Please welcome author Rebecca Cohen, whose newest release, Duty to the Crown, is at Dreamspinner
Press. Rebecca has bravely answered my infamous Rick Reed questions. Let's see what she has to say. Rebecca, why don't you get comfortable, and I'll fix us some drinks. Go ahead and start.
Oh, did I mention there will be a giveaway? Keep reading!
The Questions:
1) You’re
marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is
that person and what item do you have?
Oh, this is a tough one! But I would go for
Stephen Fry. That way he can entertain
me with his wonderful humor while we wait for rescue. I would wish for a mobile
phone so Stephen could tweet his millions of followers and we’d be rescued
pretty quickly.
2) Which
musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that
musical are you?
Not much of a fan of musicals if I’m honest
so I’m reaching a bit here. So… The Return to the Forbidden
Planet and I’d be
the Science Officer (aka Gloria)
3) Take
these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them: emergency, available, rock
In the event of an emergency, disregard all
available logic and rescue pet rock
4) You’ve
just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to do anyone you
want. Who do you fuck first and why?
Benedick from Much Ado About nothing. He’s a feisty one who needs taking down a
peg or two, and I’m just the girl to do it!
5) What
is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?
Given we’ve just had our first child, our
romantic time is pretty much zilch at the mo. I’d be happy with a home-cooked
meal, a nice glass of vino, and a long cuddle on the sofa
6) When
you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?
Depends on the story, but I would say in
most cases I have an idea of a character and the plot builds around them.
There’s a great technique called clustering where you put an idea/character in
the center of the page and you build a sort of mind map around it, I’ve done
this more than a few times with some of my characters who are more difficult to
get a handle on.
7) If
they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?
I’m torn between someone like Helen Mirren
or Judy Dench for their acting gravitas or picking someone
with large breasts,
because, hey, I do have quite a large bosom…
8) Who’s
your favorite horror villain and why?
Here’s where I go totally old school and
say Nosferatu. He was a proper shit scary vampire (this might give you an
indication of my level of contempt for Edward Cullen!)
9) Do
you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?
I have several – although in most cases it’s for their mind not their body! Elizabeth I, Emily Pankhurst,
Douglas
Bader, William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Charles Dickens, Edward
Jenner, Charles Darwin… I could go on and on…
10) Is
there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to
receive it?
I’m not sure if it is the world which is
not ready or if I’m not ready to write it. But I have an idea for a speculative
fiction novel set several hundred years in the future where there is only Europe
and the current countries in the world are its territories e.g. USA would be
North West Europe, Australia South West Europe and so on. The idea is that
there are pockets of resistance left in the world and the European army do what
is necessary to stamp them out. It alternates between an army doctor in the
European Army and a Captain in the US militia.
Links:
Blog: http://rebeccacohenwrites.wordpress.com/
The Actor and the Earl:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3429
Duty to the Crown:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3637
Blurb for Duty to the Crown
Despite the uncomfortable clothing and
the gossip at court, Sebastian Hewel is still enjoying the role of Lady
Bronwyn, wife of Earl Anthony Crofton. But when Queen Elizabeth asks a favor of
Anthony, Sebastian’s world fractures and his heart threatens to break. The
Queen wants Anthony to seduce Marie Valois, the beautiful daughter of a French
noble, to discover the whereabouts of her father, who is wanted by the King of
France.
Sebastian knows Anthony can’t refuse the Queen, especially since he has something
of a reputation at court. But the situation is further complicated when Marie
meets Sebastian without his disguise—and starts flirting with him. Her brother,
Nicholas, arrives at Crofton Hall, not happy that his sister has been linked to
a man like Anthony, only to find his own head turned by Lady Bronwyn and her
acerbic wit. Contending with the attentions of both siblings—and a very jealous
Anthony—would be bad enough. But then Sebastian’s uncle demands Sebastian and
Anthony stage Bronwyn’s death to avoid discovery….
Extract
They left the tavern
early the next morning, returning to the townhouse in time to have breakfast.
Sebastian felt a little guilty at the state they’d left the room in, but
Anthony assured him that the extra coins he had left would more than compensate
for the cleanup required. They had just sat down to eat when a messenger
bearing the royal crest arrived. The messenger handed Anthony a sealed letter,
which he tore open, his brow furrowing as he read.
“Is there a
problem?” asked Sebastian, not liking Anthony’s expression.
