Guest Blog: Blythe Gifford

Welcome back one of our own, Blythe Gifford, who has been blogging with Unusual Historicals since 2009.  Her new trilogy from the Harlequin Historical line, The Brunson Clan, concludes this month with TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL.  Set on the Scottish Borders during the early Tudor era, it centers on a family of Border Reivers and in this book, Black Rob, oldest and now head of the clan, meets his match:  a woman from the family that is the clan’s blood enemy.

Here's the blurb:

TORMENTED BY HER INNOCENCE

As leader of his clan, Black Rob Brunson has earned every dark syllable of his name. But, having taken hostage his enemy’s daughter in a fierce act of rebellion, he is tormented by feelings of guilt and torn apart with the growing need to protect her—and seduce her!

Stella Storwick feels Rob’s disdain from the first. Then slowly she starts to see behind his eyes to a man in turmoil. Something he has no words for, something that can only be captured in a heart-wrenching kiss....

Lovers from warring clans.  Captor/captive.  Romeo and Juliet.  What’s unusual here?

There are many classic elements to the story.  That’s why people read romance!  But I do write unusual settings and time periods.  The Borders setting, the early Tudor time period, and the incorporation of real historical characters combine to give this story a twist.  Oh, and I talk about catching salmon in 16^th century Scotland!

Salmon fishing in Tudor Scotland?

Did you know that salmon and other “red fish” were highly regulated at that time?  There is documentation over several hundred years of Scottish laws, some forbidding the sale of salmon to England.  These fish were even the subject of some clauses of international treaties!  Yet when I tried to discover how the trade actually worked, even my academic experts didn’t know.  No, this is not a book about the salmon trade.  Fishing enters the story in a much more personal context, but I love discovering these unfamiliar parts of history.  The print here (from a much later period) is of “leistering” salmon, which was going out at night and spearing them by torchlight.

Did you have any special challenges with this book?

I’m basically a pantser, not a plotter.  I rework a book through many drafts and change every time.  Often, I go back to layer in backstory or motivation for something that changed later in the story.  I was worried that I would get to book three and need to change something that was already set in stone in books one or two.  But I had a piece of advice from a fellow writer who said, leave things as open ended as possible.  I did, and it all worked out.

What in particular did you leave open ended?

The hero’s character, for one thing!  Black Rob appeared in the first two books and so had a pretty well developed persona by this time.  I made him the strong, silent type, partly so I wouldn’t back myself into a corner.  When it came time to write his story, I had to discover what lay behind the facade.  He turned out to be a much more interesting character than I had known.

And what about the heroine?

I had briefly introduced her, seen at a distance, in the first book, RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR.  I even had Black Rob keep his attention on her a little too long!  Stella Storwick is one of the more unusual characters I have written.  Something that happened to her as a child makes everyone treat her as special and different.  They give her deference and treat her with awe.  It sounds like an ideal life, until you have to live it.  And I was astounded to discover what she and Rob ultimately had in common.

You’ve got a free bonus starting this week, too, right?

Starting tomorrow, February 25, I’ll have a free, online read available on the Harlequin website (www.harlequin.com)  Wee Mary, one of the secondary characters from CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD, gets her own happy ending in TEMPTED BY THE BORDER CAPTAIN.  The story will be run as a serial, in twenty installments of a couple of pages each day.  This was a writing challenge, but one I enjoyed.  In the shorter length, I write a lighter story than my full-length fiction.  “Fun and flirty,” my editor called it, but she also said “very romantic.”  If you’ve never tried my work, this might be an easy way to start.

Oh, and one more thing!  I'll have a post here on Unusual Historicals on Tuesday on the Scandalous Affairs of Queen Margaret of Scotland.  She is appears off-stage in CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD and on-stage in TEMPTED BY THE BORDER CAPTAIN. She was the sister of Henry VIII of England and you can see the family resemblance!

TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL, was released in print in North America February 19.  Electronic and UK editions will be available March 1. 

One lucky reader who comments on today’s blog will be randomly selected to win a signed copy of RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR, CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD, or TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL.  Your choice!  

