What jobs (other than writing) have you done?
I’ve done waitering, admin, tutoring, and law. I’d much rather be writing about jam, jewels, and naked shapeshifters.
Beverage?
Organic leaf tea in a pot, of course. Black, no sugar.
Anything on the side?
Yes, mandatorily chocolate which is 35% cocoa, no more, no less.
Chocolate or cream tea?
Both? Can we have both? Perhaps not. Oh, if you must make me choose: chocolate… as above.
What did you grow up on?
Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, and Daphne Du Maurier. I could go on. Surprisingly little television: my mother didn’t approve, and by the time she lost control over the remote I was far too interested in books.
Pets?
Despite popular wisdom that every author has a cat, I do not have one. I live in Western Australia, with a large, overgrown garden full of quendas (little marsupials) and plenty of birds, frogs, and fish. Hence no cat. It is a great sorrow to me. Unfortunately, I can’t quite pretend a quenda is a cat, even though it is cute and furry. It won’t sit on my lap, curse it.
Hidden talents?
I can get rid of hiccoughs by breathing OUT all my breath (method patented Rosalie Oaks 2020).
Forbidden vice?
Ice-cream, preferably salted caramel. I’ve given it up for, hmm, about twelve days now.
Not chocolate then?
Oh no, I would NEVER give up chocolate.
Secret ambition?
This one is easy. I wish I could be a rock star – but I know I don’t have the requisite voice or temperament. I’ve been known to hide in the cupboard at my own birthday party, and I don’t like noisy restaurants. Still, I would like to be adored by thousands all screaming my name.
Why Regency?
Georgette Heyer, of course. And the escapist world of aristocratic privilege, where breakfast starts after nine in the morning, is served with hot chocolate, and is followed by bouquets of flowers dropped off by admiring callers. Sigh.
Why magic?
I wanted to spice up the Regency tropes: add something to surprise and delight. Plus some paranormal characters just walked (or flew) right into my books, and they were too charming to turn away.
What is your magic system based on?
The Musor Gifts are based on the Enneagram, which divides personality into nine types. Discernment matches with Number Ones, Healing with Number Twos, and so forth. I love the Enneagram! But, you might remark, there are only eight Gifts in the books so far. True, and I have plans for revealing the ninth in another series. If you know the Enneagram, see if you can figure out which one is missing…
So what Enneagram personality type are you?
I’m not telling! It would reveal far too much…
If you have any other burning questions for Rosalie, you can email her at rosalie@rosalieoaks.com. Or join her newsletter for all the inside goss, and your free copy of A Pendant for Trouble.