Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Michelle McLean | A Marriage Made in Chaotic Heaven
Author Guest / May 23, 2023

1–What is the title of your latest release? FOUR WEDDINGS AND A DUKE   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  A former wallflower who is blossoming plus an eccentric duke buried in his research plus misguided past choices and misunderstood expectations equals a marriage made in chaotic heaven. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  I love nothing more than a Regency set in London – with a few excursions out to a fabulous country estate!   4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?  Absolutely! She’s a hoot! Plus, she’s a hardcore reader, so we’d probably end up sitting in a library reading books together somewhere.   5–What are three words that describe your hero? Passionate, focused, intelligent   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?  I learned a lot about plants and plant grafting!   7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I tend to edit the first half as I go and then crank out the last half before going back to edit.   8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence? Chocolate. And Goldfish crackers. And more chocolate.   9–Describe your writing space/office! …

Michelle McLean | 20 Questions: THE GUNSLINGER’S GUIDE TO AVOIDING MATRIMONY
Author Guest / July 27, 2022

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE GUNSLINGER’S GUIDE TO AVOIDING MATRIMONY   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  A gunslinger on the run stumbles across a criminal retirement community and breaks his most cardinal rule by accidentally marrying the first woman he meets.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  It’s book 2 in the series so the location was a given – we’re back in Desolation, Colorado!   4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?  Absolutely! Nora’s a hoot. She’s a towering tall, strong, independent, sassy woman who secretly just really wants a hug and I love her to death.   5–What are three words that describe your hero? Unlucky, overthinker, loyal (once you’ve earned it)   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?  Hmmm, I did a lot of research on the marriage laws and rules about licenses in nineteenth century Colorado   7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? A bit of both. I try to wait to the end, but I tend to edit my first several chapters as I go. I can skip around…

Michelle McLean | Exclusive Excerpt: TEN RULES FOR MARRYING A DUKE
Author Guest , Excerpt / February 18, 2022

He wanted to spare her sensibilities. Somewhat. But he couldn’t resist a smirk when she blushed furiously.   She scowled at his grin, and he made an effort to control his outward amusement. “I propose such attempts should occur a minimum of six times a month, at least twice a week, every week, save for when you may be…” He froze, trying to think of a delicate way to put it. “Indisposed.”   She scowled again but didn’t object to his phrasing. “However, should one of those weeks be missed for any other reason, then a third day should be added to the following week.”   She frowned, and he braced for her to argue against the frequency he suggested. “I do not agree.”   As he suspected.   “Six times a month won’t be nearly sufficient.”   His eyebrows hit his hairline, and her blush deepened so much he was surprised her eyes weren’t watering. That…was not what he had expected her to say.   She took a deep breath. “I simply mean that only attempting twice a week will greatly reduce our odds and could make this drag on for months. As the objective is to accomplish this…

Michelle McLean | 20 Questions: HITCHED TO THE GUNSLINGER
Author Guest / August 25, 2021

1–What is the title of your latest release? Hitched to the Gunslinger 2–What is it about? A notorious and grumpy gunslinger wants nothing more than to retire and live out his days napping somewhere quiet but instead stumbles into this hole-in-the-wall town and finds himself promptly fake engaged (and then real married) to a morbidly optimistic and determined woman who never gives him a moment’s peace. The rest of the zany townsfolk talk him into becoming the sheriff and he find a way to defeat a corrupt landowner who is terrorizing his new wife and the town while chasing after his own HEA. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  It’s wild west but it’s also green and pretty. It’s still remote and untamed but not the tumbleweed dustbin I often think of when picturing a wild western town. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  She’s more patient with Gray’s antics than I pictured her being. I’d go into a scene picturing her irritated and it would end up really fun, with her playing off Gray’s surliness and egging him on almost rather than being offended by it. 5–Why will readers love your hero?  He is so…

