The Winter Laird by Nancy Scanlon
Mists of Fate #1
Released November 17, 2015
Diversion
THE PRESENT
Successful matchmaker Brianagh O’Rourke believes in happily-ever-afters…just not her own. She’s convinced passion only exists in her dreams. When she reluctantly accepts a marriage proposal, Bri decides she needs a vacation―but she didn’t expect it to be in 13th century Ireland.
THE PAST
Laird Nioclas MacWilliam just wants peace for his clan. The time for him to marry has come, and after waiting years for his ally to present their daughter, he’s agreed to marry another. But on the eve of his nuptials, a daring rescue brings his missing betrothed right into his arms.
And she does not want to be there.
THE FUTURE
Brianagh has to return to the future. Nioclas has to marry. He offers a solution for the both of them: She marries him and stays for three months, and they work together to convince his clan they are a love match. In return, he vows to safely return her home. But as the days turn to weeks, they both begin to see what a happily-ever-after could be. And when the time comes, does Brianagh return to the life she’s built, or does she remain in the past for a chance at true love?
When Writing a Series…
When I wrote the first book (THE WINTER LAIRD) in my new MISTS OF FATE series, I wrote it as a standalone novel. I never thought to publish it, or even put it anywhere that eyes could view it; it was just something that I had to get down on paper. I had fun rewriting it over the years, updating the references from early 2000’s (flip phones, anyone?) to today (touch screens, definitely). But the best thing I did during those rewrites was introduce new characters, ones that I grew to love so much that I knew those characters would eventually need their own book.
In THE WINTER LAIRD, Brianagh (Bri) O’Rourke is brought back in time, to 15th century Ireland, to fulfill a legacy she hadn’t any idea existed. She’s taken from her very successful life as (present-day) Boston’s most elite matchmaker, and she leaves behind a perfect-on-paper boyfriend – not to mention a loving family and all the amenities the 21st century has to offer. When she meets Nioclas (Nick) MacWilliam – a powerful 15th century Irish laird – she begins to discover that there’s more than one definition of success.
In the second book, AN ENCHANTED SPRING, Aidan MacWilliam, Nick’s brother, gets his chance at love. Now, book two in a series is where things can start to get dicey. Detailed files are quite helpful at this point – here’s just a few of my questions I had while writing this one:
• What color were Aidan’s eyes in THE WINTER LAIRD?
• How old was he in 1457?
• How did I write Aidan’s speech patterns in THE WINTER LAIRD?
Oh – and don’t forget the other details, such as keeping the years straight (if the year in the past is 1457 and the year in the present is 2015, what year will it be in both if time passes at the same rate in eight years?)
Side note: My inner English major is having a hard time dealing with the word problems.
And when you get into the third book…oh my. Colin O’Rourke turns out to be WAY more than I originally painted him in THE WINTER LAIRD! But as I’m writing his story, ONCE UPON A SUMMER NIGHT, I have to continually go back to the first two books and check my facts. I also love leaving little things for you, dear reader, to discover along the way, such as nuggets of info that seem innocent until you read the next book and have an aha! moment while remembering the book prior. With all the intricacies and intertwining of these characters, storylines get caught up in each other in the best possible way. The trick is keeping it all straight, which I hope I’m doing well. And fear not – each of the books in this series can be read as standalone novels, so anyone can pick up anywhere and get lost in the romance.
About the Author
Born and raised near Boston, Massachusetts, Nancy Scanlon wrote her first romance novel at age 16, when she realized that fictional boyfriends were much easier to figure out than real ones. In the time since, she managed to earn a degree in English, obtain a graduate certificate in creative writing from the University of Cambridge, and marry the man of her dreams (but she still holds tight to her fictional boyfriends).
Currently, she resides in Puerto Rico with her husband, two children, and two dogs. When not writing, Nancy spends her time reading, reviewing and blogging about romance novels, watching too much HGTV, and taking care of her family.
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