4/25/2011

Margaret Moore

Get Lost in a Highland-set Romance!






USA Today-bestselling historical romance author Margaret Moore sold her first historical romance to Harlequin Historicals® in 1991. Since that time, she's written over 40 historical romance novels and novellas for Harlequin Historicals®, HQN Books and Avon Books, as well as a young adult historical romance for HarperCollins Childrens Books.

Her books have been published in France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, Korea, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland and India. For more information about Margaret or her books, please visit her website at www.margaretmoore.com. She has a blog (http://margaretmoore.blogspot.com) and also tweets as @WriterMargMoore.






About Margaret's April release, HIGHLAND HEIRESS:


No sooner does wealthy heiress Lady Moira MacMurdaugh breathe a sigh of relief for avoiding a disastrous marriage to a gambling womanizer than she is served with a lawsuit!



Torn between duty and this impulsive beauty who stirs him to distraction, solicitor Gordon McHeath has no choice but to go up against the woman whose kiss he's never forgotten. Until sinister forces threaten to upend Lady Moira's world and Gordon must cast the law book aside!




"Moore taps into the culture and mores of Scotland to create a colorful Highland love story... (with) a cast of charming characters, Moore delights her fans." - ROMANTIC TIMES






GET TO KNOW MARGARET MOORE



MAUREEN: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

MARGARET: I love movies, so to narrow it down to one is, frankly, impossible for me. But I can list a few that I'll stop whatever I'm doing to watch every time they come on TV (in no particular order): Spartacus, Errol Flynn's Robin Hood, The King and I, The Quiet Man, How Green Was My Valley, The Godfather Part II, The Good Earth, The Vikings, Fargo, Sunset Boulevard, L.A. Confidential. Obviously, there's a theme here - I tend to prefer movies set in the past, or with a strong sense of place.



MAUREEN: Where do you most like to read and how often?

MARGARET: Usually at the cottage, where there's limited TV and internet, and as often as I can when I'm there.



MAUREEN: What’s the first book you remember reading?

MARGARET: THE ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL by Thornton W. Burgess (still available on Amazon, I see!). I also vividly remember a "reader" from elementary school with a yellow cover called "Surprises".



MAUREEN: What really scares you?

MARGARET: You wanna hear me scream and see me run really, really fast and like a cartoon character (head back, arms churning)? Bring a frog or toad within three feet of me.



MAUREEN: What’s your favorite hobby?

MARGARET: Now that I finally got my sewing machine fixed, I'm sewing again and loving it. I just finished a doggy coat for my son's dog. He's recently moved to Seattle and his dog doesn't like the rain.



MAUREEN: Hiking boots or high heels?

MARGARET: Hiking boots or running shoes all the way. I am not at all sophisticated. I know nothing about wine or gourmet food, I prefer chocolate chip cookies to fancy pastries and my usual ensemble is jeans and a t-shirt.



MAUREEN: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

MARGARET: I wouldn't call him a favorite, but I remember being utterly shocked when I learned "the Master Cylinder" wasn't just the bad guy in Felix the Cat, but the name of a part of a car.



MAUREEN: What turns you off like nothing else?

MARGARET: People who try to jump queues.



MAUREEN: What sound or noise do you love?

MARGARET: Laughter, especially my family's. Also waves or a babbling brook.



MAUREEN: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

MARGARET: I prefer silence when I need to concentrate.



MAUREEN: What was the first story you remember writing?

MARGARET: I was in about Grade 7 and it was set in the Civil War, from the point of view of a mother who had just received a letter and picture of her son in his uniform. She can't believe how grown up he looks and it ended with her saying that he's bound for some place named Shiloh. At the time, I didn't know much about that battle, but it sounded ominous. I remember the teacher writing a comment on it that it was good. Sadly, I don't have a copy of it.



MAUREEN: Who’s your favorite villain?

MARGARET: I like several of my own villainous creations, but I think Magneto in X-Men is a good one because of his backstory. He's not just evil for the sake of evil - you absolutely understand why he's doing what he's doing, and you can sympathize with the reason if not the method. I like villains who could have been heroes if one or two things had gone a different way in their youth.



MAUREEN: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

MARGARET: I'm not British, as many seem to assume. I'm proudly Canadian.



MAUREEN: Is Elvis really dead?

MARGARET: As the proverbial doornail.



MAUREEN: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

MARGARET: Tell my husband if he's home, phone my mom if he's not.



MAUREEN: What do you like on your burger? (and do you take your burger veggie or beefy?)

MARGARET: Tomato, lettuce, a little mustard, a little relish. Beefy, please.



