Contest & Conversation with The De Montforte Brothers Series's Historical Romance Author Danelle Harmon

 RCJR eZine is proud to present one of our favorite romance authors.  Danelle Harmon once again proves why she is an extraordinary talent in the romance world.  Ms. Harmon captures readers attention with her emotional gripping and high-octane adventures wrapped around an intoxicating love-story . Award-winning Danelle Harmon is captivating audiences with her The De Montforte Brothers series.  

THE WICKED ONE

INTERVIEW

WITH

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

AUTHOR

DANELLE HARMON

Danelle a few months ago I was flipping through one of several RT magazines. While chowing down on my favorite veggie lover’s pizza I was flipping I came across the a truly exciting article by Liz French, Stephanie Klose, Faygie Levy and Elissa Petruzzi titled “Legacy of Love.”  In short, the article explained about how the market might be changing but romance, which I agree whole heartedly, is forever.  My curious readers and I would love to know your thoughts on what you believe are the “Legacy of Love.”

From Antony and Cleopatra to Nelson and Emma to today's bestselling romances, the basic formula hasn't changed:  a man, a woman, and an undeniable and binding connection.  It doesn't matter what day and age it is — times have changed, but human biology hasn't, and neither has our love and appreciation for a rousingly good love story! 

You have just converted four of my all time favorite historicals, THE WILD ONE, THE BELOVED ONE, THE DEFIANT ONE and THE WICKED ONE into ebook format; can you tell us more about the De Montforte Brothers series?

The de Montforte Brothers series is set (mostly) in Georgian England during the 1770s and follows the stories of four gorgeous aristocratic brothers, headed by the eldest, Lucien, who is the fifth Duke of Blackheath.  Each brother has been given a nickname by the locals which is also the title of his book:  Lord Gareth, the ne'er do well black sheep of the family, is THE WILD ONE; Lord Charles, the brave and noble soldier, is THE BELOVED ONE; Lord Andrew, the gifted, reclusive inventor, is THE DEFIANT ONE, and the omniscient, Machiavellian duke, who manipulates his brothers into marriage with cunning delight, finally gets his comeuppance in his tale, THE WICKED ONE (and oh, he gets it good!).  Though each book can be read as a stand-alone, I think they are best enjoyed read in order in the series.

I quickly became addicted to these delicious brothers and these phenomenal characters, Danelle.  We are so excited that you are back and continuing to give your readers powerful emotional love stories with engaging protagonists that will rip readers hearts out all the while having them rooting for their happily ever after.  Can you tell us more about your latest in the de Montforte Brothers series, THE WICKED ONE?

THE WICKED ONE is the pinnacle and (current) conclusion of the series, and in it, the conniving, impossible, string-pulling Lucien, Duke of Blackheath, finally finds himself caught in a web of his own making, with his triumphant, long-suffering family now turning the tables on him and forcing him into marriage with a woman who is just as wicked, just as dangerous, just as strong, overbearing, and impossible as he himself is.  He's the ultimate control freak (and with good reason), and she's the ultimate man-hater (also with good reason), so you can imagine the rough ride these two have on the way to their happily-ever-after!

Is there any part of your personality that bleeds into your characters while you write?

That's a tough one for me to answer!  Animals will always find a way into my books, as I'm a lifelong animal lover — we have four dogs, a horse, chickens, you name it, and I do a lot of volunteer work, including occasional fostering, for (dog) rescue.  So to that end, I guess there's an awful lot of me in Lady Celsiana Blake of THE DEFIANT ONE, whose passion is … animals! (And Lord Andrew de Montforte!)

Did you have Lord Lucien, Duke of Blackheath’s full character arc when you started the De Montforte Brother series?  Did you know what would happen to him in the end?

Heavens, no!  He was like an avalanche that got more and more powerful the more speed and distance it gathers, more and more of a force to be reckoned with, with each book.  I came up with the idea for (and started writing) THE WILD ONE while my husband and I were still living in England (in fact, the last third of the book was set in Abingdon-on-Thames, the little town in Oxfordshire where we lived), and at the time, Lucien was still very nebulous to me.  I knew that he was going to be a strong, omniscient, dominant character, and though I didn't plan it as such, more and more of his personality, backstory and character unfolded with each book as the series unfolded — this was a process that took, literally, two or three years.  Therefore, the reader wasn't the only one who got to know him a little more with each book — I did, too.  And no, I definitely didn't know what would happen to him in the end, though I knew what I hoped would happen! His outrageous machinations in THE DEFIANT ONE horrified even me, so I was just thrilled to see him finally get his comeuppance at last!

What inspired you to start the De Montforte Brothers series?

I had just turned in the manuscript for WICKED AT HEART (look for it at your favorite e-book retailer any day now!) and wanted to explore something new with my writing.  I lived in England at the time, and was much inspired by our little town and my surroundings, and Juliet and Lucien came to me.  Not Juliet and Gareth, and not Lucien and Eva.  Juliet and Lucien.  (Can you imagine?!)  They didn't really feel like a "fit," though, and eventually the other characters emerged and I knew I had to write a series.

