[Blog Tour] Author Interview: A. Lightbourne, author of Brass Hearts

The Fairytale Nerd is the next stop on the Brass Hearts Blog Tour!

Author A. Lightbourne is visiting The Fairytale Nerd today for an author interview.

I began writing stories almost as soon as I learned to write. From my 1st grade 'journal' full of tales of rabbit adventures to my first full length book at 14. I have always had a love for writing stories.

Besides words I also have a love for tech. From an early age I built 'bread boards', soldering diodes and components to create such things as a light detecting alarm clock and other such ...useless things. I moved on to building my first DOS PC at 15. I also graduated School at 15. Later on I became a certified PC tech.

I am happily married with lots of furry little 'children'. Most of which I raised by hand when a local rescue group or friends brought me orphaned babies to bottle feed. Which is why every month I partner with one No-Kill animal shelter to donate 15% of my book sales profits for that month to their shelter. See my website for details.

Most of my writing is Fantasy based, I have a few fantasy/Sci-fi mixes (like Space Trippers) and at least one comedy adventure.

I hope you enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoy writing it.

You can stalk A. Lightbourne here: Website Twitter Facebook

Check out the interview!

Welcome to The Fairytale Nerd! how are you today?
Thanks, it is a pleasure to be here. We are having lovely Fall weather so I am doing great!

First of all, what is the message (from your book) that you want to convey to your readers?
Hmm, I was supposed to have a message? I just wanted to write a cute story. Let's see...'Don't be a spoiled brat or life will come up and bite you in the end'...Or uhmmm.... 'Don't judge people by class or appearance you may be overlooking something good'?

Where did you get your ideas for Brass Hearts?
The main character Dulcy Spry was inspired by the movie 'Lost In Austen'. Once she was in my head she began to take shape, telling me where she lived and worked and what sort of world it was. I did not intend to write 'steampunk' but that was the place she came from so that is what I wrote. The story itself is a mixture of Jane Austen type romance and Cinderella.

What music were you listening to when you were writing your book?
Ragtime on Pandora and let me tell you I had fun writing it, how can anyone be unhappy listening to such happy, upbeat music? I also had fun researching and listening to antique band organs, there are some really amazing works of art out there and the music they play is astounding when you consider it all comes from air and holes in paper. And who could not like a good, hammered dulcimer reel?

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Well..I have a very bad habit of not doing whatever it is that needs done and getting distracted with other things. But what really bugs me is my house, I cannot concentrate on writing if my house is messy. So first I have to straighten and clean everything, then I can sit down and work.

Is there a character or an event (or something) in your book that you want to change?
Not change, there was a scene I left out. I thought it would be a cute scene between Dulcy and Pridget but in the end I opted to leave it out. It would not have added to the flow of the story and if it was a movie it would most likely have been edited out, so I didn't write it. Might have been fun to write it anyway though.

What is your most treasured possession?
My laptop computer....a good working one with plenty of disc space and fast internet. That is my #1 must have.

What was a time in your life when you felt really afraid?
Hmmm, that would probably be childhood. I did not have a 'happy' childhood, maybe that is why I like light, happy stories when I write.

Who is your hero in real life? What about in books?
Oooh, tough one. I am not sure about this. Sometimes I feel I am the heroine of my own story. Not that I am conceited. I have dealt with and overcome a lot and I am proud of my forbearance and resilience. Sometimes I am surprised I have made it this far and still have my sanity....or do I? In books I like the tough yet sensitive heroines, the ones that can stick up for and take care of themselves but don't beat others down either.

The one who loves you or the one you love?
The one I love.

Batman or Superman?
Batman! He has Catwoman!

Apartment or dorm?
Apartment, more privacy.

Viral epidemic or nuclear explosion?
For me or someone I really don't like? Me=Nuclear and Quick

Fantasy or reality?
Fantasy

Blind or deaf?
Deaf, if I was blind I could still get audio books but I couldn't see beautiful art.

Summer or winter?
No Fall? Summer then.

Christmas or Halloween?
Neither

Boxers or Briefs?
Boxers, they come in cool Marvel and other designs.

What's your next project?
I am currently working on book 5 (Don't Even Ask) of my Space Trippers series and may do another 'Fairytale' next year. Brass Hearts was a mix of Pride and Prejudice and Cinderella, this next one is a twist on Beauty and the Beast.

BUY

Brass Hearts

by A. Lightbourne

A classic Romantic tale, set in a picturesque steampunk world. All Dulcy Spry wants in life is to inherit her father's small, family business, and help run it while she waits. But after a fateful encounter with the snobbish Mr Pridget on the roadside Dulcy's best friend, Alise, and younger sister, Rosa, drag the reluctant Miss Spry into high society, where lies, manipulations and family secrets threaten to ruin her peaceful life and cast her into the dismal prison of an unwanted marriage. Brass Hearts is a Cinderella-esque type story. It is a sweet, old fashioned romance, complete with bad impressions, lies, misunderstandings and social divide.