Rowan Helaine interview

 AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Born and raised in New England, Rowan is currently leading a semi-nomadic existence in the company of her aggressively affectionate hound dog Filburt and a hardy Finnish sourdough starter. She enjoys solo travel, rescue animals, men, and carbs. 

When did your love of books begin?

I’m not sure, but I remember very distinctly my parents getting a call from my fifth grade teacher, complaining that I was reading on the playground when I was supposed to be playing. 

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?  

For as long as I could remember. I always wanted to bring people into the stories in my head and give them the same escape that I experienced while reading.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?  

My whole life? Haha. I’ve been starting books and not finishing them for years, setting them aside. Brass Tabby was a story I started almost a decade ago, then returned to during the pandemic. Suddenly the whole thing just came together, and as I wrote, I would occasionally look back and think, “I wrote that? I did? Where’d that come from?"

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?  

Just get the story down on paper. After you have a first draft, then you can sweat the details. Oh…and get some good beta readers! They provide necessary outside insight, which can help to develop a richer finished product.

Tell us about your book/books: 

Brass Tabby features a badass, snarky female lead and a flawed hero who is working to claw his way back from a horrific trauma. I classify it as a Dark Comedy Romance, since it walks the razor’s edge between dark romance and contemporary comedy, relying on the snappy banter between the characters to buoy it up. It's the direct result of the disenfranchisement that I’ve often felt while trying to read romantic fiction. I LOVE romance and have no desire to reform the entire genre, but as a childfree woman, it can be difficult finding characters and storylines that I can identify with, since so much of the genre is built around presenting the traditional marriage and motherhood as the main pathway to happiness. I wanted to write a story that was hot and exciting, and had a happily-as-hell ending that would work for people like me, who often feel left out. That being said, fans of traditional romance will certainly be able to enjoy it as well. At it’s core, it’s a love story about two flawed individuals who decide that the other is enough, exactly as they are. And the sex is hot. 😄 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?  

I totally feel like I could message someone and ask to borrow a cup of sugar. Everyone I’ve met thus far, from my editor to the wonderful online community, have been remarkably supportive. It really is a COMMUNITY, and I dig that collaborative vibe. 

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?  

Firstly, I hope there are a LOT of you! (Haha) But seriously, anyone who chooses to pick up my book is appreciated. They are helping my dreams to come true, and I hope to share a little of that with them as well. I hope they are as happy with Brass Tabby as I am. 

Where can people connect with you? 

On my website, https://www.rowanhelaine.com/, where I’ve posted an excerpt of the book, upcoming events, my blog, and the WORLD’S BEST TRIPLE DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE RECIPE.