Interview with Susan Macatee - Author of 'Erin's Rebel'

I am so pleased to welcome Susan Macatee to my Blog today. Her latest release, Erin's Rebel is released today! Susan writes historical and historical/paranormal romance set during the American Civil War. Her wartime stories of love and adventure were inspired by her years alongside her husband as a Civil War reenactor. She tells me she’d always wanted to write, penning picture books for her friends to read when she was in elementary school. By high school, she’d progressed to writing short stories and fan fiction. But it wasn’t until years later, when her youngest son started kindgergarten, that she decided to take a formal course in writing and her road to publication began. Her first romance novel, Erin’s Rebel, took years to develop and find a publisher for, but now she has a string of books and short stories all being released this year. Welcome, Susan. It's great to see you here and congratulations on your release. Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for fun when not writing?

I live in Philadelphia with my husband and three sons. For fun, I love to read, mostly romance in a variety of genres. I also enjoy camping, Civil War reenacting, am a big baseball fan, following the Philadelphia Phillies, and I love to bake.

That all sounds wonderful, Susan. When did you start writing?

I’ve been dabbling in writing since I was in elementary school, but started writing toward publication when the youngest of my three sons started kindergarten.

Right. I think quite a few authors who are also Mums will relate to that. Everyone has a different way of writing, and it always intrugues me to know what comes first: the plot or the characters?

With me, it’s always the characters who grab my attention first. Once I’ve got those characters in my head, I weave my plot around them.

Yes, I tend to do it that way too. I'm sure the readers are dying to hear all about your latest release, so tell us all about it.

My first romance novel, Erin’s Rebel, is a Civil War time travel. Besides a great romance with a modern day heroine and a hunky Confederate officer, the story also contains a lot of history and plot twists and turns as the story weaves itself back and forth through time.

That sounds like a really gripping story, and very intriguing. Can't wait to read it. So what’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?

Definitely. I used to write by the seat of my pants, but am now a confirmed plotter. I also have grown very organized so I can work on more than one project at a time and, through extensive plotting, have cut down the length of time it takes me to complete a project.

*Sigh* That's great, I do wish I could be more organised! Do you have some kind of support system? Did you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?

For years I wrote in a cocoon, but just about the time I started to get serious about writing, I joined Romance Writers of America. Through that organization, I joined the Hearts Through History chapter and learned a lot about romance writing through the main loop and workshops. Also met lots of great writing friends, and formed a group who call ourselves The Scandalous Victorians. These women writers are now my main support and critique group. We’ve also formed a group blog called, Slip Into Something Victorian.

http://www.slipintosomethingvictorian.wordpress.com/

I just love that title! OK I think it's time we had a teaser from 'Erin's Rebel' :

Erin’s Rebel blurb:

Philadelphia newspaper reporter, Erin Branigan, is engaged to marry an up-and-coming lawyer, but dreams of a man from the past change those plans and start her on a journey beyond time. After a car accident, Erin wakes to find herself living in the 1860s in a Confederate army camp.

Captain Will Montgomery, the man of her dreams, is now a flesh and blood Rebel soldier who sets her soul aflame. But the Irish beauty holds a secret he needs to unravel before he can place his trust in her.

Can she correct a mistake made long ago that caused his death and denied her the love she was meant to have? Or is she doomed to live out her life with nothing but regret?

Excerpt:

The sound of her name on his lips made her skin tingle. She tore the paper off the package. At the sight of the brooch, her breath caught.

“Do you like it?” he asked anxiously. “I had it made just for you.”

Eyeing him, she had a hard time finding her voice. This was Erin O’Connell’s brooch, the very one that had sent her back in time. It shone in her hands, new and unworn from time and wear. What did this mean? She must be following Erin O’Connell’s footsteps. As far as she knew her being her hadn’t changed anything. Will was still destined to die this year.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Erin. If you don’t want the brooch—”

“No.” She clasped the pin against her chest as the meaning of his gift sank in. “It just means so much to me.”

His look of concern softened into a lopsided grin. “I’m happy you feel that way.”

“Thank you, Will.” She slipped the brooch into the pocket of her wrapper, then stood on her toes, lifting her arms to circle his neck. She kissed his cheek, inhaling his musky scent. His mouth was on hers, hot and urgent. The softness of his moustache and chin beard tickled her lips. She opened to him, her tongue slipping inside to taste him thoroughly. He groaned, pressing the length of his body against her.

Erin’s Rebel is available at The Wild Rose Press. www.thewildrosepress.com

Oh that's such a sensual excerpt, Susan, and so touching. Where can we find out more about this book and those in the pipeline?

To learn more about Erin’s Rebel and my upcoming releases, visit my website: www.susanmacatee.com

Thank you so much Susan. It's been great finding out more about you and 'Erin's Rebel'. It sounds a fantastic book, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. I wish you many, many sales, and I'm sure it'll be a great success.