Interview with author Caddy Rowland

1.) Caddy, the third novel in your Gastien Beachamp series is scheduled to come out this spring. Can you tell us a little about the series, the characters, the plots, etc.?

Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream is about Gastien’s coming of age and his struggle living on the streets of Paris. He is trying to find a way to become an artist with his own studio (peasants did not own property then) and learn how to be a great lover. He is poor and from the country, with no formal art training. He was physically abused by his father and has emotionally shut off. The tagline for this book is “Sometimes the 'impossible' is possible. But the cost can be extremely high.”

Gastien Part 2: From Dream to Destiny picks up right where Part 1 stops. Gastien is now in a studio and living his dream: painting, sex, and partying. This takes place during the bohemian artist era of Paris, where vices of all kinds were legal and anything was acceptable. Then Sophie appears and they fall in love. It asks the age old question: Can a man driven by his calling truly find time to love? And, if he does, what are the repercussions?

This series is dramatic historical fiction and family saga. The first two books are dark, emotional character studies for adults. However, there is also humor. The third book moves into another generation of the family. It, too, will be emotional and a study of the various desires of the main character and how those desires affect his life and the people around him.

People who have read the first two say they can’t remember a book that made them feel so many emotions and that they cannot get Gastien out of their head for weeks.

2.) Your novels are steeped in the history of mid-19th Century France. What books and other material have you studied to bring a sense of realism to your historical writings?

I did a ton of online and book research. Three of the books that helped me the most were: Bohemian Paris (Culture, Politics, and the Boundaries of Bourgeois Life, 1830-1930) by Jerrold Seigel, Montmartre by Philippe Jullian, and (A Mecca of Modern Art 1860-1920) Paris Montmartre by Sylvie Buisson and Christian Parisot.

3.) Who are some of Gastien's historical and literary ancestors, if there any? Scaramouche? Casanova?

I don’t know that any stand out as much as Gastien himself. He was definitely one of a kind. He was way ahead of others in regard to his painting and a true nonconformist. Gastien did what he needed to do to realize his dream and, later, to keep living it -- regardless of how others judged him.

4.) Would you want to meet Gastien? Why or why not?

I would LOVE to meet Gastien! I am also an artist and would love to learn some technique from him. Also, he is extremely good looking. It never hurts to view a little eye candy.

5.) What are some of your future plans for your writing?

Continuing The Gastien Series (there will be 4 or 5 in the series) and then writing some other fiction that is bouncing around in my head.

6.) You are on a ship sinking just off a deserted island. You have clothes and some food, but only enough time to grab one more box before the ship goes under and leaves you stranded. So, which do you grab, the box of chocolates, the box of wine, or the box of books?

The books. Wine would be nice, but would soon be gone; as would the chocolates, but the books can help me escape to another world until I am rescued. Plus, with any luck, one might give me hints on how to survive until then.

For more about Caddy Rowland:
Blog: Caddy Rowland, Writer of Fiction, Painter of Life and Energy
Gastien Fanpage on Facebook
Twitter feed

Buy links:
Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream
Available in Paperback at CreateSpace
Available on Amazon.com for Kindle
Available on Barnes & Noble.com for NOOK

Gastien Part 2: From Dream to Destiny
Available in Paperback at CreateSpace
Available on Amazon.com for Kindle
Available on Barnes & Noble.com for NOOK