Exclusive Character Interviews on Devika Fernando's blog!

Devika Fernando was kind enough to let both Fara Bellamont and Captain Grant Hill from Upon Your Return stop by her blog on the 17th and today, the 24th! So exciting! You can see the interviews below:

 
I'm so excited to have two gorgeous ladies visiting my blog today! Ladies and gents, please welcome Fara Bellamont, the heroine from "Upon Your Return", and the awesome author who's behind her, Marie Lavender. We have a fun Q&A session ahead of us.

Character Interview

Devika: Welcome, Fara. I’m so excited to have you over. Please have a seat.

Fara Bellamont:  Oh, it is my absolute pleasure! Thank you kindly for having me (makes a big production of curtsying and then finds a comfortable seat in her Victorian dress).

Devika: Fara, I’m curious to find out more about you. What do you do for a living?

Fara:  Why, I am a lady (she says with a hand to her chest). Though I must admit, now that I am older and a bit wiser, I have entertained being a seamstress a time or two. But, I digress. I am who I am, an heiress. I am not useless, however. When I am not entertaining my uncle’s guests or running the household, I read literature, play the pianoforte or work on my embroidery. Don’t say anything, but I often leave the house without an escort as well. I doubt my uncle is any the wiser.

Devika: Interesting. What about your family background?

Fara:  Oh (hesitates). I came to La Rochelle at a young age to live with my uncle after my parents suddenly perished at sea. I have no one else.

Devika: I see. So how did you meet (hero/heroine)?

Fara:  (Blushes.) Oh, it was all my fault, I assure you. I insisted upon meeting my fiancé alone at the docks, and after dispatching a couple of ruffians who dared to accost me, Captain Grant Hill was so magnanimous in offering me a place to stay for the night. Of course, I hadn’t a choice at the time as I was fairly unconscious.

Devika: Wow. That sure makes for an interesting story. How did you know he’s/she’s the one?

Fara:  How does any woman know? Your palms sweat, your heart beats wildly in your chest, and you nearly forget to breathe. And when he kisses you? Mon Dieu, it is like nothing you would have ever imagined. I suppose that I fully knew when he became less the handsome rogue and more a human being with strengths and flaws. Of course, he will always be a dashing rogue, won’t he?

Devika: Let’s talk about your dreams and goals in life.

Fara:  Oh, I have always wanted to go on great adventures someday, and I hoped for a man to fill my life, one I could love, who could love me in return. My parents are to blame for that dream. With regards to goals, I suppose that my most basic goal is to be happy. Life has been rather unpredictable lately, however.

Devika: Would you say there was a decisive moment in your life that made you who you are today?

Fara:  My parents taught me that love was everything – love for family, romantic love, love in general is more important than social expectations. And seeing the love between them every day cemented that notion. I supposed that, in a sense, made me quick to want the same for myself, however hard that is to accomplish for a lady.

Devika: Okay. And what is your greatest fear?

Fara:  My greatest fears were realized when my parents were killed by pirates when I was eight and a half. If you had asked me after I’d left the convent, I would have plainly said that I feared marrying a complete stranger and living with such a man for the rest of my life. Now? I hope upon hope that Grant never discovers my secrets. It will ruin everything.

Devika: Sorry, I didn’t mean to dampen the mood. Why don’t we finish off on a happy note? Tell me, if you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for?

Fara: I only wish for peace and love. How could anyone wish for more than that?

Devika: I’d love to talk some more, but unfortunately our time is up. Thanks so much for stopping by. I can’t wait to see what adventures you’ll have in store for us in the future. *waves*


If you enjoyed this interview, don't forget to stop by again in a week from now, we'll be having the dashing hero Grant over!

About the Book & Author

Upon Your Return blurb
Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society…

Book Trailer

http://youtu.be/tpwAq8YFdv8

Purchase Links

Universal Amazon Link: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00I0D9LQ8
Publisher: http://solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-return/
CreateSpace:  https://www.createspace.com/4284739

Author Bio

Bestselling author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 19 other books. 2014 BTS Red Carpet Review Nominee. Finalist and Runner-up in the MARSocial's Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader's Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 50 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Marie has published twenty books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance/fantasy, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. Lavender just released Second Nature, a paranormal romance/urban fantasy, in December of 2014. She released Magick & Moonlight, a romantic fantasy, back in March. Upon Your Honor, released in late April, is her second historical romance. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series and The Blood at First Sight Series. Feel free to visit her website at http://marielavender.com/ for further information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return; Magick & Moonlight; Upon Your Honor; Second Nature

Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night; Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom; Leather and Lace
Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things


Author Links

http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10ahttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
 
 
Picture
Exactly a week ago, I had Fara Bellamont, the heroine from Marie Lavender's historical romance novel "Upon Your Return", over for a character interview.

Today, I'm swooning over the hero Captain Grant Hill while asking him my questions!

Character Interview

Devika: Welcome, Grant. I’m so excited to have you over. Please have a seat.

Captain Grant Hill: Oh, it is sincerely my pleasure, Madame. (Lifts her hand to bow over it.)

Devika: Grant, I’m curious to find out more about you. What do you do for a living?

Grant: I am a trading captain. I run the fine clipper ship, La Voyageur, and in doing that, I meet the demands of my clients who require certain items from different ports.

Devika: Interesting. What about your family background?

Grant:  Ah…I usually hesitate to divulge my meager beginnings, but for you, as you have been so kind, I will make an exception. My father was a Lieutenant in the British army, and he met my mother, who was French, while on a tour of duty. I lived in London for a time with my parents until they both died of disease. After that, I had no one except for perhaps Captain Smith of The Challenger, who taught me all I know now. And there is also Eric, whom I would count as family, but the way in which we met is not my story to tell.

Devika: I see. So how did you meet Fara?

Grant:  I stumbled across Fara in the harbor of La Rochelle one night when I was returning to my ship from a meeting with a supplier. It seemed she was in a bit of trouble, and I couldn’t very well walk away from a lady in peril. And a fine lady she was…(Smiles secretly.)

Devika: Wow. That sure makes for an interesting story. How did you know he’s/she’s the one?

Grant:  (Rubs a hand briefly over his face.) I suppose you know when she is the first thing you think about in the morning, and before you go to sleep. You know when she is a constant distraction in your mind, not just her lovely face or body, but her redeeming qualities – her many kindnesses, her smile, the way she challenges you in small ways.

Devika: Let’s talk about your dreams and goals in life.

Grant:  I suppose I achieved what I wanted. I wanted to be a sailor and through working on many ships, I became one. Watching Captain Smith made me seek more for myself, and I found La Voyageur and made it my own, and I hired the best damned crew I know…er, pardon the language, Madame. As for dreams, my secret dream is to see my mother again. I wish that was possible. She was the kindest woman I ever knew, until Fara.

Devika: Would you say there was a decisive moment in your life that made you who you are today?

Grant:  I regret to say that being forced into the streets at such a young age gave me a thicker skin than I ever imagined. I worked up from the dregs of society to get to where I am today. I was determined that I would survive, and I have.

Devika: Okay. And what is your greatest fear?

Grant:  My greatest fear is causing harm to Fara because of all the secrets I keep. And second? Having to walk away to protect her, and possibly never seeing her again.

Devika: Sorry, I didn’t mean to dampen the mood. Why don’t we finish off on a happy note? Tell me, if you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for?

Grant:  All in all, I suppose I would want peace, to throw off the dark burdens that hound me every waking moment. I would like to live a nice life, a contented one.

Devika: I’d love to talk some more, but unfortunately our time is up. Thanks so much for stopping by. I can’t wait to see what adventures you’ll have in store for us in the future. *waves*

About the Book & Author

Upon Your Return blurb

Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society…

Book Trailer

http://youtu.be/tpwAq8YFdv8

Purchase Links

Universal Amazon Link: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00I0D9LQ8
Publisher: http://solsticepublishing.com/upon-your-return/
CreateSpace:  https://www.createspace.com/4284739

Author Bio

Bestselling author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 19 other books. 2014 BTS Red Carpet Review Nominee. Finalist and Runner-up in the MARSocial's Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader's Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 50 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Marie has published twenty books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance/fantasy, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. Lavender just released Second Nature, a paranormal romance/urban fantasy, in December of 2014. She released Magick & Moonlight, a romantic fantasy, back in March. Upon Your Honor, released in late April, is her second historical romance. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series and The Blood at First Sight Series. Feel free to visit her website at http://marielavender.com/ for further information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return; Magick & Moonlight; Upon Your Honor; Second Nature

Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night; Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom; Leather and Lace
Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things


Author Links

http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10ahttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
 
 
 
 

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