Forever
Gentleman
by Roland Colton
ISBN: 978-1681142296
Publisher: Anaphora Literary Press
Release Date: July
11, 2016
$29.99
www.amazon.com
www.rolandcolton.com
www.anaphoraliterary.com
Frequently Asked Questions
1. At the beginning of Forever Gentleman, struggling architect
and pianist, Nathan Sinclair, encounters
the glamourous and beautiful heiress, Jocelyn Charlesworth. What draws Nathan
to Jocelyn, and how does she respond to him when they first meet?
Although he has no expectation of an introduction, Nathan is
intrigued enough to see if Ms. Charlesworth’s beauty is as extraordinary as the
Sunday Times portrays it. Despite his
protestations, the mistress of the estate insists on introducing Nathan to
Jocelyn. Once he observes her beauty
firsthand, an intoxication of senses sweeps over him—never before has he seen a
woman of such unimaginable beauty. Jocelyn’s reaction to Nathan is one of
boredom, having endured countless stares from past star-struck suitors. She
toys with him, looking for any opportunity to end the interview. Once she
believes him to be a common servant, she rebukes him publicly, appalled that a
servant would have the audacity to seek her acquaintance.
2. Nathan also meets the simple and plain social worker, Regina Lancaster. What’s special about Regina, and why does
Nathan feel such a deep connection to her?
Though her outward appearance is ordinary, Nathan initially
feels a strong attraction to Regina’s eyes and senses a kindred spirit. Her dark brown eyes convey a journey through
unspeakable tragedy, resulting in a deep appreciation for life and depth of
character. Nathan is also attracted to Regina’s modesty, simplicity and inner
beauty, qualities he admired in his mother. Once he learns of Regina’s selfless
service to London orphans, he wonders if any man could possibly be worthy of
her.
3. Music plays an important role in the story and
in Nathan’s life. How do the musical elements in the novel tie together the themes
in Forever Gentleman?
Nathan’s life has been steeped in music since his operatic
mother gave birth to him. His pianistic bravado opens the door of London
Society, and he becomes comfortable in a world far different than his humble
abode. The music in Forever Gentleman
accompanies the story as a soundtrack does a movie, enhancing both drama and
mood. Women are attracted to Nathan’s musical genius, fostering love and
romance in the story.
4. The Victorian Era was a
time of contradictory wealth and poverty,
along with great change, in
England. What drew you to write a story set in this time period in history?
I’ve always been intrigued by a world where great beauty and
brilliance could exist in the midst of poverty and misery. While writing the story, I imagined what it
would have been like to have lived in both worlds, as does Nathan in the
story. Also interesting is the
sanitation miracle that occurred in the 1860’s, pulling London literally out of
the squalor and stench of rotting pipes and sewer overflow into a world free of
cholera and other dread diseases. And I wanted the timing of my story to
coincide with the advent of the modern piano and creation of some of my
favorite compositions.
5. How would you describe
your writing process? And can you tell us about some of the research you did
when you were writing Forever Gentleman?
My writing recipe involves equal amounts of struggle and
ease. Sometimes the words flow in abundance; other times, I labor over every
word in a sentence. I try not to let my writing get in the way of the story,
and my goal was to have the reader lose himself or herself in Victorian London.
Many hundreds of hours were spent in
research in my attempt to evoke the sights, sounds and smells of that bygone
time. I strove for authenticity in events and venues, including authentic references
to concerts, plays, performers and other events depicted in the book. I wanted
to capture the times as they were, which is no small task when we live in a
world far removed from that melancholy era.
6. Are you working on another
novel? If so, what can you tell us about it?
Yes, I’m writing a new novel that highlights another passion
of mine—my love for the sport of baseball. The book begins in 1911,
highlighting the exploits of the wonder of the baseball world, Ty Cobb. Using
newspaper reports from the time, the reader experiences some of the most
incredible sports feats ever accomplished, usually thanks to the genius and
skill of Mr. Cobb. After the opening chapters, a hit-and-run accident victim is
discovered in modern times (with a face damaged beyond recognition), who
purports to be Ty Cobb, mysteriously transported into the future. As the plot
continues, this mystery man eventually shows exceptional baseball talent and
ultimately plays a brand of baseball unlike anything in modern times, turning
the sports world on its head. Is it possible that this baseball ace is truly Ty
Cobb, or is it some imposter who has taken upon his attributes? Only time will tell.
