• Contemporary

    Interview: Willa Blair Author of The Healer’s Gift @willablair #RLFblog #paranormalromance

    The Healer’s Gift 
    Title The Healer’s Gift
    Genre Scottish Historical Paranormal Romance (Novella)
    Author Willa Blair
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    The Healer’s Gift resolves the story of one of the most tormented
    characters in Highland Healer. Coira MacDugall deserves the harshest punishment
    for her actions in the Highlands. But her clan’s
    new laird, Logan, defies her expectations. And the Healer’s gift changes everything
    she thought she knew — about herself and the people around her.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher The Wild Rose Press
    Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J9QOLOM
    The Healer’s Gift is available exclusively on Amazon in print
    and for Kindle until 2 July, when it will be available at all the usual outlets,
    including iBooks, B&N, KOBO, AllRomanceEBooks.

    Interview with Willa Blair

    Why did you write this
    book?
    When I finished Highland Healer, the first book in my Highland
    Talents series, I wondered what might have happened to Coira after Toran sent her
    home, and I knew if I wondered about her, then my readers did, too. The Healer’s
    Gift is my first novella-length book.
    I had to write The Healer’s Gift to see how Aileana’s healing
    had changed her life. Could Coira be redeemed? Had she been? It was satisfying to
    write Coira’s happy-ever-after, and I’m thrilled with the way her story turned out
    and with Logen’s, as well. I hope my readers are, too.
    What is your favorite
    genre to read?
    I love reading historical romance, especially Scottish historicals.
    I grew up reading science fiction, so science fiction romance is a lot of fun, too.
    I also enjoy romantic suspense and mysteries and contemporaries – wow, it’s hard
    to pick just one.
    What is your favorite character from fiction (not including your
    own characters)?
    From books I’ve read in the past few years, Gabriel Ross Sullivan,
    “alpha mercenary and scoundrel” in Linnea Sinclair’s Gabriel’s Ghost (SFR),
    is my favorite wounded hero. If I looked back over all the books I’ve read, I’d
    have more of a list than you have room to include.
    Do you enjoy films and/or
    TV shows? Which are your favorites?
    I do like both, but my husband and I rarely go to a movie theater
    unless it’s for something we especially want to see on a big screen. We watch way
    too much TV and keep our Netflix subscription active, which is how we watch most
    movies.
    Again, I have too many favorites to list, but two by Aaron Sorkin
    stand out: West Wing and Sports Night, for their brilliant writing. And I loved
    the twists that made the 2009 Star Trek movie into something fresh and new. And
    of course, I’m eager to see Outlander, the upcoming STARZ series, when it comes
    out this August.
    What are you working on
    at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?
    I just sent Highland Troth, the third full-length book in my
    Highland Talents series, to my Beta reader. Once I get comments back from her, I’ll
    do a final revision before sending it to my editor at The Wild Rose Press, perhaps
    even by the end of this month. Highland Troth is Jamie Lathan’s story. Here’s the info about it.
    Jamie Lathan and Lathan fosterling Caitrin Fletcher were close
    as children, but after she was called home, he never expected to see her again.
    He certainly never imagined he’d be called upon to escort her to be betrothed to
    another man. When their attraction reignites, Caitrin must choose between Jamie
    and her father’s plans for her marriage-of-alliance. Jamie must find an honorable
    way to ensure Caitrin’s future, even if it means sacrificing his own.
    Once my editor has Highland Troth, I can focus on writing my
    next novella. It will be a prequel to the Highland Talents series and will be included
    in an anthology called Kissing the Highlander that will release on Valentine’s Day
    2015. I’m thrilled to join Eliza Knight, Victoria Roberts, Terry Spear and
    Vonda Sinclair in this venture. Keep an eye on our websites for more news. Kissing
    the Highlander is going to be fabulous!
    And of course, I’m working up ideas for at least two more novellas
    in the Highland Talents series. I’m sure one will be Angus MacAnalen’s story. So
    there’s more to come!
    Please tell us about your latest book, Healer’s Gift.
    Coira MacDugall paid with her life for her attack on the Highland
    Healer. But her victim did more than heal Coira’s fatal wound that awful night.
    Now drowning in the unwelcome emotions of others, Coira wonders if her new empathic
    ability was meant as a gift or a curse. Logen MacDugall must discover who killed
    three previous lairds if he hopes to survive for long in the position. He believes
    Coira’s new sense can help him root out the conspirators, but after her disastrous
    time in the Highlands, the last thing she wants
    is to get involved with another laird. Logen must help Coira gain control of her
    talent in time to save him and their clan from those intent on destroying MacDugall.
    Can Coira believe this laird truly loves her? Or will her memories lead her to madness
    again?
    Willa Blair 

