QUEEN OF THE DESERT by Marie Laval

I am so happy to announce that my historical romance QUEEN OF THE DESERT will be released by Choc Lit UK on 15th February and I just can't stop admiring my cover. Isn't it gorgeous?

Here is a taste of the story...

Sometimes the most precious treasures exist in the most barren and inhospitable of places …
Harriet Montague is definitely too much of a gentlewoman to be frequenting the backstreet taverns of Algiers. But her father has been kidnapped whilst on an expedition to the tomb of an ancient desert queen, and she’s on a mission to find the only person who could save him.
It’s just unfortunate that Lucas Saintclair, the man Harriet hopes will rescue her father from scoundrels, is the biggest scoundrel of the lot. With a bribe in the form of a legendary pirate treasure map, securing his services is the easiest part – now Harriet must endure a treacherous journey through the desert accompanied by Saintclair’s band of ruffians.
But on the long, hot Saharan nights, is it any wonder that her heart begins to thaw towards her guide – especially when she realises Lucas’s roguish façade conceals something she could never have expected?

QUEEN OF THE DESERT is available as ebook from Amazon and Kobo

 

Release date for ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE

Only two weeks before my latest novel, ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE, is released by Choc Lit. 

ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE is a historical novel, and a new and completely revised edition of a novel previously published about six years ago. I loved writing that story, not only because I completely fell in love with the hero Hugo Saintclair, but because it is set in and around Lyon, the beautiful city where I grew up.

The novel is full of mystery and action, secret societies and political intrigue, and of course romance! 

Researching and writing the story was pure pleasure from beginning to end.

Here is the blurb for the novel:

When young widow, Marie-Ange Norton is invited to Beauregard in France by the mysterious Monsieur Malleval to collect an inheritance, she has no choice but to accept.
But when she embarks on the voyage with her fiery-tempered travelling companion Capitaine Hugo Saintclair, little does she know what waits for her across the sea in turbulent nineteenth-century France on the eve of Napoleon’s return from exile. When she arrives, she is taken aback by Malleval’s fascination with her family – seemingly inspired by his belief they are connected to a sacred relic he’s read about in coded manuscripts by the Knights Templar.
As it becomes clear that Malleval’s obsession has driven him to madness, Marie-Ange is horrified to realise she is more the man’s prisoner than his guest. Not only that, but Hugo is the only person who might be able to help her, and he could represent a different kind of danger ...

ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE will be released on 23^rd February and is available for pre-order https://www.amazon.co.uk/Angel-Lost-Treasure-Marie-Laval-ebook/dp/B08TX52MWK/ref and Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/angel-of-the-lost-treasure

A tasty dish from Spain with Jenny Twist's Solomillo Mudéjar

Today we are off to Spain with Jenny Twist and her mouth watering Solomillo Mudéjar. Jenny is one of the nine authors (including myself!) of LETTERBOX LOVE STORIES, an anthology of romantic short stories each set in a different European country, and available here LETTERBOX STORIES Amazon for only £0.99!

What if a life-changing letter arrived in today's mail? Now imagine it leads to love and adventure! From the northern British Isles, across the mainland of Europe, and on to Turkey, nine international Award-winning and Multi-published Romance Authors share spellbinding love stories told across time. This collection includes contemporary, historical and futuristic time travel romances touched by magic. And each begins with a letter...

Here is the blurb for THE MINSTREL BOY by Jenny Twist
In 1936 a band of students went off to Spain to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Only one came home.

SOOMILLO MUDEJAR

INGREDIENTS:

·1kg Loin of Pork

·Salt and Pepper

·1 teaspoon Sweet Paprika

·225g medium-thick slices of Jamón Serrano (ham)

·450g Onions peeled

·2 tbsp Olive Oil

·7 tbsp dry (fino) Sherry

·240ml Chicken Stock

PREPARATION:

1.  Preheat the oven to 180ºC, Gas Mark 4. Rinse the pork under cold running water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

2.  Mix some salt and pepper with the paprika and rub over the outside of the pork.

3.  Lay half the ham slices side-by-side to form a long rectangle. Place the pork on top and lay the remaining ham over the meat. Wrap the ham around the meat and secure with kitchen string.

