Interview of Historical and Contemporary Romance Author: Renee Vincent

Where did you get the idea for The Temperate Warrior?

Since high school, I’ve had an abnormal fascination with Vikings, particularly those in the 10th century. When I read my first Viking romance about twenty years ago, I knew then that I’d found the perfect genre for quenching my fetish for the bold, brazen, Alpha male. And because of my dream of being writer one day, it only made sense to write one of my own.

In 2010, I published my first Viking romance. Since then, I’ve written an entire Viking/Irish series (The Emerald Isle Trilogy) and a couple of contemporaries thereafter. However, I eventually ventured back to my first love and wrote yet another Viking romance, THE TEMPERATE WARRIOR.

Did the title come first or the novel?
The title came before the story line, truth be told. In MAC LIAM (book 2 of the Emerald Isle Trilogy) we are introduced to Gustaf, the eldest brother of Dægan in RÆLIKSEN (book 1) and his lover, Æsa. In this book is where their love story begins and we quickly find out that Gustaf is a burly, noble warrior, dedicated to avenging his father’s murder. While he is often crazy passionate with Æsa, he is also an attentive and generous lover. Because of this, Æsa gave him the pet name of 'temperate warrior.'

Fast forward two years later, and the title for the first book of The Warrior Sagas just seemed ideal. There was no better title, in my opinion.

Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?
I have two things now actually.

#1 To get in touch with Sam Bond, the cover model from England who has graced two of my Viking romances: RÆLIKSEN and THE FALL OF RAIN. He is such an incredible person and very gracious, allowing me the opportunity to interview him on my blog. He even signed both my books for me.

#2 would be posing on the cover of USA Today Best Selling Author, Shelly Thacker's cover for her western AFTER SUNDOWN with cover model and dear friend, Billy Freda. The very talented Kim Killion made me look like a real cover model. If you'd like to read how that all came about, I've posted the whole story on my blog.

What was the first book you ever wrote (and we're talking the very first one you wrote, not published)?
Okay, don't laugh. Back when I was younger (in grade school) I was on a huge Stephen King kick. I read Cujo, Pet Cemetery, Carrie, Christine, Salem's Lot etc. So, in following that dark influence, I wrote a paranormal horror story entitled Fire and Ice and my best friend who was also my illustrator. I still have it, along with all my other works from childhood, but it's utter crap. In my defense, I was only ten or eleven years old.

What is your writing day like?
I get up in the morning to send my kids off to school and then brew some coffee. Coffee is a must! Then I sift through my inbox and reply to those most urgent. I try to get them off my plate so that hovering emails do not distract me from writing. I do some promo for fellow authors on my Deep In The Heart Romance site http://www.deepintheheartromance.com/ and chat a while on twitter and facebook. Again, trying to alleviate any and all distractions for when I sit down to write. By 10 AM, I am ready to offer my full attention to my current sexy hero until the kids get out of school. Once they come home, I'm back to being just mom.

Who are your favorite authors of all time?
Nora Roberts, Johanna Lindsey, Catherine Coulter, Juliet Marillier, Amanda Quick, Heather Graham, and Elizabeth Lowell. Recently, I've added Kimberly Killion and Margaret Ethridge to that list. I've read EVERYTHING they've ever put out.

At a book signing, do you just sign your name or do you write a personal note?
I always put a little note in there. I figure if readers have taken the time to come out and see me, the least I could do is offer a little more of my time and write something more personal than just a signature. Usually, I talk to them before signing their book; I try to get to know them first so I can capture that moment of our conversation in the book they wanted autographed. I love meeting my fans!

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I love cars. Classic muscle cars, in particular, and I own a 1975 Corvette Stingray. I've even named her Lady Mara after my first Viking/Irish romance heroine.

How do you react to a bad review?
Like anyone with feelings, a bad review crushes me because I've poured my heart and soul into my books. Imagine being a parent and someone publicly insults your children. It's virtually the same feeling.

