Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Guest Author, Margaret Tanner


Today's guest is Margaret Tanner (whose website was designed by the incomparable Rae Monet, like mine), fellow Rose and author of several historical romances. Margaret lives in Australia, so I am posting this the evening before I usually do--because while I'm getting ready to shut down for the night, her day is just beginning. Margaret was voted the 2008 Australian Author of the Year by aussieauthors.com, and the novel we are featuring here today finished in the top 30 in the 2007 Preditors and Editors Poll. She also has a brand new story out now, called The Trouble With Playboys, from The Wild Rose Press. Welcome, Margaret, and enjoy your day.

Q: Who are you?

A: I am an author who loves delving into the pages of history as I carry out research for my historical romance novels. I take pride in being historically correct. No history book is too old or tattered for me to trawl through. I have tramped through cemeteries, spent hours in museums. I visited an old jail once and went into the little stone cell, and although it was a hot day, inside the cell it was bone chillingly cold. I wanted to know what it was like to be incarcerated in such a place, as the heroine in my novel, Devil’s Ridge, was thrown in jail for a crime she did not commit.

I would like to think I have suffered form my craft, but I haven’t, except for a few blisters and sneezing fits.

I am a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC.

Q: What type of stories do you like to write and why?

A. Historical Romance, as I love delving into the pages of history.

Q: When do you write ?

A. I can write anytime, as long as I am on my own. I hate writing when people are around me, I think because I need silence.

Q: When can you read? Where?

A.. I read anywhere, anytime.

Q: How did you come up with your title and main characters’ names?

A. I am not sure, they just seem to come to me and announce their presence. I do get a lot of my ideas when I am lying in bed at night. The darkness seems to help by creativity. I have always had a good imagination.

Q: How long did you write seriously before your first book was published?

A. Several years of serious writing, joining writing groups, entering competitions. Revising. I guess you could say I have been writing most of my life. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write, but I started out with short stories and poetry, before progressing to novels.

Q: Why do you write?

A. I write because I love it. It’s a compulsion, just can’t not write. It would be easier to hack off my leg, (only joking about the leg).

Thank you, Margaret, for taking the time to be here today. To sum up, here's a blurb for
DEVIL’S RIDGE from Whiskey Creek Press.

By the time Ross Calvert discovers Harry Martin is in fact Harriet Martin she has fallen in love with him. Realizing she has failed in her final effort to protect her shell-shocked brother, she puts a desperate proposition to Ross. Marry her and she will give him an heir.

Ross accepts. However, he is tormented by the betrayal of his former fiancĂ©e Virginia. On his honeymoon he meets her again and is still infatuated. With the army recalling him to the Western Front in 1917, he faces a terrible dilemma, taste Virginia’s passion before he heads to the trenches of France, or keep his marriage vows to Harry.

With the spectre of war hanging over them, there are even bigger obstacles for Ross and Harry. Ross returns to the trenches, and a man seeking wealth at any cost, endangers Harry’s life in a way she had never imagined possible.

19 comments:

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Liana,
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog. I really enjoyed the interview.
Regards
Margaret

Cate Masters said...

Great interview, Liana and Margaret! Devil's Ridge sounds excellent, like your other novels. I'd be interested to hear what brought about the sneezing fits? The things we do for research!
Best,
Cate

Unknown said...

Loved the interview! I have just gotten into historical romance and can't wait to give your book a try.

Kathy Otten said...

Hi Lianna and Margaret!
I have sneezing fits too. Must be all my pets. Great interview. Your new book sounds fascinating. The WWI era interests me, but there are few romances out there during that time. It's going on my list of books to buy.

Emma Lai said...

Hi Liana and Margaret! I don't think I could ever go into a prison cell. We didn't even go to Alcatraz when we were in San Francisco. Just gives me the creeps. Can't wait to read my copy of THE TROUBLE WITH PLAYBOYS.

Marianne Evans said...

Great job, ladies!!! Looking forward to some great reading!!

Mary Ricksen said...

Oh you just visited, I thought maybe they finally caught up with you.
You could use your powers to escape anyways, right?
Great interview ladies, all the best to you both.

Kathleen said...

Congratulations on Devil's Ridge from a fellow Wild Rose and Whiskey Creek author. What an interesting novel and well-done interview.

Kathye Quick said...

My son is a corrections officer. He thought it woukld be fun to lock his mom up one day when I was on a tour of the county jail. It was not. Okay, maybe for him it was.

Your book sounds wonderful, Margaret. Good luck with making it a best seller! I know you can.

Tanya Hanson said...

H Liana, thanks for featuring Margaret today. I really enjoyed the interview. I've seen the prison cells at Alcatraz and a historic one in Old Town San Diego and both times, I'm reminded to continue being a good girl LOL.

But I like you, adore research.

Best wishes always,
~Tanya
www.tanyahanson.com

Mona Risk said...

Great intervie. Margaret, I'm like you. I write in total silence and daydream my next scenes while lying in bed before sleeping. I like the blurb of THE TROUBLE WITH PLAYBOYS. Need to check it. Wishing you a ton of sales.

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Cate, Mona, Tanya, Kathye, Kathleen, Mary, Marianne, Emma, Kathy, Lastnerve.
Thank you so much for dropping by and for your nice comments.
The jail I visited was very old, it is actually an historicaltourist attraction now, but the cells are so small, solid blue stone walls and floors and a massive steel door, the only light came from a tiny window high up in the wall. And the cold feeling of dread it gave me,makes me shiver, every time I think about it, because with the door shut you would feel as though you were entombed. Thank goodness I live in this day and age.
Regards
Margaret

Cheryl Wright said...

Great interview Margaret. As I've told you before, I love The Trouble with Playboys. It was as though I was right there, living the story.

I've read most of your books now, and loved them! (And I adore the cover for Holly and the Millionaire, which I've also read.)



Cheryl (fellow MRWG member)

Margaret Tanner said...

Thanks Cheryl,
Praise from a multi-published author like yourself, is praise indeed.
Amongst other things, Cheryl runs the web site: aussieauthors.com
which is a wonderful source of information for writers
Regards
Margaret

Sharon Donovan said...

Hi Liana and Margaret. Fascinating interview! Sorry to be dropping in so tardy, but I just picked it up on loop. Margaret, the lengths you go to for research is admirable to say the least! It is no wonder your books are so highly acclaimed. All the best with your latest. Liana, the Pennwriters conference is here! Oh, one more thing. Allow me to lift my glass in a toast to Rae Monet. She has also designed my website and matching business cards. I'll give you one this weekend, Liana!
All the best,
Sharon

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Sharon,
Thank you for dropping by,and for your kind words, I appreciate it. Yes Rae Monet is certainly talented. I just love the website she created for me. She did the book cover for my TWRP novel, Shattered Dreams, too.
Regards
Margaret

Pat McDermott said...

Hello from New Hampshire, Margaret. I'm glad your visit to jail was for research! The WWI era has so many stories locked away in it. Nice to see a capable storyteller ferreting them out. Good luck with your writing.

Thanks for bringing us this interview, Liana.

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Pat,
Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate them.
Bet wishes
Margaret

Liana Laverentz said...

What a party we have going here :). Thank you everyone, for stopping by. Margaret was a pleasure to interview and a joy to work with while putting this together. I'm glad you all enjoyed it.