    Author Bio

    Willa Blair is the award-wining author of Amazon and Barnes &
    Noble bestselling Scottish historical paranormal romance and a contributor to USAToday’s
    Happy Ever After romance blog. Her popular Highland Talents series, set in a pivotal
    point in Scottish history, is filled with men in kilts, psi talents, and plenty
    of spice. Available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, the first three titles
    will soon be joined by more novels of adventure and romance.

    Author Social Media

    Newsletter http://ow.ly/qTE0U

  • Historical

    Character Interview: Ellie MacKyrie from Highland Seer @willablair #RLFblog

    Character Interview: Ellie MacKyrie from Highland Seer @willablair #RLFblogWilla Blair, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited
    to interview your character, Ellie MacKyrie from the book, Highland Seer.
    Genre: Scottish Historical Paranormal Romance
    Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
    Cover artist: Tina Lynn Stout
    Length: 324 pages
    Heat rating: Spicy
    Tagline: The Seer believes he’ll save her clan, but Donal MacNabb
    will be no one’s pawn.
    Blurb:
    Donal MacNabb is loyal to his adopted Lathan clan, yet he resents
    being a pawn in their treaty negotiations with the struggling MacKyries. The MacKyrie
    clan needs his skills as an arms master, but its Laird is bartering for more than
    Donal is prepared to give.
    Ellie MacKyrie knows the Lathan treaty will help protect her
    clan from the neighbor determined to seize her holdings any way he can—including
    forcing her into marriage. But she has another reason to want the Lathan alliance.
    She has Seen the stubborn Donal MacNabb reaching for her in her dreams.
    While Donal fights to save a clan in trouble, his desire for
    the MacKyrie Seer wars with his obligation to his Laird. Before she is forced into
    a marriage that will destroy her clan, Ellie must find the heart behind Donal’s
    gruff exterior and convince him he is the man of her dreams.

    Buy links:

