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Monday, April 8, 2013

Interview with Julie K. Rose & Giveaway

This morning I have the opportunity to introduce you all to author Julie K. Rose.  Her second novel, Oleanna, was recently released and she is partaking in a blog tour to celebrate.  Today she makes a stop here to answer a few questions.  Please help me welcome Julie K. Rose!  Read all the way through for a giveaway opportunity.

Oleanna

What was the inspiration behind this novel?

It all came from an image. I had been struggling with another book that just wasn't working, when an image came to me of a woman standing on a mountaintop, her long blond hair being whipped by the wind into her face. I came to realize quite soon that this was Norway, and that this was Oleanna, one of my great-grandfather's sisters. The characters and their personalities came to me quickly, and the tone and feel of the book was there from the start. The story itself grew and changed in the telling, and was strongly informed by the loss of my own mother earlier that year.

The setting of Norway is an unusual one in historical fiction. How did you select this locale?

As Norway is where Oleanna and Elisabeth actually lived, it was the natural place to set the book. But I also wanted to explore a time and a place not often seen in historical fiction. There are plenty of wonderful books set in Norway during the Viking and later medieval period (Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy most notably) but I have not been able to find any others set in early 20th century Norway. Plus, I wanted to share my love for such a wonderful locale.

This is your second novel- how has the process been different this second time around? Anything you learned from the first book that helped with the second?

Oleanna was actually the fourth novel I've written, but the second published, and I've learned a lot. On the writing front, I've learned to both trust myself more, and be satisfied less. I've learned (I hope) how to really accept criticism and feedback. The first book was a whirlwind in a lot of ways, figuring it out as I went—and it was painful, let me tell you! In terms of publishing, I've learned to have a much thicker skin, and to appreciate the entire process—from idea to publication—a lot more.

Any future writing plans you can tell us about?

I'm working on a manuscript called DIDO'S CROWN, set in Tunisia, France, and England, primarily in 1935. It's a kind of literary historic thriller, and I'm deep in revisions as we speak. I'm also working on a novel set in California at the turn of the century, but that one's in the middle of being drafted, so I don't think I'll say more than that!

What aspect do you enjoy most about being an author?

It is really hard to choose one aspect. I love the spark and excitement of a new idea, falling in love with the story and the characters. I love learning about the story and the characters as I flesh them out. I'm learning to love the revision process. I enjoy the publication process, as well as promotion. Interacting with readers is amazing, though. Hearing from just one person that words I've written, characters I've created, moved them is a rush, a joy, and a privilege.

Julie-K-Rose

Julie K. Rose is an author of historic and contemporary fiction, and she is particularly interested in the intersection of the spiritual and secular, the supernatural and the everyday, the past and the present, and the deep, instinctual draw of the land.

She is a proud member of the Historical Novel Society, current co-chair of the HNS Northern California chapter, and former reviewer for the Historical Novels Review. She earned a B.A. in Humanities (SJSU) and an M.A. in English (University of Virginia), and lives in the Bay Area with her husband and cat Pandora. She loves reading, following the San Francisco Giants, and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of Northern California.

Oleanna, short-listed for finalists in the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom literary competition, is her second novel. The Pilgrim Glass, a finalist in the 2005 Faulkner-Wisdom and semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, was published in 2010.

For more information on Julie K. Rose, please visit her website.

oleanna tour button

You can follow along with the rest of the blog tour by visiting the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour page or on Twitter with the following hashtag: #OleannaVirtualTour.

I have one giveaway copy up for grabs and it is open internationally!  The giveaway is open until April 21st.  Make your entries through the Rafflecopter below. 

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Copyright © 2013 by The Maiden’s Court

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the insightful interview. I'm new to your blog and will definitely be visiting again.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by - love having you!

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  2. Great interview -- what a fabulous image to inspire a novel! I just adored this book -- can't wait for Rose's next novel!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed her book - I just didn't have time to fit a review of it into my schedule. I'm sort of having a reading slump right now - school is killing me!

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  3. Thanks for the author interview! I love finding out how authors come up with their characters, locations and story plots. I am always excited to hear authos talk about how their characters almost demand to be written about, like real people! That makes me feel like they have a real connection with what they are writing about, which usually, for me, makes the story that much better.

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    1. That is always something that surprised me - how the characters sort of demand their own story or they change the plot line from where it was planned to go.

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  4. Thanks for the interview and the giveaway!I am looking forward to reading this book and your next one about Tunisia too.

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  5. What a great inspiration for the book! And Norway sounds like a great setting. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  6. Great interview. I think the book the author's working on, 'Dido's Crown' sounds like it has some promise.

    mestith at gmail dot com

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    1. I think that the setting for Dido's Crown sounds awesome - again, not too many books set their either.

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