MAUREEN: What do you do to unwind and relax?

MARGARET: Go for a walk or watch TV.



MAUREEN: What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on or did pass on to your children?

MARGARET: It's not really a tradition, but I get giddy with delight when the clocks go ahead in the spring. I suspect that as long as my kids live, they'll think of me every time they have to change the clocks.



MAUREEN: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

MARGARET: I could earn money while still being at home with my kids - the best of both worlds. And traveling to England and Australia with the whole family.



MAUREEN: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

MARGARET: Tea, with milk. Coffee only if I haven't slept well, with cream if it's available.



MAUREEN: What does it mean to love someone?

MARGARET: You cherish them, you trust them, you respect them.



MAUREEN: What’s your idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon?

MARGARET: Playing a board game with my family, followed by a trip to the Dairy Queen.


GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER



MAUREEN: What time period would you most love to have lived in and why?

MARGARET: I think I may have done too much research, because the honest answer is, there isn't one. Life in the past was difficult for women of any economic bracket, and I really wouldn't want to live without modern conveniences like toilets and washing machines.



MARGARET ASKS HER FANS:



I'd love to know how many of them use ereaders.



KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MARGARET HERE:




Twitter ID: @WriterMargMoore




**Historical romance lovers, remember to come back tomorrow when Heather hosts Anna Campbell!**

24 comments:

  1. Margaret, I agree---I adore reading historicals bu wouldn't want to live any time other than now.

    I am ordering a Kindle for my Mom this morning! I doubt I'll be far behind her. :)

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  2. I suppose in time to come, people will say "How could they have lived without...?" about our time, too. I suspect kids today don't know how people survived without cell phones. :-)

    I hope your mom likes her Kindle!

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  3. Margaret, Brava! What a terrific blurb and I appreciate your honest answer about time travel. It would be rough, wouldn't it? I think GLIAS crew should present you with the SANEST ANSWER AWARD ;) As for e-readers, I have a Kindle. I'm so hard pressed, which one I prefer. I love books but I love the convenience of my KINDLE. Thanks for joining us here today, and best wishes on your new release!

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  4. Thanks, Donnell! I've been camping and believe you me, I don't like roughing it. I can get along without a TV or the internet for awhile, but I need modern plumbing!

    I think a Kindle would be great for many types of books (research especially comes to mind), but I don't think I'd want to risk taking one to the beach!

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  5. Hi Margaret,

    I love the feel of a print book too much to even consider an e-reader. An interesting observation: recently I flew to Calgary and didn't see one e-reader being used at the airport.

    BUT, I'll admit, there are times when I look at piles of books in my bedroom that I think, huh, if I had an e-reader...but that thought creeps in only when I have my maid's cap on.

    Great photo, by the way.

    Susanne

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  6. Hi Susanne. Interesting about the airport. And I hear ya on the piles of books. Do you find it weird if you go to a house and there aren't any? I do!

    Thanks for the compliments on the photo. My son's friend took it.

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  7. Welcome to GLIAS, Margaret. Wow...someone else who not only remembers THE VIKINGS, but will actually watch it a second time. So many good things about that movie. I've always loved it.

    ~~Angi
    (The hubby and I share an eReader, and we have lots of titles on it...but we still like holding the book. So it's hard to completely switch.)

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  8. I am split on the thought of ereaders. I am planning to purchase one soon, within the next 6 weeks or so, but I still love the look and feel of paperback books. I don't think I will ever completely switch over, but they do come in handy.

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  9. Hi Angi. How 'bout that part where they make a ladder out of the ax handles in The Vikings? And in my family, "Odin, send a vind to turn de tide" is used whenever it seems necessary. :-)

    I love to open a new book. I may get so I feel that way with an ereader, but I suspect it'll take some getting used to (says she who still uses a cell phone only when absolutely necessary).

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  10. Hi Margaret! Thanks again for coming by!

    I love my kindle, but I haven't stopped buying physical books.

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  11. I have a Kindle but so far I'm trying to tackle my print TBR pile before I start reading books on it. I have read 2 books on it though.

    iqb99@yahoo.com

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  12. Hi Margaret! Count me as a reader who completely fell in love with digital reading. I adore my Kindle. I bring it to the gym every morning to read on the elliptical, read my K throughout the house, and take it with me to airports, airplanes, and hotel rooms. My reading has tripled since I got it. If a book doesn't have a Kindle version - unless I absolutely have to read it for research - I won't buy it.

    Yes, I miss the colorful covers; and Yes, I wish I knew how to back-flip to already read pages, but I'm completely sold.

