Michelle Willingham Is Finding Inspriation Off the Beaten Track

Fellow travelers, welcome 2010 RITA finalist Michelle Willingham to the convertible! Over to you, Michelle...

I love traveling to international places, eating wonderful foods, and experiencing new cultures. But I'll admit there's something I hate—planning the trip! I keep hoping that a local travel agency will somehow create an amazing itinerary with fabulous hotels and B&Bs, transportation, and a tour guide who will take me around to all the sights.

What usually happens is I'm handed a catalog of overpriced tours geared toward senior citizens or college students. You spend all your time on a bus with a nametag, and you get approximately 30 minutes at the tour site before you're whisked away to yet another location. And often, you'll stay in a hotel that lost its luster in the 1970's. At least, that was my experience on past bus tours. Maybe they've changed, but from the look of it, they're about the same.

So because of that, and because of my husband's aversion to guided tours, I usually have to book everything on my own. I end up scouring guide books, TripAdvisor, or other websites to determine whether a B&B is really worth it. I print out directions, plan out where we're going, buy tickets for the castles and tours online, and worry myself into a wreck, hoping that I haven't forgotten anything critical.

This past summer, I planned a trip to Ireland, Scotland, and London. One of the things I learned about the UK is that their roads are NOT the same as U.S. highways. A location that's 100 miles away could very easily take four hours to reach. But despite our GPS, which mistakenly believed we were driving through a cow pasture, it was fun to blast U2 on our teeny-tiny rental car's stereo and marvel at the fact that we were in a foreign country. Without kids!

I filled up a notebook with descriptions of the scenery and town names, while my husband valiantly braved the one-lane roads, taking our lives into his hands as he passed the tractors. I spent hours in the museums, photographing what artifacts I could and asking the guides questions about medieval weapons and clothing. At night, we drank Bulmer's and Guinness, ate in the pubs and tried Sticky Toffee Pudding in every town we visited (Dublin had the best).

A few times, we took the "scenic" route, where the streets had no name and the sheep wandered into the road. We stopped in places where there were no phone or power lines, and it was like going back in time.

Those moments made all the hassle worthwhile. When you stand in the ruins of an 8^th century monastery and can sense the priests who lived and worked there. When you don't have to be anywhere and can go hiking somewhere unexpected, discovering the ruins of a medieval fortress completely overgrown with grass. For me, it's a way of recharging the creative batteries and getting inspired.

Though it's a pain in the neck, skip the bus tours and try going off on your own. Ask the locals for recommendations on where to eat and where to visit. You just might find yourself in a small part of paradise. Or possibly behind a tractor.

When you've traveled, did you go on a bus trip or on your own? Where did you go, and what was your experience like? Post a comment, and two lucky winners will receive a signed copy of my new release, SURRENDER TO AN IRISH WARRIOR or a free download of the linked novella "Pleasured by the Viking." Both are set in Ireland while my next series, which kicks off with the book CLAIMED BY THE HIGHLAND WARRIOR (available in the spring of 2011) is set in Scotland.

Michelle Willingham is a RITA® Award Finalist and the author of seven historical romances and five novellas from Harlequin. Visit her website to read excerpts of her work or find her on Facebook and Twitter. You can see all the pictures of her trip on Facebook.

Spotlight on History, Romance, and More RITA FINALISTS

It's almost time, folks. The lovely Rita will be awarded in a week's time during Romance Writers of America's gala celebration in Orlando. I'm a finalist in one of the categories, and while I've won in the past and would love to win again, I truly believe the old saw, "It's an honor to be nominated." I've made the finals a good number of times. RWA awards silver Rita pins to the finalists, and I have a very nice collection. But the gold is the goal, and we await the announcements with baited breath.

Before that moment arrives, we're touting as many categories as we can squeeze in before the conference, and today I give you my first love, Historical Romance. I contacted the finalists with congratulations and three questions. Here we go:

Liz Carlyle, WICKED ALL DAY

Since a true-love marriage seems impossible, Zoë has accepted -- no, embraced -- her role as society's most incomparable flirt and mischief maker...until in one reckless, vulnerable moment, her future is shattered.

KE: What do you think the judges really really really liked about this book?

LC: I hope they liked the fact that the heroine, Zoe, is such a flawed character, because she has done a lot of those rash, self-destructive things young people are apt to do when they are angry and struggling to grow up, and must now take responsibility for her actions. But it was probably just the hot sex.

