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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Guest Author Interview: Ella Quinn


Our guest today is historical romance author Ella Quinn and she is giving away a copy of her debut release The Seduction of Lady Phoebe. Check out this lovely interview with her and leave a comment along with contact information for your chance to win!

Alexis: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Ella: Two years ago. I started getting a scene playing in my head of a woman in Regency dress. So I sat down and wrote the book.

Alexis: Wow, that is great! What made you chose your title?

Ella: The original title was “Phoebe.” That didn’t go over well when I pitched the book at my first writers conference. When I returned, I got with my critique group and they helped me find a good title.

Alexis: Ah yes, writing friends are the best, aren’t they? So which authors inspired you?

Ella: Definitely Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy Dunnett.

Alexis: Ah, the classics. A lot has changed since then, especially because we have computers now :-) Everyone has their own writing process…how they come up with ideas, how they name their characters, how they choose the setting. Can you describe your writing process?

Ella: My ideas usually come to me in full-color mind video. Almost as if I was watching it on TV. I’ve never actually picked a setting, it just seems to come. For example, the book I’m working on now was supposed to have taken place in Jamaica, instead it ended up on St. Thomas. Some of my characters come fully named, others need a little help. I have books on historic names. Most of the time as I’m looking at the lists, a name will pop out at me. In The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, I had a name I thought Edith was the right first name for Lady St. Eth, but the character wanted Ester. I looked it up and sure enough, the name was used during the Regency and with that spelling. My hero’s father didn’t tell me his first name until the third revision.

Alexis: Ugh, don’t you hate waiting for a character to talk to you so you can clear up a detail? So what are you working on now?

Ella: The fifth book of The Marriage Game. It is based in St. Thomas, which was a Danish protectorate at the time, Martinique and Tortola.

Alexis: Now that sounds exciting.  As an almost neighbor, over here in St. Croix, I can immediately picture those settings. 

Ella, it has been a pleasure having you on Happily Ever After Thoughts. Wait until our readers check out your book blurb. I know they will want to buy this book. I know I do.

THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE ~ September, 19, 2013
LADY PHOEBE STANHOPE, famous for her quick wits, fast horses, and punishing right hook, is afraid of nothing but falling in love. Fleeing a matchmaking attempt with the only man she despises, Phoebe meets a handsome blue-eyed stranger who sends her senses skittering. By the time Phoebe discovers the seductive stranger is the same arrogant troll she sent packing eight years ago, she is halfway to falling in love with him.

LORD MARCUS FINLEY last saw Phoebe striding regally away, as he lay on the floor with a bruised jaw and a rapidly swelling eye. Recently returned from the West Indies, Marcus is determined to earn Phoebe’s love, preferably before she discovers who he is. Determined to have Phoebe for his own, Marcus begins his campaign to gain her forgiveness and seduce her into marriage.
Can Phoebe learn to trust her own heart and Marcus? Or is she destined to remain alone?

~Lady Phoebe is a heroine Georgette Heyer would adore--plucky, pretty, and well worth the devotion of the dashing Lord Marcus. A marvelous find for Regency romance readers.~
~NYT Bestseller Grace Burrowes ~

Ella Quinn’s The Seduction of Lady Phoebe is a passionate tale full of humor, romance, and poignancy. Quinn writes classic Regency romance at its best!”
~Shana Galen~

Amazon Germany: http://amzn.to/XIAMG3

Ella’s Bio:
Ella’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of twenty-nine years. They have a son and granddaughter, Great Dane and a Chartreux. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make St. Thomas, VI home.

Ella is a member of the Romance Writers of American, The Beau Monde and Hearts Across History. She is represented by Elizabeth Pomada of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, and published by Kensington. Her debut novel The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, will release in September 2013

To learn more about Ella and her books check out these sites:

Website: (Up soon) www.ellaquinnauthor.com

Alexis: Don’t forget to leave a comment and contact information for a chance to win The Seduction of Lady Phoebe.

46 comments:

  1. Great interview and I love the blurb for The Seduction of Lady Phoebe. I'm so excited for you and can't wait for the release.

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    1. Callie, thank you. I want you to read it to.

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  2. Enjoyed your interview, Ella. Your story sounds really exciting. Congrats :)

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    1. Thanks, Georgia. That makes me feel good!

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  3. Great post! What a wonderful cover and I loved getting to know you better!

    Melissa Keir
    daringzoey@yahoo.com

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    1. Melissa, thank you so much. I love getting to know people.

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  4. Loved the interview, ladies. So hard to juggle the characters who won't talk to you with the ones who won't stop! LOL Can't wait for Phoebe to release! good luck, Ella. Tweeted.

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    1. Hi Jenna, I know. He thought I was being forward. Thanks so much for stopping by and tweeting.

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  5. Oh wonderful interview Ms. Ella. I love Lady Phoebe and I'm not much of a Historical Reader anymore...*winks* Good job!

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    1. Thank you, Margaret. I'm glad you like her.

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  6. Congrats Ella on the release of your book! Eagerly waiting for books 2-5 too; please tell us more about them!

    thumbelinda03@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Linda, not the actual release yet, I'm afraid. That won't be until September.

      The next book, which goes on pre-order in June, is The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh. You'll have met Anna and the hero, Rutherford, in The Temptation of Lady Phoebe. Rutherford alwasy met to marry Anna when he was ready, but by then, Anna has a secret that has made her question whether she wants to marry him.

