!
That's better.
They really like the cover. It worked out well!
The story's good, too! The Skype image is a little blurry, across the Atlantic... I'm not sure if she's reading right-side up here or up-side down!
It's available on Amazon, either the cute little minipaperback or the ebook (pre-order for July 16). I do send free e-copies of all of my books to readers who will write reviews on Goodreads, so if you would like a free copy, just ask. :) Write me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=idelle%27s+inheritance&sprefix=idelle%27s%2Caps%2C272&crid=ALLSW9CF0WQZ
She and her cat Priscilla made a pot of tea and settled down to read. They called me up on Skype to tell me all about it!
Um, Princess, that's a little upside down!
That's better.
They really like the cover. It worked out well!
The story's good, too! The Skype image is a little blurry, across the Atlantic... I'm not sure if she's reading right-side up here or up-side down!
It's available on Amazon, either the cute little minipaperback or the ebook (pre-order for July 16). I do send free e-copies of all of my books to readers who will write reviews on Goodreads, so if you would like a free copy, just ask. :) Write me a nice little note at christabedwin at gmail.com and we'll do a deal.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=idelle%27s+inheritance&sprefix=idelle%27s%2Caps%2C272&crid=ALLSW9CF0WQZ
July 3, 2018
My Writing Companion
My writing companion is an 18-year-old black cat. She's our philosopher cat (we also have a military cat who defends us and keeps us in order, but that's my son's cat -- another story).
I never meant to have a black cat, but about when I finally accepted that I seemed to be a sad and lonely spinster and that I might as well get a cat, I decided I should go to the humane society.
But I procrastinated. Instead of going to the humane society that day, I walked up a hill in the town where I lived at the time and down the hill were coming Ashley, Leanna, and Ashley, and they were carrying this wee black kitten, the last of her litter, and they sorrowfully told me if they couldn't give this little cat named Zipper away, their parents were going to force them to take her to the humane society.
So then I had a cat. No collar or litter or cat knowledge or anything but I took her home and the first thing she ever napped on was a stack of manuscripts. (All three of the novels I was too timid to send out, now self-published -- they're decent dime-store novels!). Of course that stole my heart right away.
And then she taught me how to meditate. Not that I knew that was what she was doing at the time, but she could take away my sadness and loneliness and all the thoughts of failure and the constant trying-to-succeed that were filling up my mind at the time and just replace them with... peace. I remember that, even as a kitten, she just filled my heart up with love and with peace.
And nobody else in the past 18 years has filled me up with Zen and peace and ommm like my philosopher cat.
She never seemed like a Zipper to me. I had decided to name her Ala after Ashley, Leanna, and Ashley, and then I thought how funny I had changed it to an A name when the girls had given her a Z name, so I decided to put the Z back in and name her Alazha. I was not sure at the time (pre-first-vet-visit) if she was a boy or a girl, so if she'd been a boy, she would have been Alazhar.
But she's a girl and my best friend. And she still loves to sit on paper of any kind, but most especially manuscripts and math homework (I'm also sometimes a math teacher/tutor/writer/editor).
Christa
I never meant to have a black cat, but about when I finally accepted that I seemed to be a sad and lonely spinster and that I might as well get a cat, I decided I should go to the humane society.
But I procrastinated. Instead of going to the humane society that day, I walked up a hill in the town where I lived at the time and down the hill were coming Ashley, Leanna, and Ashley, and they were carrying this wee black kitten, the last of her litter, and they sorrowfully told me if they couldn't give this little cat named Zipper away, their parents were going to force them to take her to the humane society.
So then I had a cat. No collar or litter or cat knowledge or anything but I took her home and the first thing she ever napped on was a stack of manuscripts. (All three of the novels I was too timid to send out, now self-published -- they're decent dime-store novels!). Of course that stole my heart right away.
And then she taught me how to meditate. Not that I knew that was what she was doing at the time, but she could take away my sadness and loneliness and all the thoughts of failure and the constant trying-to-succeed that were filling up my mind at the time and just replace them with... peace. I remember that, even as a kitten, she just filled my heart up with love and with peace.