KE: What makes a "Liz Carlyle" book?

LC: I hope there is no one thing, and that all my books are sufficiently different that readers never quite know what to expect. That said, I hope they deliver a consistently good story with a heartfelt HEA.

KE: Other than your own, what's your favorite historical romance? (And let’s stick with the RWA era.)

LC: I have been absorbed in Claudia Dain's Courtesan series, which is just one big, sexy romp.

Laura Lee Guhrke, WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND

When Daisy Merrick is sacked from yet another job, the feisty and outspoken miss comes up with a plan that could give her a future beyond her wildest dreams. There's only one problem. Her success depends on Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore, England's most infamous author.

KE: What do you think the judges loved about this book?

LLG: To be honest, I don’t know what makes the judges like a book. Tastes vary so much. But I do think that with my entry, WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND, the judges might have related to the hero and heroine, who are both writers.

KE: What makes a "Laura Lee Guhrke" book?

LLG: I have no idea what makes a Laura Lee Guhrke book. I suppose my strength is in the characters. And I always make the romance the center point of the story. I hope that’s a good answer, because I never know what to say when people ask me that!

KE: Other than your own, what's your favorite RWA era historical romance?

LLG: If I absolutely had to pick one and only one historical romance as my favorite, I’d say SHADOW AND THE STAR, by Laura Kinsale.

Elizabeth Hoyt, TO BEGUILE A BEAST

“Hoyt works her own brand of literary magic on the classic Beauty and the Beast story in the exquisitely romantic, superbly sensual third addition to her extraordinary Georgian-set Legend of Four Soldiers series.” --Booklist

KE: What do you think the judges especially liked about this book?

EH: My hero, Sir Alistair Munroe, is a scarred, surly guy hanging out in a falling down castle all by himself when the heroin

e shows up and turns his world upside down. I think "Beauty and the Beast" stories are perennial favorites.

KE: What makes an " Elizabeth Hoyt" book?

EH: Strong, emotionally complex characters and a sensual, compelling love story.

KE: Other than yours (which are obviously terrific) what's your favorite historical romance? (And let's stick with the RWA era.)

EH: DEVIL'S BRIDE by Stephanie Laurens

Betina Krahn, MAKE ME YOURS

Mariah Eller was only trying to save her inn from being trashed. So how did the widow manage to attract the unwanted-and erotic-attention of the Prince of Wales? Not that being desired by royalty is necessarily bad... Only, Mariah much prefers the prince's best friend....

KE: What do you think the judges especially liked about this book?

BK: I can’t say what the judges might have liked—just what I liked—which was that this was a very different kind of story. Not the typical storyline, not the typical length, not the typical source for historicals. It’s kind of a modern story—that just happens to have occurred throughout all of the ages of humankind: a woman beset by powerful men and having to make her way in the world. A woman getting the best of a situation, a man, and a life. . . and finding happiness and fulfillment in love along the way. The fact that there were very historical aspects of the story probably didn’t hurt. Lots of research in this one. AND I’d like to think the way the words went together—the humor and wordplay—were a factor. Gosh. Sounds like I’m bragging. Well, if I ever wanted to brag about a story, it would be this one. I was kind of surprised myself at how pleased I was with it.

KE: What makes a "Betina Krahn" book?

BK: I know what I try to put in. . . characters that are likeable from the start. I don’t do “brooding” well. Or horribly damaged and vengeful. I tend to go for people with problems that are more manageable. And I think most readers like the humor I try to lace through the dialogue, the descriptions, and the events. And finally, I think there is a personal POV of mine that comes through in most of my books: that love between two people doesn’t just fulfill two people, it affects the world around them. Love not only brings grace and peace to individuals, but to families, to friendships, and ultimately to communities.

KE: Other than your own, what's your favorite RWA era historical romance?

BK: It’s cruel, Kathy, to make me single out just ONE book! There are several that have had a big impact on me. Judith Merkle Riley’s “A Vision Of Light” has to be one of my all-time favorites. Again, not the usual historical romance; some might even say it wasn’t a romance at all—except that it WAS. Kathleen Woodiwiss’s “ Shanna” and “The Wolf and the Dove” sort of blur together in terms of impact—I read them close together and they inspired me to start writing myself. AND they hold up well over time.