4.  In a roasting pan, heat the oil over high heat until very hot then fry the pork joint until browned on all sides.

5.  Place the onions or shallots around the meat and continue to fry over a high heat until they begin to brown.

6.  Add the sherry and stock then transfer to the oven and roast for about 1 hour, basting the meat from time to time with the pan juices.

7.  Remove the meat from the pan, cut into slices, and arrange with the onions on a warmed serving platter. Pour the juices from the pan over the top and serve immediately.

The term mudéjar is used for Muslims— and for their culture— who converted to Christendom during the Reconquista. The first mudéjares date back to the late eleventh century, when the Castilian king, Alfonso VI, expelled the Muslims from Toledo, allowing only converts to stay. Almost half a millennium later, in 1502, just ten years after the conclusion of the reconquest in Granada by the Catholic Kings, a royal decree ordered that every Muslim in the newly united country must convert or leave.

Thank you very much, Jenny, for this tasty recipe!

OCCUPYING LOVE by Marilyn Chapman

Today I am delighted to welcome author Marilyn Chapman to talk about her latest release, OCCUPYING LOVE.

 Hello Marilyn. It's always a pleasure to meet you, even if it's only in the virtual world today, instead of the Hebden Bridge pub where we enjoy a lovely lunch and a chat every few months.

I would like to congratulate you on the release of your novel. You must be delighted...and what a stunning cover! Can you tell us a little about you?

I got my first break writing in a football magazine when I was 15 and have been writing ever since. An NCTJ qualified journalist, I spent my early years on the Blackpool Evening Gazette and Lytham St Annes Express in Lancashire.  I then helped to set up a family PR and publishing company on the Fylde Coast and freelanced for national newspapers and magazines. I now live in Lancashire with my husband. We have two children and two granddaughters who make us feel about 21!

That's wonderful. What did you want to be when you were a child? Did you always know you wanted to write? 

I knew from a very young age that I wanted to write.  I was always scribbling poems and short stories in a secret book I kept in my bedroom. When I told my school careers officer that I wanted to be a journalist she was horrified!

Guernsey - Photo courtesy of Pixabay

I wonder why. It must be a fascinating job. Can you tell us about your latest novel?

Occupying Love is set in the Occupation of Guernsey in World War Two and it’s the book I’ve always wanted to write.  It’ a fictional account of love, loss, bravery and heartbreak but ultimately of hope and happiness.

What is the one thing you absolutely need to write? (quiet, music, an empty house, coffee or chocolate?)

A pencil!  I have never been able to create characters on a keyboard – for some reason it has to be on paper.

We all have our own favourite way of working. I need to write things down too, and I have a collection of Clairefontaine notebooks I do all my scribbling in. What are you working on at the moment?

The sequel to my debut novel Baggy Pants and Bootees. This follows reporter Sophie as she moves into the seventies, with a new job in radio and a love life a lot more complicated than she ever thought possible!

That sounds intriguing...What was your best ever moment as a writer?

Having my debut novel, Baggy Pants and Bootees traditionally published in 2014 after being shortlisted for the Festival of Romance new talent award. Seeing the paperback on the shelf in my favourite bookshop, Plackitt & Booth in Lytham, next to Victoria Hislop’s book of short stories The Last Dance rounded it off perfectly!

I can understand why that was a great and proud moment for you, Marilyn. It's wonderful to see your book in print. Why is Occupying Love so important to you?

I’ve waited a long time to publish a novel about the Occupation of the Channel Islands after starting the initial draft more than 20 years ago. I wanted to do justice to the islanders who lost their lives during the Occupation. The book is dedicated to my uncle, David Richard Brown, who died at the age of 13 whilst evacuated to Oldham, Lancs. I think of him as the Guernsey boy who never came home.

That is very sad indeed.

And now for the word association test...PLEASE CHOOSE 5 WORDS BELOW AND WRITE THE FIRST 3 WORDS THAT COME TO YOUR MIND!

1. sun                           stars, sky, night

2. summer                 Guernsey, beach, splash

3. romance                 novel, love, writing

4. chocolate               yes, please, now

5. reading                   Escape, inform, entertain

Excerpt from OCCUPYING LOVE

‘Don’t smile at them, they’re the enemy.’

‘I wasn’t smiling.’ Maggie pulled a face. ‘I just nodded, that’s all. I’m trying to be civil. Besides – what am I supposed to do?’

