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Friday, August 3, 2012

Guest Post with Author Mia Marlowe and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Mia Marlowe back to the blog. Mia is one of the fabulous authors behind the Rock*It Reads group, which is a group of published authors who got together to help readers identify quality self published stories. Mia is celebrating the release of her newest book Touch of a Scoundrel and has stopped by today to chat about love triangles. Before I give Mia the floor, let's get to know her some.

Mia writes sensual historical romance with a sparkle of magic for Kensington and Sourcebooks. Her work was featured in PEOPLE magazine’s Best of 2010 edition. One of her books is on display at the Museum of London Docklands alongside Johnny Depp memorabilia. Mia’s most recent release, TOUCH OF A ROGUE, was named a Top Ten Best Romance for Spring 2012 by Publishers Weekly. But the accolades that mean the most to her come from her readers! She loves to connect with people who adore books.
Places to find Mia:
Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Triangles Make the World Go Round

If someone asks you if you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, you know exactly what they’re talking about. Which guy should Bella pick? Twilight isn’t the first series to capitalize on this age-old conflict. There have been love triangles throughout time. What would Camelot be without the Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot debacle? Charles Dickens used it in A TALE OF TWO CITIES with Sydney Carton/LucieManette/Charles Darnay. What about Rick/Ilsa/Victor in CASABLANCA? Seeing a pattern?

There’s a wealth of angst and drama to be rung from a good love triangle, but the one in TOUCH OF A SCOUNDREL with Griffin/Emma/Teddy is the first time I’ve used this plot device. It’s not that I don’t love plenty of tension in my stories. Just the opposite. But the really tricky part about writing a love triangle is that the one in the middle comes off looking selfish and unlikeable. Since I want to invite my readers to slip into Emma’s shoes, I had to make her sympathetic. She needs to make her current scheme work for the sake of Monty, her foster father. Emmaline is a con artist who never minds tricking someone who’s greedy enough to be fooled. but she’s very conflicted about breaking someone’s heart.

Here’s a little snippet from TOUCH OF A SCOUNDREL:

Theodore knelt beside her chair and took her hand. “Do you want me to summon a physician?”

She shook her head. “We both know what this is. All a doctor will do is bleed him and purge him. It’ll only make him weaker.”

It was hard to imagine her life without Monty and his outlandish schemes twirling at its center. The small scared child who still lived inside her shivered. With Monty gone, she’d go back to being plain Emma Potts, alone, cast adrift in the world.

“Don’t be afraid, Emmaline,” Theodore said softly.

His words startled her. She hadn’t thought him able to divine her emotions so accurately.

“You have me now.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Her breath caught at the shining goodness of his heart. Not for the first time, she wished there was something real, something true about her courtship with Theodore.

Maybe she could will it to be so.

She leaned down and cupped his chin to tip his face up to hers, inviting him to kiss her. She needed him to kiss her. Needed it to be more searingly real than his brother’s kiss in the orangery.

Theodore’s mouth closed over hers for a few heartbeats.

It was pleasant. A gesture full of comfort. Sweet enough to melt the heart.

But Teddy’s kiss didn’t make her toes curl in the slightest.

Why couldn’t she love this kind man? Theodore’s soul might glint with shining whiteness, but hers was black as a Stygian stream. She drew back. “You’d better go.”

“I wish I didn’t have to. I wish we were already married so I could stay with you.”

“Theodore, please, that’s inappropriate.” She bit her lower lip. “I haven’t even said yes yet.”

“Why don’t you?” He plopped down on the floor beside her chair and rested his head against her knee. “You know how I love you, Em. What’s stopping you?”

Yesterday she’d have told herself it was because she was a confidence huckster and he was her mark. She needed to maintain professional distance. But what if she convinced Monty to abandon the game? Maybe then she could accept Theodore’s proposal.

Emmaline had picked up the pigeon drop in no time. Would love be so difficult a game to learn?

She stroked his thick blond hair, feeling very tender. Teddy was sincere and attentive. He made her feel like a princess every time he looked at her.

So what if his kisses were as exciting as a second cousin’s?

Of course, Emmaline didn’t have any second cousins so far as she knew, but she imagined kissing one would feel exactly like kissing Theodore. Plenty of women made do with the merely pleasant and were grateful to have found it in a husband.

Emmaline might have been one of them if she hadn’t kissed Lord Devonwood. Twice.

Monty’s renewed cough in the next room made her lift her head. Just like that, she knew she was deluding herself when she imagined that anything deeper might grow between her and Theodore. Even if she weren’t confused by her body’s response to Lord Devonwood, there was still the fact that for the sake of his health, Monty needed this confidence game to succeed. That sanatorium in the Alps was his only hope.

