Q &A with Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway!

[Manda]

Without further ado, I give you an interview with the authors of The Lady Most Willing...: A Novel in Three Parts.

1. (from Asya): My question is for Eloisa and Julia: Where do you get the inspiration for the laugh out loud funny scenes in your books?

Eloisa: I read and reread anything funny. I read Oscar Wilde's plays over and over, for example. Lately I've read the scripts of Ab-Fab (the British TV show), and the scripts of Blackadder (ditto). It helps for me to read British humor.

Julia: I don't know. I think it's just my writing voice. It comes far more naturally to me than the highly dramatic scenes.

2. (from Janga) I want to know who came up with Taran and Marilla. I usually prefer my humor cerebral, but these two were a hoot. And the humor surrounding them was so visual that I could see the hilarious scenes quite vividly in my head. How did you do that?

Eloisa: We did it together! We sat around laughing and Marilla got wilder and wilder.

Connie: Actually, Eloisa had written the character of Marilla into her story and Taran was part of my original idea. Then Julie got her hands on Marilla and pretty soon we were trying to outstrip one another in over-the-topedness. And yes, that a word. Now.

Julia: Marilla had me at "barely-set custard."

3. (from Flora) I'd like to ask if Eloisa, Julia and Connie plan to continue their collaboration into another "Lady.." book in the future? And for Connie, when can we expect to see your current WIP?

Eloisa: I love doing Ladies Most Whatever! Julia and Connie? Lady Most Often… Lady Most Lost… Lady Most… anyone else think up a new title?

Connie: Absolutely. But I think it should be a LORD title--anyone who has a good LORD MOST...title, send it on! Thanks for asking, Flora! You can expect to see NO PLACE FOR A DAME, the sequel to ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT and Giles, Lord Strand's story, early this fall. Subscribe to my newsletter to keep updated (www.conniebrockway.com/mailing_list.php) and for a sneak peek.

Julia: I have a feeling we'll keep doing collaborations as long as readers want them. They are so much fun to write, but even more importantly (for me, anyway), it's a very different process from writing a full-length novel, and I need to shake it up from time to time.

4. (from Amanda) How does your collaboration writing process work? What do you like about each others' writing style?

Julia: First we have to come up with a premise. Eloisa thought of the first one and Connie the second, so I have a feeling the next is up to me. Once we've got the overall idea, we meet in person to figure out a more detailed plot and decide who will write which characters. We also try to get the opening chapter (which is always co-written) hammered out. After that, our communication is mostly via email. As for what I like about Connie's and Eloisa's writing style, it's probably the ability to balance a dry wit with deeper emotion.

5. (from Sandy) A follow up to Amanda's question -- do you meet beforehand to come up with a general plot line or do you just take inspiration from what the person before you has written? What if you're not in agreement with the turn in the story that one of you has come up with? Does anyone have veto power?

Eloisa: I came up with the general plot line of the first, and Connie came up with the second. But really, that's very general. We figure them out together. I remember in our early plot discussions of Lady Most Willing, there was a ghost wandering the battlements of the castle.

Connie: There was?! I do recall that Taran's love interest originally was going to be one of the kidnapped lady's nanny. The old dame was going to fling herself on the back of the fleeing carriage when she realized her charge was being kidnapped. But we figured she'd freeze by the time she reached the castle.

As for how we handle it if we're not in agreement... Wait. We've never not been in agreement. Seriously. One of our best assets as a writing triad is that we're all smart enough to know a *better* idea when we hear it.

6. (from Theresa Romain) I'm wondering whether the collaboration process was any different in your second LADY MOST book than in the first. And was it easier or more difficult to put the story together?

Connie: It was almost the same. Including Julia's WHAM playlist.

Julia: I always have to wake Connie up before she go-gos.

7. (from Janga) I think I have the upcoming novels and novellas from Eloisa and Julia on my book calendar, but perhaps everyone doesn't. What about Connie? I am dying to know if she has a title or a release date for Giles Strand's story. Giles has now passed Jo Beverley's Dare as the character whose story I've waited for longest (15 years, I think), never giving up hope that I'd read it some day.

Connie: I am so happy to say YES! I just put paid to Giles, Lord Strand's story which will be published by Montlake early this fall (specific date to be announced.) It's NO PLACE FOR A DAME-- I got so much attention for titling my last book with a "supposedly" anachronistic term, "guy" that I couldn't resist. The term actually refers to "dame" as in Dame AGatha Christie. And yes, Giles finally finds a woman who challenges, provokes, tantalizes and bemuses him. Poor bastard's in for a ride!

8. (from Amanda) The three stories blended so well together. I did wonder why Julia and Eloisa got pages in the back promoting other books they've written, but Connie did not.

Eloisa: I never noticed that… I think it's probably because the book was published by Avon, who publishes all of Julia's and my books, whereas Connie is published by Montlake. Likely Avon doesn't care to publicize other publishers' books in the back of their own. Just a guess but I sense the corporate mentality!

Connie: Yup. Publishers always seem to kick at promoting books they didn't produce.

Julia: I would like to point out, though, that at the front of the book, where they list our most recent titles," Avon included Connie's, which is a Montlake book. I noticed this on the page proofs of The LADY MOST LIKELY, and I called them up to say how classy that was.

[Theresa]

Great interview! Thanks to Eloisa, Julia, and Connie for answering our questions. And thank you, Manda, for putting this together!

[Teri]

Awesome interview, how about A Lord Most Desperate?

[Janga]

Wonderful! Thanks so much, ladies. Even in your answers, I hear your voices.
LOL And, Manda, as always, you rock.

[Regina]

I was very fortunate to see Julia and Eloisa yesterday at their stop in Lafayette, LA. (sadly Connie was ill, and could not make it). Amazing time...thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and hearing their Q&A. Lovely, witty ladies!!

[DanielleGN]

these authors have given me such enjoyment over the years, and I love their collaborations. How about lord most loving or licentious....