Maggie: Hi Cate! Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog. I was born in Havana, Cuba. I’m a happily married housewife and mother of two, who has lived in the U.S. since I was five. As the granddaughter of a famous Cuban writer and publisher, writing is in my blood. My family owned one of the oldest newspapers in the Americas. I’ve had twenty-six of my letters to the editor published in The Miami Herald.
Cate: Very cool history, Maggie! Please tell us about Angel of Windword and where it's available.
Maggie: Angel of Windword is my first novel to be published and the first of the Windword Trilogy. The e-book is available at www.eternalpress.ca and the paperback will be available at www.amazon.com two or three weeks after the release date of October 7th, 2009. Cate: Love that cover.
Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Maggie: Evil forces are at play surrounding Angelique Beauvisage, but she has no clue. Sensuous and suspense-filled, ANGEL OF WINDWORD, begins with a murder that takes place four years before and turns into a perilous cat and mouse game played by two reluctant lovers, who spin a web of deception that only their love can unravel. Having traded the blissful existence of her beloved Loire Valley, Angelique Beauvisage finds that Windword Hall has more than one villainous skeleton in the closet.
Excerpt:
His thunderous expression softened. “Come closer.”
His eyes swept over her face as he caressed her cheek with the knuckle of his forehand. “I did not see her slap you, but your cheeks look burning hot. Answer something for me, Angelique” he ordered gruffly. “Has that woman ever hit you before?”
Angelique drank in the comfort of his nearness. His touch was soft and soothing. “Never,” she lied. “Victoria has never slapped me or hurt me. My lord, it was really my fault...I provoked her.”
He definitely will have his way with me and my place will be in his bed!
Mon Dieu! A guttural sound escaped her lips when she recalled her own words. She was not certain whether she was more distressed at having thrown those awful words at her stepmother or the dreadful possibility that Nicholas had actually overheard them.
Attempting to sound nonchalant, she stammered Victoria’s original question to him, “H-how long had you been standing there, monsieur? Did you...did you hear anything?” she asked in a faint whisper, her voice cracking with embarrassment.
“Hear what, my love?’ he asked innocuously.
“Monsieur, how long had you been standing there?” she repeated with mounting dread. Then gazing at him, she suddenly wished she had not asked. His dark blue eyes sparkled with complete understanding as he stood casually against the doorjamb, strong arms folded across his chest, a devil of a smile beginning to form on his face.
“How long, monsieur…?”
Nicholas did not wait for her to finish. Without another word, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the lips. Then, just as suddenly, he let go of her, allowing her to fall back against the doorpost.
“Long enough to know I’m going to enjoy those willful ways of yours. Not to mention putting you in that bed of mine.”
Her heart pounding fast against her heaving chest, Angelique watched in stunned silence as Nicholas turned on his heel and made his exit. She could still feel his warm lips against hers as his deep, masculine chuckles echoed in the hallway.
Cate: Very intriguing! What inspired you to write about the theme?
Maggie: I have always loved to write, but I never expected to write a historical romance novel. In 1992, I was working for a real estate lawyer in Miami, when he went on a two week vacation. The office was quiet and I brought a romance novel to read. My childhood friend since I've known since high school, Diana Flori, also a writer, came to have lunch with me and, on a dare, we both decided to write a novel. I wrote Angel of Windword and she wrote The Thorn At His Side. Both having very busy lives with our husbands and raising our children, we put our manuscripts away for many years. On a hunch, I took it out of the closet last summer, revamped it, and sent it out to be published. Well, the rest is history and here I am! Diana got on the bandwagon and did the same. Her book will be released by Hearts On Fire in the fall.
Cate: What a great story! It’s so great you both will be published. Any specific inspiration for your characters (an actor/actress or personal hero)?
Maggie: I always loved reading about characters that were bigger than life. My hero is a combination of Sean Connery and Tom Selleck in their glory days. I feel that the actors on the screen these days are not as manly. I didn’t want my hero to appear on the cover. I want my hero, Nicholas Kent, to be what the reader desires in a man and not be predisposed to someone else’s expectations.
Cate: How do you pick the character’s names?
Maggie: Angelique Beauvisage and Nicholas Kent. The names just came to me. Beauvisage means a beautiful vision, which is exactly how I pictured Angelique.
Cate: That’s beautiful. Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Maggie: Live, eat, sleep. They are with me all the time and they are all I think about. I’m always dreaming up situations for them!
Cate: What's next for you?
Maggie: ANGEL OF WINDWORD is my first novel, and the first of the WINDWORD trilogy. At this time, I am writing the prequel to ANGEL OF WINDWORD, titled CALL ME DUCHESS, with two characters from my original manuscript set in 1870 England. I am also plotting my third novel, titled THE ENGLISH MARQUESA set in 1870 Spain.
Cate: At what age did you discover writing and when were you first published? Tell us your call story.
Maggie: I always wrote, but I didn’t know it was what I wanted to do. At 20, I had my first letter to the editor published in The Miami Herald, many more followed, but my novel, Angel of Windword, is my first published novel.
Cate: Describe your writing in three words.
Maggie: Suspenseful, Romantic, Amusing.
Cate: Do you have a writing routine?
Maggie: I wake up early and drink plenty of coffee. I like to write during the week from 9 am to 5 pm. I consider this a full time job. Of course, I get distracted with all my extended family and friends, but I try to keep to the routine. I take weekends off to take a break, but as I said before, my characters are always with me.
Cate: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Maggie: Most challenging: the blank page.
Most rewarding: When a friend or family member reads my writing and totally loves it!
Cate: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Maggie: A friend of mine, an avid reader of romance, read my manuscript before I sent it out to be published and she told me that she has a box in her garage of all the Romance novels that she had loved and could not bear to part with. She told me that Angel of Windword would be in that box. Now that it is published, she told me that she wants an autographed copy in her library!
Cate: How sweet. You have the best friends!
Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Maggie: Judith McNaught, July Garwood, Jane Austin…the oldies but goodies.
Cate: What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors? Or in people/the environment in general?
Maggie: I think it is a good thing. You have folks who will always want the paperback in their hands, but I feel that with the new generations and their love of computers, electronic readers will more and more in numbers.
Cate: Where can you be found on the web?
Maggie: www.maggiedove.net, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, Writers & Readers of Distinctive Fiction, Eternal Press Writers Blog.
Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Maggie: I only wish for those who read my book to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Cate: Thanks so much for being my guest Maggie!
Readers, Maggie is giving away a book to a random commenter... so start commenting. She'll pick a winner on Monday evening, Oct. 12. Be sure to leave your email address so you can receive your prize, if selected!
