The 20’sGirl,The Ghost and All That Jazz – June Kearns
I grew up in Buckinghamshire, but now live in Leicester in the UK.
How long have you been writing romance?
Since winning a national magazine competition in the 70s, for the first chapter of a romantic novel. My interest in reading it, started at 13 when I came across Jane Eyre, and realised that heroines didn’t have to be beautiful!
What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?
I haven’t got a special favourite. Sometimes, I’m attracted by a period or event, but it’s usually the characters, sparky dialogue and story-telling that hook me in.
When and where is your book set?
The 20s Girl is set partly in the English Shires, and partly in south-west Texas.
What did Gerry’s aunt leave her?
To her absolute astonishment, Gerry’s flapper of an aunt, Leonie, left her a half-share in a cattle ranch in south-west Texas.
How long would it take to get to Texas from England in the 1920s?
Hard to say, exactly – certainly weeks and weeks, depending on weather conditions and time of year. Gerry crossed from Liverpool to New York on a Cunarder, with the Atlantic in a very bad mood. Then, hundreds of miles with different railroad companies to get to south-west Texas.
Was Gerry welcomed with open arms to the ranch?
Not exactly! In the Texan’s own words: “The last thing on God’s earth that I need now, is some English lady bountiful, looking for excitement in her boring, small-town life, coming to meet the natives.”
Why was there a lack of eligible men in England in the 1920s?
It was a sad combination of the Great War, where a generation of young men was so cruelly wiped out, and the septic flu epidemic.
When I started writing, I read “Singled Out” by Virginia Nicholson about the sad plight of all those women in England at the time, with almost no hope of finding a husband.
Tell us what you are working on at the moment.
Book Three is set in 1960s London – a sort of hist/fic/romcom! – involving a girl struggling keep her crumbling family home together, while being pursued by a Canadian photographer looking for rolls of film taken by the girl’s mother, during D-Day landings.
Where can readers find out more about you?
The website I share with three other writers: www.newromantics4.com
Find a copy of The 20’s Girl, the Ghost and All That Jazz, here from Amazon.co.ukor Amazon.com
Find out more about June from Stephanie Hurt’s blog and all our Romance writers http://stephanie-hurt.com/
Thanks for this post. I enjoyed hearing about your writing and your thoughts and especially about the book. The Roaring 20's is such a fascinating time period-- the beginning of a new age and with such energy popping up over the world. http://flossiebentonrogers.com
ReplyDeleteJane's novel sounds interesting indeed. My TBR pile is reaching the top already. Thanks for passing by and leaving a comment!
DeleteThank you, Flossie. I agree - the 1920s was an exciting era.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks so much to Carmen for posting me here!!
Most welcome, June!
DeleteI like to help other fellow authors.