However, while I might be disappointed by someone's negative opinion of my work, I also realize that they have a right to their unique opinion. Not everyone is going to enjoy my style of writing, my voice, or even my plot or genre. But under no circumstances, do I ever lash out at a reader for it. If anything, I am happy that they took the time to read my book and I owe it to them to respect their feelings.

How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I signed a three-book contract with Turquoise Morning Press in 2010 at the West Baden Hotel in Indiana at a writer's conference. (Again, that whole story is on my blog if you'd like to read it.)

Upon returning home, I visited my sister at the cemetery to share my good news, given her words of encouragement before she'd passed made it all possible. That next weekend, my husband gathered my closest friends together at a restaurant as a surprise and they toasted me on the start of my writing career. I will never forget it.

Along with your contemporary and historical romances, you also write lighthearted and funny Chick Lit under the pen name Gracie Lee Rose. How did this come about?
From an early age, I've always had scenes playing out in my head. Whether it was a story with a moral or a tale with a twist, those ideas have never let me sleep until I wrote them out. And considering I have an eclectic ensemble of stories swarming in my brain at any given time, I write under a couple pen names to accommodate the various genre categories. Gracie Lee Rose is just one of them.

I'm currently writing the next two books of the Jamett & Joseph Series and a stand alone novel called WHERE THE WIND BLOWS. Here's the blurb:

She blew through his perfect world like a gale force wind.

He took her heart by storm.

Dropping everything and leaving her idiot boyfriend behind, Carly Fuller heads to the country to start her life anew, never expecting the dolt to turn possessive and follow her. On the run and in fear for her life, she turns down a long blacktop drive with beautiful black-board fencing. Hoping the wealthy, respectable owners will help her get to the authorities, she finds that the gorgeous horse farm belongs to one hunky carpenter who has more than enough muscle to safeguard her.

While his childhood friends have eagerly left the country, Jeremiah Kessler remains as far away as possible from the busy city life. Content to live in the quiet, rolling hills of Kentucky, his perfect world is torn asunder the day Ms. Windy City Whirlwind blows up onto his doorstep looking for sanctuary from her volatile ex-boyfriend.

As every goodhearted country boy had been taught, he doesn’t turn his back on a woman in need—especially when a funneling tornado is threatening to rip through his town. As the two take shelter in his basement, Jeremiah learns that some good can actually come from the city, in particular the feisty little windstorm under his roof.

You can find Renee Vincent at her website www.ReneeVincent.com

and of course she loves to connect with her readers on Facebook and Twitter.

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Bring On The Sunshine!

Today, as I sat outside my farm, thinking of what to post this month on Romance Books R Us blog, I couldn't help but be taken by the sights of my newly blooming garden right outside my house. Most everything is still in its dormant stage, waiting for its grand moment of emerging from the ground or greening up. But out of all the plants taking their time in blossoming, one cluster of flowers was proudly standing tall amid all the brown and bare vegetation -- my daffodils.

In gazing upon their bright yellow color and fresh green foliage, I realized that spring is finally here. And soon the rest of the flowers would follow, filling  my garden with assorted sprigs of color and life.

By now, you're probably asking yourself, "What doest this have to do with writing?" Well, for me, it has everything to do with writing. This garden was planted in memory of my sister, Lindsey, and she was the sole inspiration for my writing career. Without her words, my dream (like my dormant flowers) would never have bloomed. Without her, I would still be trying to finish my first romance, over watering it at times to help the flow of the story, feeding it flowery adjectives, only to prune it back to the point of starting over.

Lindsey was not some Miracle Grow fertilizer. But she was the necessary sunlight, an integral part of any beautiful love story that had been missing from my manuscript all along -- writing from the heart.

So today, with the celebration of spring and all its wonders, I wanted to share, with my readers and fellow authors, the garden that represents it all for me. The place in which I can get lost when I need to be found. The paradise in which I can immerse myself when I need a little break. The little slice of heaven that reminds me not to forget the basics, the essentials of life we sometimes overlook or take for granted.

Whether you're writing that next best seller or simply spending precious time with your loved ones, don't forget to add a little sunshine. You'll be surprised at how well things will bloom for you.

