Maggi Andersen’s “Spies of Mayfair” series was always going to appeal to my love of historical romance but “A Baron in Her Bed” did much more (review on Goodreads). And Maggi’s choice of star to play her hero seals the deal for me! Welcome, Maggi, and thanks for treading the boards with us today!

Thank you for inviting me, Susanne.

1.      Are you inspired most by places, people or experiences and how do these work their way into your writing?

Inspiration strikes at odd times, a vivid dream inspired one novel. But many ideas just float around in my head begging to be turned into stories, it comes from a lifetime of reading I suspect. Art features quite a bit. My mother was an artist, so I grew up around painting and art history. I also studied Fine Arts at university. I have a deep interest in architecture, fashion and design too and like to apply it to my historical novels.  

Writing The Spies of Mayfair, however, was a bit different, having decided to write a series, my heroes and heroines leapt out at me and inspired me to write their story.

2.      Please share one of your favourite moments of inspiration with us.

While watching a news show I saw a neo-Nazi march, which stirred something in me. I wrote the outline for an English mystery novel, which incorporates stolen Nazi art.  “Murder in Devon” became a semi-finalist in the Penguin /Amazon Breakthrough novel contest under another title. It’s published with Black Opal Books.

3.      How did you come up with the idea of TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY? 

This one required very little thought, I wish they were all so easy. My hero is an earl and a spy. Lady Sibella sees him, wants him and even though he’s pretty determined not to marry, she gets him in the end.  It’s the second book in the series: The Spies of Mayfair, set in Regency England.

4.      How do you come up with your characters’ names?

I pick names applicable to the period. I use two very handy books: THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH CHRISTIAN NAMES and THE WORDSWORTH DICTIONARY OF SURNAMES. I choose a name which appeals and try to ensure all the characters’ names don’t start with the same letter. I’m a bit suspicious though, the characters may choose their own names. J

5.      Who would you cast for a movie/TV series as your main characters if given the chance? John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn is tall and fair with blue-grey eyes. I, like many women, sigh over the spy, 007 James Bond, Daniel Craig. Those eyes! I also like Matt Damon. Lady Sibella Winborne has black hair and green eyes. For her I’d choose the lovely Emily Blunt.

See what I mean! My favourite modern actor, Daniel Craig, playing my favourite modern spy AND a Regency spy! I can see him now in Regency attire! *sigh* J

6.      What is your favourite holiday?

Roaming the English countryside, visiting heritage listed houses and quaint villages.

7.      Do you read reviews of your books? What do you do when you read a not-so-nice one?

I don’t read many. If I get a bad one I ignore it. You can’t please everyone.

8.      How many times were you turned down before you finally got published?

Probably about 10 or so for my first book, which I tried to launch in Australia. Not many after that, I stuck with the same publisher for years.

9.      What reason(s) did the publishers give for their rejection of your manuscript?

Not what they were looking for. Mills & Boon sent a lovely rejection- if there is such a thing, suggesting how I could improve it and submit to them again. They even sent me a copy of one of their books. I didn’t pursue it, because I didn’t think my cross-genre plots would suit them.

And this is such an important point for writers seeking a publisher to remember. A rejection may simply be that what you are writing doesn’t fit with that particular publishing house.

10.  Who is your literary hero?

Rhett Butler, from GONE WITH THE WIND - bad boy makes good. Who can forget, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

11.  What is your favourite book of all time that you can reread a hundred times, and it still feels like the first time? There isn’t just one, but most of Georgette Heyer’s novels: Black Moth, Arabella, Frederica and others. 

Still on my top ‘go-to comfort’ reads—love GH!

12.  What do you need to set the mood for you to write?

Once I’m at my desk, with all my reference books around me, I begin to write and am soon absorbed. I know I can rewrite it if it’s rubbish, but funnily enough the bones are always there for a good scene. The TV can be on a news program.  It’s background noise and seldom distracts me. I pop my head up now and then, or make a cup of tea and do some stretches. I like to keep up with what’s going on in the world. Sometimes I’ll play music but I prefer instrumentals.

