Written in the Stars by Sherrill Bodine and Patricia Rosemoor {Author Interview with Sherrill Bodine & Giveaway}

“A passionate tale of destiny, danger and dark magic—and a love so powerful that it conquers time.” Mary Jo Putney, New York Times Bestselling Author.

A love so deep that it can last through centuries?

In 1601, Lady Elizabeth York’s star-shaped birthmark proclaims her a child of magic. When she arrives at Dunham Castle to marry Carlyle, heir to the Duke of Lennox, but finds enchantment in the eyes and touch of Will Grey, the Duke’s bastard son. Bewitched by Elizabeth, Will defies all for their love, and his jilted half-brother places a curse on them both.
Searching for a treasure ship sunk long ago, present-day marine archeologist Cordelia Ward is pursued romantically by both salvager Innis Foley and treasure hunter Morgan Murphy. She is haunted by a murderous nightmare where one man is the killer and the other the victim, but which man is her enemy, which her soul’s mate? Can a journal that belonged to her ancestress, Lady Elizabeth York show her the answers…in time to save her true love?

Chased by evil, two women discover their own magic to fight the villain’s curse on the Posey rings that draw them to the men they are destined to love.

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Historical

There was little Will had not seen in court, the battlefield, or the bedroom, yet watching Elizabeth walk to the warm, spring-fed pool at the edge of the woods behind his grandfather’s cottage filled him with wonder.

He slipped his arm around her waist and her head rested on his shoulder. Freed of her ribbons, her ebony hair blown by the evening winds flowed across his throat and chest, filling the air he breathed with the scent of lavender.

At the far side of the pool they came to the limestone rim, festooned with vines and heavy purple blossoms.

Laughing, she slipped off her kid boots, slowly uncoiled her celestial girdle and placed it carefully on the ground. Wearing only her loose gown with hanging sleeves, she walked into the shallows.

Turning back to him, her thick, wavy hair cascading over her breasts, her huge eyes lit by the setting sun, she beckoned to him.

“Come, Will. Join me in paradise.”

Leaving most of his clothes in a pile next to hers, Will waded toward her. He felt the warm spring water rush over his feet and calves.

To him, Elizabeth was a creature of magic, of desire, of love he would follow through eternity.

Thanks so much for stopping by the Authors' Cafe today, Sherrill. I'm very excited to host you and your book, Written in the Stars, and I just LOVE the cover! Okay, so let's get right to the interview.

At what point in your life did you realize that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?

When I sold my first book, Buried Shadows and two days later I received a two book contract offer from Fawcett Regency/Ballantine. That was a great week!

Which of your characters is most like you?

Always a little of me in my heroine’s - but they always have fabulous hair – I don’t!!

If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from Written in the Stars would you want with you?

My hero, Will Grey – he is brave, would give his life to protect me and we’d have great sex!

Wow, what a man - Just let me wipe the drool off my chin!!! Okay, so where do you write?

In a big chair next to the fireplace in my bedroom – particularly in the colder months – when it is warm in Chicago (which is seldom this summer!) I write on the screen porch off my bedroom.

Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?

I always write my first draft with a black ink pen on wide-ruled paper. When I come home with a new tablet and a package of black ink pens, my husband knows I’m starting another book.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) of Written in the Stars to write and why?

I LOVED creating the journal entries which tie my historical portion to the contemporary part which was written by my friend and co-author, Patricia Rosemoor. The language of the journal entries flowed so naturally from my pen! THAT doesn’t often happen for me!

How did you come up with the title?

The book is about reincarnation, magic and destiny. I believe our destiny is written in our stars from the day we are born.

What would YOU like your readers to know about this book or you in general?

I wish I could personally tell each of my readers that I will never get over my feelings of awe and gratitude that they have chosen to spend their precious time and hard-earned money reading my books! Honestly, I can’t believe it, even after 19 books! Their support means everything to me!

What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

NEVER SURRENDER!!!!!!!!

