Thanks for joining me for Sunday Speed Dates. This week I have Regency author Cora Lee joining me.
A graduate of the University of Michigan with a major in history, Cora is the 2014 winner of the Royal Ascot contest for best unpublished Regency romance. She went on a twelve year expedition through the blackboard jungle as a high school math teacher before publishing Save the Last Dance for Me, the first book in the Maitland Maidens series.
When she’s not walking Rotten Row at the fashionable hour or attending the entertainments of the Season, you might find her participating in Romance Writers of America and Historical Novel Society events, wading through her towering TBR pile, or eagerly awaiting the next Marvel movie release.
Welcome, Cora! I’m so glad you could join me today. :)
First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m an animal rescue enthusiast, former math teacher and musician (though not at the same time), and a big fan of my hometown Detroit Lions and Red Wings (that’s football and hockey for those of you playing at home). I’m also a member of Romance Writers of America and the Historical Novel Society, and a big fan of research (not just for books—I like learning new things in general).
I’m a big fan of learning new things. It keeps me on my toes.
Tell us a little about your latest project.
It’s actually a series with eight other authors called The Heart of a Hero. We wondered what it would be like to write about superheroes you might find in the early-nineteenth century United Kingdom, and we each wrote a Regency romance novel with our version of that character as the hero. I wrote a prequel novelette, too, called No Rest for the Wicked that ties all the books together. A spy for the not-yet-Duke of Wellington gathers together a group of handpicked heroes (our superheroes) to act as a sort of domestic intelligence-gathering ring while Wellington is on the Peninsula fighting Napoleon. One of the heroes happens to be her estranged husband and she hasn’t seen him in five years, which makes fulfilling her assignment a little tricky ;)
Oh, that does sound tricky! I love stories about estranged partners getting back together.
What one event changed your life?
Going off to college was a pretty big event, and not just because I was out on my own for the first time. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up, and I wasn’t sure until the last minute that I’d actually be able to afford higher education.
That must have been very exciting!
Tattoos or no tattoos? If yes, how many, what are they (I won’t ask where!) If not, would you ever consider one? What would it be?
I don’t have any, but I have considered getting one. I just don’t know what to get or where to put it!
I must say…tattoos are a big commitment. Those suckers never come off!
What was your favorite job before writing?
I was a high school math teacher before I started publishing, and I’d have to say that was my favorite. Most days I was exhausted and stressed, but I had a good relationship with most of my students and that kept me going. I have a day job now that I like very much, but it’s not the same as being in a classroom every day.
Teaching is such a rewarding thing to do. I love the look on a student’s face when things click and they get it. Makes me so happy!
Where did your love of books/ storytelling/ reading/writing/etc come from?
Both my grandmothers were big readers, and my parents (who aren’t) always read to my sister and I at bedtime when we were kids. I think that’s where most of my love for books comes from. It was just part of my life from the time I was born :)
Yay for #RaisingReaders!
What inspired you to write your first book?
I read a bunch of romance novels in a row that had way too many cliches, and I wanted to read something different. So I started writing something different :)
A familiar tale. :)
Do you write to music? What kind?
I like quiet when I’m writing. Interestingly enough, though, I sometimes like to outline with music. For outlining, it could be anything. I try to find a theme song, if not for the book then for the hero and heroine, and that helps me get inside their heads. Sometimes it’s something with a quick tempo to help me keep my energy up, sometimes it’s just something for background noise.
I totally understand. Music with words offers too much distraction.
Randomize your playlist. What are the first 5 random songs listed?
- “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane
- “The Hand That Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails
- “1985” by Bowling for Soup
- “The Space Between” by Dave Matthews Band
- “Five O’Clock World” by The Vogues
That is a very random playlist…I love it!
What real-life inspirations did you use within your book?
I stumbled across an interview with Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan when I was outlining The Good, The Bad, And The Scandalous (the novel I wrote for The Heart of a Hero series [you can preorder here]) and their interaction with each other just clicked for Hart and Sarah. Hart is extroverted and impulsive and doesn’t really have anyone to rein him in at the beginning of the story, where Sarah is more of a logical, lets-make-a-plan-before-we-jump-in sort, and you wouldn’t think they’d have anything to do with each other. The chemistry I found in the interview with Robert and Susan…you just knew they belonged together. It was so very clear every time they looked at each other, and I tried to impart that to Sarah and Hart.
Aww. I love it when couples click and truly become partners. It gives me hope…even if they’re fictional. ;)
What is the most fun/unusual thing you learned while writing this book?
When I was writing No Rest for the Wicked I found out the neighborhood called Dublin’s Hell got it’s name from a carved wooden devil statue mounted on an archway near Christ Church Cathedral. The statue was later removed and remade into snuff boxes. For The Good, The Bad, And The Scandalous I learned a lot about phosgene, which was one of the gasses used as a weapon during World War I. It was actually discovered in 1812, and the discoverer noted that it made his eyes water.
That is interesting! I love when authors learn all the little side notes in history and then actually get to use them in a book. It makes reading fun.
What is the most important thing you want people to know about this book?
That this series has something for everyone. We have heroes that are scientists, military men, aristocrats, and spies. Our heroines range from cooks to ladies of the ton, and the heat levels run from sweet to hot. Whatever you like in a Regency romance (or never though you’d see in one), we’ve got you covered.
I’ve heard so many authors talking about their Heart of a Hero books. I can’t wait until they’re all released! It is a nice way to get introduced to new authors.
What’s the last movie that made you cry?
I’m generally not a crier when it comes to movies, but I watched Defiance with Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber a few months ago and cried through most of it.
I’m a sucker for a good movie to cry over, I’ll have to check it out.
What was the first car you drove?
I had a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird that was falling apart when I was in high school. I think the color was called “bone white,” and I’ve never seen another car that shade since!
Ah, the 1980s… fond (and not so fond!) memories of those cars…
Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours.
I can’t sit still when I’m talking on the phone—when I’m at home I walk around and around my living room until the conversation is over :)
That is…interesting for sure.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Reading is good for writers, of course, but so is watching movies and TV. Good storytelling is good storytelling no matter the medium, and you might find that seeing it play out with your eyes (as opposed to imagining it in your head) makes you think about the elements of a story differently. And it’s a good way to procrastinate by binge-watching your favorite Netflix show and calling it research ;)
Yes! Its difficult to write a book, but if you don’t tell a good story, it’s nearly impossible. you are correct that movies and tv shows do teach good storytelling.
What other projects do you have in the works?
Next up with be a Maitland Maidens novella or two, depending on how many I can get written this year, and I’ve got another multi-author series on deck for next year. That one will be a different theme and it’s going to be spectacular, but that’s about all I can say about it right now.
Oh, that’s such a tease! I can’t wait to find out what it is. :)
To find out more about Cora Lee and her books, visit:
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