13.  If there is one genre that you have not written in yet, but would love to try writing a book in that specific genre, what would it be?

I like variety. I’ve written children’s, young adult, murder mysteries, contemporary romantic suspense and historical romance. Who knows? Something else may appeal to me in the future. Not horror or paranormal though. I leave them to the writers who can do them justice.

14.  How many blurbs did you have to write before the final one?

I work on the blurb I initially come up with, shaping it until I get it the way I want it. My publisher might then change a word or two.

15.  If you could bring one of your characters to life, who would it be? And why?

Guy, Baron Fortescue from A BARON IN HER BED. He is irresistibly gorgeous. John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn from TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY can visit anytime  too, lol. LOL—if it’s DC in the role, his shoes are welcome under my bed anytime!

16.  What are you working on now?

I’m really enjoying writing WHAT A RAKE WANTS. It’s the third book in The Spies of Mayfair Series. The final book, where all the characters come together.

I’m really looking forward to this one! It’s a great series you’ve created!

17.  Would you like to share an excerpt from your writing or a photo or music link that inspires you?

I’d love to thank you. Here’s a photo of me with my some of the wild birds I feed, these are kookaburras. Birds are fascinating and can inspire me at times.

And an excerpt from TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY

Here is the blurb:

John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn, is on an urgent mission to find the killer of his fellow spy. Has the treasonous Frenchman, Count Forney, returned to England to wreak havoc? Or has someone new landed on English shores to stir up rebellion in the Midlands? After visiting the young widow of one of his agents, Strathairn strengthens his resolve. A spy should never marry. And most certainly not to Lady Sibella Winborne, with her romantic ideas of love and marriage. Unable to give Sibella up entirely, he has kept her close as a friend. And then, weak fool that he is, he kissed her... Lady Sibella Winborne has refused several offers of marriage since her first Season years ago -- when she first set eyes on the handsome Earl of Strathairn. Sibella's many siblings always rush to her aid to discourage an ardent suitor, but not this time. Her elder brother, Chaloner, Marquess of Brandreth, has approved Lord Coombe's suit. Sibella yearns to set up her own household. She is known to be the sensible member of the family. But she doesn't feel at all sensible about Lord Strathairn. If only she could forget that kiss...

 

Lady Sibella is here with her sister, Maria, they are discussing the beau, Sibella’s family want her to marry, and then her brother, Edward warns her off John Strathairn.

           

“I subjected Lord Coombe to the usual close inspection,” Maria said, winding a piece of pine-green velvet ribbon around her finger, “as I do all of your beaus.”

            “He’s hardly a beau. But what did you make of him?”

            “I don’t know,” Maria said thoughtfully. “He’s polite and well-mannered of course, but he gives very little of himself away.”

            “Dark brown eyes are so inscrutable, aren’t they?”

            “You didn’t warm to him then.”

            Sibella shrugged. “I neither disliked him nor felt a strong attraction to him.”

            “Well we know why that is, do we not?”

            The name Strathairn hovered unsaid between them.

            As Maria rummaged in her jewelry box, Sibella was tempted to tell her about the kiss.       They shared everything, and it felt disloyal not to, but for some reason she wanted to hold the heady, sensory details of John’s kiss in the moonlight close for a while, not wishing the experience pulled apart in the cold light of day.

            When Edward returned to the house, Sibella waylaid him in the front hall. “I’ll thank you not to help mother find me a husband,” she said in a waspish tone.

For once Edward didn’t laugh. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the corridor and into the library.

            She spun as he shut the door behind him. “What is it?”

            “You need to forget Strathairn.”

            “I …”

            He held up a finger. “There’s a very good reason for it.”

            “I know. He doesn’t wish to marry. At least me, anyway,” she said ruefully.

            “A spy cannot marry. That is, a spy with any integrity who doesn’t wish to place those he loves in danger.”

            “A spy?” Sibella’s chest tightened. “Are you sure you’re not embellishing, Edward?” It did make sense now that she thought of it.

