Author Interview: Mistress of Merrivale by Shelley Munro

Mistress of Merrivale
Shelley Munro

Genre: Historical romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Number of pages: 281
Cover Artist: Kim Killion

Samhain | Amazon | BN | Kobo

Book Description:
A marriage of convenience…full of inconvenient secrets.
Jocelyn Townsend’s life as a courtesan bears no resemblance to the life she envisioned in girlish dreams. But it allows her and her eccentric mother to live in relative security—until her protector marries and no longer requires her services.
Desperate to find a new benefactor, one kind enough to accept her mother’s increasingly mad flights of fancy, Jocelyn is nearly overwhelmed with uncertainty when a lifeline comes from an unexpected source.
Leo Sherbourne’s requirements for a wife are few. She must mother his young daughter, run his household, and warm his bed. All in a calm, dignified manner with a full measure of common sense. After his late wife’s histrionics and infidelity, he craves a simpler, quieter life.
As they embark on their arrangement, Leo and Jocelyn discover an attraction that heats their bedroom and a mutual admiration that warms their days. But it isn’t long before gossip regarding the fate of Leo’s first wife, and his frequent, unexplained absences, make Jocelyn wonder if the secrets of Merrivale Manor are rooted in murder…

Warning: Contains mysterious incidents, a mad mother who screeches without provocation, scheming relatives, and a captivating husband who blows scorching hot and suspiciously cold. 
All is not as it seems…and isn’t that delicious?

More Romance Please would like to extend a warm welcome to Shelley Munro, author of Mistress of Merrivale.  Shelley, please tell us where you are from and who or what most influenced you to become a writer?

I’ve always been a big reader. My brother, sister and I caught the book and reading bug from our parents and writing my own stories seemed the natural progression. So, in answer to your question, my parents were probably the biggest influence since they introduced me to books.

If you were to be left alone on an island, what three books would you take with you?

This is such a mean question since I have so many favorites, and I’m a real genre hopper. At the moment I’m listening to a thriller on audio, I’m reading a steampunk book on my Kindle, a contemporary sports romance in print and in between I’m reading a non-fiction book about the 18^th century Beau Monde. How do you expect me to choose?

Okay, deep breath. I’d have to take one of the In Death books by JD Robb since the dynamics between Eve and Roarke and their friends fascinate me, plus I admire Nora Roberts very much as a writer. For the other two books, I’d take a lucky dip from my to-read pile. Sci-fi romance, contemporary, historical and paranormal. It’s all good.

What are your most and least favorite movie genres?

I don’t watch a lot of movies—at least during my normal week. I do play catch-up whenever I go on holiday. I tend to favor thrillers with a romantic interest such as Red or the Die Hard movies. My least liked genre is horror. I don’t watch them. Ever!

If you could choose any man for your next book cover, who would he be?

I don’t know who he’d be, but I can tell you he’d have dark hair and a healthy number of muscles. He’d also have sexy eyes and a cheeky grin.

When you are on a deadline, what aspect of your ‘regular’ life suffers most?

Housework. That’s the thing I let slide first. I do the dishes and washing, but things like vacuuming, ironing and dusting wait until I’ve kicked the butt of that deadline.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Basically, I’d tell them to keep their eye on the prize and never give up. If they can conceive giving up at any time then writing probably isn’t the right path for them.

What advice would you give seasoned writers?

Study the market and what other writers are doing. Take what you learn and weed out the bits that will work for you.

When reading for pleasure, do you prefer a physical or electronic book?

I tend to read more electronic books these days. I can carry more books with me on my kindle, pick one to suit my mood, and they don’t take up much space in my bag.

From the first stroke of a pen (or laptop), how long did it take you get published?

I wrote for six years before I sold my first book. This was before e-publishing really got going (showing my age!), and my first sale was to an e-publisher.

Did you ever feel like calling it quits?

No. I can’t imagine not writing. Even when things aren’t going as well as I’d like, I keep on writing.

What did you do when you got your first contract?

My first contract came via email, and I let out a screech that was so loud my husband and our dog came running to see what was wrong. I shouted and screamed some more, and we went for a walk. Later that day, we cracked a bottle of wine and had a celebratory drink. It was a fun day.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Shelley. We really enjoyed the insights. Good luck with Mistress of Merrivale! 

About the Author:

Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.
Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres for publishers Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. 

Author Contacts: 
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Twitter | AmazonAuthor | Newsletter 

Tour Giveaway:
$25 Amazon Gift Certificate

a Rafflecopter giveaway