A Warm Welcome to Ginger Hanson

Ginger Hanson is a former college history teacher who found writing historical romance a natural outlet for her love of history. While Lady Runaway is her first foray into the Regency period, her two award-winning Civil War era historical romantic adventures were published in 2004. Ransom's Bride scored success as the winner of the 2005 Gayle Wilson Award Of Excellence and was a finalist in the 2005 Holt Medallion Contest. Tennessee Waltz was a finalist in the 2005 Maggie as well as the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in the Historical category.

Ginger also has two published contemporary romance novels set in the fictional small town of Tassanoxie, Alabama. The series slid into ebook only format with a 2011 Christmas short story, A Christmas Diamond for Merry. Read more at Ginger's website link

Ginger says of her writing career:  I’ve written everything from a newspaper humor column to an aviation newsletter during my writing career, but mostly I wrote novels. For years I created fictional worlds and submitted my manuscripts hoping an editor would fall in love with my stories and offer me a contract. In 2004, an editor finally did and my first two historical romances were published.

Blessed with normal writer’s luck, my editor resigned, the line was cancelled, and I was orphaned. After a five year dry spell, the editor at Twilight Times Books offered me a contract for Lady Runaway, a historical Regency adventure romance. Several weeks later, I was also offered a contract for my first sweet contemporary romance, Feather’s Last Dance!

For the last two years, I’ve concentrated on stories in what became the Tassanoxie, Alabama, series. Ellie’s Song was released last January and the short story, A Christmas Diamond for Merry, became available in December 2011. I have a novella awaiting publication and several more stories for that series “awaiting completion.”

I love the flexibility and speed of the new world of digital publishing. It’s fun to know you can write short stories, novellas, or novels and get them quickly to the reading public. With that in mind, I plan to jump into self-publication this year and offer my first two Civil War historical romances as ebooks. Mostly, I look forward to the chance to write more stories, historical and contemporary, and connect with more readers.

BUY

Before we learn more about Ginger, here's  the blurb for Lady Runaway:

 Fleeing arrest by a spurned suitor, Lady Riana Travistock heads for London where she is knifed in a street brawl when she helps a man attacked by footpads. Luckily for Lady Riana, the victim of the attack is army surgeon Captain Devlin Carrington who takes her home to tend her injury.

When Dev cuts off her blood-soaked chemise to stitch the knife wound, a fortune in jewels spill out. Has he saved a lovely jewel thief only to watch her hang?

And a sample review: Familial relationships enrich and the conflicts excite, but the LOVE is memorable. Lady Runaway is a story to enjoy more than once. It is a KEEPER.
Long and Short Reviews link

Now Ginger Reveals:

From where do you get inspiration and what inspired you to write Lady Runaway?
Inspiration for a story can come from anywhere, a snippet of conversation, a picture, something I read, etc. My Regency romantic adventure, Lady Runaway originated in a dream scene that lodged itself firmly in my brain and I couldn’t forget it. The scene involved a young woman hiding in a London alley. She is pulling her hand, sticky with her own blood, away from her chest.

In a couple of sentences, describe the hero’s character.  What do you like best/least about him?   Captain Devlin Carrington, the younger son of an earl, wants to do something useful with his life. He chooses to be an Army doctor even though it’s not an accepted profession for an aristocrat’s son. This is what I like best about him, his willingness to go against society’s dictates.  What do I like least about him? His need for his father’s approval. Now this is a perfectly legitimate human need, but Dev will have to decide whether or not he should let this need rule his life. 

And the heroine? How do you relate to her?   I love Lady Riana Travisock because she’s a feisty and fun heroine, my favourite type! What woman can’t love a heroine who whacks the bad guy over the head in the first chapter? Now, how do I relate to Lady Riana? Very well since she’s smart, witty, and independent!

Who controls the story – you or your characters?
At the beginning of the process, I control everything because I’m the one creating the characters, their backstory, and the plot. Somewhere along the way, the characters take shape and start demanding more control and then I have to share!

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your books?    My stories tend to be about second chances at love. Usually the heroine and/or hero have been hurt in their early relationships (who hasn’t) and now they have a chance to get it right. In Lady Runaway, both Dev and Riana have been involved in previous relationships and neither ended well. This story not only gives them another chance at a meaningful relationship, but also they both learn how to be true to their inner self.

What do you most enjoy about writing romance?
Writing stories that end with the characters experiencing love and hope give me great joy as a writer.

The best writing advice I ever received?
Writers have an endless source of words and that means there is no reason to hang onto every one you write as if it were made of gold! Believe me, they aren’t. Think of revision as reducing the dross to find the gold. 

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?   Right now, I’m at a crossroads in my career. As I mentioned, I have the reversion of rights for my first two historical romances and have decided to take the plunge into e-book self-publication. A window for change (stay where I am, change publisher, or self-publish) for my small town contemporary Tassanoxie series opened recently and I‘m wrestling with that decision.I also have a more traditional Regency romance on the back burner I’d like to finish writing this year. And I’d love to write some stories about pioneer female aviators! So many stories to write, so little time…

 
What would you most like to accomplish this year?   Publication of Lady Runaway and the Tassanoxie series put me into the world of e-books and small publishers. Promotion in this world is a different ballgame compared to traditional promotion. I had a lot to learn and I’m still learning, but this year I hope to use what I’ve learned from my research and various workshops to gain a wider readership. I’m fortunate to have built a small but loyal fan base over the years. (A friend/fan called me this morning to tell me she had a new Nook Color and her first purchase was one of my ebooks!) Their support has kept me writing. It also gives me hope that others will enjoy what I write. Thus, what I would most like to accomplish this year is to connect with more readers.

