Author Interview with Belle Ami

Did you always know you wanted to be an author? What is the first story you remember writing? How did you get from there to where you are today? 

Thanks for the interview; it’s always nice to establish a bond with readers, so hello, lovelies. My first book in the Lost in Time series is London Time, and I’m very excited to share it with you. In answer to your question, I always wrote, but it was movies that informed my passions. I wanted to be an actress, and I studied acting, including studying

with Lee Strasburg. I wrote screenplays for a time and came very close to selling a television series, but in the end, I married, raised my children, and put my creativity on hold. Twelve years ago, I wrote my first book and was a finalist for a national book award. It’s been an incredible journey and an amazing learning experience. The first story I remember writing was in first grade, and my teacher called my mother and told her I was a born storyteller.

Now, how prescient was that?

What drew you to the era you write in? Is there something about the time period you think most people don’t know about? What do you think would be the most difficult part about living in that period?

Writing historical romance is new to me. I write in multiple genres, including thrillers, historical fiction, romantic suspense, and time travel. I have an art history background and an abiding love for the Renaissance. This series is set at the end of the Victorian period and the beginning of the Edwardian period. I’ve traveled the world and visited many of the places I write about, but not all of them. I’m a research freak and love discovering tidbits about the past. I’m also a nerd regarding the authenticity of what I write, and I love to mix in real people, places, and events that have taken place. I think the Victorian Era was a very sexy period in contrast to what most people think. It is really the time when the emancipation of women began, which is something I explore in London Time. Because my heroine is born in the modern era and time travels back to 1892 London, she finds herself in the midst of change and upheaval. The old is about to give way to the new, and she, being a liberated woman, cannot help but be involved. Naturally, Emily Christie misses all modern conveniences such as cell phones and Google, but the most challenging thing she will have to overcome is the diminished status of women. But what she discovers in the past will make up for the deprivations.

Do you know where the story is going before you begin, or does it come to you as you write? Do scenes come to you fully formed or are you as surprised as the reader?

In my writing process, this is ever-changing. In this series, I started out with a premise, three modern women, think Sex in the City, who, because of their love for a time travel novel and the artist who inspired it, end up being ripped away from the present to Victorian London, Paris, and in the last book Tuscany, to solve a mystery. The next step for me is defining my heroine and hero, who are they, what is it they want, and what stands in their way. Then I write out plot points, which tend to turn into chapters. I delve in and begin writing, but the truth is the characters often take me to unexpected places, and things happen that they want to happen. My research informs many of the chapters as I incorporate historical facts into historical fiction. I am constantly editing as I write, so the story changes as new ideas occur to me. I try not to follow tropes, but it’s hard to be original, and romance readers, regardless of the genre, have specific yearnings that must be met. Ultimately, I hope I’ve written an intriguing story with memorable characters.

What do you like to read when you’re not reading in your genre? Did you have a favorite book or series when you were growing up?

I am an avid reader and have always been. I read in multiple genres and am open to reading all types of fiction and some non-fiction. I’m drawn to history, so I read a lot of historical fiction, including historical romance. I have been reading quite a few of the books of my fellow authors published by Dragonblade Publishing and enjoying them immensely. I love thrillers and mysteries, especially international espionage. Literary fiction can always be found in my TBR pile. I read biographies, especially about artists and famous historical figures from the past. I can’t resist romantic time-travel novels, as my Kindle can testify. I think you get the picture; I’m never without a book, and I review the books I read on multiple social media platforms, including BookBub, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I am inspired by other authors and feel privileged to read their books. Growing up I was just as eclectic in my reading. What I was more apt to do was binge read certain authors rather than series. I did that with Ernest Hemingway, Daphne de Maurier, Leon Uris, Ian Fleming, Harold Robbins, James Michener, and so many other authors. I was mad about the book Désirée by Annemarie Selinko, the story of Napoleon’s first love, which was made into a movie starring Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons.