Hello All,
In your book was there a light bulb scene? One that came to you and you just had to write it?
In HOW TO TEMPT A DUKE, the original scene in my head that spun this whole story into existence was Eleanor at a ball, seeing the man she thought she would marry with the woman he chose over her. I could only imagine how awful it would be for her to be helplessly watching her life sweep by her in that moment. I wondered what a woman in her position might do and that’s when I thought of Lottie, a courtesan, instructing her and how truly shocking that would be. And how exciting!
Hardest thing you had to write about your characters?
We want to know for
our leading female and male. Sometimes,
finding a balance for the characters is the most difficult part. With
Eleanor, for example, I knew she had to be cold on the outside, but I
had to still make her likeable. But if I made her too likeable, then
the Ice Queen predicament wouldn’t feel realistic. Treading that
line was difficult sometimes and resulted in a couple of rewritten
scenes. The
hardest thing about Charles was figuring out why he wouldn’t want
to marry Eleanor. He was attracted to her and he was duke, why
wouldn’t he marry? And if they married and happy too early, that
makes for a boring book. So I had to spice up the choices made with
some twists.
What has been the hardest moment as a writer for you?
Earlier this year I released my first self-published full-length series (medieval romance about five sisters called the Borderland Ladies). I poured my soul into these books and managed to keep up advertising and excitement going for 8 months on through the release of the first book. Except that even though the book was uploaded before it was due, Amazon didn’t update the file and everyone got the dummy file instead. My release day of this incredible series I had been building in my head for years was a total flop. It was so disheartening.
Fortunately, it all got fixed and the rest of the series released without incident and has all been very successful!
What would you say is the craziest place you found yourself writing?
I confess, I’m kind of a homebody writer. I make these crazy faces when I write sometimes. If the characters are mad, I found myself scowling at the computer, if they’re sad, I’m crying like a baby, if they’re irritated, I’ll scoff and roll my eyes. The last thing I want is someone at Starbucks thinking I’m a jerk because I’m rolling my eyes and glaring. LOL!!!
The most incredible place I’ve written so far has been Bali I was there on vacation earlier this year and stayed in an incredible resort with my family. Every morning, I woke up to work (yes, I even work on vacation LOL) and watched the sun come up over the rice fields as I listened to about a thousand roosters welcome the new day. It was an incredible experience.
What made this story addictive to write?
I loved watching Eleanor’s layers slowly fall away as she began to allow herself to be vulnerable with people who mattered to her. I think a lot of us feel the need to put up guards sometimes. Watching her give herself permission to be exposed was like letting a piece of myself unfurl as well. I really enjoyed that aspect of writing this book.
Was there a moment where you felt like you became apart of your characters? Do you see bits of you in them?
Honestly, there is something of me in every character I write because they are all a piece of my heart. They say to write what you know – and while I’ve never been a duke, or a mercenary or an heiress or any of those things, I have known loss, I’ve known hope and longing and disappointment. I love to write emotion into my book because I feel like it plays such a large part in life. I try to infuse that into my books and leave a little piece of me in everything I write.
What’s the hardest part of promoting your book?
Time. I’m currently working a full time and balancing a writing career (I have written 7 books this year) and have two daughters under the age of 14 who are active with sports. Trying to squeeze in time for marketing between life and writing and work can be quite the juggeling act!
Who have you penned that has taught you a lot?
I think the first book that I published, Deception of a Highlander. When I was first writing that book, I had the heroine being an assassin. Later, I submitted the manuscript to a contest and a judge commented that she kept waiting to see that Mariel hadn’t actually killed anyone and was shocked that she had. It caused me to delve more into what makes characters likeable and relatable and, unfortunately, Mariel was not it. LOL I revamped her entire character and that was the book I signed my agent and first three book deal with. It was a very important lesson that was worth learning for sure!
What is the best moment or feeling for you in your book?
When I get feedback from my beta readers to let me know what they think of it. I’ve been very fortunate to have my books very well received by readers. Except that this just makes me all the more insecure. LOL I am so worried that the next book I write will be a hot mess and I’ll disappoint people. I second guess myself the whole time I writing it and as soon as I hit send on my e-mail to beta readers, my stomach knots up. When I get the feedback from them saying they loved it, all that tension drains away and I feel a million times better. Until the next book. LOL
Blurb of How To Tempt A Duke:
A lady’s lessons…
…in temptation!
When her almost fiancé proposes to someone else, Lady Eleanor is suddenly the talk of the ton! With her family in financial dire straits, Eleanor must marry before the end of the Season. Secret lessons with Charles, the dashing, infuriating—and devastatingly charming—Duke of Somersville, should help Eleanor shake off her shameful Ice Queen moniker. But how can she tempt a prospective husband when it’s the duke who ignites her desire?
Follow her on one or all these links:
Let's welcome someone that spoils us all with her romances. She is truly being added to my list of favourite authors. Who is the great woman well let's give a warm welcome from Madeline Martin who is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Historical Romance and is heating up history.
Her new book is How To Tempt Duke, the blurb as at the end of the interview.
