Interview with Barbara Bettis, author of FOR THIS KNIGHT ONLY #romance #medieval #historical #releaseday
Thanks for visiting with me on The Daisy, Barbara! Let’s learn a little more about you and your medieval romance For This Knight Only…
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When did you begin your writer’s journey?
Is this book part of a series? If so, what can we expect in the future?Honestly, I have no clear idea. I’ve always just taken for granted the fact that I write. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the different worlds and people revealed through reading. And I recall loving to make up my own stories and telling them or writing them out. In second grade, I wrote a play and made my friends perform it. But life took me down different writing paths (journalist and college teacher) before I started my first book.
What’s your favorite quote about writing or by an author?For This Knight Only is third in the Knights of Destiny series. Readers can expect to see more stories of disenfranchised knights or mercenaries who must find their own ways to the essential thing that each fought for—land. And in the process they find/rescue/exasperate/irritate/persuade the only ladies who can make their lives complete. Right now, I’m working on a Christmas novella and will finish another story this year, both featuring knights you’ll meet in this book.
What drives you to write?I believe Ernest Hemingway said: “There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”
What drives you nuts?The story and the characters just won’t leave me in peace.
What’s your go-to relaxation technique?I’m usually pretty easy-going. Sometimes, perhaps, too much so. But I can invariably get extremely exasperated at people who talk on their cell phones in public. Usually loud enough for anyone on the other side of the room to hear. I don’t want to know the details of a stranger’s life. And it’s disturbing if I’m trying to dine or to conduct a conversation with someone.
Who is your favorite character in this book?Read, watch a favorite show on TV, or go to the movies. Sometimes, I go for a drive. Something to remove me from the source of stress and divert my mind. Driving is my go-to way to work out a plot problem. Somehow the story winds out in my mind like a movie. The trouble is rushing back to write it—those words come a lot harder than they did in the car. :-)
What do you do when you’re not writing?Can’t choose just one :-) -- Roark and Alyss both.
How did you choose your characters’ names?I like to read. If I’m not in stress-reduction mode, I love to hang out with friends.
Would you describe yourself as an introvert or extrovert?Roark was always—Roark. It sounded strong. Determined. Like someone who would persevere. But for the heroine’s name, I had to think. Then I recalled that in grade school, a teacher had asked us each what name we would choose for ourselves if we could. I said, “Alice.” I liked the way the word sounded. (I didn’t know an Alice at the time.) So I decided to call my lady that, but with a more medieval spelling. This book was the only one whose characters were easy to name, however.
Thanks for joining me today, Barbara. Best of luck with For This Knight Only!Introvert trying hard to be better at small talk :-)
A little more about Barbara…
I love to read and I love to write. I love creating stories of other times and places, of heroines ‘to die for’ and heroes to live for. And, of course, happy endings.
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For This Knight Onlyby Barbara Bettis-RELEASES TODAY-
He’ll do anything for land, even marry her; she’ll do anything for her people, except marry him. If only either had a choice. It’s a marriage only love can save.
Sir Roark will do anything to gain land, even beguile an unwilling lady into marriage. He knows she’s much better off with a man to take control of her besieged castle, to say nothing of her desirable person. But it isn’t long before he discovers that, although her eyes sparkle like sunlight on sea waves, her stubbornness alone could have defeated Saladin. Lady Alyss is determined to hold her family’s castle, protect her people, and preserve her freedom— until her brother’s dying wish binds her to a stranger. Still, she’ll allow no rugged, over-confident, appealing knight to usurp her authority, even if she must wed him. Especially since he thinks a lady’s duties begin and end with directing servants. Alyss has a few surprises for her new all-too-tempting lord.But when a common enemy threatens everything, Roark and Alyss face a startling revelation. Without love, neither land nor freedom matters.
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For This Knight Only Excerpt:
What would it take to persuade her to marry him? A sudden pain burst between his legs, and he gasped, eyes blurry. The little hell-cat kneed him. Even though chain mail deflected some of the impact, he used every bit of his willpower to remain standing.
Apparently persuasion took more than a kiss.
He drew a steadying breath. “You don’t understand, my lady. You will be my wife before the sun sets. It was your brother’s dying wish. It was my pledge to a comrade.”
By God, he’d begun to believe it himself.
Alyss met him toe to toe. “This morning I had never seen you, and by tonight, you think I will marry you?”
Her head tilted back and she glared into his eyes. “Were you, perhaps, wounded in the head during a fight? Have you lost your senses as well as your hearing? How do you propose to force me to the altar? With your army?”
With an exaggerated look around, she nodded at Alain. “Ah, yes. There it is. Impressive to be sure.”
Turning from Roark, she said, “Sir Baldwin, see that these two knights are outside the gates by sundown. Call every man in the garrison to help, if need be. I want them gone.”
Head high as if confident her word would be enforced immediately, she strode to the stairway.
Frowning, Sir Baldwin started forward. Roark lifted a hand to halt him. He glanced at Alain, then back to Alyss. “One moment, my lady. Hear me out.”
She continued to walk, but everyone in the hall had no trouble hearing her. “Unless you intend to apologize, you can say nothing that will interest me.”
Roark had known this would not be easy, but he had expected the female to at least listen to reason. An obedient, well-behaved lady is how Sir Godfrey described her. An excellent housekeeper, but helpless to defend herself if her menfolk were all dead. Obedient, well-behaved. Helpless.
That Lady Alyss wasn’t this Lady Alyss.
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