Interview with Loucinda McGary and a giveaway

1. What inspired you to write The Wild Irish Sea?

It wasn’t one particular thing but a combination of things that eventually synthesized inside my brain. First, my editor asked me to write another book set in Ireland. Second, I’d just watched (not for the first time but the first time in several years) the movie The Secret of Roan Inish, which was filmed on location on the rugged and beautiful Donegal coast. The story centered around a young girl whose ancestor married a selkie woman. Third, ten years ago, my niece gave birth to fraternal twin boys, the only twins (thus far) in our immediate family, and I became fascinated with the relationships between twins.

I thought it would be fun to write about a set of twins, set it on the Donegal coast, and throw in my own take on selkie legends. After mixing those ingredients around in my head for awhile, The Wild Irish Sea took shape.

2. Do you match your characters to real ones? If so, who do you see as Amber and Kevin?

As a matter of fact, I named a very minor character in The Wild Sight after my son, and another character in The Treasures of Venice after a dear friend who happens to have a very cool Italian name. They were both quite pleased when they found out. However, my niece’s husband (father of the twins) told me he wanted to be included in one of my books. So as a joke, I named the unfortunate man who is murdered in the prologue of The Wild Irish Sea after my nephew-in-law! I’ll bet he never asks to be in one of my books again.

I do like to find pictures (usually celebrities since their photos are readily available) of people who resemble the image I have in my head of what my characters look like. I actually had a difficult time finding matches for Kevin and Amber (Parker was much easier). I finally found a couple of pictures of Christian Bale that looked like I imagined Kevin (even though Christian is not Irish). After much deliberation, I chose Gemma Arterton, whom I’d seen as a redhead in Quantum of Solace (and no, she’s not Irish or American either), as the model for Amber.

3. What book is currently on your nightstand?

It’s not exactly on my nightstand since it is an e-book, but I’m reading Marie Force’s Fatal Affair, a terrific romantic suspense sent in Washington DC.

4. Have you ever been to Ireland? What propelled you to set your book in Ireland?

Yes, my DH has relatives who live in Northern Ireland (his grandmother came to America in 1912) which is why I set my first book, The Wild Sight, in Northern Ireland. My readers, reviewers, and my editor really loved that setting. When my editor asked me to write another book set in Ireland, I decided to go north again, but this time I set it in the Republic of Ireland.

5. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I’m always writing! Okay, I guess it only feels that way.

As everyone knows, I am a travel fanatic, so that is what I like to do most. At last reckoning, I have visited 47 states and 32 foreign countries. I am especially fond of cruises and living in California, we often get good deals on them. I went on cruise number 16 in March and have number 17 scheduled for November. However, sometimes I have to edit and revise when I travel, which is not so difficult on a cruise, especially on the “at sea” days.

The other thing I love to do is read, and I do more of that when I travel than when I’m at home. I used to crochet a lot, but haven’t had much time to do that lately. I really need to get back into it since another of my nieces is expecting her first baby in November and she wants a crocheted blanket from me.

6. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t know if this qualifies as a quirk, because it doesn’t happen with any great regularity and I don’t really control it, but I sometimes dream scenes from my books. When I am really in my writing groove, my work in progress stays on my mind all the time. So much so that sometimes, I’ll dream about my characters and what is happening in the book. Occasionally I’ll even dream about things that haven’t happened yet. That’s how I came up with the ending of The Treasures of Venice, I dreamed it!

7. Are you currently working on another novel?

Of course (see above answer about always writing)! Remember all those cruises? Well, my current work in progress is set on a cruise ship. I plan for it to be the first in a series, but we’ll have to wait and see how that pans out.

THE WILD IRISH SEA BY LOUCINDA MCGARY – IN STORES JULY 2010

Drawn to a force he can’t resist…

Former police officer Kevin Hennessey is running from his past—choosing to battle smugglers instead of dealing with his personal demons. When a desperate, rain-drenched American woman appears on his doorstep with wild tales of danger, Kevin is drawn to helping her, despite his reservations...

She never saw him coming…

Amber O’Neill knew without a doubt that her brother was in mortal danger. Rushing heedlessly to the rocky shores of Ireland, Amber was stunned to find her rescue mission derailed by a gorgeous, but deeply flawed Irishman...

The tumultuous sea, the intertwined fates of the coastal villagers, and unearthly tales of a hidden selkie prince bring Kevin and Amber together in a connection of mind, body, and soul that neither can deny...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Loucinda McGary took early retirement from her managerial career to pursue her twin passions of travel and writing. She sets her novels in some of the fascinating places she has visited. She was a finalist in the 2006 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest in Romantic Suspense with the manuscript that eventually became her second novel, The Treasures of Venice. Her first book, The Wild Sight won the Best First Book category in the More Than Magic contest. She lives in Sacramento, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.loucindamcgary.com/

GIVEAWAY!!

Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway for two readers!! USA or Canada only.  

Please leave a comment with your email to enter (+1)

A question or comment for Aunt Cindy will get you an extra entry(+1)

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3 entries max! 

Winners announced on July 16th.