Hi Julie, welcome to Psychotic State
Book Reviews! Thank you for taking the
time to chat with me and my readers. You recently released The Secret of Pembrooke Park and it’s receiving a lot of press and
excellent reviews. Congratulations!
Thank you!
And thank you for having me here.
If you had to describe The Secret of Pembrooke Park in just five words, what would they be?
Hmm… maybe: Treasure
sought; true love found. Or: Overlooked sister finds true worth.
What was
your favorite part of writing The Secret
of Pembrooke Park?

I enjoyed so
many things: brainstorming with author-friends, the mind-challenge of crafting
a mystery, and perhaps best of all, visiting the English manor that inspired
Pembrooke Park.
What is it about the Regency period
that attracts you?
I am drawn
to the chivalry of the period--gentlemen in tall boots, ladies in lovely gowns,
the manners and repressed attraction where the mere touch of gloved hands at a
ball sparked romance.
How long did you research the Regency
period before you began writing?
If reading
Jane Austen’s novels and watching every film or mini-series based on them
counts as research, then several years! J Otherwise, I have for the most part
conducted research all along the way. I buy new research books for each new
topic/profession/location I tackle. Research is an ongoing part of being a
writer. There is always more to learn.
If you were able to travel back in
time to the Regency period, what thing do you believe you’d like the best? What would be the most difficult part of
living in the Regency period?
Before I had
done much research, I thought it was a wonderfully romantic period (and it
could be, if you had money). I would have liked the balls the most, because I
love to dance and have greatly enjoyed the English Country Dancing I have done
over the last few years. But now that I have learned more about the medical
care, sanitation (or lack thereof), and restrictions women faced, I realize I
am better suited to current times.
Can you tell us about your path to
being a published author?
I have
always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn’t until I had worked as a fiction
editor for several years that I got serious and completed my first novel. I
learned a great deal by working with other authors and editors, and I’m very
thankful for that experience. Since I worked for my ideal publisher, I
submitted my first novel under a pseudonym so that it would be reviewed
objectively. Thankfully, my colleagues liked it and wanted to publish it before
they knew who had written it.
What is the single best piece of
advice you’ve received as an author that you would like to share?
Perhaps, “Less
input, more output.” Eventually, you have to lay aside the research and WRITE!
Some random questions . . .
Depends on
the day! I took two different online quizzes and one said Scarlett and the
other said Melanie. That’s quite telling really, because I am one of those
adaptable middle children who fills whichever role is needed in a given
situation.
Structured routine or fly by the seat
of your pants?
I am not
very structured or organized by nature, but I am working on it!
The book currently on your nightstand
is . . .
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is on the top of
the stack.
Your favorite guilty pleasure movie
is . . .
Lost in Austen—it’s so shockingly delicious. Enjoyed
Austenland, too. (Do you think I
might romanticize living in Jane Austen’s time a little too much? J )
The fictional character you would
most love to meet is . . .
Mr. Darcy,
assuming he was about to fall madly in love with me. Otherwise I think he would
be quite intimidating.
The actress who could best portray you
is . . .
![]() |
Laura Dern |
One fun thing about you most people
don’t know is . . .
Let’s see….
I once taught ballroom dance to a group of people with various disabilities. It
was challenging but rewarding.
Can you share with us what’s next for
you?
With
pleasure. I have a new book coming out
in July, called Lady Maybe. It’s about
a woman whose startling secrets lead her into unexpected danger and romance in
Regency England. Then in December comes The
Painter’s Daughter, my first novel with a marriage-in-name-only premise.
Thank you, Julie, for taking the time
to sit down with Psychotic State Book Reviews.
Best of luck to you with The Secret of Pembrooke Park!
For more information on Julie and The Secret of Pembrooke Park, please visit her website.
Be sure to enter Julie's fantastic giveaway here.
And is it just me or is Julie a dead ringer for actress Rebecca DeMornay?
32 comments:
Thank you for this wonderful interview. I love Julie Klassen and her books!
Rebecca De Mornay, hm? Very flattering, thank you. I wish I looked half as good as either actress! :) Thanks again for the fun interview and for participating in the tour.
That was a great interview, I really enjoyed learning more about one of my favorite authors! :)
Can't wait for both books!
Thank you for this perfect interview! I love all of Julie Klassen’s books, and I cannot wait to read Lady Maybe! This blog tour is so exciting!
Wonderful chat with Julie! I can't wait to read The Secret of Pembrooke Park. :)
I liked seeing the pictures to visualize your characters. And I think Darcy would be too intimidating for me too!
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a fabulous book. It's one of those classic gothic romance books I remember reading years ago. I enjoyed this interview with Julie and am looking forward to reading The Secret of Pembrooke Park.
Loved this Q and A session. Thanks for hosting this. :D
Great interview. We live in a wonderful time for research, don't we? So much information out there easily obtained!
Lovely interview! :) Ooh... I want to watch Lost in Austen and Austenland... sounds like great fun, :)
Blessings! And thanks for the giveaway!
-Shantelle
lovely cover. thanks for the interview.
I'd also love to meet Mr. Darcy, swoon!
Loved this interview! :D Especially the random questions!
~Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a)
fun interview
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
What a great interview! I enjoyed reading all of the responses from Julie Klassen.
~Amanda
Loved your interview! The questions were very insightful. Thanks!
Julie, you cracked me up with that bit about Laura Dern. :) Have you seen When the Game Stands Tall? Great movie with her. Also try October Sky and Jusassic Park, two of my other favorites with her.
Blessings,
Andrea
Great interview Julie! I enjoyed getting to know more about you! You mention Mr. Darcy quite a bit so I guess I better get to reading and/or watching Pride & Prejudice to know of whom you speak, lol! I believe I have the book & the movie may be on Netflix. I better catch up :-)Your books are great, I've read 5 of them and enjoyed each one. I also love the Regency era because of you (yes, that's a good thing)! Thanks again for sharing today on this blog and for a great giveaway! Would love to see all these on my bookshelf!
Cannot wait to read all of Julie's new books!
Thanks, Andrea. Will do.
Thanks Trixi. And yes, read or at least watch P&P pronto! :)
Fun questions and answers! Thanks for posting this interview!
What a fun interview! I enjoyed reading more about Julie in this entry!
Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments! I'm glad that everyone has enjoyed Julie's interview. I thoroughly enjoyed posing the questions and reading her answers. She's fabulous!
Julie, yes . . Rebecca De Mornay! Thank you so much for stopping by at my site.
This was a great interview! I really enjoyed it!
Great interview! I went to an English Country dance in Williamsburg once and loved it...wish I could do it more often!
Always a fan of Julie's books - I can't wait to read it! truckredford(at)gmail(dot)com
Great review. I have read and enjoyed Julie's book in the past and I can't wait to read this one too.
Thank you for the lovely interview!! I just found the movie Rebecca starring Laurence Olivier. I shall most certainly have to look into the book. I just re-watched Lost In Austen with my mom recently! I must say that this has been one of the most interesting blog tours ever. Rebecca De Mornay? Oh yes. That October Sky is SO good, one of my brothers #1 favorites, in fact. Another excellent movie with Laura Dern in it is A Season For Miracles. ~ Blessings, Juli emeraldelena@hotmail.com
Great interview! It is nice to learn more about the authors behind my favorite books :)
Love these new insights into a fav author - thanks for interviewing Julie and promoting a unique writer !
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