Where are you from, Colette? A plantation outside of New
Orleans, Louisiana.
Tell us a bit about New Banker in Town. I have recently found the
lovely little town of Sweetwater, Kansas, where I set-up a photography
studio. I was searching for a prosperous
town needing my services and I packed up everything in Chicago and went
west. I was settling in very well when I
found the new banker everyone was expecting was, in fact, a man I thought lost
to me. I had been told he had died on a
battlefield.
What did you think the first time you saw Paul
Weaver? Well,
I was a girl when I first met him. His older brother, Phillip, and Paul rode
over one day. It was a young girl’s
crush that grew to a young woman’s love.
What was your second thought? That he was perfect. For me, that is. But when it came to his brother, Paul
couldn’t see the truth. Phillip
joined the Confederates right away. Paul
thought the war could be prevented if men went to the negotiating table. WhenPhillip
was killed, Paul felt guilty and joined the same regiment. I never saw him again. Later, news came of Paul’s death and I fell apart.
Did you feel it was love at first sight? Yes, for me. I believe it was the same for Paul although
he didn’t love me enough to keep from going to war.
What do you like most about him? He is very steadfast. In his beliefs, in his loyalty, in his love.
How would you describe him? He is intelligent, diligent,
trustworthy. Those qualities saved him
during the war. Now they make him an excellent
businessman.
How would he describe you? I’m sure head-strong would
come in there somewhere. Strong
willed. He had trouble believing in my
loyalty, but he has come around to believing so now.
What made you choose photography as a career? I wanted to capture
history. I took photographs of what the
south was when I left, as I left. Later,
I took photographs of Chicago first growing and then recovering from the Great
Fire. It was another sad time in my
life. One reason for me searching for a
smaller town.
What is your biggest fear? That I won’t be able to
complete my tasks. The reason I came
west with my cameras and equipment.
Everything is changing and I want to capture that. Both the old and the new.
How do you relax? Drinking a little wine and paging through my
photograph albums. Remembering where I
was at the time. How things smelled or
felt while I took them.
Who is your favorite fictional character? I prefer real life
heroines. Mary Todd Lincoln would be my
choice although as a one-time southern slave owner it may seem strange.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? A voodoo priestess told me I
was stronger than I realized and if I were to succeed to look no further than a
mirror for help.
Thank you, Colette. We wish you many good wishes in
your new life with Paul in Sweetwater. Now, we’d like to chat with Susan.
What movies or books have had an impact on your
career as a writer? I read books about Lincoln and began to get a feel for the people
involved. Common people as well as
officers on both sides. I often bring
the War Between the States into my stories because it was a divisive point in
history. Our Now hinges on what happened then.
It could have gone so many other ways, but that is another story.
What event in your private life were you able to
bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I incorporate many things
from my life into my writings. I enjoy
history and historical items so I add them in when I feel it is appropriate. In
this story, it was the newer photography methods rather than the tintype used
during the Civil War.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear
about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? The Wild Rose Press was
suggested because they did both independent publishing as well as regular. They have been wonderful to work with and
sincerely want to help all their authors prosper. A great group with lots of ideas to help a
writer succeed.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Letters and Lies by Colleen L. Donnelly
through Wild Rose Press is newest on my list.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on
the shelves? I have an exciting 2020. A Regency called The Persistent Marquess
is out on July 15th. Forever
Kind of Woman, a story of a woman dedicated to helping others through new
medical procedures will be released this summer as well. To accomplish her
plans, she moves to Forever, Texas to marry a man who has since fallen in love
with another woman. Also, around
September, a Regency Christmas anthology will be released with three short
stories.
To learn more about Susan and the books she creates, go
to:
Website: www.authorsusanpayne.com
e-mail: authorspayne@gmail.com
To purchase the Sweetwater series, go to:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Great interview! Good luck with the book.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on all the books coming out. That's so exciting!
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