Which meant she was better off without permanent entanglements with either of the brothers. It made no sense to become attached to someone she had to swindle.

“I must go.” She rose and headed for Monty’s chamber. “Father needs me.”


Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek at TOUCH OF A SCOUNDREL. Share your favorite love triangle of all time and you’ll be entered in a random drawing for a signed copy of TOUCH OF A SCOUNDREL!


It’s a matter of honor, duty… and desire…

Griffin Nash, Earl of Devonwood, wants to believe that he’s seducing Miss Emmaline Farnsworth out of protectiveness for his young brother. After all, if his brother is convinced that the tantalizing professor’s daughter is unworthy of his trust, perhaps Teddy will lose all interest in such an inappropriate choice for his station. But in truth, something else motivates Griffin: a scintillating vision of a future tryst with the lovely Emmaline. A vision too realistic to be doubted—and too scaldingly passionate to be denied.

Yet Emmaline is not as easily tempted as Griffin might have hoped—nor is she actually in pursuit of a wealthy husband. No, the real reason for her visit to the manor is something much more shocking… though being enticed by a dashing earl may prove to be a most welcome by-product of her schemes.
Places to Purchase:


Check out the other books in the Touch of Seduction series:
Click on cover for more info. 

Want to win a copy of this book? 1 lucky commenter (US/Canada ONLY) will win a copy. 

To Enter:
  • Leave a comment answering the question: What is your favorite love triangle of all-time? 
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  

58 comments :

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. It would be from The Black Dagger Brotherhood. Between Phury, Bella, and Zsadist. Two brothers and one girl. Always makes a great read.

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    1. I think the added tension of having the guys be brothers is a nice touch. It seems to work in TOUCH OF A SCOUNDREL. There's the whole sibling rivalry, the confusion over their own motivations and all that good stuff. Conflict makes the pages turn.

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  3. I'm still a sucker for Twilight. I never thought or rooted for Jacob, but I loved all 3 characters.

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    1. I have to confess I liked Jacob best. Even with the fur issue, I prefer a guy with a pulse. ;-)

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  4. I like the love triangle on The Vampire Diaries. Love Elena, Damon and Stephan...

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  5. I don't think I have a favorite love triangle. I hve not read the BDB series yet (have them on my TBR list), and the stories that I generally read that have 3 characters are menages, where the 3 end up together.

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  6. I would pick the King Arthur, Lancelot and Guinivere triangle.

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    1. This triangle really strikes a cord with me because I played Guinevere in a production of Camelot once. It was really hard because Arthur is such a loveable character and I felt lower than dirt most of the time. Of course, walking to a stake in my night shift seemed like excessive punishment though

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  7. That's a tough question since there are so many, but the one that comes to mind first is Elena, Stefan, & Damon from the Vampire Diaries.

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  8. My favorite love triangle is from the Black Dagger Brotherhood - Quinn, Blay, and Saxton. I can't wait to read J.R. Ward's book on them. :)

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  9. I don't really have a favorite love triangle, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be the Elena, Stefan, and Damon love triangle from L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries, even though I don't like that series.

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    1. I think part of the reason it's hard to pick a favorite triangle is that triangles make us uncomfortable. We feel the conflict deeply because there is something in the human heart that cries for exclusivity from our lover.

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  10. I have always been a romance fan, so I have to go back to the first romance I ever read when I was like 12 and say Ashley/Scarlett/Rhett in Gone With the Wind. Thanks
    Carin
    mawmom(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I read it when I was 17 and I'll never understand Scarlett. Even then, before I knew the terms alpha and beta, I knew which guy she should choose. She just about drove me crazy.

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  11. Mercy, Adam and Samuel from Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series.

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

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    1. Mercy Thompson is new to me. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. I have to say, I like the Gone with the Wind triangle. But was it ever really a triangle? Ashley never had a chance, in my opinion!

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    1. I think Scarlette created a "straw man" in her mind using Ashley. She embued him with all the qualities on her wish list whether he had them or not. She never really knew the real Ashley.

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  13. I'm not particularly fond of love triangles, because in this kind of dynamic one of the three will inevitably be left empty handed and I would really like every character to be emotionally gratified and fulfilled in his/her quest for love.
    minadecaro@hotmail.com

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    1. I hear you, Mina. That's why I make sure to resolve matters for all my characters before I type THE END.

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  14. I don't have a favorite but I like The Vampire Diaries one and Twilight. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  15. Thanks for sharing the snippet!!!
    I don't read many love triangles, one that comes to mind is from series Mind Games by Carolyn Crane.

