Welcome to FAR, Tricia. Tricia McGill is the author of Blue Haze, Remy O’Shea, Destine (Twist of Fate Anthology), Traces of Dreams, Until Eternity, Amaryllis, White Clover, Shrinking Violet, Tarnished Dreams, Look Into Your Heart, Autumn Fire, and Designing Heart.


What inspired you to write Romance?

I’ve been lucky enough to live a charmed life. I’ve been loved and cherished since I was born, by my family then my husband, so I guess I’ve always looked at life through a rose-tinted veil. So far I’ve had no inclination to write anything other than romances. I just like to have a happy ending in my books. I have great faith that a large percentage of the human race has someone out there who is their soul-mate, and in my books I can make this come true.

How does your Historical differ from your Time-Travel/Futuristic books?

The historicals are not so different to time-travels really in that I have to research the period I’m setting the book in thoroughly. You have the added element in time-travels that you are thrusting someone from the present into the past or vice-versa, so they have extra challenges to meet as they acclimatize to the differences.

As far as my Futuristic though, there’s no need for research as the world and characters I created are strictly figments of my imagination. This gives you so much more leeway. That’s why writing Amaryllis was so much fun—my imagination knew no limits.

What are the differences and similarities between Mainstream and Contemporary?

In a mainstream you can have rape, murder, many more secondary characters and plot lines. The readers expect certain elements in a contemporary romance. Rape is frowned upon in that genre as would be killings, and the core of the story is the growing relationship between the hero and heroine. A happy ending is more or less obligatory in a contemporary whereas it’s not expected in a mainstream. The similarities? All stories, whatever their genre, must have characters the reader can empathize with, believable plot lines, and emotion-charged conflicts that must be resolved.

What are the differences and similarities in researching Historical compared to Futuristic stories?

As I said, there’s little research needed for Futuristics as the worlds and aliens are imaginary so can be made up as you go along. But the research for a historical has to be painstaking and thorough. A time-line has to be worked out and adhered to.

What inspired Blue Haze and Remy O’Shea? Will there be another book in this series?

I was part of a creative writing class before I began to write full time and one of our projects was to write a scene depicting a convict’s feelings on landing on Australian shores as a transported person. That became the first scene of Blue Haze, and the story just grew and grew. Once Blue Haze was finished Jeremy (Remy) cried out for his story to be told and so Remy O’Shea was written. I always intended writing a third in this series, but have tossed up whose story it will be. Until one of the characters implores me to write their story down it will sit on the sidelines waiting in the queue with my other ideas.

How has living in Australia affected Blue Haze and Remy O’Shea?

If I hadn’t relocated to Australia neither would have seen the light of day. My husband and I did a lot of traveling around this vast country and it amazed me how it had advanced in a couple of hundred years. I stood on the wharf at Sydney Cove and could almost see the ships of the early 1800s out on the harbor unloading their human cargo. When I learned through my research of the hazards encountered by the early settlers on their trek across the Blue Mountains, a journey which took them a couple of weeks over the most horrendous trails, I knew this would be the main feature of my book.

Destine is part of a collection of stories in Twist of Fate. Did you write Destine for Twist of Fate or was it separate?

Yes, Destiné was written especially for the anthology which was to have Fate as the theme. It was a short story idea that I expanded on to fit the required word count.

Traces of Dreams explores WWI & II and the wounds that either destroy or strengthen people? What inspired Traces of Dreams? How did Alicia and Sara develop?

Traces of Dreams is based loosely on my mother’s life. My dedication says: “For my mother, Annie, whose life parallels Alicia’s in that she bore ten children, was poor in material possessions, but so rich in all that matters.” I’d listened to my sisters telling me stories of the old days all my life(I’m the youngest) so knew what it was like during and just after WW11. I guess it was inevitable that this would all be put to good use in my story. Sara is a totally fictitious character and no member of my family resembles her in any way, but I wanted Alicia to have a wayward and impulsive daughter, to offset her generous, placid nature.

