AOTW- Marie Harte

Marie Harte

About the author:
I've been writing as far back as I can remember. Interest in the written word, no doubt spawned by my English teacher father, continues to this day. I'm a voracious reader, boggling everything from romance to horror to fantasy and more. I'm in love with the art of putting pen to paper...so to speak.

I majored in English from Penn State University, earning a B.A. in Liberal Arts, as well as a commission in the United States Marine Corps. Five years later, after serving as a communications officer, I left the service to focus more on family. After going through an assortment of jobs--the Marine Corps Reserve, a government contracted agency as an IT representative, a middle manager for a Fortune 500 transportation company--I stopped working to raise two new additions to the family--my youngest sons. During this period, I decided to stop dreaming and start seriously writing.

In December of 2004 my first story was published, and I haven't looked back since.  I currently have nearly fifty titles with Amber Quill, Carina Press, Ellora's Cave, Loose Id, Samhain, Total E-Bound and Whispers Publishing.

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Question and Answer with Marie Harte!!

HP: You have a book coming out from Carina today (April 25th) Journeyman's Ride can you tell us a little about it?

Marie Harte: Journeyman's Ride is an erotic romance set in a western, steampunk world where Norse gods rule and there is no America, only New Britain.  Miranda is an indentured servant on a quest to rescue a princess. In the doing, she runs into Danner, a man with little regard for nobility, manners, or personal space. He's rough but ready, and he's her only protection against carnivorous felines, cannibals, and mechanical spyders as they cross the Damned Plains and the Spyder Haven. But there's more to Danner, and to Miranda, than meets the eye. Through danger and adventure, the two learn that only by trusting themselves and each other can they discover a future worth living, and a love worth fighting for.

HP: Talson's Test, the second book in your Talsons Temptations, series comes out through Ellora's Cave the 29th of this month. Can you tell us a little about it and the world you created in this series? 

MH: I wrote about the Talsons years ago. Books one through three came out with a publisher who unfortunately went under. Fast forward four years. Ellora's Cave gave them a home, and the Talsons are back! The series follows four alien brothers who find love and challenges in the form of four very different women. The Otra are space traders who have psychic abilities far beyond the norm. They also have a unique mating practice, needing two men to ready one female for mating. There are enemy traders, runaway servants, kidnappings and trouble around every corner. But there's no stopping the Talsons when they set their sights on something--or someone--they want. It's a very sexy, fast paced series. It's fun and light on angst. Sexy scifi.

HP: What inspired your Circe's Recruits series and the ones slightly connected to it? What inspired this series? 

MH: I'd been toying with the story for years, back when I served in the military in the 90s. I'd always wondered about the perfect warrior, and an interest in biology and genetics played a role in creating my own version of the U.S.'s first supersoldier. I wanted a shapeshifter romance that wasn't about werewolves, but genetically altered men and women who retain much of their humanity, but at their core are animalistic and different. And of course, I love the nontraditional sexuality in the books. A real family bonded together not through blood, but through sex, duty, and love.

HP: Can you tell us a little of what you have planed for this year, any writing goals maybe?  

MH: I didn't think I'd have so many releases out this year, but I'm working just as much as I was last year!  I'll have all four Talson novellas revised by the end of June. The first three PowerUp! books from Loose Id will be out, and my first Carina Press release happens today. My goal is to finally finish Grady's story, a cat shapeshifter in my Cougar Falls series. And I want to get my last Circ book done, Grayson's story. I hadn't planned on his tale, but it needs to unfold.

HP: What is your favorite series/world to write? 

MH: I'd have to say I'm partial to Circe's Recruits and Dawn Endeavor, my two separate yet loosely connected Circ series. They weren't necessarily easy to write, but the characters really popped for me. I really like how the love is there, regardless of gender. There are fierce ties holding the units together. Military, conspiracies, and sexual tension is all over the place.

HP: What is the hardest part of writing to you? 

MH: Getting lazy. I have to constantly get on myself to get things done. When I'm on a role, it's great. But when I start to slide, it's sometimes hard to get back on the wagon and giddy-up. I actually do better when I have more to do.

HP: Who designs your cover art? 

MH: I wish I did. Each publisher asks for my input, but then they ultimately design the covers and decide what stays. I've had a few disappointments, but I can only do so much. I will say I'm very happy with the new cover for RetroCog, a psychic suspense romance coming out in May with Loose Id that's still so new I can't share it.  It's so nice to get a cover and cheer, instead of getting the cover and holding back a shriek of what the heck is this and please God can they change it?

HP: Is there an author who may have inspired you to write? How did you start writing? 

MH: The first romance I read was a historical by Johanna Lindsey. A Gentle Feuding. I still have that book to this day. I was a precocious twelve when I first read it. I just love romance. Happy endings are all too rare in life. And I like my stories to end with smiles instead of tears. I've always been a reader and writer. Even as a kid I'd write stories for myself for fun. Though the transition to writing fulltime took a while, it's been totally worth it.

