Let us start with a basic question, when did you first start reading romance?
Mia:I’m sort of a late bloomer. I’d been married for a while when my mom put THE WOLF AND THE DOVE into my hands. Needless to say, Kathleen Woodiwiss hooked me. Before that, I was a Victoria Holt/ Mary Stewart devotee.
In your opinion, what is timeless about historical romances?
Mia: I think it’s the “take me away” quality. When we slip into the heroine’s slippers, not only do we get a chance to fall in love with a dangerous alpha male, we get to live in a totally different world.
When it comes to research and the setting of your books, do you weave your story from history, (facts that intrigue you), or think of a story and then insert it into history?
I want a hero and heroine who love each other sacrificially.
Mia: Usually, a historical tidbit or a vivid period painting will give me an idea for a character and that’s how my stories start. In the case of WAKING UP WITH A RAKE, I ran across a tabloid article about the “Hymen Race Terrific.” I thought I’d misread it at first, but that’s what the gossip rags of the regency called the frantic efforts of the younger sons of King George to sire a legitimate heir to the throne. If the Dukes of Clarence, Cambridge and Kent were so intent on wedding and bedding, I reasoned that someone might not want them to succeed. It was a short step to envision my three royal rakes who’d come between the princes and their intendeds.
What do you think that Connie Mason brings to the table that makes your book collaborations richer?
Mia: Where do I start? Connie’s been crafting love stories since the 1980’s so she knows a thing or two about romance. She’s also been a champion of unusual settings which is why our previous collaborative works have been set in Scandinavia (LORD OF FIRE AND ICE), Scotland (SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER) and pre-revolutionary war Bermuda (LORD OF DEVIL ISLE), of all places. Fortunately, Connie’s fans will follow her anywhere!
How to you like your heroes and heroines to be?
Mia :I like my heroes large and in charge and my heroines feisty enough to take them down a peg.
Who’s your favorite character in Waking Up with a Rake?
Mia: I really love Lord Rhys Warrington. He’s the quintessential wounded hero, having come back from his stint in the military with nightmarish flashbacks—what we’d call PTSD today. He’s been estranged from the cold, distant father he could never please and tries to live down to his wicked reputation. But when he meets Olivia, he begins to long for something more than a never ending bacchanalia.
Please tell us five fun facts about the Regency Rakes Trilogy that readers would love to know!
1. The heroes have mad bed skills!
2. The heroines may be virgins, but none of them are pudding-headed debutantes!
3. There’s bit of a mystery tucked into each story. In WAKING UP WITH A RAKE, someone is trying to kill Olivia. In ONE NIGHT WITH A RAKE (June 2013), the hero and heroine discover who’s strangling whores in Covent Garden. And in BETWEEN A RAKE AND A HARD PLACE (January 2014) the three heroes finally uncover the real traitor who caused them to lead their men into a disastrous ambush during the war with the French.
4. Each story is filled with all the Regency details readers love—house parties, balls, glittering dinners and trysts in unexpected places.
5. Witty banter is the order of the day!
What are you currently working on?
Romance is the delicate dance between two souls.
Mia: Just finished BETWEEN A RAKE AND A HARD PLACE, so that excessive panting you hear is just me catching my breath. Next September, my new Spirit of the Highlands series from Kensington will kick off with PLAID TO THE BONE, followed by PLAID TIDINGS (a delicious Scottish Christmas story!) in October, so I’m finishing up the tweaks for those now. And then it’s time to start brainstorming a new cast of characters and a new series premise. That’s always a fun time because anything can happen.
What are you reading right now and what’s the last book you read that you loved and would recommend to my readers?
Mia: I’m actually reading outside the romance genre right now—Ken Follet’s WORLD WITHOUT END. It’s a doorstop of a book set in a medieval cathedral town. For my recommended read, I’d have to say Isobel Cooper’s NO PROPER LADY. I was intrigued with her blend of Victorian magic and mysticism and paranormal time travel elements.
What makes a romance novel a great love story and how would you define “romance”?
Mia: Definitely the characters. Unless I care about the hero and heroine, it doesn’t matter if the book is tightly plotted and prose sings. I want a hero and heroine who love each other sacrificially.
Romance is the delicate dance between two souls. It’s the miracle of someone being able to say, “I know you, through and through, and I still won’t turn away.”
Thanks for having me here today! If readers would like to connect with me, they can find me at http://www.miamarlowe.com, Facebook or Twitter.
