What is your favorite part of writing?
My favorite part of writing has to be creating the characters and the worlds they inhabit. It’s fun for me to imagine scenarios and how people would react when tossed into those scenarios. I try to keep the stories grounded in realism even while I’m going off on a high fantasy tangent.

For instance, a black heroine who is tossed across dimensions to a medieval-esque place where dragons exist still has to worry about taming her hair and keeping it from resembling a giant knot on top of her head. That’s something most readers can relate to and that’s what draws them into the world and the story. My goal is to make my readers believe so they have a vested interest in the outcome of the story.

What is your least favorite part of writing?
I’m sure most authors say editing. Edits don’t bother me that much. It’s always nerve-wracking to open the email and see what the editor has to say. Once I get over that initial anxiety, the rest is smooth sailing. The editor wants my book to be better and so do I. Nothing said is meant to be hurtful and I would rather an editor say it than a reader in a review.

No, I would have to say my least favorite part of writing is trying to get the words to match the pictures in my head. I imagine books as movies. Whole scenes complete with background music and special effects play out in my mind but it’s really hard and frustrating to translate that to the page. My life would be so much easier if I’d had an aptitude for drawing. I could have gotten into doing graphic novels. But I’m a wordsmith, which means trying to find the right words to describe everything my imagination cooks up.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?
I enjoyed it. Self-publishing is a LOT of work. Tons. I have several programs that help lessen the burden but there is still a lot of time involved and research. Just doing the currency conversions for all the other countries is enough to make me want to cry, but I persevere and get it done.

While I only have one title self-published at the moment, I plan to have many, many more. That one title hasn’t put me on the bestsellers list but I have dozens of titles in my to-be-written pile that might just do it. It’s a matter of getting them written and getting them out there.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?
That is wholly dependent on the person I meet and how interesting they are. My husband has a friend and coworker who has inspired a few book scenarios with all of her real life stories. I even told her I was using them as book fodder and she was happy that I wanted to. My writing buddy and sounding board Stephanie Burke has a childhood I will mine for character backstory of a title I plan to write in the near future. Sometimes I meet people with interesting names I make note of to use for future characters. But mostly my characters are just made up.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?
– I do write under my real name and a pen name—Zenobia Renquist. To explain my pen name, I have to first explain what I write under my real name. As D. Renee Bagby, I write in my Multiverse—a set of seven unique alter-Earth universes with set rules that sometimes crossover. But, me being me, I started coming up with stories that didn’t fit those seven universes.

I didn’t want to butcher the stories to make them fit so I decided to write them but under a different name so readers wouldn’t be confused as to whether or not they were Multiverse titles. Hence Zenobia Renquist was born. Zen is my holding name for all the wacky and off-the-wall plots I come up in a wide range of genres from Contemporary Romance to Paranormal/Fantasy Romance to hot-as-hell Erotica in both the Contemporary and Paranormal genres.

As well, my Zen titles tend towards novella length while my Renee titles are usually novel length. Thus I have more Zen titles than Renee titles because the Zen titles don’t take as long to write.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.
Kristar is the sequel to Serenity and the second title in the Gezane Universe—an alter-Earth reality where a demon-like species known as bhresya exist alongside humans and magic is commonplace. Readers met Chigaru, the hero of Kristar, in Serenity as the queen’s captain of the guard. I had a ton of fun writing him and several readers were very upset he didn’t end up with Serenity. I knew when I first wrote Chigaru that he would get his own story and Kristar is it.

Kristar crosses from Plain Sight Universe to Gezane Universe. Eris, a book now no longer available for purchase but I plan to rerelease in the near future, is set in the Plain Sight Universe and Yolette from Favored Dragon’s Release is from Plain Sight Universe as well. Though I have several heroines from Plain Sight, I still don’t feel as if I’ve introduced it properly but I’ll get to that soon.

