Celeste Connally
Author Interview - Celeste Connally
Author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord
London, 1815. Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, has made a shocking proclamation. After losing her beloved fiancé three years earlier, she announces in front of London’s loosest lips that she will never marry. A woman of independent means—and rather independent ways—Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life is gone. Instead, she plans to continue enjoying the best of society without any expectations. But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of a fit due to her “melancholia” while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper—uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Petra has reason to believe her friend is alive, a shocking murder proves more danger is afoot than she thought. And the more determined Lady Petra becomes in uncovering the truth, the more her own headstrong actions and desire for independence are used against her, putting her own freedom—and possibly her life—in jeopardy.
Author Interview - Celeste Connally
Author I draw inspiration from:
Presently inspiring me: Evie Dunmore, Natalie Jenner, Natasha Lester. Always inspiring me: Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, James Herriot, Dick Francis
Author Interview - Celeste Connally | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
Outside on a sunny day, or inside on my sofa. Snacks and tea are a must in both situations.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Finlay and Vero from Elle Cosimano's FINLAY DONOVAN series. (They come as a set.) Finlay and I would stress out together at being stuck in an elevator, while Vero would distract us with totally hilarious innuendo-filled commentary. Then the three of us would find some ridiculous way to escape from the elevator and go out for drinks and Oreos afterward.
Author Interview - Celeste Connally | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I knew deep down from the time I was a child, but I would have to say the moment came alive in high school, when I wrote an essay and my teacher wrote "WOW!" at the top. It was then I recognized that my love of writing could make others feel something too. Sidenote: Teachers are the best.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
This is so hard! Hardbacks are just classic. Paperbacks are the best for tucking in your tote bag and reading anywhere. And I love audiobooks for driving and cleaning the house.
The last book I read:
The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester
Author Interview - Celeste Connally | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Computer, no doubt! I'd never get down half of what comes to my mind when writing if I used a pen and paper.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Tuppence Cowley Beresford from Agatha Christie's The Secret Adversary
Author Interview - Celeste Connally | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
An antiques expert. Preferably one who also helps repatriate stolen works.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
1940s. The dresses! The hats! The gowns!
Place I’d most like to travel:
Next up for me will be Ireland. And England -- always England.
My signature drink:
An Old Fashioned.
Favorite artist:
George Stubbs (horses), John Singer Sargent (portraits), John Constable and JMW Turner (landscapes).
Number one on my bucket list:
I don't really have a bucket list per se, but I hope to travel more, get back into riding horses, and do more volunteering.
Anything else you'd like to add:
This was such fun! Thank you for supporting authors and encouraging reading!
Find more from the author:
@celesteconnallyauthor (Instagram, Facebook)
@cconnallyauthor (Twitter)
About Celeste Connally:
CELESTE CONNALLY is an Agatha Award nominee, and a former freelance writer and editor. A lifelong devotee of historical novels and adaptations fueled by her passion for history—plus weekly doses of PBS Masterpiece—Celeste loves reading and writing about women who don't always do as they are told.