And nobody else in the past 18 years has filled me up with Zen and peace and ommm like my philosopher cat.
She never seemed like a Zipper to me. I had decided to name her Ala after Ashley, Leanna, and Ashley, and then I thought how funny I had changed it to an A name when the girls had given her a Z name, so I decided to put the Z back in and name her Alazha. I was not sure at the time (pre-first-vet-visit) if she was a boy or a girl, so if she'd been a boy, she would have been Alazhar.
But she's a girl and my best friend. And she still loves to sit on paper of any kind, but most especially manuscripts and math homework (I'm also sometimes a math teacher/tutor/writer/editor).
Christa
June 28, 2018
Christa Bedwin Author Interview with Melinda Campbell
I'm copying this over here from http://mcedits.com/christa-bedwin
Christa Bedwin | Author Interview One of the best things about editing is that I get to read some really inspiring works. I want to share some of the amazing people I have had a chance to collaborate with.
I have always enjoyed various genres, so you never know who I will be featuring here!
This month, I have Christa Bedwin, who combines two of my favorite things: dragons and strong female leads! Oh, and she digs science, like me… I’m pretty sure we are soul sisters.
Her latest book, Caterina’s Renaissance, is coming out on June 22, 2018. I fell in love with her characters—to the point where the day after I finished the book, I woke up and thought, “I wonder what Caterina and Massimo are up to…” and then got really sad when I remembered that I was done with the story. And despite Caterina’s neighbors being secondary characters, I still want to spend time at their beautiful home and maybe have a few drinks with them. You know this means Christa has some writing skills!
So let’s get to know Christa better.
Who are you?
What a great question. I’ve done exercises in yoga philosophy where you sort of meditate on this question to find out who you are… and if you go down through the layers, through all the labels and ideas that we put on top of ourselves, the answer is “love. I am love.”
Maybe that’s why my first instinctive answer to this question that sprang to mind is that I’m a mother. I love being a mother, even though I wanted five kids at least, and only ended up with one son and no husband to make more kids with. But between the two of us, my son and I, we do share a lot of love and support. We have travelled and adventured together a lot, and he offers me a wise and interesting perspective on a lot of issues that wouldn’t occur to me straightaway. As we have learned in our travels, oftentimes people in those larger, seemingly ideal families can be lonelier than we are with just two. He’s a really nice person to live with. Doing a good job of raising him is probably the most important thing in my life at the moment.
I am also a teacher. I can’t bear to watch someone fail if I can see a way to show them how to succeed… I used to love to teach chemistry and math to high school students. I still love teaching people to write, but I also love to teach through my characters and my writing. I learned a lot through the hundreds of books I have read, and I like to think that readers walk away from my books having picked up something cool too, whether that is a few ways to manage a difficult personality or situation, or a new food from afar that they would like to try.
But of course…And, of course, I’m a writer. One of the greatest regrets of my life is that I wasted so many years trying to play the “normal” life game because people told me I somehow wasn’t allowed to be a writer. I am a writer and the times in my life that I haven’t allowed myself to spend the time putting my words on paper, the stories have piled up in my head anyways. I wish I had always had the confidence to write them down, but I’m trying to make up for lost time now!
How did you know you wanted to be an author?I love the power authors have to step into our lives and cheer us up, offer us ideas to improve our lives, and expand our horizons. I had an unusual upbringing, and I always wanted to be able to share that with others.
What is most important for your writing routine?First of all, ha ha! Routine?
Christa Bedwin | Author Interview One of the best things about editing is that I get to read some really inspiring works. I want to share some of the amazing people I have had a chance to collaborate with.
I have always enjoyed various genres, so you never know who I will be featuring here!
This month, I have Christa Bedwin, who combines two of my favorite things: dragons and strong female leads! Oh, and she digs science, like me… I’m pretty sure we are soul sisters.
