Silly Ramblings

Ramblings...I find that a funny term now.  For those of you who aren't aware, I used that word in three of my books.  They were all story collections and included that term in the titles.  Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; and Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things.  But, I guess I'm really digressing.  Isn't the point of a blog...to blog?  Thus far, I'm not sure I've done my duty as your blogger.  Perhaps I've floundered a bit.  Or maybe it's that my life is really hectic, and I haven't had the time.  Who doesn't have that problem?

I'm going to bore you with this next rant, or shall I say ramble?  Today I decided to tackle a big problem.  Not that it did much good.  LOL.  My cat, Katerina (or really, better known as KitKat - yes, like the candy bar) is getting these terrible dreads in her fur.  These knots are really driving me crazy.  I find them when I pet her.  She has about three of them.  She is an Amazon, built rather large for a female.  She has really shiny, fully black fur with a white patch on her belly.  Adorable!  But, I'm still digressing, aren't I?  Anyway, I decided to finally rid her of these knots.  I used a small comb and a cat brush.  Did she thank me?  Um, no.  Said cat complained the entire time, like I was killing her.  Hey, I was doing her a favor.  And guess what?  She couldn't even sit still long enough for me to get it done.  Eventually, when she started to bite me (and I promise you I was very gentle with her - I love cats!), I decided, "Well...forget it."  Maybe next time, I'll get that problem fixed, huh?  Let's hope.

Then, I approached my next problem.  So, if I haven't already mentioned it on this blog or in numerous interviews, I'm currently working on the sequel to Upon Your Return.  I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I think people will like it.  The issue I'm having right now is research.  Research, research, research.  The dreaded, but required thing in a novel.  I am now at 90,113 words.  That's 324 pages so far.  That's actually 5,000 words less than where my first book was at when I submitted the manuscript.  So, I think this one may or may not end up a bit longer, but I digress.  Again.  I know.  LOL.  

The research has been...interesting, shall we say?  I am one of those people that sticks with something when I have made up my mind.  So, in my first book, Upon Your Return, I chose a time period which made research difficult, to say the least.  But, I did research it extensively.  And I finished it.  Obviously!  Now, I'm faced with new challenges and yet some of the same problems of finding the right resources that will fit for the time period.  The book is still Victorian in nature, set in the early 1890s actually.  So, even though I have enjoyed writing it thus far, it has mainly been writing.  I have done some research, but now I'm really getting into the heart of the research where everything gets challenging.  I want it to be accurate, of course.  This is why I wish I had access to a fairly large library.  I would be drawn to it both for research purposes and because I love books so much.  But, I live in a small town, which I'd be more than happy to trade for another place someday (preferably a beach).  So, I trudge along, whittling away at the keyboard and trying to find the information that is so necessary to make my book what it should be.

There is a lot of pressure placed on a sequel, I've noticed.  Because once you've done one, you have to make it equally as good or exceed expectations somehow.  This is really the first time I've written a sequel.  Most of my books have been stand-alone works.  So, there are certain expectations readers will have, I'm sure, with the second book.  It's sort of like the sequels to movies.  Most of them really aren't up to par.  I hate to unearth a pretty old series, but I'll use the example of The Matrix for lack of a better option at this point.  The first movie was great!  The second was as well, but it kind of left things unanswered.  The third...oh, don't get me started on the third.  Everything was all fine until they had to kill off the main characters (a major faux pas with regards to fiction, but certainly with films) and in my humble opinion, it is a cheap way to close up a story.  So, that is one example of where the first movie was so epic that it built up a following and as the series progressed, there was kind of a letdown.  

But, I'm digressing again.  I have that habit when I ramble.  I know I will figure this out just as I've figured a lot of stuff out in my life.  I have to treat it like one book at a time, right?  The historical romance genre is one of my major loves, but I am still fairly new to writing it.  So forgive me if I'm only human.  LOL.  I wish I had a historian friend to help out, but that wouldn't be as fun or nearly as satisfying if I let someone else do it.  It is my story after all, and the characters depend on me to tell it right.  Wow, that sounded nutty, didn't it?  As if my characters actually talk to me or something.  Well, I suppose the muse talks to me.  Oh, nevermind.  If I get into how I come up with scenes, you really will think I'm crazy.  But, writers are a pretty crazy bunch.  

Hopefully, by the time I finish writing the Heiresses in Love series, I will have even more experience under my belt.  Wish me luck, readers!  I'm heading back into the research fray.  I'll come up for air later.  

Happy reading!  And fellow writers, never stop writing!

New Review!

Awesome!  I just had an exciting review post on Amazon by a professional reviewer.  This made my day, folks!  The link is here if you want to view on Amazon, but I will post it here too.

