August 2007 by Holly Hewson,
Marketing Director for The Romance Studio

About Jean Hart Stewart

I've always regarded myself as a very lucky person. Even though when I was six a freak accident killed my father, hit by a golf ball, of all crazy things. My wonderful mother went back to work as a school teacher. Her hours were longer than mine, so after school I was confined to the house until she returned home. So I began to read early and steadily. She saw to it I had plenty of books from the library, and I read through everything she brought home. I knew by the age of ten I wanted to be a writer, preferably exactly like Jane Austen who I discovered early and read over and over. At twelve I wrote my first romance. It was doubtless dreadful and is fortunately lost. Still my early isolation turned out to bless the rest of my life.

I found a group of other semi-nerds in high school, and always loved school. Ohio State University's school of journalism was a natural, and when I dated the editor of the student magazine he featured me as Campus Queen of the Month. Goes to prove who you know definitely counts! I didn't even recognize the picture the professional photographer took. The only importance of this long forgotten fact is my future husband's brother knew me from a class we took together, saw the picture and asked his older brother to come along to meet me and put in a good word for him. Hugh (the handsome brother) was then a graduate assistant in physics.

Not interested in anybody's brother, (not very bright of me!) I sloughed off the request for several weeks, until one night when we arranged to meet at the library. When I saw Hugh and his brother walking down the long stone steps to me I knew in my heart I'd found, the real thing, love at first sight. I told the girl with me that same night I'd met the man I was going to marry. Two years later the brother was best man at our wedding.

Don't let anybody tell you instant love doesn't exist. We've had two children, two grandchildren, and a wonderful life together as Hugh's job sent him to Europe a lot and often we went along. After that came my 25 year career as a real estate broker, lots of fun but I wouldn't want to be in that field today. Too many sharks circling the waters. I could tell some good stories, though, like the client who didn't keep his appointment because his jealous brother murdered him that morning!

Then I started writing, and here I am five years later, a senior citizen with five books accepted by Cerridwen Press in my Garland of Druid series, and a sixth on the way. LOVE my Druids, each and every one.

I almost automatically started writing Regencies. Then my research in different historical areas led me to the ancient Druid culture. Merlin and King Arthur have always captivated me, and I discovered the Druids had once spread from the British Isles to Turkey and still exists today.

I couldn't resist the idea of having the  magical endowments Druids presumably possessed passed on to future generations. My Druids are descendants of a ruling priestess of Avalon, and have fascinating powers. The historical settings of each book, starting in 1898 are accurate, even if the mystical powers are a little embellished.

What a fertile and wonderful field for a writer. Once again I was fortunate. I'd welcome any questions from readers about Druids then and now, so please e-mail me. I'd love to hear from all of you.

HH: Jean, welcome to The Romance Studio! Please tell us about your featured work, Druid's Daughter.

JHS: Love to talk about my Druids, and especially Druid's Daughter, the first of a six book series called Garland of Druids. Druid's Daughter tells the story of Morgan, a beautiful girl named after Morgan le Fay, the enchantress from the time of Merlin, the Druid bard. I went on the assumption that my Morgan was a direct descendant of Viviane, the chief Druid priestess in King Arthur's Avalon. Morgan's mother was once trained as a Druid priestess and has powerful abilities. Both of them inherit many Druid powers such as mental communication and seeing visions and auras. What better hero than a skeptical Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard who has no use for claims of such ridiculous talents? He resents the steamy attraction they both feel and fights both using her ability and falling in love. The remaining books are about Morgan's children and which of them inherit Druid powers. My Darling Druid and Song of a Druid Princess are now available and the others will follow soon, although the sixth, Druid Triumphant is now in progress, and I hope my editor likes it. Whichever book I'm writing I like the best, as I fall in love with all my heroes and heroines.

HH: Your story offers a unique twist on the very popular theme where a clairvoyant helps solve a crime or mystery. Where did you get this amazing idea?

JHS: I've always been mesmerized by King Arthur and Merlin and the tales of Avalon. In some accounts Merlin raised Arthur as a Druid, but when Arthur denied his Druid roots at Guinevere's urging he began to lose power. The Druids were the elite class of ancient Celtic society, and the priesthood and bards were top of the list. I found the more I researched Druids the stronger my idea to write about their supposed powers became, so I set a Druid in London of 1898 and went from there. The book was pure joy to write.

HH: What sort of research was required on this piece?

JHS: I do a lot of research for each book. Although Druid powers can't be proven, the historical background of each book is as accurate as I can make it. I have a separate ten pocket folder for Druids, as well as large ones for each book. I use the web a lot, but also do extensive reading to pin down the period of history I've moved to. I generally research for four to six weeks before even starting to write.

HH: What did you enjoy most about its writing?

JHS: I love to write and always have. Telling the story I have in mind is the best part. Research is fine and interesting, and editing is drudgery, but putting the story down on paper is a wonderful joy. Exasperating at times, but joyful.

HH: What challenges did you face?

JHS: I had an agent in New York who seemed to like my work on other historical novels. However, when I sent her Druid's Daughter she returned it back saying it didn't appeal to her. I had complete faith in this book and amicably severed relations. Cerridwen Press was the first publishing house I approached with Druid's Daughter and they liked it and the sequel, My Darling Druid, which was already written. So I found a wonderful home for my babies.

HH: What are you working on now?

JHS: Druid Triumphant, my work in progress, is the story of the youngest of Morgan's sons, Adam. Of course he falls in love with a ballerina, a girl who doesn't trust any man. She is in danger from a brother-in-law who wants to regain custody of his blind daughter to be able to attack her trust fund. I only hope Adam can save her! Right now of course I'm in love with Adam. He's wonderful.

HH: Does the love of reading you developed as a child continue today?

JHS: Definitely I still read all I can. I'm a rapid reader, which helps and I can't imagine a life without lots of books.

HH: What made you decide to try writing professionally?

JHS: It wasn't a decision as much as a compulsion. I've always wanted to write, and finally I had no choice. I quit a successful career in order to write and never made a better decision. (except for marrying my DH)

HH: What do you still enjoy about being a writer today?

JHS: All of it. I plot a lot at night when I wake up and a new idea sometimes gets my hero or heroine in a hopeless situation I have to really sweat to resolve. Still it's fun. Of course I love it when I hear from readers and wish everyone would e-mail me.

HH: Thank you!