Interview on Sinfully Sweet Romances/After Dark Writers Blog

Author Interview with Marie Lavender!

Today SSR and After Dark want to give a warm welcome to the lovely Marie Lavender!  Marie is joining us for an author interview and information about her latest release, Upon Your Return.

We Asked Marie:
 
  1. Which of your characters do you see yourself in the most?

I think I see a lot of myself in Fara Bellamont from Upon Your Return. She is always insistent upon finding true love, and that has really been the story of my life. I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I found the man I was supposed to be with.

  1. What has been the most time consuming or mentally challenging research you have done for a book?

My historical romance manuscripts were the most challenging. It is sometimes hard to track down the answers to questions like, “What did ballrooms look like in [said location] during [a specific year]?” But, there is a lot more to it than that. You have to capture a culture that doesn’t exist anymore, which is very challenging. Sometimes contemporary romance is easier to research because so much is at hand.

  1. What is the best fan letter you have ever received?

I’ve never received a fan letter exactly, but anytime I receive a positive review that makes me feel good. When a reader “gets” the character, I know I have done my job.

  1. Do you have a current work in progress? Can you tell us about it?

Well, I am polishing the sequel to Upon Your Return. It is titled Upon Your Honor. I don’t want to give anything away, but it does concern a character mentioned in the first book. Basically, the story is about a young woman who stows aboard a clipper ship. She doesn’t realize that trouble will follow her on her journey. I think it ties in nicely as the second book in the Heiresses in Love series.

  1. Who is your favorite author, and why? What is your favorite book of all time?

Wow. Do I have to choose? I am a Nora Roberts fan. I have not only read a ton of her books, but I have also watched the TV movies based on them. There is something very real about her characters. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything. If there is something gritty going on, she doesn’t shy away from it. But, there is an undeniable romance element to her stories. It is not about brief love affairs, but lasting emotional connections. But, isn’t that the point of a romance? She also writes a lot of trilogies, which is kind of fun.

I can’t say I have a favorite book exactly. I like so many. I have read so many books by different authors. The one book that woke me up to historical romance was Devil’s Embrace by Catherine Coulter. I still like to revisit that book from time to time.

  1. What genre of books do you like to read the most? I really like paranormal romance, especially J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

  1. Hot hunky cowboy, sexy tattooed bad boy, or sleek and mysterious business man?

Hmm…I think I’ll choose sexy tattooed bad boy.

  1. Please tell us about your newest release.

My newest release is Leather and Lace, penned under Erica Sutherhome. It is a romantic suspense about a stripper and a cop. Angie is a woman who is slow to trust, and Patrick is a man who won’t take no for an answer.

  1. Do you see yourself as conservative or casual?

Very casual.

  1. Do your hot and naughty scenes come more from personal experience, or imagination?

*Blush. Probably a bit of both.

  1. What can we expect next from you?

I just got a contract for my paranormal romance. It is a story about a witch. That should be out next year. And I plan to release an anthology soon titled Miss Lavender’s Anthology of Ramblings.

  1. Please tell our followers a little about yourself.


Author Bio


Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands.

At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. Her imagination fueled a lot of her early child's play. Even growing up, she entered writing contests and received a certificate for achieving the second round in one. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted - to be a writer. While there, she published two works in a university publication, and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal. After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.

Since then, Marie has published seventeen books. Marie Lavender's real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction and dabbled a little in paranormal stories. Most of her works have a romantic element involved in them. Upon Your Return is her first historical romance novel. Feel free to visit her website at http://marielavender.webs.com/ for further information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender:
Upon Your Return

Erica Sutherhome:
Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night; Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom; Leather and Lace

Kathryn Layne:
A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse:
Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things




Blurb:

Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society...



Find out more about Marie at the following links: 
Marie Lavender, Romance Author    

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