Sara Browne Series by Tricia LaRochelle
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***Synopsis***
Love, commitment, and courage in the face of adversity, thread through all three of my books, Flickering Heart, Revive, and Handfast. Tension ramps up, reaching nail-biting proportions, and hearts are broken more than once.
It is through these insurmountable challenges that a strong and courageous Sara Browne emerges. The bond between Sara Browne and her love interest, Scott Williams, is put to the test as they both struggle to open their hearts and trust what they feel is real.
Flickering Heart, Revive, and Handfast are emotional books, ripe with suspense and unpredictable outcomes.
What is the sub-genre and trope?
Flickering Heart, Revive, and Handfast are primarily romance novels, but with a strong suspenseful undercurrent.
Did your characters lead you to this genre or was that decided before the story began?
The stories seemed to tell themselves. I know that sounds strange, but it’s true. I let the characters guide me with what they wanted to say.
Are you more character or plot driven?
I would say, character driven. I wrote Flickering Heart in the first person to allow the reader inside of Sara Browne’s head. I wanted the reader to feel her struggles and her triumphs.
That perspective continued with Revive and Handfast.
With many main and secondary characters, how do you keep them separated in your mind?
These characters (well, not the evil ones) have become a part of my invisible family.
They are all distinct and bring so much life to the story. I’ve known them for years and they are embedded in my mind.
The new characters that emerge in Revive and Handfast are also very distinct in my mind.
Do you have a story/vision board above your workspace?
No. I don’t tend to work that way. I do organize my thoughts but I am more of a pantser writer.
I know from previous interviews that characters take on a life of their own.
They really do. Sometimes, you have to ask them what they are trying to say in the story.
They feel very real at times, and they will speak to you if you listen hard enough.
Were any of the characters in this series determined to take their own direction instead of where you initially wanted them to go?
I had to let go of some characters who, over time, didn’t support the plot the way I had wanted them to.
And others did find their own voice in my story, especially my character named Amy, who is the take-no-prisoners best friend of my main protagonist, Sara Browne.
Are any of the male POVs based on anyone you know?
Not really. Once again, I wanted to include characters with dimension. None of them are perfect and have flaws that hopefully make them feel real as they contribute to the story.
The love interest of Sara Browne is Scott Williams, who is definitely a flawed character, which you see more of in the sequel. There may be pieces of my friends and family mixed in them, but nothing overtly obvious.
Are any of the female POVs based on anyone you know?
Not really. There are pieces of people here and there, but for the most part, these characters are their own people.
I also suffered from trauma as a child, which I tapped into when creating Sara’s character. I wanted her to feel real to the reader. She is not me, but I am familiar with some of her struggles.
Was there any one character/scene that was harder to write about than the other?
Most definitely. In Flickering Heart, Revive, and Handfast, I was brought to tears. I feel the characters’ struggle right along with them.
What is your favorite book in the series?
Gosh, I don’t know if I can answer that. Each book has elements that I just love.
I know that we aren’t supposed to have “favorites” as far as our children, but seriously, who’s your favorite character and why?
A lot of readers like Sara’s best friend, Amy, but I still consider Sara my favorite character. Amy and Scott are close seconds.
The reason I like Sara so much is because she’s not perfect like most people. She struggles and she questions herself often, and I find that realistic. She is a good person who wants to help others. I also like that about her.
Series question - Who is your favorite couple and why did you decide on their dynamics?
I love the passion and the tension between Scott and Sara. They stumble often and it’s great. I also like the way Amy and her boyfriend, Luke, get along in an opposites attract sort of way.
I guess I’m attracted to that dynamic. Probably because my husband and I are very different, but complement each other in so many ways.
How do you get inside these characters’ heads to find their perfect HEA?
It was easy. I had thought about them for years before I wrote about them. I knew I wanted them to struggle, but I also knew I wanted an HEA.
I don’t care for stories that leave you feeling empty, frustrated, or sad. Although, that is also life, isn’t it?
What scene in this book/series sticks out the most for you?
In Flickering Heart, the scene between Sara and Amy when Amy realizes the trauma that Sara has endured is powerful to me. But, in Handfast, there is also a scene that brings me to tears every time I read it.
Why?
Friendship like theirs is special and rare. I have been (am) blessed with friends like that.
