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| Author Jennifer Bray-Weber |
Hello
everyone, I have a real treat today, for all of us Historical/Romance fans. Award Winning Author Jennifer Bray-Weber is with us
today to tell us about her Romancing The Pirate Series and her life as a writer.
What a fabulous
subject you’ve chosen to write about, pirates. Who doesn’t like a good pirate
story? What is your favorite thing about pirates and writing about pirates?
I admit. I’m attracted to the dark side. Bad boys float my
boat. (See how the pirate diva made a pun?) The more I researched pirates, the
more fascinating they became to me. These treacherous people were quite
democratic, governing themselves. They had laws. They didn’t break those laws
without serious consequence from their peers. They shared in the booty equally.
They elected their captains. They were survivors. They were masters of their
trade. Though most were vicious and not too far off the mark of murderers, some
were actually honorable. It was fun mixing what I learned with fiction. Thanks
to Hollywood romanticizing pirates with characters like Captain Blood and
Captain Jack Sparrow, among others, people relate and root for the bad boy
pirate. I love being able to take a bad boy and make him irresistible and
redeeming.
Wow, I am absolutely captivated now. What could be sexier than a bad boy pirate captain, redeemed by love? Tell me more. Tell us all about your
Romancing The Pirate Series.
Love to. The series follows the courageous captains in a
brethren of Caribbean pirates. Adventure awaits each of them and they greedily,
if not enthusiastically, accept the challenge. But while these captains enjoy a
good fistfight, sea battle, besting their enemies, or pillage, they are as
different as the fish in the sea and as unpredictable as the currents. Zane has
anger issues, Blade has a voracious appetite as a libertine, Thayer drinks far
too much, Bran is cynical, and Joelle, well, she’s a woman. That’s curse
enough. What’s a pirate romance without redemption? While these captains are
masters of their trade, they are no match for the women (and sexy male slave)
who steer them into uncharted waters—namely that of love.
The fun thing about this series is it will come full circle.
In most of the books, the pirate ship Rissa
is central. In the final book, the Rissa
sinks. *sniffles* But that’s not all. It will be a dueling story. Contemporary
treasure hunters will find a diary (or logbook) and will try to unravel the
mystery surrounding the ship’s demise and her missing treasure. At the same
time, an adventure and love story unfurls as the newest Rissa captain and young pirate’s daughter navigate through a
treacherous betrayal and identity crisis. Two stories. One novel. I get all
giggly thinking about it.
It sounds like an amazing, breath taking ending for the series. I have to ask, of all the book you
have written, do you have a favorite?
A Kiss in the Wind is my favorite. It has everything to do with
Blade Tyburn, the pirate playboy. While writing this book, I finally understood
what other authors meant when they say they fall in love with their characters.
I had fallen head over heels for Blade—hard. The sun-kissed Casanova of the
high seas, he spars with wit and innuendo. But what makes this alpha male
delicious to me is how he handles Marisol, the knife-wielding thief who steals
much more than his treasure.
A Kiss in the Wind
blurb:
Marisol Castellan is in trouble—again. Against her pirate
father's orders, she snuck off their ship to intercept a message meant for a
rival captain, one that offers a clue to the whereabouts of her estranged
brother Monte.
Pirate captain Blade Tyburn is not pleased to find the
letter he's been waiting for is missing. He's even less pleased when he
discovers the thief is a raven-haired beauty who bewitches his senses and
muddles his thinking. The note gives the location of a silver-laden ship
that'll make his fortune; Blade must find it, and if that means bringing
Marisol along on the voyage, so be it.
Marisol believes Monte sails on the very ship Blade is to meet and
strikes a deal with the handsome rogue. If he will give her passage to her
brother, she will give him the exact location he needs. And both will get more
than they expected.
Discover the pirates who seek fortune and who are steered into uncharted waters of the heart in the other books of the Romancing The Pirates series:
The Siren’s Song blurb:
Pirate captain Thayer Drake lures ships onto reefs for plunder, and business is lucrative. Yet, saving a lass from drowning after her ship wrecks becomes more than he bargained for when the crazy wench dives back into the raging sea for her blasted purse.
Tavern songstress Gilly McCoy, penniless and fleeing from the man who murdered her lover, stowed away on the doomed ship. Now at Drake's mercy, Gilly must earn her passage by performing for the captain. And that is not all: she must also kiss the captain at every ring of the ship's bell. But she discovers kissing the handsome rogue is not entirely a bad bargain...
