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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Mr. Grier and The Governess?

I began developing the Brazen Beauties trilogy when some of my readers requested historical romance novels with older couples. And since I wanted my three leading ladies to stand out from each other, each needed a different reason for being unmarried when they met their match. With this in mind, I worked on their positions within society first, making one a divorcee, one a spinster, and one a widow. The next step was working out how these three women would come into contact with their future husbands.

In Mr. Grier and The Governess, it made sense for Olivia to seek a position once her father died. With no one to support her, she had no choice but to try and make it on her own. And since I wanted to give her a chance to spread her wings and experience more than she’d ever been able to experience before - to live a little, as it were - I thought up the bucket list for her to follow. The rest of the story developed from there.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Mr. Grier and The Governess, what would they be?

I’m just going to pick one song for the book as a whole: Only You by Yazoo.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre is historical fiction which pairs well with historical romance. Some of my favorite books include The Pillars of The Earth and The Physician.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m currently working my way through C.S. Harris’s St. Cyr series.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The nighttime picnic on the roof. It’s the part where Olivia acknowledges her love for Grayson - what everything else has been leading toward.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I don’t know if this counts, but I don’t just write on my computer. I also write on my phone a lot, mostly in Google docs, then copy and paste everything into Word later.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Perseverance leads to achievement.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Life is fleeting. Make as many wonderful memories as you can.

Sophie Barnes is the author of the new book Mr. Grier and The Governess

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Fallen Comrade?

This is going to sound bizarre, but when hubs and I moved into our home several years ago, there was a bench in the walk-in closet that hid a storage space below it. I started thinking, what’s under that space? Where did it go? And my author brain went: What about an escape hatch to a tunnel?

That was the genesis for the original (now cut) opening scene of Fallen Comrade, how Kiera escapes the exploding suburban Atlanta house! (If folks sign up for my newsletter, I’ll be releasing that cut scene this fall!)

At the same time my brain was playing with the idea of an escape hatch, I also recalled seeing a congressional hearing about a guy who had secured preferential government contracts by claiming he was a disabled vet himself. In fact, he’d sprained his ankle playing football in a West Point prep high school, and never actually served the country. He had exploited a loophole in the system and exaggerated his injury. It was a beautiful thing to watch Senator Duckworth (who herself was a military pilot injured in action – she lost both of her legs when her helicopter was shot down) utterly eviscerate him with just her patriotism and sacrifice standing in stark contrast to his wimpy usery.

That was the genesis for the villain of my series, Beau Lequire, and the Fallen Comrades bogus charity.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, and biography/history.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I just received an ARC of Rachel Grant’s newest romantic suspense “Into the Storm”and I'm finishing up Yasmin Angoe’s thriller "They Come At Knight," sequel to Her Name Is Knight.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I’ll try to explain it without too many spoilers. The hardest and best scene to write occurs late in the book and involves a high angle escape, and then something medical happening while in a moving vehicle shortly afterwards. I’ve never seen anything like this before in any book I’ve read, and for sure took a massive chance in putting something with this high of a stakes in the book.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

As a busy rural physician, my writing days are generally days off or on vacation. But I often have to take care of things during those days off. So before I can write, I generally spend 30-45 minutes clearing my charts or in-basket at work (sending off prescriptions, calling patients on critical test results, prepping for leadership meetings, etc.). Once that work is done, I can usually switch gears to writing!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end.” – Fernando Sabino (I tend to use this when I’m on call a lot…) “All bleeding stops eventually.” (Also work-related!)

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I have two things: 1) Power and corruption will never win over character and solid values. 2) Holy cats, that was a roller coaster of a read. My heart is pounding!

Jillian David is the author of the new book Fallen Comrade

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