How are your Mainstream Poetry books different from Traces of Dreams?

They are worlds apart. Traces of Dreams is based on fact and contains historic events, whereas my poetry books contain contributions from members of the community program I work for as a volunteer. My own poems in these books cross a wide range and are mostly what I consider the mental meanderings of someone who will never be classed as a skilled poet.

What are your favorite aspects of writing Time-Travel/Futuristic Romance books?

I’ve loved to read Time-Travels since I found the first in the library many years ago, and the whole concept fascinates me. I love forcing my characters to face up to all the challenges of being thrown into another time and place. I believe in reincarnation so also relish the notion that great loves overcome time and space and are destined to meet again and again. I love writing about other worlds because limitations just don’t exist.

Do the stories come from your dreams, research, a place, people, or time?

Most of my plot ideas burst upon me around 4/5 am when I’m half awake. I start with a simple idea, then decide on the characters (or should I say they decide to arrive in my head) and then everything develops from there. Blue Haze and Until Eternity both came from one scene written for that creative writing tutor years ago. Traces of Dreams was started because I got tired of hearing young people complain about their lot in life while talking on their mobile phones or tucking into take-away. Most have no notion of what it means to be so poor you don’t know where your next meal is coming from. Every author has a book of the heart—that’s mine.

Until Eternity is a Time-Travel book. What aspect of History inspired it? How did the idea for dream travel come to you?

Until Eternity came to me in the early hours, and the idea of sending a modern, affluent Lord of the Manor back to ancient Britain appealed to me immensely. Here was a man who had a valet to attend to his every need who found himself in a society one step away from being barbarians. I really can’t recall how the idea of having him meet up with the woman who had haunted his dreams came to me. I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time. It was also tied up with my belief in reincarnation. “The Dark Ages” is a period in history which I also find fascinating. The Celts believed in shape-changers and fairies which made it easy for me to tie this fantasy in with my story, and because the period I decided to set my story in was 40 years after the Roman rulers left Britain it gave me lots of initiative to improvise.

How does White Clover differ from Until Eternity as a Time-Travel Romance?

In White Clover I send my hero and heroine back to 1050AD Scotland and it’s a straight time-travel where objects propel them back in time. It’s unusual for two characters to travel back, but I rather liked the idea of having a sober, serious-minded male having to face up to the same challenges as his vivacious fun-loving PA(who’s also fascinated by Scottish history).

In Until Eternity the hero goes back in time during a dream where he meets the woman he’s obviously been destined to meet.

Where did you aliens come from in Amaryllis? Where they inspired by history, your dreams, someone you met?

Everything in Amaryllis came from my imagination. I made it all up as I went along—and it still remains one of my favorite books, and Reve one of my favorite heroes. This was another idea that appealed to me—you can have your alien lover do just about anything. Who’s going to argue with you? Only someone who’s met a visitor from another world.

How does your Contemporary novels compare to your historical? What do your heroines have in common and what are their differences in your Contemporary Romances?

My heroines are invariably strong, independent women, regardless of when they are born. Of course there has to be great differences in their outlook, appearance and manner depending on the time period, but their characteristics are usually similar. A woman such as Haesal in Until Eternity believes in the fairy folk and shape- changers, although she is brave enough to stand up to this man who suddenly appears in her world admitting he has been sent to rescue her. Haesal follows the dictates laid down by her father, even though he is dead. Whereas Georgie, my hot-headed fashion designer in Designing Heart, would probably scoff at such beliefs. She is a modern woman, fashion-conscious, ambitious and independent. The women in my historicals live in a world where their future is set down by men, but even they are brave enough to stand up for their rights.

Tarnished Dreams deals with betrayal and healing; whereas, Autumn Fire explores the damage an abusive husband leaves behind after death. Their commonality is the healing of the spirit and heart: did this theme immediately present itself or did it evolve with the characters?

