We Love… Sylvain Reynard

I want to start this article by thanking my readers for their support and the writers for agreeing to answer my silly questions:) When I began this I had no clue that the readers will love it and that my favorite writers would be so opened and kind regarding my request.

This post is very special to me, because I managed to have a wonderful conversation with Sylvain Reynard, that tops my first 3 writers list. Sylvain’s penmanship is mesmerising and The Gabriel Series and The Florentine Series are my absolute favorites, because of their complexity, the research behind them and the unforgettable characters that stick with me even today.

I will let you read the interview below and I want to thank Sylvain again for agreeing to do this. Enjoy 🙂

Ramona: To start with, please share something about yourself with the readers 🙂

SR: Hello Ramona. Thank you for the kind invitation. It’s a pleasure to be with you. I’m a Canadian author and I’ve written two complete book series – The Gabriel Series (Gabriel’s Inferno, Gabriel’s Rapture, and Gabriel’s Redemption) and The Florentine Series (The Prince, The Raven, The Shadow, and The Roman).

Ramona: What inspires you to write?

SR: I’m inspired by art and music. I’m also inspired by architecture and landscapes. The city of Florence is tremendously inspiring and much of my Florentine Series is set in that city. 

Ramona: How important is research when writing a book? I am asking this in particular for Gabriel’s Series, because your knowledge of Dante was impressive and the detailed information provided in this books was amazing.

SR: Thank you, Ramona. Research is very important. I’m not only interested in the information I present; I’m interested in presenting an authentic picture of the locations featured in my novels. I lived in Florence for a time while I was researching The Florentine Series and it was a great experience.

Ramona: What is your biggest dream when referring to writing and publishing?

SR: I became an author later in life. So, for me, the biggest dream was having readers and being published. Readers have been so enthusiastic about my novels; the success of my writing has been far beyond what I dreamed.

Ramona: What is your favorite quote? The one that maybe guides you in life.

SR: I always say my creed is “ Truth, Beauty, and Goodness”. I think almost everything else can be related to these three things.

Ramona: What authors/ books have you really loved and would you recommend?

SR: That’s a good question. My publicist, Nina Bocci, coauthored “Roman Crazy” and it’s a novel filled with humor and an incredible Italian backdrop.

Ramona: What is the most difficult part in your writing process?

SR: I think every writer experiences writer’s block at some point. It’s important to manage it early so that it doesn’t last too long.

Ramona: With what writer would you like to collaborate?

SR: I’ve been friends with EL James for several years. She has a great sense of humor and a quick wit. We’ve collaborated on a few short things and I always enjoy writing with her. Here’s a link to one of the things we wrote together: http://sylvainreynard.com/ visiting-florence-el-james/

Ramona: What does Gabriel Emerson mean to you? He is my favorite book hero and even after all this reading, I couldn’t find anyone who could surpass him.

SR: Thank you, Ramona. Gabriel represents what I think is essential in a good story – intrigue and redemption. He’s intriguing because at the beginning of Gabriel’s Inferno we don’t know a lot about him. And at some points, we aren’t sure he’s the hero. But by the end of Gabriel’s Redemption, I think readers see his growth and development as a character. I really enjoyed writing him.

Ramona: How difficult was for you to write the romantic/sex scenes? Do you need some special skills or it just flows easily?

SR: As a writer, you need to convince your reader that what you are writing is true. Readers need to suspend disbelief in order to get lost in your story. So, whether it’s a love scene or a fight scene, you have to make your readers believe that the characters and their actions are believable. I think if an author doesn’t believe in his characters and the words they are saying and the way they love one another, readers won’t believe it either.

Ramona: Who helps you in creating the covers for your books? They are simply amazing!!

SR: Thank you so much. I’ve had different designers over the years. Heather Carrier designed the cover for The Roman and she’s also doing the cover for my new book “The Man in the Black Suit.” She does incredible work.

Ramona: What made you decide to change from Contemporary Romance to Paranormal Romance?

SR: When I wrote Gabriel’s Inferno, I had in mind a backstory to Gabriel’s Botticelli illustrations. And that backstory linked up with a paranormal novel I’d been working on. So, when I was writing Gabriel’s Redemption, I couldn’t resist introducing the male lead from my new series in that novel. And the paranormal series began from there.

Ramona: Could you tell us something about your next project?  I heard that we will be speaking French soon 🙂

SR: Yes, that’s correct. My new novel should be released in December. It’s a contemporary romance/suspense novel that is set in Paris. And the female lead is Brazilian – her name is Acacia. Here is a link to a short teaser: http://sylvainreynard.com/ tmitbs/

Ramona: What is your relationship with your readers? Please share a message to them.

SR: I am grateful to my readers around the world for their support. Thank you for reading. And please pack your bags – I’m taking you to Paris with my new novel.

For more information about Sylain Reynard, you can access the links below:

Official Site: http://sylvainreynard.com/

Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/sylvainreynard

Twitter : https://twitter.com/sylvainreynard