Hello, and welcome back to my new feature for 2017.
I’ve had to take a hiatus from this post for quite a while due to contract obligations. But I’ll be giving you two more interviews before I retire this feature. Today I have Juli Revezzo with me as my guest. Juli is a dear friend and a fellow historical author.
So now gather round the tea table, grab a scone or cookies, and a cup of tea or coffee and discover a new friend in the writing world.
So without further ado, please meet Juli Revezzo!
Learn more about Juli at: https://www.julidrevezzo.com/
Who is your favorite romance hero or heroine and why? What qualities do they possess that make them memorable?
C.L. Wilson’s Fey king in her Tairen Soul series. What makes him memorable? He’s a faery king and is patient with Ellysetta, more than most romance heroes ever seem to be with headstrong heroines. (And, did I mention the fact that he’s the fey king??)
Who was the first romance author and book you read?
The first historical romance I read…wow. *thinks* It’s not strictly romance as we might categorize them today, but I guess I’d have to say Jane Eyre. Post-classics…I guess that would be The Last Rogue by Deborah Simmons.
Are you a pantser or plotter? What is your process?
You know, when I started out I was a pantser all the way, and that stayed until the last few years. I’ve sort of combined them since then in that I’ll brainstorm an idea, but then if I get stuck, I’ll turn it around and try to plot it out. I’ve tried being a good little plotter and write from an outline, but having a clear map at the beginning tends to bore my muse.
Who or what inspires your writing?
Life, history… mythology more often than not, those last two especially are inspiring.
Which of your own books is your favorite and why?
Right now, my favorite is probably Lady of the Tarot. I don’t really know why in an easy list. I love Emilie’s gumption, and how she handles everything. Of course, Linton doesn’t hurt either.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween. Why? I’ve always liked dressing up, and it’s a way to let a little bit of my inner witch out. 😉 Without, you know, people looking at me like I’m weird.
What is the most exciting/daredevil thing you’ve ever done?
Oh, I’m a fraidy cat, not a daredevil! I prefer to keep my feet on the ground.
What is the first thing you do when you get a story idea?
Usually, I will dig up a pen (or these days, grab my phone) and scribble the idea down.
Do you have any hobbies/passions outside of writing?
I have been an amateur photographer for years. I really love macrophotography. It can take something like a flower and zoom in on one petal. Or a small bee or something like that. You never know what you’ll see at close range.
I’ve also been learning to knit the last couple years. I’m by no means proficient (or fast) yet, but I’m hoping one day I can whip out a scarf in an afternoon.
What is your favorite cuisine?
Italian! I especially love lasagna.
Now, tell us a little bit about one of your books.
What was your inspiration for this story?
The inspiration for Lady of the Tarot? The novel actually sprang from a story that came before it, House of Cards. Emilie, the heroine of Lady of the Tarot, is the sister of the main character in HoC, but …while he went off one way in his escape from Paris and the Reign of Terror, when I got to the end of that story he hinted his sister’s story was just beginning. So I went back and …er, grilled them, and found out the family sent Emilie off to live with her grandmother in Britain and that she had her own way of dealing with the family legacy, just as filled with tarot references (probably more!) than her brother had. To go a little deeper, I’d say she and her personality was inspired also by the features of the high priestess as she seems to be able to unravel her mysteries and know what needs doing, intuitively. She has to dig for that answers a lot of the time, but she still relies a lot on intuition in her trials. I didn’t know until I got down to writing the book, exactly how much she’d have to say about what came next!
I am a fanatic about my character names. Are the character names special in any way?
In this case, I went through historical name lists. Sinjon (Emilie’s brother) was named after I bet you can guess where Linton came from. *g* And Nicholas, I wanted to give him a contrary name, so named him after a saint. (Spoiler alert, he is and he’s not). The hag, well… I liked the name she took.
Who is your book dedicated to and why?
My little brother. He was indirectly responsible for part of the world in the story.
How long did it take you to write this book?
Four to five years beginning to end.
Now, the Infamous Lightning Round: (Choose 5-6 of the questions below)
What is your favorite amusement park ride?
The ones that spin. I don’t like heights and so that throws rollercoasters right out.
Tea or coffee and how do you take it?
I like coffee, cream and sugar, please. But I’ve been drinking a lot more tea, lately. With honey and milk. I’ll take sugar in my tea, but honey tastes better to me.
Favorite all time movie?
Excalibur!
Chocolate or vanilla?
I like to mix the two.
Would you rather skydive or scuba dive?
Scuba dive! Actually, my father was a scuba diver the first few years of my life so I’d much rather be under the water than in the sky.
What’s your favorite Starbucks drink?
I don’t think I’ve ever had one. Too expensive! I’d rather save my pennies for books. 🙂
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Bugs Bunny. I’ve always loved him.
BLURB:
WHAT THE CARDS FORETELL MAY BE REAL, AFTER ALL
1793: Having escaped the Reign of Terror, Emilie Maigny took refuge in England, trying to come to grips with the life and loss she left behind. When her brother, Sinjon, returns, a terrifying evil swoops down upon her. Nightmares plague her now, providing strange clues … but to what?
Scottish-born Linton Morrison spent his entire life in luxury, whiling away the hours in intense study of the tarot and the cards’ hidden meanings, but until he met the lovely Emilie Maigny, he would never have guessed how important his study might be–to his life and Emilie’s survival when terrible evil strikes.
A Cypher is all Emilie needs, but what is it? Is Linton the key? He may charm her heart–and he may be her only salvation.
Lady of the Tarot is available in audiobook at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Tarot-Reign-Book/dp/B072BHPGZT
and Audible:
The novel is also available in ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Tarot-Reign-Book-ebook/dp/B01M0M6DCI
and paperback: https://www.createspace.com/6543623
A final Be My Guest will be posted this Friday with historical author Jess Michaels. I’ve had lots of fun with my guests this year. I hope you all have too!
Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless. 