In the skies over France during the Great War, the life expectancy of a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps is measured in days. Captain Elliot "Ash" Bainbridge is certain he'll be the next pilot sent spinning to earth in a ball of fire. Not because the Germans will shoot him down, but because God will punish him for daring to love another man.
When Ash met Lieutenant Harry March, their
attraction was instant. But Harry hates Ash's fatalistic attitude. He believes
in capturing the moment. Can Ash set aside his fear of death and take a chance
on love? Or should he try to keep his heart safe from hurt forever?
Wild Women authors is pleased to welcome a new author to the crowd, Kathy
Otten as she celebrates the recent release of Heart of Ash, a novella from
the Vintage Rose line out of the Wild Rose Press. With Kathy is Captain Ash
Bainbridge. As per usual, he will go first.
What
did you think the first time you saw _Lt. Harry March His was the face missing from my fantasies.
What was
your second thought? He projects an air of confidence I’ll never
have.
Did
you feel it was love at first sight? Not
so much love, but a sense of what I’d been looking for.
What
do you like most about Harry? His
eyes and a whiff of sandalwood when he was close by.
How
would you describe him? A bit taller,
brown hair, hazel eyes that look brown in the shade and green in the sun.
How
would Harry describe you? I don’t
know. He does appreciate my skill as a
pilot, but not what my tendency to see life as half full or empty.
What
made you choose becoming a pilot in the
Royal Flying Corps? My father forced
me to enlist and bribed the recruiter.
What
is your biggest fear? Dying in a ball
of fire.
How
do you relax? Sit or pull weeds in
the garden.
Who
is your favorite fictional character?
Don’t read fiction. Poetry or Biography and books on plants or how to do
things.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? God knew who I was before I was born. He created me,
so I need to learn to love who I am.
Ash
and Kathy brought an excerpt from Heart of Ash for us:
The tip
of the cigarette glowed red as March inhaled. Then he stepped back as he blew
out a stream of smoke, the odor overpowering that last trace of the sandalwood
Elliot loved.
He tipped the shrinking match into the bowl of his pipe, drawing the mellow, smoky flavors into the back of his throat. He raised his chin to squarely meet March’s intense gaze.
The hazel color wasn’t discernible in this light, but in the sun his eyes sparkled with green then softened with brown in the shade. Sharp pain seared Elliot’s fingers. His arm jerked back, and he gave his hand a quick shake, extinguishing the tiny flame. He tossed down the match, and with the toe of his boot, twisted the lucifer deep into the ground.
“Was it the fire?” Though March spoke in little more than a whisper, the intensity of his words carried in the damp air. “That why you froze? Bloody hell, two Albatross dropped from the clouds right on your tail. If I hadn’t been there—”
Elliot focused on the scuffed toe of his boot as he continued to twist his foot back and forth against the match. “I apologize.” He straightened, drew deep on his pipe, and slowly exhaled through his nose. “Rude of me not to say thank you.”
March brought his cigarette to his lips. A moment later he exhaled. “And are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Thankful.”
Elliot took a few steps forward, away from his machine. He turned.
March hadn’t moved. He flicked his cigarette. “Because I don’t think you are.”
Captain, thank you for taking time out of your day to spend time with us. Now we’d like to speak with your creator, Kathy Otten.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Nothing specific. For authors, Louis L’Amour, his attention to research and sense of place. Elmore Leonard, for is ordinary, somewhat flawed characters, and his fantastic dialogue.
What
event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you
feel it impacted the novel? My
brother was gay and struggled with the same issue as Elliot.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? I am
a member of Pennwriters Inc, and many years ago when The Wild Rose Press was a
brand new publisher, I’d seen mentioned in the PW newsletter that they were
looking for submissions. I sent off a short story back in 2005 and I’ve been
one of their authors ever since.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Allen Eckhart’s book Bloody Hotel about H.H. Holmes, one of America’s earliest
serial killers.
Lastly, what's up next and
when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Working on another historical romance novel. The rough
draft is done and I’m halfway through the first draft which I hope to finish by
August. Then another year or so to go through submission and publishing
process, so… Hopefully sooner rather than later.
To learn more about Kathy
Otten and the stories she’s created, go to:
www.facebook.com/kathyottenauthor
To purchase Heart of Ash, go to:
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Ash-Kathy-Otten-ebook/dp/B08P7VW9TM
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