Books-n-Kisses is very excited to have the wonderful Delilah Marvelle and Maire Claremont on the blog today to chat about their new christmas anthology.
Ladies, can you please share with us a little about yourself
DM: I’ve been writing books ever since I could remember and love to really research the nuances of history. Especially naughty history J I created a blog, A Bit O’Muslin (www.DelilahMarvelle.blogspot.com ) after discovering some readers didn’t know dildos existed in the era I wrote in (1830). Imagine how shocked they were to discover the oldest dildo is actually over 28,000 years old. I’ve been trying to educate the world ever since, lol.
MC: I am a total gypsy. I’ve lived in multiple states, Ireland, England, and Scotland. I hope to keep moving. At present, I am touring the Pacific NW where I am orignally from, and will be staying near FORKS. I will keep my eye out for sparkling men. I have an M.A. in Theater and ADORE outdoor Shakespeare, having gone to Oregon Shakespeare Festival almost every summer of my young life!
Have you always wanted to be an author?
DM: Always. I got sucked into story telling as a kid when my dad would read books to me and found that I either didn’t like the way the story ended or I never wanted the story to end. So I started writing my own endings and stories. I haven’t looked back since.
MC: Oh. . . This is a tricky question because when I was five I probably didn’t know I could be an author! But I was writing stories. I didn’t “officially decide” to be an author until I was about 17. And at that time, I had decided would be the next Johanna Lindsay. (cough)
Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
DM: My favorite authors are for the most part dead, lol. Those authors include the Bronte sisters, Henryk Sienkiewicz, Edith Wharton, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Edith Wharton influenced my writing the most. There was a wry tone to her stories that were just beautiful.
MC: Oy. Well in Romance, some of my FAVORITE WRITERS ARE; Delilah Marvelle, Meredith Duran, Sherry Thomas, Joanna Bourne, JR Ward and Karen Marie Moning! As to influence? Delilah Marvelle is huge because she Cris all my work, taking out the nonsense. But what really sent me down the path of writing more richly tormented dark historicals was Meredith Duran’s first book The Duke of Shadows. If you haven’t read this, you MUST!!!!
How did you get into writing in this specific genre? Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?
DM: In high school, I wrote horror (seriously). I was convinced I was going to be the next Stephen King. The problem was, my writing wasn’t scary at all and always had a romance in it. I finally discovered what I was really writing and drawn to when I read my first historical romance by Judith McNaught’s, WHITNEY MY LOVE. It changed everything, lol.
MC: I fell in love with the sweep of historical romance straighaway. I loved the larger than life characers, the houses, the horses, the costumes, and of course the heroes!!! I have thought about writing in other genres, but for now my focus is all HISTORICAL!
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
DM: It’s my first Christmas story I’ve done, and I’m excited to be able to share in this anthology, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS WIIS A DUKE, with Màire Claremont. The whole concept is wondering what happened to the person you first fell in love with many, many years ago. Ever wonder what would happen if you had a chance to meet them again when you were older and wiser? Merry Christmas, Mrs. Robinson is about a very special re-union between two souls who weren’t ready to love when they first met but how Christmas is about to change that all for them.
MC: Well, at present, I am releasing All I Want For Christmass is a Duke with Delilah Marvelle! My story is The Twelve Days of Seduction which features an author in the disguise of a governess who refuses to slink of when her employer, the Duke of Beresford discovers her masquerade! My first full length novel, The Dark Lady, comes out Feb 5 2013. The heroine has been wrongfully placed in an insane asylum and her childhood love comes back to rescue her! But of course the course of true love never did run smooth and they have a lot of conflict to face before love can triumph!
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
DM: I was re-watching ‘The Graduate’ with my husband when my characters both whizzed into focus. I simply *had* to a write a story about an older woman and a younger man set in Dickens’s era during Christmas. In honor of her being the older woman (and the fact that the idea came to me as I watching ‘The Graduate’) I was totally going to call her Mrs. Robinson even if I had to marry her off to someone other than the hero (which I did). The similarities between ‘The Graduate’ and my story, however, end there, lol.
