Tell me a little about yourself.
I’m “five foot two, eyes of blue, but oh what those five
feet can do” as the song says. Well, actually, I’m five foot two and a half. I am creative; always looking for new ideas and
ways to see and experience my world. I
have a wonderful husband, two children and two grandchildren.
That alone has the making for a good
story. Let’s see if we can dive in a
little more as we get to know you.
What inspired you to write? What type of genre do you write?
I’ve always loved words; reading them, writing them, meshing
them with my music and now I’m living my dream of being an author. Historical fiction is what I write probably
because I’ve spent so many years absolutely loving to read great historical
fiction.
Historical Fiction? Sounds like an interesting genre that you
don’t hear about too often. Now you have
me curious. Tell our readers what your
book is about.
The Loyalist’s Wife takes the reader on two journeys: that
of John, who fights for the British in the American Revolutionary War, and that
of Lucy, his wife, who tries to hold on to their farm in the wilds of New York
State. Of course both positions are untenable; hence, the book.
Wow, that sounds like it’s going to
be an intense book. Tell us more about
John and Lucy.
There are two main characters, John and Lucy, and the story
is told using both of their points of view. John is grateful to have arrived in
the Thirteen Colonies after escaping trouble in England. He is quiet yet strong
and can have a bit of a temper. He will do whatever he must to find Lucy. She,
too, is strong yet needs the approval of those she loves. Her journey brings
out her steadfast nature and her ability to lie when she must.
What inspired you to write this book?
I am a descendent from Loyalists who came to Canada during
the American Revolutionary War and I always wanted to know more about that
whole journey. I thought if I was going to write a novel, it definitely had to
be historical fiction as it is my favorite genre. Writing about this time and
these people was like a carrot held out in front of a mule (I’m really not
stubborn!). And the journey has been so enlightening!
Wow, that’s pretty cool. I’ve never met anyone that was a descendent
from a loyalist during the Revolutionary War.
You sound like you have a great book
on your hands with the Loyalist’s Wife.
Have there been other books or blogs you’ve written?
I have written two books about my childhood and my early
married years so as to leave a record for my children. Two cookbooks were
written for the same reason. And because I have two wee grandchildren I wanted
to write a children’s story book, especially for them. My prime serious writing has evolved over my
six years of bringing The Loyalist’s Wife to publication. I am a blogger who
blogged first as a record of family and more personal life and eventually
launched On Becoming a Wordsmith about two and a half years ago. It is written
for writers by a writer but a lot of readers enjoy it, too.
Were your other books self-published
or traditionally published?
All self-published. I guess I’m a bit of a control freak and
I love to attack something new and learn how to do it. Being a bit of a
perfectionist helps with self-publishing, for sure.
I think self-publishing has helped a
lot of writers make the books that they wanted to make instead of what others
tell them to create.
So with your fascination of
Historical Fiction, I have to know; who is your greatest writing inspiration?
The first writer who truly bowled me over with her ability
to write about things in her books which helped me in my life as a wife and
mother was Margaret Laurence. Sharon Kay Penman, Margaret Craven, Margaret
George, Pierre Berton, James Michener, and Alison Weir are just a few of the
others whose works stand out.
That's all the time we have for today. Join us tomorrow for part 2 of our interview with Elaine Cougler and remember to pickup your copy of her book The Loyalist's Wife; now available on Amazon.com
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