Blythe Gifford has been known for medieval romances featuring characters born on the wrong side of the royal blanket. Now, she’s written a Harlequin Historical trilogy set on the turbulent Scottish Borders of the early Tudor era.  The books are RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR, November 2012, CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD, January 2013, and TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL in March 2013.  The Chicago Tribune has called her work "the perfect balance between history and romance."  Visit her at www.blythegifford.com, www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford, www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford or on Twitter @BlytheGifford. 

Author photo by Jennifer Girard.  Cover Art Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited.  Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Guest Blog: Kathryn Kopple

This week, we’re welcoming historical fiction author Kathryn Kopple, whose title LITTLE VELASQUEZ takes readers to 15th century Spain and the court of the united Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel.Kathryn is here to talk about the novel and offer a copy to a lucky winner. Please leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win. Here's the blurb:

Five years of war between Castile and Portugal have come to an end.

A new queen, Isabel I, sits on the throne of Castile. Her consort, Fernando of Aragón, suspects that the child she is carrying is illegitimate. A dwarf by the name of Velasquillo journeys from the pestilent-stricken lands of Catalonia to the imperial city of Toledo in search of fame and fortune. He rises to the highest circles of power, where he learns what it means to sacrifice his will and dignity to the ambitions of great men and women.

Little Velásquez is a work of historical fiction set in 15^th century Spain, and a tragic-comedic exploration of political intrigue, religious persecution, foreign conquest, and personal exile.

**Q&A with Kathryn Kopple**

How did you become interested in writing about 15th century Spain?

I have a PhD in Latin American Literature with a minor in Spanish literature. I felt confident that, knowing so much of the history and being fluent in English and Spanish, I could take advantage of sources in both languages. The writing of the novel, however, proved more difficult. How does one translate a very complicated period in history into fictional form? It was a lot of trial and error, but I kept at it because the period in which the novel takes place (the thirteen years leading up to 1492) changed not only politics on the continent but the world.

Where did your sources come from and was the research difficult?

The research was a joy for me. Libraries are some of my favorite places. But when you are dealing with the Middle Ages and Renaissance history it’s important to realize that much of what was written (the chronicles) are not history in the modern sense of the word. Chronicles are not necessarily objective; they are homages for the most part and easily romanticized. I wanted to actually show that in the novel. I also thought it important to list all of my sources—historical and current research. 

Why did you make Velasquillo, a dwarf, the central protagonist?

It was serendipity to discover Velasquillo, who is an actual historical person. I found him in footnote and I began to imagine what could have brought him to the court of Isabel and Fernando. Also, it was wonderful to write from the “fool’s” point of view, but difficult to try to keep up with a character who is quick on his toes, a wit, and also perceptive enough to recognize the dangers and intrigue of palace life.

This is your first work of historical fiction. What were some of the difficulties you encountered turning history into fiction?

 I’m a very slow writer, and it’s not surprising that the book took seven years to research and write. The novel went through dozens of revisions. Some early feedback I received from editors caused me to smile. Remarks such as, “You’ve done a wonderful job with historical detail but what about the story?” To which, I can only say that the history will take on its own life as story in the writing process. I was very lucky to have a source that broke down Isabel’s court in meticulous detail:  household documents, how many pheasants were served at dinner, how the court prepared for foreign dignitaries, religious rituals, and more.

What are some of your favorite historical fiction titles?

The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa is a gem, and I recommend it to anyone. I also admire the works of Luis Alberto Urrea (The Hummingbird’s Daughter and Queen of America). And then there are Latin American writers such as Alejo Carpentier, Gabriel García Márquez, Carlos Fuentes, and many others.  

Do you write only novels—or do you work in other genres as well?

I am a translator of Latin American poetry and prose, and I’m currently revising a translation of La liebre de Marzo (The March Hare) by the Uruguayan poet Marosa di Giorgio in anticipation of the publication of her complete works. I also write essays, book reviews, and poetry. The Threepenny Review recently included my poem “Sloth” in its 2012 Fall issue. I’ve also published poetry in The Hummingbird Review, Philadelphia Stories, Sleet, 322 Review and Danse Macabre, among other magazines.

What is your favorite part of the novel?

Finishing. After seven years of research and writing, I felt that I had finally crossed an endless finishing line—and I hope the book, with its historical details, larger than life characters, and tears and laughter will take the reader across the finishing line as well.

