Mimi Matthews
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews
Author of The Siren of Sussex
The Siren of Sussex is the first novel in my new Belles of London series for Berkley Romance. Set in 1860s London, it features Ahmad Malik, a devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor, and Evelyn Maltravers, the bold bluestocking equestrienne who hires him to design her daring riding habits. Ahmad first appeared as a character in my USA Today bestselling Parish Orphans of Devon series. I’ve been waiting a long time to tell his story!
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews
Author I draw inspiration from: I’m endlessly inspired by the work of Victorian authors like Charlotte and Emily Brontë, Charles Dickens, and Thomas Hardy. I love their style and tone, and the way they could turn a phrase.
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: In bed, with soft pillows and a fluffy quilt, surrounded by my sleeping cats and dogs.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Becky Sharp from Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. I bet she'd be enormous fun.
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: There was never one moment in particular. I started writing very young, more for my own amusement than with any view to publication. It was only after I wrote my first novel at the age of thirteen that I started having formal aspirations. This was mostly owing to a friend of my mom’s who encouraged me to send my manuscript out to literary agents. One of those agents eventually signed me to a contract.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Currently, it’s ebooks for me. I have a neck injury and holding a heavier book is difficult. I do love my hardbacks and paperbacks, though. I wouldn’t ever part with them. They're a sensory experience!
The last book I read: I was privileged to read an early copy of Jane and the Year Without a Summer by Stephanie Barron. It’s a Regency mystery starring Jane Austen herself. Such a wonderful read! It was exceptionally researched and written, and the mystery really kept me guessing.
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: For writing, it’s always a computer. More specifically a laptop.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: It’s hard to choose just one! I guess, if I had to narrow it down, it would probably be Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I think she’d be a great friend and an excellent email correspondent. An added bonus: I could visit her at Pemberley!
Author Interview - Mimi Matthews | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: A lawyer. I already have the degree and the law license. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Favorite decade in fashion history: The 1860s is my absolute favorite, which is why I set most of my books in that decade. I adore the enormous skirts and the elegant hairstyles.
Place I’d most like to travel: Anyplace I haven’t been so far. I’d love to see Egypt one day!
My signature drink: I’m not sure I have a signature drink, but I do enjoy an amaretto sour or a glass of really good champagne.
Favorite artist: I’m constantly shuffling my favorites. It’s usually one of the Impressionists, though. Claude Monet is right up there.
Number one on my bucket list: It’s been my lifelong dream to buy a little horse property , with a two-stall barn, paddocks, and an arena. Maybe one day!
Anything else you'd like to add: Just a huge thank you for having me!
Find more from the author:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmimatthewsesq/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MimiMatthewsAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MimiMatthewsEsq
Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
