Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wednesday Promo:Margaret Tanner


Today I'm showcasing Australian author Margaret Tanner.

BIO: Margaret Tanner is an award winning multi-published Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically correct. Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia.
In 2008 she won Author of the Year at AussieAuthors.com.
She is married to Laurie and they have three grown up sons.
Outside of her family and friends, writing is her passion.
Margaret’s Website: http://www.margarettanner.com

QUESTIONS:

As an Aussie what do you concentrate on when researching your 1st World War novels?
Authenticity. I have tried to get a feel for the times by visiting the battlefields in Turkey, France and Belgium. I have read diaries from soldiers who fought in the war, rather than rely wholly on the information obtained in history books. As a child I listened to the war stories told to us kids by a couple of great Uncles who served in France, and that is what sparked my lifelong interest in the era. Ordinary men doing extra-ordinary deeds. And not forgetting the brave women who waited, often in vain, for their men to return home.

What are the usual settings for your stories?
All my stories are predominantly set in Australia, in the countryside around North Eastern Victoria where I was born. Although I do set some scenes in France, Turkey and England.

Why do you write romance?
Now that is easy. I love happily ever after endings.

DEVIL’S RIDGE published by Whiskey Creek Press

Set during the 1st World War.

By the time Ross Calvert discovers Harry Martin is in fact Harriet Martin she has fallen in love with him. Realizing she has failed in her final effort to protect her shell-shocked brother, she puts a desperate proposition to Ross. Marry her and she will give him an heir. Ross accepts. However, he is tormented by the betrayal of his former fiancĂ©e Virginia. On his honeymoon he meets her again and is still infatuated. With the army recalling him to the Western Front, he faces a terrible dilemma, taste Virginia’s passion before he heads to the trenches of France, or keep his marriage vows to Harry. With the spectre of war hanging over them, there are even bigger obstacles for Ross and Harry. Ross returns to the trenches, and a man seeking wealth at any cost, endangers Harry’s life in a way she had never imagined possible.

5 book Review from Long and Short Reviews (LASR)
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/03/devils-ridge-by-margaret-tanner.html

Buy Link:
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=536

EXCERPT:
DEVIL’S RIDGE -
“Mrs. White hates you, Harriet. I think it’s because you’re so pretty,” Elsie, the seventeen year old scullery maid said, examining an encrusted pan.
“Pretty!” Harry slammed a saucepan down on the sink. “I’m a wreck.”
Six days a week scrubbing and scraping for the tyrannical Mrs. White had seen to that. She pushed irritably at a wayward curl slipping out from under her cap.
Her cheek still smarted from the slap she had received half an hour before, when the horrible old witch accused her of not making the entrance foyer gleam. If she were not so desperate for money, and a place to live that was close to the convalescent hospital, she would tell Mrs. White exactly what she thought of her.
“She hates it when you go off visiting your brother,” Elsie continued.
“I don’t care what the old witch thinks of me. Once Gil gets better we’ll be leaving Melbourne. I’ll never come back here again,” Harry vowed.
Her employer, Sebastian Littlejohn, carried his head high, and liked to think of himself as a respected pillar of society. The whole family wallowed in luxury while a sadistic housekeeper treated their servants like slaves. Harry scrubbed with vigour, wishing it were those hypocrites she was scrubbing off the face of the earth.
What she wouldn’t give to expose them for what they really were. The dark, mean, little rooms the servants shared in the attics and the dreadful, inedible food they were fed. They treat us worse than dogs, she thought viciously, whipping up her anger to give her the energy to keep on scrubbing.
Please, Gil, get better soon, Harry prayed desperately. I hate the city with its crowds of bustling people, noise and selfish, hypocritical society types.
The poverty was terrible in the poorer suburbs. She shuddered. On their farm they were poor but at least had plenty to eat and fresh air to breathe. The squalid boarding house in Collingwood, her first taste of Melbourne life, would haunt her for a lifetime.
Thank goodness it had been summertime when she stayed there. Judging by the damp smell of decay, the building would have leaked when it rained. Huge rats more than a foot long scurried around the back alleys, where rotting garbage and excrement from overflowing privies mingled, giving off the vilest of smells. Whole families lived in one or two rooms in buildings that were in such a state of decay, it was a wonder they hadn’t collapsed years ago.
We are definitely going to take those jobs advertised by Ross Calvert at Devil’s Ridge she decided, wiping her brow. She couldn’t stand working here for much longer and pretending to be Gil’s kid brother would be a lark.
Cutting her hair and dressing in loose, baggy clothes to hide her feminine shape was simple. Getting up to an isolated mountain station like Devil’s Ridge was the main hurdle they would have to overcome.

