HE NEEDS HER FOR HIS CLAN. HE WANTS HER FOR HIMSELF. CAN HE HAVE BOTH?
Toran Lathan never expected to become
Laird, and never expected to meet a woman like Aileana Shaw. Her healing
ability is just what his people need, but Toran cannot resist her beauty. Yet
will loving him destroy her ability to heal?
Aileana Shaw has a healing touch – and a
special talent she must keep secret. Stolen from her home by a marauding army,
she’s kidnapped again by the Highland Laird she heals. Is she a prize of war,
or the prize of his heart?
While Toran battles the invading lowland
army, he also battles his desire for Aileana. And Aileana must decide if she
can trust her secrets to this fierce warrior who needs her talent, but wants
her love.
In the author's words . . .
Did you plan to be a writer or did
it just happen?
I’ve always been a writer in the same way that some people are born to be
doctors or engineers. I just didn’t always write.
What is your favorite non-writing
pastime? I
wish I could say that it’s exercise, but it’s probably more of a tossup between
reading, eating and sleeping.
What has been your greatest
challenge as a writer?
Believing in my own abilities and accepting that I could write a book.
And finish it. And sell it.
Have you been able to overcome it? Yes, indeed!
If you had to sum it up Highland
Healer in 30 or less words, what would you say? A talented Healer saves a
Laird who frees her from an invading lowlander army. Under siege, they
must learn to trust their way to victory and each other.
Do you have a favorite character in Highland
Healer? Who and why?
Besides Toran and Aileana, I’d say one of my favorite characters is
Elspie. She’s an unrepentant gossip with a heart of gold who will do
anything to help others. She can’t resist nudging things along when she
gets the chance.
What message do you hope readers
take away from the book?
All of us have the ability to grow, change, and learn to trust in people and
things that at first seem strange or threatening.
What three words would best describe
Aileana?
Proud, talented, lonely.
While writing Highland Healer,
did you connect with one character more than the others? Who and how? I loved writing
Toran and Aileana’s story, but I really felt sorry for Ranald, Aileana’s mostly
silent, long-suffering assistant in the lowlander army’s camp. He was
dealt a bad hand in life, but did his best to protect her.
What has been your greatest pleasure
in writing this book?
It’s a toss-up between finishing it, which was a revelation; selling it, which
was incredibly exciting; and seeing readers’ reactions to it, which are
amazing.
As a multi-genre author, how do you
juggle going back and forth between the different genres? Do you have a
preferred genre?
So far, that hasn’t been a problem
for me. I adjust pretty seamlessly to the change in language from
Scottish historical to present day and futuristic.
What has been your greatest pleasure
or personal success as an author?
That Highland Healer starting hitting Amazon’s best-seller lists in less than a
month after being released to Kindle. It hit the tops of its lists during the
KDP Select free days, it has remained an Amazon best-seller ever since.
I’m really fortunate to have loyal readers. They must be telling their
friends, because Highland Healer keeps selling and getting great
reviews.
What type of hero do you like best? I like a strong hero but not
necessarily an over-the-top Alpha. There has to be room in his
personality and world-view to see others’ perspectives. He can be
stubborn up to a point, but must deal with reality and solve problems in a way
that benefits others as well as himself.
What type of heroine do you like
best?
Strong-willed, feisty, smart - very smart. I can’t abide a simpering,
helpless female. She may not be able to overpower an obstacle, but she
can out-think it, whether it’s the hero, the villain or something else.
Do you write your friends or family
members into your books? If so, did they figure it out? No, but I have written
villains based on former bosses. Hey, it’s a writer’s prerogative - and
you know what they say about paybacks!
Is there a genre you wish you could
write, but haven’t made the plunge?
Which one and what appeals to you about it? Yes - Science Fiction Romance
(SFR). I love Linnea Sinclair’s and Catherine Asaro’s books, among
others. I’m plotting out an SFR series, but haven’t started writing it
yet. Like my other books, it will have a paranormal element, lots of
action and adventure, and it will be sensual, sexy and fun.