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  13. I'm sure there'll always be a market for print books, but clearly ebooks are making great headway. And it seems Kindle is the reader of choice. Now I've got another question. What is it about that ereader that makes it more preferable?

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  14. Hi Margaret!

    I'm holding out for an iPad––where the covers can be colorful and I can read in bed with the lights off!

    I will always by both––especially the out of print books I use for research. They just aren't available as e-books!

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  15. Margaret,

    For me, it's the portability. And in contrast to Jillian's desire for the backlit i-pad, I really like the soft print quality of the kindle. Easy on the eyes. And I bought a case for it that has a built in book light, so I can read it anywhere.

    There are some things (like ability to flip around or see how many pages to end of current chapter) that I miss reading a kindle, but it's easier to hold than a book (even a mass market paperback) and easier to carry around, too.

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  16. Gjillian, I know what you mean about the out-of-print books. Thank goodness for Abebooks. Where else would I find an obscure publication like SPIDERS, MEN AND SCORPIONS? For THE VISCOUNT'S KISS, I had to know what was known about spiders in the Regency, and that book came to my rescue. It was worth every penny. I like to own my research books, because I tend to refer to them over the course of writing the book, which takes months. And I like being able to put a bookmark or post-it to mark the parts I need. You who have 'em, can you do something similar with an ebook?

    Also, just FYI, I have a list of research books I've found useful on my site, listed by time period. Here's a link:
    http://www.margaretmoore.com/LibraryIndex.html

    Maureen, the convenience is probably the best argument (to me) for going digital. :-)

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  17. Hi Margaret, long time no see! I really miss chatting with you at TRW.

    I still love the feel of a paper book, but I can see myself buying a Kindle soon just for portability when I travel.

    Looking forward to reading Highland Heiress - love to read about my homeland.

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  18. My husband has an iPad that I sometimes borrow. But I could never stop reading actually books. It's a totally different experience when your holding the books in your hands.

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  19. Hi Margery. I hope you enjoy my version of the Highlands. I miss chatting with you, too.

    Mariee, my daughter's significant other has an iPad and it's amazing. What will they come up with next? (There's probably an app for that. )

    I just thought of another reason I'm reluctant to make the switch to ereaders - what if I spill tea on it? :-)

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  20. Hi Margaret! Welcome to GLIAS! Loved your interview. Historicals are my favorite to read, so I'll be off to get yours!

    Along with those people who jump queues are those awful drivers who fly up the shoulder when there is a lane closure or an accident, just to get by everyone who is stopped, and then expect you to let them back in! Argh!!! :)

    As for e-readers, I'm getting ready to break down and get one. I'll always love paper books, but given that I can put my own file on an e-reader and read it through without having to print it a zillion times during edits...that's pushing me over the edge. The big question is now, Kindle or Nook Color? I can't decide if I'll like the backlit on my eyes.

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  21. Hi Margaret. I enjoyed the interview. I agree with you about Errol Flynn's version of Robin Hood, and also about not wanting to give up things like indoor plumbing (and contact lenses) to live in another time period.

    One sure thing in favor of a "real" book over an e-reader is the fact that you can throw a book at the cats when they are being onery. I wouldn't want to throw a $150.00 plus e-reader just to break up a cat fight.

    Rosemary in Texas

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  22. Congratulations on your new release! I just love Highlanders - or anything set in historical Ireland and Scotland.
    I do not like e-readers. I've tried a few and have an i-pod. I also have the Kindle on my Mac. Since I work outside the home about 10 hours/day, 5 days week, I just don't want to sit at the computer or on a BB like system reading. I just like turning the page! :) I have no problem fitting paperbacks in my briefcase and reading at lunch time.

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  23. Thanks, Heather. In our house, we call those kinds of highway maneuvers "slease moves." And yes, ARGH. That's interesting about putting your own book on the ereader - I never thought of that. Can you make notes and changes, though? Because I'd have to - can't help myself.

    Hi Rosemary! I've got a cat right behind the laptop at the moment. I use a spray bottle of water to break up the spats when "the boys" get feisty.

    And Lil' Miss Molly (love that!), I can understand the aversion. I wouldn't want to be staring at a screen any longer either!

    I'm calling it a night, so I want to say thanks to Maureen for the invitation and the interview. She asked some great - and unusual! - questions, which made it both fun and interesting for me. I appreciate all the answers about the ereaders, too. Thanks, everyone!

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  24. Okay, all this talk about ereaders has me testing the Nook color as a tablet/reader. Testing ease of commenting on blog from one. As a mama on a deadline, i'm all about efficiency :)

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