Thank you, Kathryn, and best of luck with Little Velásquez.

Find Kathryn Kopple on Facebook and Twitter. 

Little Velásquez is available now.  

Excerpt Thursday: Little Velásquez by Kathryn Kopple

This week, we’re welcoming historical fiction author Kathryn Kopple, whose title LITTLE VELASQUEZ takes readers to 15th century Spain and the court of the united Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel. Join us Sunday, when Kathryn will be here to talk about the novel and offer a copy to a lucky winner. Here's the blurb:

Five years of war between Castile and Portugal have come to an end.

A new queen, Isabel I, sits on the throne of Castile. Her consort, Fernando of Aragón, suspects that the child she is carrying is illegitimate. A dwarf by the name of Velasquillo journeys from the pestilent-stricken lands of Catalonia to the imperial city of Toledo in search of fame and fortune. He rises to the highest circles of power, where he learns what it means to sacrifice his will and dignity to the ambitions of great men and women.

Little Velásquez is a work of historical fiction set in 15^th century Spain, and a tragic-comedic exploration of political intrigue, religious persecution, foreign conquest, and personal exile.

**An Excerpt from Little Velásquez**

Velasquillo had never received such a scrubbing. The maids rubbed his skin raw; the muck that fell off him blackening the bath, hot water scalding his scalp again and again. An ordeal worthy of the Santísima Inquisición, he grumbled, when not begging for mercy. One maid, a large woman with a dowager’s face, hauled him by his armpits out of the tub. Steam rose off his pink skin, water pooled on the stones around his feet. The other servant, also well past childbearing years, took a towel to him, running it vigorously up and down his legs.

“Careful!”

The maid glared at him. “Hold your tongue,” she scolded and then ordered him to turn around.

Velasquillo imagined that he would enjoy his rub far more at the hands of some young thing rather than this old woman. The marquesa’s women might know their business but he had not spied a pretty face among them. The one behind him had a wide, flat face, like a platter tarnished by age spots, and a large black mole on the side of her nose. Who would kiss that muzzle? His mule was more endearing.

Were all the marquesa’s women so homely? He’d seen farm girls with more to offer, and there was one in particular that he remembered. She had given him a fine time and, if he closed his eyes, he felt her hands on his bare chest, the roll of her hips underneath him.

Velasquillo had known his share of beautiful women.

Finishing him off with a swipe and a grunt, the maid looked him up and down and then beckoned the dwarf to follow her into a small room used for dressing.

The Moor now arrived, her arms loaded with garments. She was a remarkable beauty: her skin the color of cinnamon and eyes that were as green as a cat’s. A goddess she was, especially compared to

the old hags that attended him.

Velasquillo waited while the women pulled apart the pile of clothing.

“If I may—”

“No, you may not.” The platter-faced woman held up a pair of linen hosen and a blue tunic with puffed sleeves.

The dwarf tried again: “Good lady, do tell: where is my mount?”

“How should I know?”

“Poor mule! How I loved you.”

The old woman paid him no mind, and barked orders at the Moor instead. “Garters, laces. Don’t forget the underpants.”

“You see,” continued Velasquillo, “one moment I was engaged in most pleasant conversation with the Marquesa de Moya, and the next I was stripped of my belongings and flung into a tub, scrubbed with a horse brush and scalded with boiling water.”

No response.

Velasquillo went on: “My lot has not been an easy one. At the proud gates of Toledo, I was seized and stowed like a roast on market day in a blanket and flung on the back of a horse. When I emerged from under the blanket, I found myself in a dark room, with no windows, nothing but the cold floor, and the door bolted. Let me tell you: it was black as pitch in there. I pounded on the walls but, alas, no one heeded my calls. There I was, knowing not whether it was night or day, whether I was dead or alive.”

He sniffed. “I was on the verge of despair, when the door opened, but before I could speak, I was seized by the arms and dragged like an old carpet up and down many stairs, round dozens of corners. Am I always to be carted around this way?”

“Hold your tongue,” said the old woman. “You are giving me a headache.”

Dolores said nothing. Velasquillo wondered if the Moor were not mute. She handed him a pair of linen hosen and blue pantaloons. A shirt with wide cuffs followed. Velasquillo dressed quickly.

