Book Launch – “Royal Regard” by Mari Christie

Book Launch – “Royal Regard” by Mari Christie

I featured author Mari Christie last week, but her book is actually out now, so I’ve got her back again!

Her book is “Royal Regard”

RR Memes 10-22-14-3

And you can buy it at:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/485585

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Regard-Mariana-Gabrielle-ebook/dp/B00OM3VLCC

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/x/id931771765

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/royal-regard-mariana-gabrielle/1120614726

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/royal-regard

 

I’ve got a great interview with her, too:

Who is your favorite author?

As a Regency Romance writer, I am supposed to say Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer, but my 18th century favorites are Louisa May Alcott, followed closely by Charles Dickens. I started as a mainstream historical author, in which genre Ken Follett and John Irving amaze and humble me. I’m not really into fantasy as reader or writer, but I could read Anne Bishop’s entire list a hundred times; her Black Jewels trilogy is desert island material. Courtney Milan was the reason I made the jump into historical romance, but I started on this road with Alexandra Ripley (pre-Scarlett).

How do you describe your writing style?

Ha! A chance to use the description of my style written for a recent class! (And here I whined that it wouldn’t be much help…) “I write deeply scarred characters with unusual backgrounds who overcome physical and emotional barriers to reach their highest potential. Most often, I choose settings and situations unfamiliar to the average reader, but which fall within the realistic confines of accepted history.“ (Totally sounds like a school project, right?)

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?

In the world of Regency romance, Royal Regard falls outside the customary mold: older characters with non-traditional backgrounds; a hard-won, bittersweet Happily Ever After for grownups. Nary a debutante to be seen.

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?

To some extent, every character I write is been modeled after me—some more than others. Interestingly, male characters tend to have more “Mari” in them, and I can’t seem to ever write a wishy-washy woman, even when I set out to. Bella started out soft-spoken in early drafts, which is the root of the dichotomy in her personality—an inherently shy, mannerly gentlewoman who has experienced more of the world than most men, and so, has grown out of being timid.

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why?

Hard question! (If I said King George IV, would it be presumptuous…?) From Royal Regard, I would trade lives with Bella, purely to write down the full story of the Gongulobibi priests revering her as a goddess.

What books have most influenced your life?

Erica Jong and Charles Bukowski (any by either) have had the most influence on my development as a writer, but not necessarily style or voice. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is why I finish books. The Novels of New York series by Bruce Nicolaysen and Cider House Rules by John Irving helped me into writing historical fiction. Over my lifetime, though, the most important were kids’ books: Anne of Green Gables series, Little Women/Little Men series, Roald Dahl’s books. Plus, dozens of fellow unknown authors and poets who have shared the journey with me and whose writings influence me still.

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why?

I would love to write Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind to be more self-reflective, and Rhett Butler a little kinder, less tortured. I’d like them NOT to need a sequel to get their HEA, because one of my favorite authors never had a chance of measuring up.

Beatles or Monkees? Why?

The Beatles, because they were the first band I knew/bought/cared about. The White Album and Sergeant Pepper were my first albums (on vinyl, baby!), and the glossy headshot of Ringo that came in The White Album had my six-year-old lipstick kisses all over it. The Monkees were too “pop.” The Beatles evolved.

Who should play you in a film of your life?

If she were still alive, Madeline Kahn. Since I am a fiction writer, I am going to pretend she is still alive. 😉 My most deeply held, irrational fantasy is to be played by Angelina Jolie, but I will never be that sleek and sexy, and she’s not quite dangerous enough.

And I’ve got another giveaway – for a chance to win a copy of her new book, just comment to this post,..

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2 Replies to “Book Launch – “Royal Regard” by Mari Christie”

  1. Fantastic interview. Your voice is unique and interesting. Very nice to see what influences different writers and how they see their work and themselves.
    And it’s the Beatles all the way (although my teenage self has many fond memories of The Monkees when they became popular).

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