Her latest book, Caterina’s Renaissance, is coming out on June 22, 2018. I fell in love with her characters—to the point where the day after I finished the book, I woke up and thought, “I wonder what Caterina and Massimo are up to…” and then got really sad when I remembered that I was done with the story. And despite Caterina’s neighbors being secondary characters, I still want to spend time at their beautiful home and maybe have a few drinks with them. You know this means Christa has some writing skills!
So let’s get to know Christa better.
Who are you?What a great question. I’ve done exercises in yoga philosophy where you sort of meditate on this question to find out who you are… and if you go down through the layers, through all the labels and ideas that we put on top of ourselves, the answer is “love. I am love.”
Maybe that’s why my first instinctive answer to this question that sprang to mind is that I’m a mother. I love being a mother, even though I wanted five kids at least, and only ended up with one son and no husband to make more kids with. But between the two of us, my son and I, we do share a lot of love and support. We have travelled and adventured together a lot, and he offers me a wise and interesting perspective on a lot of issues that wouldn’t occur to me straightaway. As we have learned in our travels, oftentimes people in those larger, seemingly ideal families can be lonelier than we are with just two. He’s a really nice person to live with. Doing a good job of raising him is probably the most important thing in my life at the moment.
I am also a teacher. I can’t bear to watch someone fail if I can see a way to show them how to succeed… I used to love to teach chemistry and math to high school students. I still love teaching people to write, but I also love to teach through my characters and my writing. I learned a lot through the hundreds of books I have read, and I like to think that readers walk away from my books having picked up something cool too, whether that is a few ways to manage a difficult personality or situation, or a new food from afar that they would like to try.
But of course…And, of course, I’m a writer. One of the greatest regrets of my life is that I wasted so many years trying to play the “normal” life game because people told me I somehow wasn’t allowed to be a writer. I am a writer and the times in my life that I haven’t allowed myself to spend the time putting my words on paper, the stories have piled up in my head anyways. I wish I had always had the confidence to write them down, but I’m trying to make up for lost time now!
How did you know you wanted to be an author?I love the power authors have to step into our lives and cheer us up, offer us ideas to improve our lives, and expand our horizons. I had an unusual upbringing, and I always wanted to be able to share that with others.
What is most important for your writing routine?First of all, ha ha! Routine?
Christa Bedwin Author Interview with Hearts of History's Minerva Spencer
I'm copying this over here from the Hearts of History blog at https://www.heartsthroughhistory.com/... Happy Wednesday Gentle Readers! I’m excited and pleased to introduce you to a member of HTH who has made such a positive and energizing impact on the group!You might know Christa from her active presence in the forum and for introducing the highly popular Hot Topic Tuesday (or for her fascinating experiences as a volunteer worker!) but now is your chance to get to know a bit more about her and her writing.
Minerva Spencer: Thanks so much for joining me on the blog today, Christa! Before we start talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself and what you write.
Christa Bedwin: I’m a world-travelling, adventurous, homeschooling single mom. Now that my son is six feet tall, intelligent, curious, and well mannered, I have a little more time to write and I’m loving it! I grew up in the mountains on a cattle ranch in Canada, but now I really love islands and Europe (and being warm!) best.
I love friendly communities with people who care for each other, places that are organic and where people care for the environment, and beautiful, vibrant, colourful landscapes. We have travelled to a lot of fascinating communities and countries with farm volunteering, and met a lot of wonderful and crazy characters living curious mixtures of modern and historical ways of life. Those widespread, interesting approaches to living worm their way into my books.
MS: You have certainly had a fascinating life!! Do you write full-time or part-time?
CB: It’s funny – my parents told me that to be a writer wasn’t a real job, but I’ve made almost all of my income over the past two decades either writing or editing anyway!
I started out as a high school chemistry and math teacher, but within my first 3 years, McGraw-Hill had hired me on a full-time contract to write and edit chemistry textbooks. In fact, I had actually asked the woman who connected me with that job through a “Word on the Street” fair if she knew anyone that wanted any romance novels, since I had three written so far (that was in 1999).