Indeed, these were the clothes of a prince! He imagined that he must cut a noble figure in garb so luxurious and soft. A far cry from the soiled woolens he’d worn only hours before. His luck had turned, he decided. His newly washed flesh quivered with excitement under his finery.

“Good,” said the old woman. “Now follow us,”

Velasquillo did as ordered and fell in line behind them.

Find Kathryn Kopple on Facebook and Twitter. 
Little Velásquez is available now. 

Guest Blog: Margaret Mallory

This week, we're welcoming regular contributor Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of THE SINNER, her second book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series. It is available now. Margaret is here to talk about her novel and give away a signed copy!

THE SINNER (THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS)

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can't prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE

Alex MacDonald is known for his skill as a warrior, his prowess with women, and his vow to never take a wife. But now his chieftain has asked him to make the ultimate sacrifice: wed Glynis MacNeil, a lass famed throughout the Highlands for her exquisite beauty-and defiant ways.


Familiar with heartbreak, Glynis refuses to fall for another handsome scoundrel. Yet when Alex's past sins force an unlikely union, Glynis gives in to temptation and becomes his wife. Will their newfound passion be strong enough to fight the enemy that threatens their home, their clan, and their very lives?

**Q&A with Margaret Mallory**

Can you tell us a bit about the historical setting of your new release, THE SINNER?

This the second book in my four-book series, THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS, which takes place in the wake of the Scots’ disastrous loss in 1513 to Henry VIII’s forces at the Battle of Flodden. In the first book, THE GUARDIAN, the four heroes return from France to find their king and chieftain dead, their clan in grave danger, a rebellion brewing, and factions fighting for control of the Crown.

In THE SINNER, my four MacDonald heroes have secured their clan’s castles and lands on the Sleat Peninsula of Skye, but their clansmen on their other lands are still in danger, the rebellion continues, and a new Regent is causing them trouble.

Alex MacDonald volunteers to become keeper of the clan’s crumbling castle on North Uist and to drive away the marauding pirates who have been harassing their clansmen there. Before he undertakes this critical task, however, Alex must travel across the Western Isles and to Edinburgh on behalf of his chieftain in an effort to appease first the rebels and then the new Regent.

So tell us a little about your hero and heroine.

Alex MacDonald is a charming and handsome warrior with a gift for storytelling and a sixth sense on the water. After watching his parents battle for years, he has no intention of ever marrying. He enjoys the company of women, in and out of bed, but he makes certain that the lasses he spends time with are only interested in a bit of fun. And yet, Alex can’t help being intrigued by—and wildly attracted to—the serious-minded Glynis MacNeil.

Glynis MacNeil, whose brief, disastrous marriage ended with her dirk in her philandering husband’s thigh, is every bit as opposed to marrying as Alex is. While the fiery attraction between them is undeniable, Glynis is certain she could never trust him to be faithful. And yet, when Glynis finds herself in trouble, Alex is the one man she turns to.

You often incorporate historical characters into your novels. Any particularly interesting ones in this new book?

My hero and heroine get caught in the conflict between the colorful chieftain, Lachlan Cattanach “Shaggy” Maclean, and his wife Catherine Campbell. I won’t say what happens here, but when Shaggy was murdered in bed in Edinburgh some years later, everyone assumed the dirk found in him belonged to a Campbell.

The Duke of Albany has my hero tossed into a cell in the bowels of Edinburgh Castle for a time. Albany, a Stewart who grew up in France and spoke neither Scots nor Gaelic, was called home from France to replace Margaret Tudor as Regent.

Finally, Antoine D’Arcy, nicknamed The White Knight, was a French nobleman and warrior with a shining reputation who came to Scotland with the new Regent. Naturally, The White Knight is the man I chose to vie with my sinner-hero for the heroine’s affections.

What’s next?

THE WARRIOR and THE CHIEFTAIN, books 3 and 4 of THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS, are up next. Readers can find more information about my books, including blurbs, excerpts, reviews, articles & book group discussion questions, on my website: www.MargaretMallory.com

Follow Margaret on Twitter or  Facebook
  

Thanks for telling us about your new release, THE SINNER!

I’d love to respond to comments!  I’ll give one of the commenters an autographed copy of THE GUARDIAN and a writing journal with the gorgeous cover of THE SINNER on the front.

