Pirate's Ransom--Author Gerri Brousseau

Thank you so much, Marian for hosting me here today. I’m delighted to meet your visitors.

Gerri, I'm so Glad you're here today also. I read and loved Pirate's Ransom

    1.)    Gerri, I like Catherine’s strength and how she overcomes events out of her control. Was there any one person you modeled her after (literary or real)?

Any resemblance to anyone I may know is pure coincidence. I think some of me is in her, but perhaps I flatter myself in thinking that. She does things I would do in her situation.

    2.)    Why would a gentlemen turn to piracy for a living? Or is Edmund being a gentleman misleading? J

 Ahh ... I guess your blog visitors will just have to read the book to find out what’s really behind that deliciously handsome

scoundrel, Pirate Captain Edmund Drake.

3.)    As an author now that you’ve completed, sold and published your book, do you let the characters go? Or do they still live within you?

                I think they will live within me, at least for a while. A fan recently asked me if I was planning on writing a sequel ... so you never know.

4.)    How did you pick your genre, historical romance?

                History has always interested me and I love doing the research. I think about different times in our history which in and of themselves were not romantic, but became romantic because of the struggles of those living through them; times such as the Civil War, The French Revolution, and of course, the times when pirates sailed the seven seas. I like to think about the people who survived these difficult times and it is their stories I yearn to tell.

5.)    Was there much research required to understand the period and the speech patterns?

 

Most of my research was about ships of the time, pirates, Blackbeard, his hideouts and his life and death. I also had to do some research about different things I mention in the book and, of course, the royals in power in London at the time. As for the period speech patterns, they sort of flowed, but I had to be very careful not to over-do it with the pirate speak. I know authors are not encouraged to write in dialect, but my editor encouraged it and thought it was fine.

 

6.)    I don’t want to ask pointed questions that will give your plot away, so I’ll stick with the characters. Why Blackbeard?

 

I had actually been to Blackbeard’s castle so I could describe it. That remained in the back of my mind and as I thought about the plot of my book I wanted to be able to use what I knew. When I researched him I found Blackbeard was fierce to look upon and the more I found out, the more I knew he would be the perfect notorious enemy.

 

7.)    Are you working on you next novel and is it also a historical romance?

Yes, right now I’m doing some character sketching and loose outline for a new work in progress, but I do have a second novel being released in November. According to Legend is a time travel romance, so I guess the answer would be, yes. I have not tried to write anything contemporary, and I don’t think I would find it interesting.

Gerri, I’m sure my visitors would love a sneak preview into A Pirate’s Ransom.

 

Excerpt:

Every man upon the deck froze, then looked in their Captain’s direction. The Captain turned back to face me, although with the sun in my eyes, I still could not make out his features.

“A request, Milady?” he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yes, if you please, Sir, kindly permit me to have my maid, Mary, accompany me, for propriety’s sake,” I said in a strong clear voice, resounding with a courage I certainly didn’t feel.

He laughed and said, “Are there any others among you who wish to accompany the Countess?”

Silence filled the air, and I chanced a glance at my father, who cast his eyes downward and said not a word. Coward.

“I am certain there is at least one among you who would be competent enough to deliver a message to the Duke of Devonshire. Kindly advise His Grace that if he wishes to ever see his lovely bride again, he shall pay a pirate’s ransom,” the pirate lord’s powerful voice commanded.

“Begging your pardon, Sir,” Smith muttered, taking a tentative step toward the pirate lord, “but do ye mind telling us wot amount a coin a pirate’s ransom be?”

“Ah, Smith, there you are. You have been most helpful in assisting me here today, and your reward awaits you aboard The Lady. As for His Grace, Wentworth Simmons is quite aware of what my ransom demands are. Now, Countess, would you care to extend an invitation to any others to accompany you before we depart?”

My mouth dropped open as I watched the wiry Mister Smith, my betrayer, scamper across the plank and onto the huge pirate ship. Snapping my jaw closed, I allowed my eyes to sweep the remainder of the crew and I dared a glance once again at my father, whose gaze met mine briefly. But in that scant moment, I recognized his silent plea, begging me not to name him.

Realizing the pirate lord awaited my reply, I uttered a soft, “No, Sir. Just my maid, if you would be so kind.”

“Very well, Milady, as you wish.” Without another word, he strode off, his large frame disappearing into the setting sun.

                                                Photo courtsey of Apieling Pictures

 

Buy links: Available at: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B0091PRUTO/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-pirtes-ransom-gerri-brousseau/1112651492?ean=2940015206692

Website links: www.gerribrousseau.com

Blog links : www.nightsofpassion.wordpress.com

 

I would also like to tell your visitors about a little contest I am having at my website. If they are interested, they should visit my website and click on “Claim the Ransom” and follow the directions to enter and for their chance to sail away with the treasure.