      The Temptation of Serena takes place in 1816. Robert, Viscount Beaumont decided years ago that he'll never marry for love. However when he meets Lady Serena, a cousin of Phoebe's, he can't stop thinking about her. When he tries to trap her into marriage, he discovers she won't give in easily if at all.

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  7. Congrats on your book! Wonderful interview!

    I love the blurb, too. It's on my wish list!

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    1. Hi Stacy, I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for coming by.

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  8. Great interview! This is a fantastic book and I'm so psyched to get my own copy!

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    1. Lauren, thank you, and thanks for stopping by.

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  9. Ella! I can't believe how much we have in common. When I picture the scenes in my books, it's like I'm watching a movie, too. LOVE IT! Great interview. I'm glad I got to know you better. :)

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    1. Do you, Marie? That's wild. Thanks for coming by, and I'm glad to know that about you as well!

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  10. Great interview, ladies. I'm waiting for this one. :)

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    1. Thank you, Melissa. I really hope you like it.

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  11. Wonderful interview, ladies! I have this vision of Ella chasing characters through a maze yelling "Tell me your name! Tell me your name!" I have to laugh because I have had them tell me "That is NOT my name!" The villainess of The Price of a Gentleman let me write the entire book before she told me "That is not my name." Had to go back and change it through the entire book.

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    1. LOL, Louisa! That's so funny. Ester did tell me Edith was not her name. Guy was just puffed up in his own consequence and refused to speak to me. His wife is very nice though.

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  12. Ella, if I haven't told you before, this cover is absolutely gorgeous. September can't come soon enough and this is definitely on my TBR list. You have such a varied background (where you've lived and experiences). It always fascinates to see how this comes out in our writing.

    Congrats!

    author(dot)tonikelly(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Toni, thank you, I think the cover is really pretty. I agree, I think our experiences really do come out in our writing. Thanks for coming by and supporting me. Next up is The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh in June.

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  13. Ella, we could be twins when it comes to how we experience our stories. Except I would unquestionably be the bad twin. I have two tweet this now.

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    1. Now that would be interesting, Liza. Thank you for stopping by and tweeting.

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  14. Fantastic post. I learn something new every time I read about you, Ella.

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    1. Hi Sheri, thank you. What was it you learned this time?

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  15. Ella,
    I was in St. Thomas last month! Just now realized that's where you live.
    So looking forward to reading the book. It's at the top of my must-read-this-summer list.

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    1. Collette, how did you not know that? You came here and did't let me know!

      I wish you could read it this summer, you'll have to wait until September 19th.

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  16. Loved the interview. I love historical romance and also new authors!I commented on a previous blog and for some reason thought that the book was out...anyway September can't come soon enough!

    Daniela
    danigalarza@aol.com

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    1. Thank you, Daniela. I remember you commenting. I only wish the book was out. You can pre-order it if you'd like, but you'd still have to wait until September 19th to read it.

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  17. Great interview! Love the scene in your mind like a movie - mine do the same, in vivid detail - a help & hindrance. But can't wait to see it released! A must-get!

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    1. Gina, it's so interesting when it happens. Sometimes I'll just get a piece, and want it to continue so that I know more. Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy it!

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  18. Congrats Ella!!! And I think it's fascinating how your stories come to you movie style! Very cool.

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  19. Hi Christi, thanks for coming by. It is pretty cool. I'm not much of a TV or movie watcher, maybe because my minde makes them up.

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  20. I'm SO excited for your book to come out, Ella! I can't wait! Oh, and what a fun interview!

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    1. Thank you, Lani. I'm so glad you liked it!!

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  21. Great interview! Half the fun of the book is picking out the names of the chaacters

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    1. LOL, Nancy, I don't get away with much when picking names. My characters are pretty picky.

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  22. Sounds like a fun writing process

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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    1. Thank you, it is. At least I have fun.

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  23. Love that - a regency lady with a punishing right hook.

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    1. Thanks, Daryl. Regency ladies were pretty daring. That's the reason I love them.

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  24. Ella,
    Can't wait to read your book. It sounds fantasitc and I love historical romance.

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  25. So Marion Browning-Baker or “Ella Quinn” as you call yourself today - you can run from your criminal history but you cannot hide. You DID NOT go to the Virgin Islands “to retire, write romance books, and live in paradise” despite what you try to tell your readership. And there was certainly nothing “fortuitous” about this move to the tax hide-out Virgin Islands either as you claim in your author interviews. You fled the country of Germany in less than 60 days after they charged you with federal tax evasion where you evaded taxes for no less than 15 years as a lawyer operating a business on German soil. How smart was that when you bragged about it to one of your clients which you then ripped off for over $50,000 in legal fees?

    Now you have a totally new identity. There is no lawyer reference in your bio anywhere despite that you spent most of your adult life as a lawyer. In fact, you even removed your law degree from Campbell University in NC and are now calling it a master’s degree in “Political Science and Government” on LinkedIn. But the reality is that you were a totally unethical lawyer who stole money from EVERY ONE of your military clients in Europe from 1995 (which was after the US Army kicked you out as a JAG lawyer) and until your Georgia State Bar disbarment on April 15, 2013 which is shown on their website.

    As far as we are concerned, you have an active network now of at least 75 ex-clients and you OWE THEM a lot of money. We have legal counsel and there is a class-action lawsuit in the making. So “Ella” or whatever person you are playing today, do not believe that this is over and we will see you in court as who you really are: disbarred lawyer, tax fugitive, and criminal Marion Browning-Baker.

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