Radio Interview: Linnea Sinclair and Jerri Smith-Ready/Print Interview: Ann Tracy Marr

Interview: Jun 19, 2009

Don't miss this weeks podcasts from What's Hot in Romance. The Featured guests are authors Linnea Sinclair and Jerri Smith-Ready. Be sure to tune in every Monday night for the live broadcast from 9:30 - 10:30 pm est at Blog Talk Radio

That's right, What's Hot In Romance internet radio show is on Blog Talk Radio, where our host Cat Johnson has a full schedule of not to be missed romance authors in every genre. So please tune in to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whats-hot-in-romance at 9:30 pm est.

RT09 with Linnea Sinclair and Jerri Smith-Ready

Wildfire would like to welcome author Ann Tracy Marr.

Ann Tracy Marr

Julie: Can you explain the premise of your books? I am confused -- You write Regency romance, but King Arthur and Merlin keep popping up, and they are not a part of the Regency.

Ann: You are not alone in being confused. The series is pegged as paranormal Regency romance, yet readers stumble along until they get the idea. To quote the line I use promoting the books: "Twist legend into truth." The legend is that of King Arthur, the Round Table, Merlin� elements of the Arthurian legends. The truth? They are not legend. Arthur established the kingdom of Britain which is still in existence in the early 1800's, the Round Table rules the kingdom, and Merlin's magic is very real. The Regency is much as Jane Austen would remember, with Lady Jersey running Almack's and Prinny buying loads of art to decorate with, but I enhanced the era.

America has George Washington as part of its history. George doesn't get mentioned often, but if someone comments about chopping down cherry trees, the reference to good old George pops into your head. Well, in my Regency era, Merlin is as important as George. Chaperones won't mention him often, but those cues float around a duke's ballroom reminding the reader that this is an alternate Regency era. To me, the best part of this alternate reality is that magic exists. It is not common and people do not like it, but it can be used for good.

Julie: How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?

Ann: I started writing when my oldest daughter was in ninth grade. She's a CPA now, so let's see, it has been one -- no, two -- geez, I started writing donkey years ago. I can still remember why I wrote my first book, though. I devour Regencies and had finished yet another story where the hero was being noble and not offering for the girl he loved because he wasn't good enough for her. The girl, the only heroine in sight, was burying her love for the hero because� get the idea? Book after book, it was the same plot. I wanted to come up with something different.

Julie: What influenced you to get published? How long did it take for your first book to get published?

Ann: Go back to the prior answer and don your imagination. My daughter was in ninth grade and college was only four years away. I was so brilliant, I was going to finance her schooling by sitting at the keyboard once in a while allowing marvelous prose to flow effortlessly from my inventive mind into a computer file. At the end of her sophomore year, I started sending out queries on my marvelous, brilliantly written Regency romance. Sometime around Easter the next year, I started revising. And sometime around her senior year in the college that rivals Harvard and Yale for tuition rates, my first book was published. Money is a great motivator; agents and editors should try living on my income. Oddly enough, my failures failed to dim my love for writing.

Julie: What are the elements of a great romance for you?

Ann: Can I be completely different? I love Johnny Depp for his lighthearted portrayal of a tormented pirate named Sparrow. The supremely arrogant Mr. Darcy as played by any actor makes my heart jump. I want to kidnap Stephanie Lauren's Devil Cynster. Notice anything? I don't care much about the women. To me a great romance has a wonderful, more than lifelike hero, probably because I can imagine myself as any reasonable heroine. I don't care about dark moments, psychological meandering, or most of the elements editors supposedly look for in a romance. I want a story that makes sense and a man to dream of. Which reminds me� I want to make my next leading lady a blonde Barbie Doll. In Regency terms, she will be a want-witted ninnyhammer. Then she can do all the stupid things that drive me crazy, yet there will be a man who likes her. That is how much I like the hero.

Julie: What do you feel is the most important element in your stories?