Drake is intrigued by the beauty, but there is no room in his black heart for a woman. He has demons that he drinks nightly to forget. Meanwhile, Gilly has her own secrets to keep—including why her purse is more valuable to her than her life...
Beneath the Water’s Edge (a novella) blurb:
Elyssa Calhoun Montgomery had been willing to do anything to keep her father from debt, including following her new husband to the Caribbean-–dressed as a lad. But she never dreamed she’d become widowed so quickly, or that she’d come face to face with a fearsome pirate who expects her to fight like a man. Captured and her identity exposed, she doesn’t know what’s worse, being locked alone in a pirate captain’s quarters or experiencing an unsettling attraction toward him.
Captain Bran Blackthorn has grown weary of the pirating trade and seeks a King’s Pardon for his crew. Unfortunately, the man who could sign a reprieve, his half-brother Governor Flynn, would rather see him dead. When the gods—or the devil—bestows an angel to his spoils, he sees an opportunity to force a pardon with her ransom. Never mind his beautiful pawn has bewitched him, filling him with a desire to press his body against hers, capture her mouth in a searing kiss, and brand her as his own.
But when Bran’s enemies seek vengeance, Elyssa becomes entangled in their deadly game and Bran faces the gallows. Can they cheat death and save each other? Or will they be dragged...
Beneath The Water’s Edge.
Blood And Treasure blurb:
Although Lianna Whitney was gently bred, she must now empty slop buckets and fight off randy sailors in a seaport tavern to survive. One night, she unexpectedly comes into possession of a golden medallion. But when the man who left it with her is immediately murdered by soldiers of the Royal Navy, she’s afraid to admit she has it. Unsure who to trust, she’s caught up in crossfire between navy officers and a pirate captain, who, realizing she possesses the object he’s been paid to find, whisks her away to his ship during the fight.
Privateer Captain Zane Fox is not interested in the mystical healing powers the medallion is said to hold, even though the legends claim it can bring a dying man back to life. He only plans to procure the medallion, drop the chit off at the next port where she’ll be safe, and collect the money he was promised. However, as they fend off storms at sea and attempt to outrun the Royal Navy, the two are also fighting the attraction they feel for one another. But when they are captured, Zane must choose between recovering the medallion and saving Lianna from the noose. And soon it becomes clear to him that the medallion is not the only treasure worth risking his life for.
Excerpt from Blood
And Treasure:
Zane set her feet to the ground and as soon as she caught her balance,
she swung at him. He caught her fist inches from his face. “This is a very
disagreeable way for a lass to act.”
“What way will you have me act?” she snapped. “You’ve just nabbed me, you
rake!”
“For your own safety, I assure you.”
“I can most certainly take care of myself.”
He laughed. “You’re an obstinate little chit.”
“And why would I need protection from the soldiers?”
“They intend to kill you.”
“I don't believe you.” She huffed, crossing her arms. And why should she?
She’d done nothing wrong.
“They are commissioned to retrieve The Serpent and will slay anyone who
is familiar with it or who dares to stand in their way, including a common back
alley bar wench.”
“The Serpent?” She chose to ignore his trite remark.
“The medallion you are hiding.” His eyes slid down to her chest.
Shifting uneasily she said, “I told you. I hide nothing.”
A resonating shot rang out. Lianna jumped, instinctively shielding
herself behind her broad stout abductor. A fine buffer he should make. He
chuckled as she crouched behind him. Hard-headed she may be, but she was smart
enough to let him take a bullet. He grabbed her by the arm and shoved her down
the pier ladder. She stepped into a small rowboat. He followed an instant
behind. Taking a hold of the oars, he rowed with much vigor into the open bay.
She gripped the side of the boat and considered what to do. The longer
she allowed this rogue to keep her, the harder it would be for her to escape.
For a moment, she thought to dive overboard and swim back to the dock. Just as
she resolved to flee, soldiers lined the pier firing volleys at them.
How can that be? They wouldn't risk shooting an innocent civilian,
would they? She shook her head, grappling to understand.
“Get down!”
No need to tell her twice.
Pops cracked through the air. The bullets came fast and far too close,
spraying them with salt water and splintering wood. They were still well within
range. She tried to swallow. Her heart throbbed in her throat as prickly panic
bristled across her skin. Her captor seemed to be enjoying himself, thriving on
the gravity of the danger. In fact, he looked to be having fun. She didn’t
share in his enthusiasm. He didn’t appear to hear her screaming for him to row
faster, either.