What was your favourite book as a child/teen/adult?    As a child, my favourite books starred the intrepid Nancy Drew! I risked being stuck in the corner, but I continued to tuck her books into my textbooks and read them during class. As a teen (and I’m showing my age here), I loved Mary Stewart’s romantic suspense novels. I believe the strong heroines drew me to these books. While I still read romantic adventure stories, I’m an eclectic reader who enjoys all types of books from romantic comedy to post-apocalyptic fiction and picking a favourite book is nearly impossible.

How about favourite writers?
That’s difficult, too, because I read so many types of books. Some of my favourite writers: Jayne Anne Krentz (I love how she writes in three time periods); Barbara Metzger is one of my favourite Regency writers with her intriguing use of stream of consciousness; J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are a treat to read (I love her imagination); I’m a sucker for Jacqueline Winspear’s post-World War I mysteries featuring Masie Dobbs; and for sheer fun no one beats Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books. I keep way too many books around the house because I never know what I’ll feel like reading. I like to have choices. But I’m sure I’ll be able to reduce some of the bookcases once I get more books loaded into my iPad!

Are you currently reading anything?
I just finished Mary-Ann Tirone Smith’s Love Her Madly, the first in a series about a female FBI investigator. When I’m in iPad mode, I’m reading Maggie Shayne’s Fairytale and my nonfiction choice for this week is Harriette Wilson’s Memoirs, edited by Lesley Blanch. Since I judge RWA’s RITA each year, I’ll soon be reading a selection of the latest romance releases.

What is your culinary speciality?    Does breakfast count? I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of gluten in our diet and started trying out different types of flour in my pancakes. Had some real disasters, but a mixture of amaranth, oat, and teff is my current blend. 

And finally A Taste of Ginger 

Chapter One

Dorking, England1811

The heavy brass doorknocker banged against the front door, startling Lady Riana Travistock into dropping the two portmanteaus. They thumped to the bare wood floor at her feet while she frowned at the door. Since the last of the household servants had left yesterday, she would have to answer the summons. Stalking across the foyer, she paused long enough to curve her mouth into a polite smile before opening the door.

"My dear Lady Riana!"

The smile froze on her face. Sir Hector Stalkings was supposed to be in London, not Dorking. An unladylike expletive exploded in her brain. She tried to soften her smile, but her mouth felt as starched as the cravat around Sir Hector's thick neck. "Sir Hector, what a... pleasant surprise."

Peering beyond her into the shadowed hallway, his brown gaze swept the room, stopping at the bags bunched on the inlaid oak floor. "What I hear is true? You're leaving us?"

Gossamer wings of panic unfurled in her breast. She had hoped to escape Dorking without seeing her father's friend. "You heard correctly. Pennywise and I are booked on this afternoon's stagecoach."

"Thank goodness I returned from London before you left," he said.

Good manners forced her backward when he started through the door. The scent of the late June roses blooming along the front portico wafted into the hall behind cloying waves of his Canterbury violet perfume.

"Stricken," he said, "absolutely stricken to hear you and Mrs. Pennywise have been forced to leave your home."

The wings of distress flapped against her ribs with the power of a kestrel fighting to be airborne as he stepped into the foyer. Only years of deportment lessons kept its drumming beat out of her voice.

"Thank you for your sentiments, but Mrs. Pennywise and I quite look forward to this change in our lives."

"Look forward to the change! How can you? I hear Pennywise is to retire to her sister's home in Woking. And you have secured a teaching position in London. What a brave face you have put on this disaster." Sir Hector shook his head as he closed the front door. "'Tis a sad day when Lady Riana Travistock is reduced to teaching someone elses' brats."

He hadn't heard the complete truth, but no one in Dorking knew about the jewels except her and Pennywise.
Go to http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/LadyRunaway_ch1.html to read more

Follow the rest of Ginger's tour at this link

SPECIAL 0FFER: Twilight Times Books is running the ebook version of Lady Runaway at a 50% discount from the Twilight Times Books web site (discount applied at chackout), also available at Amazon Kindle, Allromance, Fictionwise, OmniLit  for the week of Ginger's blog tour
Plus Ginger will be giving away a $10 Barnes and Noble GC and the choice of either a print copy of How I Wrote My First Book: The Story Behind the Story which includes “Ten Lessons I Learned from Writing Quest for Vengeance" by Ginger Hanson -or- a new paperback copy of Ransom’s Bride by Ginger Hanson to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
Don't forget to leave a comment for the chance to win a prize

Thank you for sharing with us, Ginger. It has been a pleasure to meet you!

                          I'd like to thank you, Megan, for inviting me to participate in your blog this week.

                                 I’d also like to thank readers who stopped by for sharing their time with me

Links: Find Ginger at her blog   her website   on facebook  at missmabeltalkstassanoxie
BUY Links: Fictionwise  amazon.com  amazon.co.uk twilighttimes AllRomance OmniLit