Welcoming Gail Ingis, Acclamined Artist and Author of Indigo Sky

It's a delight to welcome fellow CTRWA member and Soulmate Press Author 

Gail Ingis, ASID

A dream marriage becomes a trap of addiction, lies and women.

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In a whirlwind romance, a lovely New York socialite marries a fêted, debonair author. But beneath the charm is a cheating husband addicted to hasheesh. Her dream marriage turns sour and the simplicity of her life runs amok when a handsome stranger, her husband’s business partner, threatens her staunch loyalty to her wayward husband. When she faces the ugly truth about her marriage, her need to finalize her divorce sends her on mad chase across the wilds of nineteenth century America with a handsome stranger—she learns hard lessons of murder, kidnapping and more that almost destroy her.

Gail Ingis writes historical romance, loves history, and romance, of course. Her weekly blog frequently contains historical content. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Gail’s early days began and ended with writing, drawing and music. Her inspiration to write came from books gifted to her by an aunt. But life had other ideas.

After graduating from the New York School of Interior Design with a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and with master’s studies in Architecture and Design Criticism at The New School (Parsons), she worked in interior design and architecture, and founded a school, the Interior Design Institute. Twice asked by publishers to write a textbook, her efforts were thwarted by a heavy schedule.

She resides in Connecticut with her scientist-writer husband. She and her husband love to travel and do ballroom dancing, a recent commitment. Gail is working on another historic romance about cowboys, wranglers and ranches. Currently, she sits on Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Board of Trustees, and serves as the curator of art exhibitions.

Gail is also a professional artist. Having spent her youth dallying in Coney Island, she is painting Coney Island images from her 2010, 2011, and 2014 photographs for her upcoming exhibition at the museum in 2016.

Cam't wait to visit your opening for the Coney Island Exhibit, Gail! 

How do you fit all that in?

I write full time, paint full time, curate art shows full time, design full time, etc., etc., etc. I’m married full time . . . what does full time mean? I know if I want to get a book written that I must make time to write, take workshops, keep learning, be in critique groups, network.  It’s not always easy to find the time to write even part time. Life is full of obligations, responsibilities and fun, that’s important, the fun—you know. I’m not sure how long it took to write my debut novel, Indigo Sky, to be released October 21, 2015, maybe a year, or more, the research maybe three years? I stopped counting. I have begun my next book, but I must work on marketing for my first book. It’s quite a dilemma. The only answer is to make a goal. I have a goal to write 500 words everyday, more if possible. I do have other jobs; I think that’s a good thing. I enjoy the changes between my other commitments and my writing. Gives me time to think, plan and create.

What are your writing inspirations?

History, I am inspired by the past. Right now, I write in the nineteenth-century. People and what inspires them inspire me. Imagine what encompasses a lifetime. Like the electric light, the gold rush, the automobile. Shall I go on?

How did you come to write this story?

Albert Bierstadt, nineteenth-century Hudson River artist, his painting, The Domes of Yosemite, and his travels with a friend from New York to Yosemite, and the romance that ensued between him and his friend’s wife.

My next story is about the 1866 steer drives to move cattle from west to east. It’s the characters that move the story, not the cattle. It’s about the passion, the heart, the growth and needs of Ben Campbell, head wrangler and his boss’s daughter, Emma Cody.

One surprising or interesting fact about yourself.

I founded a school of Interior Design in 1981 and merged it with Berkeley College ten years later.

Is there anything else about yourself you'd like to tell us about yourself or your writing?

Life took me in different directions from writing. I only began this journey in 2010 when I found the wonderful Kristan Higgins at the Fairfield Public Library. I asked her if she could recommend what I needed to do to write a book. She said, “Join CTRWA**.” I did, and it, she, changed my life. It took hours and hours and hours of workshops, critique groups, mentors and research to learn the craft of fiction writing. I’m still learning. There is no such thing as being a self-taught writer. The first sentence is a give-away.

In case you were wondering: 

*American Society of Interior Designers

**Connecticut Chapter of the Romance Writer’s of America

Indigo Sky, is currently available for pre-order on Amazon. Amazon will be sending it out to fill those orders on its release date, October 21, 2015.

You can find Gail here:

http://www.gailingis.com

http://twitter.com/gailingis

https://www.facebook.com/gail.ingis

http://gailingis.com/wordpress/

She loves to hear from fans—drop her a line.