Inspiring author, June 9, 2013

By 

Queen of Books

  This review is from: Upon Your Return (Kindle Edition)

I read Upon Your Return by Marie Lavender per her request. In my time I have read many books by authors like Sabrina Jeffries, Johanna Lindsey, etc and found Ms Lavenders' book inspiring. She did a lot of work in this fabulous romance. At first I was a little bit anxious to read another story about a woman is forced to marry someone she doesn't love. But once I started reading, it kept me in suspense. When Fara is attacked by ruffians, she is rescued by a sea captain by the name of Grant Hill. He acts the gentleman with Fara and wants to be helpful. Of course Fara is grateful with his actions. When Fara is returned safely to her home, her Uncle is displeased and upset with her behavior. It's his way to be in charge of his niece and tells her so. Even though Grant played the hero to Fara, her Uncle says this man is beneath her station. Can two people from different backgrounds find happiness and love? Please try this exciting new author.


So, to sum up things, I don't even have to say how pleased I am!  I'm sure you can imagine.  I hope all of you have read Upon Your Return, or are planning to read it at some point.  :)  Reviews are very much appreciated!  Make an author's day, and review your favorite author's book.  We love our fans! 


 

Upon Your Return: You Read It Here First!

*This was originally posted on From the Authors blog here, but I will post it was well.

June 4, 2013

Upon Your Return

“The two most engaging powers of an author,” wrote William Makepeace Thackeray, “are to make new things familiar, familiar things new.” For writers of historical romance, it takes a skillful balance of researching unfamiliar elements of the past and creating a seamless backdrop against which a tale as old as time – the familiar quest for romance – can unfold in fresh and exciting ways. In her latest novel, Upon Your Return, author Marie Lavender aptly rises to this challenge and delivers the story of a young woman whose dreams of adventure and true love yield far more than she bargained for.

 Interviewer: Christina Hamlett

 **********

Q: Tell us a little about your journey as a writer and what attracted you to making it a career.

A:  Well, that’s quite a long story. I’ll try to make it as short as possible. I always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was a kid. I started writing stories then. I went around telling my family, “I want to be an author!”  It was never for the fame or the money. I just simply love writing. When I’m writing, when I’m truly in the moment, I’m happy. There is no other feeling in the world like it. I guess I can be myself when I’m writing. And that feels good.

Q: Were you a voracious reader as a child and young adult?

A:  Yes. I was always reading, always going to the library to get some book or other. I was in a lot of reading programs as a kid. I spent most of my free time reading. I mean, I even snuck around and when my mom had sent me to bed, I would use a small light to read by.

Q: Who are some of the authors that you would say most influenced your own style of storytelling?

A:  As far as contemporary and historical romance, I’ve read a lot of Nora Roberts, Jennifer Blake and Catherine Coulter books. I’m also pretty sure Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones as well as lot of her other reference books helped me to open up in my writing.

Q: If you could have lunch with one of your favorite authors, who would it be and what question would you most like to ask him or her?

A:  That’s a tough question!  I like so many authors. Though I’d love to meet any of them, of course, I would probably want to visit J.R. Ward (because of my love for paranormal romance) and ask her what inspired her to write the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It is so great. I just wonder if maybe one of the characters was inspired by a real person.

Q: What are you reading now?

A: Black Rose by Nora Roberts, from her In the Garden trilogy.

Q: Tell us about Upon Your Return and what inspired the storyline.

A:  Well, ever since I started writing, stories just come to me without any rhyme or reason. They come in any order too, which can really drive me crazy, but that’s a topic for another time. So, I’m doing something pretty mundane like going to a doctor’s appointment or something, and suddenly I can clearly see the two characters having a pretty intense dialogue session. So as it plays out in my head, I think, “Well, this would be a great story!”  Everything just kind of fell into place after that…I mean, I knew pretty much right away what was going to happen with the characters. Of course, I was surprised here and there. But, I somehow knew what to do with it. I look back now, though, and because of how long it took me to write and perfect it, it really seems to be a sum of the romantic experiences in my own life.

Q: Given that it’s set against a historical backdrop, do your characters interact with any real-life people or react to any real-life events?

A:  Yes. Though I don’t have an exact scene for it, there is a casual mention that Captain Grant Hill has interacted with Napoleon III before. And some of the story is set against the backdrop of the French intervention in Mexico in 1863. I also did a section on the rise of Feminism in France in the 1830s-40s, and how the heroine reacts to it.

Q: If Upon Your Return were a movie, who would be your dream cast for it?

A:  Wow!  Hard question. I have thought it would make a good movie, but that’s just the writer in me seeing it play out in my head. I guess I was thinking either Amy Adams or Isla Fisher to play Fara, and maybe Gerard Butler for Grant. I’m not sure about who would play the secondary characters.

Q: What genre is the most challenging for you to write? 

A:  At this point, I would have to say historical romance. A ton of research goes into it. Of course, it helps to be familiar with the genre, but that doesn’t cut it alone. I am working on the sequel to Upon Your Return right now, and this time around, it’s just as hard. Oh, well. That’s what I asked for, right?  But, I’m invested in the characters and I’m going to tell the story. I just have to get some questions answered first.

Q: What comes first for you in planning a story – the setting, the characters or the core conflict?

A:  My scenes come to me out of sequence. But, I develop a basic outline of the story right away. I would say the characters are first, then the main conflict, of course. The setting comes later unless it drives the conflict.

Q: If you were teaching a class on Heroes and Heroines 101, what would your primary message be to aspiring writers?

