Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles -Author Interview Series Jillian Chantal

Regency Personalities Series-Major-Ge... Trolling Down to Old Mah Wee, another...

Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles -Author Interview Series Jillian Chantal

Today we have an author interview from my latest work, Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology.

It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99

The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99

My story in the anthology is entitled: Not a Close Run Thing at All, which of course is a play on the famous misquote attributed to Arthur Wellesley, ��a damn close-run thing�� which really was ��It has been a damned nice thing �� the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.��

Today we are fortunate to have with us Jillian Chantal who writes in both romance and mystery genres. Though we want to hear of his historical work in the Regency.

1) What moved you to become an author?

Like many, I��ve always been a natural story-teller. I can make pretty much any event sound entertaining even if it wasn��t at the time I lived through it. From this, came a natural progression to fiction- after all, I could make the tales way more interesting if I wasn��t held back by the truth.

2) How did you find out about the Waterloo project?

I was asked by Susana Ellis if I wanted to participate.

3) Can you tell us some of the things that attracted you to writing a piece on the anniversary of this famous battle.

I��ve always been intrigued by the era and that particular battle, so it was easy to say yes. The Napoleonic Wars is an interesting time period as a lot of what we see even today in the landscape of Europe was formed then.

4) Tell us about your current story in the anthology.

The hero is assigned to Wellington��s staff. The heroine is the daughter of an Earl and her family has joined the many who lived in Belgium during the war. She��s attracted to the hero and she causes a bit of a mini scandal at Lady Richmond��s ball when she bestows her handkerchief on the hero before the battle.

He��s sent on an errand during the Battle of Quatre Bas and things change for him from that point forward. The heroine is determined to come to his aid even though her mother disapproves.

5) How did the story begin to develop in your mind?

I started thinking over ideas when Susana invited me to participate. Noting there weren��t many ways for a heroine to be anywhere near the battle, I had to decide what the heroine was doing on the continent. Once I settled on Lady Richmond��s ball, the rest was pretty easy.

6) What did you find most challenging about this story?

I read a few books on Napoleon and his tactics as well as the battle itself. It��s always hard not to put a lot of the research in- that would bore the reader- but to make sure there��s enough to ground the reader in the story.

7) Tell us a little about yourself?

I work as a lawyer so the research aspect of historicals is a fun thing for me since it��s not law books and cases. I live in Florida and love the laid back lifestyle that affords.

8) What is your next work, and beyond that, what do you want to work on.

I am working on another novella for a Regency anthology. I have a murder mystery with a romantic element in edits now with one of my publishers. I love to write all kinds of stories, including contemporary, historical and a bit of paranormal.

9) In the Waterloo Shorty Story, is there an excerpt to share? Your favorite scene, a part of your life that you put into the work and think it came out exceptionally well that you would like to share.

��Napoleon is on the march. He��s outside the city. The Prince of Orange has already left��before supper even��and the rest of the men will be reporting to their units soon.��

Emmaline gasped. ��Outside the city?�� Her gut clenched. This was way too close. Being this near to a battle site was horrifying. Her eyes darted around the room until they found Captain Denby. She turned her gaze to the others standing beside her. ��I��ll be right back.��

She strode off with Lydia behind her asking, ��Where are you going?��

Not responding to her friend, Emmaline made a beeline toward where Jeremiah stood with two other officers in the same regimental uniform as he. Once she reached him, she touched the sleeve of his coat. ��May I speak to you for a moment?��

��I��m sorry, Miss Rothesay, I��m on my way out.��

��It��ll just take a second.��

He turned to his companions. ��Excuse me.��

Leaving Lydia behind, Emmaline pulled Jeremiah to one side and once they stood close to the wall she pulled her lace-edged hanky from her where she��d tucked it in the end of her sleeve and tried to hand it to him.

��What��s this?�� He stared at it as it hung in the air between them held up by her index finger and thumb.

��Back in the middle ages and in the time of Henry VIII, a knight asked a lady for her colors to wear into the joust. For good luck, you know. I��d like you to wear mine in the battle ahead.��

��Do you think it proper? We hardly know one another.��

��Proper or not, I��m offering this to you as a token of good will and my hope that you will survive the next days. Surely you won��t turn me down?�� Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. Had she misunderstood the way he��d looked at her? Did he hold her in no regard at all?

Jeremiah��s face turned red. Emmaline couldn��t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. A little intimidated, she took a half step back and almost collided with one of Lady Richmond��s friends.

10) Who do you think influenced your writing, this work, and who do you think you write like?

I have a hard time answering this one since I have spent a lifetime devouring books and I think my style is a conglomeration of all I��ve taken in.

11) Who do you read? What are the things that a reader can identify with that you have grounded yourself in.

Particular favorites I return to are the Sherlock Holmes books, Martha Grimes and Lauren Willig.

12) When writing, what is your routine?

I work all day so I do most of my work at night and on weekends. I like to write with background noise as I have mostly written with people in the room like my kids and spouse.

13) Do you think of yourself as an artist, or as a craftsman, a blend of both?

Most definitely a blend.

14) Where should we look for your work.