Wishing you all a very blessed spring,

Renee Vincent

Author of the Emerald Isle Trilogy

Book 1

Book 2

Vacation 101: Pantser or Plotter?

How does an author, who's normally a hard-core pantser, draw up an itinerary for a future Ireland / Scotland trip? Well, let me tell you it's quite difficult, especially when there is so much to see and not enough time to fit it all in. This is the dilemma I have come to face.

Let's start at the beginning...

As some of you may already know, I write full length historical novels. The first two books in my Emerald Isle Trilogy (RÆLIKSEN and MAC LIAM) are available and despite their length, their intricately woven plots, and the many twists that take place in the series, I have never--I repeat, NEVER--plotted them out on paper. Several of my friends and family, who've read the series, have asked me how in the world I've done such a thing, and honestly, I find myself asking "how do other authors plot out their books and stick to it?"

I know my personality, and because of it, I'd spend more time revising my outline than writing the story by memory. Don't get me wrong, I've tried. And the first time I ever plotted anything out was for my contemporary novella due out in April called Silent Partner. With it supposedly being only a novella, I decided to see if I could even write a novella--which means keeping it below a certain word count. I have to say, I successfully wrote out the entire outline for the story just to see how many chapters it would take to complete it, but then when it came time to writing the story, I seemed to have dismissed the outline, never consulting it as the scenes played out in my head.

Was that a waste of my time? Not really...it did help me to keep things in order. But in all honesty, I actually preferred to fly by the seat of my pants. Did I write the novella without any trouble? Yes. Did I keep it under a certain word count? No. But yet, I am so thankful I didn't because now it will be released as both an ebook and a print book. Does this mean I will never plot ever again? No. I think I'd try to plot again for most of my novellas swimming around in my head.

However, with me going to Ireland and Scotland this year, I know I MUST draw up an itinerary and stick to it, else I'll be running around the country like a chicken with my head cut off and going no where fast.

So, here I am. I'm in the process of drawing up this blasted schedule for a two week trip and I'm nearly finished. The only thing I'm worried about is cutting myself short. The most important things on the schedule are visiting the places I've talked about in the Emerald Isle Trilogy (the amazing places my heroine and the two heroes have stood): Inis Mór, Galway, Limerick, the River Shannon, pretty much the entire west coast of Ireland. But my goodness, we all know there is so much more to see than those nostalgic locations.

I plan on immersing myself in the country and I've already told my husband that he's going to be hard pressed to get me out of the country when the time comes to get back on the plane and head for home. This is a place I've long dreamed about visiting and to leave it all behind will be one of the hardest things for me to do.

With that being said, I take a deep breath and continue on my crusade to plot this darn trip out, day by day, hour by hour. So, I ask you...is that the best way to do it? Or should I just go over there and enjoy my trip like I write--by the seat of my pants?

*Visit Renee Vincent at her website, Past The Print, or at

Deep In The Heart Romance.

Mac Liam Releases Next Week!

I cannot believe this day is just around the corner! Book 2 of my Emerald Isle Trilogy is due to release next week and honestly, it still feels like a dream. I was so excited when the first book, Ræliksen, was re-released by Turquoise Morning Press and to hold that beautiful book in my hands was the best. But now, with Mac Liam so close to its release date, I am finding it hard to describe this feeling.

For one, I can now say I have written two books. Don't get me wrong, writing one book is a huge feat, but to know I have finished another is quite a revelation. I have wanted this dream for so long and having two books under my belt really makes it seem more like a career than a fly-by-night hobby.

And so to celebrate this grand moment, I'd love to share an excerpt with you.

Mac Liam: Emerald Isle Trilogy Book 2
By Renee Vincent
Turquoise Morning Press
December 2010

Excerpt:
“What are you afraid of?” Breandán asked.

Mara’s gaze jumped to his, but she didn’t answer him in the beginning. Instead, she pressed the wadded up linen upon his brow, trying to stop the bleeding with pressure. She held it for some time before she found words to speak. “I was afraid Tait was going to kill you.”

He smiled, appreciative of her concern, but she didn’t understand him. He reached up and covered her hand, helping her to press the linens harder against his brow. “Nay, I mean what are you afraid of now?”

