What is the title of your latest release?
THE REDEMPTION OF THE DUKE
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Faith is shocked when a Duke offers her a position as his aunt’s companion after her brother died in battle. He wants to make amends for a tragic mistake, but Faith is not interested in being rescued.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I like to choose different settings for my books, and it had been a while since I’d used London. Plus, it was easier for the Duke to keep annoying Faith until she said yes to his plans.
Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I definitely would! I usually write characters I like, even if they have to learn a lesson or two as they become the people they were meant to be.
What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Faith is stubborn, independent, and intelligent.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
That I would never want to be a lady’s companion—unless it would be with a woman as nice as the Duke’s aunt.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
When I begin writing each day, I read what I wrote the day before to get into the scene. I don’t do any major editing, but I will certainly fix something glaring.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Chocolate!
Describe your writing space/office!
I spent 30 years writing in a small office in my basement, surrounded by books and two desks lined up U-shaped. But now that my kids are grown, I’ll write with my feet up in my living room, or on my patio. But if I really need to focus, it’s back to the office again.
Who is an author you admire?
Kate Quinn. I LOVE her historical fiction novels. She’s one of the reasons I realized I was ready to write some historical fiction.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Way, WAY back, I read Kathleen Woodiwiss’s SHANNA at a high school slumber party. Everyone fell asleep, but I read all night (because it was a friend’s copy). I had never read historical romance before. After that book, it became my reading obsession and my life’s work.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It took me 13 years to sell my third completed book to HarperCollins. I’ll never forget my agent leaving a mysterious message while I was at the grocery store shopping to feed an entire swim team. She called back when I was making that dinner, and my life just changed. But I continued to cook even while we talked and celebrated!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I like to read all kinds of books, but the last few years it’s been historical fiction.
What’s your favorite movie?
A very old one—Shakespeare in Love.
What is your favorite season?
Autumn—a warm one, where the leaves are turning but it’s still nice enough to sit outside (which I’m doing right now!)
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Just being with my husband, even if we’re just watching a movie together.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Outlander: Blood of my Blood. It’s a prequel to the Outlander series, with Jamie’s and Claire’s parents. I love the Scottish Highlands, the romance and the history.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Honestly, I don’t have a favorite. I like to try all kinds!
What do you do when you have free time?
I like to go for walks, read, crochet baby blankets, and sing with a choir. And I admit, I do love TV…which I can watch while crocheting!
What can readers expect from you next?
My newest historical fiction novel comes out October 21st: THE DARING WOMEN OF NEW YORK. It follows one family, one building, from the American Revolution to the Roaring Twenties to modern day Manhattan.
THE DARING WOMEN OF NEW YORK by Gayle Callen
A Novel
An epic saga from USA Today Bestselling author Gayle Callen that follows one family, one building, from the American Revolution to the Roaring Twenties to modern day Manhattan.
For two hundred and fifty years, the Featherstone women have defended their families and Harbor House, the building that has sheltered and provided for them.
The Revolution
Abigail Featherstone’s husband died fighting the British invasion of New York. Harbor House provides her a way to fight back—she risks everything by spying on the Redcoats quartered in the rooms above her tavern.
Prohibition
After her father is jailed, flapper Lillian Featherstone gives up her college dreams to manage their historic family restaurant in Harbor House. The dangerous stand she takes against the mob that entangled her father is eclipsed only by her forbidden romance with a charismatic Harlem jazz musician.
Today
Two centuries of family history aren’t enough to make newly widowed Pamela Featherstone Mosher want to hold on to the run-down building she’s inherited. She’s ready to sell the property and move on from her painful past. But cleaning out Harbor House reveals the struggles and secrets of her female ancestors, and what they endured to keep their families safe.
Can the bravery and resilience of the Featherstone women give Pamela the courage to follow her heart?
Women’s Fiction Historical | Fiction Literary [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: October 21, 2025, e-Book, / ]
Buy THE DARING WOMEN OF NEW YORK: Kindle | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Gayle Callen
Gayle Callen resides in central New York, with her husband and three children, and spends a lot of time cheering at lacrosse and soccer games. Besides writing, she loves to read, sing, and delve too deeply into historical research. A past President of the Central New York Romance Writers, she is also a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists Inc.
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