Roma Cordon was introduced to romance novels in her teenage years and instantly became a voracious reader of the genre. In the 1990s, she came to live in New York where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees. After taking a writing course at New York University with Anne Rice, she dived into the world of writing. Like most authors, she has a day job but on weekends, she is a passionate romance writer. She also writes on her blog romacordon.com.

Inspiration for Roma’s debut novel, Bewitching a Highlander, came from trips to Scotland with her husband. Roma is an active member of the RWA-NYC Chapter and lives in New York with her husband where they care for two adorable furry friends adopted from local shelters.

Thanks, Roma, for taking time to chat with me!

You transport readers to 18^th century Scotland in a very authentic way. How much research did you need to do to make the historical details come to life?

Research into European history was fun for me. For this book I travelled to Scotland and visited places like the Isle of Skye, Dunvegan Castle, Eilean Donan Castle, the Isle of Harris/Lewis, etc. I spoke to tour guides and shop owners. I consulted with spell craft reference writings by Scott Cunningham, Ann-Marie Gallagher, Marion Weinstein, etc. For period costumes I found Milla Davenport’s The Book of Costumes helpful and for architecture Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill’s Classic Georgian Style book was a wonderful source of information. Plus, it goes without saying, where would we writers be without Wikipedia, Google, and Pinterest.

Both Breena and Egan are compelling and attractive characters. I was rooting for them from the start but did not see the big twist coming (no spoilers!). Did you know before you began writing this story what the major plot twists would be or did they reveal themselves as you wrote?

I honestly didn’t know how the story would play out until I was well into the story myself. The only thing I knew when I started writing this story is that the hero and heroine would have their happy ending (yes, I’m a sucker for happy endings). But the hurdles they would have to jump to get their happy ending wasn’t initially known to me. As the story ran into its natural turns and twists, things began to take shape. I’ve always considered myself a Pantser (a writer who writes without a roadmap), but now working on book 2 of the Scottish Highland Warriors series, I can see the attraction of being a Plotter (starting with a road map).

Who are your favorite historical romance writers? And do you read outside this genre?

I sometimes read outside of my genre. I was told as a writer I need to read any and everything I can get my hands on. But the truth is, who has the time? I love a good romance, but am game for any good book, preferably one with a happy ending. The list of my favorite writers would fill an entire page, but let’s start with Jane Austin and Pride and Prejudice, which is my absolute favorite, then there is Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Lord Byron’s poetry. And another one of my all-time favorites—Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot of books by Mimi Matthews which I find to be utterly delightful!

What’s next for you? A sequel to Bewitching a Highlander? A new historical romance? Something else entirely?

I am currently working on book 2 of the Scottish Highland Warriors series. It’s a period piece romance, set in 1747 Scotland, the same as book 1. Fans of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon may find the Scottish Highland Warriors series quite entertaining.

Book 2 of the Scottish Highland Warriors series falls into the romance trope of friends to lovers. Two childhood friends meet again after years, each working on opposite sides of the political sphere. One is a rebel spy working for the Jacobites, and the other is on the side of the opposition—a British army captain. When these two are forced into a marriage to avoid a scandal, they’ll have to survive each other first before they can take down common enemies.

I listened to the Bewitching a Highlander audiobook and loved the narrator and her authentic Scottish accent. How much input did you have into casting her for the audiobook?

Moira Quirk does a phenomenal job as narrator for Bewitching a Highlander. Her voice and accent are amazing and immediately transport you to Scotland and to the Georgian era. She plays Breena, Egan and all the other characters so well, I couldn’t have imagined a better narrator for this novel.  I did have some input, but the ultimate decision was made by the experts at CamCat Publishing as it should be.

Where can readers order Bewitching a Highlander?

Bewitching a Highlander is available in hardcover, audio book, and e-book versions. The paperback version will be released June 6, 2023. Readers can order Bewitching a Highlander on CamCatBooks.com, Amazon.com, Audible.com, and anywhere else fine books are sold.

Where is the best place for readers to follow you and learn more about your work?

I would love to connect more with readers! I am mostly on Instagram, and Twitter. But you can also find me on Bookbub.com and Goodreads.com. Sometimes you can find me on Facebook. And to find out more about me, my writing process, and what I am working on, please come visit me on romacordon.com and sign up for my monthly newsletter by clicking here and scrolling down to the bottom of the page.