Hello and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie.
Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age?
Wynne: Hello, everyone! I’m Wynne Roman, and I’m old, as I always tell everyone. I’m 62 going on 35. (Sometimes 15.) I’m extremely lucky to have inherited some very good genes from my mom. I’m told I look about 40, and I act like a teenager (hence the 15).
Fiona: Where are you from?
Wynne: Born and raised in the Midwest (Iowa). I moved to Alaska with my then-boyfriend (later husband) when I was 17. I lived there for over 30 years, and am now in Texas, just south of Houston.
Fiona: A little about your self (ie, your education, family life, etc.).
Wynne: My years in Alaska were eventful. My husband and I owned an air charter service that operated out of Anchorage. Working in aviation and with pilots taught me everything I ever needed to know about men! 😊 I count my life experiences as being more important to writing a good story than any other form of education.
I’m divorced and live alone with one very spoiled dachshund named JJ (after JJ Watt). I have a much younger man in my life who I call Mr. Amazing on social media.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
Wynne: I just signed a contract with Glenfinnan Publishing for three historical romances. They are set in Texas just after the Civil War. The first, A Husband Returned, will be out in mid-October. I’m very excited to be writing these books and working with Kathryn Lynn Davis and Suzan Tisdale. I admire both of these women tremendously, and it’s an honor to be part of Glenfinnan.
On the total opposite end of the scale, the fourth book of my Wycked Obsession rock star series was released in April. It’s called Wycked Trio and was my first attempt at a ménage story! Yikes! I ended up loving the characters and the book. I’m also working on book 5, which is called Wycked Love. It will be out later this year.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Wynne: I always wrote. As a teenager, I used to rewrite life events so I could always be victorious. My stories were mostly romantic. As an adult, I played at writing but thought published authors were special people, which I wasn’t. I couldn’t let go of the stories that kept showing up in my head, though. I started writing them down so they would leave me alone!
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Wynne: When I won a writing contest that was judged by the senior editor at Harlequin Historicals.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Wynne: My first published book was inspired by another book. I’d read an historical about a hero who was falsely imprisoned, and I started to wonder what would happen if a woman lost her reputation, arguably a woman’s greatest asset in the 19th century. That became Shades of Gray, which I wrote as Wendy Douglas.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Wynne: I first called it Soiled Dove, but as the story took shape, it became so much more. The hero was a Southern man with Union sympathies, the heroine a local pariah, and their lives were surrounded by secrets and misunderstandings. Shades of Grayjust fit.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
Wynne: Iwrite in two very different genres. A Husband Returnedis a more traditional historical, the style third person, past tense to suit the story and time period.My rock star books are written in first person, present tense. I’ll admit that switching between the styles does provide a challenge at times.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Wynne: A Husband Returned is entirely fictional although historically accurate. A number of the charactersare named after ancestors of mine.Wycked Loveis also fictional, but I share the band’s appreciation for the history of rock’n’roll.
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
Wynne: I’ve traveled for historical research, visiting Civil War battlefields, museums, etc. If you can call attending concerts research (😊), I’ve done my share of that, too.I also do quite a bit of research at home (online, books,documentaries). I never really stop researching.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Wynne: The cover for A Husband Returned will be done by Dar Albert, part of the Glenfinnan Publishing Team. I’m excited, because I’ve never worked with her. I collaborated on the Wycked Obsession covers with my cover artist, Tatiana Vila of Vila Designs.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Wynne: I don’t consciously include a message, but my underlying belief is that love is always worth it. It’s often messy, sometimes ugly and painful, but it’s worth the fight. Even if it doesn’t work out the way you expected, I believe giving it your best is both admirable and noble.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
Wynne: As a writer, I admire other authors for a lot of reasons. I love Sybil Bartel for her alpha heroes. I love Tillie Cole for her truly messed up heroes and stories. I love Sierra Simone and Marni Mann for the chances they take. As a new writer, I loved everything Elizabeth Lowell wrote. Her heroes were alpha and her heroines strong without being bitchy. I loved that she made her characters face hard stuff, they were honest, and there is power in leaving questions unanswered.
