Thanks for joining me for Sunday Speed Dates! This week I have Alanna Lucas in the Hot Seat.
Alanna Lucas grew up in Southern California, but always dreamed of distant lands and bygone eras. From an early age she took interest in art, history, and travel, and enjoys incorporating those diversions into her writing. Alanna makes her home in California where she spends her time writing historical romances, dreaming of her next travel destination, and spending time with family.
Welcome Alanna! First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I write historical romance, enjoy traveling (especially to Holland to visit family), and love hanging out with my kids. Oh, and I’m currently obsessed with Pop! Vinyls (they’re just so cute!)
OMG, I love Pop!s! (Pops!…? You know what I mean). My collection is slowly growing.
Tell us a little about your latest project.
Here’s a little snippet:
A beautiful, feisty heiress. A dashing, enigmatic, ex-army captain. They must work together to defeat dark forces threatening Britain’s monarchy. Elizabeth Atwell can break any code—but will she also break Grant Alexander’s heart?
Only a Hero Will Do
I like the sound of that! They sound like such exciting characters. :)
What does your family think of your writing?
My family thinks it’s great and are all so supportive!
This makes me so happy! So many people don’t have that support for their craft.
Who is your favorite author and what draws you to their work?
I don’t have just one favorite, however one of my favorite authors is Johanna Lindsey- I just love her Malory series!
I have to confess as to not having read that series yet. More books to add to my TBR list.
Do you have a personal hero? Who is it and why are they heroic to you?
My mom :) She is amazing! She is supportive and encouraging, intelligent and caring, and just the best!
Thank goodness for Moms. where would we be without them.
When and why did you begin writing?
Since I was little, I’ve always told myself stories- instead of counting sheep, I would tell myself a story ;) However, about eight years ago I decided to write down one of those stories and fell in love with the process.
That’s so awesome. There’s always some connection to childhood. I bet you told your kids the best bedtime stories. :)
Plotter, Pantser or Plotster?
I call myself an organized Pantser. I keep a journal and record my thoughts, but when it comes to actually writing, I write by the seat of my pants ;)
Ah! The best of both worlds. :)
You write in several different genres, is there one you like to write more than the others? Why?
I like each genre for different reasons. My first love will always be historical!
I’m fully convinced that everyone starts romance with historicals. It’s like the gateway drug to romance. :)
How did this collection of stories come into fruition?
is one of nine stories in The Heart of a Hero series, where each author tells the story of a man or woman who is a hero in all senses of the word. Here’s the series blurb:
What if your favorite superheroes had Regency-era doppelgangers? And what if a group of them were recruited by the Duke of Wellington to gather intelligence for him during the Napoleonic Wars while they protected their own parts of the realm?
You’d get The Heart of a Hero series.
I love this idea!
I know your story is based on a Super Hero, how hard was it to turn him into a Regency hero?
Captain Grant Alexander is based on another Captain who was frozen in ice for seventy years. Any guesses??? I loved researching for this book! I had so much fun trying to capture the essence of my superhero, plus I got to watch lots of Marvel movies!
I always knew it would come back to him. lol
What have you learned about writing this book, and also being part of such a unique series of multiple authors?
I learned to bend some rules and think outside the Regency box while staying true to my voice. The other authors in this set have been such fun to collaborate with- you’ll have to read the series to see how we tied our stories together ;)
I’m looking forward to it! As soon as I heard about it I thought it was such a great idea. I can’t wait to tie it all together.
Can you share some of your most recent Lego creations?
I would love to, but I am in the middle of moving and everything is in storage. I can share one of my latest Pop! Vinyls (Doctor Strange is one of my current obsessions too).
Pop! I’m slowly building my collection of them.
You get arrested. What was it for, and who was your partner in crime?
Touching Michelangelo’s David at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence. Have you seen it? Definitely swoon worthy ;) My daughter would probably be my partner in crime–she is my museum buddy.
Oh, yes… definite swoon. Partners in crime are so much fun…they always bring out the “best” in us. ;)
If you were to be on a TV game show, which one would it be on and why?
Price is Right! I used to watch it with my Grammy when I was little :)
I love that show. It’s so lively and so much fun,
What advice would you give to other authors who want to work on a big collaborative project like this?
Communication is key to success and have fun with it!
I bet! I can only imagine the extent of the communication in the process of writing nine associated stories by nine different authors.
What other projects do you have in the works?
My daughter has been begging me to write the sequel to Only a Hero Will Do where we learn what happened to Sir Simon.
Oh, yay! I love sequels (and more!). I love catching up with old characters and learning about new ones.
Want to find out more about Alanna and her books? Be sure to pay her a visit!
Where can we find out more about you and what you write?
Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Amazon Author Page
Thanks again for stopping by!
Only A Hero Will Do is available now on Amazon.
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