Welcome Ellora's Cave author, Jean Hart Stewart!

So nice to meet you, Jean! I don't think we've spoken before. I love the sound of your new series...8 books, that's quite a feat. I haven't known a publisher take on a series that long before so I am really, really impressed and happy for you! Let's get on with the questions...


 1)       What is your writing routine?

A. I get the idea at once, usually, and sometimes write down the first chapter in a rush. Then I stop, gives the characters some description and depth, write a very sketchy outline, and do the research on the time period. Then I can write the book. I actually do e-mail in the morning, write in the afternoon and evening. Shopping gets stuck in whenever I can.

2)       Which author/s inspire you to write?

A. Mary Balogh, Marian Zimmer Bradley, Jane Austen, and a host of modern authors. These are from when I first started. Now there are too many to list.

3)       Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

A. Can’t really answer this question. I like so many, and have just started to write erotica so am reading a lot of that. I’ll even read the print on the cereal box. I really read every spare moment.

4)       How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

A. Not well, I’m afraid. How dare somebody not like my book? Luckily, I’ve only received one really negative review, and managed to cool off enough to thank her for the valuable criticism. Didn’t really mean it, but at least felt like a good sport.

5)       What do you expect from an editor?

      A. Tough criticism but fair. If we sometimes disagree, a willingness to talk it out with me. I’ve been blessed by truly excellent editors. Ellora’s Cave goes through two rounds of back and forth edits, plus the final edits. This last one is short since everything’s been decided by then.

6) Tell me about your latest release.

A. Love to! Fiery Pursuit is the first in a planned series of eight books about sexy, honorable devastatingly handsome elves with pointed ears.

In Fiery, Lars rescues Sophie from a harem in Constantinople and brings her to his home in England. One if his family’s attributes is they fall in love at once and forever, and Sophie doesn’t believe she’s worthy. Besides, Sophie is pursued by the ruthless murderer of her father, but she’s determined to kill him first.

Lars and Sophie have really hard paths to follow to happiness.

7. Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt.

 A. Glad to. This is not from the erotica sections, so anyone can enjoy it. 

“Lars had seldom felt so wordless. He’d lived his years in pleasure and with pain. More pleasure than pain certainly, as his elfin abilities gave him immeasurable advantage in most situations. But always with honor. And now, to be offered the one thing he wanted the most, masked in a reasoning he could not quite dismiss.

As he hesitated he looked at her. He noticed the distress in Sophie’s eyes as tears filled them, but she didn’t waver. She looked lost as a child in a dark forest, and well she might. Her life as she knew it had been ripped away. She’d suffered for weeks at the hands of uncaring brutes.

She needed the cherishing he’d longed to give her. And the life-long protection he’d commit to at the same time. He’d not tell her yet of his sudden and complete certainty they were each other’s destiny. But he realized it to the depths of his soul, and he’d go to her with that conviction.

He moved quickly, wrapping her in his arms. He’d give her what she wanted, and gladly, and he’d not tell her yet that in doing so he was committing himself for whatever length of life remained to him. He’d pleasure her—oh, how he’d pleasure her–even though she wouldn’t know he was giving her his total love and his soul.

Elves loved only once, and deeply. He’d almost decided he’d never find the one girl for him.”

8) Which is your favorite character in the book?  Why?

A. You mean I have to pick between my babies? I really can’t. Lars is so incredibly sexy and honorable, but Sophie faces the world with such bravery. Nope, I refuse to pick.

9) What are you working on right now?

 A. Fiery Pursuit is the first book in a planned eight book series called Passionate Pursuits.  Lars is eventually the grandfather of the clan. Stormy Pursuit, the second book, is now being edited. Dark Pursuit, the third, is finished and my beta editors are giving me last criticisms. It will go off to my editor in a few days. I’m about 60 pages into Reluctant Pursuit, the fourth book.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

A. This one is easy to answer.  Advice I got from Mary Balogh years ago at a lecture. I asked her what to do when you hit the saggy middle of the book and had no idea where to go with the plot. She said, “Make it worse.”  Best advice I ever had.

11) Where can readers find you?

A. I’ve just revamped my website and would love to have you visit. www.jeanhartstewart.com  I’m at Facebook, Twitter, My Space and blog regularly at www.romancebooksrus.blogspot.com  and www.Sweetn’SexyDivas.com  I love to hear from readers, so do write me with any questions you might have.

FIERY PURSUIT

By

Jean Hart Stewart

Blurb:

When Lars uses his Elfin power to rescue Sophie from a slave market in Constantinople he knows instantly she is meant to be his mate. But the murderer of Sophie’s father still pursues her, and Lars must all his strength to try to save her. And convince Sophie he is what she wants.

The villain who sold her into slavery reappears and Lars needs all his Elfin strength. When his power mysteriously weakens, can Lars get it back? And will it be enough to save them both?

Excerpt

Lars had seldom felt so wordless. He’d lived his years in pleasure and with pain. More pleasure than pain certainly, as his elfin abilities gave him immeasurable advantage in most situations. But always with honor. And now, to be offered the one thing he wanted the most, masked in a reasoning he could not quite dismiss.

As he hesitated he looked at her. He noticed the distress in Sophie’s eyes as tears filled them, but she didn’t waver. She looked lost as a child in a dark forest, and well she might. Her life as she knew it had been ripped away. She’d suffered for weeks at the hands of uncaring brutes.

She needed the cherishing he’d longed to give her. And the life-long protection he’d commit to at the same time. He’d not tell her yet of his sudden and complete certainty they were each other’s destiny. But he realized it to the depths of his soul, and he’d go to her with that conviction.

He moved quickly, wrapping her in his arms. He’d give her what she wanted, and gladly, and he’d not tell her yet that in doing so he was committing himself for whatever length of life remained to him. He’d pleasure her—oh, how he’d pleasure her–even though she wouldn’t know he was giving her his total love and his soul.

Elves loved only once, and deeply. He’d almost decided he’d never find the one girl for him.

Author Information


Love living in California, even though I’m a transplant. Love writing and all it entails, crazy characters demanding to be let loose on the page, long hours of research, every bit of it. I raised two children and spent about twenty years in real estate before I summoned the courage to quit and do what I always wanted to do  

At every stop, Jean will give one commenter her choice of a book from her backlist which can be found at www.JeanHartStewart.com At the end of the tour, one random commenter, as well as the host with the most comments (not counting their own or Jean's) will win their pick of Jean's books in print, plus a Fiery Pursuits t-shirt.)


Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/vbt-fiery-pursuits-by-jean-hart-stewart.html.