A:  Well, a character in any story has to be three-dimensional so that’s the most important. A well-rounded character. A likeable character as well, someone the reader can identify with. It’s funny, but sometimes those little things such as a character’s likes or dislikes don’t come out until later on. And they can always surprise you at any point. With my current work-in-progress, I was pretty sure I had the heroine down pat, but then she went and shocked me with her basic motivation. So, I guess my advice would be this: make good characters, but don’t be afraid to make them human either. Let them make mistakes.

Q: Do you consider yourself a romantic? 

A:  Oh, yes. I can be logical about some things, of course. But, I have always believed in love, in true love really. And I believe in fate. We all have a purpose in life.

Q: What decisions went into your choice of a publisher?

A:  One, I was at my wit’s end with the never-ending pursuit of looking for a literary agent. It’s a tough industry out there. And then, there are really only a select few publishers who take unsolicited manuscripts. Solstice Publishing was my light in the dark. I used Preditors&Editors website like a manual basically because I didn’t want to fall into some kind of trap. But, then I saw Solstice listed there and I thought…hmm. There was nothing negative listed about them. Why not?  They had a decent website. And now, I’m so glad I did because the founder, Melissa Miller, is a peach and Nik Morton, the editor-in-chief, is great. The editor they assigned to me, Shawna Williams, was fantastic. Kayden McLeod, the cover artist, did a wonderful job. I just couldn’t have asked for anything better!

Q: What are your thoughts on the fact that self-publishing is steadily gaining in popularity over traditional channels?

A:   This is a tough topic because both sides really touch me personally. I self-published 15 books before Upon Your Return was released. I think traditional publishing will always survive. But, I also agree that self-publishing is gaining a momentum. The key for self-published authors, though, is to make sure they edit their work before submitting. I believe there is a lot of undiscovered talent out there, however, and if they choose to self-publish, more power to them. That’s so great!  Because showing initiative is important in this business as well.

Q: What’s next on your plate?

A:  Well, as aforementioned, I am working on the sequel to Upon Your Return. It will be titled Upon Your Honor. I hesitate to give many details at this point, but the next two books, Upon Your Honor and Upon Your Love, will be about the children from the first book. So I need to finish the Heiresses in Love series (Upon Your Return is book one). I also have a lot of other projects I’d like to work on. I am writing a romantic suspense with another author. And I have several other series and stand-alone books in mind, enough to keep me busy for some time to come.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?

A:  Upon Your Return is available on Solstice, CreateSpace, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Smashwords and Kobo.

Promo on Evelyn Cullet's site

*This originally posted on Evelyn Cullet's site here, but I will post it as well.

Marie Lavender-Upon Your Return

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Evelyn Cullet

This week, I’m hosting romance novelist, Marie Lavender.

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 sixteen 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

Kathryn Layne:  A Misplaced Life

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

 

Upon Your Return

 

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 in this exciting tale.

 

Here is an excerpt:

 

Fara fought the darkness to the coming light. It was so easy to stay in the dark. It was comforting like a warm blanket. But, the light held such possibilities. She knew she must rouse, as if something significant lay there in wakefulness. She stirred and felt a pair of arms holding her. Then she heard a heartbeat beneath a rough fabric, felt a coarse texture of chest hair. It was so secure within that embrace.

 

When she finally realized it was a man who held her, she gasped and tried to retreat from the cord of muscles.  She glanced up to be temporarily blinded by the lamplight to her left.

 

“Don’t move,” said a soft but deep voice.

 

He spoke with the assurance of authority, and she could tell he was used to ordering people around. Well, he wouldn’t order her. She lifted her heavy head and whimpered as a stab of agony sliced through her skull. Fara squeezed her eyes shut tight. It was so much easier to be left in the dark for it was as if her head was being cut with so many knives.

 

“I will have you more comfortable in a moment. Please do not move.”

 

How could she possibly move with all this pain and that large man rendering her limbs useless?

 

Suddenly, she felt a light cushion beneath her. The glare from the lantern came into her vision again when she opened her eyes and was then replaced by the outline of a man towering above her. She gasped and crawled away from him, but his hold on her waist hauled her back. Her head hurt so as he studied her face.

 

“Madame, the pain will be less if you stay still. I promise I did not bring you here to harm you in any way.”

 

She gradually settled back on the pillows and looked at her keeper. He was an attractive man, if one liked the rough, indignant kind. Dark layers of soft waves covered his head and ended at the nape of his neck. He was large, but slim in the right places…it spoke of years of hard physical labor.

 

His eyes captivated her as she studied him in such proximity. The shade of his eyes…a charcoal color; they were the most intense and unreadable eyes she’d ever seen. It was an odd, yet strikingly beautiful color for a man.

 

Oh, you silly girl, she thought. Really…how ridiculous for her to be wooed by only a pair of eyes. “May I ask you a question?”

 

“I insist you do, if you are not too unwell.” He gestured to her jaw.

 

Fara nodded, acknowledging the wound provided by the man named Bernard. She imagined what he referred to must indeed be a hideous sight. She looked around the room. It appeared to be a cabin of sorts. “Monsieur…how did I get here? Are we on a yacht?”

