Monday, December 9, 2013

An Exclusive Interview with Maggie Robinson + Giveaway (Thank you, Authors! Thank you, Fellow Readers!)

Happy Release Day to Maggie Robinson and Elyssa Patrick!

Holiday for Two is now available for purchase at Amazon, B&N and Kobo.

Two light, sexy contemporary romance Christmas novellas where the couples are snowbound for the holiday. 50,000 words total and only 99 cents!

“All Through the Night” by Maggie Robinson
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays personal assistant Carrie Moore from the swift completion of her appointed rounds. She is used to delivering for the rich and famous. Can she mend a hunky English lord’s heart and not get him deported?

While It Was Snowing” by Elyssa Patrick
Felicity Evans and Harry Walsh have been best friends forever, but lately, Felicity has noticed the looks Harry has been giving her. And she’s going to do something about it. Sex solves everything, or so she hopes. But she never knew Harry was a virgin—until now. Being snowbound in a Vermont cabin is the perfect opportunity to take things to the next level…and perhaps dare to lay her heart out on the line.

I'm so, so happy to welcome Maggie Robinson to my blog today. She's an incredible writer and I've loved her since her debut novels (as both Maggie Robinson and Margaret Rowe). Maggie writes fallen heroes and heroines so well and writes about their redemption in such a memorable and breathtaking way. She has now ventured into writing a contemporary novella! (Will I be reading it? Yes! Watch out for my review of it soon-ish. ^_^)

LStW: What inspired you to write All Through the Night, your contemporary novella? (How different is it from writing historicals?)
Maggie Robinson: One of my critique partners, Elyssa Patrick, wanted to do a contemporary Christmas anthology, Holiday for Two, where the couples are snowbound and invited me to do it with her. How could I say no? The fact that I used to live on a Maine island dependent on a ferry gave me lots of first-hand knowledge of what happens during a storm, and I immediately had an idea of how to get my characters together. I had to make my hero an English viscount, because that is what I do, LOL. But it was tremendous fun to set the story in 2013 in America with condoms and without corsets. There is a padded bra, though. ;) It was so enjoyable that I'd consider doing another contemporary if this one is well-received.

LStW: (Halloween) If you could dress up as any character, real or fictional, who would it be?
Maggie: I once dressed as a Viagra victim, with a pillow under my dress and a baby doll pinned to my shoulder. Today I might go as one of my heroines, in elegant Edwardian finery and a big, big hat.

LStW: (Thanksgiving) As a writer, what are three things that you are most thankful for?
Maggie: Only three? First and foremost, my family. They've given me the time and support I've needed to get lost in my own little world, most especially my husband. He's my Ambassador to the Outside. While I sit around in pajamas and type, he's at the grocery store or mailing my prizes for me at the post office. There's a reason I keep him aside from his pretty face...he makes me laugh after 40+ years of marriage and is my intrepid travel companion when I go on research trips.

Second would be the computer technology available today--I'm a terrible typist but my writing program fixes all of that. If I had to write longhand or on a typewriter, I never would be published. I really can't read my handwriting anymore!

Third would be my writing friends and readers, who live all over the world but come together for that elusive happy ending! Romance readers and writers are the best people ever!

LStW: (Christmas) Do you have a favorite thing to gift friends for Christmas?
Maggie: Over the years I tried to find interesting tree ornaments to give to friends and family. The kids like cash best, though, LOL.

LStW: (New Year) What's next for Maggie Robinson in 2014?
Maggie: An excellent question! I don't have a publication date yet for the third Ladies Unlaced book (working title: The Reluctant Governess), and I'm about 1/3 done with a sequel, The Virgin Secretary's Billionaire Virgin Boss. Just kidding, but Thomas is my first virgin hero and I love him so much.

On a personal note, my husband and I have rented a condo in Florida for February and a Cotswold village cottage for four whole weeks in March and April! I expect to vacuum up as much information and ambiance as I can for my next books. I can't tell you how excited I am--we'll be only 1 1/2 hours away by train to London so we can go in for the day but can return to peace and quiet. We're also going on a cruise to Bermuda in May. We love to travel, as you can tell!

Tin, thanks so much for the opportunity here! I hope everyone's holidays are as perfect as Carrie and Griffin's from All Through the Night!

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Ladies Unlaced Series by Maggie Robinson


It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love ...

Independent heiress Louisa Stratton is going home to Rosemont for the holidays, and at the family’s request, she’s bringing her new husband -- Maximillian Norwich, art connoisseur and artful lover, the man she’s written of so glowingly. There’s one hitch—he doesn’t exist. Louisa needs a fake husband, and fast, to make the proper impression.