Excerpt Thursday: The Sinner by Margaret Mallory

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming regular contributor Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of THE SINNER, her second book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series. It is available now. Join us Sunday, when Margaret will be here to talk about her novel and give away a signed copy!

THE SINNER (THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS)

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can't prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE

Alex MacDonald is known for his skill as a warrior, his prowess with women, and his vow to never take a wife. But now his chieftain has asked him to make the ultimate sacrifice: wed Glynis MacNeil, a lass famed throughout the Highlands for her exquisite beauty-and defiant ways.


Familiar with heartbreak, Glynis refuses to fall for another handsome scoundrel. Yet when Alex's past sins force an unlikely union, Glynis gives in to temptation and becomes his wife. Will their newfound passion be strong enough to fight the enemy that threatens their home, their clan, and their very lives? 

**An Excerpt from THE SINNER**'

“What were ye thinking, asking me to meet ye at this hour?” Alex said as he rammed the torch into the sconce on the wall.

“I’m glad ye came,” Glynis said.

“Ye gave me no choice,” he said. “I couldn’t have ye wandering around a castle full of warriors—half of them drunk— looking for me in the dark.”

Alex took a deep breath. He had wanted to say good-bye to her—and to explain about what she’d seen when she walked in on him and Catherine—but he didn’t have a lot of time.

“Why did ye want to see me?” he asked.

“When I talked with your friend Duncan this afternoon, he told me you’re going to Edinburgh.”

How had she’d gotten closemouthed Duncan to share their business with her?

“I want ye to take me with ye,” she said.

Alex could not have been more stunned if she’d sprouted fairy wings and flown over the pots and bags of grain in the storeroom. Just what was Glynis suggesting? His heart gave a big lurch as he considered the possibility that she might actually want to run off with him.

But it seemed so unlikely that he had to ask. “Why?”

“I’ve decided to live with my mother’s family in Edinburgh,” she said.

Alex waited for the relief he should feel upon learning that her request had nothing to do with him, but it didn’t come. A bad sign.

“Ye know verra well that I can’t just run off with ye across Scotland,” Alex said.

“Ye must,” she said, clenching her fists. “My da wants to marry me to Alain.”

Alex wanted to hit something. He didn’t have time for this, but he wanted to help her if he could. “Do ye know where your father is? I’ll speak with him.”

“Does my father strike ye as the sort of man who takes advice well?”

She had a point, but he said, “I can be verra persuasive.”

“So I’ve heard,” Glynis said with more than a touch of sarcasm. “But it will do no good. My father is too stubborn by half.”

As was his daughter. “Have ye considered a compromise with your father? Is there no man ye are willing to wed?”

Glynis gave her head a firm shake and folded her arms. “Ye said ye would be my friend.”

“Stealing a lass away from her father is no being a friend,” he said, though his words felt hollow. Her mother’s family could hardly do worse by her.

“Take me, Alexander Bàn MacDonald,” she said, her gray eyes turning to hard flint. “Or I’ll go tell the Maclean chieftain right now that I saw ye swiving his wife.”

“That wasn’t what it looked like!” Alex was so used to having committed whatever offense he was accused of that he hardly knew how to defend himself. “My clan needs ties to the Campbells, so I couldn’t offend her.”

“Ye sacrificed yourself for the sake of your clan, did ye?”

“I didn’t do what ye think,” Alex protested. “Though it wasn’t easy, mind ye.”

Judging from the grim line of her mouth, Glynis was not impressed with his forbearance.

“Catherine is close to her brothers,” he explained. “If you’ve forgotten, they are the Earl of Argyll and the Thane of Cawdor, so I had to be verra careful about how I told her nay.”

“It looked like ‘aye’ to me—your being naked and all.”

Ach, she was full of sarcasm tonight. Glynis took a step closer and tapped her finger against his chest. Despite the anger in her eyes, the point of her finger sent heat radiating through his body.

“How about I tell Shaggy Maclean what I saw and let him sort it out?” she asked.

God preserve him. If she went running to Shaggy with this tale now, none of the MacDonalds would escape tonight. Alex ran his hand through his hair. He could tie her up and leave her in the storeroom. But he didn’t like the idea of leaving Glynis helpless, not knowing how long she might lie here—or who might find her.

