Way back in 2016, I got a guest spot on a blog called Writing in the Modern Age by an author named Marie Lavender. Of all the writers I’ve contacted online, Marie has to be the most prolific – more than 20 books published over the course of 15 years.
Marie and I have stayed in touch, and now that we’re both in the middle of blog tours for novels, I thought it would be great if we could host each other. Marie was kind enough to agree to have me as a guest on one of her blogs tomorrow, and I’m pleased to have her as my guest today, talking about her latest release: Upon Your Love, the third novel in her Heiresses in Love series. Take it away, Marie!
A Journey with A Few Heiresses
Fifteen years is a long time for a writing project, but I truly believe it brought me here, where I’m supposed to be.
In 2002, I was in my sophomore year of college. One day, while waiting for a friend to finish with a doctor’s appointment, a scene popped into my head. I’d been writing stories since I was nine years old, so it wasn’t unheard of for me to have a notebook on hand for story ideas. While waiting in the car, I began to write a compelling scene detailing an argument between a couple. This quickly spiraled into a huge historical romance project. At the time, I was in an abusive romantic relationship, and you could say that writing Upon Your Return was my catharsis.
Still, I grew to love the characters, and I poured my heart and soul into writing the novel. Nine years later, it was completed, edited and ready to be sent off to literary agents and publishers. By 2010, I thought I’d try my hand at the self-publishing trend. Between 2010 and 2012, I published twelve books in various genres.
In August of 2012, I received word that a publisher was interested in my historical romance novel. I signed the book contract, and by February of 2013, Upon Your Return was officially released. Around the time of preparations for the book release, however, other characters began speaking to me. They wanted to be heard. Suddenly, there were sequels to UYR in the works, and the Heiresses in Love Series quickly became a saga of epic proportions. The second book took me about a year to write.
In May of 2014, Upon Your Honor was released. I knew a story would follow that novel; Adrienne had a journey of her own. However, later that year, I began to fully focus on the novel. It wasn’t until 2015, or perhaps early 2016, that the final book in the series began to make sense in a new way. I was aware I should wrap up the series, but a mysterious entity began to take shape. Other characters needed a say, and the book soon coalesced into a novel of multiple viewpoints – a family saga as well as a historical romance. What began as a series of books about three young women, heiresses in their own right, became so much more. By that time, I was accustomed to crossing genres, and stumbling into new ones now and then – having six total books out with my publisher in a matter of a few years, as well as several on my own – so it was simple to merge the storylines into a cohesive whole. Upon Your Love became a full-length novel, and I couldn’t be prouder with the way it turned out.
On February 28, 2017, UYL was released; a full four years after the first book in the series came out. But with a year and a half of research and writing, and six months of editing and polishing, it was to be expected.
The Heiresses in Love Series truly made me the writer I am today, with 25 books published, four series available and five more series planned for the future. I grew as a person, as well as an author, while this series evolved. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
About the Novel
The Hill family saga concludes as loyalties are questioned, faiths will be tested and undying love may come at a terrible cost…
Fara Hill, mother and faithful wife, is torn between her family at home and her urge to be at sea. Soon, she learns some disturbing truths. Was the past a fairy tale instead of reality?
Chloe Hill, loving wife and young mother, questions her faith when her husband sets an ultimatum she cannot meet. Will she be able to keep her marriage from falling apart?
Adrienne Bellamont Hill, born of a valiant captain and a fiery redhead, is untamed to her core and will bow to no man. Then Christian du Plessis enters her life with an offer she can’t refuse. Discovering the man behind the polished gentleman, she is drawn to him in many ways. Holding out for love is a family tradition, but can she resist the temptation of passion?
Christian finds this young woman to be a fascinating challenge, and is torn between keeping his distance from her and succumbing to her charms. A fierce battle of wills ensues as he sees she is much more than he ever imagined.
But danger lurks, threatening to destroy everything…
Can these two strong-willed individuals unite in the cause before time runs out?
About the Author
Bestselling multi-genre author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 24 other books. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title – winner of the “Broken Heart” themed contest and the “I Love You” themed contest on Poetry Universe. SECOND CHANCE HEART and A LITTLE MAGICK placed in the TOP 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers’ Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial’s Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader’s Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.
Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 25 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several multi-author anthologies. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Blood at First Sight Series and The Code of Endhivar Series.
Links:
Amazon Universal link: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B06XBPVS7D
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/UVENg4kOros
myBook.to/UYL
Publisher: http://solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-love/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upon-your-love-marie-lavender/1125931721
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/6969887
http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://www.ambrosiainnovations.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
Amazon author page: Author.to/MarieLavender
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://manicreaders.com/marielavender/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