***
Waking Up with a Rake
(The Royal Rakes, #1)
by Connie Mason, Mia Marlowe
January 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
The Fate of England’s Monarchy Is In The Hands of Three Notorious Rakes.
To prevent three royal dukes from marrying their way onto the throne, heroic, selfless agents for the crown will be dispatched…to seduce the dukes’ intended brides. These wickedly debauched rakes will rumple sheets and cause a scandal. But they just might fall into their own trap…
After he’s blamed for a botched assignment during war, former cavalry officer Rhys Warrick turns his back on “honor.” He spends his nights in brothels doing his best to live down to the expectations of his disapproving family. But one last mission could restore the reputation he’s so thoroughly sullied. All he has to do is seduce and ruin Miss Olivia Symon and his military record will be cleared. For a man with Rhys’s reputation, ravishing the delectably innocent miss should be easy. But Olivia’s honesty and bold curiosity stir more than Rhys’s desire. Suddenly the heart he thought he left on the battlefield is about to surrender…
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | Chapters/Indigo | IndieBound | Sourcebooks | Discover a New Love
Connie Mason is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels. She was named Storyteller of the Year in 1990 and received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews in 1994. She currently lives in Florida. Mia Marlowe is a highly acclaimed new voice in romance whose debut novel released in Spring 2011 from Kensington. She lives in Boston, MA. Together, they are working on the next book in the Royal Rakes series, Romanced By a Rake, which will be in stores in June 2013. For more information, please visit http://www.conniemason.com/ and http://miamarlowe.com.
US and Canada only - Ends Jan 22nd
One lucky commenter will win a papercopy of Waking Up with a Rake! No need to leave your email =)
GOOD LUCK!
*
57 comments
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Carin W
January 16, 2013 at 11:05 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Mia I love the books you have written with Connie and I can’t wait for the WIP you have going on now! Thanks Carin
Carin W recently posted..SUSPENSE book tour by JOAN HALL HOVEY
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 6:54 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Carin. We’ve had a ball working together!
Gracie ONeil
January 16, 2013 at 11:05 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
What a **hoot** of premise for the series, Mia and Connie! Can’t wait to read it when it gets to my side of the world.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 6:55 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
What side of the world is that, Gracie?
Gracie ONeil
January 17, 2013 at 10:30 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I’m in New Zealand, Mia. Aotearoa–Land Of The Long White Cloud. Home of Hobbits, Wizards, Elves, and the occasional Orc. When are you coming to visit?
May
January 16, 2013 at 11:56 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like a great series!
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 6:57 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, May.
JeanMP
January 16, 2013 at 12:17 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like a great series, can’t wait to read it.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 6:58 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
The premise was tailor made for three heroes since there were three royal dukes.
Joanne B
January 16, 2013 at 12:35 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Congrats on the new release. Waking Up With a Rake sounds fantastic. Can’t wait to read it. Loved your five fun facts. Thanks for the great interview.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:00 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Joanne. I hope the fact that we’ve tucked a mystery into our romances is your fav.
Karin Anderson
January 16, 2013 at 12:47 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks for the interview! I love getting into an author’s head.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:00 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sometimes it feels there’s nothing left to rattle around in there!
Karen H in NC
January 16, 2013 at 1:15 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I’ve read other stories by both these talented authors and I am looking forward to reading this latest book by them. Tanks for the giveaway.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:01 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
What kind words! Thanks, Karen.
alisha woods
January 16, 2013 at 1:16 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Love Mia’s books
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:02 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
You make me smile, Alisha!
Lily B
January 16, 2013 at 2:41 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
your book looks amazing! third time I seen it today and its becoming more and more tempting. Love the cover too btw.
Lily B recently posted..Cover Reveal: Hereafter (Hereafter #3)
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:03 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Third time’s the charm, they say!
Alexandrea Ward
January 16, 2013 at 5:11 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Ok, I know I’m not the only that’s excited about this book. These covers are getting by the release. Can’t wait to see who will win. Thanks for having this giveaway.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:05 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
The book is actually pretty exciting, Alexandrea. What’s a girl to do when a rake insists on sleeping in her bedchamber, for her protection, of course!
Diane P. Diamond
January 16, 2013 at 7:02 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I love it when you and Connie put your heads together, and come up with another great book.
