Meara Platt
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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Character Interview Blog Hop - Heroes



I’m happy to be part of the Character Interview Blog Hop where several authors have committed to introducing you to the heroes in our stories. My thanks go to Arla Dahl who started the blog hop last week when she spoke with Governor Jameson Foster, the hero in her erotic novella trilogy, IMMORAL VIRTUE.

I’m delighted to continue this by introducing myself and my Regency hero, Ian Markham, the rakish Duke of Edgeware, who is the hero in THE DUKE I’M GOING TO MARRY (Book #2 of the Farthingale Series).

My name is Meara Platt and, as you may have guessed, I write historical romance in the Regency era. I am a member of Romance Writers of America and of my local chapter (LIRW), and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award winner in historical romance. Regency romances are a favorite of mine, but I also enjoy medieval romances, mysteries, and contemporary romances. However, there is nothing as delicious as an English duke in Regency London who has no desire to marry or fall in love - that’s why I simply had to bring along my handsome English duke, Ian Markham.


Before Ian takes over - because he’s alpha male and that’s what they tend to do - let me tell you a little about my debut novel, MY FAIR LILY, (Book#1 of the Farthingale Series). It’s out now and has been an Amazon bestseller since shortly after it came out in October 2014. The story is a light-hearted Regency historical romance that I hope you will find funny and romantic. Lily is an English bluestocking who knows everything about books and nothing about men, except that her legs turn to pudding whenever she encounters Ewan, the rugged Scottish hero who tries very hard not to fall in love with her. The Farthingales are a large and boisterous family and Lily Farthingale is but one of their daughters about to make her entrance into Society. Each of the five Farthingale girls will have their own story – they each have distinct personalities, and manage to add gray hairs on their father’s head in very different ways.

Enough about what I’m doing - Ian, how about you take over now since Lily’s identical twin sister, Daffodil, is the heroine in your story due out in late January 2015 called The Duke I’m Going To Marry?

Thank you, Meara. On the surface, I seem to be a duke who has it all - wealth, title, and good looks, or so I’m told by the marriage-minded mamas and their daughters who seem to swoon whenever I walk by. But I have no interest in the marriage mart. I’m not suitable husband material. I’m haunted by my past, by an incident so awful it’s left me unable to love. Instead of settling down, I run with a fast crowd and have had a string of meaningless affairs - nothing too serious, and I’m quite content never to put my heart at risk.

I’m considered a war hero, but I don’t think of myself as particularly brave. In truth, I never really cared whether I lived or died, and I’m surprised to have survived the Napoleonic wars more or less in one piece. However, my safe and ordered life suddenly changed when Daffodil Farthingale- her friends call her Dillie - rescued me from some very unsavory scoundrels outside the Farthingale townhouse one dark London night. That’s how I wound up in her bed - quite innocently, of course.

Very well, perhaps it wasn’t so innocent on my part, but can you blame me? Dillie is the one girl I’ve never been able to forget. I don’t know why I can’t get her out of my thoughts. She considers me an idiot because of my rakehell ways, and I’m content to let her go on believing I’m an unredeemable wastrel because she’s the one girl I fear can touch my cold heart. I don’t want anyone getting close, especially not Dillie. She deserves better, for she’s an innocent and determined to marry for love. I’ll only destroy her happiness. Having been raised in hate, I know that if Dillie falls in love with me, I’ll disappoint her and break her heart. That’s what I seem to do best, destroy those who love me.

But want to know a secret? If there is anyone I could love, it would be Dillie. She’s a very special girl with a big, loving heart and the feisty spirit to stand up to me, even if I am one of the ton’s most eligible bachelors.

Meara, I’ll turn the interview back to you because I’m sure the readers would love to know about the one person who made a positive difference in your life... other than me, of course.

Thank you, Ian. I still love you - you’re my baby, even though you are a hunky duke and can be quite arrogant at times. There are many people who have had a positive influence on my life, but above all is my father, and he’s the reason why I have so much respect for the male of the species. I’m fortunate to have had many good men in my life - my husband, my son, cousins, uncles, colleagues - and I hope my love for them comes across in The Duke I’m Going To Marry. Ian isn’t a saint by any means, but he has his own code of honor and is the sort of man ultimately worthy of my Regency heroine, Dillie.


Louis Rhead [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
 Writing Ian’s story came easy to me because I love reading historical romances, and whenever I’m in the mood to escape, I escape into a book. When I was about 6 years old my parents bought me two beautifully illustrated children’s books, one about King Arthur and Merlin, and the other about Robin Hood. I vividly remember going to sleep each night reading these stories and staring at the magical illustrations in the books, Merlin casting a spell, Arthur pulling Excalibur out of the stone, Robin Hood encountering Little John and Friar Tuck, and Robin Hood falling in love with Maid Marian. I would say that the love story between Robin and Marian was my first glimpse of historical romance and I loved it. I loved the costumes, the manners, the dialogue, and the chance to visit another time and place.

Ian has several secrets, as Dillie will discover as she gets to know him better, but I do not have any. Unlike Ian, I’m an open book (pardon the pun) and am happy to be that way. My family is very much like the Farthingale family in my series, everyone meddling and clamoring to express an opinion, whether asked for or not. Ian is quite the opposite - he doesn’t have a loving, joyful family, and has learned to cope by being a very private person, something learned the hard way when he was but a child.

Meara, let me jump in and add a little more here. In THE DUKE I’M GOING TO MARRY, I have one particular incident from my past for which I’m most ashamed. That secret haunts me throughout the story and defines my character, but if I told your readers about it, then they’d miss my sometimes humorous, and often emotional, journey to finding love. All I can say is that Dillie Farthingale is a worthy heroine who manages to give this story the happy ending it richly deserves. The one action from my past that I’m most proud of? Accidentally kissing Dillie behind the lilac trees - that mistaken kiss was the best!

And now, gentle readers, Meara and I would like to thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed your time with us and know you’ll have a lovely time with contemporary romance author, Debra Druzy who is up next.

Christmas may be over but sexy firefighter, Nick Knight, is still in town. Stay warm this winter with the spicy contemporary romance, Sleeping with Santa, by Debra Druzy.

Debra is a lifelong Long Islander, writing contemporary romance while caring for the hubby, two daughters, and the dog. Her debut novel, SLEEPING WITH SANTA, a spicy romance, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other notable booksellers. To get to know Debra visit her website, and be sure to visit her blog, where you’ll meet sexy firefighter, Nick Knight, her hero from SLEEPING WITH SANTA.


6 Comments:

At January 27, 2015 at 9:00 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm half in love with Ian already. Oh, who am I kidding? I WANT him! Meara writes the best Regency heroes ever! Thanks so much for the sneak preview.

 
At January 27, 2015 at 9:19 AM , Blogger Lil said...

A duke haunted by a secret from his past—sounds perfect! I can't wait to meet him.

 
At January 27, 2015 at 1:46 PM , Blogger Maggie Van Well said...

I sooooooo can't wait for this book to be released. I LOVED My Fair Lily, and from what I read of The Duke I'm Going to Marry, (THANK YOU for that teaser chapter at the end of My Fair Lily) it's going to be another winner!

 
At January 27, 2015 at 3:13 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great post, Meara! I really enjoyed getting to know Ian! He sounds like an amazing character - well done!!!

 
At February 11, 2015 at 7:28 AM , Blogger lynnerose said...

Meara, I love your writing, and Ian is terrific! I can't wait until this is out to get his whole story.

 
At February 27, 2015 at 11:06 PM , Blogger Denise said...

I love this cover!

 

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