Friday Fantastic Author Feature: Rebecca Hart

It's Friday, which means - other than the day being the end of a working week *phew* -,   it's my Friday Fantastic Feature. YAY!  Today I have the pleasure of hanging out with a fellow Inkspeller, Rebecca Hart, on my blog. Rebecca is the author of Call of the Sea. Her book will be released by Inkspell Publishing June 12, 2012. 

Here is the oh so lovely book cover, along with the book summary.

Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.

Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O'Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Surf Runner. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.

Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other if they are to have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer


Please tell us your name:

Rebecca Hart

Tell us about your book. When will it be released and by which publisher:

Call of the Sea is a paranormal romance novel that actually started out as a short story. Once things strated unfolding in my mind, I realized it was much better suited as a novel. This will be my debut novel and it is set to release from Inkspell Publishing on June 21, 2012.

What project are you working on?

I always seem to be working on a lot of different prjects at once, but I am trying to focus on writing what I am hoping will be the introduction to a fantasy series I have in the works. *fingers crossed*

How much research did you do for this project?

With most paranormal stories, you have the freedom to create your own worlds and histories, thereby avoiding the dreaded "research", but this novel is set in the 17th century and contained a great deal of scenes aboard the ships of the time. I guess the short answer here, si a whole lot more than I originally thought.

How did you come up with the story idea?

Anyone that knows me is aware of my near obsession with pirates and with Irish Lore and Mythos. In this story, I wanted to twist up the gender roles, so instead of the usual tale where a man comes across and captures a selkie female, I made the male my selkie and the "weaker" female the rough pirate. Something a bit out of the box, as it were.

How would you classify the genre your book belongs to?

I had a hard time really classifying this book at the start, but I would say it is a Historical Paranormal Romance.

Which genres do you enjoy reading and writing?

I will read just about anything fiction, though my preferences lean toward paranormal romance, fantasy, and historicals. I seem to have a bit of trouble getting into Sci-fi stories unless they contain an element of romance to them.


Where can readers and fans find you - online that is?

According to my boyfriend, I am a social media junkie. You can reach me on my website: http://rebeccahartwriting.com or my blog: http://rebeccahartwriting.wordpress.com. I also have a Facebook page: http://facebook.com/RebeccaHartWriting and you can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rebelhart69 (@Rebelhart69) Feel free to drop me a line -- I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for taking time to hang out with me, Rebecca. I, for one, can't wait to read Call of the Sea.