She laughed and said no, and shook her head in that “every amateur thinks they can write a novel” way. So I said, “How about chemistry textbooks? I have always wanted to write a chemistry textbook.” She said, “Well, actually… yes.” I wrote an audition (from Australia, using the new Environment Canada webpage for research – the technology boggles!) and got the job. That spun into more work and ever more work and distracted me from my fiction for, oh, 15 years or so!
The silly thing about my writing career at the beginning was that I lacked the confidence to put my fiction out there. It was easier to take all those science-writing and technical contracts that fed my son and I. Now, I did serve the world well through writing and editing engaging, accurate, interesting textbooks for teens and teachers, but I think that the highest good I can do in this world is through fiction. With stories, we can help make society be a better place by helping people to think wiser, happier thoughts. I think people who read interesting, curious books are more likely to think of out-of-the-box solutions to life’s troubles, to ponder others’ motives, and to take more risks with new situations. I love readers.
MS: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
CB: When I was twelve, and I realized that I could use my own difficulties to write to help other people through their hard times. I didn’t really mean to keep on having a tricky sort of life, but… wow, I have been through a lot of situations and seen life from a lot of angles, now. When I get a little peace and ease, I write, write, write! And finally, finally, I’m getting brave enough to share my thoughts with the world. I’ve finally collected readers who love what I’m writing – too bad I didn’t know how to find those people sooner! But I’m here now.
I love to laugh at the absurdities of fate and the twists and turns life throws at us, and it’s so fun to be able to write situations where everything works out in a satisfying way. As my grandmother told me long ago, romance novels are great for making women feel good. She used herself, a widow, and her neighbour, whose husband was often away with work, as examples of women who can feel warm and loved by reading when life doesn’t give us the fairy tale. Now I know, intimately, that spinsters/single moms need love too. We are just as bereft as the widows are, and maybe even more, because we have no memories to warm us! Plenty of married women don’t have as much warmth or love as they would like, either.
So we need romance. Joy. Adventure. And books can help to fill that need. Even with little kids, we can steal moments for ourselves and find solace in the pages of delicious books. I think that’s one of the most important things in the world, helping others feel good and live better. Happiness is so important for parenting, living, serving others, staying healthy.
MS: What drew you to write in the historical romance genre?
CB: Something I always loved about reading Harlequin Presents in the ‘80s and ‘90s was the international travel aspect of the books – the food, the architecture, the nature, the different ways of life. I’m sure that’s part of what led me to travel so much myself, and now I’m in a place to share that rich multicultural smorgasbord of life with readers, who might not be able to travel so much.
At the time I dreamed up Caterina’s Renaissance, I was living on a little island, and completely unable to find a man to date, much less a husband. Somewhere in my despair at this deficiency in my real life, I started to dream of a hero from the Renaissance. Someone strong, yet learned. Someone who had travelled in his own time. Someone who wasn’t addicted to a smartphone! A man from the past seemed ideal.
Combining world travel and history just adds an extra layer of excitement and spice, I think. I love reading historical novels myself. With all the characters in the past, it’s easier to excuse human failings, somehow – no distraction being annoyed about the foibles of modern society that way!
MS: If you could time travel, what era would you visit?
CB: I know that some writers like to find one time period and stick to it, but when someone asks me my favourite colour, I say “rainbow.” My answer to this question is: many!
I have travelled to almost fifty countries now, and I write historical and time-travel romances back to a variety of time periods. So far I have written about Renaissance Venice, Enlightenment-era Edinburgh, post-Roman Cornwall, and 18th century Acadian history in Canada-France. I just love all the things there are to learn and share, all the colour and life and traditions and food and fabrics and technologies and… oh, it’s so fun.
MS: Are there specific books or authors who have influenced you as a writer?
CB: I love what Maeve Binchy said about her characters starting out as losers and getting better by the end of the book, and I try to do that. I think our power as authors is to help our readers see their way out of difficult situations sometimes.
