Saturday Spotlight - Margaret Tanner

It's that time again....time for me to introduce you to another prolific author! Today's guest is Margaret Tanner and her book, Stolen Birthright.

Margaret Tanner is an award winning multi-published Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically correct. Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia. She is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC. Her fellow writers from the MRWG have been an inspiration and a tower of strength, so generous with their help and support that she will always feel indebted to them. In 2008 she won Author of the Year at AussieAuthors.com. Her contemporary novel Holly and the Millionaire went to No 12 on the Fictionwise Romance Best Sellers list. Her favorite historical period is the 1st World War, and she has visited the battlefields of France and Belgium, a truly poignant experience.

Margaret is married to Laurie and they have three grown up sons. Outside of her family and friends, writing is her passion. Find out more about Margaret at her Website!

Sequel to Savage Utopia
Can an English aristocrat ever hope to marry the daughter of convicts?
Georgina, a wild colonial girl, is brought up by O’Rourke, a rough and ready Irishman who she believes is her uncle. While helping the bushranger Johnny Dawson escape from prison she meets and falls in love with a dashing young English aristocrat, the Honourable Marcus Lindquist.

When Johnny Dawson is ambushed and killed, Marcus finally learns the secret of what has bound the young outlaw to Georgina. Johnny is her brother, not her lover as he had jealously supposed, but even darker secrets from the past overshadow their love.

Meanwhile, twelve thousand miles across the sea, Marcus’ Godfather, is plotting Georgina’s death to keep his dark secrets from ever seeing the light of day.

Excerpt: The Honourable Marcus Lindquist cursed inwardly as another bump almost unseated him. What did this idiot of a driver think he was doing? Bloody half-witted colonial. He had been forced to leave England to save the Lindquist name from being dragged further into disrepute, now he was exiled in this Godforsaken penal colony. Australia was only fit for convicts and destitute immigrants.

Sylvia had ruined his life. She had betrayed him. Cast him aside to marry the heir to a Dukedom. He was just starting to think about marriage and settling down to produce heirs, when he had met and become infatuated with Lady Sylvia Hayworth. Just the thought of her full lips and lush, ripe body being given to another man almost destroyed him.

“Youse have to stay the night here.” Their uncouth looking driver poked his head through the coach window. “Too late to travel on the road now.”

“Road!” Marcus bit off an oath. Is that what they called it? Rutted track seemed more appropriate. He felt bruised and battered as he stepped stiffly from the coach and waited for the other occupants to alight.

He stamped his feet to get his circulation moving again after eight hours in the cramped coach. They had stopped only to eat and change the horses; now he was forced to spend the night in some revolting, bug-infested tavern, undoubtedly run by villainous riff raff.

Automatically, he offered his hand to help a middle-aged lady alight. A good night’s sleep would help. The voyage out from England had been nothing short of a bloody nightmare. Still, it did have a few lighter moments, including a troupe of eight painted, but pretty chorus girls who had kept him entertained.

“This way.” The driver took charge of the lady’s bag, leaving Marcus to pick up his own.

The roadside tavern looked anything but impressive, although the light spilling out on to the verandah offered some reassurance. A large, fat fellow in grubby pants met them at the door, and Marcus shuddered with distaste. Fastidious in his own habits, if this oaf’s appearance was anything to go by, he teetered on the brink of a hideous nightmare. Their driver, having dumped them like pieces of flotsam, disappeared without a word. Not even bothering to hide his disdain, Marcus stepped across the threshold.

Stolen Birthright is available now in ebook and Print from Whiskey Creek Press.

Well Friends, that wraps up another edition of Saturday Spotlight - check back next week for a sneak peek into another great author/book!

Also, check White Roses in Bloom blog for the latest addition of websites/blogs for the scavenger hunt!

Until later....be blessed.
PamT