Interview and Giveaway: Tracey Devlyn

Please join me in welcoming Tracey Devlyn to Debbie's Book Bag today. Tracey is here to promote her book, A Lady's Revenge. The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for two copies of Tracey's book, see details at the end of the post.

DEB: Tracey, this is the first time you've been with us here at Debbie's Book Bag. Tell us a little bit about yourself. 
TD:Thanks so much for having me! Really excited to be here.

My writing journey began about six years. I had been an avid romance reader for nearly a decade before I got the bug to write. Once I started, there was no going back. Building a story, seeing it in print, and receiving positive feedback on my work, is one of the most satisfying, humbling things I’ve ever done.

DEB: Tell us about your latest release, A Lady's Revenge. Is this a single title, a part of a series, etc.
TD: A Lady’s Revenge is about a British agent who flees the torturous hands of her French captor only to fall in love with the decoder responsible for her imprisonment. This is the first book in what I refer to as the Nexus series. My contract is for three books, with the possibility of two more. You know the old saying—if they read it, more will come. J

DEB: What made you choose revenge as a subject for your book? Is spying something that has always interested you?
TD: Honestly, the revenge theme and the espionage angle emerged out of necessity. The concept for A Lady’s Revenge began from a single scene of a woman strapped to a blood-encrusted table in a dank cell. From there, I started asking all sorts of questions. Who is she? Why is she there? Who’s holding her? Once I had the answers to those questions, a story emerged and eventually a series idea developed.

DEB: What kind of research did you do for this novel? Were there specific aspects of the book that you needed more information for?
TD: While writing the first draft, I wrote on faith alone. Surely, I thought, there must have been spies two hundred years ago during the long and costly conflict between England and France. As it turned out, I was right, but I knew nothing about the logistics. I did a lot of research for this book and even engaged a professional researcher to help me with a few elusive details like—should my band of spies take direction from the War Office or Foreign Office? The answer might surprise Regency historians. The researcher found an invaluable reference book by Elizabeth Sparrow—Secret Service: British Agents in France, 1792-1815. How perfect is that?
 
DEB: Do you have to have specific things in place to write comfortably? A quiet house, a certain drink etc.
TD: All I need is a quiet room and my computer.

DEB: How did you react when you got the word that your first book would be published? What was your reaction...
TD: Ecstatic, disbelieving, overwhelmed, tearful, proud. When my editor called, I was setting up a banquet room for my work’s annual volunteer appreciation dinner. Three of us were sitting in a circle, blowing up balloons, and tying them off. I still cringe to recall my tearful (and loud!) reaction in front of my employees, but it was so nice to share the moment with them. We hugged and cried together and then I called my husband and critique partner and went through the emotions all over again.

DEB: Do you have advice for new writers?
TD: If you truly love writing and want to be published, never give up. Take writing classes to hone your craft and understand the business side, attend conferences to build relationships and learn more about the publishers and agents, and surround yourself with positive influences. Do not get sucked into the white noise—stay focused on your goal. Believe in yourself and keep pushing forward. Again, never give up.

DEB: What are you working on right now? Or what are your plans for the future as far as writing goes?
TD: Once I get back from the RT Booklovers conference next weekend, I’ll start fleshing out the third book in the series. I’m really excited about working on the new story. If you’d like a sneak peek into the second book, Checkmate, My Lord, please visit the Coming Soon section of my website http://traceydevlyn.com/comingsoon/.

DEB: Do you have a favorite author or genre? What do you read when you have the opportunity?
TD: I really do love all subgenres of romance, but I tend to gravitate towards historical and paranormal. Probably because they take me away from all the goofiness that’s going on around me.

DEB: Tell us one thing about you that readers may not know? 
TD: I’m an amateur naturalist and ride a motorcycle. Okay, that was two.

Thanks again for having me today. I look forward to chatting with everyone!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for two copies of A Lady's Revenge by Tracey Devlyn. 

~ You must be a GFC follower or an E-mail subscriber to participate.
~ US and Canadian addresses only
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST April 30th.

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