At the moment, I’m also devouring a lot of M.C. Beaton. She writes such funny characters and fun situations. I am glad she’s so prolific because I love escaping into her books – they’re like comfort food. My editor recently told me that of all the people she’s editing right now, she’s chosen my “heart-warming characters” as her bedtime reading. That’s who I want to be with on the bookshelves and in history – on the lists with the other authoresses who love to make people feel good and put smiles on readers’ faces.
MS: Who’s your favorite historical figure?
CB: There are some amazing women in the past, and in general we haven’t heard enough about them yet! I like to explore time periods where women, or at least some of them, had a certain amount of personal power in society.
In Caterina’s Renaissance, Veronica Franco, a Renaissance Venice cortigiana onesta (an honest or intellectual courtesan), is a key player in helping the hero and heroine along on their adventure. In real life, Veronica Franco was known and loved for her intellect and wisdom, and she had enough power in Venice to help shape peaceful politics for La Serenissima during her lifetime.
It is inspiring to study her way of being, how she was so feminine and yet so powerful, and to weave that into a story. I believe that just reading about women who have held power and done good in their times helps us to find our own power and our own unique ways to navigate society in our own times. I think that modern women are often almost afraid of our femininity and the power we wield. Sexy women have been so villainized by the media and even women’s magazines. Through studying historical women who understood being sexy, smart, powerful, and good, I think we can gain more confidence in our own roles in the modern world.
In a medieval romance that is also on my plate for later this year, Queen Balthild, a Merovingian Queen who was a slave before she was a queen, has an influence. The real Queen Balthild was instrumental in outlawing slavery in her realm (what is now France) by the year 650 AD: about 350 years earlier than England, and 1200 years ahead of America! Another strong and sexy woman I’m excited to wrap a plot around.
Enlightenment-Era Edinburgh, before Victorian times and the Regency Era, was also a period where women were granted a certain intellectual and societal respect. I’m setting a little trilogy in that time period, too. Village and farm women of all ages have sometimes held more power than the wealthy classes we have traditionally read about. I’m exploring that in an early medieval book too.
MS: Tell us about your latest release and what’s coming next for you.
CB: Caterina’s Renaissance is a romance between a modern-day west coast island woman and a man who appears in her bed fresh from Renaissance Venice. She’s been dreaming of him, and the chemistry is very powerful from the beginning.
The book takes a turn for the unexpected when it turns out she’s had a dragon living with her for some time. He has been invisible to her, but Massimo and her neighbours can see him. He’s sort of a mischievous fellow who sings in a deep voice and likes to taunt the cat and laugh at Caterina and Masssimo, but who turns out to be a key helper for their adventures into the past. This book is a lot of fun, and my readers tell me that they have a huge crush on Massimo and think about the book when they’re not reading it. My characters are nice people to be around and interesting to think about, and that makes me so happy.
Something that surprised me about this book (well, actually, the dragon jumping into it was a big surprise, but it turned out we needed him, so okay) is how much readers love the neighbour couple, Frank and Maureen. They’re modeled after the real neighbours I had when I lived on the island this book is set in. The real Frank really does have a giant greenhouse, and Maureen truly is that insightful about people… whether they can actually accomplish the magic feats they do in the book, I am not sure, but I would not put it past them!
MS: What are you working on now?
CB: Well… a rainbow of things!
Blodwyn’s Redemption: The sequel to Caterina’s Renaissance. The villainess who was trying to destroy what others held dear in Caterina’s Renaissance loses her memory and goes back in time to post-Roman Cornwall. She learns about her own goodness and value to the community as she heals from terrible injuries, and when she remembers her villainy in the past, she’s horrified. Luckily, the hero loves her enough to go through fire – and time – for her. It’s a passionate, complicated tale, and yet really so simple: love conquers all, if only we can accept it.