MC: Well, in regard to Delilah and my Christmas novella, we both knew we wanted dukes. Because seriously, what could be a better present! And I adore Jane Eyre, so I saw this as a chance to give my nod to one of my very, very favorite novels! In regards to The Dark Lady, quite truthfully, that story came to me in the middle of the night, and my heroine Eva, was SO demanding, I had to sit down and write the first chapter in the dark in my living room. She was quite a force, and I will never forget how intense it was to awake with such a story in mind.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
DM: The heroine is getting nailed. (Not in a dirty way, people!). It was a Twelfth Night tradition in the 1800’s that boys would go around with a hammer and nail and randomly nail the skirts of women and the coat tails of men to shop windows whenever anyone stopped. It was their idea of a good time. When I read about the tradition, I knew the heroine had to get ‘nailed’ to a confectionary shop.
MC: The hero and heroine are in a oak grove in the snowfall. He totally expects to seduce her. Instead, she gives him a lesson in etiqeuette, governess that she is!
What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday memory?
DM: Going to downtown Chicago on State Street as a kid, going ice-skating and then getting hot cocoa and pop corn and walking from display window to display window of Marshal Fields (which no longer exists…sigh). Everything just felt so magical then.
MC: My best Christmas memory must be from when I was VERY little! I was sitting staring at the tree with the lights waiting for my parents to wake up. My dad stumbled out to make the coffee and found me with the tree, rapt by all the beribboned presents!
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
DM: The book that I’m *dying* to read but no one knows when the heck is coming out is Judith McNaught’s next historical romance. There’s been talk of her coming out with another historical except it hasn’t happened. Poo.
MC: JR Ward’s latest!!! I can’t wait for Quinn and Blay’s story and Delilah Marvelle’s Forever A Lord!!! Lord Atwood is my favorite historical hero. ;D
“Two SCANDALOUS reads, one low price!” Only $0.99
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Merry Christmas, Mrs. Robinson by Delilah Marvelle
Lady Jane left her father, the Earl of Chadwick, and the ton behind to experience life on the stage. After a disastrous marriage, the widow is living on the edge of poverty, determined to guard her heart, when a secret admirer from her past demands a second chance.
Shy and retiring Martin Nicholas Pierce, the Sixth Duke of Somerset, has carried a torch for Lady Jane since her youth, but he is five years her junior. When she married another man, he left for Europe, determined to put her out of his mind. After returning to find Lady Jane free, he vows to replace the memories of her cursed Twelfth Night with a new beginning.
The Twelve Days of Seduction By Máire Claremont
Alexander Hunt, Eighth Duke of Berresford, is aware his ward’s governess isn’t quite what she seems. Although Miss Flint is beautiful and intelligent, she misrepresented herself to gain employment, and he threatens to give her the sack mere days before Christmas.
Desperate to convince the sexy duke not to tear her from the little girl she’s grown to adore, Adriana challenges him to seduce her before the Twelve Days of Christmas have come to an end, although she fears it may cost her heart. Alexander accepts the challenge, unconcerned that he has as much to lose, if not more, than the delectable Miss Flint.
Learn more about Delilah and Maire here:
Delilah:
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Maire:
My favorite holiday memory is getting together with my family. So loud and everyone happy and joking with one another. I absolutely love the time that I get with my family. The kids opening presents and taking all of the toys out to play with one another. It’s the best!
For some reason one a my favorite Christmas Memories is about wrapping paper. As a kid I was a HUGE smurf fan (Still am) and one year all of my Santa Gift were wrapoed in Red Smurf Wrapping paper.
I will never forget that!
My fave memory is of my grandmother. She always wore these crazy festive vests. We would all laugh about them. This will be our first Christmas since she passed 2 months ago. My mother has her vests and we are all going to wear one to remember her by.
This sounds like a great read and one that I would love to have!!
Love Deliah’s books. Can’t wait to read this one, looks like a great read.
My favorite holiday memory is being a kid and getting to hang out with my family. We rent a hall every year for Christmas(I have a very large family and about 100+ of us get together). We have lots of family, food, games, and lots of talking and hanging out. We still do this every year. This is going to be our 32nd year of going here. I love it. I remember going as a kid, now I get to take my kids and see them doing exactly the same stuff we did.
Have a Happy Holidays.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! One of my fav memories was a crazy Christmas right before my Grandma died when the entire family got together.