HP: On you page you mention you need perfect quiet to write, is that ever hard to find?

MH: It's not when the family is working and in school. As much as I love my kids, I really dread all the breaks. Christmas, spring break, summer. Ugh. I just like routine, and the breaks kill that. And yeah, they're noisy!

HP: What is you favorite book(s)? 

MH: Tough, tough question. I have too many. A few favorites: Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Dream a Little Dream makes me smile and cry every time. I love the heroine. Robert R. McCammon's Swan Song is the best apocalyptic book I've ever read. Period. Christine Feehan's Carpathian series is a favorite too. I've reread all those books at least once. And the same with David Eddings's' The Belgariad series, which got me hooked on fantasy and romance at an early age. I re-read all the books in my personal library, but those stand out to me.

HP: Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?  

MH: If I've ever taken you away from reality, for even a little while when you've lost yourself in my words and worlds, then I've done my job. It's always been my dream to do for others what my favorite authors have done for me. And you who read my books make that possible. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart. As long as you keep reading, I'll keep writing.

Thank you Maire for being my Author of the Week for this week!! Marie has also graciously offered an ebook download of her up coming release Talson's Test which is coming out Friday to one winner, you can learn more and enter HERE.

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Books by Marie Harte
Circe's Recruits
#1: Roane
#2: Zack and Ace
#3: Derrick
#4: Hale
Available from Loose Id

Cougar Falls
#1: Rachel's Totem
#2: In Plain Sight
#3: Foxy Lady

Available from Samhain Publishing

Dawn Endeavor
#1: Fallon's Flame
#2: Hayashi's Hero
#3: Julian's Jeopardy
#4: Gunnar's Game

Available from Loose Id

Creations
#1: The Perfect Creation
#2: Creations Control
#3: Creating Chemistry
#4: Caging the Beast

Available form Total-E-Bound

Satyr's Myst
#1: Tied and True
#2: Reaper's Reward
#3: Saytr's Myst
#4: Willa's Wish

Available from Loose Id 

Ethereal Foes
#1: The Dragon's Demon
#2: Ducan's Descent

Available from Samhain

Life in the Vrail
#1: Lurin's Surrender
#2: Thief of Mardu
#3: Engaging Gren
#4: Seriana Found

Available from Total-E-Bound

Storm Lords
#1: The Fire Within
#2: Below the Surface
#3: Gale Season
#4: Aftershocks
#5: Guardian's Redemption

Available from Total-E-Bound

Voiders
#1: Namesake
#2: Kate Undone

Available from Ellora's Cave

Firbreather
#1: Firebreather
#2: A Royal Continuum

Available from Amber Quill Press

Mark of Lycos
#1: Enemy Red
#2: Wolf Wanted

Available from Total-E-Bound

Westlake Enterprises
#1: To Hunt a Sainte
Available from Samhain

Talsons Temptations
#1: Talason's Wait

Available from Ellora's Cave

Power Up
#1: The Lost Locket 

Available from Loose Id 

Single Title
Enjoying the Show

Mirror, Mirror
Saturnalia
Darkson's Forfeit
Emergence
Deception's Calling
Tempting Traditions
A Scorching Seduction
Master of Seduction
Journeyman's Ride 

Single titles can be found at Samhain, Loose Id, Amber Quill, NCP and Whispers    

Coming Soon

Talson's Test (Talson Temptations series)-- Expected Published April 29th 2011 by Ellora's Cave 

RetroCog (PowerUp! series)-- Expected Published May 2011 by Loose Id

Storming His Heart ( Westlake Enterprises series)-- Expected Published June 14th 2011 by Samhain Loose Id

The books below are stated for completion in 2011 not necessarily publication:

Cougar Falls: Grady
Talson's Net
Talson's Match
Love in Electric Blue (Westlake Enterprises)
Tommy Chen story--Voider Possession story
Grayson's Gamble (Dawn  Endeavor)

Free Reads
A Mutual Discovery (PG)
Incubus Inspiration (hard R)
Miracle at Blood Manor (PG)
Obeying Mr. Right (hard R)

Awards and Recognitions 

*The 2005 Passionate Plume for Scifi/fantasy romance
*The 2006 Amber Quill Heat Wave contest winner
*1st Place in Steamy Erotic romance for the 2006 Lories
*Finalist in the 2007 Linda Howard Award of Excellence
*Finalist in the 2008 Reveal Your Inner Vixen MRWA contest.

Also find Marie at:
Goodreads
Her Website

*Giveaway Coming Soon: Marie has just published her 50th book. In honor of this she is going to be hosting a contest, the details are not yet set but keep checking out her website for the details!!