Dawn, please tell us a little about yourself.
Great idea to give your heroines talents you don't possess. It makes your writing life more interesting. 
I knew I was auditioning for the role, and I wanted it so much I made the ball gown before I was given the part. Have you ever tried to fit ten yards of material onto a bodice? I had to box-pleat the box-pleats in order to make it fit, and I bought an extra wide hoop, but it was worth the effort.
My family says I have too many interests, but the world fascinates me. I love giving my characters talents I don’t have. For instance, I can throw a wad of paper at a wastebasket and miss it 8 out of 10 times, so in Love’s Guardian my heroine throws knives and she’s darn good. (I had to go into a knife shop and ask questions. My husband didn’t want me experimenting with sharp objects.)
My husband and I live in a big, old, Victorian home in Upstate New York with our two cats, Greystoke (Yes, he’s named after Tarzan. He’s a climber. I have to tie up the Christmas tree) and Carmella.
Other than your own, who are your favorite (heroes/heroines/writers) in your genre?
I have so many, and for different reasons. Jude Deveraux’s Knight in Shining Armor is one of my favorite time travel stories. I loved the resourcefulness of the heroine. Karen Robards has a ghost/suspense romance series that has grabbed me. It starts with The Last Victim. Who would have thought I’d be enamored of a smart aleck ghost who is/was a convicted serial killer? And Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series has me wishing werewolves really did exist. As you can tell, even though I write some straight historicals, when it comes to my Highland stories and my personal reading, I enjoy touches of magic. Now you've gotten me interested in two series I didn't know about.
What is your favorite pastime, other than writing?
I’d have to say singing/acting. The role I enjoyed the most was Anna in The King and I. Those of you who know the show realize that Anna is the lead, and a very demanding role, but there is so much I love about that musical: the costumes, music, and story.
Wow. Demanding role, indeed. The King and I was the first musical I saw on Broadway. I was nine. Actually, I love costuming and I know the difficulty of fitting that much material into a waistband.It's right up there with puffed sleeved. I made my own costume for Lady Windemere's Fan at The Knightsbridge Theatre in Los Angeles. Oh, my. 1893. Huge skirt and puffed sleeves.
Any advice for new writers just starting out?
Even though most writers were at one time avid readers, it doesn’t mean they know how to craft a story. When we read, we generally don’t pay attention to structure, description, conflict, etc. I’d been reading for years, but when I wrote my first story, I ended up “telling” what happened. So, I highly recommend writing classes, conferences and critique groups. Once you understand the basics, your writing “voice” will shine.
What genre or genres do you write?
I write historicals set in Georgian England because society in the late 1700s had all kinds of rules that my characters enjoy breaking. My Georgian books are straight historicals, but my Highland stories all contain a touch of magic.
Tell us about Highland Yearning.
Highland Yearning is my newest release. It’s a time-travel romance, and the first book I’ve done with a dog. Scruffy is quite the character. Even though he never speaks, I think the readers won’t doubt how he feels about people in the story, especially Caden, the hero.
Speaking of poor Caden, I give him quite the dilemma. How can he tell his brother not to marry one of the black-hearted Sutherlands, when he’s falling for the Sutherland who just popped into his century?
Blurb:
Caden Mackay would never bed a Sutherland, let alone marry one. Bloody hell, what had possessed his twin brother to propose to one of the she-devils? And what is Caden to do with the Sutherland beauty who appears, as if by magic, in his library? The defiant intruder is the enemy, but she is unlike any woman Caden’s ever known, and her tantalizing curves and wide green eyes could tempt a monk. He must devise a way to stop the wedding. But can he stop the desire that makes him long to make Ariel Sutherland his own?
Ariel’s life had never gone the way she’d hoped, but ending up in eighteenth century Scotland was a stretch, even for her. If not for her dog, Scruffy, she might have thought she’d walked into a romantic daydream. Especially since the object of her desire appears to be entirely too virile. But can she find her way back to her time, before her too-handsome Highlander makes her believe that love can conquer in any century?
Yup. Definitely sounds like my kind of read.
Caden turned to his cousin. “We’ll search the windows above. By now the coward has fled, but we may yet find something to unmask our would-be assassin. Then we’ll attend to your urgent matter.”