My parents took us to look @ Christmas lights Christmas Eve – when we got home – SANTA had come!! They gave us a little magic that Christmas 🙂
My favorite holiday memory is my daughters first Christmas. She was 5 months old and only cared about the boxes the gifts came in. I think I watched her gum a box for over an hour and couldn’t be more happy 🙂
BTW I’ve read both stories and I love them! I’ve always loved Delilah and can’t wait for more from Maire!!
My favorite holiday memory is travelling to my grandparent’s house Christmas Eve. Seeing Grammy and Papa was even more exciting than Santa. 🙂
the day after thanksgiving. as a family (my parents, 3 brothers & their families, and my family), we would pile into our rigs and head to our favorite place to cut down a christmas tree. buddled the little ones, strapped them into our backpacks, and headed out for a tree. then we all would head back to my house for homemade soup, and simmering mulled wine (adults only, of course). Sitting in front of the fireplace, in our family room, visiting and getting caught up with everyone’s lives. the best memories for me. thank you for sharing your new book! looking forward to reading it! 😀
I loved it when my niece and nephews were little and would get so excited to go out and see the decorations, bake cookies, visit santa and then have fun with their new toys (I especially liked helping build the lego sets).
The Christmas gatherings before my great aunt and Dad passed away were the best! All my family got together. Lots of food, laughter, and fun!
Merry Christmas!
One of my favorite holiday memories is when I was 8 years old. My brother, who at the time, was only a year old, decided to get up and stay up at 2 am. My mom couldn’t get him to calm down and he kept crying, so we decided to do Christmas at 2:30 am in the morning. Heh. I remember being super excited about getting to eat snacks and open gifts in the middle of the night. My dad actually took pictures ( ARGH!) of us sitting on the couch, bleary eyed, opening gifts. Hah, every once in awhile around Christmas, we’ll bring it up to my brother.. (now well into his 20’s) and call him by his old nickname, “fuss budget”. 😀
My favorite holiday memory is the same one every year– putting up the tree, watching Christmas movies and, of course, opening presents 🙂
My favorite holiday memories are of my son when he was a baby and toddler, just watching his expressions and his reactions to everything was truly magical. Thank you for the interview, I am knew to your work but this book seems to be an incredible read! Thank you for the chance to win 🙂
My favorite holiday memory is of my husband’s grandmother giving me a ring that was a family heirloom. Thanks for the giveaway.
Getting together with family on Christmas Eve and having food and hanging out listening to music.
Hi Delilah and Maire!
I actually have two favorite Christmas memories. The first was the year my older son was born
4 weeks early but just two days before Christmas was finally released from the intensive care nursery. As I cuddled him in my arms and my husband but the star on top of the tree I finally realized that we were no longer just a couple but instead a family!
23 years later on Christmas Eve I was feeling bad for myself because it would be the first time we wouldn’t be all there for Christmas. My younger son had graduated from college and worked in another state and because of his work schedule hadn’t been able to get a flight home. Just before we were getting ready to finish decorating the tree there was a knock on the front door and when we opened it our son was standing there decorated with ribbons and bows tied around his body and a Santa cap on his head. He had gone to the airport as soon as he got out of work and stayed until finally a flight coming in was delayed along the way and a flight had an open seat and he got it! That year he got to put the star on top of the tree!
Once again we were all together as a family and it was going to be a Very Merry Christmas!
Both my sons are married now and live in different states but each year we visit one of them for Thanksgiving and the other for Christmas so we can see our grandchildren. Some day we hope once again we’ll all be together and I can look around and see all of them while the star gets placed on the top of the tree!
My fav holiday memory is when my fam and I went o Tahoo for Christmas
My favorite holiday memory is spending Christmas at my sister’s with all the family and after dinner hopping in the car to drive around town looking at all the Christmas lights and decorations. It was always our favorite thing to do at Christmas.
My favorite holiday memory is going to my grandparent’s house on Christmas Eve and after dinner my grandfather would read the story of the first Christmas aloud from his Bible each year.
decorating the tree together
Nailed..ha!
Glad you didn’t stick to horror Delilah!
Wonderful Christmas memories. Such a fun time of year, so many wonderful times to recount. Makes me happy thinking of them all.