Brass Tabby by Rowan Helaine
Please welcome Rowan Helaine author of Brass Tabby
Brass Tabby
byRowan Helaine
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Dark Comedy)
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INTERVIEW:
What or who inspired you to start writing?
As a romance lover, I noticed a complete dearth of stories for people like me. I’m a happily childfree woman, and there are a lot of books out there that feature pregnancy as a plot device. They also lack consent and feature toxic men who seem to be severely emotionally limited with serious anger and control issues. I respect that a lot of people love such storylines, but there are also a lot of people who feel alienated by them. I wanted to create a more inclusive story for people who crave spicy love stories but don’t want to set aside their distaste for certain aspects of the storyline.
How did you come up with ideas for your books?
I simply wrote the book I wanted to read.
What expertise did you bring to your writing?
I’ve spent my entire adult life working in various “male dominated fields”, ranging from the merchant marines to the STEM field. I feel I’ve been given a unique perspective into the way that men act when it’s just the boys. They’re not just strutting alphas. They’re complex emotional creatures, just like women, only they’re often under greater pressure to stay tough. I think that’s really unfair, not to mention limiting.
What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
My father is actually a mental health professional, so when I would hit a block and needed advice on how to flesh out a character, I would call and have him analyze them.
As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?
I already have 3 more books started. I can’t promise they’ll have the same dark romantic suspense angle, but I can promise that the female MCs will all be empowered, the male MCs will be sexy and complex, the banter will be hilarious, and they will feature a more inclusive definition of happily ever after.
If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?
Probably any of the main female leads, because when I write, my female characters have license to say or do all the things I usually only THINK about. Not just in bed, but in life, since they have someone else writing all their comebacks for them. Plus their boyfriends are hot.
If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your leading roles?
Oh man, I’m so bad at this…I can’t really choose, because the most unexpected choices are often the most effective. Yeah, I have to take a pass. But if any readers have a suggestion, please let me know who you picture in those roles!
Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?
I hired several Beta readers, and once the book was complete I asked my “coven” to read it. My friend Deanna is one of the wittiest women I’ve ever met, and my friend Carly is easily the most empathic and giving woman anyone has ever met. They’re both amazing writers in their own rights. I knew if I could make Deanna laugh and make Carly cry, I had something good.
When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
I finished the book and thought: this is really strong. Now what? I’ve queried agents before. And I realized that it could take me years to see my book in print, and I’d be signing away a huge chunk of my rights to the story and inviting others to tell me I had to change it just so they would agree to publish it. So I made the choice to self publish, and my father, who spent the first 37 years of my life telling me that if I wanted to be a writer, I needed to “put up or shut up” was really proud. He never let me get discouraged.
What is the worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)
Hire a marketing team. Terrible and expensive advice. They’re going to send you a few word documents that you will never look at again and charge you an insane amount of money. You’ll spend a lot less money on a copy of Self Publishing for Dummies and a subscription to Publisher Rocket.
Do you outline your books or just start writing?
I’m SO bad about sticking to an outline. I’ll write an outline but the story will evolve as I work and take me in a completely different direction. When I look back at my original outline for Brass Tabby, I can only laugh.
Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books?
Oh for sure. I really love making up pithy one liners and comebacks. You’ll see a lot of that in the book.
Do you have an all time favorite book?
Rapture by David Sosnowski. Hands down. It never got a lot of play, but I weigh everything I write against this book. Honorable mentions go out to Fool by Christopher Moore and The Unexpected Salami by Laurie Gwen Shapiro.
Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?
I’ve started several, in fact. When I get blocked on one I pivot to one of the other two. The one that has my attention right now is set in a small fictional town in Vermont and I just wrote one of the hottest erotic scenes I’ve ever written in my life for it. I’m sweating a little just thinking about it.
Who is your favorite actor and actress?
That’s a tough one. Actress is probably Helen Mirren for being a total badass icon. Actor depends on my mood, although anything with Benedict Cumberbatch (that voice, tho) is gonna get my attention.
Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?
There are a few. One of my favorite characters in the book is my female MC’s tag partner (they’re both street artists) and they’re sitting in a diner plotting their next piece. I can close my eyes and see his wry smile and “remarkable amber eyes”. He loves Nola like a sister and you can tell he feels protective toward her.
What is your favorite reality show?
The Great British Baking Show. I use it for inspiration when I’m procrastination baking.
Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like to write a series.
I haven’t attempted one, personally. Mostly because I didn’t want to have to reach so hard to make every new book fit together and every new character tie in to the same world. There may be some cross over appearances though, since they take place in the same “universe”. Who can say?
Anything else you might want to add?
I really appreciate all the support I’ve received, not just from my friends and family, but also from the Bookstagram community and my amazing editor, Jamie Evans, and author Marcia Drut-Davis, who was kind enough to read my book and provide me an editorial review. Every reader counts, and I wish I could sign every book so people could see how much it means to me that they pick it up and read it.
BLURB:
It’s loathe at first felony for the man with no future and the girl with no past.
Left blind and gruesomely scarred following a horrific accident, former golden boy Grant Harcourt isn’t looking for new friends when a snarky ball of hellfire dives into the back of his chartered car. Scrappy street artist Enola Fothergill is just trying to survive, and she definitely doesn’t need the attention that association with the Harcourt clan could bring. A bungled carjacking sparks a slow-burning passion, but when Nola’s murky former life catches up with her, they’ll both have to decide how far they’re willing to go for love.
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EXCERPT:
The First Meeting:
The door swung open unexpectedly, and a body plummeted headlong into the back seat atop him. A winded feminine voice barked an order into the empty front seat. “Drive! Drive! Fucking drive!”
How surprising this world could be, Grant ruminated, a slow smile curving over his lips. He turned an ear to the parking lot outside, listening for footsteps. He’d sent his chauffeur into the store for a bottle of rye, but the man still hadn’t returned. He sat patiently for a moment, waiting for the girl in his lap to realize that there was no one to step on the gas. Tapping her shoulder, he smiled helpfully. “The driver’s inside. Also, this isn’t an UberPool.”
“Oh.” The girl behind the expressionless white Halloween mask sat up and groaned impatiently.
“For fuck’s sake…”
He heard the hinges on the seat in front creak as she threw one leg over the barrier. He realized, with some amusement, that she intended to steal the car with him inside. As if on cue, the driver’s side door opened and Grant reached up, grabbing the waist of her pants and yanking her back as the chauffeur slid into his seat. A seasoned professional, the man seemed barely fazed by the addition of a strange masked character sprawled across his fare’s knees. He simply passed the bottle back to Grant and waited for direction.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Born and raised in New England, Rowan is currently leading a semi-nomadic existence in the company of her aggressively affectionate hound dog Filburt and a hardy Finnish sourdough starter. She enjoys solo travel, rescue animals, men, and carbs.
Author website: https://www.rowanhelaine.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rowanhelaine
http://www.twitter.com/rowanhelaine
https://www.instagram.com/rowanhelaine/
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Brass-Tabby-Slow-Burn-Comedy-Romance-ebook/dp/B09JQPQWYC/
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Rowan Helaine will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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