Kristar Blurb:

Chigaru is captain of the guard and he loves his queen more than he should. He is loyal to the royal family but knows his desire for one he cannot have is an issue. He needs a woman who will distract him before he commits treason.

Kitty is a classically trained dancer turned stripper. Her life is perfect except for the shadows of her past catching up with her. She needs to get away before she becomes a prisoner of her destiny.

Five years ago, Silny enacted a plan to regain her lost memories. The last piece of the puzzle is Kitty, and Chigaru is the only one who can cross dimensions to retrieve her. Kitty is not right for his world. Chigaru is not what she expected. They are soul mates, but knowing that might not be enough to overlook their pasts for a future together.

Kristar Buy Links:

Siren-Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/kristar

iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/book/kristar/id797108929

Kindle & Print – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQ0IOPA/

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/kristar

Nook & Print – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kristar-d-renee-bagby/1118197749?ean=9781627408349

Kristar First Chapter Online:

http://drb1stchp.com/2013/12/kristar-by-d-renee-bagby/

Kristar Excerpt:

Melchior said, “We have never met. What concern is it of yours if I acknowledged the bond or not?”

“She wanted me,” Chigaru said with a slow nod. He met Kitty’s gaze. “Silny needed Kitty to regain her past. Kitty resided in an alternate version of Gezane, a place Silny could not reach. As Kitty’s true mate, the path was open to me.”

Silny said, “Hell Hound Chigaru would have never left Queen Serenity’s side so long as the possibility remained she would one day turn to him. The red cord of love binds them. Even now I see it between them.”

Serenity gasped at the same time Kitty sucked her teeth and looked away from Chigaru.

“However, the silver cord of true mates is wrapped in a red cord of love as well. Between Queen Serenity and King Melchior the cord is thick and the red surrounding it as bright as the red between Queen Serenity and Hell Hound Chigaru. Between Hell Hound Chigaru and Kitty, the silver cord is present and thick between them—made so because of their binding—but the red cord of love is faint.”

Kitty snorted. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Your denial is the reason it is faint, Kitty.”

“Me?” Kitty yelled jabbing her finger into her chest. “Why the hell is this my fault? He denied me. He was going to leave me so he could return to her.”

Chigaru reached for her but she smacked his hand away. “Kitty, I told you the reasons why I did not want to bring you here.”

“Yeah but I didn’t know you were talking about me at the time. And those were excuses, not reasons. The first day we met, you knew I was your soul mate. You fucking knew and you were going to leave without saying a word. If you hadn’t lost that stupid scroll, you would have returned home so you could continue mooning over another man’s wife.”

“Kitty—”

“Tell me I’m wrong. Go on, Mr. I-can’t-lie. Tell me.”

Chigaru closed his mouth because he couldn’t speak the words she wanted to hear. Kitty wasn’t wrong. Without giving her a chance or trying to know her, he had determined to leave her.

“Ha! I knew it.” Kitty pushed to her feet and faced Silny. “Can you send me home?”

“Kitty!” Chigaru jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her.

She stopped fighting him but didn’t look at him. To Silny she asked, “Can you?”

Silny spared Chigaru a glance before she said, “The magic that retrieved you could send you back.”

“Good. Let’s get this party started.”

At the same time, Chigaru yelled, “No.”

Silny said, “I said the magic could send you back. It could if you hadn’t performed the bonding.”

“What?” Kitty and Chigaru asked in unison.

“You are bound to him, Kitty. Your souls are mingled. No magic will part you now. There is no magic stronger than the silver cord between true mates. Mates not yet bound can surmount most magic, as King Melchior found out.”

Chigaru relaxed though he didn’t release Kitty. She wouldn’t be able to leave him. That gave him time to make up for his shortsightedness upon their first meeting.

