So glad you could join us again for Duck Chat!

If you haven’t yet read Melissa Mayhue’s Daughters of the Glen series and you’re a Scottish historical romance fan — oh, heck, even if you’re not! — today will give you a good look into her books, and I predict you will want to add every single one of them to your TBB list by the time you finish this interview.

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with Melissa at the RWA conference in San Francisco a couple of years ago, and she’s one of those ladies who you’d love to have as a friend. Nice, funny, straightforward, and loads of fun. And all of that comes across in her words below. Be sure to leave a comment or ask a question of Melissa today. She’s very kindly offering up an autographed copy of her latest book, A Highlander’s Destiny, and an ARC of the upcoming A Highlander’s Homecoming to one lucky commenter. Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Melissa, welcome and thanks for being with us today! Let’s talk about your Daughters of the Glen series as a whole first. Where did the idea for the series come from? Has it turned out anything like you originally envisioned?

MELISSA MAYHUE: I wish I knew where all the ideas come from!  I’d love to be able to rummage around in there when my mind goes blank!!!  The first book in the series was peopled by characters who’d been running around in my head for years.  A trip to Scotland and a hike back in to a lovely place called the Fairy Glen inspired the setting and made the use of Faeries in my world just make sense.

As far as whether or not it’s turned out the way I originally envisioned, I’d have to say yes from the perspective that I’ve had the freedom to create the characters and their situations as they come to me.  But I also have to tell you, the vision continues to change with every story I write and with every new character who shows up.

DC: You’re working on the seventh book in the series right now. Do you have a finite number of books in mind or is the series open ended for the time being?

MM: The books will continue as long as the characters keep talking to me.  Oh…and as long as the readers keep wanting to read them!

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

MM: Um… maybe this one??? J Seriously, I love to talk books so none of the questions are a problem.

DC: Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband is the first book in the series. Would you tell us about Connor and Caitlyn?

MM: Connor MacKiernan is a 13th century Scottish warrior, a descendent of a Faerie prince, a man who lives only for honor and duty, but he has a huge problem. His experience of betrayal at the hands of women has left him suspicious and distrustful of any woman’s motives. He’s sworn never to marry, but finds he must do exactly that to save his sister. With the help of his well-meaning aunt, and a little Faerie magic, the search for a bride is on.

Caitlyn Coryell is a 21st century woman who longs to be strong enough to find love without sacrificing who she is. Her experience with an unfaithful fiance who wanted to marry her only for her family’s money and influence has left her doubting her desirability and any man’s reason for wanting her. Imagine her surprise when she puts on an antique pendant and Connor appears in her bedroom, begging her help to save his sister. He offers a simple adventure: travel to his time, marry him and return home. But nothing’s simple when the adventure backfires, trapping Cate in the 13th Century.

An ancient Faerie’s blessing reaches across the barriers of time to unite two emotionally wounded people. But it will take more than the magic of the Fae to heal their hearts. It will require the most powerful magic of all – the magic of true love.

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

MM: My characters surprise me more often than not!  My critique partners learned early on that just because I’m writing a character to be a bad guy, it’s no guarantee that he’ll end up that way!  I learn about the characters as I write, so, just like with people you meet and get to know, there are always surprises.

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

MM: I don’t argue with my characters.  When I want them to do something they’re not supposed to do, the words just don’t come.  [I’m thinking that means the characters win, doesn’t it???]

DC: Next in line is Highland Guardian, which is the second of the series but the first of your Guardian books. First, how did the idea of the Guardians come up? Then would you give our readers some insight into Ian and Sarah and their story?

MM: Once I finished Thirty Nights, I had the basics of the world built, but I was curious about other people who inhabited it.  Most of all, I was curious about what was going on in the Faerie world.  From that initial curiosity and about a month of “what-ifs” I ended up with Highland Guardian.

Sarah Douglas is a successful thirty-eight year old romance novelist with big problems. She’s come to Scotland on a three month working vacation hoping to recapture her muse – who’s deserted her – and resolve the issue of her strange ‘feelings’ – the ones which allow her to sense the emotions of everyone she touches.

From the moment she arrives, however, her problems only intensify. She’s being stalked, but by whom? Is he
real or only a figment of her imagination? What about the darkly handsome owner of the cottage she’s leasing? How is she ever going to deal with her growing attraction to a man ten years her junior? She knows from bitter experience men – particularly men who look like Ian – aren’t interested in women like her.

