Chat with Piper Huguley, Historical Romance author

Hello, folks! Today we’re chatting with Piper Huguley, author of historical romance. Her writing accolades are many. Among them, she is a two time (2013 & 2014) Romance Writer’s of America Golden Heart finalist. (Way to go, Piper!)

Welcome, Piper! Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m an English professor who wanted to major in history but I was afraid I couldn’t find a job.  Fortunately, English is very interdisciplinary so my study of literature meant that I could keep studying history.  It wasn’t until very recently that I realized that my eclectic interests have uniquely shaped me for this project from the very beginning. I’m happy to be on the path God intended for me after bumbling around for so long. I’m glad to take this work on, even though the process of fulfilling a purpose is frightening sometimes!

Tell us about your upcoming historical romance, The Lawyer’s Luck.

The Lawyer’s Luck which releases in July, is a story about a young man studying to pass his law exams when he finds the runaway slave who stole his horse and falls in love with her. She’s not very impressed with him though, since he stopped her plans to get to Canada and freedom, so he has a hard path to winning her over.

What led you to self-publish The Lawyer’s Luck?

In my chapter meeting in January, Beverly Kendall talked about self-publishing and the need to have an enticement to the beginning of the series.  So I wrote a novella– The Lawyer’s Luck–for that purpose.  Since I was self-publishing the first book, it only made sense to self-publish this prequel as well.  I might not have written it if I weren’t self-publishing The Preacher’s Promise, so I’m grateful for that.

Can you talk a bit more about the historical background of your novels?

The Lawyer’s Luck takes place in 1844 and is about the parents of the heroine in The Preacher’s Promise.  The Preacher’s Promise takes place right after the Civil War during the Reconstruction era.  During that time, there was that period of a few years where African Americans made great strides forward in several areas, including the political realm. Then, the power was all taken away. I have always been interested in how that power was used during that brief time as well as the reactions of African Americans when the power was taken away.  Most people have put a sad spin on those few years, but I believe that the seeds were then planted for another kind of power at that point.

You are a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. How is being a GH finalist different for you the second time around?

Well, the second time around, people seem to have taken me more seriously than they did before.  Not that they didn’t before—just more so.  As a result, I’ve gotten much more attention and visibility than I did before, but there are some other factors that may be part of that—I’m self-publishing and then there’s my quarterfinalist placement in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.  So those factors may also have something to do with being taken more seriously.

Congratulations on your placement in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest! What’s your writing process like?

I tend to fast draft very rapidly.  The aftermath of that, the editing part, takes more time and happens much more slowly.  I’m trying to develop a process where I can be more purposeful about my editing.  I’m getting there.

What do you hope readers gain from your stories?

My students taught me that there is a lot of misunderstanding going around about what happened to so-called ordinary people in history.  I hope that readers will come to see that small acts of strength, courage and purpose performed by the ancestors have borne fruit into who we are today.  We, as Americans, must acknowledge our ancestors’ gifts of sacrifice as meaningful. These remembrances can sustain us whenever we have a rough time at work or home.

Any parting thoughts?

For those of us who live, reside and love America, this is our history.  It is important to know that just as we know and understand an immigrant narrative of survival in our country’s history, there is a narrative of survival for African Americans as well.  A lot of that narrative is covered in shame, but we are still here.  If African Americans had not loved each other and loved God how is it possible that we are still here?  Who are these people who loved each other and loved God enough to invest in future generations?  That’s the story that I am telling.  It is a survival narrative as well—every bit as important and relevant as the immigrant one.

About Piper:

Piper G Huguley is the author of Migrations of the Heart, a five-book series of inspirational historical romances set in the early 20^th century featuring African American characters.  Book one in the series, A Virtuous Ruby won the Golden Rose contest in Historical Romance in 2013 and is a Golden Heart finalist in 2014.  Book four in the series, A Champion’s Heart, was a Golden Heart finalist in 2013.  Book one in her new 19^th century historical series, The Preacher’s Promise, in the “Home to Milford College “ was a semi-finalist in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest and will be self-published in summer 2014.

She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://www.piperhuguley.com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.