When did you start writing toward publication?
I started writing toward publication in college, hence the backdrop of my debut novel Adrienne, which is my alma mater…though I don’t really say that in the book. I didn’t finish Adrienne until a few years later but I knew back in college that it would be my first and it was. Back then I didn’t know I would have a second pen name and be writing Erotic Romance and Erotica. I was all about Sweet/Sensual Romance in those days and couldn’t imagine writing anything hotter. But then I started writing for Changeling Press as Zenobia Renquist and my whole writing world changed. Let’s just say my muse is a pervert and leave it at that. 😛

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?
I had several manuscripts started before I sold. And I do mean SEVERAL. I had ideas and partially written stories all waiting to be finished and bring the Multiverse into the writing world. Since Adrienne released, I’ve only managed to finish a small handful of the many stories I started. I got sidetracked writing for Zenobia Renquist and just dealing with real life. But I’ve decided that I need focus and to put myself on a schedule. Zen is supposed to be my run-off name, not my main name and I need to treat it as such.

Part of my issue is that I wrote the majority of my Multiverse titles at the same time I was writing Adrienne so they have all the writing mistakes of that time period. My style has changed a ton since my debut and just the task of bringing the stories up-to-date has me running. It’s easier for me to write something new than to go back and fix something old. Sure the words are already written but having to fix them takes more effort than just coming up with new ones.

It’s the difference between cleaning a dirty room and moving into a clean room. A clean room just has to be kept clean. You put things where they go the second you arrive and everything is in its place. A dirty room has to be sorted to separate what’s staying and what’s going and then you have figure out where to put all the stuff that’s staying, assuming you have room to put it anywhere. It’s the same with revising versus writing something new. Sometimes it’s just so tempting to say “screw it” and start all over from scratch, but then I remember all the words I’ve already written and don’t want to abandon them.

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?
Reader feedback, especially positive reader feedback. I’m an author because I want to share my stories with the world, otherwise, I would just keep them to myself. I want to know what people think of the stories I write. Good, bad or indifferent—I want to hear it. I might not like the bad but even that can help me improve my craft. To know that a reader chose my book out of the millions available and took time out to read it is gratifying, even more so if that reader enjoyed it. Awards are great and recognition is always welcome but I just want to be read by as many people as possible.

Renee Bagby Bio:
D. Reneé Bagby (also writing as Zenobia Renquist) is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, she was born in Europe, has lived in Japan and in several states of the US, including Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, California, Maryland and Hawaii.

Turning her favorite pastime into her career, Renee loves to build worlds and torture her characters for the enjoyment of her readers. She can’t fill everyday with writing alone, and also enjoys watching anime, reading manga, crocheting, knitting (yarn and mail), and binging shows on Netflix. She’s a Whovian (David Tennant for the win!), a trekkie (DS9 because Odo rocked), and a fan of pretty much every Marvel live action movie and DCU animated movie.

She has a wacky imagination and tends to write all over the place. In order to keep up, she only asks one thing—Leave Your Reality Behind to Discover Different and Unique Romance & Erotica.

Website – http://dreneebagby.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/dreneebagby

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/Author.DRBagby.ZRenquist

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/dreneebagby

Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/D.-Renee-Bagby/e/B002BM9GFK/

How did you get started writing?

Unlike many authors, I did not grow up writing stories. I’ve been an avid reader since I found Nancy Drew books in third grade, and I’ve been reading ever since. How I started writing is a bit different. One night in late 2009, I finished a book, and a story invaded my mind. It would not leave, and I went around for about six months saying to myself, someone needs to write that book!

In June of 2010, I had an opportunity to take some time off, and I decided to spend two hours a day, writing that story. Two weeks later and a lot more hours than two a day, I’d written an 80,000 word manuscript. I’ve been writing ever since!

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

My first love is historical romance. I love romance interwoven in a historical setting. I sometimes think I must have lived during the Regency period in a previous life. While that genre will always be my first love, I have also write sweet contemporary romances with inspirational elements, under the pen name Vikki McCombie. I’m presently working on a military romance and hope to have it available in the spring of 2016.