    Amazon: http://ow.ly/nieMI

    Interview with Ellie MacKyrie

    Tell us about yourself.
    I am the laird of clan MacKyrie. Female lairds are rare in Scotland’s
    history, but not unheard of.
    Tell us about Donal MacNabb:
    Donal is…was…the arms master to Clan Lathan, his adopted
    home. He rarely smiles, so he can be intimidating. He’s a master swordsman. A teacher.
    My rock. He…a man…appeared in several dreams. The man I Saw might have been
    someone else, aye, but the more time I spent around Donal, the more certain I became.
    He had the skills my clan needed most, and he…appealed…to me as no other.
    What do you think is your
    greatest strength?
    I will do what is necessary for the good of my people.
    What would Donal MacNabb
    say is your greatest strength?
    I go after what I want and dinna take ‘nay’ for an answer. As
    he has learned.
    What would Donal say is
    your biggest weakness?
    That I’m too soft-hearted. It’s hard for me to make some of the
    decisions a laird must make. Then again, I suppose some decisions are hard for anyone
    to make.
    What do you wish was different
    about your life?
    Had ye asked me before I met Donal, I wouldha wished that Flodden
    never happened. That my clan remained as it was before all those deaths, my father
    and brothers still alive. I would still wish for that, but I would also wish for
    Donal to be at my side. We were decimated by the loss of our fighting men at Flodden
    in 1513. MacKyrie consists of women, children, and a few old men and lads. Few would
    know of our existence, except for the whisky we make, but our neighbors have had
    their eyes on the clan’s holdings – and me – since Flodden. The Lathans brought
    a treaty promising assistance from nearby clans, but also committing MacKyrie to
    provide the same, which we were in no position to do. I saw the Lathan treaty as
    a two-edged sword that could work for us or very much against us. Donal’s presence,
    and the men from the treaty clans he has brought to us, help to even the odds.
    What is it like for a
    woman to be laird?
    I canna speak for women who lead other clans, only for MacKyrie.
    It has been…difficult…challenging…since our men left to fight with the King.
    Our clan’s only survivor, actually a fosterling from anther clan, brought us the
    awful news, then disappeared a few months after his return, consumed by his shock
    and grief. I doubt he still lives. The few warriors my father left behind have been
    lost in skirmishes with the neighbors. The main thing that has saved us thus far
    is that the neighboring lairds are wary of each other. Should one invade MacKyrie,
    the others wouldna be far behind, and they’d fight like dogs over the scraps of
    our home. But it isna all bad. My people are my treasure, and have supported me
    in every way. We’ve made much progress, more so since the Lathans arrived, but there’s
    still much to do.
    Some men claim that a
    woman can not be a successful laird.
    A woman canna be a laird, ye say? Of course she can. She can
    even lead her warriors in battle, if she’s trained for it. And Queens have ruled
    Scotland. But a woman must maintain her authority through craft, wit, and respect
    more than strength. She must have allies.
    How does your Sight work?
    I dream, rarely clearly. I may See only a brief glimpse. Or the
    dream may last a while, but as dreams do, make little sense when I awake. Some dreams
    come to me more than once. Those, especially, I must heed.
    What advice would you
    offer other women thrust into positions of responsibility and power?
    As I said, a woman must have allies. No matter how secure her
    position within her clan, she will be beset by outsiders, and possibly from within
    her own clan. Some men will pursue advantage by any means, fair or foul. Most women
    cannot defeat a man in a physical battle unless she is very skilled or very lucky,
    so she must have champions who will fight for her. She must be able to command respect.
    But a woman walks a fine line between being perceived as a strong leader and a shrew.
    So she must also nurture her people and protect whatever it is that comprises the
    wealth of her clan. Many men believe that marriage conveys the lairdship upon them.
    That isna the case, but If she is very lucky, she will find a man to stand beside
    her, to be her strong arm, her rock and her comfort. As Donal is for me.
    Willa Blair

    About the Author

    Willa Blair is the best-selling and award-winning author of Scottish
    romance with a paranormal twist, set in the 16th century Highlands, when the old
    ways, and old talents, still shaped events.
    She always wished she had several psi talents, such as reading
    her husband’s mind, cleaning house by simply thinking about it, and flying. But
    alas, no. So she endows her historical romance characters with special talents and
    lives vicariously through them. She loves reading and writing romance novels set
    in the past, present and future.
    She realized her life-long dream of becoming an author after
    retiring from her day job to write, travel, and enjoy life. Married to her own military
    hero golf fanatic, she lives in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio where
    she writes, feeds hummingbirds year-round and has too many hobbies to count.

    Previous Books

    Highland Healer (Highland Talents #1)

    Books Coming Soon

    The Healer’s Gift (A Highland Talents Novella) And Highland Troth
    (Highland Talents #3)

    Contest:

    One lucky commenter will be chosen at random to win a copy of
    Highland Seer from Willa Blair, so please provide your email address.

    Find Me Here:

     

  • Author Interviews,  Historical

    Paranormal: Highland Healer @willablair #rlfblog

     

    Highland Healer.
    Willa Blair, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
    your book, Highland Healer.
    Genre: Scottish Historical Paranormal
    Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
    Buy links:
    Cover artist: Tina Lynn Stout
    Length: 85,000
    Heat rating: Spicy
    Tagline: Scottish Historical Romance with a Paranormal Twist
    Blurb:
    He needs her for his clan. He wants her for himself. Can he have
    both?
    Toran Lathan never expected to become Laird, and never expected
    to meet a woman like Aileana Shaw. Her healing ability is just what his people need,
    but Toran cannot re-sist her beauty. Yet will loving him destroy her ability to
    heal?
    Aileana Shaw has a healing touch – and a special talent she must
    keep secret. Stolen from her home by a marauding army, she’s kidnapped again by
    the Highland Laird she heals. Is she a prize of war, or the prize of his heart?
    While Toran battles the invading lowland army, he also battles
    his desire for Aileana. And Aileana must decide if she can trust her secrets to
    this fierce warrior who needs her talent, but wants her love.
    What are your main characters’
    names, ages, and occupations?
    Toran Lathan, Laird of Clan Lathan
    Aileana Shaw, Healer
    Gar Colbridge, leads the lowlander army

