Erin Quinn

Erin Quinn and the Mists of Ireland I read Erin Quinn's Haunting Beauty last year and loved it. Time travel, sexy Irish guys, adventure, magic, and lyrical prose - what's not to like? The second book in the series is Haunting Warrior (also awesome) and the third book, Haunting Desire, arrives April 5. I invited Erin to Get Lost in a Story for a chat. A woman lost in a nightmare Shealy O’Leary thought the ancient Book of Fennore a myth until she and her father are sucked into the past—and into the cursed no-man’s land called Fennore. There Shealy learns that she has a rare power that their enemy seeks. Aided by the dangerous and compelling warrior, Tiarnan, Shealy must find her father and learn how to wield her gift to save those she loves or die in this waking nightmare... A man desperate to regain his honor After failing both his land and people, Tiarnan was damned to spend eternity in the black heart of Fennore. His only hope comes in the shape of a beautiful, frightened woman from the future. For she possesses a gift she is unaware of. A gift with the power to save ...or destroy them all. A desire that drives their destiny Together, Shealy and Tiarnan begin their perilous quest—a mission that draws them closer and closer together. And as the odds against them mount, so does their passion. The intensity of their bond electrifies the couple, their love powering Shealy’s gift and Tiarnan’s strength. But their newfound connection threatens to ruin them both—and bring to life a long ago prophecy of devastation and betrayal... Simone: What's the first book you ever "got lost" in? Erin: Charlotte's Web, EB White. I loved it so much that at age 6 I wrote to the author and was thrilled to get letter back. Simone: Where is your favorite place to read? Erin: Definitely the bathtub. This comes from the bath being the only place where I could escape when my kids were little. Now I just love to soak and read. My kids are all grown up and they tease me when I take a bath and say I'm going to marinate, ha ha. Simone: What are some of the things that inspired you for the Mists of Ireland books? Erin: I loved the idea of an average everyday person suddenly discovering they were anything but average and everyday and I think I explore that with each of the Mists of Ireland books. In my stories, time is a fluid thing--no beginning, no end. It toys with the idea that everything in time is happening simultaneously so there is no butterfly effect. If you change the past, it's because the past was always meant to be changed. Sometimes it ties my brain in knots to think that way--but when I can unravel it, I think it's cool. :) I also wanted to explore Ireland with this series and that has been so much fun!!!! Simone: Did you do any special research for the Mists of Ireland books? Did you travel? Erin: Alas, I didn't travel but I visit the land of mist and blarney every night…in my dreams. Unfortunately, my budget hasn’t stretched overseas as of yet—but I can dream with the best of them. I’m a first class researcher though and I love to dig for the details. The Irish have such an amazing history and so many incredible storytellers that finding each new fact is like a treasure hunt. At first I found it daunting to write about a country where I’ve yet to set foot, but then I reminded myself that I dare to write eras I’ve never lived and from the point of view of males which I’ll never be. Obviously, I’m quite daring—must be the Irish in me. And with Irish friends to guide me on local customs, culture and slang, I try very hard to be true to the land and people I write about. Simone: The covers for these books are beautiful. Did you have any input into them? Erin: No, like most author's my input on the cover is minimal. The publisher asks for a few story concepts to incorporate and then they deliver a finished product. I've been very fortuante and blessed by the cover gods with my books. I really love the covers. Simone: Tell us all what's coming next for you? Erin: Haunting Desire comes out April 5 and Haunting Embrace will be out October 4. Although Haunting Embrace will tie up a lot of story questions and bring partial closure to the series, there will be more Mists of Ireland books that continue with characters who I've introduced in the series. I'm also working on a new series but I'm in the beginning stages so can't give more than a few details--I plan for it to be an urban fantasy and will it be set in contemporary times. Here's an excerpt from Haunting Desire... The heat of Tiarnan’s body blazed down Shealy’s back, silken and hot through the thin fabric of her dress. He was aroused. She felt the weight and pressure of his erection against her, knew instinctively that he held onto his self-control by a very thin thread. They’d both almost died last night . . . or today . . . or last year, if Tiarnan could be believed—and she thought he could. On a very visceral level, she sensed that Tiarnan was a man of truth and honor. If he said the sky was yellow, then yellow it would be. But right now, he wasn’t saying anything. His breathing was strained, coming in short, hot bursts against her ear. The muscles in his arms bunched tight, but his hands were gentle where they held her, almost apolo­getic as they stroked. Shealy didn’t let herself dwell on anything that tried to crowd into her overloaded brain. At that moment, she needed to feel. She needed to know that however terrifying this place was, she, at least, was real. Before she could change her mind, she turned in his arms, feel­ing him resist for just an instant as he tried to hold her still. Then she pressed against him, her dress twisted at her hips, her face level with his. For a long moment they stared at one another, searching the shadows that concealed their expressions, each seeking mercy, absolution perhaps. He spoke with a deep murmur. “I don’t think—” “Don’t think,” she said against his mouth. She caught a glimpse of pain in his golden brown eyes and for a panicked moment she thought he might reject her and pressed closer, letting him feel her body. “Don’t think, Tiarnan.” She ran her hands up his bare chest, reveling in the feel of him. He was hard, slabbed muscle beneath hot, silken skin. Every inch of him, strong and hewn. Her fingers slid up the column of his throat then back to tangle in his dark brown hair, twisting in it to bring his lips closer to hers. He made a sound in his throat that lit a fire deep inside her and then he pulled her tight against him with a groan, and that, too, fanned the inferno, as if her having him against his will made the forbidden moment that much sweeter. His reluctance didn’t extend to his body though, and he rolled, pulling her beneath the satisfying weight of him, crushing her in a way that screamed sex through every nerve ending. One massive thigh slid between her legs and she arched up, rubbing against it, thrilling in the friction. He brushed his lips against hers, the kiss soft, and she opened to him, letting him know he was welcome wherever he might want to venture. The feel of his tongue, so hot and velvet, so foreign and somehow exotic in her mouth, made her moan and her fingers clench in his hair. Whew! Erin is giving away an autographed copy of Haunting Beauty or Haunting Warrior (winner's choice) to one lucky commenter today. So tell us: If you could travel back in time, where would you travel?