Author Interview with Angela Hayes

Help me welcome another fabulous Rose from The Wild Rose Press...Angela Hayes! She is celebrating her debut novel published earlier this year, Love’s Battle, and giving us an in-depth look at her heroine, Love.

Please tell us about your current release, Angela.

Hi Chrys, thanks for having me on today. My current release is my debut novel, Love’s Battle. It is a full length fantasy romance featuring the Howard triplets, Faith, Hope, and Love. The first in what I call the True Blue Trilogy, Love’s Battle focuses on Love Howard and her “battle for love”.

Title: Love's Battle

Author: Angela Hayes

Series: True Blue Trilogy

Genre: Romance / Fantasy

Length: 312 pages

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: March 25, 2014

BOOK LINKS:

Amazon / The Wild Rose Press / Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks / Book Strand

1. What inspired you to write this book?

I think there comes a time for every person who is competing in the dating game, when they ask themselves, “Why can’t someone just tell me who I’m supposed to be with?!!!” As if the answer to that would fix all of our single hearted problems and all would be right with the world. But if we had our answer, would we fall in line, or would we continue to search in vain, doing what we pleased? As I continued to think on that, the question began to evolve into, what if you were the matchmaker who knew who we ourselves were supposed to be with, how would that affect our own love life? Would we immediately fall for that person, would they for us? The questions were endless and in attempt to answer them, came the outline for Love’s Battle and eventually the story. 

2. I LOVE the name Love for a character! What books would you compare to Love’s Battle?

Two books that I think compare to Love’s Battle are, Linda Howard’s Lake of Dreams in her compilation Strangers in the Night. And L.J.Smith’s, Soulmate, in her Night World No. 2 compilation.

3. Why did you choose the setting for Love's Battle?

I chose Scotland as the setting to the back story of Love’s Battle, because, come on, in my opinion Scotland, Ireland, and Paris are the epitome of romantic settings especially when it comes to a historical slant. They are places where magic abounds. When we really get to look at Love, I chose to place the modern part of her story in Maryland- Baltimore, Ellicott City, and the Inner Harbor. I grew up in these areas and writing the story there came naturally. I didn’t ever second guess it.

4. Scotland, Ireland, and Paris are three places I wish I can visit. If your book had a soundtrack, give us a list of a few songs that would be on it.

I love this question Chrys, it gives me a chance to help put the readers in my frame of mind and let them see the book a bit through my eyes. Colbie Calliat’s, “I think I’m falling for you” inspired the wedding scene, I just love it. It plays in my mind every time I read it. And Kelly Clarkson’s, “I do not hook up” was on repeat while I was writing Love’s opening scenes. If ever Love’s Battle is made into an at home movie (calling Hallmark!!!) I would be ecstatic if they could add these songs into the soundtrack somewhere.

5. How did you come up with the names for your hero and heroine?

I find all the names for my characters at babynames.com. I like for them to have to have a special meaning that adds to hidden symbolism in the stories. Then I search through an old phone book until I find a last name I like!! My hero is Danton DeAngelo- Danton means everlasting and was perfect. DeAngelo sounded Italian and I have a thing for alliteration. My heroines, Faith, Hope, and Love – their names not only spoke to me on a religious level (see 1 Cor. 13:13) but also on an imaginative one. I can’t imagine one without the other. And Howard came courtesy of the White Pages and made their names sound complete.

6. Babynames.com and the phone book are awesome resources for writers. Which actors would play your hero and heroine in a movie?

Love (and her sisters) and Danton’s characters were inspired by the Olsen twins and David Boreanaz. For other inspirational ideas check out my pinterest page at www.pinterest.com/imahayes

7. I love the Olsen twins. What would we find in your heroine’s purse if we went snooping?

I love this question Chrys. I think if we went snooping in Love’s purse (she carries a red Valentino in the book) we would find her Blackberry- for all important business notes and contacts, a sketch pad outlining ideas for her newest museum scenes, and perhaps a knick knack or two that she’d like to see put on display. Chance are you’d also find a few golf tees, a few random business cards, and a handful of loose notes for her thesis.

8. How old were you when you read your first romance book? What was it?

I don’t remember exactly how old I was- ninth grade or so- when I picked up Nora Robert’s, Montana Sky. Right on the heels of that was Julie Garwood’s, The Wedding and I was sold. Mrs. Garwood enchanted me with by play between Conner and Brenna and of course who could resist Alec and Jamie. I immediately searched for The Bride (Alec and Jamie’s story) and I was hooked.

9. I was around the same age when I picked up my first Danielle Steel book which lead to Nora Roberts. :) Is there a teacher you would like to personally thank for his/her influence?

I don’t know that I’d like to thank her, but I sure would like to ask her a few questions. I can’t remember her name, but when I was a senior, we had an essay due and I received a horrible grade. Totally unheard of. Papers I turned in late hadn’t been counted and couldn’t be found, so points were lost. But above all, the teacher had written on the paper in red ink that she didn’t think I had written the paper. What?!!!

To this day I am unsure if she meant it in a good way or a bad.

On one hand I’d like to think she meant it in a good way. That I had crafted a brilliant article that she would have loved to have given me a better grade had the previous papers been turned in on time and not lost!

Or, on the other hand, did it resemble the first draft of Love’s Battle, filled from beginning to end with enough typos and grammatical errors that make you want to crawl under a rock!!!

I’ve got a nagging feeling it’s the later. But just having that unanswered questions pushed me to write something worth reading and know without a doubt that it was done properly.

AUTHOR BIO:

A married mother of two, I split my time between bringing characters to life by computer, and yarn to life with needle and hook. You can find me at www.authorangelahayes.blogspot.com and follow me on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/imahayes or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/imahayes

Other places you can find me:

http://www.manicreaders.com/AngelaHayes/

www.amazon.com/author/angelahayes

https://www.goodreads.com/author_angelahayes

Thank you for being a guest on Write with Fey, Angela! I really enjoyed your answers. Come back again for your next book!

Please leave Angela some comments and...love. ;)