It’s funny that you should mention Kathleen Woodiwiss. I’ve just finished reading her book “The Flame and The Flower”, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you for this chance to win “Waking Up With a Rake”.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:07 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
My friend Bobbie Smith was writing at the same time as Kathleen and she remembers how hard it was to turn in those 600+ page books!
ki pha
January 16, 2013 at 7:18 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Excited~! I cannot wait to read this book. It looks and sounds amazing~! Thanks so much.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:08 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hi ki! Good luck!
Mel Bourn
January 16, 2013 at 7:29 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I love a Rake story. I have a few and really enjoyed them. This one looks great.
Mel
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:09 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
It’s hard to resist a man who needs so much improvement, isn’t it?
Leanna Morris
January 16, 2013 at 10:06 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds awesome! Can’t wait to read the series!
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:10 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Leanna. Book 2 ONE NIGHT WITH A RAKE will be out in June and 3 BETWEEN A RAKE AND A HARD PLACE will come next January.
erinf1
January 16, 2013 at 11:32 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks for the great post and congrats to the Ladies on the new release! Sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:11 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Erin.
bn100
January 17, 2013 at 12:22 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Nice interview.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:11 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Nice comment.
Joy G
January 17, 2013 at 12:27 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Loved your Touch of seduction series….Have yet to read your books with Connie, but am looking forward to them……Congrats to You and Connie on the newest release!
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:13 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
So glad you enjoyed my Touch stories. It was great fun playing with the psychometric “gift of touch” for my heroes and heroine.
Janie McGaugh
January 17, 2013 at 1:17 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
This series sounds great! I look forward to reading them.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:14 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Janie. Let me know what you think after you do!
Josette Schaber
January 17, 2013 at 1:50 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like a good series. Thanks.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:15 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Josette, what a lovely name. May have to snag it for a characters sometime…
Texas Book Lover
January 17, 2013 at 4:55 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Oooh this sounds like another great series!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:16 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I enjoy reading series too. There’s something comfortable about slipping into the same world I enjoyed in a previous read.
Martha Lawson
January 17, 2013 at 5:23 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Great interview!! The book sounds awesome. Thanks for the chance to win it.
Mia Marlowe
January 17, 2013 at 7:17 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Thanks, Martha. Good luck in the drawing.
Ebony Morton
January 17, 2013 at 7:30 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Cool contest! !!!
Sherrill Hutchinsoh
January 17, 2013 at 9:47 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Waking Up With A Rake sounds delicious! Can’t wait to read. Thanks for providing a chance to win!
Betty Hamilton
January 17, 2013 at 10:03 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Mia,
I love your books! …especially the ones that you have written with Connie!! Waking up With a Rake sounds like another winner!! …and one that I would LOVE to win!!
Nicole Laverdure
January 17, 2013 at 11:19 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hi Mia
I read one of your books “Touch of a Lady” and loved it.
“Waking up with a Rake” sounds very appealling! thank you for making your giveaway International.
Jakki L.
January 18, 2013 at 8:03 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Great interview, Mia! Like you, I love my “heroes large and in charge and my heroines feisty enough to take them down a peg!”
This book sounds very entertaining! Thanks so much fr the giveaway!
Michelle Tucker
January 19, 2013 at 6:08 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Love love love historical romance. I’ve been reading them for over 25 years now, since I was 12. I’d love to read Waking Up With a Rake.
Ellen Thompson
January 19, 2013 at 6:57 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
This sounds like an awesome series! I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the great giveaway!
laura
January 20, 2013 at 5:56 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I love reading series books! This looks like its going to be a great series. I will be adding this to my buy listr.
lauratroxelatyahoodotcom
z
January 20, 2013 at 8:27 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I must have been under a rock lately because I didn’t realize Connie Mason had hooked up with another writer. But I love her books so this will be going onto my TBB list.
z
seawitch reviews at yahoo dot com
Amber
January 20, 2013 at 10:56 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like a great read! Thanks
Debbie
January 21, 2013 at 6:34 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I reread that article title twice as well. I guess the children of the day weren’t encouraged to read the newspaper. This does sound like another great series, Mia.
Sarah p
January 21, 2013 at 8:56 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
I love a good romance with some mystery to it. Will definitely have to read this series sometime soon
Thanks for sharing!!
Cathy P
January 22, 2013 at 1:55 PM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Hi, Mia! I love your books and this series sounds really, really good. Thanks so much for your giveaway!
Emily W.
January 31, 2013 at 12:21 AM (UTC -3) Link to this comment
Sounds like an interesting trilogy, can’t wait for the other 2 books to come out!
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