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Welcome to New Faces, where we are pleased to spotlight debut authors in the romance genre. This week we welcome Tina St. John, whose historical romance Lord of Vengeance is a June Fawcett release. Tell us about yourself. I am a Michigan native, now living in a suburb of Phoenix, but over the past two years I have lived in more than five states--willingly, mind you! I'll be 33 this summer and come October, I will have been married to my husband and closest confidant for 6 years. We were fast friends and have been nearly inseparable since I was 20 years old. (It's hard for me to believe sometimes because our relationship is still as fresh as it was in the beginning, and it seems I am always learning something new and intriguing about him.) I don't have any formal education beyond high school (well, there was that one year at college, but the only thing I learned was that I had absolutely no clue what I was doing there!). Since then, I have schooled myself in the things I enjoy, and that applies to everything from crocheting to computers, and from writing technical manuals to writing romance novels. I truly believe that nothing is beyond the grasp of a person willing to reach for it. Are you coming to romance writing from another job? I've been writing pretty much full-time since late 1994, when my husband generously encouraged me to follow my heart and become an author (he will tell you that he never had a doubt). Before then, I had worked in various professional and administrative positions, such as technical recruiter, marketer, and later, as executive assistant for the president of a large automotive supplier outside Detroit. My final job was administration manager of the human resources department for that same corporation. Gosh, it all sounds so boring now--no wonder it wasn't very difficult to walk away from corporate life! What led you to write romance? I had always secretly longed to be a writer, but when I finally decided to put myself to the test, I expected I would write a mystery or a supernatural thriller since that was primarily what I read in fiction. However, as I struggled to plot dastardly ideas and characters to match, I noticed that I kept coming back to obviously romantic themes: missions of honor and quests for truth; bold, courageous heroes with wounded hearts that only the love of one woman could mend, and always the triumph of good over evil. It was then that I recalled a book I had come across when I was sixteen--a brash 1980s novel called LOVE'S TENDER FURY by the late Jennifer Wilde. (Perhaps it should have told me something that more than twelve years later I could still recall the title, author, and a good part of the story!) I ferreted out LTF at a used book store and a whole new world opened up for me that day. I discovered historical romance! From there, my imagination took over and the plot for LORD OF VENGEANCE began to take shape. Today I can't think of anything I'd rather be writing--or reading--than life-affirming, feel-good romance! Tell us about your road to publication. Writing LORD OF VENGEANCE was by far the hardest part of my 'journey.' It truly is my learning book, the canvas where I experimented with craft and characterization while trying to tell a compelling, romantic story from start to finish. I quickly found out that writing a book was far more difficult than it looked! Two and a half years and a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears later, I had what I hoped was a saleable manuscript. But I don't think I would have been able to do it at all, had it not been for my husband and wonderful critique partners who kept me going, especially when I wanted nothing more than to give up on the story. I also had the encouragement of other writers (both published and unpublished) whose energy and commitment to their own dreams truly inspired. As far as submissions and contests go, I bombed in the 1996 RWA Golden Heart, but felt thoroughly vindicated when I ended up winning the only two other writing contests I ever entered. The last win was the final boost I needed to begin submitting my work to publishers, and, some four months later, I got a call from Shauna Summers at Ballantine. She said she loved LORD OF VENGEANCE and wanted to buy it and my next book, too! What kind of research was involved for your first book? When I first began plotting LORD OF VENGEANCE, I didn't know much about England, let alone England during the Middle Ages. But it was a great excuse to hang out in the library for several weeks, and, after much reading I not only found my book's perfect time period, but I also discovered a new fascination with knights and damsels and the art of chivalry. From there, I started building my personal reference library on Medieval Europe, which now numbers hundreds of volumes and counting! While I think it's quite possible to recreate the look and feel of a place just by reading about it and seeing pictures, in my writer's heart, I won't be satisfied that I can ever capture England's true essence until I am able to go there myself and breathe the air, touch the crumbling walls of a castle, and traipse over hill and dale with my husband's hand in mine. One of these years, we will set aside a few weeks and do just that. I can't wait! Who are your influences as a writer? I'm a sucker for a good story and characters I can relate to or admire, but when an author can wrap all of that inside an expertly written book, you can bet I'll be the first in line for every title that follows. Here (in no particular order) are just a few of the authors who consistently surprise, delight, and amaze me: Marsha Canham, Penelope Williamson, Susan Carroll, Mary Jo Putney. As for contemporary romance, I like Nora Roberts's single titles, and I have recently started reading Kristin Hannah's ON MYSTIC LAKE and Barbara Freethy's ONE TRUE LOVE. I suspect I'll be adding these two authors to my 'must-read' list as well! My all-time favorite book is GONE WITH THE WIND.
What does your family think of having a romance author in their midst? They are thrilled, and I think, very proud! I've been extremely lucky; no one has ever discouraged me from chasing my dreams, and even before I sold LORD OF VENGEANCE, I had the unflagging support and confidence of friends and family. My mom and dad have both read parts of the manuscript and my younger sister has become not only a new romance fan, but also one of my most trusted critique partners. While Dad is working to get me 'booked' this summer for a signing at my small, hometown library back home in Michigan [g], my husband proudly tells everyone he meets through his line of work that his wife is a historical romance novelist (adding smugly that he is the inspiration for all of my fictional heroes)! Through his promotional efforts--and I use the term lightly--there are now male computer programmers from various parts of the world (India, Guana, Nigeria, and everywhere between Kennebunkport to Amarillo) who are ready and waiting to read their first romance novel! This is a good thing, right?! Tell us about plans for future books. My second book is another medieval, also from Ballantine/Fawcett Gold Medal. LADY OF VALOR is about a strong young widow who, once freed of the stifling bonds of her first marriage, is determined to control her own destiny. Her independence--and, far worse, her heart--is threatened when a bold ex-Crusader returns to England on the king's orders, determined to forge his own destiny...even if it should come at the expense of all she holds dear. LADY OF VALOR is scheduled for release April 2000, but you can get a sneak peek of the first chapter at the back of LORD OF VENGEANCE. How can readers get in touch with you?
I love to hear from readers and other romance enthusiasts! Everyone is
invited to visit my website
Tina, thanks for joining us, and best of luck! Readers, we have a review
of Lord of Vengeance on our Historical page.
May 24, 1999
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