The two friends were walking down The Grange on their way to town, passing German soldiers on bikes or on foot at almost every turn. With her shapely figure and glossy brown hair, Lydia stood out against her friend’s chubby build and plain features.

‘Ignore them, Maggie, that’s what. They’ll be stealing our homes and our jobs next.’

‘I’m sorry, but. I can’t help feeling happy, despite the stupid Occupation. It’s so good to have you back again.’

The two girls had been friends since before they could walk. At the age of nine they’d scratched their arms with a penknife till they drew blood, vowing solemnly that nothing and no-one would ever pull them apart.

‘It’s good to see you too,’ Lydia said, linking arms, ‘We’re prisoners here now, don’t forget. We need to be careful.’

‘Do you mind very much not being able to go back to England?’

‘Of course not,’ Lydia lied. Just days after the Germans had landed in Guernsey she already felt trapped. ‘There are far worse places I could be. Like the prisoner of war camps in France. Half the people there have done nothing wrong. Anyway, the war won’t last forever. I’m sure Professor Williams will take me back when it’s all over.’

‘Pa says the Jerries will be gone by Christmas.’ Maggie had always been an optimist.

‘I hope your Papa’s right, but I’m not so sure.’

‘Oh, Lydia, you’re far too serious for your own good. Just look at the soldiers – they’re tall and muscular – not a bit like our lads. Which reminds me, Charlie Vaudin asked me out again last week. I don’t like him, but I’m running out of excuses now. What can I say to put him off?’

‘Oh, Maggie! How could you be so heartless?’

Author Biography

I got my first break writing in a football magazine when I was 15 and have been writing ever since. An NCTJ qualified journalist, I spent my early years on the Blackpool Evening Gazette and Lytham St Annes Express in Lancashire.  I then helped to set up a family PR and publishing company on the Fylde Coast and freelanced for national newspapers and magazines, including Woman.

My debut novel Baggy Pants and Bootees was released as an e-book in February 2014 by a small publishing house based in Britain and Germany. A time-slip novel set between World War Two and the 1960s, it was published as a paperback in August 2014.

Born in Guernsey, I have been always wanted to write a novel set in the Occupation of the Channel islands, after hearing so many scary stories about life under German rule from my grandparents when I was a child. Occupying Love is the result.

 I now live in Lancashire with my husband and we have two children and two granddaughters who make me feel about 21!

 A member of the Society of Authors and the Romantic Novelists’ Association I am currently working on a sequel to Baggy Pants and Bootees.

 Thank you so much Marilyn for being my guest today. I wish you lots of success with OCCUPYING LOVE.

OCCUPYING LOVE is available here from Amazon

You can find Marilyn at

guernseygirlie.blogspot.com

Amazon.com

EXCERPT FROM 'THE DREAM CATCHER'

I am delighted to publish an excerpt from my Scottish Historical Romance THE DREAM CATCHER, Book 1 in the DANCING FOR THE DEVIL TRILOGY which was published by Accent Press last December. Book 2 - BLUE BONNETS - will be released on January 28th. I hope you enjoy it!

Excerpt

A giant stepped in front of her. Dressed in black riding boots, black breeches and riding coat, he was so tall and his shoulders so broad the already dark horizon darkened further.

     ‘Silence.’

     His voice was deep and calm, the voice of a man used to be obeyed. The crowd hushed at once.

     He bent down in front of her.

     ‘Well, well, who do we have here?’

     Even though she could hardly see his face, she felt his eyes bore into hers, and it was enough to make her mind go blank.

     ‘Rose…Rose Saintclair.’

     ‘Where are the others, your servants, your maids?’

     ‘I… I don’t have any.’

     ‘Really? That’s a surprise. All right then, come up.’ He held both his hands out.

     She hesitated a moment before placing her hands in his. He pulled her up and she flew straight into his arms, landing with a bump against his broad, hard chest. He was so tall she had to tilt her face all the way back to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat, then started bumping fast and loud.

     His eyes were grey and framed by dark eyelashes, his nose straight and strong, his cheekbones high and sharp. Thick black stubble covered his cheeks and chin, and his hair flew around his face, the colour of a raven’s wing. There was something dangerous about him, something reminiscent of a brutal warrior from days long gone by.

     She wriggled to free herself but he didn't let go and his mouth curved into a mocking smile.