Charles Cooper, captain of the Boer War and far from silver spoons or gilded cages, is so hard up that even this crazy scheme appeals to him. It’s only thirty days, not till death do them part. What’s so difficult about impersonating a husband, even if he doesn’t know a Rembrandt from a Rousseau?

The true difficulty is keeping his hands off Louisa once there’s nobody around to see their ruse. And then there’s the small problem of someone at Rosemont trying to kill him. Keeping his wits about him and protecting Louisa brings out the honor he thought he’d left on the battlefield. But when Louisa tries to protect him, Charles knows he’s found a way to face his future -- in the arms of his heiress.


Ever since Mary Evensong’s elderly Aunt Mim got sick, Mary’s masqueraded as the owner of the Evensong Agency, finding housemaids, husbands and solving pesky problems for the peerage. Someday she’d like to shake off her silvery wig and spectacles and be the young woman she truly is. But desperate clients are waiting for “Mrs. Evensong” at the office.

Like a scandalous Scottish baron. Honor forbids Lord Alec Raeburn from explaining the suspicious circumstances surrounding his wife’s death, but he knows who’s responsible. He just needs to hire an actress to lure the scoundrel into a trap.

After listening to Raeburn’s story -- and seeing him in his kilt -- Mary knows the perfect person.

Letting her red hair down, she heads off to the Scottish Highlands to pose as a seductress, but soon finds herself with more than her virtue at stake in a tug-of-war between two powerful men. She could wind up in danger -- or in the heart of the highlander.

To read my reviews of Maggie Robinson's books from her previous historical romance series, click here.

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Meet Maggie Robinson --


The Story Behind the Stories

I’d like to say I’ve known I wanted to write since I was a child, but it’s not true. Oh, sure, I was an English major at Adelphi University, but for years I was blissfully ignorant of word counts and deadlines. It wasn’t until I was “une femme d’un certain âge” (it sounds so much better in French) that I woke up in the middle of the night really annoyed with my husband over something (I can’t even remember what). Instead of smothering him with a pillow, I decided to get up and write—to create the perfect man—at least on a computer screen. Come to find out that fictional males can be irritating as well—they’re just as resistant to direction as my husband. The up side is that I’m finally using my English degree and am still married to my original, imperfect hero. Since I’m imperfect too, that makes us a perfect match.

Until my midnight keyboarding, I’d been a teacher, librarian, newspaper reporter, administrative assistant to two non-profits, community volunteer and mother of four in seven different states. Now I can call myself a romance writer in Maine. There’s nothing I like better than writing about people who make mistakes, but don’t let the mistakes make them. I’m all about the redemptive power of love—and a good night’s sleep.

To find out more about Maggie Robinson and her books, click below:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads


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Thanksgiving's done and it's almost Christmas and this is my way of saying "Thank you" to all the wonderful authors and to all the wonderful romance readers in the world.

Image from Freedigitalphotos.net

For this week, as support for the authors, I'm hosting a giveaway for one copy of In The Arms of the Heiress, the first book in Maggie's Ladies Unlaced series.

*This giveaway is via Rafflecopter and is open to International Readers.
*This giveaway will run until December 16.
*One entry per household per IP.
*Rafflecopter will select 1 winners who will receive a copy of In the Arms of the Heiress by Maggie Robinson (ebook via Kindle or paperback via The Book Depository)

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Drop by on Wednesday for the next interview and giveaway. ;-)

11 comments:

  1. Great interview! Congratulations on your new release, Maggie!!

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  2. So happy for your on all of your successes! Looking forward to reading more of your books.

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  3. The Ladies Unlaced Series sounds fascinating. You certainly have an exciting travel year planned for 2014. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the great giveaway.

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  4. I Loved In the Heart of the Highlander!! Great interview ladies! Enjoy your trips Maggie!

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  5. Great interview. HOLIDAY FOR TWO sounds fabulous!

    Marcy Shuler
    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  6. Hi Maggie! What made you want to write historical fiction vs other genres?
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  7. Hi, all!

    Thank you for the wonderful comments and the great question!

    Have a great day!

    - Tin

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  8. I love that you made your contemporary hero and English Viscount still!
    Thanks for the giveaway :)

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  9. I love the idea of giving beautiful ornaments for Christmas.

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  10. @Cerian -- I love the idea of that as well! I have a copy and can't wait to read it. ^_^

    @Mary P -- I'm seriously thinking of starting an ornament exchange with some friends. This year, I had my kids choose 1 Christmas ornament each and I plan to label them. It would be nice to have a tree of memories. ^_^

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  11. These sound interesting

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