1--What’s the name of your latest release?
An Unsuitable lady for a Lord
2--What is it about?
Here’s the back cover description: Lord Aaron Lyle has one hell of a choice: a bankrupt dukedom, or marriage to some simpering society miss so his spendthrift father can get his hands on her huge dowry. He won’t do it. He has a reputation to maintain, and besides, he’d rather run naked through the streets of London than marry anyone at all. Surely, there must be a third option.
Then Lady Crystal Wilding walks into his life, a bluestocking, full of subversive thoughts, who hates the notion of marriage even more than he does. He is intrigued, and suddenly he has an idea. He invites the totally unsuitable lady home on the pretext of presenting her as a possible match. . . But in truth, Aaron has something far more pleasurable in mind. For her part, Lady Crystal has her own reasons for going along with his harebrained scheme. Imagine their shock when his highly proper family loves her and starts planning the wedding. Good lord. Now what?
3--What word best describes your heroine?
Feisty
4--What makes your hero irresistible?
He’s good-hearted, wealthy and handsome.
5--Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?
I have two main characters: Lady Crystal Wilding and Lord Aaron Lyle. In the end, they turn to each other when Crystal discovers truly horrifying information about another lord, and that Aaron has the power to pursue this wrongdoer.
6--What do you love about the setting of your book?
It’s in Scotland. It’s the country of my ancestors.
7--Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantser (write by the seat of your pants)?
I like writing by the seat of my pants, but I sell on proposal now for Entangled, which means, the goal, motivation and conflict must be clear to my editor. The concept goes up to management and if they like it, I get issued a contract. I have a certain amount of months to get the book in.
8--What is an ideal writing day for you?
I love walking my dog every morning as it gets me out into the fresh air. After that, at about 11am, I write the rest of the day until five, 6 days a week. Usually, then my husband wants to talk to me, even if I don’t want to talk to him when I’m in the writing zone. If I’m on deadline, I write again at night, with my poor, long-suffering husband complaining that I should be watching television with him. It always cheers me when I’ve reached word count for the day.
9--Do you listen to music while you write, need total silence, or do you have the TV on?
I have a lovely view of Sydney harbour where I live. I sit on the lounge and write in silence with the dog hitting me with his paw when he’s bored or wants a snack.
10-- How do you approach research?
I’m obsessive about my research. I read many books by historical non-fiction authors about the period. For this book, Mary Wollstonecraft’s The Vindication of the Rights of Women was a great resource. I have visited Scotland several times, so I’ve been to the places I write about. It also helps that my ancestors were Scottish lords and I’ve done a lot of research on their history too. The Ross clan was pretty wild at times. I drew a lot on my ancestral background when I wrote my heroine. I also take a lot of photos so I have a record of what I’ve seen. I have a degree in history and go on tour with Alison Weir very year, which adds a dimension to my historical writing. Sometimes I read for years about a subject I’m interested in so that by the time the book is written, I know the facts are right.
11--What is your publishing journey story?
I wrote a couple of category romances aimed at Mills and Boon, and had some encouraging rejections. I then wrote an erotic book and sold it. Who knew I’d be good at that? Man Hunt became a best seller in 2006 on the Virgin Publishing (now Random House) website. I then sold to Spice Briefs, Harlequin, Canada and several category romances to Harlequin, Sydney. I’m currently enjoying writing for Entangled. I also self publish historical romances set in Scotland, teach writing, and edit for a living.
12--Do you have critique partners/writing groups you want to give a shout-out to?
The A-team is a fabulous writing group along with the Turramurra group. Both groups have multi-published, prize-winning romance authors, one a Rita winner. This is a group that suits advance writers because one has to be able to take on board rigorous critiquing and run with it without being defensive. That suits me. I don’t want to hear it’s good. I want to hear what needs fixing.
13--What’re the most frustrating things about being an author?
I love being an author. I’m living my dream.
14--What’s your favorite scent?
My Cocker Spaniel. I love cuddling him.
15--What movie will you watch no matter what if it’s on TV?
Gone with the Wind.
16--Do you like breakfast, lunch, or dinner best?
Definitely dinner. That’s the time I sit with my family and no phones are allowed at the table. I consider it sacred family time because usually I have my head in a book reading or I’m working.
17--What’s one thing you wish you knew more about?
Emotional punch. I never understood what - lacks emotional punch - meant in my rejection letters from Mills and Boon. I do now though it seems to have taken me a long time to learn how to put it in my books. I find writing the love scenes so much easier.
18--What’s the silliest thing you’ve recently done?
We’re all locked up due to the Corona Virus down under, so I was teaching my dog how to dance this morning. He’s learnt how to bow when I curtsy, spin and touch his paw to my heel. It’s pretty silly but fun. He has also learnt to do yoga and he’s getting good with downward dog. I have a picture to prove it.
19--What can readers expect from you next?
I have a few projects in the wind. One is a self-published Scottish historical romance set just after Culloden. I’m still working on it. I need to write the next book in the Scottish Lords and Ladies series and I’ve just finished an 80,000-word historical fiction book on the Theosophists in Sydney in 1920, which is with my agent at the moment.
20--How can readers reach you?
Readers can reach me at www.cathleenross.com
Scottish Lords and Ladies #1
Lord Aaron Lyle has one hell of a choice: a bankrupt dukedom, or marriage to some simpering society miss so his spendthrift father can get his hands on her huge dowry. He won’t do it. He has a reputation to maintain, and besides, he’d rather run naked through the streets of London than marry anyone at all. Surely, there must be a third option.
Then Lady Crystal Wilding walks into his life, a bluestocking, full of subversive thoughts, who hates the notion of marriage even more than he does. He is intrigued... and suddenly he has an idea. He invites the totally unsuitable lady home on the pretext of presenting her as a possible match... but in truth, Aaron has something far more pleasurable in mind. For her part, Lady Crystal has her own reasons for going along with his harebrained scheme.
Imagine their shock when his highly proper family loves her and starts planning the wedding. Good lord. Now what?
Romance Historical [Entangled: Scandalous, On Sale: April 13, 2020, e-Book, ISBN: 9781682815618 / eISBN: 9781682815618]
Cathleen Ross likes to write about the quirky side of life. She thought she was a "Sweet" writer until she was asked to write her first erotic story, sold it immediately and never looked back.
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