Tell us about your current series. Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is the first book in my Honorable Rogue series. Miss Kathleen’s Scandalous Baron is the second book in the series and should be released January 2016. There will be two additional books in the series as well

What is your favorite part of writing?

I thoroughly love doing research, especially historical research. When I originally wrote Lady O, it was set in 1809, but through further research, I realized it was too close to the War of 1812. Since my heroine travels to America on an American ship, it would have been extremely difficult for that to happen in 1809, so I moved the date back to 1802. That was the only year over more than twenty that England and France were not at war.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

There are days when the words just will not come. It happens to all writers at times. What I do when it happens is take a break and read a good book. Some of my best inspiration comes when I am reading!

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I thoroughly enjoy the freedom I have with self-publishing. I can write out of the box and create stories that may not fit the traditional pattern for romances. While it is a lot of work, it’s all worth it in the end. I’ve been with a small press and while my publisher was fantastic, I did not sell many books. Recently, my publisher closed. Within 10 days I had both my books back up and have sold a lot more copies in the couple of weeks than I ever did with the small press.

Presently, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey is in the Kindle Unlimited program and doing very well.  I also have an erotic historical, To Live Again, written under the pen name V. L. Edwards, in the program as well, and I’m experiencing success. In fact, at one point, it made the amazon top 100 in regency!

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Usually they come to me late at night. When I first thought of Lady O, all I had was an image of a woman on a ship bound for America with her young son. That nagged at me for a while, but nothing else came to me. Then one night as I was reading, the opening scene came to me and four weeks later, I had a completed manuscript!

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

My best advice is make sure you have great critique partners and beta readers first. Then hire a fantastic editor, who will make sure your story is the best it can be. Tammy Souch of Grammatic Effects is wonderful to work with, and I’m so glad I have her. She gets me and while she gives me great suggestions, she doesn’t try to re-write my stories!

Do you have critique partners?

I do. In fact I have several. Since I do write in a couple sub-genres, I have one for my contemporary romances, and several for my historicals. I find their feedback invaluable, and it makes my books so much better. I also have beta readers as well. Readers bring a different aspect. After all, readers will buy my books, so it’s critical to get their opinion!

What is your favorite dessert/food?

I love chocolate and peanut butter mixed together. I also love Italian food, especially pizza! I try to eat all my fruits and veggies daily, but I normally indulge in my favorites once a week, can’t be perfect all the time.

Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey Book Blurb:

When her son’s life is threatened, Lady Overton seeks a vessel bound for America. Before the ship even reaches the high seas, sparks fly between her and Captain Alex Hawks. Although the young widow may be lonely and afraid, she cannot risk the diversion a romantic entanglement could bring, no matter how much she wants to lose herself in the captain’s embrace.

The Captain vows to protect the little marquess, but can offer no assurance that the marchioness will leave his ship with her virtue intact. Alex is drawn to Anissa’s beauty and courage. How long can he fight a losing battle before he surrenders and makes her his own?

Will Alex be able to keep this remarkable woman and her child safe? Will his passion for Anissa be enough or will their differences keep them apart?

Excerpt:

Anissa clasped her trembling hands together as she stammered, “I w-wanted to watch as we l-left the pier, since it will be my last sight of England for a very long time.”

Captain Hawks stared at her, black eyes gleaming. “Who’s that man? I thought you told me you weren’t running away. What are you running away from? Tell me, damn it!”

Anissa turned back to the railing to give herself time to collect her thoughts. She came up with a believable story, she hoped. Even though she hated lying, now was not the time for scruples. To save her son, she would lie, cheat, or even kill, if need be. She did not owe this arrogant captain anything. He was only a means to an end for her.

Pulling on her confidence as a marchioness, she turned to face him with an expression of disdain on her face. “Not that it is any of your concern, I’m not running away from anything. As I already explained, my uncle is ill. I desperately need to get away for a while. I lost my husband seven months ago. I’m hoping a visit with my uncle and seeing my cousins will help to distract me from my grief. And I can help my family care for him in his time of need.”