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Wynne: Romance Writers of America. The organization support writers at every stage of their career, from mega, multi-published to absolute newbie. Through them, I made connections, friendships, and learned both craft and business.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Wynne: I write full-time now. I wasn’t able to do it when I was younger, because I had too many real-life responsibilities. I’m lucky to have finally achieved my dream career.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Wynne: My latest published book is Wycked Trio, a MMF book. I can’t say I would change anything about it, except to be able to spend a little more time with those characters. I loved them so much, but at 90,000 words, The End came when it was supposed to.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
Wynne: I learn something with every book, and I hope that always continues.With Wycked Love,I learned that I can write a book faster than I ever imagined. Oh, and I learned that I could write a MM love scene!
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Wynne: I’m not sure about actors, but I did have models in mind as inspiration for the male leads. Baz was inspired by Bram van Adrichem, and True was inspired by Miles McMillan.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
Wynne: First, KEEP WRITING. You have to perfect your craft, which takes practice. Second, FINISH THE BOOK.You can’t submit to a publisher or agent or publish independently without a completed manuscript.Don’t spend too much time revising those first few chapters without progressing with the rest of the book. Yes, you will need to revise and edit, but that will come at its proper time. You don’t want to leech the vibrancy and writer’s voice out of your work, which happenswith too much editing.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Wynne: I want to thank everyone for loving my imperfect characters and for trusting me to tell me their stories in the best way I can.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Wynne: I am reading an ARC, The Baby Bargain by Crystal Kaswell. Crystal has been a huge inspiration to me (my rock stars wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for her Sinful Serenade series), and I’m delighted to be a part of her ARC team.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Wynne: The first romance novel I read was The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. But I still have my favorite Little Golden Book (That Donkey).
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
Wynne: I laugh at the dumbest stuff, the sillier the better. I like sarcasm. I cry at everything. Books, movies, Hallmark cards, dog food commercials?I’m a mess.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Wynne: I gave this so much thought and kept coming back to one man. Jesus. He had such love in his heart, and he knew so much that I think has been lost in translation. I have so many questions!
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
Wynne: I used to have hobbies like gardening and knitting, but I haven’t done much of that lately. I’m usually busy writing, and when I have free time, I read.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Wynne: The Big Bang Theory is my current favorite. I love reruns from old sit-coms like M*A*S*H and Everybody Loves Raymond. I will watch Independence Day every time it comes on. I have other strange favoritesthat make me laugh like Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Hotel Transylvania. I am a total Trekkie and love the Star Trek reboot.
Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music?
Wynne: Mexican food is my absolute favorite. Nachos, tacos, cheese enchiladas. I love the combination of peacock blue and teal green. My music sense is very eclectic. I make Spotify playlists for all my books, which include classic rock, country, pop, current, Big Band, movie soundtracks. (Right now: Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynyrd ended, and Just Give Me a Reason by Pink started.)
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Wynne: Read! My TBR is ridiculous. I might like to travel around the country in a motorhome, but Mr. Amazing would have to drive so I could read.
Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?
Wynne: Share loving words with my family and friends, sit in the sun, eat tacos and drink margaritas, snuggle with my dachshund JJ — and maybe spend a little sexy time with Mr. Amazing.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
Wynne: It would be a paraphrased quote from Maya Angelou: I did what I knew how to do, and when I knew better, I did better.
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
Wynne: Here are some links. I’m in the process of updating my website, which I hope will go live in July. I’m on Facebook daily.
https://www.facebook.com/wynne.roman.author
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wynneroman/
Amazon Authors Page USA https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0762WBJXS?_encoding=UTF8&node=283155&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-pages-popularity-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader
authorsinterviews 
Congratulations on your three book contract and best of luck to you.