Interview and Giveaway With Jo Bourne
I’m thrilled to have Jo Bourne here at the website! She’s a wonderful, RITA winning author of historical romance who is also one of the nicest people ever. She’s also one of my very favorite authors. If you haven’t read her yet, you really, really should. Rogue Spy, by the way, has been getting amazing reviews.
About Jo Bourne
Jo Bourne
Joanna lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge with her family, a medium-sized mutt and a faux Himalayan cat.
She writes Historical Romances set in England and France during the Napoleonic Wars.
She’s fascinated by that time and place – such passionate conviction and burning idealism … and really sexy clothes.
About Rogue Spy
Cover of Rogue Spy by Joanne Bourne
Ten years ago he was a boy, given the name Thomas Paxton and sent by Revolutionary France to infiltrate the British Intelligence Service. Now his sense of honor brings him back to London, alone and unarmed, to confess. But instead of facing the gallows, he’s given one last impossible assignment to prove his loyalty.
Lovely, lying, former French spy Camille Leyland is dragged from her safe rural obscurity by threats and blackmail. Dusting off her spy skills, she sets out to track down a ruthless French fanatic and rescue the innocent victim he’s holding—only to find an old colleague already on the case. Pax.
Old friendship turns to new love, and as Pax and Camille’s dark secrets loom up from the past, Pax is left with a choice—go rogue from the Service or lose Camille forever. . .
Read an excerpt: http://www.joannabourne.com/
The Interview
Q: Rogue spy. Uh oh. Without spoilers, what happens and why does she/he go rogue?!!!
You know how I write my stories with some French spies and some English spies and then there are one or two who turn out to be both.
Pax is both. He gets himself unmasked and heads back to London, where he just about immediately steps in the middle of a super-huge-evil-plot ™ (of course). He also runs into Cami.
Cami is another ambiguously double agent . Cami and Pax go way back — to when they were children. They meet. They notice they aren’t kids any more. And ba-zoing!! (Sound of Sexxy Times coming.)
Cami has one agenda. The British Spy Service has another agenda. Pax gets to choose. (He even has his own agenda, come to think of it.)
Cummon. It’s a Romance. What do think he chooses?
Deer. In The Snow
Q: You live in the wilderness. In a log cabin with no running water and no electricity. I heard you wrestled a bear for nuts and berries. Obviously, you won. Tell us about your thrilling battle. One time there was a huge stir here in my town when someone spotted a young bear walking along one of the creeks that run through town. I did not wrestle the bear. If I had, though, do you have any tips for me?
The bear wrestling — and, indeed, certain pre-technological details of the old domicile — may be just a tad exaggerated.
Dog Encounters Possum
We do have a nice selection of possums/dog encounters. Here they are discussing interspecies relations through the door.
And we have deer. The dog chases them to the property line and then stops. Our grass is safe.
The deer walk off, sniggering to themselves.
Q: Pets. Tells us about your pets and how they help you write. Or not.
Helping Cat Helps
I have a writer cat. Everybody needs a writer cat.
She is particularly generous with her fur.
I find it everywhere in the crevices of the keyboard.
Q: You get a phone call from your agent. You’re being offered $10 Million to write any screenplay you want, movie is guaranteed to be made by the director of your choice. What story would you pick and why?
Of my own books? I think Forbidden Rose is the most cinematic. Maybe the only cinematic one.
I’d start it at the gates of Paris and go for a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ vibe..
Q: Favorite meal? Assume you don’t have to cook it or clean up afterward.
Pasta in brodo for soup. Broiled lobster with asparagus and maybe a nice beet-and-burrata salad. Lemon ice for dessert with a little thin lemon wafer cookie planted proudly in the top.
Yum.
Q: What’s next for you?
Séverine’s story. It’s fairly late in sequence. 1820 and some. I had to research a Long Time to find the political background here. And having set Rogue Spy in London, I’m putting Séverine in Paris.
Where to Find Jo
Website http://www.joannabourne.com/
Blog http://jobourne.blogspot.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joanna.bourne.5
Twitter https://twitter.com/jobourne
Giveaway
Jo is giving away paper copy of Rogue Spy to a US winner.
Rules: Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter and have a US mailing address. Winner chosen at random from among the commenters at my blog. Comment before midnight Pacific, Thursday, October 30, 2014. An alternate winner will be chosen if the winner does not reply to my notification after 10 days.
To enter, answer this question in the comments: If you were a Rogue Spy, what would you wear?
What would I wear? Hmmm, whatever the height of fashion was or just all black. 🙂
Nankeen breeches. And a falling water cravat!
Buff breeches, navy tailcoat, navy and black embroidered waistcoat, white lawn shirt, white cravat, conservatively tied and lightly starched, black beaver felt top hat, black kid gloves, brass lions head topped swordstick, along with well polished hessians.
