We're being blessed with a lovely run of guest writers. Today, I welcome Andrea Pickens.
Like several of us Wenchly types, Andrea got her start in traditional Regency, writing ten Signet Regencies before moving into historical romance. She’s been a Rita finalist and has won numerous awards, including the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Regency Romance, the 2008 Daphne Du Maurier Award, and a Holt Medallion Award of Excellence for The Spy Wore Silk. (http://andreapickensonline.com )
The Scarlet Spy, third in her Merlin’s Maidens series, is just out from Grand Central. Welcome, Andrea! Let the interrogation begin. <G> Tell us about Merlin’s Maidens in general and The Scarlet Spy in particular.
AP: The series revolves around the idea of a secret school for female spies. (Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies is a Hogwarts for Hellions, so to speak.) The students are orphans from the rough slums of London, who have studied the art
of swordplay and seduction. Now they are highly trained lethal ladies, who have mastered their lessons to become England’s ultimate secret weapons—bold, beautiful, and oh-so dangerous. They are tough, courageous, and smart (not to mention sexy!) Yet they also have an inner vulnerability.
Within the convention of kick-ass heroine, I’ve tried to make each of the three very different individuals, and place them in very different settings. (The books can all be read as “stand alone” stories, but I hope readers will enjoy all
three!) Siena, the heroine of The Spy Wore Silk, is a brooding, introspective agent whose assignment involves attending an art auction at ducal manor house in the wilds of Dartmoor.
Shannon, whose explosive temper tends to get her in trouble, is the star of Seduced By A Spy. She sees action in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland, where she must team with a rakish Russian spy to defeat a French assassin.
Sofia, who is featured in The Scarlet Spy, is the most ladylike of the three. She is sent to London where her job is to expose a ring of corruption operating within the highest circles of government. Her superiors arrange for her to assume the role of an Italian contessa, and enlist the aid of ‘Lord Sunshine’—the charming and popular Deverill Osborne—to introduce her into the ton. Osborne thinks she is a wealthy widow. Sofia thinks he is . . . a frivolous ass.
Her dance of deception takes on a number of dangerous twists as she spins from the ballrooms of Mayfair to the slums of St. Giles, all the while trying to keep Osborne from getting too close to her secret . . .
But enough said! For those who are interested, a sample chapter is posted on my website. ( http://andreadarif.com/the_scarlet_spy.html )
MJP: Why spy stories?
AP: Well, I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy—as a kid, I always wanted to be the knight who got to fight the dragons instead the princess who needed to be rescued. I guess this never quite rubbed off (I’m still more comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt than a slinky little black dress) for I’ve always liked creating strong, intelligent heroines, who challenge convention and aren’t afraid of breaking the rules.
In thinking of the Regency era, and how I might do something a little unexpected, I got wondering . . . what would be the least likely endeavor for a female to be involved in? A “secret agent” came to mind, and as a big fan of all the old James Bond movies, I thought it could be a fun idea to pursue. So, I decided to turn tradition on its ear and create a trio of leading ladies capable of beating the men at their own game.
MJP: How did you start writing? Where you making up stories in kindergarten with a pencil clutched in one chubby fist, or did you come to the trade later? How did you become interested in writing historical novels?
AP: Oh yes, I always had stories bubbling around in my brain. My mother kept very detailed family scrapbooks and in one there is my first manuscript—a cowboy story with full color pencil drawings of horses and gunslingers. (I was a huge Hopalong Cassidy fan, a fact my older brother will attest to, as I called him “Hoppy” for years.)
My other childhood memory of storytelling was a fifth grade English class. I had a wonderful teacher who gave us really interesting projects. One day he walked in with a sheaf of pictures he had cut out of magazines, and handed one to each of us. The assignment was to spend the next half hour writing a short story based on the picture.
Then
we all had to get up, show our picture and read our stories aloud. After class, as we were filing out to math, or some other odious subject, he took me aside and said that he had been sitting in the back of the room, half listening to everyone as he corrected papers, but that when I started to read, he had to put his pen down. “You have a real talent for this,” he said with a pat to my shoulder.
