I’m so pleased to be hosting fellow historical romance author Mia Marlowe on the blog today. Mia is a fantastic writer who can fashion a captivating tale and place it in just about any historical period. It’s no mystery to me why she’s a bestselling, award-winning author! She’s with us today to share some very exciting news.
Plaid to the Bone is your 20th book, which is an amazing accomplishment. How do you feel about that? Has your writing career given you any surprises along the way?
I’m thrilled! And no one is more surprised than me. I’ve been published since 2006 and of course, my career has had its ups and downs. Please don’t ask me about the fiasco with my first agent (whom I had to threaten with legal action to get the advance on my debut!) or the sad sinking of Dorchester. Fortunately my editors (Alicia Condon at Kensington & Leah Hultenschmidt at Sourcebooks) have championed me and kept me in print. I have a wonderful agent now (Natasha Kern) and readers have kept reading. I’m a very lucky girl and I know it.
The heroine in Plaid to the Bone is pledged to murder her husband, which is an awesome basis for conflict! What can you tell us about the book, and how did you come up with such a splendid idea?
I had already written Plaid Tidings (October 2103, Kensington) in which my hero becomes laird of Bonniebroch Castle. Only trouble is, there’s a pretty hefty curse on the place which he must lift before Twelfth Night. My editor asked if I’d write a novella that explains how the castle came to be cursed in the first place, so Plaid to the Bone took shape in my head.
I reasoned that the curse was the result of a betrayal. At her father’s behest, Cait Grant has sworn a blood oath to kill Adam Cameron after they’ve been wed a month. What more heinous betrayal could there be than a bride who plans to murder her new husband?
You have another book coming out soon – what can you tell us about it?
In Plaid Tidings, 300 years have passed since the events in Plaid to the Bone. It’s 1821 and my hero Alexander is part of the advance team preparing the way for Prinny’s visit to Scotland. He’s on the look out for any remaining Radicals who might threaten the king. To hide his true purpose for being in Scotland, he wins Bonniebroch and the accompanying barony in a game of chance. What Alex doesn’t know is that the title comes with a betrothal to a Scottish lass whose brother is a notorious Radical. And to add to his troubles, the castle to which he brings his unwanted bride is haunted!
The final book in my Songs of the North trilogy will be out in November and the last of the Royal Rakes releases in January. I just signed contract with both publishers for more Scottish and Regency romances. Please check my Coming Next page for the latest news!
You’re running an amazing contest right now – what’s that about?
I’m hosting a 20Days/20Books Celebration on my blog to mark my 20th published work milestone. Each day I share a bit about Plaid to the Bone, host amazing guests (like you, m’dear!) and reminisce about one of my backlist titles. There are multiple daily giveaways and the Grand Prize is a Kindle Paperwhite! I hope your readers will join me at http://www.miamarlowe.com. The celebration runs till September 15th and the winners will be announced the next day.
That all sounds awesome, Mia! And for my readers today, Mia is giving away a digital copy of her 3-book anthology, The How To Series. Just tell us why you love Scotland, or why you might like to visit there someday, for a chance to win.