Featured Interview With Andrea Downing
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I like to say that when I decided to do a Masters Degree, I made the mistake of turning left out of New York where I was born instead of right to the west, and ended up in the UK. I eventually married there, raised a beautiful daughter and stayed for longer than I care to admit. Teaching, editing a poetry magazine, writing travel articles, and a short stint in Nigeria filled those years until in 2008 I returned to NYC. I now divide my time between the city and the shore and often trade the canyons of New York for the wide open spaces of Wyoming. Our family vacations have often been on various types of ranches out west, and, to date, my daughter and I have been to over 20 ranches. Loveland, my first book, was a finalist for Best American Historical at the 2013 RONE Awards. Lawless Love, a short story, part of The Wild Rose Press ‘Lawmen and Outlaws’ series, was a finalist for Best Historical Novella at the RONE Awards. Dearest Darling, a novella, is part of The Wild Rose Press Love Letters series, and comes out Oct. 8th and Dances of the Heart,, another full length novel, comes out in the next few months.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I remember going into the local library when I was around 7 years old and deciding to read every book there–a decision with which I didn’t quite follow through. But I soon started writing–about age 8–and wrote my first novel in one of those black and white speckled notebooks for school. I’ve been writing ever since.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have very eclectic taste really and read everything from literary fiction to historical biographies to westerns and romance. I have no real favorite genre, any good book is enjoyable whether it’s Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood or Maggie Osborne or Ivan Doig, Margaret Atwood or Donna Tartt. And every one of them inspires me.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
. When I returned to America, I was reading a biography of the Jerome sisters; Jenny Jerome was Winston Churchill’s mother, but her sister Clara was married to Moreton Frewen, who owned one of the first ranches on the Powder River in Wyoming. One thing led to another and my research began into the British in the west. It turned out there were numerous cattle ranches in the mid to late 1800s owned by British companies, more able to get funds than Americans in the post Civil War years. Most of the Brits who came out were lesser aristocrats, on allowances, or remittances, from their fathers or older brothers who had inherited titles. This gave rise to the name, ‘remittance man’—and gave me the idea for my book, Loveland.
Lady Alexandra Calthorpe returns to the Loveland, Colorado, ranch owned by her father, the Duke, she has little idea of how the experience will alter her future. Headstrong and willful, Alex tries to overcome a disastrous marriage in England and be free of the strictures of Victorian society –and become independent of men. That is, until Jesse Makepeace saunters back into her life…
Hot-tempered and hot-blooded cowpuncher Jesse Makepeace can’t seem to accept that the child he once knew is now the ravishing yet determined woman before him. Fighting rustlers proves a whole lot easier than fighting Alex when he’s got to keep more than his temper under control.
Arguments abound as Alex pursues her career as an artist and Jesse faces the prejudice of the English social order. The question is, will Loveland live up to its name?
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