Meet fellow Clean Indie Reads author Danielle Thorne – with a New Release

Today I’d like to introduce Danielle Thorne, my fellow CIR author. Danielle sent me a traditional photo to post here, however I kinda liked this one better given the theme of her new book!

Danielle has this to say about herself:

Danielle Thorne is the author of classic romance and adventure in several genres. She loves Jane Austen, travel, pirates, beaches, cookies, antiques, cats, dogs, and long naps. She does not like phone calls or sushi. A graduate of Ricks College and BYU-Idaho, Danielle saw early work published by Every Day Fiction, Arts and Prose Magazine, Mississippi Crow, The Nantahala Review, StorySouth, and… you get the idea. Besides writing, she’s edited for both Solstice and Desert Breeze Publishing. Her growing blog, The Balanced Writer, focuses on writing, life, and the pursuit of peace and happiness.

Currently, Danielle freelances as a non-fiction author and copywriter, while waiting to hear from readers like you through her website. During free time, which means when Netflix is down, she combs through feedback and offers virtual hugs for reviews.

Netflix? … ah, yeah, I get it {duh}. Now, I’m going to get you to tell us about your new release, but before that, three quick questions. Firstly, what three things would you say are the most important for an aspiring author to keep in mind as they being their writing journey?

I think the most important thing an aspiring author needs to understand is that it’s easy to become bogged down by all the information out there. The three most important habits to practice, in my opinion, are scheduling writing hours with no interference, finding a peer group (online groups are accessible and fun), and reading. Read, read, read, read. Read your target genre, study the classics, read non-fiction, and study articles about writing, editing, and publishing. A writer today must wear several different hats, so it’s important to immerse yourself in the culture. Don’t try to do everything at once though. Just take writing like life—one day at a time.

So true–the information overload can be mind-boggling sometimes and we need to take a step back and remember to simply read and write! Next question, what was the inspiration for your latest book?

My new release, A Pirate at Pembroke, is a historical romance with a Jane Austen-inspired pirate theme–a reflection of some of my favorite interests and hobbies. It’s about a young woman who’s embraced the expectations of her age, but with a few misgivings.

In a nutshell:  Sophie Crestwood is never going to catch a husband, and she isn’t even sure she wants one. Her father is a gossip, her mother always has her nose in a book, and little Jack has shamefully been dismissed from boarding school. Worst of all, a pirate moves next door into Pembroke Hall.  When Sophie’s sent to a matchmaking party at a neighboring estate, the pirate from Pembroke arrives and distracts everyone from the summer festivities. Unguarded, her feelings about the mysterious Captain Murdock bloom into a trusted friendship that Sophie fears may come to mean more than anyone would ever suspect.  Keeping company with a reputed pirate is one thing but falling in love with him could ruin the eccentric Crestwood family for good.

I started thinking about this storyline after watching the BBC’s latest version of Jane Eyre some years ago. I never grew particularly fond of Mr. Rochester, and I wondered if a mysterious, dark stranger living in a dilapidated old manor couldn’t be a little more charming and selfless. Thus, the pirate from Pembroke was born.

Oh, I’ve always liked pirates! Must check this one out myself! Now, last question, where are your books set? And have you been there, or spent significant time there?

Most of my books are set in Regency England and the West Indies, with a few stories set in my own stomping grounds, the American deep South. I’ve had the opportunity to travel all through the Caribbean and learn about the islands, history, and Age of Sail. Studying British history for my line of non-fiction young adults has impacted my writing and experience, too. Life is exciting when we’re always learning. It’s been a wonderful adventure.

That it is! So … where can we find you and this new book of yours?

Readers can find me on my website, and from there they’ll find all the usual links to social media. Or they can go directly to Amazon.