So, the long answer is yes, I’ve always had a vivid imagination . . . so much so that I think at times it worried my parents that I was so happy in my own little world, drawing pictures, playing with toy soldiers, reading books. My teachers will also tell you that I was the class history geek, even in grade school. I don’t really know why, but I was fascinated with the past and devoured books on everything from the Middle Ages to World War II.
However, in high school, my interest in art sort of took over and steered me away from writing. I remained a voracious reader, and as a history minor in college, I wrote reams of non-fiction essays (well, on occasion there might have been some fiction mixed in!) But storytelling got put on the back burner.
Until one day, about twelve years ago. I was walking down the street in New York City when I saw a little old man on the street corner selling used paperbacks at 50 cents a book. (I am embarrassed to admit they were “stripped” but at the time I had no idea what that meant)
Cheap books? Naturally I stopped, and on a whim bought a Georgette Heyer novel. I’d never heard of her, but well, I was captivated from the first chapter. History and romance? I had discovered a whole new, amazing world. After reading all her books —checked out of the library, not contraband copies—I discovered Signet Regencies (And Onyx and Topaz). Oh, now I was in heaven. Mary Jo Putney, Edith Layton, Loretta Chase, Patricia Rice . . . I had goddesses to worship (I am totally serious, you all were an incredible inspiration , showing that romance could be smart, savvy and sophisticated.)
All that reading seemed to reawaken an inner muse. I suddenly felt compelled to sit down and try writing my own Regency romance. I had never written a full length book, I had no idea whether I could do it, or if it would stink. But I put my fanny in a chair, determined that I would at least give it a try. Four months later I had a finished manuscript.
Through a serendipitous twist of fate, I met an agent, and as we were talking about other things, I bashfully mentioned that I had written a Regency romance. He laughed, said one of his pals was an editor at Signet and offered to show it to her. Three days later he called me back to say he’d sold my book!
That’s probably WAY more than anyone wants to know about me, but I’ve been writing ever since.
MJP: You’re a graduate of Yale and you have a Master’s degree in graphic design. I’m a graphic designer myself (my degree was industrial design, but I ended up doing mostly graphics because that’s where the jobs were.) Do you think your art and graphic background influences your writing, or are they fairly separate expressions of creativity? (For the record, I find your writing very visual.)
AP:That’s such a great question, Mary Jo! I’ve actually thought about this, though
you’ve phrased it far coherently than I ever have. For me there is a definite connection, though it’s not quite a linear one. As you well know, graphic design is all about communication, as opposed to the fine arts like painting and sculpture, where the artist is expressing his or her own creativity. In other words, a designer is usually a “middleman”, using visual elements, like images and type, to convey a client’s specific message to a specific audience—think of things like book jackets, annual reports, record covers, logos and advertisements.
To be a good designer, you have think clearly, concisely and logically. Yet you also think outside the box in order to come up with something creative, whimsical and different. You have to be disciplined, yet free-wheeling, practical yet zany. So in many ways, that dichotomy has been wonderful training for writing.
I take it as a huge compliment that you find my writing ‘visual.” The one “formal” class I ever took on creative writing was a seminar on children’s books taught by the
legendary Maurice Sendak. Again it was a very intense course of study on integrating images and words to tell a story, and I learned some great lessons from a very amazing man. So, because of my background, I can’t help but picture things very vividly, and description is important to me because that’s how I visualize a scene. I guess that I want a reader to feel the smoke in the air, the texture of the silks and satins . . . but without overwhelming the other elements of the story. As you know, it’s always a delicate balance, and that’s part of the challenge of writing—to somehow make it all work.
MJP: You and your husband publish golf magazines, so you’re simultaneously on two sides of publishing. Do you find that fiction and publishing complicate or aid each other? Have any of your books featured golf, that fine Scottish sport? And have you cloned yourself to have time to do both jobs? <G>
AP: First of all, publishing a magazine has been a great help to my writing career in that I’ve learned a lot about marketing, distribution and the business side of things. It really helps to understand those concerns because it gives a realistic understanding of how “corporate decisions” are made. Not that I always agree with them! But at least I feel I have a pretty good grasp of the business, which is helpful in forming
expectations of what a publisher will—and will not do—for an author.