 

What was one of your favorite moments in writing the The De Montforte Brothers series?

Oh, there were many, because I adored each and every one of the brothers and they were all a delight to work with (notice that I said "delight," and not necessarily"easy!").  But if I were to narrow it down to moments of pure romance, there's one scene that stands out for me and always melts my heart:  When Lord Andrew gives Celsie her wedding present in their book, THE DEFIANT ONE, he stands back with a big silly grin on his face while she opens this huge crate and finds herself looking at an ugly contraption of metal gears and iron.  Naturally, she has no idea what it is and feels quite deflated about her husband's rather unromantic gift … but oh, it's the most wonderful, appropriate, romantic gift he could ever have given this particular woman, as she finds out a moment or two later, and I just loved him for that!

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to, Eva de la Mouriére and Lucien, Duke of Blackheath (Waving franticly, trying to get the besotted couple’s attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the newlyweds, clears her throat).

I’m curious. Eva what was your first impression of Lucien?  Lucien, I would love to hear your thoughts about the first time you laid eyes on Eva. =)

EVA:  "Ha!  I thought him to be the epitome of everything I despised about the English, the aristocracy, and men in general.  I had come to England to steal an aphrodisiac accidentally invented by Lucien's brother Lord Andrew.   Before I could do that, though, I needed to size up those from whom I'd have to steal the potion — that is, the de Montforte brothers.  Lord Andrew and Lady Celsiana Blake were getting married, so I slid, unnoticed, into the church to take the measure of each brother, as the whole family was there, of course.  The minute I saw Lucien, though, I knew I'd met a worthy adversary, and I looked forward to that challenge.  Mistakenly, though, I thought I could handle him."

LUCIEN:  "All I can say, my dear, is that you can handle me anytime —"

EVA:   "Oh, do stop!"  (swats him)

LUCIEN:  "As for me, I turned around and there she was, all red hair and wicked green eyes … something shifted under my feet and I knew I was done for."

Was it love at first sight or lust at first sight?

EVA:  "Oh, I couldn't stand him!  He was everything I despised about men — arrogant, high-minded, controlling, domineering,  conniving, manipulative —"

LUCIEN (smirking):  "Don't listen to her.  It was lust for both of us."

EVA (grinning):  "What was I saying about arrogant?"

Eva, when was the moment you knew that Lucien was for you?

"Lucien and I had a terrible fight on our wedding night, after which I did something rash and incredibly foolish that … that  resulted in an awful tragedy.  I won't go the details here, but one thing led to another and I nearly died that night.  So did Lucien.  When I woke up days later, it was dark in the room but I realized, even gutted by grief and pain, that I was not alone, and that I'd never be alone, ever again.  In that moment, I knew that I'd found not only my soulmate, my true love, but that I was a part of the wonderful, tight-knit de Montfortes … and that at last, I had a family that truly loved me."

Lucien, name one thing about Eva that you believe changed your outlook on love.

"To be honest, I knew I was in love with Eva from the moment I saw her.  There was nothing to be changed about that."

I have become addicted, lately with books about time travel.  This got me to thinking.  If I handed you my time traveling piece would you use it to go back in time to change anything? Eva and Lucien I absolutely adore you two so chuck this question  to an interviews curiosity.

LUCIEN:  "I'm afraid — ahem — that a plan I conceived in THE WICKED ONE went dreadfully awry, resulting in much pain, trouble and anguish for people that I love dearly.  Let's just say that it involved a shipwreck, a French jail, and a lingering ache under my rib that still plagues me, even now.  If I could go back in time, I'd do so only to change that decision, and not rush along a situation that needed time to mature on its own.  Because of my actions my sister's beau, Lord Brookhampton, is deeply changed, , and I no longer consider him a suitable match for her.  I understand he wants to kill me."

EVA:  "Well, I would go back in time and not make that terrible, terrible decision I spoke of earlier . . . But I can tell you right now, that if Lord Brookhampton thinks to kill Lucien, he'll have to get through ME, first."

LUCIEN (grinning):  "She is very protective of me, you know."

Eva did you have any apprehension about getting involved with Lucien?

"Apprehension?  I was dragged kicking and screaming all the way to the altar!"

Lucien, what about you?  Did you have a sliver of doubt about becoming involved with Eva?

"None.  None whatsoever.  I pursued her with single-minded intent and sheer bloody-mindedness.  I was obsessed by her."  He smiles.  "I still am."

Do you, Eva and Lucien, believe that love conquers all?

(Conversing)  "Well, it certainly conquered US!"

One more thing before I let you go.  Do you believe that everything you two went through to find one another, fall in love and finding your happily ever after was worth the price you had to pay?

EVA:  "Oh, yes.  Oh yes, indeed.  Though I didn't know it at the time, meeting that arrogant English duke in the church that day was the best thing that could ever have happened to me.  I was hard and angry and suspicious.  He taught me how to trust, how to open my heart, how to love.  Everything I went through — anything I could possibly have gone through — with that man, would have been worth it to learn those lessons and to end up with him at the end.  He is the best of men.  And I am the happiest woman in the world."

