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Welcome to our New Faces column, where we are delighted to introduce debut romance authors. This time we're visiting with Michelle Styles, whose first historical romance is Gladiator's Honor, from Harlequin Historical. Let's meet her. Michelle, welcome to TRR! Tell us about yourself. Although I now live a few miles from Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, UK, I was born and raised in California. I went to Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota, and the winter of 1984 was exceptionally cold. I made the decision then to spend my junior abroad at Lancaster University in the UK which is where I met my husband. After a long distance relationship that included many phone calls, a few trips across the Atlantic, and many, many letters, we married and in 1988, I exchanged the foggy San Francisco Bay Area for the somewhat clearer North East of England. Are you coming to romance writing from another job? My other job is being a full time mother to my three children. We have a rather large garden, two cats, two dogs, hens, ducks and two beehives. The position involves a lot of delicate managing as well as plain hard work! And I am involved in charity work, principally as the Vice Chairman of my youngest child's school's Board of Governors. Writing allows me to remain at home. What led you to write romance? My first love has always been the romance genre. And ever since I was in my teens, I knew I wanted to write. I always said – some day when I havve enough time, I am going to write a novel. In 2002, I fell ill with gall stones and ended up in hospital. Never ever ignore going yellow, even if there is a huge school fund raiser that you spent months planning, it is not a good sign. There, I was forced to re-examine my priorities and decided that the mythical "some day" had arrived. But what to write? As I lay pondering, the woman in the bed next to me got up and came back triumphantly from the small hospital library with a Penny Jordan. You can't wrong reading one of these, she said. And that decided me – I wanted to write stories thaat people could read and feel when they finished the book that the world was a better place. Tell us about your road to publication. I submitted my first effort - a contemporary aimed at Harlequin Mills and Boon's Tender (Romance ) line in October 2002. The partial was rejected with a form within a week, but I had finished a manuscript and became determined that they would not find it as easy to reject me next time. I submitted another in December 2002, and this time, the full manuscript was requested. Eventually this was rejected but I had found an editor who was willing to work with me. I have always adored historical romance, but figured I had to learn first how to write a romance before I went on to writing historicals. In March 2003, I heard that Harlequin Mills and Boon Historicals were looking to open up their offerings and wanted to include ancient civilisations. I had always felt that if it was done properly, ancient Rome would be a fantastic setting for a romance. The few I had read as a teenager somehow missed. I was determined to try, particularly after Helen French, the editor I was working with told me she thought I would be great. So I started writing a Roman-British set one and entered it in the Romance Novelists Association New Writers Scheme. The report that came back was that I was publishable, but they were very sorry Mills and Boon had never published such a period and if they did, they would use an established writer. Had I thought of writing crime? Because I was in contact with Helen, I asked her and the email came winging back – M&B were most definitely lookiing for romances set in Rome. I decided that that one had perhaps too much suspense, and I would write one set in Rome with a gladiator hero. Helen checked with the other editors – all off whom said – it could be really good. Lots of my writing friends said – be careful, maybe you are being over optimistic here, and maybe she is wrong. Agents whom I submitted to said – in my gut, I must say that this will never sell as there is no market for romances set in the time period. But I persisted, submitted the requested full in June 2004 and one of Helen's last acts as an editor was to hand carry the manuscript to the senior editor. Then my long wait began. Finally in May 2005, I received an email from Linda Fildew, the senior editor requesting revisions. I did them and on 10 June 2005, I received The Call. Harlequin Mills and Boon loved the story and wanted to publish it – their first Rome set historical. And I was so glad that I had listened to my heart and to the editors, rather than to well-meaning friends and professionals who were supposed to know the market. What kind of research was involved for your first book? Luckily I had taken a history course at college about Rome and so had the basics. I did a lot of reading about the period as well as visiting various historical sites. Vindolanda where the largest quantity of private Roman writing was discovered is about a mile away. For my 40th birthday, my husband took me to Rome and I spent several happy days visiting as many sites as I could, soaking up the atmosphere. One of the most illuminating places I visited was the top floor of the Termine Museum where they keep Roman frescoes and mosaics. It gave me a real insight into Roman interior decoration. I was surprised to discover that even 2,000 years ago, people were using paint effects to make things look more expensive. I also tried a variety of Roman recipes and learnt to spin with a drop spindle as it was the common occupation for women. Spinning can be very relaxing, and is something I turn to now when I am stuck with my writing. Tell us about your debut book. The back cover copy that Linda Fildew wrote for the book says it all really. SOLD INTO SLAVERY! A hardened survivor of more than a dozen gladiatorial combats, Gaius Gracchus Valens's raw masculinity fuels many women's sexual fantasies. He is a man outside polite society, and Roman noblewoman Julia Antonia knows she should have nothing to do with a man who is little more than a slave. But, with a wisp of scandal clinging to her stola, she is drawn inexorably towards the forbidden danger Valens represents. Julia is a tantalising reminder of the life he had torn from him. To claim her, Valens must fight one final time - and win! Who are your influences as a writer? I read all the time and have done so from a very early age. The first romance writers I really read were Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Later I adored LaVryle Spencer, Catherine Coulter and Johanna Lindsey. Rosemary Sutcliffe's books about Hadrian's Wall first gave me insight into the period. I am also very fond of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. What does your family think of having a published romance author in their midst? They are very proud, even my mother who used to tell me that I was wasting my time reading all that romance! Tell us about plans for future books. I have three other Roman set book in production with Harlequin Mills and Boon. – A Noble Captive (UK Jan 07), Sold and Seduced (UK April 07), and The Roman's Virgin Mistress (UK July 07). The North American dates are still to be determined, but I understand they will be published in the second half of 2007, possibly with The Roman's Virgin Mistress first as the senior editor likes the cover. Later this week, I am sending in my first Viking set romance and am contracted for a Victorian Christmas novel whose deadline is December 20 2006. How can readers get in touch with you? I welcome all reader feedback. It is a gift and I always respond. I can be contacted either through my website http://www.michellestyles.co.uk/or through my blog http://www.michellestyles.blogspot.com/or readers can write to me care of Mills and Boon. I will be setting up an email newsletter in time for the release of my next book as several readers have asked me to do so. I hope to include recipes, as well as having contests and sneak previews. Michelle, thank you for joining us, and best of luck! Readers, we have a
review of The Gladiator's Honor on our Historical page.
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