Historical

Historical: Under the Moon Gate @MarilynBaron | Interview #RLFblog #thriller

Under the Moon Gate

Marilyn Baron, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book, Under the Moon Gate

Genre: Historical Romantic Thriller
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover artist: Kim Mendoza
Length: 354 pages
Heat rating: Sensual
Tagline: A compelling tale of love and intrigue set in WW II
and contemporary Bermuda.
Blurb:
Dashing sea captain Nathaniel Morgan sails into the life of prim
and proper Bermuda heiress Patience Whitestone
and threatens to expose her family secrets—ruinous secrets she wasn’t aware of.
The two are immediately at odds when Nathaniel moors his vessel in front of her
estate and refuses to leave until he finds the cache of Swiss gold he’s convinced
was buried somewhere on the property during World War II. Can Patience save herself
and her family’s reputation when she finds herself reluctantly drawn to this determined
“pirate”? Or will someone from the past make good on his threat to destroy
them both? Their fate is inextricably linked to Nazi plots and to the beautiful
moon gates of Bermuda in this compelling tale of
love and intrigue.
Buy links:
Amazon http://amazon.com/Under-the-Moon-Gate-ebook/dp/B00CGDQ1S4/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367562749&sr=1-3
What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
Patience Whitestone is a virginal 27-year-old heiress to the
Whitestone fortune in Bermuda.
Nathaniel Morgan, about 30, is a sea captain from Virginia who’s determined
to expose Patience’s family secrets at all costs.

Interview

Who has helped you the most in your career as an author?
My critique partners and other writing colleagues as well as
writing courses I’ve taken.
When you write, what things do you want close at hand? (Coffee,
water, chocolate… pictures of gorgeous hunks for inspiration…?)
Chocolate is always good. I may be the only person on the planet
who does not drink coffee. I do love hot chocolate.
When you’re not writing, what would we find you doing?
Reading for sure. I love to sit in the sun and read.
Are you a plotter, or do you prefer to make it up on the spur
of the moment?
I’m a definite pantser. I just write and then go back and edit.
Looking back at your first book, what do you wish you had
done differently?
I wish I hadn’t tried to include so many time periods in one
book.
What’s your writing schedule like?
When I’m in the edit stage, I’m intense and respect the deadline.
When I’m writing a new book I write when I can, fitting it in between my “day
job.”
Any advice for new authors?
Finish the book. You can always fix copy on a page. You cannot
fix a blank page.
What aspect of your life do you write into your books?
I write a lot about older women nearer to my age. I include my
personal preferences—foods I love, colors I love, places I’ve been.
When an idea hits you, what do you do to capture it?
I take notes on any available slip of paper in my purse or on
in the Notes section on my iPhone. I try to carry around a small notebook for this
purpose, but it’s not always available.
If you knew it would be a bestseller, what book would you
write that you might not write otherwise?
So far, I’ve written every book I’ve wanted to.
What’s keeping you from writing that book?
Actually, I’ve been very
prolific this year. By the end of the year I will have five books published, one
self-published and four under contract with a traditional publisher. Not all may
be released in 2013.
What other jobs have you held besides writing? Or jobs you’ve
done while you were a writer.
I head my own public
relations firm. I’ve been editor of a regional corporate newsletter, marketing manager,
and special events manager for AT&T; I was an Information Specialist for the
Florida Department of Corrections (the prison system) where I learned to work with
printers (the inmates in the institution that housed the printing press) and I heard
a lot of “fish” stories (I’m innocent). On my first day on the job four
women escaped the women’s correctional institution and we had a tent city situation
when the system got overcrowded. I spent one summer at the Downingtown Inn
in Pennsylvania
as a reservationist, living on the property in a situation similar to Dirty Dancing.
My most exciting projects
were involvement in the Olympics in Atlanta, Sydney, Salt Lake
City and the LA Olympics. Annual reports for one client
that involved travel throughout Europe, were also
very interesting.
Which of your books was the hardest to write and why?
Sixth Sense 

Under the Moon Gate took 10 years to perfect. I wasn’t writing
all that time. Most of that time it was dormant. But the book has been through many
iterations. It started out encompassing three generations and I finally opted for
two generations in one book and one, in the 17th century, in the prequel, Destiny:
A Bermuda Love Story.