     ‘Well, Fàilte, my sweetheart. ‘I’ll say this for McRae. If there’s one thing the rascal can do, it’s pick his fancy women.’

     His hand slid from her waist and he patted her bottom.

     Her reaction was instinctive. She swung her arm and lifted her hand to slap him. She didn’t have the chance. Without batting an eyelid he caught her wrist.

     ‘Steady on, sweetheart. You have a nasty little temper.’

     ‘And you have no right to insult me in this way, you vile brute,’ she hissed. ‘I am not Lord McRae’s fancy woman, as you so elegantly put it, I’m his wife!’

     She had expected at least a shocked response or a groveling apology but he merely smiled.

     ‘It’s all right, gràidheag, you don’t have to pretend.’

     ‘Pretend what?’

     ‘Pretend you’re married to the man. I don’t care if you’re McRae’s mistress or his laundry maid, if you scrub his back or his dirty shirts.’

     ‘I am telling the truth, you stubborn macaque,’ she shouted in frustration. ‘I married Lord McRae in Algiers four weeks ago.’

     ‘Please don't scream quite so loud. I heard you the first time. I just don’t believe you.’

     ‘What?’

     ‘First you introduce yourself as Rose Saintclair, now you’re spinning me a tale about being married McRae. Make up your mind, sweetie.’

     He glanced at her hand. ‘I don’t see any wedding band on your finger.’

     ‘That’s because Cameron wanted to keep the wedding a secret. Never mind, I don’t have to explain anything to you. Now let go of me.’

     She wriggled to break free, but he was still holding her wrist, leaving her no choice but to kick him hard in the shin with the tip of her boot – the very pointy tip of the fashionable new boots she had made in Algiers.

     ‘Ouch. Steady on, sweetheart.’

     ‘Let go of me, you deranged baboon! And stop calling me sweetheart.’

     She kicked him again, harder. He muttered something in a strange, guttural language she didn’t understand and let go of her so suddenly she staggered backward and fell on her bottom on the hard, wet cobbles.

     Her breath caught in her throat, her heart beat hard, erratic. Tears blurred her vision as people sneered and clapped around her. She knew McRaes and McGunns were enemies, but she had nothing to do with their feud, so why did everybody here seem to hate her so much? And why was the big hairy brute intent on humiliating her and not believing a word she said?

     He stepped closer and offered his hand.

     ‘Come on, now, sweetheart. Let’s start again. I think we got off on the wrong foot.’

     He sounded contrite but she wasn’t ready to forgive to forgive him. Ignoring his hand, she scrambled to her feet, and straightened her back. Attack was the best defence, her brother often said, and Lucas knew what he was talking about. He was the best scout in the whole of the Barbary States – or Algeria as the French now called her country.

     ‘Take me to your master immediately,’ she started in a voice as cold and steady she could manage, ‘so I can ask him to have you whipped for your insolence.’

     There was a collective gasp from the people around them. Not looking in the least impressed, the man crossed his arms on his broad chest and arched his eyebrows.

     ‘Really?’

     She took another deep breath.

     ‘That’s what I do to disrespectful servants on my estate, and I can assure you they stop smirking after five lashes.’ That was an outrageous lie, of course, but no one here was to know.

     'If what you said earlier is true, then I see McRae chose his bride well.’ The man’s eyes were now hard as steel. ‘You and he are indeed a match made in heaven, or in hell. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.’ He paused. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but I don’t approve of whipping people, or beasts, for that matter.’

     ‘And I don’t care a fig if you approve or not. It is for your master to decide your punishment, and from what I’ve heard of Lord McGunn, he is neither a patient nor compassionate man.’

     He arched his eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know I had such a bad reputation.’

     Rose’s heart stopped. He wasn’t… he couldn’t be…

     ‘I realise I failed to introduce myself. I am Bruce McGunn.’ He bowed his head in a military salute.

     ‘You are?’ The words came out as a squeak.

     His lips stretched into a tight smile that didn’t warm his eyes.

     ‘At your service, my lady. Now the introductions are over, shall we make our way to the Lodge?’

Rose's and Bruce's story continues in BLUE BONNETS, which is now available for pre-order.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Bonnets-Dancing-Devil-Book-ebook/dp/B019E15RTE/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

 

BLUE BONNETS available to pre-order!

