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"New
Worlds Are Our Oyster."  |
 P.E.A.R.L |
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by
Barbara Sheridan 
Leslie Tramposch: Managing Editor - Sara Reyes: Marketing and Publicity
March 2003 Issue
When Worlds Collide!
| Patricia
Waddell
Pat writes for the pure joy of escaping the day-to-day confines of reality, the reason she thinks most of us pick up a book. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Pat races home after a full day as a professional accountant to take up her second job as a romance writer. A firm believer that life can never have too many happy endings, Pat enjoys creating strong, outspoken characters with a touch of humor and a sprinkling of the unexpected. Pat
currently resides in Florida with her husband, Phillip. Writing is her
passion, and she loves to walk through the fictional looking glass into
the world of romance, past, present and future. PNR: Your first futuristic romance, THE ALLIANCE, released by LionHearted in 1999 was highly acclaimed by sub-genre readers. Since then you have written two Precious Gems, four single-title historical romances, and two novellas for Kensington. The readers had begun to worry that you had given up on futuristics. Then much to everyone's relief, along came WHISPERS IN THE STARS. It was well worth the wait, but the question on everyone's mind is why it took so long, and if you plan to write additional futuristics in the near future? Patricia W.: The delay was actually caused because I had no idea that THE ALLIANCE would be so well received. At the time I wrote the book (it was my second manuscript, but my first published work) everyone was telling me that futuristics weren’t selling, and they were partly right – that’s why the book ended up being published by a small press. No one in NY was buying. When the reviews came in, I was shocked! I hadn’t planned on writing another one, but the readers who took the time to email me, and the award nominations Alliance received, convinced me to hit the keyboard again. In the interim, I signed a multi-book contract with Kensington, so I wrote WHISPERS in between my historicals, and finally got it to an editor at Dorchester. And, YES, I will write more. If all goes as planned, you’ll see another futuristic on the shelves next year. PNR: Great! Let’s talk about WHISPERS IN THE STARS. As with the couple in THE ALLIANCE the match between Zara, Queen of Nubria, and Logan, Captain of the Galactic Guard is not a match made in heaven but rather an political arrangement. Tell us about their situation. What challenges does such a scenario present for a writer? Patricia W.: I got the idea for this book after watching the movie, The Witness, with Harrison Ford on TV. He was a fish out of water – a policeman in a religious community. The idea progressed to thinking about a galactic warrior (I love strong, Alpha males.) The challenge was coming up with a heroine that could stand toe to toe with him, someone who could bring him to his knees in an unexpected way, and still maintain her femininity. I also wanted to give the readers what I thought they wanted from me – another futuristic laced with a hint of history. The Alliance was called a space-age regency by one reviewer. In some ways, Whispers is a space-age medieval. The religion that Zara oversees as the high priestess of her world has some medieval qualities, and the her culture shuns technology, just as the Amish do. PNR: How do Zara and Logan regard their upcoming nuptials? Patricia W.: Logan with duty – Zara with hopefulness. And both with equal parts surprise – neither is what the other expected. PNR: The Zubrian culture is matriarchal. Zara is queen by virtue of more than her lineage. She, like the queens before her, possesses a gift. Tell us about her gift. Patricia W.: Zara has powers that are just short of being telepathic, which means she can ‘sense’ things about people. PNR: For Logan this marriage is a matter of duty, a necessary step in ferreting out rebel traitors and bringing them to justice. This is a personal mission for him. Why? Patricia W.: One of the rebels he is trying to capture once served as a Galactic Guard – being a soldier’s soldier – he takes the betrayal very personally. PNR: Being of a military mind, Logan expects no resistance from a mere woman. There is a very strong chemistry between them, but while Zara is most agreeable in his arms, he cannot persuade her to his point of view. How does he rationalize this? Patricia W.: I’m not sure he ever does – it’s one of the things that keeps him off balance. PNR: Trust becomes a very big issue between the pair. Zara is a honorable woman. She has made a promise and will not break it even if it drives a wedge between her and the man she loves. This is clearly a deep conflict for her. What must she do in order to win his trust? Patricia W.: The same thing all of us have to do if we want real love – she has to let down her defenses and trust that Logan won’t disappoint her. PNR: What is next for Patricia Waddell? Patricia W.: Lots of things, I hope. I have a new Historical series launching this year with Kensington. Four books centered around four gentleman who play cards at the Brook’s Gentleman’s Club in London: HE SAID YES, HE SAID NO, HE SAID NOW, HE SAID NEVER. My latest historical, DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH, is a finalist in the RITA Short Historical Category (talk about being shocked!) I’m also working on a proposal for a futuristic/fantasy series with Dorchester. It will probably be three books, but again, we are still negotiating, so I’m not sure what will happen in the paranormal realm in the long haul. I love writing romance, strong heroes, and unusual setting. Paranormals are a wonderful way to break the rules – and I’ve always been a bit of a rule breaker. I’m having a great time. The readers who I meet, and who contact me, are my greatest inspiration. I’ve only been writing since 1998, and I’m constantly humbled by the fact that anyone would put down their hard-earned money to buy one of my books. It’s a blessing to me in so many ways. Every time I sit down at my computer I try my best not to disappoint them.
Featured in this Issue: Interviews
with :
|
Love
Spell
Nominated
for WHISPERS IN THE STARS - Zara, Queen of Nubria, is more than a political monarch, she's the high priestess of her world's religion. She's only considered an enemy by the Unity Council. As punishment for her defiance, she's commanded to marry a Commander in the Galactic Guard, or forfeit her throne. Logan arrives on Nubria, determined to find the rebels the queen is hiding and bring an end to both Zara's private rebellion and the rebels' public one. A warrior with little patience for treason or the fanciful religion the Nubrians hold so dear, Logan finds himself confronted by more than a beautiful woman. On Nubria, a promise given is a promise kept, and Zara will go to her grave before she discloses the whereabouts of the rebels. Caught between two sacred promises; a pledge to the rebel leader and her own wedding vows, Zara prays that her mystical powers are strong enough to reach Logan's war-hardened heart. LionHearted
Nominated
for THE ALLIANCE - Lord Reuel Shatar, the handsome governor of the planet Pyrali is duty bound to take a wife. His choice is to blackmail a beautiful dissident into marriage or have the House of Shatar fall into disgrace. Faced with exile to a frigid asteroid or marriage to the man who represents everything she hates, Christa Kirkland reluctantly chooses marriage . . . United in a political union, forged by a man's hidden shame and a woman's quest for freedom, the Alliance trembles under the final test of their love.
THE
LADY'S PROPOSAL A
GENTLEMAN'S BARGAIN A
STYLISH MARRIAGE DIAMOND
IN THE ROUGH
BRIDE
AND GROOM CUPID
CALLING |
Website
Books
~ interview questions prepared by Leslie Tramposch
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