Labyrinth of Passions
Pacific Book Review Author Interview: Angelica Rose
Interviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert
Today we have the pleasure of being
with Angelica Rose, author of the romance book Labyrinth of Passions.
PBR: Angelica, thank you so much for taking your time to
be with us.
AR: It is my pleasure, thank you for having me. Discussing my work is one of my favorite
things to do.
PBR: Can you
please tell us what made you get into writing? And how long have you been
writing?
AR: How it all started is still unclear to me. I just know that one day, about 20 years ago,
I had this incredible urge to get in front of my typewriter, yes typewriter,
and copy down what my mind was dictating. Typing and creativeness always came easy to me. I was writing articles for the school paper
and typing over 100 wpm ever since I can remember, so naturally, when this urge
took its toll, I surrendered to it. At
the time, I did not tell anybody what I was doing. Let’s be frank, I married before I even
graduated high school, had twins at 19, and another child at 20, which only
allowed me about two years of college. Who would think that I could write a book without any experience or a
college degree? Well, it took me 20
years and 10 books, to…come out of the closet, so to speak. When I did, I found the support and
encouragement of all my family and friends and wondered why I had waited so
long.
PBR: Many people
enjoy writing, but find it very difficult to get published. For you, was it hard to get published?
AR: It isn’t courage that
you need, for courage is only needed when there is something to fear, and if
you believe in yourself there is nothing to fear. As I said, it took me a good while to realize
that what you need is to believe in what you’re writing. My novel has been
presented with several wonderful reviews, and had I not taken a chance, I would
have never known how well it would be received. Whether you use the traditional way, or a self-publishing company, the
most important thing is perseverance. Seek support from other authors, get your book out to the media, and
onto the Internet, and never give up.
PBR: Is the
romance genre the first and your favorite genre that you have written in, and
what about it makes you write romance novels?
AR> Storytelling can only be effective when you pour
your soul into it. I love to ask my
readers to allow me to take them beyond the walls of their hearts and into the
realm of their dreams. I like assuring
them that romance, adventure and a dose of intrigue are at their fingertips. I love
to ask them to turn the pages and escape on a journey of desire. What other genre offers you the opportunity
to combine so many emotions? So yes,
whether contemporary or historical, with a dash of suspense, the romance genre
definitely is it for me.
PBR: I was
completely enthralled with your characters in Labyrinth of Passions. Did
you fashion Isabel and Lucas after anyone you know?
AR: No, they are absolutely figments of my
imagination. Protagonists make the story
memorable, and I work very hard to create strong vibrant characters that reach
deep within the hearts of my readers. After all, I hold my heroes and heroines
accountable for many things. They have
to hold the readers captured through the story, to imprison their emotions with
ever turning of the page. My characters absolutely must make them sigh with
satisfaction; provoke them, entice them with sensually fought conflict of wits
between them. And finally, and most
importantly, they must engage my readers in the plot so deeply, that they can see
each scene in their mind as if they are watching a film.
PBR: I also love
period pieces, and Labyrinth of Passions
is set in 1858, England. Please tell us
a bit about how much and what kind of research went into the writing of this
particular book?
AR: In writing a period book you have to go through a large
amount of research. But research is one
of my favorite parts of creating a novel, so I don’t mind it at all. The
world of royal niceties in 1858 London is far removed from the 21st century, but
readers have the right to expect the story to be as authentic as possible. They
should expect nothing less than to be mentally transported to that time in
which romance was a way of life. Details
like, the exact opera at the Theatre Royale- I had two of my characters
actually discuss the opera. The correct
form to address nobility depending on the title they hold. Then there is clothing, medicines available
during that time, even area vegetation has to be researched. At the end,
though, all research is well worth it.
PBR: I often like
to ask this question: What is the best
advice you can give to writers of all experience levels?
AR: I would tell them not to wait like I did. If you believe in your work, start out by
having some of your friends read it. That usually gives you the boost of confidence necessary to seek out a
publisher. And then just go for it.
PBR: Tell us a
secret … are the adventures and love story of Lucas and Isabel going to
continue, or is this it?
AR: Funny you should ask that, because many of my
readers have asked me the same question. You generate impeccable characters to fit an equally impeccable
story. Characters that make you laugh,
cry and live their tale. You cherish
them so deeply, that you could swear they are real and then you sadly have to
put them to rest. There are times when these heroes demand an encore. So if
these requests continue, although the book was not written to have a sequel, I
may have to concede and find a way to please my friends.
PBR: Do you have
any other novels you are currently working on? If so, are any soon to be published?
AR: I am presently working on a very engaging
historical romance set in the 1860’s called, “Mistress for Hire”. It is almost done and filled with a high
quantity of passion and suspense. The villain on my story appropriates himself
with young girls from orphanages to prepare them to be rich men’s
mistresses. Mistresses with a twist, though,
for at the end they are not just educated, but also virgins. One of them, Josie, runs away and ends up in
Viscount Edward Blakemore’s estate. But
they are looking for her, and she must hide. How far is she willing to go to stay hidden and how far is he willing to
go to protect her? There are surprises, intrigue and I am very optimistic that
my readers are going to love it as much as I do.
PBR: Thank you
again for sharing your thoughts with us, and we all wish you the best of
success with your book.
AR: You are
most welcome. You know, a writer is
measured by his determination to get his work to his readers, and yield not to
the impediments that lay before him. Never giving up, never surrendering to the pursuit of his dream. A dream that must chase him, day and night,
until he gets his heart, in the form of a book, into the readers hands. I shall never give up. Thank you so much for your wonderful questions.
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