Q&A With Deb Marlowe

Wednesday USA Today Bestselling author Deb Marlowe accepted my friend request on Facebook and I asked if she’d be interested in doing a Q&A. Deb Marlowe is the author of historical romance and are on the USA Today Bestsellers List. Some of her many novels are Tall Dark and Disreputable, Twelve Lords for Christmas, Twelve Lords for Yuletide, Charmed at Christmas, It Started With a Kiss, &  Encounters With a Rouge. 

Q: What made you want to write historical romance novels? When in your life did you realize that you were called to be an author?

A: I started reading historical romance when I was a teenager.  My mom and grandmother read it, as well as several aunts and our neighbor.  We had an unofficial sort of book club going, so romance has always been about female bonding to me.  I’m also a huge history nerd, so history is what really interests me.  I love the research and blending it all into a story.

I always wanted to be a writer, but I grew up in a depressed area and I had to be practical.  I went to college and got a degree for a career that I loved, but when my Eldest was born, he had some physical issues.  I became a stay-at-home mom and took the opportunity to become a nap-time writer, and I haven’t stopped since!

Q: What advice do you have for those who want to write a great historical romance? If you deal with writer’s block what is your advice on how to deal with it?

A:  Learn your historical time period.  Deep dive into it.  Your familiarity with your chosen period will flavor and deepen your stories in a way that will resonate with readers.  Study people.  Times change, but people are largely the same!  

If I get stalled, it’s usually because I’ve done something wrong.  I stop, think about what POV I’m using, or what direction the plot is heading, or whether I’ve written something that doesn’t fit the character.  Once I figure it out, I can move on.

Q: If you were to write in a different genre other than historical romance, which genre would it be and why?

A:  I am, right now, writing a historical mystery series with a slow burn romance and I am loving it.  I am enjoying digging deep into my characters and staying with them for longer.  The Kier and Levett Mysteries are set in Victorian England. I am having a great time with this couple on their adventures! 

Q:  If you were to collaborate with another author who would it be with and why?

A:  I’ve done quite a few collaborations with other authors and I enjoy it.  Finding other writers who share interests and enthusiasm is a real gift!  I have an author collaboration series going on now!  The Witches’ Ball Series will be out this autumn and is a great mix of magic, history and mayhem!   

Q: What is your advice to new authors on how to deal with negative reviews, online trolls, & family and friends who are unsupportive of their writing goals?

A:  Writing is a tough business.  It can be a real rollercoaster ride.  You have to find a way to make yourself happy, to find joy in the pages and stories you have to tell.  Set your own goals and don’t fret about the ups and downs, and don’t compare yourself to what others have going on.  Find writer friends to commiserate with, friends who celebrate your victories as well as lend sympathy for the down times.  

Q: Can you spoil a little about the upcoming novels you’re writing now?

A:  I’m working on the third mystery in the Kier and Levett Mystery Series, Murder on the Mirrored Lake.  This series is a blast!  There is a tricky murder to solve—and some big secrets will be revealed in this one!  

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights or interests in any of your novels? We are long overdue for creativity in Hollywood. 

A: No, but I wish!  I have several long series that I would love to see play out on a screen.  How much fun would that be?  ☺