Guest Blog: Maggie Berkley: Romance is Not Easy

Romance is not easy. In real life nor in books. There is always something trying to pull a couple apart whether it is finances or vampires (both which are, btw, blood suckers). And, of course, there's always the mystical draw of 'what if'. What if he's not the one for me? What if I can get someone better looking/smarter/braver? Or there's your own fears. Will he be faithful? Does he actually want to be with me or has he just settled? Can I trust him with my heart?

Writing a heroine (anti-heroine to some) with a strong personality and dominate traits is fun but can also be hard. When your lead character doesn't need a man to fulfill her life, nor at the time want one, in what direction do you go? Just like in real life, she's had her fears, doubts and regrets about romance, but unlike real life, she's not bombarded with negativity by mainstream media telling her it's her fault she's alone, cheated on, unwanted. I think that's why so many women are drawn to romance books, whether they are of the sticky sweet variety, the erotic 'gotta have you' or the rebellious 'to hell with the world, you can have me if your worthy' kind.

In my books, the Morgan Crowe trilogy, my heroine (Morgan Crowe) is what some would label the bad girl, a Sidhe assassin who gives one finger salutes to authority and teeters along the edge of loyalty and disrespect. Banished from her homeland for the wanton destruction of a noble family, she's sent to live among the humans (none of the Sidhe Courts want her because of her nasty attitude) until a time when her King forgives her and rescinds his punishment. Unfortunately, hundreds of years pass and she's given no word. In fact she seems to be forgotten, a lost immortal soul afloat in a sea of ever changing, ever expanding, mortals.

During my trilogy I was able to explore the idea of evaluating yourself whether through the physical, mental or emotional. When things aren't working for you, when there's no growth and nothing is going your way, what do you need to do? Grab a pair of big girl panties and take a hard look at yourself. Do you want this life? Are you happy being alone? Are you going to settle for less? What do you need to do to make it happen? It's usually fear that keeps us back. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure or unworthiness. Fear of opening up, exposing your vulnerabilities and letting go. That was Morgan's greatest fear, showing any form of weakness, especially when it came to her heart.

In book one: Enter the Night, we are introduced to our heroine Morgan Crowe. Born Morriganna nic Thulath over thousands of years ago in the ShadowedLands of the Immortal Sidhe, she was the leader of the Mor'sin'dar King's Battle Crows. Known throughout the ShadowedLands as the Morrigu, she was deadly, precise and vengeful.

Favored by her King, Morgan lived an unrestrained life until her temper forced him to remove her from the Courts. For years she lived among the humans, keeping an eye out on things Fae and waiting until the time her beloved King rescinds his decision and welcomes her back with open arms. In the beginning Morgan is a hard nose bitch who only cares about herself and getting back into the Dark Courts. It's not until her King is murdered and she strives to uncover the killer that Morgan discovers that a darker game is a foot, for a sadistic enemy emerges from the shadows of her past and the bitterness of the Dark Queen explodes into revenge.

Enter Malachi, a shape changer with the natural ability to take form of a panther, and with his appearance comes temptation and love. But is he all that he seems? And is she willing to defy her society to find out if he is. Tricked, she is exposed to her own vulnerabilities and the painful truth that sometimes follows, that not all love is real. Seeking advice from a soothsayer, the Cauldron Witch of the Sidhe, she finds herself in the center of an ancient prophecy and must decide as to what recourse she will take. When the death of two friends who give their lives to defend her and the discovery of an unplanned pregnancy, Morgan is sent into a tail spin and reacts the only way she knows how, with spilt blood and cold vengeance. For Morgan, her world tumbles around in a whirlwind until all hell breaks loose.

In book two: Behind the Throne, Morgan is alone and pregnant and cranky, surrounded by enemies and forced into going into hiding. Relying on her instincts for survival, she hopes to live through the next few months in order to give birth. With no one to trust she seek refuge from the half-breed daughter of the Light Court King, a powerful Sidhe High Lord who would rather see her dead. There she discovers not the peace she desperately needs but the bigger dilemma of being surrounds by the High Prince from the dark Court himself and his royal guard. It's only through the rules of sanctuary granted by the sharp-tempered Princess Vivienne that Morgan, who finds herself more vulnerable that she's like, is kept safe. As Court intrigue and danger rears its ugly head, she reaches out for help and learns that to trust may not be as bad as she thought. Especially when that trust comes from Vivienne's brother-in-law, a Werewolf named Ty. It's through her emerging friendship with the young man that Morgan learns to trust and expose a softer side, a side she had kept hidden even from herself.

But you can't run from your past forever and when it finally catches up with her others pay the price. An enemy has found itself in her safe haven and has taken revenge, by taking her only surviving friend and causing her to come face to face with her past.

In book three: Out of the ShadowedLands, Morgan is tired of broken promises and betrayal. Taking matters into her own hands, she carves a destructive path through the maze of political intrigue the Dark Queen of the Mor'sin'dar had created. After rescuing her friend Vivienne from the dungeons of UnderArch, Morgan returns home to discover her son missing, taken by the very man she had once given her heart to. Seeking help to retrieve him she finds those she served are unwilling to give assistance and realizes that loyalty is not always a two way street. Tired of being used by those she thought of as allies and hunted by those she knows are enemies, Morgan is determined to end the game she had been unwillingly pulled in to and strikes out in fury at everyone around her, including the young Werewolf who loves her.

But when her past finally catches up with her and threatens the lives of those she cares for, Morgan knows it's time to take a stand. Charged by her dead King to bring justice to him and the throne and still haunted by the prophecy given to her about the future, she must make a decision that could change the ShadowedLands and those who live within its borders forever. With the help of Ty and the mysterious Lord Requiem, Morgan steps forward to bring a true King to the Ebon Throne and to remove the threat to her and those she loves. Will she continue with her destructive nature or will she finally step into the destiny she was born for and accept the love freely given?

I hope this has given you a curiosity about my trilogy. I know I love these characters and I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Feel free to let me know what you think at maggieberkley@yahoo.com and visit my website at http://maggieberkley.jigsy.com/. I'm also on face at https://www.facebook.com/maggieberkley

Books are available at:
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BIO:
A long time fan of dark fantasy with a touch of romance, Maggie Berkley grew up in a world all her own. During long times of parental lock down as a teenager due to a rebellious nature, she wrote short stories and plays, and as time went by drew upon her love of fantasy to write fan fiction. Due to the encouragement of friends and family she decided rather than keep her stories for herself she would publish and share them with the world. This is the result.

Maggie lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband of many, many years, one rowdy Rotten Ridge and two cats that rule their lives with an iron claw. She is also the proud mother of a son serving in the United States Air Force.

Maggie currently has three novels published. Enter The Night, Behind The Throne, and Out Of The ShadowedLands from the Morgan Crowe Trilogy. She is currently working on a free read Selene and a futuristic series with one of her favor authors. She also co-scripted a short film called The Ban-Sidhe.

Feel free to contact her at maggieberkley@yahoo.com

She can also be found on:
http://twitter.com/maggieberkley
http://facebook.com/maggieberkley
and her homepage http://maggieberkley.jigsy.com