iNTERVIEW WITH KATE MILES

 

 

Hello, my name is Kate Miles, and I help run Luminosity Publishing LLP. I am also a published author under several pseudonyms. I live in England in the United Kingdom. I enjoy anything that is creative, especially painting watercolors. I also love going for long walks in the countryside or on the beach. If it’s windy or raining, I love it even more. There’s nothing more thrilling than being close to nature.

Question: What kind of books does Luminosity publish? 

 Answer: We mainly publish fiction; Romance being the biggest seller, but we have recently published Mystery Suspense, and non-fiction Historical Biographical.

Question:   Can you tell readers about what’s involved in your work at Luminosity? 

Answer: From the moment when a manuscript lands in my inbox, we treat every submission with the utmost of care. Every book is read to ascertain whether it will be a good fit for Luminosity. Accepted submissions are then through to the editing stage. I format the books in the style that is current for Luminosity Publishing. The Chicago Manual of Style, a set of rules for grammar and formatting, also guides the editing process. I then commission a cover artist to create a cover that the author has requested. Royalties of course are also a part of my workload. We pay royalties every quarter, directly to each author.

I am always available to answer questions from authors and aim to reply within 24 hours during weekdays. 

Question:   What are you working on now?

Answer:  At the moment I am looking into translating some of our works into other languages. I believe there is a potential to expand our reach, especially in French, German and Spanish.

Question:   What made you start working as an editor/publisher?

Answer: As a writer of Erotic Romance myself, I wanted to pass on what I had learned to other authors. There are many pitfalls in the publishing industry, and to be able to help in any way to get a new author published for the first time brings its own reward.

Question:   What advice would you offer to those who are currently writing and want to be published?

Answer: Be positive and believe in yourself. Read and re-read your manuscript before submitting to a publisher. Most of all, never give up on your dream of being a published author.

Question:  Where and when will readers be able to obtain your latest published books? 

Answer:   

We publish works all the time. All our books appear on Amazon, Nook, Smashwords, Apple, Google and Kobo. Plus of course, our own website:

https://luminositypublishing.com/

Note: Luminosity has just published a new edition of my Regency romance TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS:

https://luminositypublishing.com/en/book/tea-leaves-and-tarot-cards/

Questions and comments for Kate welcome here!

 

 

Why Regency Novels Continue to Fascinate Readers

I find Regency novels fascinating.  I’ve read hundreds of novels in the genre. In this regard, I am like many other devoted readers. Regency romance has endured for a long time, and I believe will continue to be popular.  For example, the Bridgerton romance series on Netflix has drawn a vast audience. Bridgerton, based on a series of eight novel written by Julia Quinn and adapted for Netflix, has proven to have strong appeal.

  For those who are not familiar with Regency, let’s define it.  When we talk about the Regency era, we mean the brief period lasting between 1811-1820 in England. However, for the sake of the novels, the era begins at the tail end of the Georgian period in about 1800. It includes the scope of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, a period of turmoil, social unrest and political revolution.

 The novels of Jane Austen set in that era have caught the imagination of both readers and writers for centuries.  Her Regency romances like PRIDE AND PREJUDICE entertain because they rely on character and the humor of human foibles. A much later author, Georgette Heyer, was one of the writers who created her own novels set in the Regency era. These romances have also influenced many readers and writers. Her novels even introduced their own unique vocabulary.

Some of the outstanding modern writers of this genre are Mary Jo Putney, Jane Ashford and Mary Balogh, each known for depth of characterization. Modern day Regency romance is longer and more sensual than the earlier novels. 

Today’s Regency romance fans are often very particular about historical references. They want complete accuracy in such matters as clothing, dialog, mores of the social scene and conventions of the era. To this effect, I did extensive research, reading and collecting numerous histories of this era as well as biographies of people who lived in those times before I wrote my own sensual Regency romance TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS. For example, Mr. Brockton who is my heroine’s benefactor runs a posh gaming establishment where many thousands of pounds exchange hands each night. It is frequented by the cream of the ton. His character is based on an actual person who went from fish monger to millionaire and then lost it all again. At the time I initially wrote TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS, I was working as a librarian with access to a multitude of reference sources. My research proved both enjoyable and relatively easy.  Now the internet offers so much valuable information on the Regency era which makes research more convenient.

I am celebrating the new edition of TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS which is now available in all e-book formats and soon in paperback as well.

You’ll find this novel and others I’ve written on the Luminosity website:

https://luminositypublishing.com/en/book/tea-leaves-and-tarot-cards/

Here are some snippets from the book reviews:

"Jacqueline Seewald's Tea Leaves and Tarot Cards delivers an unusual and intriguing heroine together with fast-paced historical romantic-suspense. Seewald is very much at home in her early 19th century setting."  - Jayne Ann Krentz (Amanda Quick)

“TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS is rich in secondary characters across the spectrum of society...TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS has a lot to offer with its original characters and imaginative plot.” - Romance Reviews Today

“It is clear that Seewald's goal is to offer a deeply felt, emotional romance.” - Library Journal

“This is a delightful lighthearted regency frolic.” - Genre Go Round Reviews

Do you read Regency romance? Why or why not? Do you feel this historical sub-genre still has something to offer to modern readers and will continue to appeal to them?