 

“A ship. My ship, La Voyageur,” he announced firmly with a lifted brow.

 

 

Website:  http://marielavender.webs.com/
Blogs:  http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/

 

Purchase Links

 

http://store.solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-return/
http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Return-ebook/dp/B00BFX8YLI/
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315796
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115291084?ean=2940016439167
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Upon-Your-Return/book-S9j9kHxqnUOxEUK4IkjFRw/page1.html?s=sGcZru_xmE2NIc-tjelWvg&r=1

 

Authors of the Free World Interview

*This was originally posted on Authors of the Free World website here, but I will post it.

Author Interview – Marie Lavender

May 24, 2013 Written by Nick LeVar author interviews

 

Marie Lavender

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats, and she has been writing for over twenty years, with more works in progress than she can count on two hands. At the 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 sixteen books. Marie Lavender’s real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction, and dabbled 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 for more information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   

Nick: What genres do you like to read?

Marie: I mostly read romance, though I have occasionally read mystery novels and literary fiction. I do read sub-genres of romance like contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance. You’ll laugh at me, but I do have a thing for vampire books if they have a love story. Not like Twilight [SN: Thank God!] at all, but I do like J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series and P.C. Cast’s House of Night series.

Nick: Who is that one person, if anyone, that you lean on for guidance and support?

Marie: My fiance. He’s my rock. If I need advice, I go to him. If I’m feeling down, he knows just what to say to bring me back up. I love that man.

Nick: Do you believe in reading to improve your writing?

Marie: Definitely! I think reading shapes our work. In the beginning of our careers, it gives us a better idea of how certain genres are written: what is acceptable and what is not, even though best-selling authors seem to get away with more in the industry. (laughs.) I also think that we store all of this information in our heads from what we read, whether it’s fact or fiction, and that mixture of “stuff” in our heads keeps the ideas generating. Not that we steal ideas or anything, but I think you can build further on what’s already out there. Sometimes, you get an idea and you have no clue where it came from, and yet you’re really passionate about it. Maybe it is just your muse urging you on. Maybe it’s something else. Who knows?

Nick: Give us a brief synopsis of your latest work.

Marie: Upon Your Return is my newest release. It is actually my only traditionally published book right now.  It was released in February through Solstice Publishing.

Upon Your Return

Upon Your Return is a historical romance about a young woman, Fara Bellamont, who gets into a lot of trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is saved by a captain named Grant Hill, and during the course of the novel, she not only has to contend with her feelings for him, she has to worry about how society will view her for associating with him. Lots of obstacles stand in the way of her happiness, of course. For any more, you’ll have to read the book! (laughs.)

Nick: What is your process for developing characters? Do you people watch and base characters off of what you see? Or are your characters complete figments of your imagination?

Marie: The little nuances of my characters get developed as I write the story. Sure, I’ll do a character workup sometimes, but the finer details come out later. I do observe people a lot, and of course, that gives me ideas.  And then, sometimes the ideas for my characters just come out of thin air, it seems.

Nick: What inspired you to write your most recent story?

Marie: I would say Upon Your Return was the result of the romantic relationships in my life. I took lessons from those experiences, of course, and shaped my characters and the events that touched them from that. I didn’t realize I was doing that at the time, but I look back on it now and I can see the things that must have made me write it. Not to mention Upon Your Return was a long project, and it took on a life of its own. I fell in love with the characters–even the minor ones–and couldn’t help but follow them to the end of the story. Even I was surprised at where it took them sometimes!

Nick: Is there one story that you’ve written that is so bad, you’ll never let anyone read it?

Marie: As I’ve been writing stories since I was a kid, there are a couple that I’d never want to be published. In the third grade, we had to do some kind of writing project. I had this pretty silly story, and I still have it somewhere. I think it was called “The Mystery of the Ancient Golden Chair”. It was a mystery, of course, but very bad writing. Not really one of my finest! But, I’m sure I learned from that. And there was another one…I think I wrote it in middle school, possibly later. It was called “Trouble in Puerto Rico”. The plot was sub-par, the characters pretty immature and the dialogue was terrible. Never passing that around, I’m telling you. (laughs.)  But, it’s nice to see how far I’ve come.

Nick: Where can potential readers find your work?

Marie: Upon Your Return is available on Solstice, Amazon, CreateSpace, Barnes&Noble, Smashwords and Kobo. My other fifteen (self-published) books are on Amazon and Lulu.com. You can find links to them on my website at http://marielavender.webs.com/.

Marie Lavender: Personal Questions

Nick: Are you a social butterfly or do you prefer to keep social relationships to a minimum?

Marie: I was always kind of shy, really. I’m really not a public domain kind of person. But, I have learned to open up more as my writing career has changed. Social networking has definitely been a big help. So thanks, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

Nick: What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?

Marie: I was in Choir my whole school career. I did solos. Well, at one performance, I actually forgot the words to the song and ended up singing the previous verse over. I was so mortified! I hope no one noticed, but I’m sure they did. (laughs.)

