Lord of Devil Isle by Connie Mason

I was privileged to meet Connie Mason in 2006, the year my debut novel came out. She graciously gave me a cover quote for it and a beautiful friendship was born. Recently, Connie and I exchanged emails so I could spotlight her and her newest book, LORD OF DEVIL ISLE here. There's even a short excerpt! Enjoy!

Emily: So, Connie, you've been writing for a good long while and have over 50 titles to your credit. You're a New York Times bestseller and were featured on the news program 48 Hours. Why do you think your writing career has been so long and successful?

Connie: I attribute my long writing career with connecting with my readers. I write what they want to read, what I like to read myself. I try to keep my writing fresh by mixing up the time frame and countries in which I write.

Emily: Now authors are encouraged to "brand" themselves by delivering a recognizable type of story with each book. What makes up the Connie Mason brand?

Connie: Each of my stories has elements of action, adventure, suspense, sensuality, and above all, romance.

Emily: I'm always curious about how other writers pull together the beast that is the novel. What is your writing process? Do you plan your stories out in advance or just write them as they come to you?

Connie: I always have a sense of where I'm going with a story and the characters, but even if I write a synopsis or outline, I never follow it. I write with my gut.

Emily: I usually say no one is born knowing how to write a novel, but it sounds like you were! You have traveled extensively and it certainly shows in your body of work. I think Antarctica might be the only continent that hasn't been the setting for one of your stories. But out of all the places you've been, what was your favorite trip?

Connie: I have visited or lived in every European and Scandinavian country, Eastern Europe and Russia, Spain, Portugal and Africa and Greece. I have also visited several Asian countries and lived three years in Thailand. It's difficult to pick out one country over another because there is so much to admire about each of them. But because of the difference in culture and religion, I'd have to say Thailand and Morocco.

Emily: My readers would love to know a bit more about you. Please share anything you'd like about your personal life--kids, grandkids, hobbies, etc.

Connie: I have three grown children, nine grandchildren, all grown except a twelve year old grandson, and two adorable great-grandchildren, ages 3 and 18 months. As many of you know, I lost my husband of 57 years two years ago. It was a shock which I am still coping with. As for hobbies, I take tai chi classes twice a week and read during my spare time.

Emily: I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope your kids and grandkids live close by.
I just have to ask, what's next after LORD OF DEVIL ISLE comes out April 27th--OMGosh, that's today!!!! (I'll have to sneak out of RT and run to the nearest bookstore for my copy!)

Connie: Thanks, Emily. This coming November, I'm taking my readers to Scotland with SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER. "Mad Rob" MacLaren abducts his enemy's bride at the altar, but never expected to fall under the lass's spell himself. It's a tale of honor, redemption and, of course, love.

Emily: Oh, yummy! Men in kilts! Thanks for sharing with us, Connie and I hope you'll come back when SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER hits the bookstores. And now, for a sneak peak at LORD OF DEVIL ISLE . . .


"The post as my mistress has been vacated. Would you be interested in applying for the position?”

“Captain Scott!” She raised a hand to slap him, but he caught her wrist and held it fast.

“Miss Upshall, you are far too highly wrought,” he said silkily. He brought her wrist to his lips and brushed them across her pulse point, never taking his gaze from hers.

She tried to pull away, but his grip was firm and persistent. Like a bird charmed by a snake, she lost the will to resist and allowed him to continue to hold her hand. He stroked the back of it with his thumb. Tendrils of pleasure followed his touch, ebbing and flowing like a rising tide. She knew she shouldn’t allow it, but it felt amazingly good.

“In my experience,” he said softly, his voice a low rumble, like a lion’s purr, “when a woman protests this much, it means she hasn’t had the attention of a man recently and is in desperate need of it.”

That broke the spell.

“You conceited swine! Perhaps if you consorted with women other than barmaids and trollops, you’d recognize a lady’s revulsion when you see it."

His gaze dropped to her breasts, where the hard tips showed like a pair of raised buttons under the man’s shirt she was wearing.

