Molly:
Colleen, I have just recently read your book "A Whisper of Rosemary" for review. I found it to be very entertaining, most readable and it kept my attention for certain. Can you tell us why did you choose your particular setting for this work?

Colleen:
Ever since I was a little girl and saw Disney's Sleeping Beauty, with the vast, open castles, lords and ladies and brave knights, I have been intrigued with that time period. As I grew older, my interest increased as I read Ivanhoe and saw the film Becket...and I just became fascinated with the time period. It just seemed natural as, many years ago, I began to write my own novel about maidens and knights and lords and ladies....and the rest is history.

Molly:
Excellent Colleen. May I ask, how much time did you spend doing background research before beginning the actual writing of "A Whisper of Rosemary" and what did that research involve?

Colleen:
I spent years doing research, if you count the reading I did for fun before I actually began to write the book!! Actually, I began writing a very early version of it in high school, then put it aside for almost a decade before picking it up again and writing what is now the published version. The research was a labor of love and took many forms....from visiting England and Wales (where the types of castle that Maris lives in was prototyped) and climbing through the ruins of these old castles (my husband couldn't understand why I didn't want to visit Stonehenge or the Cliffs of Dover or many of the other touristy places, but wanted to climb through piles of rubble....but he good-naturedly traipsed along behind me), to reading Ivanhoe and other fictional works, to wandering through the warrens of the Graduate Library at the University of Michigan.

Molly:
That is most interesting, learning the research behind the work adds a greater understanding for me for just what "A Whisper of Rosemary" is all about. Now, let's switch gears little shall we. What did you do first write your book or seek out an agent or a publisher? Did you suffer through the dreaded rejection blues?

Colleen:
The rejection blues had me by the short hairs for some time. It's no fun sending our your labor of love and having someone tell you that it's ugly. <vbg> But that's part of the deal of being a writer, and one just has to go on. And perseverance is what it takes. Giving up and writing, but not sending your work out; or giving up and not trying any more at all accomplishes nothing. Or so I told myself during those rejection blues!

Molly:
You betcha, it is certainly a situation every writer seems to experience isn't it? Now, please tell us something about yourself, about your life apart from writing too.

Colleen:
Hmm...where do I begin?...<gr> My husband and I live with our three children near Ann Arbor. We have a 5-year-old daughter, a 3-year-old son, and a 4-month-old baby girl. We also have a German Shepherd Dog and a German Shepherd Dog puppy....and Steve (my husband) and I each work two jobs....so we are a little bit busy! But we love it....our second jobs are our labors of love (mine is writing, his is being the music director at our church). And we always find the time to do "family" things...like go to the cider mill in the fall, or go for a walk downtown to get ice cream and to see the turtles. (My son loves turtles and so do I!)

I have been writing ever since I can remember...and I have a myriad of stories floating around in my head. I have always loved history--especially medieval times--so it's natural for me to want to write stories about that time. I am fascinated by the language, the customs, the dress, and the society in England during this period of history. It's been difficult to find time to write in the last year, with being pregnant (and not always feeling so well), and having two little ones. However, it's a passion that burns within me...that's the only way to describe it...and I feel myself getting ready to get back to it. The most important thing for a writer to do--or one who wants to be a writer--is to actually do it. To write. And when I don't write, I feel as though something is missing from my life.

In my professional life (ie, my day job) I work for a technology company that provides solutions in the employee benefits arena--healthcare, etc. I work in sales and account management, which allows me to meet a lot of people and experience different situations...all of which are food for thought for my writing.

Molly:
Colleen beginning writers may not realize how difficult it is to get a book together. How long would you say it takes on average for you to write a book from start to finish?

Colleen:
LOL! I don't know! Because I've been having children for the last five years, I've been going in fits and starts. I think it would probably take me six to eight months (since I don't write full time) to complete a book.

Molly:
Glad you stuck with it! "A Whisper of Rosemary" is certainly worth the wait. Do you have a nom de plume you use for writing Colleen? If so, is a there a particular reason why you chose the pen-name?

Colleen:
The name I write under is my maiden name.

Molly:
I see, understand! I do as well. Now let's turn to another subject shall we? Colleen, do you plan to do book signings within the next few weeks? Do you enjoy signings?

Colleen:
I've been doing book signings like crazy! I did two last Saturday, have another scheduled for this Saturday, and several others in the works. I love to meet readers--potential readers--and enjoy telling people about my book, as well as chatting about other authors we like.