Welcome to Rosanne Bittner: An Interview with a legend

This is a question-and-answer form of an interview, and so blessed to have lovely author: Rosanne Bittner with us today to share some of her writing insights and future plans for books ahead!

When did you start writing and what was your first inspiration?

I started writing in 4^th grade – little stories and poems. I went to just poems later, and then marriage and kids and “life” got in the way for a few years. I started serious stories at the age of 34 and was finally published at the age of 38. I will celebrate 40 years of being published next year. My inspiration was (and still is) a deep love for American history, especially Native Americans and the Old West. I grew up on western movies and TV shows and have always loved the genre, as well as America’s magnificent western landscape.

How much background research do you do for each book?

I do a tremendous amount of research. I have a huge personal library, and of course today we have the internet, but I still like using my own library. My husband and I have also traveled to every location I write about, which is pretty much the entire American West.

What is a day of writing like for you?

I don’t have a particular “day of writing.” It’s all based on whatever else I have to do that day. Some days I write a good 12 hours straight through. Other days I might work 3 hours in the morning, 2 hours later in the day, and often I wake up in the middle of the night and write. I am not a heavy sleeper. Never have been

What made you want to change genres and write contemporary suspense?

All 74 of my past books have been historical romance, although it should just be historical fiction or women’s fiction, because my books are much more than romance in the typical idea of the genre. I love big, sweeping sagas, especially family sagas, and love stories that last for up to 30 years or more. I never wrote contemporary until now because I was truly nervous and afraid to try it. Contemporary is a whole different ballgame in what characters can say and do in the story, and even in their approach to sex. But DANCING BENEATH YOU has been in my head and heart for a good 30 years. I actually wrote it that many years ago and called it A FIRE IN THE WIND, but I never submitted it. Many aspects of the story have changed since then, but the basic premise is the same. DANCING BENEATH YOU is really an modern-day Indian/white love story, and I am known for that kind of writing. My great grandmother was Potawatomi, and I have researched Native American customs, religion and history for about 50 years.

What comes first for you? Characters, Story Line or Scenario?

What comes first for me? Believe it or not, I can’t write a book with a working title that I really like. As for the writing itself, first comes the basic idea (scenario), then comes the characters. After that, I just start the story and it opens up for me on its own, chapter by chapter. I do not outline or write a synopsis – ever. The story just “happens.”

What inspired you to come up with the storyline for the Outlaw Hearts Series?

My Outlaw Hearts series started with a very basic “bad man with a good heart” idea that I came up with while drying my hair in the morning before work. I didn’t have anything to write with, so I put down the hair dryer, got out an eyebrow pencil and a check register book and wrote it on that. Originally it was going to just be that first book – OUTLAW HEARTS. But I fell so deeply in love with Jake and Miranda that I couldn’t stop there. It was years before I found an editor who asked for more, and I gladly obliged with DO NOT FORSAKE ME, LOVE’S SWEET REVENGE, A CHICKADEE CHRISTMAS (short story in an anthology called CHRISTMAS IN A COWBOY’S ARMS), then back to full-length books – THE LAST OUTLAW and BLAZE OF GLORY. I recently started writing yet another story. Right now I see the title as SHADOWS FROM THE PAST, but I’m not sure I will keep that.

Your books always have a real gritty feel to the story but yet feel relatable in the character growth, how do you create your couples?

I don’t know how to explain how I create my couples or their basic character, other than they usually come from a tragic past or personal loss and are looking for someone who can help them rise above what they have suffered and learn to love again. I love strong women who are tough enough to stand beside men who are independent and rugged, and who usually need help in learning to love and be gentle. My character Jake in Outlaw Hearts can be ruthless, but Miranda has him wrapped around her little finger. He is a completely different man when he is with this woman who has accepted his past and loves him anyway. I love his contrasting personalities when he is with and without Miranda at his side. It creates some humorous moments. I don’t “look for” or “create” characters. They come to me, asking me to write their story.

What was the most difficult book or books to write and why?

None of my books have been difficult to write because I have loved every story and every character. I believe I was born to write and that ghosts from the past live inside of me. Yes, I’m a little nuts, but I absolutely love writing and do not consider it work at all. I pray I will live along enough to write all the books still “in my head.”

Who are your favorite love interests you have written about?