Mara swallowed and glanced at Breandán’s hand clutching hers, her mind caught in a whirlwind. The whole time Tait and Breandán were fighting, she couldn’t help but feel terrified, especially after seeing so much blood pour from Breandán’s eye. She knew neither wouldn’t walk out of the skirmish without some sort of injury—cuts and black eyes, or even a bruised pride. But she had no idea she would feel so much more when it came to Breandán’s safety.

Once she had seen the abuse Breandán had received from Tait’s first blow, and the struggle he endured from then on, she was beside herself with worry, especially after seeing the look in Tait’s eyes when he drew his dagger. She was utterly panic-stricken knowing Tait had every intent to kill Breandán on the spot. Had it not been for Tait lying horrifyingly lifeless on her longhouse floor, she probably would have run up and embraced Breandán right there.

Crazy as that may sound, she had this nonsensical urge to kiss him now that they were all alone.

She closed her eyes, trying to sort out her scrambling emotions.

“You can tell me,” Breandán encouraged her softly, his other hand now upon her face.

She opened her eyes as she felt his tender touch across her cheekbone, his words echoing in her ears while, together, they still held pressure to his brow.

“I am afraid…” she began, trying to ignore the warmth flushing her skin from the neck up. But even as she listened to the words she wanted to say next in her head, they still didn’t sound right. She tried another way. “I think I want to kiss you. I think. But…I am afraid. I am afraid when I close my eyes, all I will see is Dægan. And ‘tis not fair to you. I want not to hurt you.”

Breandán stroked a piece of loose hair from her face and smiled, which almost seemed to represent astonishment for her wanting to kiss him rather than happiness. She watched that thought tumble around in his head for a bit, not knowing what he’d do or say next. She assumed he’d retract both hands from her and slip back into the reserved gentleman he had always been. But strangely, he didn’t seem interested in letting her go, still holding tight to the hand upon his wound.

“Is that all you are afraid of?” he asked, his eyes deeply gazing into hers.

Her words failed her now. Flat out failed her as his stare captured her. He was such a beautiful man with his dark hair and light eyes, his touch rippling through her body, and she nearly fell limp. She could only nod her head.

Breandán released his left hand from hers and brought it up to meet the other, though she remained holding the linens above his eye. Tenderly, he clasped her face, his thumbs caressing her ever so lightly. “If you fear you will only see Dægan when you close your eyes, then leave them open.”

Her heart stopped.

Her breath caught as he drew near, his eyes falling on her lips. He was going to kiss her. He was actually going to kiss her and she hadn’t the will to stop him. At that moment, she was like bread dough in his hands and nothing else mattered but what he was about to do.

She wanted this.

Wanted it more now that he was pulling her closer.

She felt chills crawl up her spine and a heat pooling at her core, barely remembering how those sensations had once felt, but liked their sudden return all the same. She only wished she knew what she was doing, wished she had a better hold of her emotions.

He was so close to pressing his lips to hers that she could smell his masculine scent as clear as if she were burying her nose in his tunic. And she could feel his breath scarcely caressing her top lip as he lingered. Her eyelids automatically closed with anticipation, but his voice stopped her.

“Open your eyes, Mara,” he said in a gentle, heated whisper. “Open them and know ‘tis I who is kissing you.”

She dragged them open, his voice like a subtle touch, soothing and erotic. His aqua eyes were mesmerizing as they held hers all the way to the moment their lips finally met. Fire burned through her as the heat of his soft lips branded her own. All she could see and feel was him. All she could think about was how wonderful his mouth felt on hers, how sensuous his kiss was.

“Breathe, a thaisce.”

Until he spoke, she hadn’t realized she was holding her breath and was doubly amazed that he was perceptive enough to notice.

He slowly released her face. “Tell me,” he whispered, his eyes sultry and beguiling. “Who did you see when I kissed you?”

A smile graced her lips. “Only you.”