Idelle’s Inheritance (out in July 2018)/ Idelle’s Englightenment (Fall 2018)/ Moira’s Modern Mayhem (Winter 2018) is a time-travel trilogy set between modern-day Edinburgh and the inspiring Enlightenment period in that same incredible city. It all begins when Idelle inherits a Georgian house and the clan lands from her aunt, and tumbles back in time to meet her “cousin” Moira. Moira helps Idelle solve a legal problem, and then, frustrated with the limitations forced on her in the 18th century, decides to follow Idelle to the future.
In Idelle’s Englightenment, we’ll find out how Idelle transforms her life from the rut she was stuck in, and how she learns to balance love, her career, and her new inheritance. Should she trust that Graeme, who she’s wanted for so long, really does want her now? Or would she be better off striking out on her own? Moira’s around sharing the house, insisting that the world change for the better, giving various bits of good and bad advice, and making blunders and discoveries of her own. If the first book in this series is like a cozy tea and scone break, this book is more like a surprisingly spicy curry meal!
It’s only in Moira’s Modern Mayhem that Moira’s fire is fully unleashed. Like Idelle, she ends up being faced with deciding exactly what it is she wants with her life. To be loved like there’s no tomorrow? To make a difference in the world with her career? What is it that matters most? And does she have to give up one to have the other?
Thanks so much for joining me today, Christa! You can read more about Christa and learn about her books at her website and the links below.
Happy reading!
Website address:
www.christabedwin.com
Two social media links, if you wish to share them:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christa.bedwin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christabedwin/
Minerva Spencer: Thanks so much for joining me on the blog today, Christa! Before we start talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself and what you write.
Christa Bedwin: I’m a world-travelling, adventurous, homeschooling single mom. Now that my son is six feet tall, intelligent, curious, and well mannered, I have a little more time to write and I’m loving it! I grew up in the mountains on a cattle ranch in Canada, but now I really love islands and Europe (and being warm!) best.
I love friendly communities with people who care for each other, places that are organic and where people care for the environment, and beautiful, vibrant, colourful landscapes. We have travelled to a lot of fascinating communities and countries with farm volunteering, and met a lot of wonderful and crazy characters living curious mixtures of modern and historical ways of life. Those widespread, interesting approaches to living worm their way into my books.
MS: You have certainly had a fascinating life!! Do you write full-time or part-time?
CB: It’s funny – my parents told me that to be a writer wasn’t a real job, but I’ve made almost all of my income over the past two decades either writing or editing anyway!
I started out as a high school chemistry and math teacher, but within my first 3 years, McGraw-Hill had hired me on a full-time contract to write and edit chemistry textbooks. In fact, I had actually asked the woman who connected me with that job through a “Word on the Street” fair if she knew anyone that wanted any romance novels, since I had three written so far (that was in 1999).
She laughed and said no, and shook her head in that “every amateur thinks they can write a novel” way. So I said, “How about chemistry textbooks? I have always wanted to write a chemistry textbook.” She said, “Well, actually… yes.” I wrote an audition (from Australia, using the new Environment Canada webpage for research – the technology boggles!) and got the job. That spun into more work and ever more work and distracted me from my fiction for, oh, 15 years or so!
The silly thing about my writing career at the beginning was that I lacked the confidence to put my fiction out there. It was easier to take all those science-writing and technical contracts that fed my son and I. Now, I did serve the world well through writing and editing engaging, accurate, interesting textbooks for teens and teachers, but I think that the highest good I can do in this world is through fiction. With stories, we can help make society be a better place by helping people to think wiser, happier thoughts. I think people who read interesting, curious books are more likely to think of out-of-the-box solutions to life’s troubles, to ponder others’ motives, and to take more risks with new situations. I love readers.
MS: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
CB: When I was twelve, and I realized that I could use my own difficulties to write to help other people through their hard times. I didn’t really mean to keep on having a tricky sort of life, but… wow, I have been through a lot of situations and seen life from a lot of angles, now. When I get a little peace and ease, I write, write, write! And finally, finally, I’m getting brave enough to share my thoughts with the world. I’ve finally collected readers who love what I’m writing – too bad I didn’t know how to find those people sooner! But I’m here now.
