#AuthorInterview JA Boulet, author of The Origins

This is another one for lovers of historical romance. Read an excerpt from The Origins by JA Boulet and then learn more about her and her book in this author interview. Ask more questions in the comments section! And be sure to follow the tour for extra chances to enter the great giveaway.

A young mother, Mt Askja and an unbreakable love

In the harsh landscapes of Iceland in 1850, a young girl loses her mother and struggles to grow into a woman alone with only her father’s help. Throughout the breathtaking 20-hour daylight summers and the bleak darkness of winters, Margret falls in love and dreams of a large family but the path to her future is rougher than she expected. The Origins will take you back in time delighting you with endearing Icelandic heritage, visual feasts for the mind and gripping you with the struggle to stay alive on a volatile island.

THE ORIGINS

Experience the rich journey of a 19th century woman who proves that even the weakest people can become stronger than anything you can imagine.

Read an excerpt:

The sun slowly lost its shine when nobody was looking. Margret and her father tried everything to help Momma, but she wasn’t getting any better. It was frustrating and heartbreaking. Margret cooked all the food and cleaned the house, trying to become the woman of the homestead while her mother was sick. Margret thought if she worked harder, then God might smile upon them, and good things would happen. Her father took care of Momma in bed, cleaning her delicate pale skin with a wet cloth. Margret fed her and made sure Momma always had water. But Momma wasn’t getting any better. 

The clouds had turned grey today, and the skies were bleak. Spring was not bringing the new beginning she had hoped for.

Margret tried to stop the shaking in her hands, but it was futile. She was too upset. Her father stood beside her smoothing her hair slowly, almost absentmindedly. The old blankets were laid straight over the bed, covering her Momma’s body and face.

“She’s gone, my dear,” Father said, his voice shaking and cracking with emotion.

“No!” Margret shouted, looking at her Pappa like he somehow had lied, and this was all a dream.

“Your Momma has died, sweetheart,” Father replied sadly. “The doctor tried what he could, we all tried what we could, but it didn’t work. She was too sick.”

Margret opened her mouth to speak and closed it. She tried again and lost her words. There were no words she could speak that would make anything better. The worst had happened. The very thing she had prayed for never to happen had just destroyed her life. She suddenly felt faint, like the floor was light beneath her feet. 

Her mother had died.

She fell towards the floor as her father caught her falling body from hitting the hardwood. 

Pappa picked up her petite body, cradling Margret in his arms and wept for himself and their future.

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To which character did you relate the most?

I relate to Margret the most. She is intelligent, willful and doesn’t feel that societal rules have a place in restricting women’s freedoms. The book takes place between 1850-1875 and women did not have a say in anything back then. She doesn’t quite understand this and expects more from relationships and life, which I believe every woman should.

What was one of your favorite scenes? 

My favorite scene is the fight scene and all the suspense leading up to it. I think I did a great job of gripping the reader and giving those satisfying punches LOL. I can’t say more without giving away the plot twist!

Which of your book worlds would you like to visit? 

I would love to travel back in time to 1875. I know it was harder for women back then but I would love to experience the simplicity of family life and core values again. Being on a sparsely inhabited beach with the love of my life would be heavenly. 

Tell us about your other published works. 

This is the final book of The Olason Chronicles, so there are three other books. Book One: The Strong Amongst Us starts off with Margret’s son, Nathan Olason, as he embarks on a journey to establish a new life in Canada and is unexpectedly quarantined during a smallpox epidemic. Book Two: The Strong Within Us is about Nathan struggling with grief and also about his grandson going to Vimy Ridge during WWI. And Book Three: The Wars Between Us is an action-packed book of Nathan’s son, Zack, as he struggles to overcome alcoholism and later proves to everyone during the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII that any man can become a hero.  

What is your writing routine?

I write consistently 3-4 days a week from Saturday-Wednesday, balancing my time with my children and renovating. I view my writing career as a lifelong passionate job. I write up to 8 hours each day and can usually finish the first draft in 4-6 months. Editing, audiobooks, mentoring and all the other duties of a writing career take up another additional 4 months.  

When not writing, what can we find you doing?

I’m a fitness and nature lover. I consistently workout in my home gym 3 days a week and regularly go hiking, swimming or skating on the weekends. I also love cooking! I bake my own snacks, cookies and banana bread!

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

My first language was actually Hungarian. I didn’t speak English until I started kindergarten. I fell in love with English literature and became an avid reader as a child. I read cereal boxes, magazines, library books and Shakespeare. I became so well versed at English that I scored 100% on several essays at school. Unfortunately, I did lose most of my Hungarian language as a result, but I am determined to relearn it and get it back one day.

Thank you so much for hosting me! I hope you enjoy The Origins and end up loving it just as much as I did writing it!

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of The Olason Chronicles,  a historical saga of war, courage, love and strength. Her newest novel The Origins Book 4, the final book in the series, is being released on June 8, 2022. J. A. Boulet was born and raised in Western Canada as a first generation Canadian from European descent. Her father enlisted with the Hungarian military and fought bravely during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, changing sides to stand up for what he believed in. He was granted asylum in Canada and built his family here. 

J. A. Boulet was born many years later, raised with strong morals and values, which she stands behind to this day. She started writing poetry at the age of five and progressed to short stories and novels. She has a keen interest in ancestry, healing, family bonds and military history. J. A. Boulet writes with a spine-tingling realism like none other, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. The Olason Chronicles is the series you’ve been waiting for. Watch for the next book 1956: Love and Revolution (Dec 2022), a standalone historical romance novel that takes place during the courageous Hungarian Revolution. 

Follow her on 

Website: https://jaboulet.ca/

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/love_walk_life

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/jabouletauthor/

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHyJHrncBj09F5119oxt6Vw

Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/user/NormalFemale

J. A. Boulet will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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