DARE ISLAND SERIES FEATURE: VIRGINIA KANTRA ~ AUTHOR INTERVIEW

 

 

I am thrilled to welcome author Virginia Kantra to the blog today. I recently read her Dare Island series, and fell in love with the Fletcher family, the romance, and the gorgeous setting. I will be reviewing the series later this month. In the meantime, enjoy the interview!

Hi, Virginia. I would like to start by saying that I have truly enjoyed the Dare Island series. And congratulations on the release of Carolina Man!

VK: Thank you! I'm loving writing this series. I'm so glad you like it!

 

From reading your Acknowledgments, I know that Dare Island is fictional. But, where could one go to capture that "feeling" of Dare Island you brought to life?

VK:  Dare Island (named for Virginia Dare, the first child born to English parents in North America) is set in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. But you can find little pieces of it everywhere from Manteo to Hatteras, Ocracoke to Swan Quarter, in Emerald Isle, Topsail Beach, Fort Fisher, and Southport.  Researching this series is a joy. I love talking to people, strangers, about their lives: the girl behind the counter in the gift shop, the couple running their own bed and breakfast, the teacher in the parking lot, the fisherman coming in with his catch at the end of the day.

 

 

I adore the Fletcher family and admire that you made all three generations vital to the stories. Was the inclusion of so many characters organic or do you "wrestle" with them? 

VK:  Actually, that's one of the easiest things for me. There's a part of me that still remembers what it's like to be ten years old, and a lot of my own life and attitudes come out in matriarch Tess. 

Plus, I borrowed liberally from my own family. (Sssh...Don't tell the boys!)

And to that point, in other books, I often find that younger characters, in this case a tween and teen, seem to be an afterthought, even when their struggles are important to the plot. Was it difficult to balance the romance with the family issues?

VK:  Well, sure. Ask any woman who's trying to find "private" time with her husband how that works with the kids around! But it also adds a level of conflict and realism to the stories that I think feels authentic.

 

A lot of authors tend to love their characters equally. Do any of your characters from this series hold a special place for you?

VK:  I always love the couple in the book I'm writing, and Kate's absolute determination to do the right thing without any idea how to manage it emotionally was very poignant to me. Maybe because Tess and Taylor anchor the series as viewpoint characters, I've been inside them the longest. And of course I couldn't let this story arc go until Luke had the chance to be his daughter's hero!

 

An intriguing character is introduced in Carolina Man, Jack Rossi. I noticed that he is the lead in the next book, Carolina Blues. Are you anxious and/or excited about having a non-Fletcher lead?

VK: Anxious AND excited. Although on a small island, you can count on encountering some of the same people. Luke appears in the next book, and the heroine, Lauren Patterson, is Meg's first client ("hostage girl") from CAROLINA GIRL.  I'm also having great fun writing another Fletcher family wedding!

 

I adore Josh Fletcher. I know he's a bit young, now, but do you have any plans to give Josh a story?

VK:  Yes! (Oh, I'm so glad you like him.) In fact, Josh and Thalia's  story is continued in CAROLINA BLUES. I can't say more without giving too much away.

 

The Dare Island series has been a joy for me to experience. Is there anything you would like to say to fans of the series?

VK:  Just...thank you. Please keep reading them. I do love to hear from readers.

They can reach me through my website http://virginiakantra.com

https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaKantraBooks

https://twitter.com/VirginiaKantra

And to get a sneak peek at the next Dare Island book, sign up for my newsletter http://eepurl.com/vMykD

The Dare Island Series

   

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About the author
New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra has written over twenty books of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is the winner of numerous writing awards, including Romance Writers of America's RITA Award and two National Readers' Choice Awards. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, she is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love. Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.

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