LUCIEN:  "Without question.  I would go to the ends of the earth for my duchess, and I would do it a hundred times over if only to win her love in the end."  (Turning to Eva)  You, my dearest, are the best of women.  And you have made me the happiest man on earth."

Now back to Danelle.

How did you mark the occasion of finally finishing THE WICKED ONE?

I don't usually celebrate when I finish a book as much as take a deep breath and then spend the next day or two walking around in an exhausted daze.  I must confess to feeling a sense of loss and loneliness when I finished THE WICKED ONE and this series … I had worked with this family for years, and had become quite attached to them.  However, I'm writing Lady Nerissa's story, now, so I guess we're not quite done with each other just yet!

What do you hope readers walk away with after reading THE WICKED ONE?

I hope they come away feeling satisfied, feeling entertained, and feeling like they made a whole bunch of wonderful new friends, even if those new friends did live a few centuries ago!  And, if they're inspired to go and search out some of my other books, well, that is just frosting on the cake.  J 

 You’re clearly very busy.  What do you do in your limited spare time?  Are you reading anything right now?  Any reading recommendations while we wait until your next release? 

I actually don't read much romance at all, as I think it helps me keep my own stories fresh and original.  I tend to read straight historical fiction, or even nonfiction — right now, I'm reading a great biography by Samuel A. Forman about one of my very favorite, and most admired historical personages, entitled Dr. Joseph Warren:  The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty.   Joseph Warren, a handsome young physician and rebel, considered by the British to be "possibly the most dangerous man in America" at the time, was the only patriot leader brave and reckless enough to remain in Boston the night that British General Gage sent his troops out to Lexington and Concord, as Sam Adams and John Hancock had already fled; it was actually Warren who sent Paul Revere on his famous ride.  As Americans, we owe a huge debt to Dr. Warren.  Had he survived the Battle of Bunker Hill, he undoubtedly would have become as famous as Thomas Jefferson or any of our other founding fathers — it was a national tragedy that he was killed before his potential could be fully realized.  A well-researched, scholarly biography of this man is well deserved and long overdue.

As for spare time, I enjoy being with my family, both human and animal, the latter of which consists of our Egyptian Arabian horse "Ben Azi," and four German Shorthaired Pointer dogs ranging in age from 11 months to almost 15 years.  I enjoy dog showing (my beloved Marcus obtained his AKC championship in the pre-Westminster shows this past February), and also volunteer a lot of time (and tears) to rescue.  Occasionally, we foster rescue dogs and help get them ready for their "forever homes," a deeply rewarding venture that I recommend to anyone who wants to do some good in this world of ours.  I also occasionally drive a leg of a transport that will be bringing dogs from the south up here to New England, do home visits to screen and approve potential adopters, and do what I can to save a life when I am able. 

Danelle, please share with desperate readers where they can connect with you in cyber world. =)

I'm quite gregarious and love to hear from readers!  I'm easily reached through any of the following means: 

Email: (Danelle@danelleharmon.com)

my website (http://danelleharmon.com)

my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DanelleHarmon)

or Twitter  https://twitter.com/DanelleHarmon

Danelle, you rocked RCJR eZine blog and its readers.  Thank you so much for stopping by to dish about The De Mortforte Brothers along with Eva, Lady Celsiana Blake, Amy Leighton and Juliet Paige and the latest in your phenomenal historical romance series, THE WICKED ONE.

Christine, thank you so, so much for hosting me!  I've had great fun pondering your questions, and it's been both an honor and a pleasure to be here.  I wish you the very best of successes with the RCJR Ezine blog, and many hours of happy reading … again, many thanks!

Product Details

• BN ID: 2940014379359
• Publisher: Danelle Harmon
• Publication date: 5/27/2012
• Sold by: Barnes & Noble
• Format: eBook
• Sales rank: 34,180
• Series: The De Montforte Brothers , #4

The head of his noble family, the dark and dangerous Duke of Blackheath spends his time manipulating other lives without giving a thought to finding a wife of his own. Yet Lucien must admit he finds exquisite Eva de la Mouriére most intriguing. What adventurous, red-blooded male would not be intrigued by a flame-haired beauty who appears in his chambers demanding that he make love to her? Certainly this hot-tempered minx would make a delightful bedmate -- though surely not a bride.

Eva knows Lucien is the cause of all her current misfortunes, yet he refuses to be humiliated. But the worst betrayer is her own heart. No match for Lucien's seductive mastery, Eva craves the blackguard as she's never craved another. She must resist this rogue, but how long can she deny her own passion -- or Lucien's blossoming genuine love -- in the face of his scheming family's successful attempts to force a wedding?

CONTEST 

THE PRIZE: One (1) lucky reader will win a copy of THE WICKED ONE by Danelle Harmon. 


TO ENTER: Leave a comment for Danelle Harmon including your email address (Email address are required for ALL entries.) 

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*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

 

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Contest is open to ALL

It will runs until July 1,2012

I will contact the winners directly on July 2, 2012

HAPPY READING! =)