Surrender to the Highlander by Terri Brisbin & Interview

Today we're talking to Terri Brisbin, an author with Harlequin Historicals.

Vonda Sinclair: Hi Terri, welcome! I'm glad you're here! Please tell us about Surrender to the Highlander. (And wow, what a hot cover!)

Terri Brisbin: SURRENDER TO THE HIGHLANDER is a story of temptation and surrender.

The prodigal son returning to his father's lands, Rurik Erengislsson is seeking all the things he has only dreamed of within his father's earldom - recognition, family, and a future filled with everything he's been denied.

Margriet Gunnarsdottir hides behind the robes of a nun to protect her secrets, secrets that threaten to ruin everything Rurik needs and wants

In spite of the growing attraction and love between them, neither one can trust after being betrayed before. . . So, when the cost of true love is revealed, will their love be strong enough to overcome their enemies' plots and their own broken hearts? Can they surrender all to gain what they most desire?

VS: Sounds wonderful! Am I right in thinking Rurik, the hero of this book, was a secondary character in Taming the Highlander? (I loved Taming the Highlander and his role in it so can't wait to see what he's up to.) What inspired you to write Rurik's story? Did he demand it and it all came about easily? :) Or was it more of a struggle?

TB: Yes! Rurik walked into my previous story, TAMING THE HIGHLANDER, and took over! He is a man who LOVES women and they love him, too. Oh, and he loves to do two things that both begin with the letter "F" and one of them is Fighting...and the other...is NOT Fishing! LOL! But I began to wonder who the real Rurik was and what he wanted in life...and that's how this story started.

The struggle was in coming up with a heroine worthy of Rurik and one who would bedevil him. That's how Margriet came about -- a woman, hiding behind the robes of a nun, with the face of an angel but the temptation of the devil himself.

VS: I can't wait to read this. Do you prefer writing Scottish historicals or historicals set other places, like England, and why?

TB: I love writing historical romances, set in either Scotland or England, but I admit I am drawn to medieval Scotland. Something about struggles of the people, their inherent appeal and honor and the magnificent lands draw me to it. And, I think I lived there in a previous life.

VS: Neat! (Hey, maybe I did too.) What is your writing process or method?

TB: Writing process? Is that what you call it? LOL! Actually, I usually have the overall idea of the story (or get it as I write the synopsis/proposal). I research the time and place and people, read lots of stuff, dawdle around for weeks or months as the story and characters percolate in my mind and then write the book (or novella right now) in the last week or two just before my deadline! No, really! I wish I was a more methodical writer, one who produces pages on a reasonable schedule, but it just doesn't work for me.

So, I wait until the pressure to write builds inside, until the characters are screaming at me to write their stories and until I have to and then the words pour out. Lucky for me, they come out in pretty good shape -- I clean up the manuscript and send it in to my editor...

This works for me for other parts of the projects, too. I am a procrastinator and need that pressure to produce.

VS: Wow! That's amazing. What's next for you?

TB: My next book, POSSESSED BY THE HIGHLANDER, is an August 2008 Harlequin Historical release -- it's Duncan's story, also from TAMING THE HIGHLANDER and is about the price and worth of honor. Right now, as in right now!, I'm writing my Christmas Regency novella for Harlequin Historicals' Christmas anthology that's coming out in November 2008.

Then, I'm really excited to be beginning a new series set in medieval England about three bastard knights from Brittany who fight with William the Conqueror and who want to win titles, lands....and women. The first one should be out in the Spring of 2009.


VS: Those all sound wonderful! Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

TB: I think the best thing that unpublished writers can do is write and learn. They need to hone their craft and learn the market in which they want to be published. But, the writing is the most important thing.

VS: Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

TB: Oh, yes! Where and when do your favorite heroes come from? Are you attracted to historical hunks or contemporary heroes? Real men or other-worldly creatures? What works for you?

Thanks for being here Terri! It's been a pleasure talking to you about your latest Scottish historical romance. Please visit Terri's websites at www.terribrisbin.com and www.myspace.com/terribrisbin .