He drew Ariel aside far enough that Ian couldn’t hear them. His expression screamed, I’d rather fight a dozen well-armed warriors than be in debt to a Sutherland. “Thank you for . . .” He simply stared at her.
“Saving your life?” She waited. Nothing. “Kissing you?” She raised her eyebrows. “Just trying to fill in the blank here.”
He blanched, but then heat filled his eyes. “Aye.”
“Well, one of us had to take the bull by the horns.” Okay, best not to dwell on that image. “I mean, I was curious. I wanted to kiss you. No big deal. It was just a kiss.”
“Aye.”
“Will you stop agreeing with me.”
His smile was genuine and she felt it to the tips of her toes. Good heavens, the man had charisma.
“I’ve nae had a woman who wanted me to disagree with her.”
“Well, I’m not like most women.” That was true enough. She’d never done the ‘let’s talk about boys, clothes and makeup thing’ with a group of girls. Somehow, she’d never fit in.
He smiled down at her. “Aye.”
“There you go, agreeing again.”
“Perhaps it’s because you make yourself so agreeable.”
She couldn’t contain the laughter that burst from her lips. “Really?” The word came out between gasps. “Oh, I wish you could have been there to tell my teachers. Not that they’d believe you. They thought I questioned everything.”
“Then they didn’t ken you.” His brows drew together. “I believe the stone was meant for me, but just in case, I want you to take care.
Her laughter died. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”
“Have you offended anyone aside from Ranald, the Countess or Robertson since I met you?”
“I don’t-So, I speak my mind. Is there a law against that in this century?”
“No. And I prefer plain speaking, but I’m nae most men.”
“No, you’re not.”
Highland Yearning-Excerpt
Caden turned to his cousin. “We’ll search the windows above. By now the coward has fled, but we may yet find something to unmask our would-be assassin. Then we’ll attend to your urgent matter.”
He drew Ariel aside far enough that Ian couldn’t hear them. His expression screamed, I’d rather fight a dozen well-armed warriors than be in debt to a Sutherland. “Thank you for . . .” He simply stared at her.
“Saving your life?” She waited. Nothing. “Kissing you?” She raised her eyebrows. “Just trying to fill in the blank here.”
He blanched, but then heat filled his eyes. “Aye.”
“Well, one of us had to take the bull by the horns.” Okay, best not to dwell on that image. “I mean, I was curious. I wanted to kiss you. No big deal. It was just a kiss.”
“Aye.”
“Will you stop agreeing with me.”
His smile was genuine and she felt it to the tips of her toes. Good heavens, the man had charisma.
“I’ve nae had a woman who wanted me to disagree with her.”
“Well, I’m not like most women.” That was true enough. She’d never done the ‘let’s talk about boys, clothes and makeup thing’ with a group of girls. Somehow, she’d never fit in.
He smiled down at her. “Aye.”
“There you go, agreeing again.”
“Perhaps it’s because you make yourself so agreeable.”
She couldn’t contain the laughter that burst from her lips. “Really?” The word came out between gasps. “Oh, I wish you could have been there to tell my teachers. Not that they’d believe you. They thought I questioned everything.”
“Then they didn’t ken you.” His brows drew together. “I believe the stone was meant for me, but just in case, I want you to take care.
Her laughter died. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”
“Have you offended anyone aside from Ranald, the Countess or Robertson since I met you?”
“I don’t-So, I speak my mind. Is there a law against that in this century?”
“No. And I prefer plain speaking, but I’m nae most men.”
“No, you’re not.”
What’s your current WIP?
At the moment I’m working on one of my Georgian series. Lord Morgan appeared in Love’s Guardian and The Perfect Duke, so it was time for him to have his own story. Morgan’s Folly is dark compared to Highland Yearning. The hero is a man who’s dedicated his life to saving those preyed upon by the nobility. My heroine is a woman, Morgan believes, that has done the unforgivable.
And finally, where can we find you?
www.Dawn-Ireland.com You really should go there, friends. She has a gorgeous Website.
Thank you for being here. Dawn is I’m giving away an e-book of Love's Guardian or The Perfect Duke Winner’s choice. Just visit her website and leave a message in the contact box. Tell her your favorite type of hero: Alpha or Beta?
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