INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Cate
Parke
Today I’m
interviewing Cate Parke. Her book, Dreams
Within Dreams is a historical romance and was released on May 22nd.
Please tell my readers a little bit
about your book.
The story takes
place over a ten year period of time and is set not only in England, but also
in Inveraray, Scotland but also colonial Charleston, South Carolina. The end of
the book leaves my readers at the cusp of the Revolutionary War in the southern
colonies—which they may not realize, began during the spring of 1780 rather
than in 1776. The story opens in London and my characters are making their bows
before the Queen of England. Soon they’ll leave for Inveraray Castle in
Scotland. They’ll return to London before sailing back to Charlestowne where
they make their home. There’s my possible solution to how King George III came
to receive the Declaration of Independence and my take on one of the other tea
parties. (Everyone has heard of the Boston Tea Party, but it was only one among
several that took place in the major American coastal cities as England
attempted to coerce their American colonists to bend their knees to English
governance and rule. The hero of my story is caught up in Charleston’s version
of the tea crisis. I hope to make my readers not only laugh, but also shed
tears as the story unfolds. I believe the mark of a really well-told tale has
the ability to grab hold of a reader and pull deep emotion from a reader.
Describe the genre of this particular title, and is it
the only genre you write in?
Dreams Within
Dreams is historical romance. At the moment, it’s the only genre I write in. This
book includes settings in the Scottish Highlands, Colonial Charleston, S.C. and
Georgian London
How did this story come to be?
This was
originally the second part of a single very, very long book. I described it to my daughter, also a romance
author, and her first words of advice were “cut it.” She elaborated and told me
nobody would ever, ever publish such a long book. (I’ve since learned she was oh,
so right.) So I cut the story into three parts and now each part is more or
less a stand-alone novel in a three-part series.
What is your writing
routine like?
After taking
care of breakfast and my morning chores, I sit down to answer mail from my
readers and then start attending to my writing. I try to spend at least five
hours daily writing. Sometimes it turns into more hours—and sometimes not.
Are you a member of any
writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?
Oh, my goodness.
I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers of
America and Celtic Rose Writers. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned about
the business of writing and promotion from the enormously talented authors I’ve
met there. I’ve met several of them “off loop,” as we say. I’ve formed close
friendships with a number of them.
What character is most
like you or least like you?
None of them are
like me, actually. Unlike Alexandra, I can’t sing or play a musical instrument.
(Nobody would ever ask me to sing.
The best that can be said of me is that I add volume to a choir.) My blog is
called Tuesday’s child, but unlike the Tuesday’s child in the dear old Mother
Goose tale, grace is not my middle
name. So dancing is out—at least the real stuff, like waltzing. So I write. The
only way I might have resembled Alexandra was with my red hair—at least it used to be! I have blue eyes, but mine
are turquoise rather than sapphire…and I’m short. My, darling husband tells me
that nobody is shorter than me. Not true. I’m 5’1” tall. I know several shorter people. (So, okay, most
of them are children. Eyes rolling here.)
What most inspires you
in life?
My
wonderful husband. He’s my real-life hero.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently finishing
the third book in my series, Patriot’s Dreams. This book tells the story of my
character’s struggle to survive and keep their home intact during the long
months of the Revolutionary War in the South. Think The Patriot (movie) or Turn
(television show.
BOOK BLURB
Richard Berkeley has won his treasure, but Lord Thomas
Graham is back and Richard is on his home turf now. Laughable fop or a menacing
foe? No matter which, Richard will be damned
if he lets himself become a Rob Roy for yet another Marquis of Montrose.
War looms—which side will he choose? If
he makes the wrong choice, will it rip their love asunder?
Can Richard adhere to his firmly held
principles…or must he choose those of Alexandra’s English family’s to preserve
their marriage’s bliss?
Courage, Alexandra’s special gift…is
also her curse. Lord Thomas Graham will stop at nothing to ruin the Campbells,
Richard and Alexandra included. He’s struck at her beloved husband
once…twice…three times. How long before his malignant influence knocks at Oakhurst’s
great front door? It will not. Not if she can thwart it.
