Romance Novelist Tracy Preston Discusses Destiny's Captive, Her New Book

Tracy Preston is an up-and-coming romance novelist who shows a deep passion for writing. She spoke of her debut novel, Destiny's Captive, which is a part of her three-book series, The Destiny Series. Tracy is an amazing, unique writer, who is sharing her dreams with the world.

Tell me a bit about yourself and your book.
My name is Tracy Preston. At the moment my efforts are focused on the late Georgian and Regency period historical romance.

My debut novel, Destiny's Captive, is about a girl who stumbles into a dangerous world of secrets when her father is mysteriously murdered. With on one else to turn to, she has to travel to England and be protected by her father's estranged family. Sounds reasonable enough, right? Until she is abducted by a very formidable, very sexy, pirate captain who complicates matters most unnervingly. When she finds out that he is, in reality, the heir to a Marquess, all preconceptions go out the window.

While I do favor the old style of romance novels from the 1980's, I put my own twists and turns into the mix so it doesn't come off like the same story you have read a hundred times before. It is a whole new perspective. I strive to include plenty of stream, as well as humor, in my writing. Hopefully the audience will find it a refreshing, new style.

When was your book released?
It hasn't officially been released, yet. But I have on good authority that it won't be much longer now. So keep your eyes open!

What drove you to write this book?
Writing has always been my passion and it was something that I knew I had to do. I was one of those kids who never listened in class because I was too busy drifting off into another world. I've always had a thousand stories to tell, and I knew one day I would have to sit down and tell them.

Who are your inspirations?
Of course Jane Austen, that goes without saying. Her books inspired several nations, I believe. Then there is Lisa Kleypas, who I really enjoy. And Janet Evanovich is such a treat. Her Plumb Series is hilarious and everyone should take glance at it.

I cannot do this interview without mentioning the influence of my mother. I have said this before, but she had so many books in our house when I was growing up that there wasn't any room for our baby pictures. I knew the names of Nora Roberts, Shannon Drake, and Johanna Lindsey better than I knew some of my aunts and uncles. In retrospect, I owe my passion to her, because it stemmed from her own love of romance.

Is there a specific work (poem, story, script, picture, etc.) that inspires your the most?
As far as favorite books go, you can't answer this question without looking back to Jane Austen's accomplishments. She paved the way for all of us with her own genius and romantic heart. Pride and Prejudice, I must say, tops that list.

Virginia Henley's Tempted also springs to mind as one of my all time favorites as a teenager. I will say right now that I don't like closed-door love scenes in a book. They leave me feeling disappointed and cheated. If you read a Virginia Henley book, you will in no way feel this way. You will be snickering and looking over your shoulder to make sure no one is in the room while you read her love scenes!

Musically speaking, I listen to movie scores and classical music while I write. It puts me in that historically creative mindset.

What troubles did you come across while writing, editing, and publishing, this book?
Oh gosh, where do I start! Writers block is definitely an annoying obstacle. I think every writer has times when they just sit and stare at the screen, counting how many times the cursor blinks per minute.

Research was also a time consuming issue. When you write historical novels, you must do your homework. I suppose it is possible to sit down and slop a bunch of stuff on paper and hope it sounds plausible, but you're never going to get it published. Readers today have been so well educated on history through various media outlets, that the poorly researched historical just won't fly anymore.

As far as the trouble I went through trying to get published, this becomes another question of research and hard work. Writing is an industry. To succeed in any business, you have to understand how the business works, and exactly where you fit into it. If you read up on the "what to do's" as a new author, you'll be fine.

What is the easiest part of writing, editing, and publishing a book?
Nothing in this job is easy. It involves ridiculously long hours, neglecting your loved ones at times, and eventually your butt goes permanently numb.

Seriously, the only thing I would say is "easy" for me, would have to be the writing itself. I truly enjoy it when I can sit down and peck away at the keyboard on one of those days when the creative juices are flowing freely. It gives me this wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

As a writer, I am sure you have been hit with writer's block. How did you overcome this annoying obstacle?

Step away from the screen for a few hours. As badly as I would like to just sit there and force myself to type anything that pops in my head, it never works. When I step away and come back to, I feel refreshed and not so pressured to produce on demand. Watching a great romantic movie that makes me feel good can sometime push me over that wall, as well. It's all about my mindset when I am writing. If I go into a writing session in a bad mood, it will show in my story. So, I try to stay in a positive frame of mind while in creative mode.

Are you currently working on anything new?
Yes. Destiny's Captive is the first in a three book series that I call, The Destiny Series. The hero has a younger brother and sister who are the focus of the other two books, Destiny's Mistress and Destiny's Prize. I am well into the plot-lines of both stories.

The characters in all three are so colorful that the books have practically written themselves. They tell me their stories while I listen and type. It may sound odd, but it's just my own peculiar writing style. It's been a wonderful series of books to write, and I had a lot of fun.

It is obvious that the romance genre is your niche. Do you plan on sticking with it or would you branch out to other genres? If so, what other genres would you be interested in writing?
I am definitely not opposed to the idea of exploring other genres, but I think romance will always be my mainstay. Love seems to be the backbone of my storytelling, no matter what genre title you put to it.

At one point, I toyed with a young adult manuscript set in the 1950's. It was coming along nicely, but just sort of got pushed to the side while I was working on my Destiny Series. I would definitely like to revisit it at a later date. I really loved those characters, and it had plenty of potential.

I would love to dabble in the paranormal, and I wouldn't mind trying my hand at a good vampire story.

Also, I had a crazy dream that was so vivid and detailed; I know I will write the story one day. It was one of those dreams that seem more like a movie. Without giving anything away, it was a psychological thriller dream with a twist. But again, there was a love story involved, so I guess that would be a suspense-meets-romance novel.

What would you like to say to the people who read this?
Thank you for spending a bit of time with me and my thoughts. I thank God every day for the opportunity to do what I love. I feel truly blessed to have made it this far. Who knows how much farther I will have the privilege of going.

It does take quite a bit of mettle to make it as a writer, but in the end, it comes down to you - the readers. I truly do appreciate your support, and I hope that you will drop by my website and Myspace page. I enjoy hearing from my readers!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
The best advice I can give to aspiring authors is simply to get educated. Know what you are getting into when you start writing. Read everything you can get your hands on about the underbelly of the beast, so to speak.

For instance, a new writer may not know that in most cases a new author only gets a 7% royalty on the sale of a paperback book. Keep in mind, if you are lucky enough to snag the interest of any agent, which their 15% of what you make comes out of that too!

I cannot stress this enough: Do not get into this business for the money! Unless you are the next Nora Roberts of Christine Feehan, your tiny piece of the writing pie will not pay the bills.

Another bit of advice - join groups. Join the RWA, first thing. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. The RWA is a writer's best source for industry news. It is only $75 per year for membership. Sound pricey? Think of it this way; it's less than the cost of a cut and color! You will not find a more useful tool for your writing journey.

After you have joined RWA, join your local chapter. This is where you will find that wonderful support system to guide you through those horrible rejection days. Other authors don't mind holding your hand a bit while you learn the ropes. It's a very welcoming community. My group has been there for me with advice, day or night.

One last thing, don't be afraid of rejection. We have all had them, multiple times in fact. If you feel strongly about your project, and an agent or publisher doesn't reciprocate, don't panic. The next publisher might think it is exactly what they have been looking for. One no, or even twenty no's, it not he end of the world. Just keep learning, keep editing, and don't give up, no matter what.

My motto is simple: Keep your eye on the prize.

For more information on Tracy Preston and The Destiny Series, please visit http://tracypreston.literalseduction.net/