“Believe me, Miss Upshall. I can read the signals you’re sending, and revulsion is not in evidence.”

___________________________________________

Oh! I love it when a man sees through a woman's not-so-honest protest! Thanks for visiting with me and my readers today, Connie. I can't wait to read LORD OF DEVIL ISLE. Here's the buy link!

Leave a comment or question for Connie for a chance to win a title from Connie's backlist!

Have Pen, Will Travel

I've started my traveling road show, hitting the bookstores in the Boston area to sign stock. This is a huge change for me. When we lived in Missouri, the nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders was 100 miles away. Now I have 19 Borders and 23 B & N within 25 miles of my home. Now this might sound like I've got it made, but if you think so, you obviously have not tried to get around Boston!

Let's forget for a moment that I totaled a car in city traffic during a snow storm about a year ago. I'm strong-willed enough not to let the traffic stop me from driving, but I do pay for it with increased anxiety. Thank God for my GPS! I wouldn't find my way anywhere without directions from that well-modulated voice from the sky.

If I go by car, parking is a devilishly difficult issue. I travel with a pocketful of quarters to feed the meters. And if I end up paying to park in a deck, chances are good that I'll spend more to park than I'll make if the bookstore sells every single copy of DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS that I stop by to sign. Sometimes, my Dear Husband drives me to the bookstores and this helps tremendously. The only problem is that if I hop out and he tries to drive around the block, it may be awhile between passes for him. Boston is not laid out on a grid. You can't make 4 right turns and be assured of ending up where you started.

Today, I rode the T (Boston's subway) to visit a couple of stores that are located near a T station. Taking mass transit is less stressful, but seems to take longer. I wish there were more bookstores by T stations. This is my preferred mode of travel, even though there was a shooting at the T station two stops south of where I was just this week. When you travel about in the city, you have to be aware of your surroundings and you need to move with purpose. By the time I got home, I needed a stress nap.

So why am I doing this? First of all, because even though I'm by nature a bit of an introvert, I want to meet the booksellers. They are my heroes. And I want to help them sell my books. If my signature and a bookmark makes their job easier, it's a win all the way around.

And I want to give my readers a little extra. I appreciate it when someone is willing to plunk down their money to read my story. I want to make sure they get their money's worth.

So if you're in the New England area, you can find signed copies of DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS at the Borders in the Cambridge Galleria, in Boston on Washington St near DownTown Crossing, and across from Copley Square. I signed copies at the Barnes & Noble on Harvard St. in Brookline, the B. Dalton in the Arsenal Mall in Watertown, and CharlesBank Books in Belmont.

I'll be hitting more stores each week and I'm scheduled for a talk and signing at the B & N in Saugus, MA. I'd love to see you there!

Not the usual suspects . . .

Hello, my friend,

Today is the official launch day for DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS! (Though if you're an Amazon or Barnes & Noble customer, you know it's been available there a couple days early!) I love these characters and I'm so excited to be able to offer Artemisia and Trev's love story to the world.

When I decided to write a Victorian set tale, I wanted to make sure my characters weren't the usual suspects--you know, the ingenue and the rake. That's story's been told, often and well. So I decided to make my heroine outrageous for her time (she's a widowed duchess who longs to be recognized as a serious artist, so she paints nudes!). And my hero is 'over-the-top' sexy (a nude model with nothing to hide, except the fact that he's Her Majesty's spy!). If I threw these two strong-minded individuals together, I hoped something interesting would come of it.

The reviews have been terrific. The watchword seems to be "fast-paced." One reviewer even told me reading it reminded her of riding the "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" attraction at Disney World. She hastened to assure me that was a good thing. And RT BookReviews has tapped my hero, Trevelyn, for their K.I.S.S. Award (Knight in Shining Silver!)

But I know the only review that really counts is YOURS, dear reader. Please let me know what you think of DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS by publishing your review here once you've read it. Thanks!

Enjoy!

Em

http://www.emilybryan.com