“If you’re not running away, then why did that man look disgusted when he saw my ship leaving?” he sneered.

Her mind went blank. She needed to come up with something he might believe. “Oh, you mean the man on the pier?”

The captain interrupted. “Of course I mean that man. It’s obvious someone told him you left with me. He followed you to Plymouth, didn’t he?”

Anissa looked at him, her knees shaking to such a degree that he would have surely seen them, had her breeches not been covered by her long cloak. She prayed he would not decide to turn the ship around.

“He is an unwanted suitor and has been hounding me ever since my husband died. He is one of the reasons I decided to go to America.” Then taking the offensive, she stated, “Besides, it is none of your business why I want to leave, now, is it?”

“It is my damned business if you’re running from something. I don’t need anything turning up later. You know he’ll find out where you’re going, don’t you? My ship is well known, and someone will tell him you’re bound for Baltimore. You don’t have any family in America, do you? You don’t know anyone in my country. How in hell will you take care of yourself, and your son, for God’s sake?”

Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Overtons-Perilous-Journey-Honorable-Rogue-ebook/dp/B0158RMU0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443879400&sr=1-1&keywords=lady+overton%27s+perilous+journey

Author Bio:

Vikki Vaught started her writing career when a story invaded her mind and would not leave.

Over the last few years, she has written more than a half dozen historical romances and is presently working on her next. Her new release, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey, published by Secret Cravings Publishing is the first book in her Honorable Rogue series.

Vikki loves a “Happily Ever After”, and she writes them in her stories. While romance is the central theme of all her books, she includes some significant historical event or place in all her novels.

While all her books are love stories, she has also written short contemporary sweet romances as Vikki McCombie and erotic romances using the pen name of V.L. Edwards.

For the last decade, Vikki has lived in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her beloved husband, Jim, who is the most tolerant man in the world to put up with her when she is in a writing frenzy. When she is not writing or working her day job, you’ll find her curled up in a comfortable chair reading her Kindle, lost in a good book with a cup of tea at her side.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.vikkivaught.com/home.html

Email: mailto:vvaught512@aol.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VikkiVaught?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vvaught512

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+VikkiMcCombie/posts

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vaughtmccombie/

Amazon Author Page: http://smile.amazon.com/Vikki-Vaught/e/B008EE7TG2/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1433778387&sr=1-2-ent

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5208041.Vikki_Vaught

My latest full length novel, The Highland Lass, is the book of my heart as it means such a lot to me, both for its setting and its time-split storyline. For the first time, I set a novel almost completely around my own beautiful area of Scotland and that immediately gave it a deeper level of authenticity, rather than having to imagine the places where my characters interacted. Obviously, this was even easier for the contemporary story as I had walked in these areas myself. The short alternate historical chapters are set in the eighteenth century and it was surprisingly easy to imagine life in those times, especially in one particular area.

The Highland Lass was greatly inspired by the story of Robert Burns and his Highland Mary, which I had researched and written about in an article some years ago for The Highlander magazine in the USA. Most people know that Burns is our national bard here in Scotland and that he was a famous womaniser as well as a wonderful poet and writer of Auld Lang Syne. Highland Mary is buried in my home town and their story has fascinated me since childhood. Burns himself wrote about his Highland Lass in several poems with such an air of regret and guilt that I knew their ill-fated love story would make a good subject for a romance.

After writing the non-fiction article about them, my imagination was fired and I was eager to fictionalise Mary’s voice and write part of the story from her point of view. However, I didn’t think there were enough facts about them to sustain a book set completely in the 18th century. Since I love to read split-time stories, I decided to write a contemporary story about family secrets and a link to the past, through Eilidh Campbell, a possible ancestress of Highland Mary. Her love story with Lewis Grant is alternated with short historical chapters told in Highland Mary’s voice in the 18^th century.