He smiled with her and returned his grasp upon her hand clutching the blood-stained linen at his brow. “I know you love Dægan. And I know he still occupies a significant place in your heart. But I am not here to replace him. Nor will I ever try. I only wish to fill what is left of your heart, if you will let me.”

His heartfelt touch soothed her, his kind words flowed like a cool river through her heated soul. But she was still unconvinced she needed this. Needed him.

Oh, she wanted him. Her body was telling her that. But needing him was quite a different matter. She was a mother now whose main concern was her son, Lochlann. And what would he think of this? What would he think about Breandán being in her life?

The last thing she wanted was to make Lochlann feel second best, or make him think she didn’t love his own father anymore. Lochlann only had the mind of a six-year-old and those thoughts would no doubt run through his brain. And having been without a father for so long, he may not take well to someone else in his life.

But then her thoughts ran toward this morning, when Breandán was carrying her son on his shoulders and the sound of his laughter filling her ears. Lochlann had warmed up to Breandán and he seemed very happy with his companionship. So much so that she began to think he’d might be fond of having Breandán as a father.

A father?


So? What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

And don't forget, next week I will be having a huge blog tour with interviews, guest character appearances, and lots of giveaways for the promotion of Mac Liam! Hope to see you there!

Renee Vincent's Website

The Hero On Canvas

Hello my fellow romance fans! I am so glad you joined me today as I wanted to talk about one of my favorite things: the hero.

When I read a book, of course I examine the cover to get an initial idea of what the hero should look like. But I absolutely love when the author gives you a more vivid description of his physical features as well as a deeper look into his character.

For example, in my historical, Ræliksen, I have a cover that paints an outline of what my hero might look like, but I also like to think I gave him more depth and color when I described him the first time my heroine, Mara, saw him:


There he stood; a monument of beauty and power, sturdy as the ground beneath him. He had long blond hair, a well groomed beard, and skin darkened from the sun. His hands showed scars and calluses from years of hard work, yet his clothes presented a different story, one of wealth and importance. His tunic was made of the finest wool, a lovely shade of cerulean with a tablet-woven braid around the neckline and hem, which came to rest at his knees. His legs were bare, save for his calves wrapped in the soft cowhide of his boots. His eyes revealed a sense of maturity and intrigue, yet even the darkness could not hide their color for they were as blue as the ocean he sailed. Before her stood a being that only one word could suitably describe.


“Lochlannach,” she breathed.


And here is another when she gets to see his bare chest for the first time because of the rainfall that soaks them:


Mara peeked her head slightly over her shoulder, fully expecting him to still be naked. But he was covered, eyes tapered to slits and his hands on his narrow hips. The reddish hide hung low at his waist exposing his entire torso. It was longer than she imagined but just as well, for she had never seen an unclothed man before. His chest was relatively bare, exposing two small nipples and a thin layer of dark blond curls at his navel that ran down beyond the obscurity of the animal skin.

My favorite thing about romances is the distinct sketch of what the hero looks like (before and after the clothes come off). I love when an author goes into detail about things we might overlook when imagining the hero ourselves. Perhaps a scar faded with time, or a fleck of color in one eye. Maybe it's the cute way his belly button slightly protrudes from a rippled score of stomach muscles...(sorry, I'm drifting away with my own devious imagination.)


Anyway, to me, an author can never be too meticulous or exhaustive when it comes to painting the hero of the story. The more the better...

So now, I question your thoughts on the matter. Do you correlate the picture of what the hero is like from the cover with the details of the author's description inside? Or do you not pay much attention to either? Do you think authors can go too far in their narrative sketches, wanting some things to be left to the imagination? Or do you think some authors fail to paint the hero well enough?

I'd love to hear your opinions and, by all means, if you've read a great description of a hero from a book, please post it-- of course giving credit to the author along with the title of the book.

If you liked the eye candy posted here, then hop on over to my blog today as well. Every Wednesday I post a featured man who is likely to "wake you up" when coffee alone may not be doing its job. I'd love to see you there!

You an also visit me at http://www.reneevincent.com/

Ræliksen: Book One of the Emerald Isle Trilogy will be released from Turquoise Morning Press August 20, 2010! Mark your calendars!