In your book was there a light bulb scene? One that came to you and you just had to write it?
In HOW TO TEMPT A DUKE, the original scene in my head that spun this whole story into existence was Eleanor at a ball, seeing the man she thought she would marry with the woman he chose over her. I could only imagine how awful it would be for her to be helplessly watching her life sweep by her in that moment. I wondered what a woman in her position might do and that’s when I thought of Lottie, a courtesan, instructing her and how truly shocking that would be. And how exciting!
Hardest thing you had to write about your characters?
We want to know for
our leading female and male. Sometimes,
finding a balance for the characters is the most difficult part. With
Eleanor, for example, I knew she had to be cold on the outside, but I
had to still make her likeable. But if I made her too likeable, then
the Ice Queen predicament wouldn’t feel realistic. Treading that
line was difficult sometimes and resulted in a couple of rewritten
scenes. The
hardest thing about Charles was figuring out why he wouldn’t want
to marry Eleanor. He was attracted to her and he was duke, why
wouldn’t he marry? And if they married and happy too early, that
makes for a boring book. So I had to spice up the choices made with
some twists.What has been the hardest moment as a writer for you?
Earlier this year I released my first self-published full-length series (medieval romance about five sisters called the Borderland Ladies). I poured my soul into these books and managed to keep up advertising and excitement going for 8 months on through the release of the first book. Except that even though the book was uploaded before it was due, Amazon didn’t update the file and everyone got the dummy file instead. My release day of this incredible series I had been building in my head for years was a total flop. It was so disheartening.
Fortunately, it all got fixed and the rest of the series released without incident and has all been very successful!
What would you say is the craziest place you found yourself writing?
I confess, I’m kind of a homebody writer. I make these crazy faces when I write sometimes. If the characters are mad, I found myself scowling at the computer, if they’re sad, I’m crying like a baby, if they’re irritated, I’ll scoff and roll my eyes. The last thing I want is someone at Starbucks thinking I’m a jerk because I’m rolling my eyes and glaring. LOL!!!
The most incredible place I’ve written so far has been Bali I was there on vacation earlier this year and stayed in an incredible resort with my family. Every morning, I woke up to work (yes, I even work on vacation LOL) and watched the sun come up over the rice fields as I listened to about a thousand roosters welcome the new day. It was an incredible experience.
What made this story addictive to write?
I loved watching Eleanor’s layers slowly fall away as she began to allow herself to be vulnerable with people who mattered to her. I think a lot of us feel the need to put up guards sometimes. Watching her give herself permission to be exposed was like letting a piece of myself unfurl as well. I really enjoyed that aspect of writing this book.
Was there a moment where you felt like you became apart of your characters? Do you see bits of you in them?
Honestly, there is something of me in every character I write because they are all a piece of my heart. They say to write what you know – and while I’ve never been a duke, or a mercenary or an heiress or any of those things, I have known loss, I’ve known hope and longing and disappointment. I love to write emotion into my book because I feel like it plays such a large part in life. I try to infuse that into my books and leave a little piece of me in everything I write.
What’s the hardest part of promoting your book?
Time. I’m currently working a full time and balancing a writing career (I have written 7 books this year) and have two daughters under the age of 14 who are active with sports. Trying to squeeze in time for marketing between life and writing and work can be quite the juggeling act!
Who have you penned that has taught you a lot?
I think the first book that I published, Deception of a Highlander. When I was first writing that book, I had the heroine being an assassin. Later, I submitted the manuscript to a contest and a judge commented that she kept waiting to see that Mariel hadn’t actually killed anyone and was shocked that she had. It caused me to delve more into what makes characters likeable and relatable and, unfortunately, Mariel was not it. LOL I revamped her entire character and that was the book I signed my agent and first three book deal with. It was a very important lesson that was worth learning for sure!
What is the best moment or feeling for you in your book?
When I get feedback from my beta readers to let me know what they think of it. I’ve been very fortunate to have my books very well received by readers. Except that this just makes me all the more insecure. LOL I am so worried that the next book I write will be a hot mess and I’ll disappoint people. I second guess myself the whole time I writing it and as soon as I hit send on my e-mail to beta readers, my stomach knots up. When I get the feedback from them saying they loved it, all that tension drains away and I feel a million times better. Until the next book. LOL
Blurb of How To Tempt A Duke:
A lady’s lessons…
…in temptation!
When her almost fiancé proposes to someone else, Lady Eleanor is suddenly the talk of the ton! With her family in financial dire straits, Eleanor must marry before the end of the Season. Secret lessons with Charles, the dashing, infuriating—and devastatingly charming—Duke of Somersville, should help Eleanor shake off her shameful Ice Queen moniker. But how can she tempt a prospective husband when it’s the duke who ignites her desire?
Follow her on one or all these links:
Author website: www.MadelineMartin.
Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.
Author Twitter: @MadelineMMartin
Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.
Author Twitter: @MadelineMMartin
Author Amazon Profile page: http://www.amazon.com/
Instagram: https://www.
