Angeline Fortin - Time Travel Romance With Spunk
Angeline Fortin is the author of historical and time-travel romance offering her readers a fun, sexy and often touching tales of romance. Her time travel romance, Taken: A Laird for All Time Novel, was awarded the Virginia Romance Writers 2015 Holt Medallion Award for Paranormal Romance. As our Author of the Day, Fortin talks about the inspiration behind her latest time travel romance, A Scot to Remember.
Please give us a short introduction to what A Scot to Remember is about.
A Scot to Remember takes Bronte Hughes, modern feminist, and sends her back in time to save her great-great-grandfather, Henry, from dying aboard the Titanic. Along the way, she mets Tris MacKintosh. There’s an initial clash of ideals before together they take on the mission to keep Henry alive when it seems fate only wants him dead.
Tell us more about Auld Donell.
Auld Donell was a fan favorite from my first time travel series, A Laird for All Time. It seemed only natural that I bring him back for the new series. When I took a poll on the subject, my readers agreed. As always, he’s a man with a mysterious mission that is revealed through the series.
Why time-travel romance? What drew you to this genre?
I first read time travel romance back in high school. Constance O’Day Flannery was a favorite. Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor sort of drove the love into my heart. While I always enjoyed reading it, I never had plans to write it until one day I thought to myself, what would happen realistically if someone travelled back in time? There’d be a lot more swearing and confusion, that’s for sure :) So I wrote that.
If you could time travel, where would you want to go first?
I’ve always had a love for the Victorian era, so maybe New York or London in the 1880s-90s. Also, I would have loved to have seen the Titanic in person, though being on board might end up being problematic without a failsafe escape route.
Tell us more about Bronte Hughes. Who is she and what makes her so special?
I had a conversation with my 23 year old daughter last year about dating in our time and how finding someone who wants more than sex is almost impossible. That talk along with my daughter’s feminist views inspired Bronte. A woman who wants something more than our time has to offer. Not only love, but purpose.
Why do Tris and Bronte work so well as a couple?
For a feminist and a man born prior to the advancements of women’s rights to learn to love one another, they needed something more. Tris and Bronte share the same ideals when it comes to love of family and the need to make a difference in the world, even if it's in saving one person at a time.
Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?
I used to own an upholstery business and did some interior design as well. I’ve always enjoyed creative pursuits.
This is the first book in a series. Did you plan from the start to make this into a series? How do the other books tie in with this one?
Like my other time travel series, the characters are all set to carry out Auld Donell’s plan for the future. Unlike my previous series, I’ve planned this one from start to finish before I began and it will show more interaction between the series’s heroines, their friendship and life in the present time. I think it will be a great way to show them not only as love interests, but modern women with an identity of her own.
Have changes in your own life affected any of your characters?
When asked, I always say that my books aren’t about me. My husband used to complain when one of my heroes did something he didn’t like that HE wasn’t like that. I’d tell him, it’s called fiction. It’s not about you. :) Now I just don’t let him read them at all. However, there are always random moments that inspire scenes and characters along the way. Moments that influence a character’s actions or dialogue, like the one I had with my daughter. That’s pretty much her in Chapter 1 of A Scot to Remember.
When working on a novel, how do you immerse yourself in the main characters' lives?
As much as I might plan a character’s traits up front, I really get to know them as I begin to write. Plans can change and so can the people along the way. As I discover more and more about them as I write, I go back to those first pages and bring what I’ve learned to put more of their personality into what they say and do. I also build a Pinterest board for each book I write filled with character inspiration, clothing, buildings, etc.
Talk to us a bit about your writing habits. Do you write early in the morning, or through the night? Pen or laptop?
I’m a big believer in hand written notes. Something about writing by hand lets my mind open up and come up with some of my best ideas. I keep a notebook next to my bed since my thoughts wander and replay what I’ve written that day and I need to write it down. Even if I’m too tired to roll over and get my notebook, because no matter what I say to myself, I will not remember it in the morning! Other than that, I have a desktop PC and a laptop that I write most on. I like to take it outside (when there’s not 4 feet of snow on the ground obviously) and write.
What are you working on right now?
I'm working on book 2 of this time travel series A Good Scot is Hard to Find and the 7th book in my Victorian Scotland historical series A Question for the Ages, which I’ve gotten a lot of requests for. I’ve also just finished a YA Urban Fantasy and am working on a women’s fiction series as well.
Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?
There’s always information about upcoming books and events on my website. I also love getting messages which can be done either through the contact page on my website or directly at [email protected] can also sign up for my newsletter or follow me on just about any social media site. Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1fBD1qq
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelineFortin
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