I write some of our travel and lifestyle articles, which I find lots of fun. And I think it helps my fiction writing. Like any discipline, switching a routine keeps you fresh and helps keep your skills sharp and focused. As for cloning myself . . .I’m not sure I could put up with two of me . . . LOL. But one of the good things about being your own boss is that I can set a flexible schedule, I work in the office three days a week, and then take Thursday and Friday to write. Sometimes a fire will flare up that needs to be put out, but for the most part it seems to work out.
And, funny thing you should ask about golf and romance! As it happens, one of my favorite books that I did for Signet Regencies was A Diamond in the Rough, a golf
story, where I had the hero forced to learn the game in order to win back the ancestral estate that his father had gambled away. The heroine is the best golfer in St. Andrews but of course she must play disguised as a man. A friend asks her to teach the hero the game, so acting as his caddie, she takes on the assignment. At first blush, sport and Regency romance don’t seem an ideal match. Which is probably what made me think, “Oh, this could be fun.”
MJP: What was your first book, and how well do you think it characterizes your latest work? What themes do you keep coming back to?
AP: When I look back at my first book, The Defiant Governess, I cringe! It was a
none-too-subtle homage to Jane Eyre—ye gods, I even named the heroine and hero Jane and Edward. (Please picture me rolling my eyes.) But even though there is MUCH I would do differently these days, I do see that even back then I was interested in creating an unconventional heroine and exploring how she dares to defy the rules and be different. In subsequent Signet books, I tried to push various boundaries. As I mentioned, there was the golf book, and then I set The Storybook Hero mainly in Russia, which was a little offbeat for a Regency romance.
Maybe the best way to answer your question about themes is to explain why I love writing Regency-set historicals. I find the parallels between the Regency and today very intriguing in that both societies confront elemental challenges to the traditional way of thinking. The upheavals in literature, music, science, technology and social structure are so similar, and so individuals—especially women—ask the same sort of questions about their basic sense of self. I try to play with modern sensibilities within the Regency conventions, hoping that the blend will strike a chord with today’s readers. I want historical romance to be alive and relevant, not some stuffy, stiff story from a world they can’t relate to.
MJP: What was the biggest mistake you made when you first began writing?
AP: It took me a long time to discover there were such great organizations, like RWA and NINC, out there for authors. The camaraderie formed at conferences is invaluable especially when starting out. The friendships I’ve made over the years have really enriched my life. Some of my fellow writers are now my best friends.
MJP: What do you consider key elements of a great story?
AP: Hmmm . . . another good question! I enjoy many different genres, for many different reasons. Sometimes I just want to laugh and not think too deeply. Sometimes, I crave a good mystery or a thriller, which may be totally plot driven. And sometimes I need an intensely emotional story that tugs at the heartstrings.
That said, there are certain basic things that appeal to me—textured characters, compelling conflicts and clever command of language. (If a book is really well-written, I will forgive other flaws.) A great story should make me curse any interruption—even from loved ones . . . well, with a few exceptions. If an author can take me on a journey into that wonderful world of imagination for a few hours, then I return to the squeaky dishwasher and unvacuumed floors a happy soul!
MJP: Are there any trends you hope to see in romance in the next few years?
AP: I’m probably sounding hopelessly old-fashioned, but I’d like to see people stick with reading printed books. (I’m not suggesting quills and parchment, just a happy medium between copperplate script and cyber blips.) To me, there’s something very special about the feel of paper and the look of real ink on a printed page.
With that in mind, I’ve seen that Signet has recently announced that it will be re-issuing some of its traditional Regencies. I hope that proves to be a very successful venture. It would be wonderful if they would eventually consider reviving the line.
MJP: What is the best part about being a writer? The most frustrating?
AP: Hey, I get to wear my synchilla sweatpants and Ugg boots to work on Thursday and Friday!
As for what’s frustrating, the toughest thing is that these days, publishers expect you to be very pro-active in promoting your books. This meaning trying to drum up internet “buzz”, which is fun in some ways, but takes up a huge amount of time. To be honest, the introvert in me would much rather be cloistered in my little room, writing my stories. However, life is all about being flexible and going with the flow . . . and look—it’s landed me here, which I consider a huge honor.
Thank you, Mary Jo, and all the Wenches, for having me!
MJP: Thanks for being here, Andrea! Andrea is giving away a copy of The Scarlet Spy to someone who comments between now and Tuesday midnight. Free book, yes!!!