Marie Lavender: Books and Pen Names

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
Kathryn Layne:  A Misplaced Life
Heather Crouse:  Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things

Marie Lavender, Romance Writer Spotlight with Renee

*This interview originally posted on Reading Renee's website here, but I will post it as well.

30 May 2013

Marie Lavender, Romance Writer #spotlight

by ReadingRenee

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Today I’m happy to have author Marie Lavender stop by and talk about her latest book.

1. Greetings, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Sure.  I’ve been writing since I was a kid.  I’ve always wanted to be an author.  I have published sixteen books.

2. What genre, or genres, do you write?

I write romances, both contemporary and historical.  I have written literary fiction before, and I am trying to get into writing paranormal stories as well.

3. What is your latest book called and what it is about?

Upon Your Return is a historical romance novel.  It is about a young heiress who gets herself into all kinds of trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  This sets off a whole chain of events that is both challenging and compelling.  She has to rely on a strange man for protection, and of course, they cannot help but fall in love.  This book was released in e-book form on February 13th.  The print version will be out in May or June.

4.  If you had to rate your book, would it be G, PG, PG-13, or R?

LOL!  Well, I’d have to say R.  It’s not overly graphic, but I definitely wouldn’t let a child read it.

5.  What makes your book unique?

I think the character, Fara Bellamont, is a pretty strong character who, despite of all the social norms of the time period (Victorian France), still manages to be an individual.  She does not like to be dictated to, and she puts the hero in his place several times.  She makes some decisions that society probably would not have accepted then and she gets a lot of flak for it, but that is what makes her unique.

6.  Do you plot ahead of time, or do you let the plot emerge as you write?

A little of both.  I usually have a good idea of where the story is headed, but I also get surprised at where the characters want to go too.  The longer I write, the more I realize how important all those little things that go into a book are (setting, research, etc.).  So, even if it might take time, I do plot on some level.  I am pretty casual about my writing usually, letting it just come out however it wants, but when I’m focused on a book, I get kind of obsessed with it.  With Perfect Game, one of the books I released under the pen name Erica Sutherhome, I did a ton of research on that, and I think it turned out pretty well, even though when it was just a seedling, I had no idea where it was going.  The books still manage to surprise me!  In high school, if you had told me I’d not only have a historical romance novel published, but be writing the sequels, I’m not sure I would have believed it.

7. Where can we buy your books?

Upon Your Return is available on Amazon and Solstice.  You can also link directly to any of my books through my website at http://www.marielavender.webs.com/   The rest of my books are available through Amazon and Lulu Press.

8. What’s next?

I am working on the sequel to Upon Your Return right now.  It will be titled Upon Your Honor.   I also have plans for many other books in the coming years.  I am working on a romantic suspense, and as aforementioned, I would like to write paranormal books.  I have plans for a couple of series about witches, and two vampire books.

Book Blurb for Upon Your Return

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 in this exciting tale.

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.

BUY 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Return-Marie-Lavender/dp/1484978099/

Solstice:  http://store.solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-return/

CreateSpace:  https://www.createspace.com/4284739

Barnes&Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upon-your-return-marie-lavender/1115291084?ean=2940016439167

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315796

Kobo:  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Upon-Your-Return/book-S9j9kHxqnUOxEUK4IkjFRw/page1.html?s=sGcZru_xmE2NIc-tjelWvg&r=1

Character Interview - Fara from Upon Your Return

*This interview originally aired on Mia Darien's site here, but I will go ahead and post it as well.

30 May 2013

Character Interview: Marie Lavender & Fara from ‘Upon Your Return’

Mia

 

Today’s character interview has us joined by Marie Lavender and Fara, from Marie’s story Upon Your Return. Welcome to you both!

* * *

Mia: What is the name of the book where we’ll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Fara: The book is Upon Your Return. You could say the book is really about my life, or at least the hardships I must experience to find happiness. I meet Captain Grant Hill and so much happens. It is about my journey to find love, and not just the romantic kind. And despite everything, I do find family.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Fara: Well, I don’t know quite what to say. I suppose I am the main character of the story. I am a girl who dreams of finding a way out of her situation. Even though I know my place, I want so much to find love.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won’t tell.

Fara: That is a hard question. But, since you ask, I will be honest. Marie is a strange girl. Have you heard the music she listens to? You can hardly waltz to it. And she’s nothing like my aunt. Not proper. But, she believes in love as I do, and I like that about her.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you’re in?

Fara: I think this is a good story. When I read it, I remember what I went through and all the negative things that occurred…well, I don’t want to relive that. But, Grant…well, I’ll let you read all about him in the book.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Fara: I’m not sure. Marie describes me as an eighteen year old girl who hardly acts the way she should. But, what does that matter? I do not want to be like everyone else.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Fara: I always dreamed of going to a place far away and having adventures. If I could have that, that would be so exciting!

Mia: What do you know about your author’s plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Fara: Yes, I do know a little of her plans, and I’m not sure I agree with her. The lady is going to follow me to see what happens after the book. She talks of writing about my children.

Mia: Let’s say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Fara: Why, I believe Amy Adams would be a good fit. She has the right hair color, you see, and she seems like a pleasant girl.

