Interview with Author Helen Scott Taylor at RT

I was so excited to get a chance to talk to the winner of the 2008 American Title contest, Helen Scott Taylor. I loved her book, THE MAGIC KNOT, and I am eagerly awaiting her next one. Read on to discover more about this talented author.

RT: Congratulations on winning the American Title IV contest!

Helen Scott Taylor: Yes, it’s set in Cornwall and Ireland. It’s a contemporary fantasy romance about fairies, piskies and it’s really a fantasy adventure. The heroine doesn’t realize she’s a fairy, and is thrown into a whole new world of fairies and other fantastical creatures. She ends up having to free her people and ends up in Ireland with a reluctant Irish helper.

RT: And you have a sequel coming out, too?

HST: THE PHOENIX CHARM, the main character is Michael O’Connor, who is the identical twin brother of the hero from THE MAGIC KNOT. He wasn’t very heroic in the first book, he was kind of light entertainment in a way. He has to shape up and become the hero in THE PHOENIX CHARM. And in his own unique way, he did very well. I make up my stories as I go along and I wasn’t sure how Michael was going to handle everything. But he managed to handle things his own way without changing too much. It’s quite a different story to THE MAGIC KNOT.

RT: What made you decide to join the American Title contest?

HST: Well, it was friends, actually who encouraged me to enter, because I thought I was ineligibles since it’s the “American” title contest. I live in England, so I thought I wouldn’t be eligible. But they said to me, “enter, because what’s the worst that could happen?” It was a very last minute thing, I almost didn’t enter, but obviously it turned out very good for me.

RT: Had you been to RT conventions before?

HST: No, I hadn’t. Last year was my first year.

RT: What’s your favorite part?

HST: It’s meeting everybody, actually. It’s meeting friends who I have known online and putting faces to names. And getting together with old friends, and my critique partners, as well.

RT: Where can people find you online?

HST: My site is www.helenscotttaylor.com. And I have also got Facebook and MySpace. I have an excerpt of the first two chapters of THE MAGIC KNOT up on my web site. As soon as the manuscript is approved, I will have the first two chapters of THE PHOENIX CHARM up, as well.

Thank you, Helen!