Margaret Mallory, KNIGHT OF PLEASURE

Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. So when a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen has a chance to prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.

Margaret just received more good news! KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is also a finalist for the Georgia Romance Writers "Maggie" Award. She'll send a signed copy of the book to one of our weekend commenters (U.S. or Canada).

KE: What do you think the judges really really really liked about this book?

MM: Without a doubt, what they liked best was my hero, Sir Stephen Carleton.

My heroes in this series are medieval knights, so they are all alpha men with a strong sense of honor and a heady air of danger about them. But Stephen Carleton is also a charmer. At the beginning of the book, he is drinking too much, sleeping with all the wrong women, and at risk of becoming less than the man he was meant to be. You want to save him. He hides it well, but beneath all that charm beats a hero’s heart.

KE: What makes a "Margaret Mallory" book?

MM: I write dramatic stories with a good deal of adventure and intrigue, as well as a host of funny or interesting secondary characters, including real historical figures. I like to force my characters into situations in which they must choose between conflicting loyalties or duties. My books tend to have themes of honor and loyalty, though there is humor as well. All my heroines are strong—as are most of my female characters, from grandmothers to serving maids.

KE: Other that your (which are obviously terrific) what's your favorite historical romance? (And let's stick with the RWA era.)

MM: Diane Gabaldon’s Outlander is still at the top of my list. I also love the old Judith MacNaught and Julie Garwood historicals. Thanks so much for having me! I’d love to answer questions or respond to comments.

Jodi Thomas, THE LONE TEXAN

Three days after arriving in Galveston, newly widowed Sage McMurray finds herself taken hostage in a robbery. She fears she may never see Whispering Mountain again when the outlaws decide to auction their pretty captive off to the highest bidder, until a tall stranger offers twice the highest bid.

KE: What do you think the judges liked best about this book?

JT: I'm not sure, maybe the humor. Also they've followed these two characters for three books watching them grow up.

KE: What makes a “Jodi Thomas” book?

JT: I think as long as a writer writes heartwarming characters, readers will read.

KE: Other than your own wonderful books, what's your favorite RWA-era historical romance?

JT: Ask me in a week. I'm reading all the finalists' books now and so far they are all great.

Sherry Thomas, NOT QUITE A HUSBAND

Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her during their brief marriage, but he won’t rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?

KE: What do you think the judges loved about this book?
ST: NOT QUITE A HUSBAND is angst on acid. There is so much angst in this book that even I am barely woman enough for it--and I am a card-carrying member of the Angst Lovers Club.

KE: What makes a Sherry Thomas book?
ST: 1. The hero will always refuse to have sex with the heroine at some point. (I like a man who has enough self-control to turn down free nookie.)
2. Disillusionment. I think, when we first fall in love, we are really viewing the other person as extensions of ourselves. We are subsequently cruelly disabused of that idea. Only when my characters are clearly seeing the other person for who and what they are, and not who and what they'd like them to be, only then will I believe in the possibility of true love.

KE: Other that your books (which are outstanding) what's your
favorite RWA-era historical romance?

ST: Because I can't find it at home, which makes me miss it extra, I am going to say my favorite historical romance is Judith Ivory's BEAST. My first Ivory book and it has left an indelible impression. It is the book that set the bar for me and for the rest of my career I will be reaching--mostly likely in vain--for that level of amazingness.

Michelle Willingham, TAMING HER IRISH WARRIOR

Ewan MacEgan has set his sights on a wealthy bride but, tantalizingly, he finds himself drawn to his intended bride’s sister, Honora, who is both widow and warrior. One touch and he is longing to awaken her sensuality, for he suspects she will be as passionate in bed as she is on the battlefield!

Heads up! Michelle will send an advance copy of her next book, SURRENDER TO AN IRISH WARRIOR (on sale in September) to one of our lucky weekend commenters.

KE: What do you think the judges liked best about this book?

MW: To me, the hero Ewan MacEgan was an underdog, a man who always wanted to be the ultimate warrior, but lacked natural talent. I had fun writing a character who clashed with the heroine Honora, who was a natural athlete but didn’t believe in herself as a woman. I tried to include some of the elements of a large family of brothers, some of the humor, and a lot of passionate, forbidden heat.

KE: What makes a “Michelle Willingham” book?

MW: Intense emotion, really sexy heroes (with hot love scenes), and a bit of real life humor thrown in, when it’s appropriate.