My picturesque area of the west coast of Scotland also provided much of the inspiration, especially with Highland Mary buried in the town cemetery, and she was born just across the River Clyde in Dunoon, Argyllshire which is partly in the highlands. The villages of Ayrshire (further south) where Mary met Burns, have hardly changed in many respects and I was even able to sit in the very inn, Poosie Nancie’s, where Burns and his friends used to drink in the 18^th century. Another location used in the contemporary part of the novel is Loch Lomond which is only about half an hour from my home and which constantly inspires my romantic imagination. There are even a couple of scenes in Glasgow, my nearest vibrant city with its wonderful architecture and friendly people.

It has been a dream come true to see this story finally published in ebook and print and its popularity so far has made the wait worthwhile. Perhaps there’s something to be said for writing and publishing other books and stories before this one, as most writers improve with each book. Or perhaps it meant so much to me that I was reluctant to send this ‘baby’ out into the world for fear it wouldn’t be loved as much as I hoped. Fortunately, my fears have been unfounded (so far!) and The Highland Lass continues to be the book of my heart. I’ve also learned a valuable lesson: that setting can be as much a character as people at times.

Blurb

Eilidh Campbell returns to her Scottish roots from America with one main aim: to discover the identity of her real father. But her mother’s past in Inverclyde is a mystery with family secrets, a book of Robert Burns’ poems with a hidden letter and a photograph link to the Holy Loch at Dunoon when the American Navy were in residence.

Staying with her childhood friend, Kirsty, while searching for answers, Eilidh begins to fall in love with handsome Scot Lewis Grant, but just how free is he? Together they trace the story of Highland Mary and Robert Burns, with its echoes to her mother’s story. In short alternate chapters, Highland Mary tells her own story from 1785-6. From Dunoon, to Ayrshire and culminating in Greenock, Eilidh finds the past is closer than she realises.

Excerpt from one of the historical chapters

“And are you well, sir?” I cannot ask right out about Jean Armour but I hope he might give some sign of having put her from mind.

“Well enough, thank you, especially for having seen your lovely face again.”

So he is not pining after Jean too much, or he is hiding it well. Or perhaps he cannot help being of a flirtatious nature, since he’s so admired by many. I should think him vain except for the fact he writes such far-seeing words, if what I hear is true.

I smile at his flattery and do not reply. I’d rather find out more about his poetry.

“And you still write such good verse, I hope, sir?” I cannot bring myself to call him by his name.

He stops at that and looks at me strangely, as though surprised I should talk of it. “All the time, when work allows, Mary. I have hopes of having a collection published one day. It’s hard work keeping the farm going and it’s something to dream of. And what are your dreams, if I may ask, Mary Campbell?”

I shrug, for truly I have not thought of many things. “To be happy and to be loved, I think.”

He laughs. “The one does not necessarily go with the other.” His words sound slightly bitter. Or perhaps I imagine that he speaks of Jean Armour.

Then he looks me full in the eyes. “But I should not think you’ll have trouble in being loved.”

I do not realise we are so close as we walk, but now his nearness makes the fine hairs on my arms stand on end. And before I can answer or guess at his intentions, he reaches over and kisses my parted lips.

My reaction is swift. I step back in confusion.

“Forgive me, Mistress Campbell, but you look so sweet with your concerned blue eyes. I forget myself.”

My heart has returned to its normal beat, but I cannot look at him. His kiss will linger in my mind far longer than the quick touch on my lips. But I don’t want his teasing, or his dalliance with a willing maid, or even his attempts at banishing another from his mind. The only way I will allow myself to be his, is if he is ever fully mine. And that day has not yet come, if ever it might.

“I must go now, sir,” I say, without looking at him. I walk away, my body on fire.

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Author Bio

 Rosemary Gemmell lives in the beautiful west coast of Scotland and is a published historical and contemporary novelist for adults (as Romy) and writes for the Middle Grade age group as Ros. The Highland Lass is the first novel under her full name. Her short stories, articles and occasional poems have been published in UK magazines, in the US, and online. She has a Post-graduate Masters in literature and history and is a member of the Society of Authors, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and the Scottish Associations of Writers. She loves to dance!

Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Website: http://www.rosemarygemmell.com

Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosemaryGemmell

Facebook (as Romy Gemmell): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Romy-Gemmell/1422387704702586

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/rosgemmell/

Trailer: http://youtu.be/YPo8Tk-xlXE

Thank you so much for having me, Cindy!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a southern girl living on top of a mountain in North Georgia, and I’m most happy when surrounded by family and friends. If I am not writing, you can find me hiking with my husband, or fiddling around in my flower and vegetable gardens, feeding the birds and watching black bears and deer. I am blessed to have a wonderful son—my pride and joy, my buddy who, along with my husband, have made my life complete.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I like most any kind of romance novel, but my heart has always been drawn to the medieval period, particularly in Scotland, Ireland, and England. That said, I plan to write stories spanning the early Middle Ages through the American Civil War. While my books are fiction, each one is based on historical facts, and you will often see known figures such as William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, or The Red Comyn make guest appearances. All my stories revolve around human struggles, sacrifices survivors are forced to make, and their resilience to live and thrive.

Tell us about your heroes and heroines. 

I have always admired strong women who can take care of themselves, fight for what they believe in, and who don’t give a whit about social norms. But women’s femininity and their softer side are equally important. My female heroines have a mixture of both. They are independent, but their hearts are complete with their beloved heroes.

My perfect hero is ruggedly handsome. His presence commands respect, and he is held in utmost esteem by his men. Hardened, he bears scars from battle and…from prior relationships. Although, a touch of danger surrounds him, he cares for his lady and treats her like a queen, lavishing her with his love.

What are your favorite parts and least favorite parts of writing?

Throwing my imagination into years gone by, researching dark periods of strife and violence, justice and quests for freedom, and dreaming of what it might have been like to live and survive during these hostile periods have been the most fascinating aspects of writing historical romance.

My Daughters of Alastair MacDougall series begins in May 1297, a time of unrest between Scotland and England. It has been such fun to research this period and imagine living amongst the clans.

My least favorite part of writing would be editing. Fortunately, I have a wonderful editor!

How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

I don’t spend as much time as I should promoting my books. I do enjoy Facebook as I have met some awesome readers and made some wonderful friends through that social media. Every day I post things I think readers will enjoy, and I try to keep them informed on what I’m working on. I love having Facebook parties. It is such fun meeting everyone, and it’s the main way I promote my books.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization?  Which one?  Have they helped you with your writing?  How? Do you have critique partners?

Six years ago, I dipped my toe in the writing world with Romance Writers of America. Through that membership, I joined romance writers’ organizations Hearts Through History, Celtic Hearts, and From the Heart. I served as Treasurer of Hearts Through History for a couple years and became actively involved in the chapter. It was during that time when I joined the critique group. I met some amazing authors who have become good friends. They have helped me tremendously! I wouldn’t be writing if it wasn’t for their wonderful support and encouragement.

What do you have planned for the future?

I’m plotting another series that branches off my daughters’ series. I have a number of secondary characters in my books who beg to have a story of their own.

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?   

Without a doubt, the most rewarding thing about writing is receiving readers’ comments. If they like my stories and they let me know, I am dancing a few inches off the ground for days. I also love hearing what readers would like to see in future series.

Tell us a little about your latest book.

My DAUGHTERS OF ALASTAIR MACDOUGALL series begins in May 1297, a time of unrest between Scotland and England. It has been such fun to research this period and imagine living amongst the clans.

ELSBETH is the fourth and youngest of the daughters. I’m really excited her story will be released on October 1^st!  Here’s a little about her book.

Elsbeth recoils at the violent Scottish rebellion and the bleak plight of orphans. After losing her betrothed in the conflict, she sets her course to become a nun, sheltering innocent victims from the cruelties of war. But when Brandon arrives at the abbey, he shakes her convictions and stirs provoking emotions she buried long ago.

