Rachel: What was your research process for this book? Did it differ from other works? Finding out more about the way people lived in past centuries is fascinating, so I often have to force myself to stop doing research and start writing. I spent hours finding out one little detail that later took up only half a sentence in the book. For example, my romance novel Just Physical features a character with multiple sclerosis and another character who is a stuntwoman, so I did a lot of research on the stunt business and on life with MS.īut, of course, historical fiction requires a lot more research than a contemporary romance. And I learn something new with every book I write. I call myself an “information junkie” because I love learning new things. Do you prefer to do historical research or contemporary research? Rachel: On your website, you detail the (significant!) amount of hours spent on the different processes that make a book a reality. But then the earthquake hits, and they find themselves fighting for their lives. They are both struggling to find their place in the world-Giuliana so she can make a living as a single woman without a family in America and Kate because she wants to be a newspaper photographer, not just a socialite who entertains rich suitors and is supposed to marry and reproduce.ĭespite their different backgrounds, they become friends when Giuliana starts working for Kate’s family as a maid. It’s the story of Giuliana, a working-class immigrant from Sicily, and Kate, the daughter of a rich family. The novel is set in 1906, during the Great Earthquake and Fires in San Francisco. Jae: Shaken to the Core is a lesbian historical romance. Rachel: How would you describe Shaken to the Core?

Love at First Write by Jae