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    1. Mind Games is a new one for me. Thanks for sharing.

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  16. For me it's twilight, but I think she should have chosen Jacob, at least I would have...........grrrr ;)

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    1. I'm with you. Granted, Edward is a courtly old soul and that's very appealing, but the whole "cold" issue tips the scales for me.

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  17. I don't think I've read one, but did see the Twilight movies - and I liked Jacob better than Edward, but glad that Jacob was left for a better march.

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    1. It'll be interesting to see what new adventures Meyers has in store for Jacob.

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  18. I have a couple favorite love triangles but they are books written by Maya Banks and Lora Leigh. They are more erotic stories. But If I were to pick a more main stream book with a love triangle it would be Twilight. I loved the story between Bella, Edward and Jacob. But hands down I would pick Edward, I fell for him in the book. So it didn't matter when the movies came out and Jacob was far better looking the Edward.
    lorimeehan1@aol.com

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    1. I have to confess I'm not a vampire fan. The whole drinking blood thing is a big turn off for me, but Meyers really did a good job mitigating that with her "vegetarian vampires." And I really admire Edward's sense of "oughtness."

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  19. Thanks for the chance to win. I have to say that my fave would be Twilight---that series started my reading addiction and is still my fave!! :) mariann297@gmail.com

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    1. My daughter really got into reading because of the Twilight series too. It's like she'd forgotten what reading for pleasure was like. Now she's always got her nose in a YA book!

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  20. Congrats on the new release. I'd have to say Twilight with Jacob, Bella, and Edward. I don't know what Bella was thinking. I so would have chosen Jacob.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

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    1. It does seem as if that choice would have made Bella's life easier. Surely her dad would have approved of Jacob more. But, the heart wants what the heart wants...

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  21. The first "love-triangle" I can ever remember reading was in Camelot and the fateful triangle of Queen Guinevere, King Arthur and the King's chief knight Sir Lancelot.

    I think their story affects everyone whether they've read the story in a book, seen the movie or attended a play about the fated lovers!

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    1. I just realized I forgot to leave me email!

      jeannemiro(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    2. This story has the added pressure of making Guinevere and Lancelot traitors to the king they both love as well. It's a perfectly wicked little circle.

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  22. My email is: jeannemiro(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  23. I like triangles to a point! I am a fan of the Vampire Dairies triangle and also the True Blood triangle!
    elainesaynay@yahoo.com

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    1. Triangles do make us uncomfortable, don't they?

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  24. Thanks so much for all your comments! Mina has raised another tough aspect of a triangle. Someone gets left out. I too want to make sure the good characters in my stories get their HEA. Don't worry. Whoever Emma doesn't end up with gets his own happy ending.

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    1. Mia -

      That's one of the reasons I love your books so much!

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    2. Thanks, Jeanne. That's so sweet!

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  25. I typically don't like love triangles because I always feel bad for someone. However, I do like the Bill/Sookie/Eric dynamic on True Blood. Although, I think Sookie should dump both of them. :)

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    1. Oops! Forgot my email address!
      shardan01 at aol dot com

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    2. I hear your frustration. Sometimes we just wish the characters would start fresh!

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  26. Probably the one from the Twilight series

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  27. Mercy Thompson series, Sam, Adam and Mercy, its funny because the are always doing or saying something to piss the other off. thx for give away.

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  28. Right now the only triangle I can think of are the main characters of the Mercy Thompson series. I love reading those books, like a serious page turner.

    sankofa0509@yahoo.com

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  29. I have to agree with some of the other I really like the love triangle from Vampire Dairies.

    authorleighsavage@gmail.com

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  30. Mia -

    I just thought of the "master" of triangles, Mark Twain!

    Do they still read his stories in school anymore? Of course Becky Thatcher wasn't very pleased with Tom Sawyer when she found out that Tom had been previously "engaged" to Amy Lawrence and throw in Huckleberry Finn always being around as well!

    How is a girl suppose to deal with that?

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    1. I must be having a senior moment - again forgot to leave email.

      jeannemiro(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  31. Congrats on the release. I love the Touch of Seduction covers. My favorite love triangle is Bill, Sookie, Eric from the Southern Vampire Novels.
    kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com

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  32. Love triangles hurt. Especially if both of the "competitors" are good people and it comes down to who is the better match. My favorite love triangle has to be the Garret/Sophie/Tristan from Jennifer Haymore's A Hint of Wicked. That was steamy but at the same time so heartbreaking because both men were good men, neither was a villain and they both loved Sophie.

    Adria

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