Michelle McLean | Favorite Kilt Facts
Author Guest / July 19, 2019

I have always been enamored of all things Scottish. I’m not sure what it is. The intriguing history and inherent romance of wild heather and windswept moors, perhaps? The castles and incredible scenery, certainly. And the Scottish men in kilts don’t hurt, either 😉 When I first started writing highlander novels, I did a great deal of research on kilts. I didn’t know much to begin with (except how good they looked on the handsome Hollywood hunks who wore them in films. This was before Sam Heughan kilted up to play Jaime Fraser or he’d be top of the list for sure!). But I did know that there were several times throughout history that kilts weren’t widely worn in Scotland, so I wanted to have all my historical facts straight. While researching, I came across several interesting tidbits, as one often does. Here are five of my favorite kilt facts. Kilts are fairly recent, having only been around since the 16th William Wallace, a la Braveheart, would not have worn one as he was both a lowlander and born about 300 years too early. The brightly colored modern clan tartan patterns usually associated with kilts didn’t start coming about until…

Michelle McLean | Ten Things I Love in a Romance
Author Guest / January 21, 2019

I grew up reading romances. In fact, the first adult novels I remember reading were Victoria Holt’s gothic romances. Full of windswept moors, isolated castles, danger, mystery, suspense, and of course, heart-thumping romances, these books seeped into my bloodstream and I’ve been hooked ever since. My newest book, How to Blackmail a Highlander, book 3 in my MacGregor Lairds series, combines quite a few of my favorite romance-book elements to create a funny, thrilling, and utterly romantic romp through the highlands. These are ten things (in no particular order) that I love in a romance: 1. A good believable conflict – there is always a reason the main couple can’t get together right away, but it drives me nuts if the reason is a simple misunderstanding that a two-second conversation would clear up (though even these can work if done well). I prefer a good, solid “someone will die if we get together” or an “I love you but I’m supposed to hate you” type conflict. A reason to stay apart that has some teeth to it 🙂 2. A flawed heroine – I really love a girl that has some weird quirk…maybe she’s klutzy, or always has her nose…

Michelle McLean | 5 Lovable Highland Rogue Requirements
Author Guest / March 15, 2018

My two favorite elements of historical romances are the settings and the heroes. The settings, because there is nothing like escaping into a different time and place. I love immersing myself in Regency and Restoration England, and of course, the Scottish Highlands. Now the heroes *happy sigh*. They just make the romance, don’t they? When it comes to John, the hero in my new book, HOW TO ENSNARE A HIGHLANDER, I combined two of my favorite types of heroes. Highlanders and Highwaymen. There’s just something about those highwaymen…well, the Robin Hood types at least. Gallant, hearts of gold, but with a healthy hint of danger that gives those handsome rogues their alluring edge. Add that sexy Scottish brogue and a kilt flapping in the wind, and I’m sold. Here are my Top 5 qualities for a lovable Highland rogue. A heart of gold – if we’re talking highwaymen, then I’m definitely more for the Robin Hood type. Sure, he might rob your carriage, but he’s doing it to help the poor and is more likely to charm your socks off than steal them. Or, while he steals them, perhaps. 😉 A dangerous side – I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker…

Michelle McLean | Top Ten Hunky Qualities in Heroes
Author Guest / June 11, 2014

A good romance has to have a hunky hero who gets the heroine’s heart pounding. I personally find a lot of different qualities attractive, but when it comes to my romance heroes, here are 10 of my favorites. 1)    A tortured past – he might be surly, grouchy, or just plain mean, but as long as there is a reason behind it (especially one that can be worked through) then this gives the hero a little license to behave badly for a bit. 2)    A rockin’ bod – okay, this probably isn’t politically correct, but we are discussing heroes in romance novels and fantasy guys are just more fun when they are built 😉 3)    A heart of gold – like #1, he might be the meanest guy in the room, but there is a difference between mean and cruel. If he’s a jerk to the heroine at first because he’s just trying to protect himself but deep down he’s really totally in love with her and wants to ride off into the sunset and make her dreams come true, then that totally works for me. If he’s the sort that will kick a puppy just for the fun of…