Ann: The most important element of any romance is the character of the lovers. If you don't have two people who can walk off the page and entice you to go out to dinner with them, you don't have a book people will want to read. It isn't easy to make that couple crawl from the writer's head onto the page either. Ideally, Chapter One begins with two individuals who were born, grew up, and developed as real people in another somewhere. In actuality, when I type Chapter One, I start writing about two strangers. Come Chapter Three, I know more about them and I am comfortable showing the reader their actions and reactions. That is not good enough. I have to go back to Chapter One and let their personalities -- their lives -- drip into the story. Curiously, my experience is that the female of the couple is more alive in my first draft. I have to give the hero twice as many character traits, twice as much oomph, to make him come alive.

My daughter's answer differs. She wants me to connect every plot device to the main plot as Agatha Christie did. If the heroine mentions a pair of gloves, they need to be central to the romance. I think I should have drowned her at birth.

Julie: What do you hope readers get from your books?

Ann: It all depends on how much a reader wants to think. If you are looking for an easy escape from reality, you can walk away from my books with a smile on your face. There's no burning issues to face, only a group of people to get to know and a girl and guy who end up liking each other enough to get married. If you want to dig down just a little, you can search for the hints of the Celtic culture and the subtle changes I have introduced to the Regency era. And if you want to hit yourself over the head, each of my books has a subplot based on a terrible issue of the twenty-first century that make newspaper headlines scream.

Julie: If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

Ann: Three books to choose from: which should you read first? How about three answers?

Read Round Table Magician first. It was the first book I published, with the most heart in it, I think. Something clicked with Lord Brinston and Lady Martha in Round Table Magician that will forever make them special. The plus factor: the Banshee Brigade has a leading role and I can't get enough of them.

Read Thwarting Magic first. Although the three books comprise a series, each stands alone, with minor exceptions. If you care about strict chronology, Thwarting Magic is the earliest in time. I have a real fondness for Adrian Hughes; everything conspires against him, especially fate, yet he lifts his chin and does what is right. The plus factor: holes in the atmosphere is a brilliant plot device, not black magic.

Read To His Mistress first. This was my first story, but last published because I figured out that I needed to improve my writing skills before I could do justice to the concept. The hero starts out as a villain in the eyes of the heroine and it takes her a whole book to understand, appreciate, and come to love him. I worried that it might not work, but it does, oh so very well. The plus factor: she is not a bimbo Barbie Doll, but the heroine is delightfully clueless.

Ann Tracy Marr gets so wrapped up in the Regency era that she forgets people want to know something about her. She admits to being fiftyish, which puts her firmly on the Dowager's bench at Almack's. There is a husband entailed to her estate and two unmarried daughters old enough to have made their curtseys to the queen but not so aged as to be considered on the shelf. To put syllabub on the table and keep her daughters in the highest kick of fashion Marr tinkers with the devil's invention, computers. In plain English, Marr has a husband and two daughters on the brink of or (gasp) in adulthood. Her day job is computer consulting.

Backlist:
Thwarting Magic, Awe-Struck E-books
Round Table Magician, Awe-Struck E-books
To His Mistress, Awe-Struck E-books

Coming Soon:
Banishing Darkness, Awe-Struck E-books

Links:
Website

If you would like to request an interview, please send a query to info@allromanceebooks.com

Until next time!
Julie Cummings
Wildfire Interview Coordinator
All Romance eBooks

A Welcome Surprise by Missy Jane
This story is rated 4 flames. Frequent, explicit love scenes described using graphic and direct language.

I watched from the open doorway as he glided across the room, all sinuous grace and masculinity. No one moved quite like Jareth, with a controlled strength that drew all eyes to him. I'd never believed a man could walk like that outside a romance novel, but he was living proof that many of my fantasies could be made flesh and blood. I stayed in the shadows as my eyes followed him from one group to the next, ever the attentive host. We were celebrating his birthday after all. The look of surprise on his face when he stepped into the room was worth every hour I'd spent planning the shindig behind his well-toned back.

I was about to tear my eyes away from Jareth and head in for a drink when he suddenly turned and spied me. Our eyes locked, and his face broke into the dimpled grin that always makes my knees weak. I thought I smiled back, but even now I can't be sure. My heartbeat sped up as he made his way toward me, and I found myself glancing around nervously for a means of escape.

"Hey, sweetheart, I believe I have you to thank for this gathering."

I looked up, to compensate for the difference between my petite five-two height as opposed to his six-foot frame. He was smiling at me and shaking his head slowly.