What are you currently reading for fun? Anything for research?
I just finished Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger, which
I really enjoyed. I got to meet the author twice at book signings. I’m in two book
clubs, so between books I read for pleasure and books for the book clubs, I’m never
without a book. I recently went on a Behind the Scenes tour on a Mediterranean cruise
to do research for an upcoming book, a murder mystery that takes place on a ship.
What’s the best gift you ever received?
The best recent gift was from my children. Two tickets to an
Andrea Bocelli concert in Atlanta
in December. I love him.
If you could time travel what era would be your first stop?
World War II.
Do you believe in luck?
Absolutely. I’ve been very fortunate in my life.
What kind of music do you listen to while driving? Same question
when writing?
Andrea Bocelli and Broadway music. I love music from the ’40s.
Do you play any musical instruments?
No. I took piano lessons
but they didn’t take. All I remember is Heart and Soul.
What is your secret talent?
I don’t have a sense
of smell so I have a well-developed sixth sense.
What’s your favorite movie?
Casablanca
Are you the eldest, middle, baby, or only child?
Eldest.
Do you think it’s important
to write in just one genre?
No. I write humorous women’s fiction, historical romance, romantic
suspense and paranormal.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I joined Georgia Romance Writers.
What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
as compared to when you first started writing?
Social media. Create my Web site.
What websites do you visit daily?
I comment on my group blog, Petit Fours and Hot Tamales.
If you could change something about your first book, what
would it be?
I’d offer it in print format, not just as an EBook.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
The freedom and flexibility, the creativity.
If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
would it be?
Keep writing. Don’t give up.
What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
I have a strong work ethic, but I’m primarily motivated by deadlines.
If something is due I’ll get right on it. If not, I tend to procrastinate.
Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?
OMG. All the time. My sister always prefaces everything she says
with, “Now, this better not end up in your book.” My other sister and
sometimes writing partner gave me a sweatshirt that said, “Be Careful or You’ll
End Up In My Novel.” I write down snippets of conversations wherever I hear
them, at the hair salon, in the grocery store, at dinner. Sorry, if you say something
interesting, you’re likely to end up in my books.
Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
normally read your genre, and why?
My favorite book so far is Under the Moon Gate, my newest release.
It’s a historical, romantic thriller and it has intrigue, spies, romance, and humor.
I think people actually prefer the WW II-era romance to the contemporary.
What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
own writing?
I love anything Nora Roberts writes. I love women’s fiction.
I love spy novels.
What do you think is the future of traditional publishing?
I think it’s great but I also like self-publishing. My sister
and I cowrote two books, Murder at the Outlet Mall, a comedic mystery, and The Edger,
a humorous women’s fiction and we enjoyed that experience. We also wrote a musical
and are thinking of self-publishing it while waiting to get it produced.
What was the proudest moment of your life so far?
When I won the Maggie Award at the Georgia Romance Writers Conference
in 2012.
Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only
one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview.
What will you take with you and where will you go?
My summer dresses, bathing suit and cover up, hat, sandals, something
dressy. I would take my husband or daughters and probably go to Italy.
We just got back from a Mediterranean Cruise and I’m ready to go back to The Amalfi
Coast.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
Labor Day because we go to our condo in Florida.
What good book have you read recently?
Dorothea Benton Franks’ The Last Original Wife.
What do you like to do when you’re bored?
Watch TV, actually fall asleep in front of the TV.
If you were a color, what color would you be?
Definitely green. That’s
my favorite color and I haven’t wavered in that since I was born. I have gravitated
toward lighter greens, like sea greens and blue greens.
Please underline which statement is more like you:
“I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”
“I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because
I do things as fast as possible.” But I wish I were laid back and relaxed and
could enjoy a vacation spa.

Please complete the sentences

I love pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms, cheese and black
olives
.
I’m always ready for a vacation.
When I’m alone, I like to read.
You’d never be able to tell, but I don’t have a sense of smell.
If I had a halo it would be made
of gold
.
If I could find a producer, I would love for my play
Memory Lane
to be on Broadway
.

Previous Books

Murder at the Outlet Mall, a comedic mystery available in eBook
or print format at http://amazon.com/Murder-at-Outlet-Mall-ebook/dp/B00BGQLOKW.
The Edger, humorous women’s fiction available on Amazon Kindle
at http://amazon.com/dp/B006Y3P12Y
Paranormal short stories from TWB Press. A Choir of Angels, Follow
an Angel, The Stand-In Bridegroom and Dead Mix at http://twbpress.com/authormarilynbaron.html
Marilyn Baron

Books Coming Soon

Sixth Sense, a paranormal romantic suspense, from The Wild Rose
Press.
Reluctant psychic Katherine Crystal, dubbed “Crystal Ball
Kate,” is thrust into the national spotlight when she accurately predicts the
death of a movie actor’s young son in a private plane crash. Besieged by requests
to use her powers to help others, she realizes why her parents had warned her never
to let anyone know of her visions.
By-the-book Atlanta
police detective Jack Hale harbors a deep-seated distrust of psychics and ignores
Katherine’s warnings when she calls to report her premonition. Jack is forced to
partner with Kate, who uses her eerie sensitivity to evil to help him catch a serial
killer in Sydney, Australia, but that’s only the beginning
of the story. Jack and Kate are drawn into the investigation of a mystery surrounding
Kate’s birth and find murder and romance among a secret society of psychics in the
quaint seaside spiritualist community of Casa
Spirito, Florida.
Significant Others, a humorous women’s fiction from The Wild
Rose Press, Christmas 2013.

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