“If ye tell Shaggy, he’ll kill me,” Alex said, attempting to reason with her.

“It wouldn’t be my fault,” she said. “A man should pay for his sins.”

“Ye wouldn’t be that heartless,” he said, though Glynis was looking as if she damned well would. “And I’m telling ye, I didn’t sin with Catherine.”

Not this time, anyway.

“I’ll do what I must,” Glynis said with that stubborn look in her eyes. “There are hundreds of men here. My father won’t know it was you I left with, if that’s your concern.”

“The truth has a way of coming out.” Alex folded his arms across his chest. “Have ye thought of what your father will do if he finds out I’m the one who stole ye away? Angry as he would be, he’d demand a wedding.”

For the first time, Glynis looked uncertain. It grated on Alex that the possibility of being forced to wed him was the only part of her ridiculous plan that gave her pause.

“I’ll have to take the risk,” she said in a hard voice. “Now, do I go bang on Shaggy’s bedchamber door, or will ye take me?”

©

~~~

See Margaret's slide show for readers of photos from castles and settings that appear in THE SINNER here, then click on “show info” on the upper right for descriptions. Enjoy!

www.MargaretMallory.com

Guest Author: Margaret Mallory

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming regular contributor Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of THE GUARDIAN, her first book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series set in 1513. It is available in print and ebook May 1st. Join us Sunday, when Margaret will be here to talk about her novel and give away a signed copy!

Here's the blurb:

THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS: BOOK I

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can’t prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

PASSION IGNITED

After years of fighting abroad, Ian MacDonald comes home to find his clan in peril. To save his kin, he must right the wrongs from his past . . . and claim the bride he’s long resisted.

As a young lass, Sìleas depended on Ian to play her knight in shining armor. But when his rescue attempt compromised her virtue, Ian was forced to marry against his wishes. Five years later, Sìleas has grown from an awkward girl into an independent beauty who knows she deserves better than the reluctant husband who preferred war to his wife. Now this devilishly handsome Highlander is finally falling in love. He wants a second chance with Sìleas — and he won’t take no for an answer.

TOP PICK!  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½   Mallory’s “sensuous and highly passionate tale grabs the reader and doesn't let go. ~ RT Book Reviews.
 

Can you tell us a bit about the historical backdrop for your new release, THE GUARDIAN?

Most of the story takes place in the Western Isles of Scotland in 1513, shortly after the Scots’ disastrous loss to Henry VIII’s forces at the Battle of Flodden.  Ian MacDonald returns from France to find his king and his chieftain dead, his clan in grave danger, a rebellion brewing, and factions fighting for control of the crown.

So tell us a little about the relationship between your hero and heroine. 
 

When they were children, Ian was always having to rescue his young friend Sìleas from trouble. Sìleas is an awkward 13-year-old and Ian a handsome young warrior when she corners him into saving her yet again. When his good deed leads to a forced marriage, Ian is furious with her and sails for France as soon as the vows are said. Ian returns five years later intent of dissolving their false marriage…but he finds that nothing at home is the same as when he left, including Sìleas.

This is both an ugly-duckling story and a story of second chances.

You incorporate historical characters into your novels. Any particularly interesting ones in this new book?

I found so many intriguing historical figures in this period of Scottish history that it was a challenge not to overcrowd my book with them. Fortunately, THE GUARDIAN is the first in a four-book series so I’ll be able to bring more of these characters into later books.
 

When I discovered that the first chieftain of the MacDonalds of Sleat had six sons by six different women and that the animosity among the six half-brothers led to two generations of murder, I knew I had found my heroes’ clan. One of these half-brothers causes a lot of trouble in THE GUARDIAN.

I like to include a bit of royal politics, so I sent Sìleas and Ian on a journey to Stirling Castle. Margaret Tudor, who was queen of Scotland and the sister of Henry VIII of England, makes an unpleasant appearance there. Margaret’s husband, James IV, has just died in the Battle of Flodden at the hands of her brother’s forces. Despite being pregnant by her dead husband, Margaret has taken up with the young and handsome Douglas chieftain, whose interest is in controlling the crown.
 

What’s next?

