Author Q &A with Katherine Givens + GIVEAWAY

Hey Everyone!

A few weeks back I did a review on a Historical Fiction

Novella, In Her Dreams by Katherine Givens. 

I was fortunate enough to be able to do a quick Q&A with her and 

to be able to give you guys an opportunity to win 

an e-copy of this amazing story! 

Fun Facts

What author/story inspired you to write?

We start with the difficult questions right off the bat! I can’t really say one particular author has inspired me. As I’ve developed and continue to develop as a writer, several authors have affected my work. Anyone familiar with me knows I am a Jane Austen fan, but the others who have left a profound impact on me are Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens, Connie Brockway, Liz Carlyle, and Julie Beard.

 Favorite TV Show/Movie? TV

My immediate answer is Game of Thrones. Who doesn’t love a bloody medieval fantasy full of twists and turns?

  
Do you have a specific room in your house or a coffee shop which you like to write in?

My work space is nestled in a corner of my bedroom. About a year ago I invested in establishing a small office complete with a writing desk, leather chair, laptop, plotting board, and all the office supplies a writer might need. I even have a little carousel for my pencils, markers, sticky notes, thumb tacks, staples, butterfly clips, and files. Mementos from my journey hang on my cork board, such as the name tag from my first conference and the cover image for In Her Dreams. My favorite memento is of a fortune from a fortune cookie I received a few weeks before my contract with Harlequin’s Escape Publishing. It says, “Happier days are definitely ahead for you Struggle has ended.” I’m not certain if my struggle has ended, but I am much happier!

 If you had the choice of going back in time or going to the future, which one would you choose and why?

I think the fact I’m a historical romance author answers that question. I’ve always said if I had a time machine I would travel through the ages to see the Egyptian courts of Nefertiti, play a practical joke on Julius Caesar, decide for myself if Nostradamus had the gift of foresight, and end the day by dining with Queen Victoria.

What is the last book you have read that made you cry?

Khaled Hosseini’s And The Mountains Echoed. For anyone who has read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, you know Hosseini has a gift for lyricism and melancholy stories. His writing style is so distinctive and his message always profound. This always gives me cause o cry on page one hundred of any of his books.

Story Related Questions

 What was the inspiration behind your novella?

Emerald eyes with amber drops floating in the seductive pools. Those eyes do not belong to anyone in particular. The image simply popped into my head one day, and I couldn’t shake it away. I sat down to write a description to match those eyes, but I ended up building an entire story around something mundane.

 What would you have done if you were in Evangeline’s position?

Exactly what she did. I wouldn’t let anyone threaten the happiness of my own sisters, nor would I allow someone else to control my destiny. I would take charge of my own life and carve a path to my own dreams. 

      We don’t get a very good opinion about Evangeline’s and Angela’s mother. What are your thoughts about their mother? Do you believe all mother’s during this time period would have followed her lead?

Sometimes all a story needs is a villain with a shrill voice and a heavy hand. When I set out to write In Her Dreams, Evangeline’s and Angela’s mother was meant to be the center of conflict. Her purpose was to stifle and control her daughters, but in the end fail. This character is in no way a mirror of my own mother, who has always put my needs above her own. I’m grateful for everything she has done for me. Evangeline’s and Angela’s mother’s basis is not in any single person, but a collection of events in my life when I felt held down. I needed to be like timid Angela and headstrong Evangeline. I needed to take myself out of a terrible situation, overcome it, and end up basking in joy.

Whether or not Evangeline’s and Angela’s mother is a reflection of all mothers in nineteenth century depends on the individuals in the time period. I never stereotype a group. I always dissect the individual. I’m certain there where mothers who browbeat their children into making decisions meant to advance their own lives. Abuse and nagging might’ve been a means to carry this out. Of course, there were also loving, caring mothers who sought for the best for their children. However, no matter the character of a mother, the majority of aristocratic families placed their children in the “marriage market” to win the hand of a spouse who would advance their position in society, add wealth to the family coffers, and in-laws to boast about. Daniel Pool explains this perfectly in his book What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew.

     Can you tell us about your new book?

Certainly! In Her Dreams is my historical romance novella detailing the loves of two sisters. However, they are being courted by the wrong men. Angela is envious of her sister’s suitor, but Evangeline’s heart belongs to another. He comes in the form of a golden-haired, green-eyed dream, but that is all he is. A dream. Both sisters will have to decide if they shall follow their mother’s dictations or veer off their set courses and into the arms of their beloveds.

    I noticed that you’re a big fan of Historical Fiction 
(ME TOO!) what is about this genre that captivated you so?

Being transported to another era different from my own. Whether I’m reading or writing I, I love being swept back in time to civilizations and societies with unique beliefs, customs, practices, and livelihoods. My favorite stories are always set in the Victoria and Regency eras, Middle Ages, and ancient civilizations. Having the stories center a romance with one of these settings serving as the backdrop makes it all the more entertaining!

Thank you for having me on your blog! It was a blast, and I would always be happy to come again.

—Katherine Givens

Thanks to Katherine Givens and Harlequin Australia's Escape Publishing I am able to give 
away a copy of this amazing Novella :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway