Ask the Author: Lenora Bell
Answered Questions (10)
Lenora Bell
Hi Lissa, thanks for the question! Yes, many of the characters in Love Is a Rogue appear in my previous series, the School for Dukes. The heroine of Love Is a Rogue, Lady Beatrice, is the sister of the duke in One Fine Duke, the third book in that series. xo LB
Lenora Bell
Hi Pamela. What a lovely idea! I'm such a huge Anne of Green Gables fan. Now I'm thinking about how I can work in a secondary romance for older characters in my current WIP :-) Thanks so much for asking the question and for inspiring me!
Lenora Bell
Hi Pamela - that's so amazing you picked up on that! I am a big fan of Elizabeth Peters and I was definitely paying homage to the decidedly unconventional Amelia. Thanks again for reading my books!
Lenora Bell
It doesn’t have to be perfect! Don’t let fear and self doubt hold you back. Put yourself out there. Take the plunge and finish that book!
Read widely in the genre you’re writing. It’s a great education to read a book you love first for pleasure, and then in a more analytical way, asking yourself the questions: how did the writer make me feel that way? Why do I care about the characters and their goals? How does the author keep the tension, conflict and stakes high enough to sustain a whole book?
Join writers groups and meet other authors. Find critique partners that you respect to read your work and offer feedback. Find writing craft books that work for you. One of the books that works for me is Story Genius by Lisa Cron. I love her method of really digging deep into the back story and world views of the characters before you even start writing the book.
Read widely in the genre you’re writing. It’s a great education to read a book you love first for pleasure, and then in a more analytical way, asking yourself the questions: how did the writer make me feel that way? Why do I care about the characters and their goals? How does the author keep the tension, conflict and stakes high enough to sustain a whole book?
Join writers groups and meet other authors. Find critique partners that you respect to read your work and offer feedback. Find writing craft books that work for you. One of the books that works for me is Story Genius by Lisa Cron. I love her method of really digging deep into the back story and world views of the characters before you even start writing the book.
Lenora Bell
Thanks, Pamela! I'm so very glad that you enjoyed the book and that you picked up on the Mary Poppins references I wove throughout the story for discerning readers like you. Did you also pick up on a few little references to Anne of Green Gables? I imagined Mari as a mixture of Mary Poppins, Jane Eyre, and Anne with an E. Let me know what you think of Lady India's story and if you pick up on the James Bond meets Indiana Jones Easter eggs... Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Lenora Bell
Hi Aly, thanks for asking this question! I would love to write Jane's story. She's such a strong character who endured so much and was just beginning to come out of her shell. At the moment there's no Jane book in the works, but hopefully some day I'll be able to give her the happy ending she deserves!
Lenora Bell
Hi Marie!! So nice to see you here! I'd have to say the best part of being an author is hearing from satisfied readers! It's just the best feeling in the world when someone tells me I made them laugh, smile, and sigh happily. That's why I'm writing! 😍
Lenora Bell
Hi Lena, this is the question I get asked the most! You know I would so love to give Patrick his own book but my editor and I decided to start a whole new series and jump forward several years. Hopefully someday I can write a novella for Patrick and his son Van so that they can have their happily-ever-after! xo ❤️
Lenora Bell
Hi there! So sorry it took me soooo long to answer. I really want to give Patrick his own story some day! My new series is unrelated to the first series. But hopefully I can do a novella for Patrick in the future. Thanks for asking! ❤️
Lenora Bell
So my historical debut, How the Duke Was Won, is loosely inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love rereading childhood classics and I was reading C&CF one day and I thought to myself--ya know what? This is kind of a romance novel plot! The rich, eccentric magnate who requires an heir.
And that's how my first book was born. There's a scandalous duke who requires an heir, a strong heroine who has had a difficult life, and lots and lots of very steamy...drinking chocolate. What? What did you think I was going to say? :)
And that's how my first book was born. There's a scandalous duke who requires an heir, a strong heroine who has had a difficult life, and lots and lots of very steamy...drinking chocolate. What? What did you think I was going to say? :)
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