Thanks Paty for letting me visit your blog, I really enjoyed my time here.

21 comments:

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Patsy,
Thank you so much for allowing me to visit your blog.
Regards
Margaret

Cate Masters said...

Sounds like a great read, as usual, Margaret! Congrats on the excellent review. I agree with the reviewer, your descriptions are awe-inspiring, and make me long to visit Australia! Best of luck with Devil's Ridge!

Kathy Otten said...

Hi Margaret,

Harlequin Historicals used to have books set in Australia that I used to always look for. But I haven't seen any in a long time. I always liked reading about characters who battled the raw, untamed land. I didn't know that was where you were from. I'll have to pick up Devil's Ridge. The reviews sound great. Good luck with your sales.

Linda Swift said...

Margaret, as always your stories reach out and grab me by the throat within a few sentences. Your characters are so well drawn with just a few words I feel that I know them. You are a gifted writer and well deserve your honors. I wish you continued success with your work. Linda

Lauri said...

Wonderful excerpt, Margaret! I love books set in Austrailia--still have a shelf of old Harlequins when they were the hottest things on the market! Best of luck with all your sales, and thanks for the interview!

Helen Hardt said...

I really enjoyed the excerpt, Margaret! Thanks for sharing, and I wish you much success with sales!

Helen

Anonymous said...

I love books set in this time period. Sounds like a great read.

Tanya Hanson said...

Hi Margaret, your Aussie settings totally rock! Congrats on your award and your writing.

I loved your excerpt.

~Tanya
www.tanyahanson.com

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

Hey, I write romance for the same reason you do, Margaret! (Well, and the fact that my hubby doesn't have much of a romantic bone in his body. *grin*) I love books where the heroine poses as a boy for a time. :) Sounds good!

Mary Ricksen said...

I love your imagery Margaret. You deserve that review.
I can't wait to read about Australia. Your country is beautiful and inspiring to me. And you sure produce good actors and writers. Good luck!

Susan Macatee said...

Great excerpt, Margaret! Sounds like a wonderful read!

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Cate,
Thank you so much for dropping by,and for your kind comments.
I appreciate it.
Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Kathy,
Thanks you for dropping by. I didn't know that Harlequin used to publish Australian stories. Must have been a while ago.

Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Linda,
Thanks for dropping by and for saying such nice things. Praise from a writer of your calibre is praise indeed.

Cheers
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Lauri,
Thanks for dropping by. I thought for a moment you were my hubby, his name is Lauri,too, then I realised he wouldn't know how to post a blog.
Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Helen,
Thank you for dropping by, I appreciate it.You stopped me from feeling lonely.
Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Thank you Tanya,
I appreciate you taking the time to drop by and leave a comment.
Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi there anonymous,
You know who you are. Thank you so much for dropping by. I do appreciate it.
Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Stacey Joy,
Thanks for dropping by. We must be kindred spiritis, because I have always liked stories where the heroine dresses as a man, too.
A writer can get a lot of mileage out of the situation.

Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Mary,
Thanks for dropping by. We do have a few great Aussie actors, that Hugh Jackman, he can put his shoes under my bed anytime he likes. I know someone who knows him, and he is supposed to be a really nice person.

Regards
Margaret

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Susan,
Thanks for dropping by, I appreciate it.
Best wishes
Margaret