            “I did not want to tell you. I trust you’ll be discreet. And for heaven’s sake, don’t tell Maria! She’s the worst at keeping secrets.” Edward folded his arms and leaned against the door.   “He works for the military.”

            So that was why such mystery surrounded him! “But what if a woman was prepared to marry him anyway and face those risks with him?”

            “And subject yourself to a life of fear and heartbreak? You don’t know what you’re saying. Forget him, Sib, please.” He shook a finger at her. “Strathairn appears on the surface of things to be an earl with a passion for breeding horses. But he also inhabits another dark, dangerous world, which is beyond your dreams. He resists drawing you into that world and exposing you to possible danger. If you wage a war of seduction, his resolve may well crumble. I’ve seen how he looks at you. Leave the man alone. There are other more suitable men in the world.”

            He leaned forward and brushed a kiss onto her cheek. “Do you understand?”

            She nodded mutely as she fought to grasp the truth, the certainty that she and Strathairn would never marry.

            Edward opened the door to find a footman standing in the corridor trying not to look intrigued.
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Danielle’s debut novel is due for release (and may well be ‘out’ by the time you read this!). Welcome, Danielle, and thanks for treading the boards with us today!

Thank you Susanne for having me on your blog!

1.      Are you inspired most by places, people or experiences and how do these work their way into your writing?

I find inspiration everywhere. Sometimes it is difficult to shut it off! My story ideas usually start with a piece of music or particular song that I’ve heard either on the radio or my iPod where I can hear characters talking to me. Then I’ll start looking at images of places or people that I feel fit the story and so using a combination of all of these I start writing.  There are so many stories in songs that all have incredible tales to tell!

2.     How do you come up with your characters’ names?

I would like to say they have special meaning or I named them after friends, but when it comes to character names, Google is my friend.

3.     Do you read reviews of your books? What do you do when you read a not-so-nice one?

Being my first published novel, I am yet to receive a negative review, although it’s only a matter of time. I only hope that I can look at it objectively and not take it to heart and perhaps learn from it and use it to improve my writing.

4.     What do you need to set the mood for you to write?

An empty house, no children, all my favourite music, a 250g block of mint aero and a 2 litre bottle of coca cola! Unfortunately though, this perfect storm happens rarely and often find myself writing with a baby in one arm, writing with the other, yelling at my 2 year old to stop throwing food on the floor while watching In The Night Garden.

5.     If there is one genre that you have not written in yet, but would love to try writing a book in that specific genre, what would it be?

I would love to try my hand at historical fiction. Some of my favourite books are of this genre and I love history, especially medieval and British history. Real people and their stories back in those eras are so fascinating and larger than life.  My favourite historical fiction author would have to be Phillipa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and the White Queen.

6.     How many blurbs did you have to write before the final one?

I hate writing the blurb. For some reason I find this one of the most difficult things to do. How do you sum your novel up into 200 words and get readers to connect with your novel! I ended up with roughly 4 or 5 drafts before the final blurb and it was then changed slightly by the publisher as well!

7.     What are you working on now?

I have started work on Book 2 of the Erlanis Chronicles which takes place six months after the end of Of Fire & Roses. It continues Nate’s path and his obsession like passion for Cora. We also get to see things through Cora’s eyes, her fear of losing the man she loves while coming to terms with her heritage.  There is also a healthy dose of dark magic in there as well.

The other project I am really excited about is a book based in Japanese mythology. It is the story of Michio Hunter, who, after a traumatic event travels to Japan to stay with relatives and hopefully find himself again. He meets Reika, the ghost of a Japanese girl who is trapped between worlds. Michio must go to the Underworld and pass the trials to be able to rescue Reika’s soul.  Michio finds himself falling for Reika but how do you love a ghost?

 

8.    Would you like to share an excerpt from your writing or a photo or music link that inspires you?
 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

Danielle Belwater adores the concept of true love and truly believes everyone has their Prince Charming or Snow White out there somewhere, even if they have to fight demons, ghosts, and wizards to find it.

Danielle has been having a love affair with words since she was young and in primary school, writing some rather imaginative tales. This love has followed her into adulthood. 

