Starquest - Hywela Lyn

I'm thrilled to welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Hywela Lyn, who has bravely agreed to answer my hard hitting interview questions!! Lyn's novel, Starquest, is being released today, Friday 29th August 2008, from The Wild Rose Press.

Lyn, over to you!

Thanks for inviting me, Christina. I'm really happy to be here, as well as being very excited about the release of my futuristic romance, 'Starquest'.


Can you tell us a little about your book, Starquest?

It's the story of a young woman's search for the man she loves. She has partially lost her memory and all she knows is that he is the second in command of a starship called 'The Destiny'. She has several adventures along the way, on strange and alien planets. Friendships are formed, sacrifices are made and before she finds her HEA she nearly loses everything before realising what she was searching for was closer than she suspected. I recently made a trailer which is up on my website and gives a 'flavour' of the story.

How did the idea for the plot come about?

It started as a short story. There was a certain actor I really fancied, and being keen on science fiction and fantasy, I set him aboard a starship and created a heroine for him to love. However. I grew even fonder of my heroine than I did of him, and at the end of the short story I knew there was more - much more. So I just kept on writing.

I love sale stories (ok I am just nosy!!) so can you tell us about your road to publication - and your call story?

I had several short stories published over the years and didn't do much with 'Starquest', other than give it to some friends to read. I actually put the original MS away in a drawer for several years, while I dealt with a personal tragedy, a move, three horses and a dog as well as a full time job. Then a few years ago, when I had married Dave and moved from Wales to England, my sister asked me if I would look after her house, dogs and horses in a remote and beautiful part of Wales, while she was in Canada for a month. Of course I jumped at the chance to go back to my beloved homeland. Leaving my long suffering husband, Dave to look after my own horses, my dog and I headed for Wales. I took Starquest along on disc and while I was there, completely revamped it. After finding a wonderful Scot to be my crit partner (we corresponded by email, but I did meet him and his wife when we visited Scotland) I sent it off to several British agents with no success. One evening, by chance, I saw the Wild Rose Press mentioned on one of the Writing Groups I belong to. I sent off an enquiry and was thrilled to be asked for a partial, and then the full. After several months, I had to go into hospital for an operation on my hip. The day I came out of hospital, Dave said there was an email from the Wild Rose Press. I couldn 't get to the computer physically, and he made me wait while he downloaded the whole document and printed it out. I didn't even know it was a Contract until he gave it to me to read! What a coming home present!

We are all about the love here, so please share your fave books, movies, TV shows or current fantasy squeeze (it's all in the line of research!)

I don't watch much TV these days (I spend all my time on the pc). I've just read the 'Earthsea' series by Ursula Le Guin. Although it's not strictly speaking romance, it's a wonderful fantasy series and eventually the two main characters find each other again and realise their feelings for each other, even though it's a little late in life. I think my favourite romance of all time has to be 'Gone With The Wind', both the book and the movie. I love historical America and Westerns, I think it was such a romantic period of history. I read a wide variety of novels and love anything in the distant past or the far future. I'm not really one for contemporary stories, unless they're very well done. I don't really feel this century is a very romantic one although there are many wonderful authors out there who seem to be able to find romance in the most unlikely places. For me the setting and background need to be romantic too, either unspoilt landscapes or the beauty of space and the stars. I love a hero who is strong but gently - and a heroine who is also strong but feminine. I don't like heroes who are bullies or heroines who are so independent they have lost all their femininity. I like a heroine to be self-sufficient but to be able to ask for help when it's needed. I love that moment when the h and h realise they are more than just 'friends'.

What are you working on now?

I'm just starting work on the edits for the sequel to 'Starquest' 'Children Of The Mist'. I'm also mulling over a second story for the Wild Rose Press's 'Song Of The Muses' series and toying with an idea for a third story in the 'Starquest' series, although that's pretty tentative at the moment.

How can readers keep up with your writing and books?

I have a website: http://www.hywelalyn.com/ and a Blog: http://hywelalyn.blogspot.com/

I also have a My Space www.myspace.com/hywelalyn

I have a 'Starquest' My Space for my heroine: www.myspace.com/jestine_darnell

and one for the heroine of 'Dancing With Fate' my story in the muse series: www.myspace.com/terpsichoremuseofdance

I also have several Author Pages, including one at the Polka Dot Banner : http://www.polkadotbanner.com/

My Blog and the My Spaces can also be reached from my website.

Thanks so much
Lyn