THE SINNER, the second book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS, will be out Nov. 1^st.  By the way, readers will meet all four heroes in THE GUARDIAN.
 

Thanks for telling us about your new release, THE GUARDIAN!

I’d love to respond to comments!  I’ll give an autographed copy of THE GUARDIAN to one of the commenters.


Thank you, Margaret! Please leave a comment to win a free copy of Margaret's latest, THE GUARDIAN.

Margaret Mallory, named by Booklist as one of "the new stars of historical romance," is the award-winning author of the medieval series, All the King’s Men. Her newest release, THE GUARDIAN, received a TOP Pick,  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ TOP PICK review from RT Book Reviews.

Excerpt Thursday: Margaret Mallory

This week on Excerpt Thursday, we're welcoming regular contributor Margaret Mallory, as she celebrates the release of THE GUARDIAN, her first book in THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS series set in 1513. It is available in print and ebook May 1st. Join us Sunday, when Margaret will be here to talk about her novel and give away a signed copy!

Here's the blurb:

THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS: BOOK I

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can’t prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

PASSION IGNITED

After years of fighting abroad, Ian MacDonald comes home to find his clan in peril. To save his kin, he must right the wrongs from his past . . . and claim the bride he’s long resisted.

As a young lass, Sìleas depended on Ian to play her knight in shining armor. But when his rescue attempt compromised her virtue, Ian was forced to marry against his wishes. Five years later, Sìleas has grown from an awkward girl into an independent beauty who knows she deserves better than the reluctant husband who preferred war to his wife. Now this devilishly handsome Highlander is finally falling in love. He wants a second chance with Sìleas — and he won’t take no for an answer.

Here’s the Excerpt:

The room fell away as Ian stared at the young woman who stood in the glow of the firelight. Her hair was the most beautiful shade of red he had ever seen. It fell in gleaming waves and framed a face so lovely it squeezed his heart to look at her.

When she lifted her gaze and met his, the air went out of him.  There was something very familiar about this lovely, green-eyed lass, but Ian could not place her.

“Ian.” Alex jabbed him in the ribs.

Ian knew he should stop staring at her, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Hmmph,” Alex grunted as he pushed past Ian. He strode across the room and greeted the young woman with a kiss on her cheek, as if he knew her well.  “Ach, you are a sight to behold,” Alex said. “If I were your husband, Sìleas, ye can be sure I wouldn’t have kept ye waiting a single day.”

Sìleas? Ian shook his head. Nay, this could not be…

The young woman was nothing like the scrawny thirteen-year-old he remembered. Instead of gawky limbs and pointed elbows, she had graceful lines and rounded curves that made his throat go dry.

 “Welcome home,” the young woman said to Alex in the kind of throaty voice a man wanted to hear in the dark.

 “Ye two must be hungry after your travels. Come, Sìleas, let us get these men fed,” his mother said, taking the lass by the arm. His mother gave him a wide-eyed look over her shoulder, the kind she used to give him when he was a lad and had committed some grievous error in front of company.

When Ian started to follow the two women to the table, Alex hauled him back. “Are ye an idiot?” Alex hissed in his face. “Ye didn’t even greet Sìleas. What’s the matter with ye?”

“Are ye sure that’s Sìleas?” Ian said, leaning to the side so he could see past Alex to the red-haired lass.

“Of course it is, ye fool,” Alex said. “Did ye no hear your mam just say her name?”     

  From the corner of his eye, Ian saw the back of Sìleas’s skirt disappearing up the stairs. It occurred to him he had the right to follow her up and take her to bed. Tonight. Right now. Before supper, if he wanted. And again, after. The part of him between his legs was giving him an emphatic “Aye!”

His reaction startled him. For five long years, he had planned to end the marriage as soon as he returned. He’d harbored not a single doubt.

But he made that plan before she turned into this enchanting lass with curves that would have him dreaming of her naked as soon as he closed his eyes.

Aye, he most definitely wanted to take Sìleas to bed. Any man would. The question, however, was whether he wanted her to be the last woman he ever took to his bed.

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Margaret Mallory, named by Booklist as one of "the new stars of historical romance," is the award-winning author of the medieval series, All the King’s Men. Her newest release, THE GUARDIAN, received a TOP Pick,  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ TOP PICK review from RT Book Reviews.