She lives in rural South Australia with her husband, young daughters and way too many animals to mention. She spends most of her time dreaming up characters, stories, ghostly tales, and watching Firefly re-runs.  She also cooks the odd meal for her family to avoid them looking like skeletons at official author functions!  

Danielle is passionate about reading and her interests include pretty much anything with words from rolling four volume epics to the daily newspaper.

MY LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielleBelwaterAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSevenwaters
Website: http://www.daniellebelwater.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DBelwater/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DanielleBelwater
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/DanielleBelwater
Blog: http://daniellebelwater.blogspot.com.au
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103695947995981410323/posts/p/pub

OF FIRE & ROSES OFFICIAL TRAILER

http://youtu.be/je25hySVIhg

One of my favourite historical characters gets a cameo role in Elizabeth Ellen Carter’s beautiful historical novel, Moonstone Obsession. I’ll leave you to work out which male while I welcome EE Carter.

Elizabeth, I’m delighted to have you visit today and thanks for sharing some insights into historical heroes and incorporating fact with fiction.


EE Carter: Moonstone Obsession

1. We know you write historical romance, Elizabeth, so your heroes have to be connected to a time and place in history. Can you tell us about that connection?


To make any historical romance a success, all of your characters have to be men and women of their time and while they show all the traits of people toda, - they love, the laugh, they get angry and sometimes are prone to anger and even violence, their arrival at that condition should be as a result of their time and place and not a projection of modern sensibilites.

For instance, James in Moonstone Obsession is very supportive and encouraging of Selina, but he wouldn't consider himself as a feminist as men today might.

In my new book Warrior's Surrender the hero's brother-in-law stays away while his wife is giving birth. Today if a husband did that to his wife, it would be considered grounds for divorce!


2. What character traits/skills do you perceive as essential to an historical hero?
He has to be an adult. I know, that sounds strange but what I mean is that your 25-30 year old hero can't still be living with mum and dad and fretting about 'finding himself' or be a layabout wastrel. He has to have 'launched' as the Americans describe it.

Up until the mid-20th century boys were taking on adult responsibilities from the age of 13 and if they wanted better in life they had to work hard for it.

3. What do you think the ideal hero should be like?
Well, he has to be heroic and by that I mean there has to be a nobility about him and I'm not necessarily talking about aristocratic connections.

He's not perfect by any means but he has a strong sense of right and wrong. He will stand up for what's right even the face of opposition and threat - even if he goes about things the wrong way.

My favourite heroes have a strong chivalric code (no matter what period of history they live in).

Oh, my ideal hero has to have a sense of humour too.

4. What problems did you discover when including real historical figures in your work?
I wanted to be sure I did them justice and have their place in history honoured. If someone reading Moonstone Obsession thinks they would like to read more about the life of William Pitt, John Newton, William Wilburforce or Mirabeau, then I'd be humbled.


5. Some people show their love through acts of service, others through physical contact and so on. How does your hero, Sir James Mitchell, Lord of Penventen, show how he feels about the heroine, Selina Rosewall?

In terms of the Five Love Languages, I would say James would be Words of Affirmation (as well as touch as anyone who has read Chapter 12 can attest). He's very attentive to Selina, not just spending time with her but also in his desire to *know* her. When she has something to say, he listens.


6. There are several splendidly heroic secondary characters in Moonstone Obsession. One of my favourites is, naturally, Sir Percy Blakeney. Can you tell us a little about how and why you used him?
Well, when you're talking French Revolutionary literary spies, he's the first to mind! I had fun creating a little bit of a backstory for him. I wanted give him a hint of his future cloak and dagger persona while emphasising that there is a real spy story going on.


7. Will you write about any of these other gorgeous males in future books?
James is enjoying his HEA with Selina, but Sir Percy will be making an appearance in my current WIP Moonstone Conspiracy. Poor Sir Percy is going to have his hands full with my hero Daniel Ridgeway who is a bit of rebel and doesn't necessarily follow orders.