I am delighted to announce that BLUE BONNETS, Book 2 of my historical romance trilogy DANCING FOR THE DEVIL, is now available for pre-order! It will be released by Accent Press on 28th January 2016.

BLUE BONNETS follows on from THE DREAM CATCHER, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Catcher-Dancing-Devil-Book-ebook-y/dp/B017D73N0Q/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Blurb

Cape Wrath, Scotland, November 1847.

Bruce McGunn, laird of Wrath in the far North of Scotland, is as brutal and unforgiving as his land. Discharged from the army, haunted by the spectres of his fallen comrades and convinced he is going mad, he is running out of time to save his estate from the machinations of Cameron McRae, heir to the McGunn's ancestral enemies.

When the clipper carrying McRae’s new bride docks at Wrath harbour, McGunn decides to hold the woman to ransom and use her to get more time to repay his debts. However, far from the spoilt heiress he expected, Rose is genuine and funny - a ray of sunshine in the long winter that has become his life. She is also determined to escape.

As Rose runs away to be reunited with her husband, she discovers there is a sinister side to the dazzlingly handsome aristocrat she married after a whirlwind romance. Why was Cameron so desperate to get her father's military journal? Why did he insist on keeping their wedding a secret? She is even more confused when Bruce catches up with her and she starts to feel irresistibly attracted to him. Soon she risks her marriage to help Bruce find the truth about his past and solve the mystery of the brutal murders committed on his land. Will her love be enough to heal his haunted heart?

Rose's and Bruce's story will conclude in SWORD DANCE, available in March 2016!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019E15RTE?keywords=blue%20bonnets&qid=1451913618&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

 

Cover Reveal for DREAM CATCHER

Getting the cover for your latest novel is a very special moment indeed, and I was both a little apprehensive and excited yesterday when I opened the email from my editor with the photo of the cover for my historical romance DREAM CATCHER, which will be released on November 26th by Áccent Press.

 

The story is set in the winter of 1847 near Cape Wrath, in the far North of Scotland, and opens with a terrible storm at sea. As it turned out, I had absolutely no reason to feel apprehensive at all! I think that the cover artist has managed to capture both the atmosphere and harsh Scottish landscapes, and the lovely, sunny personality of the heroine.

 

What do you think?

Here is the blurb for the novel.

DREAM CATCHER

Can her love heal his haunted heart?

Cape Wrath, Scotland, November 1847.

Bruce McGunn is a man as brutal and unforgiving as his land in the far North of Scotland. Discharged from the army where he was known as the claymore devil, haunted by the spectres of his fallen comrades and convinced he is going mad, he is running out of time to save his estate from the machinations of Cameron McRae, heir to the McGunn's ancestral enemies. When the clipper carrying McRae’s new bride is caught in a violent storm and docks at Wrath harbour, Bruce decides to revert to the old ways and hold the clipper and the woman to ransom. However, far from the spoilt heiress he expected, Rose is genuine, funny and vulnerable - a ray of sunshine in the long, harsh winter that has become his life.

But Rose is determined to escape Wrath and its proud master - the man she calls McGlum.

DREAM CATCHER is the first of the DANCING FOR THE DEVIL trilogy and is followed by BLUE BONNETS and SWORD DANCE.

ONE WEEK UNTIL ANGEL HEART IS PUBLISHED!

 ANGEL HEART will be released on 30th July by Accent Press.  
 I can't wait! In the meantime, here is the blurb and a short excerpt...

Blurb

Devonshire, 1815.
A mysterious Templar relic,
A web of intrigue and lies,
A woman about to lose her heart...

Marie-Ange, the young widow of an English officer, accepts an inheritance in France only to find that everything in Beauregard is not as it seems. Why is the sinister Malleval so obsessed with her family? And could her darling Christopher still be alive? Marie-Ange finds herself trapped in a dangerous web of lies, intrigue and mystical possession, and the only person to whom she can turn for help is Captain Hugo Saintclair. Yet the enigmatic Hugo represents a danger of a different kind …

‘Angel Heart’ is a lavish mix of romance, adventure and a hint of the supernatural, largely set in France against the turbulent background of Napoleon’s return from Elba.

Excerpt
Marie-Ange meets Capitaine Hugo Saintclair...