I’m not sure what you mean by favorite love interests. In real life? Or my own characters? My only love interest on real life is my husband of 57 years, who is a strong, honest, faithful man who believes in standing up for what is right and who has always supported my writing.. My favorite fictional characters are probably Zeke Monroe from my 7-book Savage Destiny series (still selling after 40 years published) and Jake Harkner from Outlaw Hearts.

What made you want to venture into self-publishing?

I didn’t “venture into” self-publishing. I chose it because I write TRUTH, and publishers today are so afraid of the supposed rules of what we can and cannot write that I can’t bring myself to lie about history. It is what it is, and if it happened, I write it. People need to know the truth about the past. Also, Amazon pays far better than traditional publishers, both in royalty percentages and in speed of payment – a check a month rather than one every six months based on how many  books the publisher “thinks” were sold. Traditional publishers  guess at how many sold out of however many they ship out, whereas an Amazon sale is an Amazon sale. No guessing, and no wasting paper and ink or wondering how much the next check will be. When the book is ordered, it is printed. And technically I am not self-published. I write for Amazon through agreements that my agent takes care of. I have cover designers, a great editor, someone who does the Amazon conversion for me, and my agent puts the book up on Amazon. I write it, send it to them (in Word), and these people do the rest

What is your plan for future books?

My plans for future books? I have already started another Outlaw Hearts story. I already have plans for a sequel to DANCING BENEATH YOU, I have a WWII story already written but needs work, and I have two more historical romances (single titles) itching to be written. I will never stop writing as long as my health holds out.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

About The Book

Finally divorced from a violently abusive man, Carmen Wolfe is ready to enjoy life again, but not ready to love again. During a performance of Native American song and dance she attends at a new casino near her Michigan hometown, a live wolf named Caesar, who is part of the act, disobeys its trainer and sits down beside Carmen’s aisle seat and refuses to budge. He glares at Carmen with wild, yellow eyes, leaving her terrified and afraid to move.

Worried about the dangerous situation, lead dancer Benjamin Red Wolf Colter, a lawyer for the Lakota (Oglala Sioux), leaves the stage to calm the tense moment. He urges Caesar back to his cage and apologizes to Carmen, but once he returns to South Dakota, Ben cannot stop thinking about the beautiful woman he met in Michigan. Heartbroken over his wife and unborn son, who were killed in an assassination attempt on his life, Ben believes that the incident with Caesar means the wolf spirit has chosen Carmen as the woman who can put an end to his grief and teach him to love again.

Carmen, too, cannot ignore the sizzling attraction she and Ben shared in that first fateful meeting. She stays in touch, and soon a deeper relationship leads her to South Dakota. Can these two overcome past tragedies? Can Carmen learn to trust again? And can she live with the fact that someone still wants Ben Colter dead?

The haunting lure of the South Dakota Badlands holds all the answers.

My Review

First Impressions

Dancing Beneath You is the first romantic suspense contemporary romance that Rosanne Bittner has written. I have been a fan of this author since I read my first book from her “Do Not Forsake Me” which meant I had to devour that whole series and then explore many of her other works. For those that aren’t aware Rosanne Bittner has stepped away from traditional publishing to indie/self publishing and I am so proud of her for doing so. I was beyond thrilled when she started talking about writing a contemporary setting for a story and its actually been one of my most anticipated reads for this year. And I have to say that what impressed me was one how well researched this story is, the atmospheric vibe to the story, the characters that come alive and the writing that is so Bittner style but will satisfy any contemporary romance reader. This was a story that really blew me away though and it will easily sweep you away into the story so easily and you won’t be able to put down this novel until its over. Even as I am writing this review, I am wanting to pick it up again because it was such a sweeping entrenching romance that I guarantee will capture your heart!

Summary

Our story kicks off Carmen Wolfe, who is recovering from an abusive husband and is finally divorced and learning to move on with her life and learning to live her life again. She and her best girlfriend go to a Native American performance song and dance, and during the act, one of the wolves, Caesar, comes to her seat and won’t move. Carmen having suffered from a dog attack when she is young goes into a panic, but then the head dancer and singer and lawyer for the Lakota, comes to her side and makes sure that no harm comes to her and there is an instant chemistry between Carmen and Ben. Ben Colter, is himself recovering from a past trauma and losing his wife and child to a vicious attack and is still suffering from the pain of those wounds. He has a crazy busy life being a lawyer for his people, and participating in the song and dances to give to his community. But there is something that calls him to Carmen, and its much more than Caesar being called to her side, he believes there is a spiritual reason that they have been brought together and he refuses to let this opportunity slide. Through a set of events, Carmen and Ben find themselves learning from each other, valuing each other’s culture and facing the dangers ahead that only their fierce protection can protect them from…