* * *

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 sixteen 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
Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life
Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things

You can find Marie at her website, her blog, and second blog.

You can buy Upon Your Return from Solstice Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords & Kobo.

Character Interview - Eric from Upon Your Return

*This originally posted on Rebecca L. Frencl's blog here, but I will go ahead and post it as well.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Meet a New Character!

We have a unique opportunity today . . . to hear from a character in the character's own words. Authors usually joke that we listen to the voices in our heads. Well, here's a chance to step into a writer's head and hear what goes on. I always tell people that my brain is a strange place to live. I'm happy I'm not the only one who seems to have these conversations with my characters. So, take a few moments to meet Eric Caron. He's a really interesting character and I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more from him.

Character Interview - Upon Your Return by Heather C.

I am here today with Erica Caron from the book Upon Your Return by Marie Lavender.  Yes, folks, that's right.  I'm doing a character interview.  This man is here in the flesh to give us a little taste of Upon Your Return.

Heather:  I noticed you bowed to me when you came into the room, Eric.  You just don't see that very often these days.  Ladies, I do believe he's blushing!  I didn't mean to embarrass you, Eric.  Let's get started, shall we?

Eric:  Of course, Mademoiselle (says delightfully in his French accent).

Heather:  So, from what I've heard of Upon Your Return, you are Captain Hill's valet?

Eric:  That is correct.

Heather:  And what is that like?  Isn't a valet little more than a servant?

Eric:  (Tries to hide a smile.)  Serving my captain is never a chore, Mademoiselle.  It is a duty I am more than honored to perform.

Heather:  And you are required to say that, I understand.  Come now, Eric, even I know servants are terrible gossips about their employers.

Eric:  You misunderstand, Mademoiselle.  Capitaine Hill is more than my master.  He is my friend.

Heather:  I see.  So, now that we've gotten to the heart of things, what is it you can tell me about the dashing captain?  I hear he's quite a catch (says to the audience).

Eric:  He is a good man, the best of men in my opinion.  You'll never find a better leader to spur his crew into action.  You'll never find a more honorable man.  If there is a cause, he will fight for it.

Heather:  Fascinating.  So, what about Fara Bellamont?  Can you tell me anything about her?

Eric:  (He shrugs.)  I've barely known her at all.

Heather:  But?

Eric:  But, she seems to be a good person.  She has always treated me kindly.  Of course, she shocked me when she spoke so directly to the captain a time or two.  She is an interesting young woman.

Heather:  You meant to say more, didn't you?

Eric:  (He looks uneasy for a moment.)  I suspect Capitaine Hill has feelings for Mademoiselle Bellamont.  But, he has not said so. 

Heather:  Do you think things will work out between them then?

Eric:  I imagine so.  Fate has a way of bringing things about.

Heather:  Well!  That's about all the time we have today.  Eric, it was a pleasure meeting you.

Eric:  The pleasure was all mine, I assure you, Mademoiselle.  (He bows, the leaves the room.)

Heather:  Well, wasn't he something? 

For all our viewers here, just a recap, that was Eric Caron from Upon Your Return.  In case this interview has made you want to read more about Eric, Captain Grant Hill or Fara Bellamont, you can find the book on Amazon, Solstice, CreateSpace, Barnes&Noble, Smashwords and Kobo.

What a fascinating interview!  I know I want to read Upon Your Return!

Blurb for Upon Your Return

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 in this exciting tale.

Purchase Links

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Return-Marie-Lavender/dp/1484978099/

Solstice:  http://store.solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-return/

CreateSpace:  https://www.createspace.com/4284739

Barnes&Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upon-your-return-marie-lavender/1115291084?ean=2940016439167

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315796

Kobo:  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Upon-Your-Return/book-S9j9kHxqnUOxEUK4IkjFRw/page1.html?s=sGcZru_xmE2NIc-tjelWvg&r=1

Book Promo on Long Ago Historical Romance Books Blog

*The original link is here, but I will go ahead and post it.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Book Promo - "Upon Your Return" by Marie Lavender

Victorian Era Romance (1863)
Solstice Publishing (February 13, 2013)

Synopsis

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.

She heard footsteps behind her and she turned, lashing out with her fingernails. She gasped as she saw him howl in pain, lowering his head to reveal red claw marks over the bridge of his nose. Then the man she'd first wounded came at her, tackling her.

The impact jarred her and she went down. “No!” Her escape was not to be.

She rolled to the ground in a maze of skirts and a heavy thigh was thrown across her knees, leaving her immobile. She squeezed her eyes tight. His touch on her face and breasts was repulsive. Tears threatened to overcome her and they ran like tracks into her hair. “Please,” she whispered.

“Ah, gentlemen, what have we here?” An unfamiliar voice sounded and Fara lifted her head weakly to see a new face, a different man. She wondered if he was an ordinary spectator. He didn't look ordinary. He was big, intimidating but not frighteningly so. There was something about him she wanted to trust. She thought it might be his eyes, thought she detected a hint of concern as he glanced at her briefly. But, of course, she might be wrong. She had been before.

