MEET TANYA ANNE CROSBY AND WIN HER "LYON'S GIFT"

Read the interview and try to win Tanya Anne Crosby's Lyon's Gift,  great historical fiction novel set in Scotland in the Middle Ages. Fill in the rafflecopter form below this post and ... good luck!

Welcome to FLY HIGH, Tanya.  I’m really glad you accepted to answer some questions about you, your writing and your latest releases.-  First of all, you write romances. Does that mean you are a very romantic  person in real life?

I don’t know … let me ask my husband! He says, “Yes!” But I’m pretty sure that was a loaded question. I would have to say I am an eternal romantic. I believe everything in this universe comes down to love – nothing is bigger. I also think it’s important to appreciate life’s beauty—the way a leaf flows from a tree in fall and the way my dog looks at me at 7 a.m. – waiting eagerly for me to open my eyes. Romance, to me, is about sensing every little moment in life and soaking it in. As a writer, I want to be able to share what I see with you.

- What is your secret “ingredient” to make a scene very romantic?

I rarely focus on the physical aspect of intimacy. For me, it’s all about what’s going on inside the character’s head and heart and how the moment relates to their surroundings. I also think personal growth is very sexy, and it’s important to me as a storyteller to show you those moments, big and small, that become a characters catharsis.

- What about you as a reader? What’s /are your favourite genre/s  and authors?

They say a writer often writes the genre they love, but I love any and all that give me a window into the human soul. Some of my very favorite writers don’t write anything at all like I do – Charlotte Brontë, Laura Kinsale, Pamela Morsi, Anita Mills, Shakespeare, Cormac McCarthy and my husband (he’s a writer too! And I fell in love with him through his poems!)

- Do you have a special routine while writing?

Not so much! I just have to have music. I need to be comfy, and usually that means getting the dogs settled (used to be the kids until they were grown) and then finding a quiet spot to lose myself in the story. If I can’t lose myself then I know the reader won’t either.

- You’ve just published your most successful novels, The MacKinnon’s Bride and Happily Ever After as e-books. What do you think about the revolution e-publications have brought to the market and to our  reading habits?

The e-revolution (and it truly is one!) has allowed me to revisit old characters and give each book a new edit. Each has benefited from my growth as a writer. It’s also allowing me to reconnect with readers in a whole new way and, frankly, to fall in love with my old characters all over again. I’m grateful for that opportunity.

- When writing historical fiction how hard do you work on historical accuracy? Do you think it an indispensabile element to write that kind of fiction?

I do (and did) lots of research for each book because I believe the setting has to be a character in itself. I LOVE learning about other time periods, cultures, etc. That was half the fun of doing a book for me, but, that said, I’m not  bove taking some license for the story—as long as it doesn’t suspend disbelief for the reader. That’s the key, I think. But to know how to break the rules, you have to know the rules to begin with, right?

- How would you present both books to our readers in about 50 words? (50 for each book of    course)

All of my stories are about wounded souls who first heal themselves through the power of love – not by the other person. I believe, strongly, that we must be happy and whole on our own before we can love and be loved by another. So there you go, that encompasses both stories! The MacKinnon’s Bride is a Scottish Medieval, rife with mystery, underlined with angst, but fun and light-hearted on the surface (you have to be able to laugh!). Happily Ever After is a sexy, funny seafaring adventure with a heroine who emerges from a cocoon to discover herself, life and true love.

-  Where do you find inspiration for your gorgeous heroes?

My husband!

-  Have you got a favourite literary hero/heroine you are very fond of?

Heroes: Edward Fairfax Rochester and maybe the Mad Hatter (specifically Johnny Depp’s version)

On the flip side, Jane Eyre, of course, and Alice—I love Jane’s ability to persevere, forgive and love and Alice, well, she has that “muchness” I hope we all have and never lose.

-  What are you up at the moment, Tanya? Writing / going to release a new book? Can you tell us about it/them?

Currently, I’m working on a contemporary suspense—the second of three books for Kensington. VERY different stories for me. The first is due out in March 2013. It’s about three sisters, the healing of their family and a secret as dark as the black waters of Charleston.

But now that I’m revisiting my old books, I find visions of past characters dancing in my head. I do see a historical again in my very near future.

That’s all for now. Thanks for being my guest and answering my questions. Good luck with everything you are doing.

The book
Distrustful of men and feigning madness, in truth Meghan is cunning as a fox--and far too loyal to her clan to be swayed by her arrogant captor's honeyed words and virile charms. She will make the Lyon pay dearly for the "gift" he has so brazenly stolen--even as her own traitorous heart begs her to surrender gladly to the one great love that can heal an injured land.

The author

Tanya Anne Crosby has written seventeen novels, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists including the New York Times and USA Today. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor, and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. A five-time nominee for an RT Career Achievement Award, she lives with her husband, two dogs and two cats in North Michigan. Author site : http://tanyaannecrosby.com/

Giveaway details   

Tanya is giving away 2 signed paperback copies of Lyon’s Gift, the second book of the Highland Brides series  (there are four). The contest is open world wide and ends 12 November. Use the rafflecopter form below. There are up to 6 chances for you to win the book!

Other Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanyaannecrosby

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanyaAnneCrosby

MacKinnon’s Bride:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B009SAHT16

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mackinnons-bride-tanya-a-crosby/1012422850?ean=2940015491081

Happily Ever After:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B009SBSY4Q

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/happily-ever-after-tanya-a-crosby/1003605653?ean=2940015491654

a Rafflecopter giveaway