KE: Other than your own beautiful babies, what's your favorite RWA-era historical romance?

MW: MORNING GLORY by LaVyrle Spencer is my favorite historical romance of all time, hands-down. To me, she was a master of characterization, and I absolutely loved every book she wrote. I keep holding out hope that she’ll return to writing some day.

I'll send another commenter a signed copy of my own Rita finalist, IN CARE OF SAM BEAUDRY. (I'll draw names for all the giveaways Sunday night, announce Monday, and for this time we'll stick with U.S. and Canadian addresses. But please don't let that stop our other friends from chiming in!)

So comment away! What Romance novels are unforgettable for you? Do you shop for RITA winning books? Do you look for RITA winning authors? If you're not a member, have you heard of the award or of RWA?

Podcasting History. . . Mine!

Betina here. I made history this week. I participated in my first-ever podcast. Yeah, little old me. Lest I leave you with misapprehensions. . . it was basically a phone call with my editor where I was interviewed and which will be edited (heavily, I hope). But she asked a very interesting question that I've been thinking about ever since: What is it about historicals that makes them so sexy?

I think every good historical has an element of "time travel" about it. It transports us back in time to another era and another culture. . . lets us partake of their joys and frustrations and stimulations and limitations. . . without ever leaving the couch. Who hasn't wished to be able to see what life was like in Loui XIV's court at Versailles? Who hasn't wished to see Marie Antoinette's garden parties or Caeser's Rome in its glory or Cleopatra's palaces and her barge on the Nile? Not to mention Julius and Cleo themselves!

But the sexy part. . . ummm. . . that's a different focus altogether. My take on it is that part of the allure of the olden days has to do with the repression and rules of societies. . . which were enforced mostly on women. Women couldn't chat, be alone with, or even look too long in a man's direction without drawing censure. As late as Victorian days, women in Britain risked their reputations if they walked down the street with a man who was not a family member -- which is basically the same restriction placed on women in fundamentalist Muslim societies today! There were rules for dancing and introducing and walking and touching and speaking and looking at men. Of course, sensible women learned to parse through the bullcrap and lead decent, largely productive lives in spite of such restrictions, but there was always that cloud of "public opinion" hanging over their heads.

There was also a true power differential between men and women. . . and whenever there is a disparity in power, somebody will use and perhaps abuse that power. Women depended on men, were forced to look to men to see to their welfare, sometimes seduced men to equalize the power and pursue their own ends. Sex-determined power differentials are a gold-mine for writers looking for a good basis for conflict! Plus, they make us want to imagine ourselves in the roles of heroines who are beset and beleaguered, but persevere and come out on top. Literally! ::wink, wink::

And thirdly, but not least. . . there are the clothes. Long swishing silk skirts and lush velvets. Laces and hats and bonnets. The sexual allure of corsets and garters and bared bosoms meant to entice. And there were accessories to die for. . . fans, reticules, gloves, kerchiefs, muffs, furs, pearls. . . shoes. . . silk slippers, embroidered stockings, and veils mean to to pique a gentleman's interest. I myself have written more than a few scenes involving the peeling of layers of lady garmets. And even one scene where a heroine refused to get dressed. . . striking a bargain with her bridegroom that she would don one piece of clothing for every one he took off! Do you even have to guess how that scene ended?

Of course, when we write historical romances, we almost always write from the stand point of the privileged of the day. Who would want to read a book about a tavern maid who met a reasonably good looking, reasonably sober sailor, married him, and had 7 ordinary kids? But put that tavern girl in a nobleman's knowledgable and generous hands. . . give her access to some frothy petticoats, a good corset, and a maid who's handy with a brush. . . and there's a grand romance in the offing!

So there you have it. . . what makes a historical sexy to me. Which is probably why I'll continue to write them. I just love time traveling through the ages from the safety and conveninece of my imagination!

What about you? What era would you visit if you have a chance? And why?

Hey let's take a survey-- anybody ever worn a real corset-- for fun or for the real "staying" power of it? In my youth they used to call them "merry widows". . . I wore one for my sister's wedding!! I looked exactly like this in it:

Haven't worn one since, but I could sure see the stimulation value in donning such a garment. And they sure sell alot of them in the department store lingere departments!! Somebody out there has to own one. C'mon. . . fess up. Do you like wearing one and why?