The man who pinned her disengaged himself and got to his feet. He looked down at her uneasily. “To your feet, chère,” he ordered.

She dizzily stood in response and he clutched her to his side as if to claim her as his possession.

The stranger frowned. “She's quite a catch, gentlemen. Are you sure she's not off limits?”

The man at her side stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“She appears to be a lady.”

Hope sprang from inside her. The man was no innocent bystander. He was a man with a purpose, but deep down she knew he could not be with these rogues.

“And if she is, Monsieur?”

“Then I would be curious as to why a lady is here with the two of you.”

The one called Bernard replied derisively, “Perhaps we are just too irresistible.”

The man laughed. “Hardly.” He sighed as her captor chose to resume his place behind her and blocked all attempts of escape with an arm across her chest. “Release her, gentlemen. Let's settle this in a civilized manner, shall we?”

The man who held her grunted. “Why don't you go about your business, Monsieur? A simple matter like this shouldn't interest you.”

“A woman's reputation may be at stake. Of course I'm interested.”

“We could share her, Monsieur.”

His gaze swept over her body and shivered. Why, surely he would not take them seriously...he couldn't take the offer. For God's sake, he was her only hope.

Purchase Book Amazon - Upon Your Return Solstice Publishing Create Space Barnes and Noble Smashwords Kobo Books

Contact Author Website: Marie Lavender, Romance Writer Blogs: Marie Lavender Blog and Marie Lavender Books Facebook Facebook Page Upon Your Return LinkedIn  Twitter Goodreads The Romance Reviews

The Journey to Publishing

*This was originally a guest post on Stefan Vucak's blog.  The link is here, but I will post the article below as well.

A guest post by Marie Lavender

The journey to publishing can be long and harrowing.  I sit here over twenty years into my career as a writer, and I can look back on it both fondly and regretfully.  Why twenty years?  Well, let’s just say I’m counting back to the moment I wanted to become a writer/author/novelist.  Lots of nice names for it, but I digress.  I think one of my colleagues recently stated that anyone can be a writer, whether they are attempting to write the Great American novel (ahem!) or jotting down the ingredients to a recipe, and it is an altogether different thing to be an author.  I have to agree in a way, except I tend to use writer as a general term more than anything.  And you may ask why I say “regretfully” when I have published sixteen books.  I just wonder if I would have done things differently if I knew then what I know now.  But, that’s neither here nor there.

In my youth, I was a writer.  I created fantasy worlds both in child’s play and yes, even on the page.  How did I come to feel the urge to be a writer at such an age?  That’s far too complicated a subject to go into, and even today, I can’t tell you why I let the pen scrawl across the page at its leisure, or why I have published what I have.  The urge to write has always been there and there’s no stopping it.  But again, I digress.

After such an arduous journey, a journey I’m positive is bound to have more twists and turns, I can say one word.  Whew!  How did that happen?  And what brought me here?  I suppose I feel a mixture of pride and well, to give you a pretty bad metaphor, scraped knees.  This tiresome journey, which is still hardly over, was worth if, of course.  But, the steps I had to take to get there?  Wow.  I wish someone had taken my nine-year old self aside and said, “Look, I know you’re stubborn and you’re going to do this anyway, but this won’t be easy.  You’re going to need perseverance and nerves of steel.”  I’ll come back to those terms later, but would I have listened?  I don’t know.  Probably not.  I was in that dreamlike state.  I had wonder in my eyes when I dreamed of being an author.  So, I’m sure you get that.  I’ve established I was a dreamer then.  Hell, I still am in some ways, a fact that can frustrate my family to no end.  It’s hard not to be as a writer.  And I don’t want to lose that.

So, where was I?  Oh, yes.  How do you really get published on this journey?  Well, there’s no clear-cut method.  There are no guarantees in life.  We all know that.  So, the most I can offer up is a little advice.  I’m sure you’ve all heard the requirements a million times:  finish your book, edit the crap out of it, write an amazing query letter and synopsis, get a literary agent, and, well, get published, damnit!  So, I’m not going to bore you with the details.  We’ve all read the tips.  We’ve done the dance, or at least we’re working on it, right? 

So, what is the key?  What makes you stand out from the million or so other aspiring authors out there?

I don’t know.  That’s right.  I really said that.  The truth is, the publishing journey, however harrowing, is different for everyone.  I would say most of us struggle with it.  But, you pick up things as you go, things that will help you improve your writing and how you go about getting published.

So what, if any, advice can I offer you?  I don’t have all the answers.  Who does?  But, I can offer some things that will make the publishing journey slightly less difficult.

After your book is written, you want to shout out loud because it’s a major accomplishment.  And it is!  So pat yourself on the back.  Reward yourself somehow.  Then comes the next arduous step.  Editing.  Yes, the dreaded word.  Editing.  Even though the book is finished, there’s more to do.  Go over it a million times.  And yes, it will feel like a million.  But, if you love it, it won’t hurt that much to read it over and over.  Take a step back occasionally.  When you return, you may see it in a different light.  You’ll find new errors. 