In Handfast, my favorite scene is, in my opinion, as deep and powerful as it gets. Sorry to be so vague, but I don’t want to include any spoilers. J
Series - Were any of the books harder to write than others?
The second book (Revive) was easier to write than the first (Flickering Heart), but I think that’s normal when you are trying to establish the characters. The third book, Handfast, poured out of me.
I knew what the sequel was about, so I didn’t labor over it as I did with the first book. With Handfast, I had no idea what the story was going to be about until I started writing and hashing through it.
This question is if you write in MULTIPLE POVs not just the hero and heroine - I love the multiple POVs in a book. It’s not just the hero and heroine, but we get inside the heads of multiple characters throughout this series. I feel that it gives the story further depth. Do you think you will write another book or series following this multiple POV outline?
This question doesn’t really apply to me since my books are told from my MP first-person POV, but I’d like to tell you why I chose that POV.
A few years ago, I wrote Flickering Heart from both my Sara and Scott’s pov. I realized that part of the mystery of Flickering Heart is the NOT knowing Scott’s or any other character’s motives.
I like that the reader finds out things when my character does, so they can be surprised or horrified right along with her.
How long did it take you to write this book/series?
It took me six years to write Flickering Heart and Revive, but I didn’t write exclusively during that time. I am a developmental editor, so I have a list of clients who I’ve helped with their books.
Flickering Heart started out as a coming-of-age story and transformed into a love story, ripe with passion, betrayal, redemption, and courage.
Handfast took me about two-and-a-half months to write.
How did you come up with the title for your book and series?
I knew Flickering worked, but I couldn’t come up with the second word. I tried Flickering Star and then eventually came up with Heart.
I checked to make sure it wasn’t used anywhere else and went with it. The word “Flickering” to me means either a light going out or a light coming to life. That fits.
Revive held so much meaning in the story as did Handfast. They just worked.
If you met these characters in real life would you get along?
Oh yes. I’d love to hang out with this band of misfits. I’d fit right in.
Series question – Did you know in advance that you were going to write this as a series or did one of the characters in book one demand their own story?
I knew I wanted a sequel. Sara’s story wasn’t finished.
I had no idea what to write for the third book, just that I wanted to write one and then the story came to life.
If your book/series were made into a movie, which actors do you see as playing your characters?
I’m not sure. I’d have to do some research on that.
Who I used to think would play a good Sara (Gabriella Wilde) has aged out.
For Scott, I found a man with his hair in the series The English Game on Netflix. But that is only when he’s playing soccer (Scott also plays soccer in the book) and his curls come out to play.
Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect next? Whether a new book and series or a sequel to an existing series? Can you share a small tease?
After I launch Handfast this spring, I plan to write a standalone. I’m excited about that. I expect more gut-wrenching romance on the horizon.
Check out all my interviews/reviews for Tricia LaRochelle!
https://readingbydeb.blogspot.com/2022/07/author-at-glance-tricia-larochelle.html
Flickering Heart is the first book the Sara Browne Series. Stay tuned for updates and announcements on Instagram, Twitter, or sign up for her newsletter at TriciaLaRochelle.com.
https://tricialarochelle.com/
The last thing Sara is looking for is a complication, but that is exactly what she finds in the hot, six-foot-three blond named Scott Williams, who she meets at the beginning of the school year. Sara is drawn to Scott in a way that she cannot explain, and he seems just as into her. She wants to trust her heart, but Scott's promiscuous past keeps creeping into their lives. Jealous ex-girlfriends are one thing, but the stranger who defaces her car, sabotages her laptop, and who sends Sara threatening letters is far worse. Someone is determined to destroy her relationship with Scott and the life she is trying so hard to rebuild.
By the time Sara finds out who is behind all the trouble, her life is in shambles and she must fight with every ounce of strength and courage to save herself and the man she loves.
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BLURB:
Three years after her freshman year from hell, Sara graduates college a stronger and more well-balanced woman. Her relationship with Scott is strong, their future together bright. If only her parents could be there to join in the celebration.
Just when she thinks the craziness of the past is finally over—and for good—a mysterious stranger shows up at her graduation that turns Sara’s world upside down. This man may just be the answer to her prayers or another devastating blow to her already traumatic life.
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