Interview: "Her Loving Husband's Curse" by Meredith Allard

I am happy to welcome Meredith Allard to Romance Book Junkies. I was able to interview Meredith recently and here it is.

I know you get asked this question over and over but can you tell us a little about yourself? Maybe something juicy. ;)

I’m a writer and a teacher, and I live in Las Vegas, which can definitely get juicy. I like to spend my free time (when I have any) reading, cooking, doing yoga, and scrapbooking. I love history, which is why so much of what I write is historical fiction.

When did you first start writing? Are you a full time author or do you do it on the side?

I first thought of myself as a writer in the sixth grade when I was asked to write the sixth grade graduation. I was lucky enough to have teachers tell me throughout the years that I was a good writer and I should keep it up. I started writing seriously, as in with the intention of publication, after I graduated with my M.A. in English. I have a day job, teaching, which keeps me plenty busy but there’s enough down time that I still have time to write.

Do you have an author that has really inspired you?

Charles Dickens! After reading David Copperfield in college I realized I wanted to write novels. I so related to the story of David, his struggles in his early life and how he worked hard to achieve success. I love Dickens’ prose, as well. I can’t think of another author that can put you into the scene with the characters the way he does.

How long does it normally take you to write an average book or your last book?

It takes me between one and two years to write a book. It’s a slower process for me because I write historical fiction, so I have to do a lot of research for the story. Also, I’m a real stickler for language and it takes me a while to whittle my sentences to where I’m happy with them.

What do you think makes a story great?

If I care about the characters and care about what happens to them, that’s a great story to me. For me, it’s characters first.

Can you describe your book "Her Loving Husband’s Curse" in one sentence?

James and Sarah may suffer because Kenneth Hempel is still trying to prove vampires are real.

Can you tell us a little about this series?

The Loving Husband Trilogy is a paranormal/historical story set around the Salem Witch Trials. It has history—the Salem Witch Trials and in Book Two the Trail of Tears. It has romance—between James Wentworth and Sarah Alexander. It has suspense too, as readers try to guess how the past and the present are intertwined.

Have you done lots of research for your books or do the stories just come to you?

The general idea for the story just comes to me, but then the real work begins. I do a lot of research because there’s so much history in my stories, and then it takes me at least two full drafts before I’m even sure what the story is about myself. Then I have to whittle and whittle until I’m happy with both the story and the language.

What are you currently working on?

I’m writing the first draft of Book Three in the Loving Husband Trilogy. I’m also working on the final edits of three other historical novels I’ve previously written and I’m going to be republishing this summer and fall. I guess that’s only four things, but it seems like a lot!

Can you tell us about some of your prior achievements?

I’m the executive editor of The Copperfield Review, an award-winning journal for readers and writers of historical fiction. My short stories and articles have been published in journals such as The Paumanok Review, Muse Apprentice Guild, and Wild Mind. Her Dear and Loving Husband is an Amazon Bestseller in both the Free Historical Fiction and the Free Literary Fiction category.

Is there anything that I didn't cover that you would like to talk about or say to your potential readers?

Thank you for joining me here today. If you’re looking for a paranormal/historical novel, please give The Loving Husband Trilogy a try!

Just for fun:

Hardback or Paperback? Paperback, though lately I seem to be more digital as I use my Kindle more and more.
Dog ears or Bookmarks? Bookmarks. I can’t bring myself to damage the book in any way, even to highlight.
YA novels or Adult novels?  Adult novels, though I do love Harry Potter and Twilight.
Library or Bookstore? Bookstore—when I can find one!
Reading glasses or No glasses? No reading glasses yet, though I do wear regular glasses because I’m ridiculously near sighted.
Snack while reading or No snacks? No snacks. I usually read in bed and I don’t want the sheets to get crumbly.
Beach or Mountain? Beach. Love, love the beach.
Vampire or Werewolf? Definitely vampire!
Hot or Flirty? Flirty
Movie 1st or Book 1st? Book first

Her Loving Husband’s Curse
Book Two of The Loving Husband Trilogy
By Meredith Allard

How far will you go to protect the one you love?

Finally, after many long and lonely years, James Wentworth’s life is falling into place. Together with his wife, Sarah, the only woman he has ever loved, he has found the meaning behind her nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and now they are rebuilding the life they began together so long ago.

But the past is never far behind for the Wentworths. While Sarah is haunted by new visions, now about the baby she carried over three hundred years before, James is confronted with painful memories from his time with the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Through it all, the persistent reporter Kenneth Hempel reappears, still determined to prove that the undead walk the earth. If Hempel succeeds in his quest, James and Sarah will suffer. Will the curse of the vampire prevent James and Sarah from living their happily ever after?

Her Dear & Loving Husband
Book One of The Loving Husband Trilogy
By Meredith Allard

James Wentworth has a secret. He lives quietly in Salem, Massachusetts, making few ties with anyone. One night his private world is turned upside down when he meets Sarah Alexander, a dead ringer for his wife, Elizabeth. Though it has been years since Elizabeth's death, James cannot move on.

Sarah also has a secret. She is haunted by nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and every night she is awakened by visions of hangings, being arrested, and dying in jail. Despite the obstacles of their secrets, James and Sarah fall in love. As James comes to terms with his feelings for Sarah, he must dodge accusations from a reporter desperate to prove that James is not who, or what, he seems to be. Soon James and Sarah piece their stories together and discover a mystery that may bind them in ways they never imagined. Will James make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Sarah and prevent a new hunt from bringing hysteria to Salem again?

Part historical fiction, part romance, part paranormal fantasy, Her Dear & Loving Husband is a story for anyone who believes that true love never dies.

Meredith Allard is the Executive Editor of The Copperfield Review,  an award-winning literary journal for readers and writers of historical fiction. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from California State University, Northridge. She has taught writing to students aged 10 to 60, and she has taught creative writing and writing historical fiction workshops at Learning Tree University, UNLV, and the Las Vegas Writers Conference. Her writing has appeared in journals such as The Paumanok Review,  Moondance, Wild Mind,Muse Apprentice Guild, The Maxwell Digest, CarbLite, Writer’s Weekly, and ViewsHound. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Links:

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Amazon—Her Dear & Loving Husband
Amazon—Her Loving Husband’s Curse
Smashwords
BN—Her Dear & Loving Husband
BN—Her Loving Husband’s Curse
The Copperfield Review