"Lydia, you know I hate surprises. What on earth possessed you to do this?"

That's when I noticed the strain in his smile and the heat of his emerald gaze. He was not at all happy with me and I felt a sudden pain in my chest at the realization.

"I'm sorry, Jareth. It's been so long since you've seen most of these people. I thought you'd be happy everyone could get together."

He sighed and ran a hand through his thick black hair.

"I don't want to be with everyone tonight, Lydia. I just want to be with you."

All rational thought fled as I tried to digest his words. We'd been friends for three years and he'd never shown a romantic interest...or so I thought.

"Um�"

"Come on," he said as he grabbed my hand and led me toward my bedroom. "We need to have a discussion in private.
I could hear the irritation in his voice more clearly and had to fight the sting of tears. All I wanted was to please him, but more often than not the things I did to make him happy only angered him, if he noticed at all.

"I'm sorry, Jareth."

He must have heard something in my voice, because he abruptly stopped and turned back toward me. He looked at my face for a moment before running a fingertip down my cheek. That's when I realized a couple of tears had slipped out.

"Baby, why are you crying? I'm not angry with you. I just had a bad day and I was looking forward to an evening alone with you, that's all."

"Oh. O-okay."

I took a deep breath and tried to pull myself together. Suddenly I was in Jareth's arms and his warm lips were pressed against mine. I sighed into his mouth, which he took as an invitation to explore while I melted against him. I felt him moving backwards, and suddenly we were in my bedroom and he was blindly shutting the door. I heard the turn of the lock and felt my knees go weak.

"Jareth," I whispered breathlessly, trying to convey all of my feelings in his name alone.

"God, Lydia. I want you so bad. If this isn't what you want you need to tell me now. Once I see you naked I'm won't be able to stop."

I whimpered against his lips as he slipped his hands beneath my t-shirt.

"J-Jareth, your guests�"

"I don't give a damn about them. If they notice us missing they'll eventually get the hint and leave."

He kissed a path down my neck even as he raised my shirt over my shoulders. I felt the loss of his lips as he moved away to remove my shirt. I shivered, but he pulled me back into his arms before the cold could penetrate. His warm skin against mine caught me by surprise and I gasped, shocked that he'd removed his shirt so quickly. He was kissing me again while unbuttoning my jeans. I was holding onto his shoulders for dear life. My knees felt too weak to hold me up.

Within heartbeats we were both naked and I was more than a little self-conscious. I wasn't worried so long as he held me against him, but then he lifted and carried me to my bed, placing me gently in the center. When he moved back to admire the view, I immediately tried to cover myself with my hands. He chuckled and took my hands in his, pulling them away slowly as he looked over his prize. The desire in his eyes left me panting and I wanted to pinch myself to be sure it wasn't a dream.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Lydia. You have no idea how long I've dreamed of having you like this, exposed for my enjoyment."

"I-I didn't know."

He looked into my eyes and gave me a sweet smile I couldn't help but return.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry if I seemed to blow you off, but I swear I've wanted you for a long time."

Before I could ask him to elaborate, he covered me with his body and all rational thought fled. The sensation of his skin rubbing against mine brought tears to my eyes and I moaned into his mouth as he continued to kiss me. It felt like he kissed me everywhere, leaving my skin tingling from head to toe. My eyes tried to drift shut and I fought to keep them open, not wanting to miss a second of him on top of me. I ran my hands over his broad shoulders and down his biceps, reveling in the strength there. He was everything I'd ever wanted and thought I'd never have.

"Jareth."

I moaned his name, still trying to convince myself this wasn't a dream. He smiled down at me while pulling one of my legs over his hip.

"Ready, baby? I need you so much, Lydia� I love you."

I gasped as he slid into me with one smooth thrust. He took over my mouth again before I could respond to his declaration and his gentle thrusts quickened. Before long I was panting and grabbing at him frantically as he gripped my hips for his possession. I wasn't very experienced, but it had never been like this. I felt my climax approaching like a freight train, with an almost frightening intensity.

"Jareth, Jareth�"

I panted his name like a mantra as the wave crested and I experienced the most intense orgasm of my life. Two thrusts later he growled before I felt his warmth flood me. We were both gasping for breath as he leaned on his elbows, his face buried in my neck. I felt him inhale my scent and rubbed my hands over his back, hugging him to me.