Since I’d be a female spy, I could wear a gown at the height of fashion while infiltrating a ton dinner party.
Whatever is in fashion at the time but not stand out as to garner notice. If I’m a spy I want to blend, not stand out 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway…I’m anxious to get started on these books!
Were I a rouge spy, I would wear green. Emerald green.
Ooh… Where am I going as a rogue spy? Assuming I’m undercover and potentially risky scenario, I’d want to blend in . Plus wear a quick change underneath in case there’s a sticky situation that requires a wardrobe change (a la Superman, or is that a reverse Superman?).
Anyway, dying to read Pax’s story. It’s been such a long, painful wait for this next installment.
If I were a rogue spy I would wear used clothing that I purchased in-country. My linen Shirt would have a permanent and tantalizing scent of vetiver.
A two layered dress, he outside layer the fashion of the day that could be shed in an instant and underneath something short and maneuverable with leggings.
I would wear an unassuming dress to seem like a servant when I went surreptitiously snooping around the manse!
I’d dress like an upper servant. Invisible to the nobs, but fairly easy to get access to places where they are.
If I were a rogue spy I’d wear black leather because I’d be a bada$$ rogue spy!
I’d wear something beautiful and tasteful. If you look like you belong, then no one will question you.
Wearing something comfortable. You can’t spy unless you can move around doing terrific spy stuff. (Like James Bond does when he sees something he likes-women mostly).
Well really, I’d wear what everyone else was wearing. I wouldn’t want anyone to notice me, right?
I’d wear my superheroine roguish spy costume underneath my snazzy period attire! I’m sneaky that way. 😉
If I were a spy, and out at night I’d wear Navy Blue as I understand it’s better than black. During the day I’d dress to blend into the people I was intending to investigate, the more unnoticeable I was the better for my work.
I’d be wearing a gown that would be appropriate for a member of the Ton, and would have breeches, black shirt, and a hat stowed away in a secret hiding place 🙂
Hmmm. I would have a practical gown, one of light-weight wool in a dark color, with some flourishes and a neckline that shows a little cleavage, because the heroine always flashes a little milky-white breast, right? But the gown can’t be too plain and serviceable because I’m a rogue spy with a sense of fashion and may need to flirt. Then I’d have sensible shoes for sneaking around in or possibly running in, because I’d have to chase the villain at some point, wouldn’t I? Or run from him. I’d also have a wool cape, with a hood. Inside I’d have pockets for hiding the tools of trade: a small ivory-handled pistol, an ornate dagger that just fits my hand perfectly, a vial of something to slip into drinks, disappearing ink… Oh my. My cloak sounds rather cluttered and uncomfortable, doesn’t it? Maybe I should have a leather bag, worn smooth as butter from all its travels, with an interior full of pockets and gear… I’d have a charming smile, welcoming eyes that miss nothing and ears that hear it all. Best of all, I’d have the confidence of every man I meet. Except, of course, that scoundrel of a fellow with the sensuous mouth and wicked smile. He has the tendency to rile me with a casual remark. I’m sure he’s hiding something and he’s sure I’m hiding something. Bah. I’ll get the better of him. My gown and my milky-white decolletage guarantees it. He’s never met a rogue like me!
A killer smile.
If I were a spy, I would wear a tan trenchcoat with a black fedora and black boots. Naturally the trenchcoat would have lots of secret pockets and such so I wouldn’t have to carry a cumbersome handbag. Handbags just aren’t practical when you need to hide discreetly or chase someone.
Oh the choices….a demure grey governess gown for usual wear and a set of boys breeches and clothes for agile escapes.
Would it not depend on circumstances? Thus I agree both with those who would dress in servant’s garb and with those whose sartorial arsenal would include something (or things) more elegant. My favorite red would be limited to excursions into (ahem) unspeakable environments. Could a 62-year-old woman wear a gown in bright blue with rose accents, or would that be considered mutton dressing as lamb?
A gown that is only slightly out of fashion – good enough to gain entry, but outdated enough to be dismissed as anyone truly important. Underneath would be a pair of tight-fitted trousers and practical shoes, as no one would be looking at either my legs or feet, because I have spectacular cleavage. 😉 If I need to ditch the gown, I can knot up the chemise and steal a cloak to make my way unseen through alleys.
And Janet, a 62-year-old woman can wear whatever best pleases her, and the devil take what other people think. 🙂
A full length, royal blue gown with a plunging neckline, a full skirt, and a slit to reach my holster.
I would wear a black suit and white blouse and chunky heels, leading people to believe I was a teacher or secretary or something more common than a spy! LOL.
Since I picture myself as a very tall woman (ha! This is my fantasy since I’m only 5’1″), I’d dress fashionably as a man and attend all the best events.
[…] month or so ago I saw her interview of author Joanna Bourne, and mentioned on Twitter that now I aspired to one day be interviewed by her, and she said she […]