Welcome to another in our Conversations series. Today we bring you talented historical and paranormal romance author Beth Trissel. Beth is a Golden Heart Finalist for 2008, and her work has been said by various reviewers such as Romancing the Book to be captivating. Having been fortunate to make Beth’s acquaintance and to have reviewed her work (particularly Into The Lion’s Heart we reviewed here in December.) I completely agree. So, I am very pleased to bring you this….
Conversation with Beth Trissel
Hi Beth, tell us a little about yourself, so my readers can get to know you.
BETH TRISSEL: Thanks for having me, Julianne. Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by my children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. In addition to American settings, I also write historical and time travel romances set in the British Isles.
In your writing life, who were your influences?
BETH TRISSEL: Many. My father is a retired college English prof and my mother has taught English, done editing, writing, etc, so I was raised in a family that valued reading and creativity. I read a lot growing up, treasured trips to the library and left with a stack of books rising from my knobby knees to my chin. I’ve written as long as I can remember, kept a journal in elementary school. My favorite author as a child who enormously influenced my life and still does is CS Lewis and his book, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the others in his Chronicles of Narnia. I’m still looking for Narnia.
So am I, but don’t tell anyone. ;)
Can you share with us, what inspired the story of Into the Lion’s Heart?
BETH TRISSEL: My fascination with the past and those who’ve gone before us is the ongoing inspiration behind my work. Most of my historical and light paranormal romances are set in America with the exception of Somewhere My Lass which includes the Scottish Highlands. In my first English historical romance, Into the Lion’s Heart, I more deeply explored my British heritage. Set in 1789 England, the story opens with the hero, Captain Dalton Evans (fought in the American Revolution) journeying to Dover to meet the ship carrying a distant cousin, Mademoiselle Sophia Devereux, who’s fleeing the French Revolution. My research into the explosion across the English Channel made me aware of how many French émigrés fled the country during the initial year of the revolution. Many were aristocrats, including the king’s own brothers. Most all of the nobility who did not flee while they still could were guillotined during the subsequent reign of terror. But I wanted to focus on that first explosive year in this story.
Now that Into the Lion’s Heart is out, what can curious fans expect from you next?
BETH TRISSEL: I recently signed with the Wild Rose Press for the third novel in my colonial frontier series, Kira Daughter of the Moon, the sequel to Native American historical romance novel Through the Fire, which will come out later this year. Historical romance Red Bird’s Song, also with a strong NA theme, is the second novel in this series. In the paranormal realm, I’m at work on the sequel to my suspenseful Scottish Time Travel romance Somewhere My Lass.
So you're very busy! You’ve been known to set your works in various locations and times, US Indian territory to, as in Into the Lion’s Heart, Napoleonic England. If you could’ve lived in, or travel back to any historical place, where might you go?
BETH TRISSEL: Yes, I do jump around quite a lot, but Colonial America is still my favorite. :)
It does seem an intriguing time! :) Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Beth TRISSEL: My stories range from full novels to novellas. Some are straight historical romance while others have time travel, ghosts, or other paranormal twists. As you pointed out, the time periods run the gamut from the early 17th century Scottish Highlands, to Colonial America, with vastly different settings from the wealthy facet of colonial society to the rugged frontier and Shawnee warriors, to the Carolina backcountry during the American Revolution, to late 18th century England and the French Revolution, vintage America in the early 20th century, WW1 and the Hippie Era of 1968, up to modern day...Bound to be something in there to suit you.
Thanks for being with us, Beth! We wish you all the best in your future writing endeavors and look forward to your next offerings. Folks if you’d like to learn more about Beth and all her fine works, see her here:
her Facebook page
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