TBR welcomes Heather Massey

TBR: Welcome to TBR, Heather. Will you share a little bit about yourself?

Heather: Thanks for having me! I’m a science fiction romance blogger and author by day and a thrill-seeking space pirate by night.

TBR: Tell us about The Watchmaker’s Lady and where it's available.

Heather: My latest release is The Watchmaker’s Lady (Clockpunk Trilogy #1), an erotic clockpunk romance available from Red Sage and other online vendors.

TBR: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Heather: Matthew Goddard is a lonely watchmaker in 1840 New England. One fateful day, he discovers the lover of his dreams in a dusty corner of the local general store—Isabel, a bisque porcelain mannequin head with mesmerizing, smoky blue eyes. When Matthew invites her to come live with him, she eagerly “accepts.”

The couple embarks on a lust-filled affair, one fueled by Matthew’s wild imagination. In order to provide Isabel with a brass body and pretty clothes, he begins a secret side business selling clockwork sex toys to his wealthy female customers.

Danger, however, threatens their idyllic romance when a disgruntled customer exposes Matthew’s forbidden business to the townspeople. Despite the growing menace, Matthew will stop at nothing in order to save his soul mate—and protect their love.

***

On the surface, The Watchmaker’s Lady is about a man in love with a Victorian sex doll. But if you dig a little deeper beneath the kink, you’ll discover a heartwarming romance between two soul mates who manage to find each other—and stay together—despite overwhelming odds.

Readers will encounter a number of exciting elements in this story:

* clockpunk (a setting that involves clockwork-powered technology)

* an artisan hero with a unique occupation

* an unconventional heroine

* a different historical romance/Victorian setting

* erotically charged love scenes that deliver a “sweet” level of kink

Visit my Web site for a free first chapter excerpt (multiple formats available).

TBR: What inspired you to write about the theme?  

Heather: The Watchmaker’s Lady includes themes of forbidden love, the Pygmalion mythology, and the power of imagination in love. I can trace the evolution of the story to a few key experiences:

My addiction to clockpunk dates back to the Rankin-Bass feature Jack Frost. That 1979 holiday special contained an obscene amount of clockpunk elements and a bittersweet romance.

I also have a fascination with creepy-looking Victorian-era dolls. There’s just something so mesmerizing about their vacant stares and occasionally crude features.

I began to wonder what a romance would look like between an industrious watchmaker and a Victorian sex doll of his own creation. I can’t imagine a more forbidden relationship in 1840 New England! I also wanted to explore how such a heroine could have an equal amount of agency in the relationship.

The actual spark that fused all of the above elements in my head was the result of having seen two particular films back-to-back: the Bollywood extravaganza Love Story 2050 and Pixar’s Toy Story 3. I can’t say anything more for fear of spoilers. :)

TBR: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.

Heather: Expect the unexpected! The Watchmaker’s Lady features a phenomenal twist. I hope folks have fun keeping the twist a secret so their fellow readers can discover it for themselves.

TBR: While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?

Heather: That horses snicker when they crave a treat.

TBR: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?

Heather: My favorite subgenre is science fiction romance. I read widely across this subgenre and enjoy all sorts of stories.

As of this writing, I recently finished Unknown Futures by Jessica E. Subject and The Iron Heart by Leslie Dicken. I’m currently reading Hotter on the Edge, a sci-fi romance anthology by Erin Kellison, Jessa Slade, and KC Klein. On my radar: Synthetic Dreams by Kim Knox and Wars of the Heart by Inari Gray.

TBR: Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?

Heather: “Never give up, never surrender!” from the film Galaxy Quest.

TBR: What's next for you?

Heather:  The Watchmaker’s Lady is the first in a planned erotic clockpunk trilogy. Each story will feature a different couple in the same New England setting, along with clockpunk/steampunk elements.

The second story, The Blacksmith’s Lover, will feature a blacksmith hero and a scullery maid heroine.

TBR: Where can readers find you on the web?
Heather:

Web site: heathermassey.com

My blog: thegalaxyexpress.net

Twitter: thgalaxyexpress

Facebook: Heather Massey – Science Fiction Romance Author

I’m also a front-page blogger for Heroes and Heartbreakers.com and Tor.com where I periodically blog about science fiction romance.

TBR: Readers, Heather Massey is giving away an e-copy of The Watchmaker’s Lady to a random commenter... so start commenting. She'll pick a winner on Thursday, April 5, 2012 and announce the winner here. Be sure to leave your email address so she can contact you.

Thanks for visiting TBR, Heather. All the best to you.