What I Loved

Dancing Beneath You was the first book in the series and this was such a wonderful book and honestly one of my top favorite books that this author has published. I know my review won’t come close to honoring this book the way that it should be. I did come into this book with high expectations, but I had been seeing good reviews for this one, so I knew that I was in for a powerful journey, and Rosanne Bittner definitely takes her readers on such a in depth of one. Now I know this author has only written historical romance in the past, so one has to wonder can such an author switch genres and the answer to that is YES. Not many authors can switch genres, in fact, I can count on one hand the number of authors that do it well, and I am happy that I can add Bittner to that very short list. I know that she did plenty of research on this one and it definitely was apparent in the story. I didn’t know exactly what I was expecting in this one, but this completely blew me away. I was instantly drawn into the story and especially the characters. If you enjoy heroines like that of what Jennifer Ryan writes, you will fall in love with this heroine, Carmen. Carmen has such a deep heart, and she hides great pain. From the beginning, you can sense her vulnerabilities and her spine of steel that has kept her strong and vibrant even though she feels she is coming out in the sunshine after the times of abuse that she has suffered. I felt like the author really handled this aspect very well and delivered a strong yet kind heroine. Then we have our hero, Ben, who just had my heart from the beginning. He is so fierce and protective and his passion for his people and their traditions is humbling. He has such honor and strength and determination to do what is best for those he loves and cares for. And once Carmen falls into his lap, he is so attentive to her and my heart just swooned all the way throughout this story. The romance in this book is so powerful and I was instantly drawn into their connection, which goes deeper than the physical (although there is plenty of physical attraction between these two), it’s almost like they are two peas in a pod. The way that they try to accept one another and stand for each other that became so transparent and relatable delivered in a more connecting experience for this reader. Then we have the plot and the storyline and the suspense aspects of the story. These aspects are slowly built and at the beginning, you aren’t sure where the story is going to be taken, but eventually, we get to see where the author is leading it and I was more than happy to sit back with my kindle and enjoy the ride that she takes us on here. It had such strong points throughout the plot that gradually builds up into the climax and leaves you in a satisfying conclusion that will leave you emotionally sapped but with a smile on your face.

What I Struggled With

I have to say that there wasn’t anything I struggled with at all. It was just right!

Overall View

Dancing Beneath You is a novel that will capture your senses, tug at your heartstrings, and keep you on edge from beginning to end with its addictive pacing, beautiful atmospheric portrayal, and the edgy thrills that keep you yearning for more…A GEM OF A ROMANCE!

Title: Dancing Beneath You

Author: Rosanne Bittner

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Format: eBook

Source: Purchased

Length: 428 Pages

Book Links

Amazon| Goodreads| LibraryThing| StoryGraph| Literal Club

Trigger & Content Warnings

Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Drug Abuse, PTSD, and Racial slurs

About Rosanne

I am a USA-TODAY best-selling author with 40 years, 75 books, and numerous writing awards behind me. I have always written for standard publishers but am now writing strictly for Amazon so I have more freedom to write real history. My most recent publication is JOURNEY TO HIGH LONESOME. It’s the third book in my “Men of the Outlaw Trail” series (each book is an independent story). RIDE THE HIGH LONESOME and LAWMAN IN THE HIGH LONESOME are the first two, and more books are planned. My best sellers are my SAVAGE DESTINY series (7 books) and my OUTLAW HEARTS series (now working on #6 – BLAZE OF GLORY – coming November 2021). See my website (www.rosannebittner.com) for details on all my books – most available for Kindle and in print. I am known for great love stories filled with real history and high emotion. I have also written many Native American stories, all based on real history.

I love American history. For those of you who have not yet read my books, my stories are generally set in the American West of the 1800s and feature vividly described, historically accurate settings that span the US from Missouri to California, from Canada to Mexico. Many of my books portray the poignant history of our Native Americans, and though the characters are my own, I use real historical locations and events in all my novels. I have also written about the Civil War, the American Revolution, the war with Mexico (the Alamo), and the war of 1812.

National magazine ROMANTIC TIMES has called me the “Queen of Western Romance” and an “emotional powerhouse.” My husband and I have traveled the west for nearly 40 years and I have visited just about every location mentioned in my books.

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