She pushed open the door to the drawing room and hurried inside. Splinter and Rusty ran under her feet, tripping her. Her cry of alarm died on her lips as two strong arms caught her. Surprised, she tilted her head up to look at the tall, dark-haired man holding her against his hard, wide chest. His intense blue eyes held her gaze and sent a shiver down her spine. One side of his weather-beaten face was barred by a long, ragged scar. The thin line of the mouth and the tightness in his jaw gave an impression of controlled anger. For a moment fear gathered in her chest. Then he smiled, a slow, confident smile, and he was transformed into the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on.

The dogs barked at them furiously. Marie-Ange parted her lips to order them to stop but before she could speak Robert took a few steps forward, an angry scowl twisting his face, his fists clenched by his sides.

‘Let her go at once, sir,’ he warned, ‘or …’

‘Or what?’ The man arched his eyebrows, a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he dared Robert to come any closer. He shook his head and released her.

 ‘I will ask you to restrain your puppies, Madame. The three of them,’ he said as he looked down at her.

‘How dare you call me a puppy?’ Robert's face flushed a deep red, and he took another step forward.

Marie-Ange found her voice at last.

‘Rusty. Splinter. Lie down at once.’ She pointed to the rug in front of the fireplace. The dogs whimpered but obeyed. ‘Robert. That's enough. Monsieur was just helping me.’

Robert muttered an apology and crouched beside the dogs to stroke their wet, muddy coats.

‘You must be Capitaine Saintclair,’ she said, tilting her chin up to look at him again.

 The papers had been full of sketches and reports about the famous French cuirassiers and she had no difficulty imagining Saintclair in a dark blue uniform, his chest covered with shiny metal plates and his helmet topped by a black horse mane, charging onto the battlefield. His current attire of black breeches and tall leather riding boots topped by a short brown coat did nothing to dispel the heroic image conjured in her mind.

He clicked his heels together and bowed his head.

‘At your service, Madame.’

Links
http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/17119/Angel-Heart

'The Lion's Embrace' now available for pre-order!

My second historical romance, 'The Lion's Embrace', is now available for pre-order at 20% off from https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=655&category_id=205&manufacturer_id=227&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Blurb

Arrogant, selfish and dangerous, Lucas Saintclair is everything Harriet Montague dislikes in a man. He is also the best guide in the whole of the Barbary States, the only man who can rescue her archaeologist father from the gang of Tuareg fighters that has kidnapped him. As Harriet embarks on a perilous journey across Algeria with Saintclair and Archibald Drake, her father’s most trusted friend, she discovers a bewitching but brutal land where nothing is what it seems. Who are these men intent on stealing her father’s ransom? What was her father hoping to find in Tuareg queen Tin Hinan’s tomb? Is Lucas Saintclair really as callous as he claims—or is he a man haunted by a past he cannot forgive? Dangerous passions engulf Harriet’s heart in the heat of the Sahara. Secrets of lost treasures, rebel fighters, and a sinister criminal brotherhood threaten her life and the life of the man she loves.

Does forever lie in the lion’s embrace?


How I loved writing that story! I hope you will love reading it too.

Interview with Romance Author Zrinka Jelic

Today I am delighted to welcome once again romance author Zrinka Jelic.

Hello Zrinka and thank you very much for coming on my blog to talk about your new release "Treasured Chest".

1)     I loved "Bonded by Crimson". Is your new book a paranormal romance too? Can you give us a flavour of the story and the characters?

Thank you, Marie. I’m glad you love my debut novel. No, my new book, “Treasured Chest” is a historical romance. It’s a pirate's romance, or as one of my reviewer put it, untypical pirate’s romance. You see, the pirates are women hiding from the law on the ship called the Strega (witch in Italian and in Dalmatian dialect). The story takes place at the end of 18^th century, and as well as the end of the Venetian Republic, which is just mentioned in the story. The captain of the Strega is Sirena, the name she takes when she gets her post, but her real name is Carmen. She rescues a young man, Captain Marko Lucin, stranded on the desolate islet, not knowing he is there deliberately to get close to her. From there on, they embark on the adventure in search of “Treasured Chest” her predecessor has hidden, only to discover the treasure is not always gold and diamonds.

