E.B. Roshan: Orchids, Gardening, Fantasy, and More

I’m happy to introduce you to author E.B. Roshan, who writes in a variety of genres. I hope you enjoy hearing about her books and writing life.

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page and comment by November 21 for a chance to win an ebook of her more recent novella, Orchidelirium, which one reviewer described as “an Edwardian-inspired fantasy/steampunk cozy mystery.“

Welcome, E.B. Please tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I’m E.B. Roshan and I’m delighted to be able to share a little bit about me and my writing with you all today. In addition to being an author, I’m wife to an exceptional man and mother to two sons and a daughter. After spending several years living in the Middle East and Asia, our family has settled in Pennsylvania.

It’s great to meet you! Do you have any hobbies? Have you incorporated any of them into your books?

I love gardening, both indoors and out, and though an enormous greenhouse like the Morris sisters’ remains a fantasy, I was able to use my knowledge of exotic plants and flowers to enrich the plot of my latest book, Orchidelirium.

I envy your ability to grow plants. Let’s talk about how and when you started writing.

I’ve been writing nearly all my life. When I was very young, I would write letters, that were really just wobbly scribbles, to my great-grandmother telling her about what I was doing. Writing runs in my family, I think. Nearly everyone seems to enjoy doing it on some level.

My mom and grandma both loved to write, too. What does a typical day in your writing life look like?

Actually, the majority of my life comes under the heading of “Not Writing,” though I really enjoy the times I have a quiet hour or two to capture the next scene in a story. As a housewife and mother, I’m usually busy with cooking, cleaning, and taking care of my children.  Sometimes things get a little wild, but I can usually settle them down by taking them out for a walk or reading a good story.

I have the utmost respect for authors who juggle children and family responsibilities with putting words on the page. Do you have a favorite drink or snack you indulge in while writing?

I love drinking tea while I write, and when I wrote Orchidelirium, I hoped my readers would find it the perfect companion to a cup of tea and a couple of shortbread cookies, perhaps.

I’m sure they will! What is the setting of your current novel? Is it a real location or fictional? Tell us about it.

My most recently published novel is a historical fantasy/cozy mystery mashup called Orchidelirium. The story is fiction, but it’s inspired by the “orchid craze” in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, when some wealthy rare plant collectors would pay ridiculous sums of money for unusual orchids, and orchid hunters would travel to jungles all over the world to find them.

What a unique storyline. Which character in Orchidelirium was easiest for you to write and why?

My heroine, Opal Morris, was the easiest character to write—possibly the easiest character I’ve ever written—because she is essentially me with the filters off. I’m a protective, bossy, know-it-all older sister with more than a few eccentricities. Opal is perhaps more me than I’d like to admit…

At least you’re writing what you know! If you wrote in a different genre than your current one, which would you choose and why?

Actually, I enjoy writing in multiple genres, including nonfiction, romance, and children’s books, but I have a special place in my heart for science fiction.

For your last question, tell us what you enjoy most about being a writer.

I love making beautiful things; it’s a stress reliever and has helped to keep me sane through some challenging periods of life (warfare, moves, sickness, etc.) Writing, whether it’s letters, essays, blog posts or stories, is a great way to do this if you move around a lot and don’t have much money. 

About four years ago my husband bought me a computer, and then my writing really took off.

I love creating characters that young Christian people can identify with, and in some cases even admire and want to imitate. At the very least, I want to give them a wholesome, enjoyable reading experience.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, E.B. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you. God bless you as you continue to write for His glory!

Join the conversation. Does E.B.’s book premise intrigue you? Are there any writers in your family? What’s your go-to beverage while reading? Do you have any questions or comments for E.B.?

Be sure to comment below by November 21 for a chance to win a digital copy of E.B.’s novella.

Orchidelirium by E.B. Roshan

Click the book cover for purchase link

An heiress, a tiger, an artificial arm, a hatbox of stolen orchids: each one is a vine in the tangle of Opal Morris’s life.

As she begins to discover how they all connect, she will find herself re-evaluating not only her botanical studies, but her whole life.

This illustrated novella, set in an alternative Edwardian England, will be a treat for fans of cozy mysteries and historical fantasy alike.

E.B. Roshan has enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle for several years, living in the Middle East, Asia and various parts of the U.S. She is now temporarily settled in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.

When she’s not cleaning, cooking or chasing after the boys, she’s probably writing a story.

Connect with E.B. through her website.

Please share E.B.’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her books!

Check out these interviews with Aminata Coote, Johanna Rojas Vann, and Anne Perreault.