Interview with Eva Scott

We are having a give away going on for March. What item are you giving away? (Anyone can win the item by going to the rafflecopter on the right hand side of the pg.) 

A Barbarian Bride ebook.

First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m your typical late bloomer! While I’ve written in one form or another forever I didn’t come to novel writing seriously until I got pregnant at 43. While on maternity leave I thought ‘It’s now or never’. And the rest is history…

  Newest release?

  Barbarian Bride – the second book in my Romancing the Romans series (Harlequin Escape).

What can we expect from your stories, action, drama, romance,sex, blood and guts?

 All of the above!  My heroines are feisty and independent, my heroes are hunky and everyone gets into a fight or two.

Do you have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?

 The heroine from Barbarian Bride started as a minor character in my first book, The Last Gladiatrix.  Klara was so fierce and vibrant.  I loved her.  So did my editor who asked me to tell Klara’s story and so Barbarian Bride was born.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

 Tough question. Claudia is a character who appears in both books and is a scheming, nasty piece of work.  She’s completely a-moral and just a little bit mad.  Her lack of compassion and complete selfishness make her completely unappealing.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

 The really super fun thing about researching Ancient Rome is the uncanny similarity between their world and hours.  They had apartment buildings, crude watches, expensive household insurance bills… it’s the odd things that resonate and remind me that time, distance, culture might separate us all but on some fundamental level the human experience remains the same.

Has there been any other authors who have inspired your work or helped you out with your stories?

Tea Cooper has been a tremendous help as my critique partner.  She has a lovely story set in Ancient Greece.  She keeps me honest.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

  Leave a review on Amazon would be lovely!

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

  Practice and persistence.  I found some advice I got from a publisher in their rejection letter to be the best I’ve ever received.  I went and made the changes and ended up with a publishing contract (from someone else I hasten to add).  Taking critique can be hard but often it will make your work stronger.

Do you have a favorite author? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?

I have several.  Isabelle Allende was a huge influence growing up.  And there’s not a year that goes by when I don’t revisit Jane Austen. 

I think a well-crafted character will earn my loyalty even if the plot line doesn’t live up to expectations.

Can you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable?

  A poem about a carrot.  I was five years old and it ended up in the school annual.  Never underestimate the power of the carrot.

Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your work

News articles online or in the newspaper.  I’ll read a story and wonder what led the people to this point and what might have been different.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies, pets or stories you would like to share?

I love paddle boarding and yoga.  I haven’t reached the point where I’ve combined the activities but it’s a complete possibility.

Favorite places to travel or visit?

 Adore Italy and Hawaii.  Hawaii especially keeps drawing me back.  Cinnamon’s in Kailua make the best breakfasts in the whole entire world – if not the Universe.

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:( Include links to were we can find your work)

Excerpt –

Settling back, Klara surveyed the room for the candidate most likely to know Lucius Aurelius.  With so many unwashed, bearded rascals to choose from it was hard to pick.  Finally her gaze alighted on a burly old man whose eyes reminded her of Lucius.  Abandoning the revolting beer she made her way cautiously to where the man sat alone.  He was intent on a dish of stew and didn’t notice her approach.  Klara stood before him, awkward in her uncertainty of what to do next. 

She cleared her throat.  The man shovelled another spoonful of stew in his mouth and did not look up.  She tried again, a little louder this time, and still the man ignored her.  Sliding her knife from its sheath Klara slammed the point down into the table where it quivered menacingly.  The spoon stopped half way to the old man’s mouth.  He looked up under busy eyebrows and regarded her for a long moment before the spoon continued its journey.  Chewing slowly he simply sat and looked at her.

Klara put her hands on her hips.  Now she had the man’s attention starting a conversation about Lucius seemed even harder than she thought it would be.  The man lowered his gaze, scooping up another spoonful of stew, and she found herself dismissed.

“Hey!” she slammed both her hand down on the table.  “I want to talk to you.”

“So talk.” The fact he didn’t bother to look up infuriated Klara.  The man has no manners— and they call Hun barbarians.

“I’m looking for a man.”

He looked up then.  “Really?”  Pushing the bowl away he leaned back in his chair, letting his eyes roam over the curves of her body.  “I’d be happy to oblige.”

Klara swept the empty bowl off the table with the back of her hand.  It clattered on the floor and rolled under the table.  Her chest heaved with suppressed anger.

“Might I suggest you would do better with men if you tempered your aggression?  So unattractive in a woman.” 

Klara wrenched the knife out of the table and held it towards the man.  “Do you know a man named Lucius Aurelius?” she hissed.

The old man’s bushy eyebrows shot up and disappeared into his hairline.  “Lucius?  How on earth do you know Lucius?”  He narrowed his blue eyes and leaned forward, his hand shot out grabbing her wrist.  “Who are you?”

She tried to reclaim her hand but the man was too strong.  Cleverly he’d grabbed her hand holding the knife so there was very little point struggling.  She raised her chin and said, “I am Klara...”

“The Hun,” the man finished softly.  He let her go and settled back.  “I’ve heard about you.  Sit down.  You’re in luck.”

Buy Link –

Harlequin Escape - http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/products/tag/historical

iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/barbarian-bride/id792980443?mt=11

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Barbarian-Bride-Eva-Scott-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390350552&sr=8-2&keywords=barbarian+bride

Amazon Australia - http://www.amazon.com.au/Barbarian-Bride-Eva-Scott-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390350669&sr=8-2&keywords=barbarian+bride

Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbarian-Bride-Eva-Scott-ebook/dp/B00HQ5ZEHG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390350630&sr=8-2&keywords=barbarian+bride

Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/barbarian-bride

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Eva_Scott_Barbarian_Bride?id=91eDAgAAQBAJ&hl=en

All Romance eBooks - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

JB Hifi - https://books.jbhifi.com.au/Book/413823

Ebooks.com - http://www.ebooks.com/1596319/barbarian-bride/scott-eva/

 Thank you for visiting today.   We wish you much success.

Julie Ramsey,

ADM, JBR