From Moonstone Obsession, I have a soft spot of James' friend Toby Jackson, I did hint at a love interest for him, and one day I'd like to give him that. A post-Revolutionary America historical romance, mmmmm - lots of possibilities!

8. How important is it to create heroes with contrasting/similar personalities?
While the core of the hero - a good man, worthy of the heroine's love - is always the same, I thoroughly enjoy emphasising various characteristics and exploring various character traits.

For instance, James is a man who struggles with being manipulated - by his mother and by the Lady Abigail, Daniel in Moonstone Conspiracy is heedless of his own safety to the point of being a little reckless. He lives life on the edge which makes him the perfect man for the wicked but redeemable Lady Abigail.

9. To what extent does setting influence your characters?
As I mentioned before, my men and women are very much of their time and place. It's only natural that their life's experience colours their view of the world.

A classic example is James Mitchell and Toby Jackson. James is comfortable in society, although sees the shallowness of it, while Toby Jackson, being American has a more egalitarian mindset and has little time for the artificial and stuffy mores.


10. Would your story work if it was set in another place and time, or is it dependent on this particular period and place?
With very minor tweaks, I think Moonstone Obsession could work at any period of history, even as a contemporary work. As long as there are spies and there is love, there is always a Moonstone Conspiracy

Many thanks for sharing your work and your special hero with us today, Elizabeth.

11. What are you currently working on? Will any of these heroes feature in the next book?
I've just submitted Warrior's Surrender, a medieval romance with a very alpha hero Sebastian de la Croix.

Sebastian is very much an alpha man who adores his sister but has a blind spot with respect to his sister-in-law and that is going to be the catalyst for some major league angst.

Thank you so much for talking with me about James and Selina’s story. I can’t wait to read the next in this series and I look forward to Warrior’s Surrender in the near future! 

I'm delighted to welcome fellow Entangled Ignite author, Misty Dietz to talk about her builder hero, Zack, from "Come Hell or High Desire". Lovely to have you here today, Misty!Can you tell us about the level and types of conflict Zack encounters in Come Hell or High Desire?

Come Hell or High Desire is, at heart, a story about redemption. In their dangerous quest to find a missing woman, Zack and Sloane learn to forgive themselves, move beyond the past, and believe they’re worthy of love, trust, and scorching desire.

For his part, Zack faces seemingly insurmountable odds when he’s discovered by police at the scene of a crime holding a murder weapon. Yet he manages to escape and stay one step ahead of law enforcement while trying to clear his name and find Ann. These are, of course, physical challenges, but I believe his emotional and psychological hurdles are just as great for him to overcome. I hope the journey is exciting and poignant for the reader.


Do you think there is such a thing as an ideal hero?



I don’t think there is one single ideal hero, but rather an ideal hero for a particular story and its unique heroine. Heroines need different things in their heroes depending on their personalities as well as the story parameters.

Zack’s background ‘breaks the mould’. How are you able to do this and still make him a hunky hero?

I think his quiet strength and the humble vulnerability he exhibits to Sloane is appealing to readers. At least I hope so. :)

Lone-wolf, quiet, with an edge carefully cultivated to keep people at a distance, Zack tells himself he doesn’t give a shit what people think, but he’s fooling himself. He never knew what it felt like to “belong” until his mentor came along, and when he died, Zack’s crushing guilt only makes his walls grow taller. But being a protector is hard-wired into his genes just as dominantly as his broad shoulders and sexy green eyes, so when the woman he can’t stop thinking about finds herself in the cross-hairs of a dangerous web of deceit, he doesn’t hesitate to put himself in the line of fire to save her.

I drew inspiration for him from three men whom I love the most: my hubby (Zack’s calm and protective nature), my brother (Zack’s introspection and fearlessness), and my first love—my dad—who is a construction entrepreneur (Zack’s like-a-rock steadiness and down-in-the-trenches work ethic).

Some people show their love through acts of service, others through physical contact and so on. How does Zack show how he feels about Sloane?

