Today I'd like to welcome back
Paisley Kirkpatrick with her newest release,
Marriage Bargain. I asked Lady Paisley to share some things with us about writing, life, and her fantasy of the perfect writing cottage.
1.At any given time do you work on only one story at a
time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your
head?
I am usually working on a couple of stories at the same
time. Since I have a new story being released every seven months, I am revising
one while writing another. At times, I have three stories if I have revisions
on the current story to be released. I do find that every once in a while I put
the wrong name for my hero or heroine. My characters are so real to me that
when they aren't where they are supposed to be, it is a surprise. I love when a
new story begins taking shape. Some of my ideas go back twenty years and when
they finally find the right plot to be put into, the story just takes off.
2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like
to? Or wish you could write in?
My male critique partner writes romance with werewolves
and vampires. I had never read about them before and have found the genre to be
quite fun. He's been encouraging me to write a western with a vampire in it,
but I don't know if I am expert enough to tackle a vampire yet. I don't want to
get bitten by one. Ghosts are a different story -- I have had plenty of run-ins
with the ghosts who've been hanging around since the gold rush era.
3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your
stories?
Yes, I do in all of my stories. I hadn't realized I was
doing this until you asked. It's part of my major plot line. I guess it goes
back to my mystery reading days and just came naturally. I like adding twists
and turns and present a challenge to my characters.
4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing
office/cottage would you create for yourself?
The tower room of a castle in the Scottish Highlands
would be a nice idea. The winding staircase up to the office would have walls
filled with books, alphabetized and filled with books on Scottish history,
romance, and mysteries. A mural of all of Gerard Butler's movies would circle
my office, and the desk would stand in the middle of the room with a plaid
carpet. A life-size marble statue of Gerard similar to Michelangelo's David to
draw inspiration from on cold lonely nights of writing would stand guard at the
door. Well, you asked! J
5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which
novel or series would you do? Where would it be set?
This story would be difficult to put some place except
for the trail across the country on a wagon train. Doubt it would make a good
TV show at this time. My Paradise Pines Series is set in the Placerville, CA,
area because of the gold rush era I put my characters into. I suppose it could
be a bit like Deadwood with a little more class.
6. Finally, tell us about your latest release!
Marriage Bargain is set on the
dusty trail of a wagon train traveling from St. Joseph, Missouri, to the
California gold rush area at Placerville, California, in 1849. Betrayal and
embarrassment drives Darrah Benjamin to run away from home to take a tutoring
job in San Francisco. Darrah finds her journey a pathway to love and
forgiveness when an arranged marriage to the wagon scout becomes much more than
a convenience. Chase challenges her determination to keep their marriage in
name only with his promise -- she’ll give him her heart and invite him to her
bed before they arrive at their destination. Darrah has an immediate attraction
to the rogue, but holds her emotions tight because she doesn't want her heart
broken again.
Charles Danforth, a scout
known as Chase, leads a wagon train of emigrants west through plains plundered
by murderers. As an undercover agent of President Polk, he has sworn to stop
the massacres. Darrah's inadvertent
comment gives him the clue he needs to achieve his assignment. His Sioux blood
brother helps Chase end the killings, but almost ruins Chase’s chance of
winning Darrah’s heart when he takes matters in his own hands to demonstrate
the depth of love Chase has for his wife.
Where to Buy:
Miranda
knew her life had sunk as low as it could go, when she'd become nothing more
than a poker chip to the evilest man alive. Who knew becoming the prize in a
losing poker hand would be just what her life needed.
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