As in all my novels, the theme evolves as the characters and story develops. Tarnished Dreams is a story of a young girl’s obsession with her mentor and childhood friend. Autumn Fire evolved from the idea of a young man falling in love with a woman quite a few years older than he. Most older women would feel as Tess does. What would a young, handsome, successful man see in a woman fifteen years his senior? He’d have to have ulterior motives, wouldn’t he? It’s strange in this advanced society of ours that we still frown on the difference in ages being balanced this way. Whereas we see nothing wrong with a man choosing a mate up to 30 years his junior. I strongly believe that love has no barriers.

Are there any other genres you would like to explore?

I’m currently writing another Time-Travel, this one set in the Viking era, and I will be writing a sequel to that next. I really want to write more historicals and another futuristic. So, that will probably take care of the next few years. I can’t see me venturing into any other genre in the near future.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your books?

All my Jacobyte Books publications will be re-released by BeWrite Books when the merger between the two publishers is complete in the near future. Blue Haze comes out on the BeWrite site www.bewrite.net on June 15th with a stunning new cover that features the Blue Mountains N.S.W. Remy O’Shea will follow that soon. I have no date yet for the re-release of White Clover and Traces of Dreams, but they should be re-released at BeWrite Books by next year.

Is there any music that inspires the different varieties of Romance you write?

I’m not a writer who needs music to write by. I always have the radio on in the next room, but am barely aware of what is playing. I like country music so often have my favorite CDs playing in the background. Music in the same room distracts me. I find myself singing along with the music and that takes my mind off my writing.

Do you have a specific routine before you write? Do you write in one area only or everywhere?

Yes, I invariably play a game of cards when I sit down at my computer. I answer emails and take care of promo and odds and ends, then read over the last couple of pages I’ve written. If I haven’t touched a story for a week or more (if other matters have intervened) then I’ll read back over a chapter. I used to make lots of notes away from the PC, but apart from a few reminders I jot down as I wake up, I now never write anywhere but at my computer. I tried dictating once as I walked the dog, but it didn’t work for me. My muse revs up as soon as I start to type now and only seems to activate when I’m in front of the screen.

Who/What inspired you to write?

I always love writing and can remember coming back from holiday aged about 12 and jotting down all these notes about a certain boy I’d taken a fancy to. I scrapped that piece of nonsense but loved to write stories, essays and letters. I retired from my job in the fashion industry early and one day started to scribble notes for a contemporary romance. I couldn’t stop and became obsessed. That’s when my mornings became plagued by ideas and plots. My husband inspired me to learn how to type and backed me all the way—fuelling my dreams, and giving me the strength to go on through the many rejections.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

LaVyrle Spencer remains one of my all-time favorites. No other author packs so much emotion into a sentence. I love Johanna Lindsay, Stephanie Laurens, Catherine Coulter, Sandra Hill among many others.

Is there a way other than your website for fans to keep updated?

I’d love them to join my message group on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/triciamcgill
I send out infrequent reminders, messages, news and updates.

What final advice would you offer to writers who are seeking publication?

It’s been said before and any author will give the same advice. You only succeed if you have determination dedication and devotion to your craft. Study the publisher’s requirements and guidelines then you won’t be disappointed. And write, then write some more. I cringe when I read over some of my earlier efforts. Practice doesn’t make perfect but it sure is the only way to improve. Don’t be in too great a hurry to submit your manuscript. Put it to one side, start another book. You’ll be amazed at how you can improve on a story that’s been left to ferment.

Finally, any last thoughts.

I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to share some of my thoughts with you. Thank you, Dena, for your interesting questions and I hope my answers have helped would-be writers, and have encouraged readers to read my books. A huge thank you to all my readers who have taken the time to write and tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my books they’ve read.

Thank you Tricia for taking the time to answer my questions and give us a glimpse into your life and world. For more information about Tricia McGill and her books, visit her website at http://www.triciamcgill.com


Interviewed by: Dena