Catch a glimpse in the life of Raven McAllen, author of 'Miss Simpkin's School: Flora.' Remember to leave your own questions and comments below!
What's the weirdest thing you've ever done in the name of research?
Measured the size of the aircraft loo.Tell us about your family.
This is one area that is strictly off limits, except to say my DH has learned how to work the Aga, he makes a mean Gin and Tonic, and ignores the dust bunnies.Do you use a pen name? If so, how did you come up with it?
Raven, the bird that brings change. There was one around a lot just before I got my first acceptance. McAllan is a play on the name of (in my opinion) the best single malt ever, The Macallan.Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?
Not really, I block everything out as I write so it would be wasted.What was the scariest moment of your life?
Standing on top of The Great Wall Of China and feeling as if I was going to fall off it. I must add that being up there was one of the most perfect, spiritual moments as well.What group did you hang out with in high school?
When I was at high school (Grammar School) we didn't have groups or hang out. Showing my age here. I just had a group of friends.If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?
My first husband. We were so wrong for each other, and should have just lived together, and got each other out of our systems. Sadly in those days, it wasn't considered the thing!
by Raven McAllan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Miss Simpkins' School. Where seduction's the game, and success is the aim. Let your classes commence.
Ex mistress to an Earl, who better than Molly Simpkins to show Flora how to ensure she gets what she needs from her marriage?
Flora's intended has an idea she doesn't agree with. Angus thinks she should be happy to live at their Scottish estate while he spends his time in London. It may be the way of the ton, but it isn't going to be Flora's way. This is her chance to show Angus what he'd miss if he leaves her alone. There's only one thing—she doesn't know how.
Luckily Miss Simpkins does.
Read an excerpt:
“I want to seduce Fraser. I want to show him what he'll be missing if he follows the course he has set out to my brother. That I will live at Kilfron. I have nothing against Kilfron; indeed I spent most of my childhood nearby, and I'm happy to spend time there—as long as he is with me. Lud knows it is an open secret in the ton that he has a mistress in Lady Senton, and I have nothing against her per se. But she's not going to have what I can't. I will not marry someone who brings his staff from one home to seat it in me. Either he wants me to the exclusion of all others, or he has the others and I'll decline his not so generous offer." She stood in front of Molly, well aware her hands were shaking, and her breath was choppy. It mattered, oh how it mattered.
"Could you?"
Flora sighed. "Probably not, but I'd do my best. The trouble is I've loved Fraser since I was a child. I vowed to marry him when I was seven, and when I was eleven asked him to wait for me. He assured me, from his advanced age of two and twenty, that if I was still of a like mind when I came out, he would offer for me and I would be his wife. Both he and John therefore think it's a done deal. I may still love him, but times change and I'm no longer eleven with the eyes of a child. I'm nineteen, and according to my brother, well ready to be wed. When I reach the age of five and twenty, I will have money of my own. Until then, John had to support me and look after my welfare. This is his misguided way of doing so. He doesn't realize that women have needs and desires as well as men. Am I in the minority when I say, I've touched myself? That I know what delicious tingles and sensations I feel when I stroke my skin both inside and out?"
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Raven lives in Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in her books.
She is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.
Her very understanding, and long-suffering DH, is used to his questions unanswered, the dust bunnies greeting him as he walks through the door, and rescuing burned offerings from the Aga. (And passing her a glass of wine as she types furiously.)
Why Raven? EASY!
The Raven is the harbinger of change. My Raven was around a lot after I sent Wallflowers Don't Wilt off to Breathless Press. And then, I was offered a contract. Thanks Raven.
McAllan? EASY!
I live in Scotland. McAllan is a variation of the name of the BEST single malt in Scotland. What else could I pick?
So O.K. It's a pen name, but one with deep meaning for me. I hope you enjoy reading Raven's books.
Why don't you drop me a note and say Hi?
Looking forward to meeting you.
http://www.ravenmcallan.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/RavenMcAllan
http://www.ravenmcallan.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/ravenmcallan
http://pinterest.com/ravensramblings/
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· 2 eBooks from Breathless Press (publisher's choice) to one randomly drawn commenter
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THank you for inviting me over to bare my soul. You made me think.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting book. I am curious to know how Flora's HEA will work out. I enjoy reading about an heroine who knows what she wants and does what she needs to do to get it ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks and I'm looking forward to reading this.
Lori
lorih824 at yahoo dot com
Okay, there must be a story behind that first answer...
ReplyDeletevitajex(At)aol(Dot)com
thanks for your comments. I find talking about myself very hard. It's a lot easier to chat about my characters
ReplyDelete