Nancy Wood

I’m really excited to host Marie today! She’s the multi-genre author of Victorian romance, Upon Your Return, and 23 other books. Upon Your Love and The Missing Piece placed in the Top 10 on the 2017 P&E Readers’ Poll. Directions of the Heart was nominated for the 2017 Reader’s Choice Awards. The I Love Romance Blog became a finalist in StartDating DK’s Romance Blog Awards of 2017. The I Love Romance Blog landed on Feedspot’s 2017 Top 100 Novel Blogs and Top 100 Romance Blogs. Directions of the Heart placed in the Top 10 Books of 2017 on Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews blog. Top 20 Authors of 2017 on Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews blog. Mystery Blogger Award for 2017. A to Z Blog Challenge Survivor in 2016. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title – winner of the “Broken Heart” themed contest and the “I Love You” themed contest on Poetry Universe. Second Chance Heart and A Little Magick placed in the Top 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers’ Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013, 2014 and 2016. 2013 and 2014 Amazon Bestseller Ranking for Upon Your Return. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie lives in the midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 24 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several anthologies. Her current published series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Eternal Hearts Series, The Magick Series, The Code of Endhivar Series and The Blood at First Sight Series.

Today, she’s talking about The Heiresses in Love Series.

About the series:

An unforgettable, sweeping saga of romance, passion and history rooted in tales of maritime suspense…

Three heiresses…three novels like no other.

UPON YOUR RETURN

Fara risks her heart every time she’s with him, but she cannot deny him.

UPON YOUR HONOR

Chloe never imagined that the man she deceived would be the one man she can’t stop loving.

UPON YOUR LOVE

Adrienne must decide whether to succumb to desire or fight for love.

…Will these remarkable women at last find what they’ve always wanted, or lose more than they can bear?

Book trailer links:

Upon Your Return: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV_H4hGkHMI&authuser=1

Upon Your Honor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmiYSxJyJL8&authuser=1

Upon Your Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edRnopNiW8s&authuser=1

Purchase link:  Ebook set

What’s the page count and publication date?

This is a boxed set comprised of three full length novels. The page count comes to 1,178 pages on Amazon. Heiresses in Love Trilogy was released on February 6, 2018 by Solstice Publishing.

Why did you decide to write this book?

The characters wouldn’t shut up! LOL. No, at first it was Fara and Grant wanting their say, and then all the other characters came along and I couldn’t get a moment’s peace until I told their stories too.

What genre are the books?

They are historical romance, but often set in a maritime backdrop in the Victorian era. There are elements of suspense at times as well.

Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?

It’s a combination of both. Though the characters are quite strong and could carry a tune on their own, events also direct the story forward.

What makes your books unique?

I believe they can be set apart from other novels in the genre, simply because the women are as strong in character as the men, and as I was writing it, it literally became a family saga as well as each story being its own romance novel. How many series span so many generations, set from the 1840s to the 1890s?

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

I let the story flow as organically as possible, and then I start plotting when I feel blocked. Filling in those blanks isn’t strictly from my own imagination, though; sometimes the characters interrupt me if they think I’m heading in the wrong direction.

How do you develop the names for your characters?

Very carefully! There are times I’ll start with the names first whenever I have a story idea. But mostly, I just put he or she (or I, if I’m using first person POV, which is rare for me) until I’ve gotten a feel for the character and I know the best name for that person. I have faith that the muse will guide me to the right name when the time has come.

How do you decide on the setting?

The setting is last, and sometimes it depends on the character’s chosen profession, or their family background. I have a loose idea of the location now and then, but I decide for sure when I’m adding the final touches. Then I can research the sites well and add descriptions. I think a sense of place is so vital to a story. When Fara Bellamont and Grant Hill first came to me, I had no idea of the time period for the book. Upon Your Return just eventually became what it is now.

Do you have a writing mentor?

I can’t say that I have someone on hand, per se. But I count my teachers from high school and my college Creative Writing professors as mentors, of course. They taught me a lot, and I wish we were all still in touch. I do, however, have a trusted critique circle to help me find the issues I can’t, and to look at my work objectively.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?

When I’m fully immersed in a project, I try to work a little on it each day, even if I’m only writing one scene or doing research. I usually find myself writing bigger scenes in my bedroom, at other times I compose at my desk. I think there’s an organic link between a writer’s hand, and a pen and paper, so I write the old-fashioned way sometimes (call me a Luddite, if you will), but I can switch to composing on the laptop when I’m ready. Now and then, though, I like to try new things and maybe write outside or at a café.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Aside from my author website, I host three blogs, Writing in the Modern Age, the MLB blog, and the I Love Romance Blog. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Social Media Links:

Official Website: http://marielavender.com/

I Love Romance blog: http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/

Marie Lavender Books blog: http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/

Writing in the Modern Age: http://marielavender.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marielavender1

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

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a

Amazon author page: http://Author.to/MarieLavender

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender

Authors directory: http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender

All author: http://marielavender1.allauthor.com/