2)    What a coincidence! I too write about a pirate’s lost treasure in my new historical romance, “The Lion’s Embrace”, to be published by MuseitUp Publishing next month. The pirate in question was the legendary Barbarossa, who roamed the Mediterranean Sea and wreaked havoc from Algeria to France, from Constantinople to Spain during the 16^th century. Where did you draw your inspiration for your new story?

The story was first to be included in an anthology some writers were putting together at the time a fourth instalment of Pirates of the Caribbean hit the big screens. But I discovered that I didn’t know how to write short stories. I need infinite number of words to develop the story and characters fully. So I ploughed onward and the next thing I knew, I was beyond 40,000 words and the story kept on going. It was finally completed at 75,000 words. 

3)      What is the best time of the day for you to write? Do you have a study, an office or a quiet room or can you just write anywhere? Are you a tea or coffee addict when you write?

I mostly write in the evening after dinner, when everyone’s fed and kitchen’s clean. I have a couch and a little table to myself and often kids interrupt me with their questions or asking for snacks and what not. When I write I like to keep the space clean and I’m always afraid I’ll spill my coffee or tea on the keyboard, so if I need a break, I step away from my computer.

4)      Are you inspired by music, and if so, which music do you particularly like to listen to when you write?

Music is my greatest inspiration, I like to listen Lloyd Andrew Weber, or epic music like “Two Steps From Hell” to Croatian music, especially if I’m writing a scene set in Croatia I need something to transport me there. So I can get the scenery, the scents and the sounds just right.

5)      Tell us a little about your journey to publication.

As many, I started solo, never expecting anything to come out of it. I pestered my friends and family to read my work. But I did discover something. Avid readers often don’t know about writers’ terms such as Point Of View, head hoping, or passive vs. active language, or again deep POV and plot holes. And neither did I. Fortunately, I came across a person who is a member of Romance Writers of America. She directed me to their site and I joined. Eventually, I joined their online specialty group Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal or better known as (FFnP). I made lots of internet friends and learned a lot about the craft of writing. Through them, I became a member of Savvy Authors. There are open pitches to editors, and I pitched my debut novel to a few. There were no takers until editor from Black Opal requested the first three chapters. After that she requested the full ms and a few days later I got a publishing offer in my inbox. I was thrilled beyond belief. I had to re-read the email three times before it started to sink in. I was going to get published!

6)      And finally, what is your next project? Are you working on a new story?

Yes, I am working on a new story under the title “Love Remains”. It’s another paranormal novel dedicated to all working women who juggle family and career, but especially those who chose to forge the family for the sake of their careers. It explores on the question of “What if?” So the heroine, a career oriented woman with no desire for a husband and children, returns home from a business trip and finds a hunk cooking her a dinner and calling her “honey”. But her pot boils over when she discovers two children she had no idea she gave birth to. As she struggles to return to her normal life, she falls in love with the guy and the kids and now is afraid she’d be yanked back to her solitude. When that does happen, she will stop at nothing to find him and her kids.

Treasured Chest
Blurb

The last thing Captain Sirena expected to find on a desolate island was...him! When Carmen Ventura takes up her post as commander of the Strega, she becomes the new Captain Sirena, the legendary pirate most people think is just a myth created to scare children. Her first quest is to search for the “treasured chest” hidden by her predecessor. But before she can even begin the hunt, she runs into Marko Lucin, captain of the Levant and Carmen’s most insane adventure yet.   How can the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen be a bloody pirate? Never one to pass up an adventure, especially where pretty women are concerned, Marko finds his ultimate challenge in Carmen. Not only does he fall for her courage, spunk, and intelligence, but the lady pirate can also help him get what he wants—the famous treasure everyone whispers about.

His only problem—how long can he play the charming captain before she discovers his true intentions?



Thank you very much for answering my questions today Zrinka and best of luck with 'Treasured Chest'. You can find "Treasured Chest" at:
http://bookstore.blackopalbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=47 Amazon Print & Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Treasured-Chest-Zrinka-Jelic/dp/1937329739/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353819091&sr=8-2&keywords=zrinka+jelic

B&N Print & Nook:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/treasured-chest-zrinka-jelic/1113290927?ean=9781937329730&itm=1&usri=zrinka+jelic

ARe:  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-treasuredchest-1007195-155.html

KOBO:  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Treasured-Chest/book-45GE6CPKpk6bDb5f__Oipg/page1.html?s=LLtSzi-fukO3rl148l_71g&r=2

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/257423