For This Knight Only by Barbara Bettis

Please welcome Barbara Bettis author of For This Knight Only

Barbara Bettis will be awarding $25 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

For This Knight Only

by Barbara Bettis

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GENRE: Historical Romance

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I’ve been asked this question a lot and in spite of scouring my memories, I can’t point to any one incident or person that might have been an inciting ‘what’ or ‘who.’ As far back as I can recall, I’ve loved being told stories, of reading  about faraway people and places, of watching movies of fascinating lives. I grew up in small-town and rural Mid-America, with a warm and happy family life. But I always imagined myself on those marvelous adventures I experienced reading.

The earliest I remember of reading, I was sitting on my grandmother’s couch, immersed in a book of fairy tales and folk stories from all over the world, courtesy of a set of books my mother gave me. I don’t even recall reading Dick and Jane. JJust exciting tales of daring knights doing brave deeds or of breathtaking discoveries of a city beneath the sea or terrifying example of children who failed to obey their parents and ended up like the original Babes in the Woods (dead) or the original Hansel and Gretel (baked in the evil witch’s oven=dead).  I suppose a natural extension of those early experiences was my creating my own stories.

Goodness, that is a long, involved sort-of answer to your question, but it’s all I can figure out J

2. How did you come up with ideas for your books?

All of my stories have been prompted by something I’ve read in my history studies.  Fascinated with the Plantagenet’s, especially Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their sons, especially Richard, I read a good deal about them. I discovered that Richard owed a great deal to a mercenary, Mercadier, who was a faithful captain during his military campaigns. Mercenaries often had terrible reputations as being cruel and ungoverned fighters. So I was prompted to create stories about mercenaries who were basically good, just men wanting to have their own land, their own families, a place to put down roots and belong. Each book begins as a scene in my imagination, placing a knight in a particular situation. From that nucleus, the plot expands in ever-widening circles.

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I don’t think I have a particular expertise. I don’t bake exotic foods, or weave, or sew, or know about herbs, or ride a horse, or shoot a bow, or fence with swords or rapiers. If I bring anything, it’s the information I’ve gathered through years of study of history, literature, and language. Or my imagination. Can imagination be an expertise?

4. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I have a ridiculous fear of heights. I say ridiculous, because I’ve tried to overcome it, but nothing has worked so far. Maybe it’s a fear of falling. I’m reminded of the TV series Monk. In oneepisode, he climbs a ladder after a killer, but after a few steps up, he is so frozen by fear, the bad guy climbs down the ladder, around him, to get away. And poor Monk can only cling to the ladder and watch him go.  Yep. That would be me.

6. If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?

It might very well be Alyss from For This Knight Only. She’s smart and capable and stubborn—and Roark comes to not only love her but respect her independence.

7. If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your leading roles?

I’d have to go back a few years to find my hero. If any of you have seen the older BBC version of Sharpe’s Rifles, you’ll understand immediately why Sharpe or Sean Bean would be perfect as Roark.   As for Alyss? I can’t come up with anyone to match the picture of her I have in my mind. Any suggestions?

8. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

I do belong to a crit group and I always have. They are tremendously helpful. Of course, you have to be sure the members of the group are compatible. Not every writer is the right one to fit in your particular group. It really helps if members have areas in which each is especially proficient. Members must respect individual styles and not try to make everyone else’s voice sound like theirs.

9. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I’m not a total plotter or pantser.  I’m a combination of both. I know where a story is going and certain events along the way as I begin. I usually do a 3 to 5 page narrative summary of the story after the first few pages are down. Some might call it a rough synopsis—I just prefer to say plot summary.  However, I have to leave a lot of leeway as the scenes develop and characters evolve. I found very early on in my writing that if I do a detailed outline or plot, I lose interest in the story once that outline is done. It’s as if I’ve already told the story and I’m finished.

I frequently get an idea / scene/ character in my mind and write that scene to start off—then step back and develop from there.  Hope that makes sense.

10. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?

I actually think I’ll finish a Regency that I started sometime ago. It’s about an intelligence gatherer (spy) in the early days of the Napoleonic Wars who becomes disillusioned and quits the service, but agrees to take on one last job before he retires—tracking down a French operative who is stealing information in London.

We’ll see how that goes. I’m already jotting down ideas for more medievals, so I’m sure I’ll return to that era soon, however.

Thanks so much for joining me today, everyone. I’ve enjoyed talking with you. Please let me know what kind of heroes you like best?

Stay safe, everyone.

BLURB:

He’ll do anything for land, even marry her; she’ll do anything for her people, except marry him.  If only either had a choice.  It’s a marriage only love can save.

Sir Roark will do anything to gain land, even beguile an unwilling lady into marriage. He knows she’s much better off with a man to take control of her besieged castle, to say nothing of her desirable person. But it isn’t long before he discovers that, although her eyes sparkle like sunlight on sea waves, her stubbornness alone could have defeated Saladin.

Lady Alyss is determined to hold her family’s castle, protect her people, and preserve her freedom— until her brother’s dying wish binds her to a stranger. Still, she’ll allow no rugged, over-confident, appealing knight to usurp her authority, even if she must wed him. Especially since he thinks a lady’s duties begin and end with directing servants. Alyss has a few surprises for her new all-too-tempting lord.

But when a common enemy threatens everything, Roark and Alyss face a startling revelation. Without love, neither land nor freedom matters.

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EXCERPT:

“Pardon?” Alyss’s voice came in a whisper, but he seemed to hear well enough.

“I said your brother wished us to wed.”

The sound of a million crickets chirruped in her ears. His lips continued to move, but she heard nothing. Of a sudden, her bottom hit stone as she collapsed onto a step, but her eyes saw only him.

He loomed over her, hands propped on hips, dark hair brushing those broad shoulders. She raised her brows in a level gaze—and inhaled sharply. Hazel eyes, sprinkled with green and gold

chips, gleamed back. With effort, she recalled his recent words and her thoughts focused.

She shot to her feet. “You must be mad. I have no intention of wedding a stranger who appears at my gate with some imaginary story of my brother’s last commands. I remind you, sir, you are a guest. In fact, I must ask you to leave. Your behavior is intolerable.”

His big hands closed around her shoulders. They were warm. Firm but gentle. She shook them off. He leaned in.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, my lady,” he murmured.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2Xlzynj

Bio:

Award-winning author Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college freshman, she considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math. Through careers as a newspaper reporter and editor, then a college journalism and English professor, she’s retained her fascination with history. Give her a research book and a pot of tea, and she’s happy for hours. But what really makes her smile is working on a new story. Now retired, she lives in Missouri where she edits for others and spins her own tales of heroines to die for—and heroes to live for.

Find Barbara Here:

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-bettis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/barbarabettis                                                                                                                                Facebook: .http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBettisAuthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BarbaraBettisAuthor

Website / Blog / Newletter: http://barbarabettis.com

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Barbara Bettis will be awarding $25 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

RAFFLECOPTER:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3346