Do you write a single
genre or do your fingers flow over the keys creating tales in many forms? Does
your reading choices reflect your writing choices? Are there genres you
wouldn’t attempt?
I write historical
novels, especially Regency which is my first love. I also have two novellas in
a trilogy that is set in the Edwardian era. Book 3 in this trilogy is coming
soon. I’ve loved the Regency period since I read my first Georgette Heyer
novel, Frederica. Since then I’ve
read many more Regency novels by various authors including Mary Balogh, Jo
Beverley and Lisa Kleypas. I also have several outlines for contemporary
western romances, these prompted by authors Linda Lael Miller, Diana Palmer and
Jo Goodman. These outlines are still under the bed but could work as a series
as all the characters are linked. Paranormal, science fiction and fantasy are
subjects I just wouldn’t attempt as I do not have the particular mind-set to
even want to try. I’m a slow writer and it would take me far too long to dream
up my own ghosts and vampires and other worlds, especially when there are so
many talented authors who already do that.
1.
Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are
your favorite to write? Does one of these come easy and why?
I like my heroes and
heroines to be as equal as the genre will allow so I can’t say that either is
favourite. Usually I begin with whichever character makes the most chatter in
my mind. Something akin to the squeaky wheel getting all the attention. Villains I have a hard time with as I tend to
not make them villainous enough! I have to dig really deep to make them truly
nefarious within the context of the story.
2.
Heroes. How do you find them? Do
pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader
to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?
This is a really good
reason to look at guys and I find magazines for men and adverts in which men
are featured to be really useful. I collect these pictures and put them in a
file and often will build up a physical picture from these. Although I must say I think I’m lucky in that
my characters usually come to me pretty well fully formed. Sometimes a name
will pop into my head which starts me off building the character. Other times I ‘see’ the character
and then have to come up with a name. I will write a timeline for each
character, starting with their date of birth so I can use astrological signs to
build their strengths and weaknesses and likes and dislikes. The characters
always come before the plot. They are usually so clear to me and then I have to
decide what happens to them.
3.
Heroines. How do you find them? Do
pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root
for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?
My heroines appear as
do my heroes so I follow the same process with them. I recently met a young
lady with a very pretty name and asked her if she’d mind me naming a character
after her. She was thrilled. I’m not sure yet in which book that character will
appearbut she’s pretty feisty already as I like my heroines to be capable of
standing up for themselves.
4.
Villains or villainesses or an
antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be
a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you
choose one? How do you make them human?
Picking or creating a
villain or villainess comes after I have created a plot. Who will mostly be
affected by my hero and heroine’s relationship? Who wants to keep them apart?
What does that person hope to gain? Whatever I come up with I have to work at
making the situation worse but I always like to create a feasible reason for my
villains to be the way they are and there are so many emotions to choose from
whetherit be revenge, fear, or just plain envy.
5.
What is your latest release? Who is the
hero, heroine and or the villain?
His Dark Enchantress
came out in paperback in August. The hero is Lucius, Earl of Avondale and the
heroine is Miss Emmaline Devereux. I actually have two villains in this novel,
Lady Rosemary Darnley and her nephew Sir Peregrine Styles who does all her
dirty work for her.
6.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing the
third book in the Buxton Chronicles trilogy, Shell Shocked. It’s set right at
the end of World War 1. My characters in this series are Lord Randolph and Lady
Serena Buxton. Whatever I am writing I am always jotting down notes for other
stories as ideas come to me so I don’t think I’ll ever be short of material.
7.
How can people find you?
Website/Blog www.victoriachatham.webs.com.
Twitter www.twitter.com@VChathamAuthor
Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaChatham
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