The important thing to do at the editing stage is to get a critique partner.  Or several.  Maybe you have a local group you use.  No?  Yahoo has some nice critique groups.  And yes, you will have to return the favor and read someone else’s work.  Critique groups were not a foreign concept to me as I majored in Creative Writing in college.  But, it’s still a necessity in the editing process.  You may not agree with everything they have to say, but it definitely helps.  You can also have these groups look over your synopsis and query letter.  You can pay an editing service to do it for you, but they may not be familiar enough with your genre to give you what you need to hear.  Not to mention who has that kind of cash lying around?  Edit as much as you can.  If you do get published traditionally, your editor will thank you for it.  You just made his job a little easier. 

A natural next step after editing is…yes, you guessed it: find a literary agent, or at least a publisher who will take you on without one.  And there aren’t many of those.  I have to side with the naysayers about literary agents.  Though they can certainly get your foot in the door, it is not easy to obtain one.  Literary agents are a different breed.  Yes, they are familiar with the industry.  They know what sells.  Each one, however, knows exactly what they ‘re looking for, and in some cases, your book won’t fall into that category.  Prepare yourself for rejections, or at least form letters stating, “this is not a good fit for me…” Blah, blah, blah.  Believe me, I had about thirty of them.  And those were the ones that bothered to respond.  I’m not saying you can’t get lucky, that someone can’t get a literary agent.  I’m sure it happens. 

The advice I can offer here is simple.  There are two words.  QueryTracker and Pred-ed.  What?  No, I’m not speaking a different language. 

Querytracker.net is a nifty site that not only helps you organize your submissions and keeps you from submitting to the same agent/agency twice, it also gives you a list of agents and publishers specific to the genre of your book.  And QueryTracker is simple to use.  You just sign up for an account (I recommend the free one), and from then on, you can search for what you want.  If you’ve submitted to an agency, you mark it as a submission for a certain agent, give the date and details and it is saved for you for future reference.  You can even go back and mark if it was rejected, if a partial or full manuscript is requested, etc.  This site also gives you a basic idea about what each agent is looking for, and some authors have even left comments.  Of course, you’ll have to double-check on the agency’s website to be sure that agent is still working in that genre.  But QueryTracker will save you a lot of headaches.  Before I found it, I was marking everything in a Word document, and I sometimes forgot to check it.  Afterward, the tool helped me avoid sending to the same places.

The other tool, which I absolutely swear by for many reasons, is Pred-ed.com.  Preditors & Editors (yes, it’s spelled that way) is a website that takes the guesswork out of the industry.  Do you want to get an agent or publisher that won’t expect you to dish out money upfront?  They’ve got it covered.  This site has lists of resources on everything you can imagine.  More importantly, it will let you research agencies and publishers.  Preditors & Editors (or P&E, as the moderators affectionately name it) bases their findings on actual reports from authors.  You may want to stick to places that are “recommended”, because those are the best, and they’re certain to get you exactly what you want in an agent or publisher.  P&E has many categories to choose from, and you won’t be disappointed at the plethora of information stored there.  Notice I have not said these tools will fix all your problems.  They sure won’t, but they’ll definitely help during your submission stage.  The rest is up to you.

The publishing journey is not easy.  You’ll have roadblocks.  You’ll take detours.  I think anyone who has a solid manuscript with a compelling story deserves to get published.  Unfortunately, life rarely hands us exactly what we want.  We have to go out and get it.  Sometimes we have to dig hard to find that gem.  Remember that word I used before?  I don’t expect you to after all of my babbling.  Perseverance.  Perseverance will help you along the way.  Because, if you get pushed down and you have the ability to brush it off and keep going, there is hope for you.  You have what it takes to get published.  Again, there is no clear method.  What works for one writer may be totally inapplicable for someone else.  The last thing I can say is, perseverance is only one thing. 

Nerves of steel are almost essential.  You’ll get some bad responses, if you’re lucky enough to get them from an editor or agent.  Or maybe it came from a peer or critique partner.  Are you a sensitive soul?  Get tough.  Honestly evaluate what is said in relation to your book, of course, and change something if necessary.  But, don’t take it personally.  Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and if we all agreed, we’d be robots.  There is no room for hurt feelings in this business.  Believe me, I am a sensitive person, and I take things personally.  But, I’ve had to toughen up a lot. 

Don’t worry, though.  You will learn as you go.  I’m still learning.  We learn new things each day, new ways to write or cope with losses.  It is a harrowing journey, but it can be positive too.  Hopefully, when you sign your contract, you can look back at your journey and see what led you there.  Or maybe you end up self-publishing.  That’s a topic for another day. 

The journey is hard.  Even if yours is easy, you are one of the lucky ones.  For those who don’t have it easy, hopefully my words have brought you a measure of hope.  Happy writing!  And don’t stop trying.

Guest Blogger Bio

Marie Lavender has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. She has published sixteen books. Marie’s real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction and dabbled a little in paranormal stories.  Her most recent release, Upon Your Return, a historical romance, was published in February with Solstice Publishing.      
                                                                                                                     
Website:  http://www.marielavender.webs.com/ 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/marielavender1