Ian McCullough is neck-deep in troubles of his own. As a half-mortal descendent of Faeries, he’s a Guardian, sworn to protect both the mortals of this world and the Portals leading to the Faerie Realm. After six hundred years, he’s confident he knows what to expect in just about every situation and exactly how to handle it. But he never counted on a woman like Sarah showing up in his life; a woman who intrigues and charms him. A woman who turns out to be of Faerie descent herself, although she has no idea of her heritage and no belief in any Otherworld beings.

When he’s assigned to protect her, Ian finds the job is tougher than he could possibly have imagined. Oh, he can handle the stalker and the ex-husband and even the renegade Faeries trying to kidnap her for their own purpose. It’s falling in love and forsaking his status as Guardian, a position he swore to honor at his father’s deathbed, he’s having trouble with.

Both Sarah and Ian struggle to battle the demons of self-doubt and their individual pasts. In the process they learn that healing will take the strongest magic of all, the true love that occurs only between two souls fated to be together.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

MM: You name it… I’ve been distracted by it!!  Writing is work and on a day when the words just won’t flow, even cleaning the fish tank can look better than my blank computer screen.  Spider Solitaire is a horrible, horrible weakness, too.  And Twitter.  And email.  And don’t even get me started on how much time I spend on research!

DC: What has been your favorite book cover from all of your releases and why?

MM: I love, love, LOVE my book covers.  The artists at Pocket are exactly that…artists.  Right now I think my absolute favorite is the cover on my next release, A Highlander’s Homecoming, due out January 26.  From the colors to the sparkly stars to the quote from Karen Marie Moning, it’s a beauty!  And to top everything off?  The people on the back cover actually look like the characters in the story. J

DC: How about your least favorite cover?  Why? (I doubt you’ll have one!)

MM: Like I said, I LOVE my covers.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

MM: I hope all my characters are different!

DC: Soul of a Highlander is third in the series, where we meet Ramos and Mairi. Ramos is also a Guardian. Can you tell us a little about them?

MM: Nine years ago, Faerie Magic saved Mairi MacKiernan at the cost of her dreams of happiness, snatching her from her life in 1272, and depositing her in the twenty-first century.

Now, she must save the last Daughter of the MacKiernan family…who was murdered in 1295. Transported back in time at her request, Mairi finds herself captured by the same evil men as before! Is this the price the Faerie magic requires of her this time?

Ramos Servans has dedicated his dreams to service as a Guardian, but when he discovers the evil unleashed on the Mortal Plain by his father and their people, he swears he will atone by ridding the world of Nuadian deceit. Part of his mission involves rescuing a lovely Highland lassie, and in the passion that grows between them, Ramos and Mairi find a new dream.

But falling in love can be dangerous when Faerie Magic is involved. Dreams may not be the only cost…

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

MM: Someday I think I’d like to tackle an urban fantasy.  Or maybe a fantasy.  Who knows?  Right now, I end up weaving so many things into this series, I’m satisfied.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

MM: Start writing sooner!  Finish the darn book!

DC: Caden and Ellie are featured in A Highlander of Her Own. Ellie is a little obstinate when it comes to her medieval alpha Highlander, though she wishes for him and her wish is granted. Please give a look inside their book.

MM: In present day Texas Ellie Denton’s world has spiraled out of control. A strange new birthmark, animals talking to her, and her mother’s ex-husband laying claim to the family ranch have her thinking life can’t get more complicated. But Ellie doesn’t know the birthmark’s connection to her Faerie ancestors. Complicated takes on a whole new meaning with her innocent wish to find her true love.

While in 1304 Scotland Caden MacAlister has more trouble than he can handle. With his brother held for ransom
and the laird missing, the last thing he needs is another problem. But the Fae have other plans.

A mysterious woman shows up in his stables, sent by Faerie Magic to find her true love. Fighting his attraction, Caden insists she’s meant for one of his brothers. With his history, he has no desire for a woman in his life—especially a woman sent by the Fae.

Only the magic of the Fae can determine whether Ellie will find a Highlander of her own…

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

MM: Ha!  As if I don’t struggle enough trying to come up with blurbs for my books!  It would have to be something about just living the dream. J

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

MM: Talks ‘til she finds the answer.