What is one trait you despise in
people that you tend to give your villains/protagonists? I learned from an early age to have
a lot of contempt for hypocrites. And for those who use the power of
their position, even though they’re often less intelligent or less capable, to
put other people down and to hold onto power, no matter what.
What is the best piece of writing
advice you’ve received?
There are two. First: (a version of a Nora Roberts quote, I believe) You
can edit crap, but you can’t edit a blank page. Second: Finish the
damned book. So many writers never do.
Are there certain characters you
would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work
with? I do go back to Donal MacNabb, the Lathan arms master and advisor
to Toran - he’s the hero in the second book in the series. The theme of
that book is accepting who you are. And Jamie Lathan gets his own book in
the third book of the series, where he must learn that past may be prologue,
but it doesn’t have to determine the future.
Favorite place? At home.
Best Christmas present? Anything from my husband.
Favorite author? I can’t pick just one!
Favorite smell? Fresh citrus, especially
lemons and grapefruit
Favorite series? Still can’t pick just one.
Favorite movie? Toss-up between Star Trek:The
Wrath of Khan and the 2009 Star Trek movie.
Favorite dish? Mashed potatoes, with butter - best
comfort food ever!
Favorite color? Teal
Favorite quote? Yoda: “Do or do not; there is no
try.”
Your best trait? I strive.
Your worst trait? I don’t have one.
(Kidding!)
Despite his threats a few moments before,
she had sensed no real animosity in him. She’d been treated well since arriving
at the Aerie. Her dream of a home, with people who cared about her, perhaps a
family of her own, rose unbidden to her mind, and with it came a familiar lump
in her throat. She was tired, she thought, to let that longing overwhelm her
now. She folded her arms under her breasts and kept her eyes on the flames. She
heard Toran move from the door to stand behind her. She tensed as his hands
came to rest on her shoulders. He turned her gently, but irresistibly, to face
him.
“What
should I do with so beautiful, so valuable, a prize?” he murmured, almost to
himself.
His
deep blue gaze ensnared Aileana as completely as his hands. She knew she should
be outraged at being called a prize. He’d done it before, on the way here. Did
he truly see her that way? She refused to be chattel any longer, she told
herself, and would not allow him to treat her so. But she found she could not
summon her ire. One of his hands left her shoulder and he lightly touched her
cheek, then slowly slid his fingers down her throat to her collarbone. There,
he hesitated, and Aileana held her breath until he moved the hand back to her
shoulder.
His simple touch sent
shivers dancing and nearly undid her.
Meet the Author
Willa Blair is the award-winning author of
Highland Healer, her debut novel, the first in a series set in the 16th century
Highlands, when the old ways, and old talents, still shaped events. She
always wished she had several psi talents, such as reading her husband's mind,
cleaning house by simply thinking about it, and flying. But alas,
no. So she endows her characters with special talents and lives
vicariously through them. She loves reading and writing romance novels
set in the past, present and future.
Connect with Willa
Thanks for inviting me to be here today. You ask great questions! And I'm looking forward to hearing from your readers.
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview, MK. A Star Trek fan who loves mashed potatoes! My kind of gal. Loved the excerpt, and your Aerie is intriguing, Willa. Good luck with your Highland Healer, and with all your writing!
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview!!!! Loved your excerpt!!!
ReplyDeleteAndrea :)
Great interview and excerpt... And a Great book! Congrats Willa!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure having you with us Willa! I had a lot of fun with your interview and as a bonus, the books sounds great! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Willa. What a great interview. It sounds like you're doing great on sales. Fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteI love any story with a Highlander and Scotland. This concept sounds like and interesting story. Best of luck with continued success.
Thanks, everyone! The well-wishes are greatly appreciated. I'm having a wild time, as you can tell.
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview. I love the way she said she was born to be a writer, she just didn't always write. What a great description of a lot of us.
ReplyDelete