"Oh, that was�"

I was at a loss for words. He chuckled and I felt it reverberate through me.

"Amazing. Glorious. Mind-blowing. Earth shattering. Did I miss any?"

He raised himself up and looked down at me. The smile on his face was perfect. He looked happier than I'd ever seen him.

"I don't think so," I replied.

"Me either. Except perfect and unforgettable."

This time I laughed.

"Yeah, those fit too."

"You are perfect and unforgettable. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to realize it, sweetheart."

I blushed and looked away.

"That's okay. I'm just glad you finally did."

He nuzzled my neck and sighed in contentment, making me feel warm and cherished. We were still joined intimately and I wrapped my legs around him. I opened my mouth to suggest a shower when someone started banging on my door.

"Jareth! You asshole, are you in there? Bastard! I heard you two in there. Everyone could hear you."

I cringed at the voice of my nightmares, Pamela, Jareth's ex-girlfriend. She continued to bang on the door as Jareth sighed and slowly pulled away from me. I wanted to cry, but settled for wrapping my blanket around me and turning to face the wall. I heard Jareth pull on his jeans, but kept my back turned as he went to the door.

"Pamela, what the hell do you want? You aren't even supposed to be here."

"Of course I am, baby, it's your birthday. You know I always give you something special on your birthday."

Jareth snorted and I heard a commotion, but couldn't bring myself to turn and watch. I imagined him following her into the hallway where she would wrap her perfect body around him. He would then shut the door and leave with her as if what happened between us never occurred. I was so convinced that would happen that his next words shocked the hell out of me.

"Hey, Bri, a little help? Thanks. While you're at it can you tell everyone else the party is over? Thanks, man, I owe you one."

"Jareth! Jareth, you can't want to stay with her. I know you want me."

Pamela's screams became muffled as my bedroom door closed and I heard Brian's voice in the hallway. Next I heard the lock turn, telling me Jareth was still in the room. My relief was so great, tears sprang into my eyes and I quickly wiped them away. I heard him walk into my bathroom and turn on the water in the sink. He shut it off and a few seconds later I felt the bed move.

"Come here, baby. Let me clean my mess."

His comment startled me and I realized we'd forgotten something really important. I rolled onto my back and looked up at him.

"You didn't wear a condom."

He gave me a small smile and simply nodded as he pulled the blanket off of me. After wiping me quite thoroughly, he returned the washcloth to the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down into my eyes.

"Lydia, I'm sorry about Pam. It's been over for almost a year. I don't even know how that psycho bitch found out about the party."

I smiled as the tightness in my chest eased.

"That's okay. I'm not worried about her."

"Good. Now, I have something for you. I know it's my birthday, but I brought you a present."

"You did?"

I looked up into his mischievous grin with surprise as he reached into his pocket and brought out a small black box. This time I knew I wouldn't be able to stop my tears as Jareth got down on one knee on the side of the bed. I sat up, suddenly unmindful of my nakedness, and pushed the blankets out of the way to get to him. He opened the box and revealed the most beautiful diamond ring I'd ever seen. It wasn't a huge stone, which I hate, or so small no one would notice. It was absolutely perfect.

"Lydia Jean Magill, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

I was already crying so hard I could barely see and my throat was tight with tears. I simply nodded and threw myself into his arms, sobbing like a baby.

"That's a yes, right?" he asked with a laugh as he held me tight to his chest.

"Y-y-yes�yes, yes."

He kissed me senseless again and I eventually calmed down enough for him to slide the ring onto my finger. We made love all night long and I finally confessed that I'd always been in love with him. He just smiled and said, "I know, I just had to be sure. You know how I hate surprises."

Ms. Missy Jane is the alter ego of a Texas mother of four who has been married to the same wonderful man for thirteen years. Missy spends most of her time lost in worlds of her own making alternately loving and hating such creatures as vampires, shape-shifters and gargoyles (to name a few). When not writing, she spends her time reading, taking photos of her beautiful daughters and training her husband to believe she's always right. Excerpts from Missy's work can be found at www.msmissyjane.com. Missy's first book, They Call me Death is published by Samhain Publishing.

Sent: Jun 20, 2009

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