    Interview

    What is the most important thing you do for your career now, as compared to when you first started writing?
    When I started, learning about the craft of writing and actually
    writing were the most important things for me to do. Now that I’m published, and
    now that my book has won an award and is a best-seller on Kindle, networking and
    promotion/publicity activities such as writing blog posts are important. And writing
    the next book, of course!
    What do you enjoy most about writing?
    Giving my imagination free reign to explore times, places and
    situations that would never occur in my everyday life.
    If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?
    Finish the damn book! Like a lot of writers, I spent years starting
    several books and pol-ishing the first few chapters over and over again. It took
    a decade for me to settle on one and finish it. Typing “the end” was a revelation.
    A rite of passage. Proof that I could really do it.
    After that, writing a book is not as daunting a task. Yes, it’s
    daunting. Just not as daunt-ing. I finished the second book in under a year and
    I’m working on the third in the series now. When I want a change of pace, I work
    on the outlines of two different contempo-rary novels and a science fiction romance
    series I’m developing.
    What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?
    I am most emphatically not a morning person. Afternoons and evenings
    are the most productive times for writing. When I’m really deep into the book, I
    can spend hours at the keyboard. But when I’m still working on the outline or synopsis,
    I’m easily distracted. Social media is a blessing and a curse. And don’t get me
    started on the lure of Ama-zon’s rankings, especially for a debut author!
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    The same way most of us do – with chocolate! Or a glass of wine.
    Sometimes both.
    Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read your genre, and why?
    I’d recommend Highland Healer to anyone who enjoys a good story.
    It has action, ad-venture, suspense, and romance. One reviewer even said that men
    would like the book because of the details of the invading army, the siege, etc.
    Another mentioned the pace and the page-turning action, along with the romance.
    Willa Blair
    What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your own writing?
    I grew up reading science fiction and some fantasy, so I still
    go there when I want a change from what I’m writing, but I also enjoy contemporary
    romance, romantic sus-pense and science fiction romance.
    What do you think is the future of traditional publishing?
    That’s a great question. I don’t claim to have a crystal ball,
    but I think the fact that au-thors have so many options right now will force some
    changes. I think the Big Six, or Five, or Four, or however they end up, will slowly
    adjust to the new realities. Authors can make more money as independents or with
    smaller presses. They can choose any combination of publishing methods, including
    the (potentially) lower pay but greater prestige of traditional publishers. I think
    the big houses will have to woo authors with better royalties and more benefits.
    I know multi-published authors who are self-publishing new material at the same
    time they’re fulfilling contracts with NY editors for new books at the same time
    they’re reclaiming rights to their backlist and e-publishing those books. Options
    are good.
    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?
    I’ll pack layers, comfy walking shoes, a bathing suit and sunblock
    and head for New Zealand to visit
    friends there and for a grand tour, then hop over to Australia and revisit places I’ve been
    as well as adding some new stops.
    What is your favorite holiday and why?
    Hallowe’en. All that candy! Did I mention I’m addicted to sugar?
    My favorite is Brach’s Indian Corn – the candy corn with the chocolate tops.
    Then there are the adorable little kids in princess and pirate
    costumes – SO cute!
    What good book have you read recently?
    Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher. Not your usual romance, but
    it will hook you in the first few paragraphs.
    If you were a color, what color would you be?
    Orange – all shades from light and bright to deep and burnt.
    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.”

    Please complete the sentences

    I love pizza with pepperoni and onions.
    I’m always ready for lunch or dinner out.
    When I’m alone, I read, write or nap.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I enjoy city life, at least in small doses.
    If I had a halo it would be crooked.
    If I could be consistent I’d be dangerous!
    Willa Blair
    I can never work in an animal shelter because I’d adopt and adopt and become the crazy cat lady.

    Find Me Here