I love to laugh at the absurdities of fate and the twists and turns life throws at us, and it’s so fun to be able to write situations where everything works out in a satisfying way. As my grandmother told me long ago, romance novels are great for making women feel good. She used herself, a widow, and her neighbour, whose husband was often away with work, as examples of women who can feel warm and loved by reading when life doesn’t give us the fairy tale. Now I know, intimately, that spinsters/single moms need love too. We are just as bereft as the widows are, and maybe even more, because we have no memories to warm us! Plenty of married women don’t have as much warmth or love as they would like, either.
So we need romance. Joy. Adventure. And books can help to fill that need. Even with little kids, we can steal moments for ourselves and find solace in the pages of delicious books. I think that’s one of the most important things in the world, helping others feel good and live better. Happiness is so important for parenting, living, serving others, staying healthy.
MS: What drew you to write in the historical romance genre?
CB: Something I always loved about reading Harlequin Presents in the ‘80s and ‘90s was the international travel aspect of the books – the food, the architecture, the nature, the different ways of life. I’m sure that’s part of what led me to travel so much myself, and now I’m in a place to share that rich multicultural smorgasbord of life with readers, who might not be able to travel so much.
At the time I dreamed up Caterina’s Renaissance, I was living on a little island, and completely unable to find a man to date, much less a husband. Somewhere in my despair at this deficiency in my real life, I started to dream of a hero from the Renaissance. Someone strong, yet learned. Someone who had travelled in his own time. Someone who wasn’t addicted to a smartphone! A man from the past seemed ideal.
Combining world travel and history just adds an extra layer of excitement and spice, I think. I love reading historical novels myself. With all the characters in the past, it’s easier to excuse human failings, somehow – no distraction being annoyed about the foibles of modern society that way!
MS: If you could time travel, what era would you visit?
CB: I know that some writers like to find one time period and stick to it, but when someone asks me my favourite colour, I say “rainbow.” My answer to this question is: many!
I have travelled to almost fifty countries now, and I write historical and time-travel romances back to a variety of time periods. So far I have written about Renaissance Venice, Enlightenment-era Edinburgh, post-Roman Cornwall, and 18th century Acadian history in Canada-France. I just love all the things there are to learn and share, all the colour and life and traditions and food and fabrics and technologies and… oh, it’s so fun.
MS: Are there specific books or authors who have influenced you as a writer?
CB: I love what Maeve Binchy said about her characters starting out as losers and getting better by the end of the book, and I try to do that. I think our power as authors is to help our readers see their way out of difficult situations sometimes.
At the moment, I’m also devouring a lot of M.C. Beaton. She writes such funny characters and fun situations. I am glad she’s so prolific because I love escaping into her books – they’re like comfort food. My editor recently told me that of all the people she’s editing right now, she’s chosen my “heart-warming characters” as her bedtime reading. That’s who I want to be with on the bookshelves and in history – on the lists with the other authoresses who love to make people feel good and put smiles on readers’ faces.
MS: Who’s your favorite historical figure?
CB: There are some amazing women in the past, and in general we haven’t heard enough about them yet! I like to explore time periods where women, or at least some of them, had a certain amount of personal power in society.
In Caterina’s Renaissance, Veronica Franco, a Renaissance Venice cortigiana onesta (an honest or intellectual courtesan), is a key player in helping the hero and heroine along on their adventure. In real life, Veronica Franco was known and loved for her intellect and wisdom, and she had enough power in Venice to help shape peaceful politics for La Serenissima during her lifetime.
It is inspiring to study her way of being, how she was so feminine and yet so powerful, and to weave that into a story. I believe that just reading about women who have held power and done good in their times helps us to find our own power and our own unique ways to navigate society in our own times. I think that modern women are often almost afraid of our femininity and the power we wield. Sexy women have been so villainized by the media and even women’s magazines. Through studying historical women who understood being sexy, smart, powerful, and good, I think we can gain more confidence in our own roles in the modern world.