DC: A Highlander’s Destiny was just released a couple of weeks ago and it’s another Guardian book. Jesse and Destiny are terrific together. Can you give us a sneak peak into their story?

MM: Jesse Coryell is a man adrift in life, searching for his destiny. He doesn’t trust women; too many have chased him for his money and power. He’s tried to lose himself in his work, taking on the worst mankind has to offer, but as a Guardian and Fae descendent, what he really needs is to find his true love. When he sets out to help a mysterious woman find her sister, what he gets is much more than he bargained for, battling an undeniable attraction to his sexy new client while fighting to save her life and rescue her sister.

Destiny Noble is desperately searching for her missing kid sister. Not even her own attempted abduction will stop her in her quest. Abandoned by everyone she’s ever loved, losing Leah is the last straw. Authorities have declared the girl a runaway, but Destiny knows better. Her dreams have shown her the truth. They’ve also shown her Jesse.

Jesse and Destiny race against time to save an innocent girl from a powerful ancient evil. Will true love be their only weapon or will they each sacrifice their own destiny in the process?

DC: You’ve been to Scotland, which, of course, has given you inspiration for your series. What’s the most memorable thing that is still with you about that country after all this time?

MM: There’s just a “feel” to the place.  It’s so amazingly old and there’s history everywhere you look.  I think I love that most of all…although the people were very warm and welcoming, too.

DC: You have an interesting page on your website titled Second Life. Would you tell everyone about this? It sounds quite interesting!

MM: Second Life is an online program – a virtual world.  You create a character to represent you and then you can wander though the world and interact with other people.  And when I say interact, I mean it.  By using a microphone, you can be chatting real time with someone sitting across the world!  I have a booth there and I hope to be in-world a couple of times a month to visit with readers.

It’s really amazing how when your character is sitting on a sofa and you’re chatting away, it can actually feel like you’re really there, visiting with each other!  I love it.  This past year, an author friend of mine, Elaine Levine [who writes wonderful western historicals, by the way!] and I hosted Author Salons in Second Life.

For anyone who’d like to learn more, I’d invite them to visit my website and visit the Second Life page.

DC: The end of January will see the release of A Highlander’s Homecoming, book No. 8 in the series. This is Robert and Isabella’s story, which I’m really looking forward to. Robert has become quite the time traveler. Would you tell us about this book, please?

MM: Scotland, Present Day. When Faerie Magic swept Robert MacQuarrie forward in time, modern medicine saved him from a fatal wound. But he also left behind an unfulfilled vow—to protect his friend’s young daughter, Isabella. Haunted by guilt for over a decade, he leaps at the chance to go back and keep that vow. The magic of the Fae works in its own mysterious ways, however.

And in 1292 Scotland Isabella MacGahan has reluctantly chosen a lonely existence, scorned for her Faerie blood and uncontrollable power. When she’s caught in a conflict between clans, a pawn in the struggle for power and land, her only option is to trust a handsome stranger. One who swears he was charged with her safety a full twenty years before… although the deluded man seems little older than she is.

No one is safe when Mortal schemes and Faerie magic push Robbie and Isabella to confront their worst fears. Will the magic demand the ultimate price from them both—or will they find their true homecoming in each other’s arms?

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

MM: Well, one of my passions before I started writing was genealogy, so I’m sure I’d be spending a lot more time researching old documents than I get to now.  And I’m sure I’d be doing a lot more pleasure reading!!

DC: What’s on the horizon for Melissa Mayhue?

MM: Hopefully lots more books! J I just signed a contract with Pocket for two more books in the Daughters of the Glen series, so I’ll be heading to that horizon for a little while!

Lightning Round:

– dark or milk chocolate?   – Milk

– smooth or chunky peanut butter?    – Chunky

– heels or flats?     – Flats

– coffee or tea?      – Depends.  Morning?  Coffee   Afternoon?  Tea

– summer or winter?      – Summer

– mountains or beach?    – Mountains

– mustard or mayonnaise?     – Miracle Whip  –  Yes, I AM a picky eater!

– flowers or candy?     – Flowers  [I would say candy, but I just started my diet today!]

– pockets or purse?    – Purse

– Pepsi or Coke?     – Pepsi [Dr. Pepper, truth be told]

– ebook or print?    – Print  [although my husband gave me a Kindle for Christmas so this time next year, who knows how I’d answer that one!!]

DC: Thanks so much, Melissa! It was a pleasure to have you with us today.