Interview with Donna Hatch

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Donna Hatch. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called Troubled Hearts. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

It’s a novella, separate from my series. It’s about an English Lady who’s desperate to escape her estranged husband and home enshrouded with death and despair, so she flees in the middle of the night. Little does she know, her determined husband is in pursuit. Along the journey, she discovers a telling revelation. But will it be enough to banish the ghosts of the past and quiet her troubled heart?

Troubled Hearts is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

Actually, it was just supposed to be a working title until I thought of a better one, but my editor liked it so I kept it.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I write Romance because I love the euphoria of falling in love and I MUST have a happy ending. I write Regencies because they sweep me away into a totally new and glamorous world. Very unlike my real life.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I had a scene in my head of a woman who’s giving up on her marriage, and sneaking away in the middle of the night. The rest worked itself out as I went along.

What are your favorite historical research books and why?

I don’t get a lot of research out of books, I get most of it from the web. But I read a really cool research book called The Maul and the Pear Tree, which was all about Georgian and Regency Law and prosecution. I also sorta consider all Jane Austen books research because she lived in that era and by reading them, one can glean all kinds of details used to set the scene.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

That’s like asking me to choose a favorite child! The main characters, of course, are endeared to me, but there was a secondary character called Aiden who I liked because he was strong and unselfish.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?

I write the first chapter or two organically and allow the characters time to introduce themselves to me. Then I pick up my favorite character development book called Believable characters, Creating with Enneagrams, by Laurie Schnebly and read through the different character types until I find one that resonates and I say “Ah-ha! That is my hero!” Really. I say that. Then I do a brief interview, to figure out backstory, but a lot of that appears as I go along.
Yes, some times research affects character development. It has happed almost every time. Once, I had one character that I was sure was a Bow Street Runner, but after spending weeks researching Runners, realized that would be a very unlikely and hard to believe profession of him. So now, he’s sort of a vigilante who helps a Bow Street officer at times.

What are some common speech terms, dress modes, transportation or housing facts that you found interesting for your time period?

Okay, this may fall under useless trivia, but I found it interesting that a Regency lady did not wear anything underneath her shift, (which is basically a slip). Pantalettes or pantaloons came later, although the lower classes - and especially prostitutes - wore them. Kinda crazy, huh?

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen are favorites for the era and where I learned to love Regencies. I grew up on Laura Ingalls Wilder which probably contributed to why I love historicals.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

One reader said her friend saw my signature line with my book titles and website info, and forwarded it onto her because she knew she liked Regencies.

What do we have to look forward next?

The Guise of a Gentleman, Book 2 in my “Rogue Hearts” series, of which The Stranger She Married is the first, will be out this fall. Book 3 of Rogue Hearts should be out early next spring.

Thanks, Donna!

To celebrate her book release, Donna is offering a free ebook of Troubled Hearts to one lucky commenter on today's blog. She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...

Buy at: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/troubled-hearts-p-1198.html