I would like to welcome to Erica to What I’m Reading! Today we’ve got a treat: Erica surveyed her
readers, and she’ll answer some of their questions here. First, tell us about
your new release, Secrets in Scarlet.
Erica Monroe: While
Secrets in Scarlet is the second book in my Rookery Rogues series, it can be
read as a standalone. It’s a historical romantic suspense set in Spitalfields,
London. One night, Thaddeus Knight, a sergeant with the Metropolitan Police,
finds a young girl beaten and bloodied outside of the Larker factory. He’s not
able to save her and she passes away in his arms. He’s determined to solve the
case and get justice for her family. My heroine, Poppy “Corrigan” O’Reilly (the
sister of the hero in my first book), works at the same weaving factory where
the girl is murdered, and Thaddeus recruits her to be his eyes and ears and
report back to him any suspicious goings-on at work. Poppy knows she shouldn’t
get close to Thaddeus, because he could reveal to everyone that she’s not
really the war widow she claims to be—Poppy was seduced by a blackguard and
bore an illegitimate child, Moira. Knowing that society would look down on
Moira and treat her badly, Poppy will do anything to protect her daughter from
having to go through life as a bastard. But as she and Thaddeus work together,
their desire for one another grows too strong to be denied.
MM: I like the sound
of that. What do you find the hardest part about the writing process?
EM: I really,
really, really hate drafting. Beginnings are always the most difficult for me. I
rewrite my beginning usually 3-4 times as I’m drafting, when I’ve figured out
new things. I need that solid foundation to work from, and I’m definitely not a
writer who can just forge forward full steam ahead until I know where I’m
going. I work best when I’m in the middle of the book. Everything’s been
established then, and I have a clear idea of who the characters are and I
usually have a better handle on my suspense subplot. My critique partner Rebecca
Paula likes to joke that I forget the suspense plot from 1/3 of the way into
the book until the last third—I always have to edit the suspense scenes the
most and introduce red herrings and so forth.
MM: What is your
favorite part of writing then, and why?
EM: I enjoy editing. It’s so much easier for me to picture
everything and feel how the book should
be once I have that heinous first draft. It at least gives me a framework.
Every book I write usually runs through about 4-7 drafts when it comes down to
it. My first novel, A Dangerous Invitation, was admittedly a gigantic cluster
because I was still really trying to figure out who I was as a writer. So it
took a lot more editing to get everything together. Secrets in Scarlet on the
other hand, drafted cleaner, and it was also written in a shorter time frame so
I really had time to “live” in the book.
MM: So you plan your books out? Do you outline?
EM: I am definitely a plotter. Much as I don’t like to make last
minute plans in my real life, I don’t like to work without a net when writing.
(Change is not my friend.) Most of my critique partners are “pantsers,” meaning
they write without an idea of what’s going to happen next. To them, my intense
outlines and revisions as I go sounds nuts.
I use the Cherry Adair plotting
board method, which I learned from this awesome blog post by Kira Brady, which
seems to have sadly disappeared from her website. There’s another explanation
of it here (http://tracichee.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-plotting-board.html).
What I love about this method is that it allows me to get down a really rough
idea, while each of the colors kind of reminds me I have many different
elements I need to plan for. I do this for every book, but then I pretty much
end up changing that rough outline oh about, 17 times before I get to the end
of the book. Usually, when I hit about 40,000 on my drafts, I stop and
reevaluate.
MM: What’s next in your series?
EM: I’ve got a novella coming out this winter called Beauty and the Rake, which features
Abigail Vautille and Michael Strickland from Secrets in Scarlet. Then the next
full length Rookery Rogues novel, Scandal Becomes You, will be out in late
spring of 2015.
MM: Thanks for coming today! We have an excerpt from Secrets in Scarlet
too.
In this excerpt, Poppy and Thaddeus bond over investigating
the case.
She checked the pinning of her hat to make sure it was
secure. Her fingers were callused. Another thing his family would disapprove
of, for she was a working woman and her body bore the signs of it. Yet to him,
calluses meant she cared enough about something to try for it.
“I think I understand now, why you do what you do. There’s
something invigorating about going through that file.” She bit her lip, unsure
if her reaction had been appropriate. “Obviously, I wish it hadn’t happened,
and that Anna was with us. But…”
“It’s the puzzle,” he finished for her.
She nodded. “Precisely. Going over the different
possibilities with you and weighing the options. I enjoyed tonight.” Her smile
sent his heart racing.
He loved that smile. Hell, he knew that smile. The allure of
“investigation fever,” as he liked to term it, had struck her too. Cheeks
pinked with the notion she’d save the world somehow, she was stunning. He ached
to tell her so—but he was a coward, a blind coward.
“Poppy,” he breathed more than spoke.
She inclined her head toward him, imploring him to continue
speaking. Had he lost his mind? Was he fit for the madhouse to think there
could be something more with her?
He was a man on the precipice, readying himself to jump off
a cliff, and that jump would change his life forever.
“Thaddeus.” His name sounded like silk upon her lips, smooth
and luxurious. A name for a man who could conquer nations, change the power
structure of the world, and help others to find purpose in life.
And he believed he could do all those things with her help.
Erica will give away
one e-copy to a commenter. Tell her your favorite thing about historical
romance. Please leave your name and email if you would like a chance to win a copy of Erica's latest book.
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Author Bio:
Erica Monroe is a USA Today Bestselling Author of emotional,
suspenseful romance. Her debut novel, A Dangerous Invitation, was nominated in
the published historical category for the prestigious 2014 Daphne du Maurier
Award for Excellence in Romantic Suspense. When not writing, she is a chronic
TV watcher, sci-fi junkie, lover of pit bulls, and shoe fashionista. She lives
in the suburbs of North Carolina with her husband, two dogs, and a cat.
I love travelling back in time and living history. Being able to step back into a life with modern conveniences is a bonus.
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