I’m delighted to welcome Arlem Hawks for her first – and hopefully not last – visit to the blog. Last year I discovered a new found love for Regency romance due to Arlem’s writing, along with a number of her fellow Shadow Mounting Publishing colleagues!

Arlem’s latest novel features a trope I love – a woman forced to disguise herself as a boy/man – and Georgana’s Secret very much does it justice. Look for my review to come later in the month as part of a book blog tour.

Enjoy getting to know Arlem and this story as she shares about her research, her heroine’s unique name, and life in His Majesty’s Royal Navy.

Don’t miss the giveaway below, thanks to Arlem’s publisher, Shadow Mountain.

Over to you, Arlem…

Georgana Woodall dreams of freedom—freedom from her past and freedom from her secret. She has been living on her father’s ship for years, disguised as a cabin boy named “George.” But hiding her true self is becoming more difficult, and she yearns to break free of her life on the sea. She’s already missed too many seasons in London, and her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband are slipping away.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When Lieutenant Peyton sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he takes the boy under his wing.

Georgana quickly loses her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care, but needing to maintain her disguise as a cabin boy, she is convinced nothing can come of her affection.

Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.

Bookchat with Arlem

Please share a little about your characters, Georgana and Dominic

Georgana Woodall has been at sea for three years disguised as her father’s cabin boy. After her mother’s death, her father uncovered her grandmother’s abuse and didn’t trust his only child with anyone. At sea, he could keep an eye on her and protect her, or so he thought. The freedom from her grandmother and Society was not as liberating  as Georgana hoped. Shy and uncertain, Georgana has been picked on mercilessly by the other boys. She’s ready to be done with navy life, but doesn’t know where to go from here.

Dominic is in love with the sea. It’s been his home since he was twelve and the only way he could provide for his widowed mother. In fact, he turned down a chance to advance from lieutenant to captain because it meant he’d be on land without much income while waiting for a position. Charismatic and sympathetic, he’s always a favorite among the crew. When he sees “George” getting picked on, he can’t help but get involved. 

Where did you find the name Georgana? (I’ve seen so many people writing it as the more common Georgina )

I found it on a list of rare Georgian names and loved it. Originally her name was Georgiana, but a friend of mine had just used that name in the book she was working on, so I switched over to the slightly different name for mine so I could keep the male name George.  I ended up liking this name even better than the more common form.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

I’m terrible at these, but others have called it thrilling, influential, riveting, moving, and heart-wrenching.

What were your primary research materials for a story aboard an 1800s military vessel?

I have a full shelf of naval history books, but the best source for me has been the works of historian N. A. M. Rodger, who in my opinion is the king of Royal Navy history. He’s read just about every scrap of paper in the UK national archives that relates to the Royal Navy, and it shows in his work.

What is something you discovered as you researched this story that surprised you?

Navy life is not what modern people think it is. For years, the narrative was that life at sea in the Age of Sail was worse than death for regular sailors and that their officers reigned as kings, and that is definitely not an accurate view. While according to our modern views it was very hard living, regular sailors in the Royal Navy had great pay and steady food (even if there wasn’t a lot of variety) compared to what they would get back home. Many came from crowded cities where families were crammed into tight housing, so living on a ship was not that different. The officers did live better, but they had the exact same rations as the seamen (which they could supplement, if desired). They lived considerably below the standards of living for their peers on land, with tiny cabins and a workload most Regency gentlemen would turn up their noses at.

Arlem’s writing desk during the writing of Georgana’s Secret

Have you enjoyed other novels with a woman disguised as a boy/man? 

I don’t know that I have a good recommendation, but I do enjoy stories like this so long as they give the girl a good reason for doing so. Mulan was a childhood favorite.

After reading Georgana’s Secret, anyone looking for more historical romances with this trope, get your hands on the most excellent Heirs of Cahira O’Connor series by Angela Elwell Hunt. The 4 book series traces women from the one family, across the centuries, each book focused on a different woman placed in the same challenging circumstances.

What appeals to you most about the Regency era?

I came into loving the Regency era for the society and parties and pageantry, but I’ve stayed because of the interesting dilemmas met by those of the lower gentry class. I love learning the plight of those gentlemen who had to work for their living despite coming from a class that looked down on it. And of course learning about the women who had to figure out how to navigate this world where they had few options without a sizable dowry.

What are the major themes in this story?

Georgana has to learn to believe in herself. She has many talents, but her internal voice won’t let her believe it. Both characters have to learn to let go of their past to be able to progress.

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

I connect a lot with Georgana personality-wise, but I think I enjoyed writing Dominic the most. It was fun living sea life through his perspective, and I loved the scenes where he’s trying to figure out Georgana’s secret. He gets so close but misses the mark at a few points, and I laughed while writing those scenes. 

Which character gave you the most grief?

I think Georgana’s father actually gave me the most grief. He changes a lot between the first scene we see of him and the next one. So much has upended in his life, and writing that believably without having the reader see the progression (because of time and it not being his story) was tricky. 

Arlem’s writing set up now to monitor her children’s online learning!

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

I think there was a lot of excitement. I wrote this story in 37 working days, which is really fast for me. Feeling that momentum each time I sat down to write was exhilarating. I also connected a lot with Georgana’s feelings of inadequacy, and it was encouraging to watch her overcome those.

What parts of the writing process become easier with each new story? What becomes more challenging?

Honestly, each new story is its own challenge. This story got onto the page super fast. It flowed from outline to page with relatively little difficulty. But my next novel took a ton of sweat and tears to get into a manageable state. I think recognizing what works becomes easier, but with fitting the ideas and getting the words out it just depends on the book. The thing that has been the most challenging is dealing with all the other aspects of getting your book out, like marketing. The more books you have out, the more you have to focus on.

What is in your writing pipeline now?

I just submitted a book set during the French Revolution to my publisher, which includes a character from Georgana’s Secret. So I’ll be editing that soon. I have a few books I want to write to start the new year, but I haven’t decided which to focus on first. I’ll probably do another novella in the next year as well.

Thank you, Arlem, hope we see you back here soon with more stories!

Relz Reviewz Extras
Visit Arlem’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: Georgana’s Secret