Do you have a favorite author?

Dorothy Dunnett – I LOVE her Lymond Series – I’ve re-read all six books at least 6 times! I just spent the winter reading all of them again!!

What is your favorite quote?

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.

What genre of books do you read for pleasure?

The Lymond Series and biographies of interesting, powerful women.

What’s the most amusing thing that’s every happened to you?

I‘m lucky to have much laughter in my life! One of the more amusing moments was on a trip to Scotland. I was with my two youngest children on a ghost tour of old Edinburgh when the leader asked if anyone would volunteer to be put in the “stocks” – my children volunteered me, I gamely stuck my head and hands in the proper holes and then they couldn’t get me out! Much laughter and good natured kidding from the group! My children loved it!!

LOL!!! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I LOVE film – I would go to the movie theater every night! I have a great curiosity about the world and I travel whenever I can! My next trip is to Romania for a wedding in September!

If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?

I was totally in love with the original STAR TREK – I would like to go to places among the stars. Growing up I wanted to either be an astronaut or an archaeologist.

Party dress or blue jeans? Always a party dress

Plotter or Panster? Plotter

Print or e-Book? Print but learning to enjoy e-books

Coastal walks or extreme sports? Coastal walks – love being around water

Cookies or cupcakes? May I please have ½ of each?

Super hero or super villain? Super hero

If I had a free afternoon I’d . . . Go to a movie

Peanut Butter: Crunchy, Creamy, or I hate peanut butter and am addicted to Nutella. Crunchy

You suddenly realize you live in a haunted house. Do you:

Run screaming for the door.

Bravely go to a church, load up on holy water and try to get rid of the ghost.

Set up ghost hunting equipment to capture phenomenon For sure!!!!

Call in the Ghost Adventures crew so that you can ogle the lead guy Zac’s amazingly stiff hair when you’re not ogling his….physical attributes.

Deny you have a ghost and just let it scare the bejesus out of your visitors.

I owned a house which had a ghost – according to those who were lucky enough to see him ( and there were several!) – He looked like Abe Lincoln wearing his top hat. I was quite upset that he didn’t visit me. A few times late at night in the kitchen, I’d catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye.

Could you tell us some fun random facts about yourself?

I’m one of 4 co-authors of the comic book series, Whispers from the Void. The character I write is a ghost, Blythe/Blight, a two hundred year old teenage virgin.

Since I eloped with my husband when I was a freshman in college we have moved 22 times.

Every year I have an “Almost Christmas Eve” Party on December 23. It started out as a party for all my friends who had no family to go to during the holidays – now it has grown into a much bigger production.

I love fashion – my new passion is vintage fine costume jewelry.

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I’m sure growing up in my grandmother’s house, taking care of my developmentally disabled mother, forged who I am, but I don’t believe any one thing defines me. My philosophy of life is that we are all in this together—and we need to embrace one another with as much grace, humor and compassion as we can muster. I see life as big, bigger, biggest, and I want to take everyone along with me on the journey. I not only attend black-tie affairs and work on charity board projects, but I am also just as likely to be taking a grandchild to lunch and a movie. I’m happily married to John, with whom I eloped when I was an 18-year-old freshman in college. It was quite the scandal. We have four beautiful children and 11 grandchildren.

I won my first writing award in the seventh grade in a statewide essay contest about a television broadcast of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates. Instead of Silver Skates, they sent real skates, which I enjoyed immensely. I’m only sorry I don’t still have them so they could hang in my office.

While moving 22 times across the country and rearing our children, I sold stories to Fate Magazine, Home Life Magazine and True Confessions. In 1988, I sold my first novel and a week later received a two-book contract from Fawcett. Sixteen novels later, I’ve seen The Other Amanda win the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America Write Touch Readers’ Award and Talk of the Town chosen by Cosmopolitan magazine as its “Red Hot Read” for February 2009.

Sherrill is also known as Lynn Leslie and Leslie Lynn