After English soldiers murder his family, Brandon seeks revenge and leads numerous clans in Scotland’s fight for freedom. Bent on the annihilation of English oppression, he is resolved to a life of solitude, vowing never to marry and chance the pain of losing loved ones again. Elsbeth realizes not only children are affected by war, but stalwart warriors are also hurt and abandoned. She longs to heal Brandon’s spirit, help him live again, and prays she can reach him before the damage already done has set in stone.

Here’s an excerpt from Elsbeth.

In this scene, Brandon McLeod and his men have arrived at the abbey after the English soldiers had attacked.

Images of the courtyard swirled through Elsbeth’s head. Had she been daft to preach peace, to hope for an accord with England? McLeod had called her naïve. No doubt he considered her foolish.

The door creaked, and she glanced toward the noise. The commander marched into the room. Damp hair brushed his wide shoulders. His shirt lay open at the neck, and dark curls peeked from the opening. He no longer wore leather bracers. Instead, he had rolled up his shirt sleeves, exposing muscular forearms smattered with black hair.

He strode to her side. “Did ye wish to search the bedchambers now?”

“Aye.” She laid Lena on the mattress alongside Bea and ran her hand over the lass’s soft tresses. The little one curled up, her sleepy eyes heavy.

When Elsbeth stood, Brandon extended his arm toward the door. “After ye.”

She crossed the room, and the two walked down the dim corridor in silence. Sconces’ flames flickered in an evening breeze. They passed stone lattice windows overlooking the courtyard. Little white crosses set before dozens of soil mounds lined the interior. Men moved amongst the freshly dug earth, some carrying draped bundles that she assumed contained bodies, while others shoveled dirt. The somber abbey’s blackened walls stained with innocents’ blood creaked and moaned, seemingly grieving over the tragic loss.

Elsbeth’s throat clogged. She wrapped her arms about herself and hurried to the children’s chamber. She stepped into the room and paused. The rustic table and chairs lay in pieces, the torn mattresses smoldered, and the orphan’s clothes had been strewn about the room. She picked up a soot streaked gown Morgana often wore and shook it out as she reached for a tattered tunic at her feet.

Brandon found a cloth sack, and he stuffed a pair of trews inside. “Place the items in here.”

After stashing the clothes, her foot kicked a hard sharp object. She stooped, and her fingers closed around Alainne’s drawing slate. The cold stone the lass had so proudly adorned had been broken into several large fragments.

Elsbeth’s chest tightened, and her eyes stung. Balanced on the balls of her feet, she hugged the fragment to her and bowed her head. She’d held up, had been strong until this moment. After all she’d experienced—killing a man while trying to protect the children and witnessing the abbey’s demise under the fiends’ brutality—this wee broken picture brought her to tears.

Strong hands clasped her shoulders and coaxed her to stand. The commander’s palms slid down her arms. “Ye need not hold it in, Sister.”

Something about his words gave her the liberty to abandon the emotional restraint she’d latched onto. Before she knew what she was about, she turned into him, and he folded his arms about her, holding her against him.

She closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Brandon placed his head on top of hers and secure warmth flowed through her core. Her arms eased around his waist, his body tensed, and his muscles grew taut. Afraid he’d break the embrace, she stilled and breathed in his comforting scent of pine and smoke.

No words were spoken. None were necessary. Somehow this fierce warrior had reached within her and had given her the comfort she desperately needed.

Where can readers find you?

I love to hear from readers! Here is my email address: mcfarland.lane@gmail.com

Website:  http://lanemcfarland.com

FaceBook:  https://www.facebook.com/LaneMcFarlandAuthor

Twitter:  @LaneMcFarland

Where can readers find your books? Here is my author page. You’ll find my books listed here.

http://www.amazon.com/Lane-McFarland/e/B00G7UQZNI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1