In a medieval romance that is also on my plate for later this year, Queen Balthild, a Merovingian Queen who was a slave before she was a queen, has an influence. The real Queen Balthild was instrumental in outlawing slavery in her realm (what is now France) by the year 650 AD: about 350 years earlier than England, and 1200 years ahead of America! Another strong and sexy woman I’m excited to wrap a plot around.
Enlightenment-Era Edinburgh, before Victorian times and the Regency Era, was also a period where women were granted a certain intellectual and societal respect. I’m setting a little trilogy in that time period, too. Village and farm women of all ages have sometimes held more power than the wealthy classes we have traditionally read about. I’m exploring that in an early medieval book too.
MS: Tell us about your latest release and what’s coming next for you.
CB: Caterina’s Renaissance is a romance between a modern-day west coast island woman and a man who appears in her bed fresh from Renaissance Venice. She’s been dreaming of him, and the chemistry is very powerful from the beginning.
The book takes a turn for the unexpected when it turns out she’s had a dragon living with her for some time. He has been invisible to her, but Massimo and her neighbours can see him. He’s sort of a mischievous fellow who sings in a deep voice and likes to taunt the cat and laugh at Caterina and Masssimo, but who turns out to be a key helper for their adventures into the past. This book is a lot of fun, and my readers tell me that they have a huge crush on Massimo and think about the book when they’re not reading it. My characters are nice people to be around and interesting to think about, and that makes me so happy.
Something that surprised me about this book (well, actually, the dragon jumping into it was a big surprise, but it turned out we needed him, so okay) is how much readers love the neighbour couple, Frank and Maureen. They’re modeled after the real neighbours I had when I lived on the island this book is set in. The real Frank really does have a giant greenhouse, and Maureen truly is that insightful about people… whether they can actually accomplish the magic feats they do in the book, I am not sure, but I would not put it past them!
MS: What are you working on now?
CB: Well… a rainbow of things!
Blodwyn’s Redemption: The sequel to Caterina’s Renaissance. The villainess who was trying to destroy what others held dear in Caterina’s Renaissance loses her memory and goes back in time to post-Roman Cornwall. She learns about her own goodness and value to the community as she heals from terrible injuries, and when she remembers her villainy in the past, she’s horrified. Luckily, the hero loves her enough to go through fire – and time – for her. It’s a passionate, complicated tale, and yet really so simple: love conquers all, if only we can accept it.
Idelle’s Inheritance (out in July 2018)/ Idelle’s Englightenment (Fall 2018)/ Moira’s Modern Mayhem (Winter 2018) is a time-travel trilogy set between modern-day Edinburgh and the inspiring Enlightenment period in that same incredible city. It all begins when Idelle inherits a Georgian house and the clan lands from her aunt, and tumbles back in time to meet her “cousin” Moira. Moira helps Idelle solve a legal problem, and then, frustrated with the limitations forced on her in the 18th century, decides to follow Idelle to the future.In Idelle’s Englightenment, we’ll find out how Idelle transforms her life from the rut she was stuck in, and how she learns to balance love, her career, and her new inheritance. Should she trust that Graeme, who she’s wanted for so long, really does want her now? Or would she be better off striking out on her own? Moira’s around sharing the house, insisting that the world change for the better, giving various bits of good and bad advice, and making blunders and discoveries of her own. If the first book in this series is like a cozy tea and scone break, this book is more like a surprisingly spicy curry meal!
It’s only in Moira’s Modern Mayhem that Moira’s fire is fully unleashed. Like Idelle, she ends up being faced with deciding exactly what it is she wants with her life. To be loved like there’s no tomorrow? To make a difference in the world with her career? What is it that matters most? And does she have to give up one to have the other?
Thanks so much for joining me today, Christa! You can read more about Christa and learn about her books at her website and the links below.
Happy reading!
Website address:
www.christabedwin.com
Two social media links, if you wish to share them:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christa.bedwin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christabedwin/