“I’m to report to
the palace immediately. The Queen requests my presence.”
Anthony dismissed
the messenger with a curt reply that he would return to Richmond directly.
Sebastian didn’t know what to make of it, but didn’t think it could be a good
thing. “What do you think she wants to talk to you about?”
Anthony shrugged. “I
don’t know. Get changed and return to Crofton Hall. I’ll follow as soon as I
can.”
“I could wait for
you to return,” offered Sebastian.
“No, I think it
would be better if you went. Just in case.”
“Just in case of
what?” asked Sebastian, concerned.
“Last time I was
summoned in such a fashion, my loyalty to the crown was challenged, Sebastian,
and I narrowly avoided a stint in the Tower of London. I don’t want Bronwyn to
be in the city in case someone has made another unfounded accusation and has
decided my wife should accompany me there.”
Sebastian
almost dropped the cup of beer he was holding. “Do you really think that’s
likely?”
“Probably
not, but I’m not willing to take the chance.” Anthony knocked back the contents
of his cup. “I should go. It is never a good idea to keep Her Majesty waiting.
I will send word if there is an issue that will prevent me returning home by
tonight.”
Sebastian
watched Anthony depart, his appetite for breakfast leaving with him. He made
his way upstairs to his room to dress to travel back to Crofton Hall, and he
was ready and waiting in his shift and hose when Miriam arrived with his
clothes for the day.
“I
must say, you look a good sight better than when I last saw you,” she said,
laying down his clothes on the bed.
“It’s
amazing what a day in normal clothing can do for a man,” he said with a smile.
Miriam
laughed. “I’m afraid it’s back to Bronwyn today. I’ve tried to find you
something that won’t be as heavy to wear; not sure if I’ve had much success,
mind, but at least it’s not velvet.”
On
went the farthingale, corset, and roll, and Sebastian was resigned to another
day weighed down by the female paraphernalia that were necessary to masquerade
successfully as his sister. Miriam had brought with her a green silk gown and
yellow skirt that she usually kept for grander occasions.
“It
will crease horribly during the journey,” she said, sounding as if the material
were doing her a personal disservice, “but the dress is light enough that you
should get to Crofton Hall without passing out. And since you’re not heading
back to court, we’ll leave your corset looser than normal.”
He
put on his wig. “I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies.”
“And
with heat like we’ve got at the moment, you should be thankful Lord Anthony
banned his wife from wearing the white paint unless at court,” she said as she
tied his ruff in place.
“That
was one of His Lordship’s decrees I was happy to accept.”
Ready
to depart for Crofton Hall, Sebastian returned downstairs to find the coach
ready. And with no desire to stay in London longer than necessary, due to the
heat, and Anthony’s dire warning about a possible stay in the Tower of London,
Sebastian was relieved when the carriage trundled on its way. They negotiated
the busy streets until they reached the outskirts of the city and the open
road.
Sebastian
was half-asleep when he was jolted wide awake as something struck the side of
the carriage. He sat upright, and was about to stick his head out of the window
when a crossbow bolt whizzed past him and lodged in the inside of the opposite
door. For a moment Sebastian stared at the bolt as if he couldn’t believe what
he was seeing, but was brought dramatically to his senses as the coach lurched
forward. The driver cracked the whip and the horses whinnied in protest but
picked up speed. Sebastian dived to the floor of the carriage and searched
under the seat for a stiletto blade hidden for just this eventuality. Sebastian
knew bandits were a real threat on the roads out of London, and he’d counted
himself blessed that up to now he’d been lucky enough not to come to their
attention.
The
sounds of hooves tearing up the ground alongside the coach made Sebastian
scramble backward. A hand grabbed the frame of the window, and Sebastian knew
that if he didn’t do something they would be boarded. With as much force as he
could muster, he drove home the blade into the bandit’s hand; a scream of pain
accompanied the sound of a man falling to the ground.
Sebastian stuck
his head out of the window to see the bandit roll into a tree, his horse
galloping away into the woods. There were others on foot, but it appeared they
were lucky and the gang of robbers only had one horse. Another crossbow bolt
embedded in the frame of the carriage, missing him by inches, and Sebastian
ducked back inside.
One lucky commenter will win an e-book copy of either The Actor and the Earl or Duty to the Crown. Don't forget to leave an email address!
Thanks for stopping by, Rebecca! Come back again soon!
Until next time, take care!
♥ Julie
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