A little bit about the author
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I am a writer of historical
romances. I’ve been an
avid reader all my life and began writing seriously eight years ago. In my day
job, I am a registered nurse. It has been my privilege to practice Pediatric
nursing during my entire career. I’m also the wife of a retired U.S. Navy officer.
I've lived and travelled with him for the twenty-six years of his career. With
him I've visited England, Canada, Mexico and all but four of the United States.
Thanks to him, I've dipped my toes in every body of water that washes America’s
shores, including the Gulfs of Mexico and California and even the Arctic Ocean
(br-r). I’ve travelled over, under and on
both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After many journeys across this great
nation and back again, I now live, love and write among the foothills of the
Smoky Mountains in lovely Northeast Tennessee.
Excerpt
“Mr.
Richard Berkeley and Lady Alexandra Berkeley,” proclaimed the queen’s chamberlain
in stentorian tones. Sharp pounding resounded throughout the noisy chamber when
he struck his long mace against the marble floor once…twice.
Heads
swiveled their way. Painted and many-patched men and their ladies, garbed in gorgeous
court clothes and dripping with jewels, thronged St. James Palace on this
Thursday evening for the queen’s bi-weekly Drawing Room. Word of the Berkeleys’
appearance had spread through St. James District like fire through a ramshackle
barn stuffed with dry hay bales.
Richard’s
and Alexandra’s sponsors, her grandmother and aunt, flanked them. Two duchesses
as sponsors—such had never before been the case to everybody’s certain
knowledge.
Richard led Alexandra forward through
crowds that parted like the Red Sea before Moses when they passed down the
center of the mammoth room. Halting before the pregnant queen, Richard swept
his grey tricorn from his head, extended a foot and bowed from his waist while
his wife sank into a deep curtsey.
Waves of murmurs swept through the
assembly behind them, scarcely inaudible confidences, overheard by Richard’s
keen ear. One of them, a girl born with every advantage, had allied
herself to a mere gentleman whom nobody had ever heard of before, nobody would distinguish
with an invitation anywhere, and nobody wanted to know. Yet from the
number of invitations flooding in to Her Grace of Argyll’s secretary, everybody
most plainly did. From the corner of Richard’s eye, he glimpsed several short
men and a few women clamber onto chairs to capture a better view of them. One
elderly dame even lifted a lorgnette containing pink glass to match her silk
gown. Richard successfully stifled a smirk. For somebody nobody wanted to acknowledge,
he’d garnered enormous attention.
“We have not enjoyed your presence in
our Court for the past year and more, Lady Alexandra.”
Queen Charlotte’s gaze swept her from
bright red, high-piled curls to the hem of her magnificent embroidered
cloth-of-silver wedding gown, the only acceptable attire for her appearance today.
“We hear you have given birth to a son,
Lady Alexandra. What did you name him?”
“Edward Thomas Rutledge Campbell
Berkeley, Ma’am. He was born last December.”
“We are pleased to see you in good
health, for you appear well, indeed. You give no evidence of your recent
travail. And you are happy, we see, for you are aglow with it. Very well, very
well,” she smiled, a rare occurrence during one of these tedious events, and
waved her hand in dismissal. “Now step aside, gel, while we acquaint ourself
with your gentleman.”
Richard snapped to attention and bowed
his head. “Your servant, Ma’am,” he drawled. His accent, with its long, slow,
in-gliding vowels brought a smile to the queen’s lips. Those near enough to
witness her open appreciation gasped, their eyes widened with amazement.
The small woman before him lifted her
head and gazed into his eyes. He’d come to recognize such smiles. He’d seen
them since he was a boy, fighting off advances from flirtatious females.
“We are charmed by your distinctive
accent, Mr. Berkeley. You are from Charlestowne of our South Carolina colony,
are you not?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I am.”
“Yet you spent a number of years in
England.”
“That’s true, Ma’am,” he grinned,
impressed she knew anything of him. Of course, Alexandra had written her and,
doubtless, explained. “I attended school in England. Lord Edward Campbell
convinced my father to send me to Eton when I was eight years old. Later, I
entered his alma mater, Christ Church, Oxford. Afterward, I trained in the law
at London’s Inner Temple.”
