Mary Wine - Guest Blogger

Please join me today as I welcome author Mary Wine back as the special guest blogger here at Thoughts in Progress as she makes a stop on her virtual blog tour.

Mary’s latest release is HIGHLAND HELLCAT, the second installment in her sexy Scottish Highlander trilogy. Thanks to Mary and Danielle at Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of HIGHLAND HELLCAT to giveaway today to 2 lucky visitors who comment on Mary’s post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Oct. 25. Be sure to include your e-mail address in your comments if it’s not included in your profile.

With her extensive research and love of period attire in writing her trilogy, I ask Mary if she could live in any era which would she pick.

If I could live in any era?

Oh my…that brings up such wonderful possibilities. I’m not sure I could choose. I adore the current time, hey music at our fingertips, dentists and fresh food all year round. What’s not to like? But I wonder if the future would hold cures and easy fixes for aches and pains and sports injuries…now that sounds grand. But there is also something to be said for the style of eras past.

I believe I would have loved to see the wonderful colors of the courts of Henry XIII. The pageants performed for him and the feasts laid out on the grand tables. People must have enjoyed the banquets more because it was the only place there was music and dancing and entertainment. It must have been something you looked forward to because the rest of the nights were quiet, unless you played an instrument yourself and could afford the time to practice. Life took a lot more out of your day back when you had to sew your clothing, sometimes weave the cloth.

Another time period I think of is the Titanic era. What a stately time. I’m not drawn to it just because men were gentlemen…but because women were ladies…not always a simple thing. If you want a man to open a door for you, you’ll need to give him the opportunity by not reaching for it. This was also a period of men challenging the elements. Yes, the Titanic sank but she wasn’t the worst disaster of the period, simply remembered because of how many high society passengers were on her. But the engineers who dreamed her up were visionaries and laid the ground work for the comforts we have today.

Lastly, I’ve got to say I adore the Celtic Highlanders. They must have been a sight, coming down from their highland strong holds when the time was right. These men had strong spirits, which is something I admire.

What would I have been? I doubt an author, although in the first two periods every lady was expected to keep up correspondence for the family. Most likely, I would have been a seamstress. Fabric fascinates me and I love constructing garments. Writing HIGHLAND HELLCAT was great fun because I was able to put to use some of my knowledge of period attire and custom. I do read history for fun but it’s always a challenge to find anyone willing to listen to me babble about the way women dressed four hundred years ago. HIGHLAND HELLCAT allowed me the chance to use some of that knowledge and it was great!

I hope you all enjoy it. Drop by my website for excerpts of HIGHLAND HEAT…coming your way in March and to see what else I’ve got releasing soon. Marywine.com.

Mary, thanks again for stopping by today. It is fun to think about what era we would live in if given the chance.

Here’s a brief synopsis of HIGHLAND HELLCAT - He wants a wife he can control…
Connor Lindsey is a Highland laird, but his clan’s loyalty is hard won and he takes nothing for granted. He’ll do whatever it takes to find a virtuous wife, even if he has to kidnap her…

She has a spirit that can’t be tamed…
Brina Chattan has always defied convention. She sees no reason to be docile now that she’s been captured by a powerful laird and taken to his storm-tossed castle in the Highlands, far from her home.

When a rival laird’s interference nearly tears them apart, Connor discovers that a woman with a wild streak suits him much better than he’d ever imagined…

For a little background on Mary. She is a multi-published author in romantic suspense, fantasy and western romance; now her interest in historical reenactment and costuming has inspired her to turn her pen to historical romance. She lives with her husband and sons in southern California, where the whole family enjoys participating in historical reenactment. For more information, please visit her website at http://www.marywine.com/website/.