 

Zack is mostly a man of action and observation. He doesn’t trust what people say as much as what they do, so he expresses his tenderness and care for Sloane by doing all he can to shield her from harm, by maintaining eye contact while they touch, and later when they learn to communicate psychically, he expresses his love by respecting the privacy of her mind when he’d rather know everything he can to protect her.




The connection between Zack and Sloane delves into the world of psychics. Can you tell us any interesting facts you discovered while researching psychics?

Sloane is psychometric which completely fascinated me when I learned of the ability. People who are psychometric are able to touch an inanimate object and “read” the emotions of the last person who touched that object. The sense is particularly strong if the object is metal, like a piece of jewelry. I had so much fun translating Sloane’s ability as a psychometric individual.

How are your characters influenced by the setting?

The book is set in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota which is on the Red River one of the few rivers in the Northern Hemisphere that flows North. Zack lives in a bungalow with his dogs in a very private, wooded spot on the river, and the Red River itself actually plays a key role in the novel.

Would your story work if it was set in another part of the world?

Technically, yes, but in my heart, I can’t imagine this story set anywhere else because the Red River almost becomes its own character in the story.

Where does your title come from?

COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE is a play on the phrase, “come hell or high water” for two personally meaningful reasons: a) because Zack will protect Sloane no matter what it takes; and b) because the Red River floods annually and our community pulls together to save our city in the epic flood years. I also love the juxtaposition of Hell and Desire weaving round each other as the battle for their lives plays out in the story.

 

What are you currently working on?

I’m so excited to be working on a paranormal romance series about post-human Guardians who battle with five Legions of Hell and try to bond with their long-awaited soul mates who will make them suffer like never before.

The series will not only deal with love, passion, and danger, but also the self-defining moments at the intersection between humankind’s free will and the everlasting struggle to resist temptation.

I’m not a black and white person, and so I’m really digging exploring these shades of gray that make characters so richly unique and interesting.

Can you share an excerpt from your work with us?

This excerpt is from COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE:

            Her fingernails suddenly raked at her skull. “Lord! I almost forgot. We have to go back to Ann’s. She has a diary!”

            He swerved into an empty parking lot and swiveled to face her, blood pounding in his ears. “What are you talking about?”

            “Ann keeps a diary. We have to find it.”

            “You’re just telling me this now? You should have goddamn said something right away!”

            “Don’t you dare curse at me like that, you seismic jackass!”

            He had to get out. He flung the truck door open and strode onto the cracked asphalt. Her door slammed shut moments later, and within seconds she was wagging a finger in his face. “And don’t you walk away from me, either!”

            “Then don’t be such a damn shrew.”

            Color flooded over her cheekbones seconds before she punched him in the gut. Hard. An ancient fire lit up his nerve circuits and adrenaline had him widening his stance. His heart gunned.

            His groin tightened.

            And she was still shrill.

            “I’m not a shrew! How am I supposed to act in a situation like this? You think I’m enjoying this? I hate it! But unfortunately I have a conscience which would haunt me for the rest of my life if I don’t follow this through until we have some answers. You came to me and wanted to rule out the church first. Then with everything that happened, I forgot about the diary until right now. That clear enough for you, you—”

            Clear enough, honey.

            He vised her head between his palms and kissed her. He hadn’t meant to, but the moment her mouth opened to his, he was lost. Not breaking contact with her mouth, he wrapped one arm around her, his hand splaying across her ass, locking her hips against him. Her hands were in his hair, her hips grinding, driving him crazy. They feasted on each other’s mouth, tongues dueling, daring, seeking. He felt her fingers between their bodies, slipping underneath the waistband of his jeans, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Her fingernail scraped his abs and he groaned. She leaned away from his mouth, her eyes dead sexy. Liquid brown. He was gonna--

            A car horn blew, jerking him back to life. Back to the parking lot. He looked over to see a man in a black minivan at a stoplight giving them the thumbs up. He honked twice more, waved, and drove on.

            Sloane burst into a fit of laughter that quickly dissolved into tears.

            And that clinched it. He’d woken up this morning in some creepy-assed Twilight Zone.

Social Links:

 

Web: http://mistydietz.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MistyDietzWriter

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