“Is that when you met Lady Alexandra?”
“No, Ma’am. I didn’t have that privilege
until several years later.”
From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed
Alexandra slanting a glance at him while he stood at ease, with hands folded
behind his back, and flashed a grin at the queen. The small brown-haired,
sallow-skinned woman with striking turquoise eyes lifted her chin. He suspected
nobody ever presumed to grin at her. But Her Majesty was a woman and, he
supposed, from her widened eyes and the flirty grin playing on her lips, he’d
surprised and stricken her, as most women had been all his life.
“How was that, Mr. Berkeley?”
“Lord Edward Campbell, Lady Alexandra’s
father, was my mentor and, later, my business partner, Ma’am. He and my father
planned a betrothal between us since we were children—though, they didn’t
bother to share the information with either of us until the spring of 1768.
Since I was soon to embark upon a voyage to England, His Lordship sent along a
letter of introduction to the Duke of Argyll, in Inveraray, Scotland. After I
saw to my affairs in London, I travelled north—and met my wife.”
“I see. Yet, Lady Alexandra failed to
mention it to us during the following year when she served us as a Maid of
Honor.”
Richard grinned again, amused. Her Majesty
gasped and leaned toward him, her eyes widened further. He doubted any
gentleman had ever been so audacious as to display genuine friendliness toward
Her Majesty during all the years she’d sat beside her husband on his throne.
“A delicious tale, Mr. Berkeley. We have
always been fond of your lady wife, and are pleased you make her happy.”
“I’ve tried, Your Majesty, but I’ve not
always succeeded.”
“And why is that, sir?” By her alert
posture and the crinkling of her eyes at the corner, Richard knew laughter
lurked while she awaited the outcome of his anecdote.
“You see, once I refused to burn a house
down for her. On another occasion, I forbade her to ride. I recall even
threatening to post guards on her. She was remarkably unhappy with me on both
occasions, Ma’am.”
“And why were you commanded to burn a
house down, Mr. Berkeley?”
“It
contained a nest of snakes, Ma’am.”
How
can my readers buy your book?
- Readers
can go to the Turquoise Morning Press Bookstore page
at http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/dreams-within-dreams-by-cate-parke
- Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Within-Cate-Parke-ebook/dp/B00KHECBW4/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401214990&sr=1-3&keywords=cate+parke
- Barnes
and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreams-within-dreams-cate-parke/1119589606?ean=2940149499205
- All
Romance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dreamswithindreams-1522009-158.html
- iBooks:
http://ibookstore.com/products.php?i=B00KHECBW4
- Kobo:
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dreams-within-dreams-2
You
can find more information about Cate Parke and my book, Dreams Within Dreams by
visiting
my website, http://www.cateparkeauthor.com
and click on my books, or
Just
a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.
1)
Hotel room or Tent?
Hotel room. Tents lost any glamour they ever might have held for me a long time
ago. My dad took us camping every weekend of my life when I was a child.
2)
What is your favorite thing to eat?
Yummy big salads—and ice cream (Sh-h. Don’t tell my husband.)
3)
What is your favorite thing to do a
warm summer’s day? Sit outside on my sunny deck and read
a good book.
4)
Who is your favorite author to read?
My all-time favorite author is Grace Burrowes.
5)
What’s your favorite movie?
The King’s Speech, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion (2007), and quite a few more. We own over 2000 of
our favorite movies.
6)
If you were given one week paid
vacation to anywhere, where would you go? Scotland’s Highlands.
Can’t I stay longer, though, Sarah???
7)
Boxers or Briefs?
Briefs
8)
What’s your favorite flavor of
Starburst? I have absolutely no idea. I’ve never had one,
lol. (I’ve been deprived.)
9)
What is your favorite thing to
drink? Fresh sparkling cold water, my husband’s
margaritas, good red wine, and great ale.
Thank you for allowing me
to interview you here at Heart of Romance. Good luck to you in your future!!!
Thanks
so much for hosting me on your lovely blog today, Sarah. You’re one of those
very special friends I’ve made along my writer’s journey.