He shed his jacket. “We’ve got to make a swim for it.”
“What? You can't be serious. Swim where?” Exasperated, Lianna wrinkled
her nose and frowned. Where would they swim to? Into open water? They would
surely die should they try swimming to…to nowhere.
They flinched as another bullet whizzed past. “We're fish in a barrel.”
He grabbed her wrist. “Jump!” He dove overboard, pulling her in with him.
Swallowing the warm water as she went under, Lianna came up coughing, the
briny water stinging her eyes. Ill-prepared for taking a midnight dip, she
reached for something, anything to help her stay afloat.
Sloshing water made it difficult to see, but hysterics blinded her.
Bobbing her assailant underwater, she swung her leg up over his shoulder,
clenching her arms around his head and neck. She heard him grouch something about
trying to drown him as he peeled out of her clutches, wrapping an arm around
her waist to keep her afloat while she gasped. He treaded water until she
paddled on her own. Bullets smacked into the water all around them.
“Follow me.” He started off toward a brigantine just sailing into view,
slicing through the water with precise strokes.
He’s mad!
She struggled to keep up. Her dress weighed her down and Lianna labored
to swim for the ship. Ahead she could see the hull with a rope ladder skimming
the waves. Keep swimming. Almost there. But she tired from the
effort. The more she swam the further away the ship seemed. The sea swirled
around her and she thrashed to keep her head above water. Fear flooded her mind
but she simply could not will her body to keep pace and swim any longer. She
slipped below the waves, the darkness enveloping her. No! She reached through the water, fought to break free from the
sea’s invisible hold. But the sea was powerful. The sea laid claim to her and
pulled her further into its depth. Her limbs ached from the fight for the
surface and her chest burned for air. The cumbersome weight was too much to
bear. The ravenous water became cooler. She relaxed, drifting downward,
clinging to her fading consciousness. Her hope disappeared like paper
dissolving in the waves.
She had a vague sense of someone grabbing her by the waist, a strong arm
pulling her back to the rolling swells and the starry sky. As she thrust above
the surface, she heaved again, filling her lungs with precious air. Crisp,
sweet, life-saving, precious air.
Her savior, no, her captor held her close. His mouth rested on her ear,
panting. “Damn it. I should have been aware the distance would be too much for
you, especially wearing a dress.”
For what she could’ve sworn was an eternity, they reached the ladder at
last. The climb up the rope without stepping on the fellow’s hands was a
challenge. He pushed on her arse and hoisted her over onto the deck. Bless me. Firm ground.
Lianna collapsed to the floor and sprawled on her back to catch her
breath. Slowly, she opened her eyes. What she beheld caused her heart to stop.
Pirates!
Suddenly drowning didn't seem so terrible.
Wonderful blurbs and what a thrilling excerpt. What method do you use to write these rousing tales of romance and adventure, are you a plotter or
pantser?
I am definitely a pantser. I start with an idea, let the
characters come to the center stage (or midship, in my case), and set sail. How
I get from point A to point B is a mystery to me. Seriously. Anyone got a map?
What do you do when
you aren’t writing?
Sending out wedding invitation to my wedding with Johnny.
Oh, wait...
What’s your favorite
guilty pleasure?
Besides, fantasizing about pirates and Johnny? Stalking
Chris Hemsworth. And escaping to the beach every chance I get.
Any vacation or
appearance plans this summer?
Oh, I’m around. And you can always find me cutting up on
Facebook. But mostly, even while at the beach, I will be head down writing the
prequel to the Romancing the Pirate series, which will come out this fall.
*giggles* I’m also in the production process of releasing an audio version of Blood
and Treasure. *more giggles*
Be on the lookout for the next book in the series, Clash
of the Tides, coming soon to a virtual bookshelf near you.
Contest:
Jennifer Bray-Weber is giving away SWAG, PRINT, AND E-BOOK COPY OF "BLOOD AND TREASURE" Please comment below to enter the drawing, leave your email so she can contact you if you win.
Author Bio:
Award-winning author Jennifer Bray-Weber is a proud native Texan. She is a married domestic goddess and a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful daughters. Holding two degrees, one is Music and Video Business, the other in Liberal Arts, she has been able to express her creative thinking through a multitude of experiences.
Her interests include writing, reading, traveling (what she likes to call "research"), horseback riding, scrap-booking, shopping, relaxing at the beach, and playing games of darts.
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