Readers, thank you for joining me today for my first author interview (totally doing the happy dance!). Please welcome the fabulous Maire Claremont on the blog today as we talk about why she writes, a little about her latest release Lady in Red and some of her favorite things. A lucky one of you will receive a $10 Amazon gift card so make sure to post (contest is international).
RRG: Can you tell us what inspired your Mad Passion series?
MC: Lady Eva Carin from The Dark Lady. She popped into my head and adamantly insisted that I write her story. Seriously, I was in bed trying to sleep and she wouldn’t stop showing me this heart rending scene. So, I got up and wrote it. That was the beginning and then I was swept away into that world.
RRG: When did you realize you wanted to write and why historicals?
MC: True Confessions Time. I was eighteen. I’d devoured just about every Johanna Lindsay book and Julia Quinn novel. I was convinced romance writers ate bon bons and lived fabulous lives. It seemed a good career choice. ;D
RRG: Who are some of your favorite heroes and heroines in romance novels?
MC: That’s a brutal question. My ultimate historical Heros are:
The Duke of Jervaux from Laura Kinsale’s Flowers From the Storm. He’s just out of this world in his dark fabulousness.
The Duke of Auburn from Meredith’s Duran’s Duke of Shadows.
Dageus MacKeltar from Karen Marie Moning’s The Dark Highlander. I love them tortured and he’s so deliciously bad and good.
RRG: When not writing what do you like to do?
MC: My VERY favorite thing is to travel. I could probably live out of a suit case and be happy. I adore reading in the bath tub. Seriously, I could spend hours. I’m also a big movie fan. I adore period films.
RRG: Please tell us about your highly anticipated book Lady in Red.
MC: Lady Mary, daughter of the Duke of Duncliffe, has been locked in the asylum by her father. So, instead of being the toast of London she’s battling to stay alive, fight off her laudanum addiction and escape the asylum. Once she does escape, she meets another duke, Edward Barrons, a hero who will do anything to save her. Together they discover that while the path of vengeance seems to be the only way to find a peace, love ultimately is the answer.
FUN FACTS:
The Victorian era was full of majestic beauty and scandalous secrets—a time when corsets were the least of a woman’s restrictions, and men could kill or be killed in the name of honor…Lady Mary Darrel should be the envy of London. Instead, all society believes her dead. For Mary holds a secret so dangerous, her father chose to keep her locked away…and have a grave made for her near her mother’s. Driven to the edge of desperation, Mary manages to escape the asylum, only to find that her fate yet again rests in the hands of a man…Edward Barrons, Duke of Fairleigh, longs for some way to escape the torment of his father’s crimes. In Mary’s warrior spirit and haunted gaze—which so mirrors his own—he finally sees his path to redemption. He will stop at nothing to keep her safe, even as she seeks revenge. But will the passion they discover in each other be enough to save them from their demons?
Bio:
2011 Golden Heart winner Máire Claremont first fell in love with Mr. Rochester, not Mr. Darcy. Drawn to his dark snark, she longed to find a tortured hero of her own… until she realized the ramifications of Mr. Rochester locking his first wife up in his attic. Discovering the errors of her ways, Máire now looks for a real-life Darcy and creates deliciously dark heroes on the page. Oh, and she wants everyone to know her name is pronounced Moira. Her parents just had to give her an Irish Gaelic name.
Links:
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Buy Links:
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More About The Book
Romance Reader Girl
Any release by Maire is a cause to do a happy dance!! I am reading this right now and am IN AWE of the amazing writing and emotion contained in this book! Tweeted and shared
I agree! I will be reading this one again for sure. Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Happy Wednesday! 🙂
Nancy, you are SO sweet. I appreciate your comments so much, and you’re such an awesome cheerleader. Can’t wait to hear your final thoughts.
I loved the first book and can’t wait to read the second. Thanks for the giveaway offer!
If you loved the first book you will love the second. Thank you for stopping by and posting!! 🙂
Hi Maria,
Its so wonderful to hear you loved The Dark Lady and that you’re eager to follow Mary into her happily ever after. xoxo
As a new participant to the game of reading to the point of being anti-social I am very excited to check out the darker side of life! I will be getting this book and from the description is sounds fantastic! Thank you for sharing your world, Maire! And thank you for posting the interview, Romance Reader Girl! Loved it!
Jessica, thank you for stopping by and posting. This book and series is awesome! I encourage you to pick it up. 🙂
Hi Jessica,
Yes, please! Come take a walk on the dark side. 😀 Its so great you stopped by. Romance Reader Girl rocks. 😀
Maire, Lindsey told me I MUST read your amazing books and she has generously sent me The Dark Lady (safely received, Lindsey) and Lady in Red is also on it’s way. I have The Dark Lady listed among my October reads!
Carol- I hope the books arrive soon. Thank you for posting and sharing. 🙂
Carol,
Lindsey is absolutely amazing to spread the word as she does. I’m so lucky to have her as a reader and now a friend. I hope you LOVE the series.
Sounds like a great read!!
Thanks for the chance to win!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
Thanks for stopping by Natasha!! It is a great read. 🙂
I can’t wait to read it! I have some review books to go through but after them I’m starting it!
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!
Why thank you. 😀 I’m glad to hear Lady in Red has made your list. Sounds like you do a lot of reading, so what an honor. ;D
Thanks! I read a lot 😀
BTW I love the cover! Is there a scene where she[Mary] wore the dress?
I can’t wait to see how Mary escapes and how she meets the hero.
What a wonderful review!! I tweeted.
Thanks Ella!
Hi Ella,
Lindsey is amazing, and I’m so glad she loved it. Thank you for tweeting. 😀
I am still fascinated by Mr. Rochester. There is something about dark heroes
Dark heroes are delicious! Thanks for stopping by!
Oooh. Me too. I do still love him, even if I might think twice about marrying him. ;D And I completely agree. Dark heroes are AWESOME.
Nice interview
Thank you for stopping by!! 🙂
I will pick a winner on Saturday morning (PST)!! 🙂
The winner is alinutza4u!!!
Thank you all for posting and do I hope you all read Maire Claremont’s Lady in Red as well as The Dark Lady. Both fabulous reads.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Happy Reading,
Romance Reader Girl