Margaret Blake was born in Manchester, England. Her latest book will be her fourteenth novel, although
her third for Whiskey Creek Press. She is married to John and has one fantastic son and daughter in law
and three gorgeous grandchildren. They all live in America and she loves being there. When not writing she
can be found walking in the hills of the Lake District.
A teaser for FORTUNE’S FOLLY
“She had left him and made him look like a fool in his own society, now back in his life, Helena was mature
and sophisticated. For Helena this was the man she had once loved and then divorced…still he held an
irresistible attraction for her, yet could she do anything about it when there was Diane?”
A teaser for EDEN’S CHILD
“Maddy has lost her memory, the more she finds out about herself, the more she loaths herself. Her husband
Nevis, handsome and wealthy, lets her know in no uncertain terms that he hates her…she cannot blame
him, yet she cannot stem the feelings he has for him. How could she have been so despicable to this man
when all she longs for is to be in his arms? Confused by who and what she is, sometimes she thinks it would
be better if she never remembered the past.”
A teaser for BELOVED DECEIVER
“For Flora, a marriage to Mars would save her from her father’s machinations — for Mars it would be sweet
revenge on the man who had ruined his family. However, even the best laid plans can go wrong!”
Welcome romance novelist, Ms. Blake, to Love Romances & More. We are excited to have the
opportunity to speak with you and learn more about your work.
How long have you been writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?
I have been writing since I was a child. It was something I felt compelled to do; I first became a published
author in l977. The day I received the acceptance has to be one of the happiest in my life.
What inspired you to write in the first place? Does the same thing inspire all of your writing?
I was an only child and spent a lot of time on my own; I read a great deal and at the same time made
up “stories” which I would write. I could not actually describe it as inspiration – I think the urge is more
powerful than that. I am unhappy if I am not writing something.
What influenced you to get published? How long did it take you to get your first book published?
My husband, in a word! He used to say why don’t you do something about this (sounds like a disease eh?)
and he nagged me to send something off. I had a couple of rejections from one publisher, and then
one rejection from another, they asked me to send more work and that was it – they accepted the second
novel I sent. I wrote a further ten novels for this company, from historical to contemporary romance.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
I love to go rambling on the hills, or just along the coast where I live. Walking is quite helpful to my writing; it
helps me sort out plots in my head. I go to the gym and of course I read a lot, and love to watch t.v.
which is very relaxing.
Often a writer’s first book is the toughest to write. Was this true for you? If so, what helped you get through
it? If it wasn’t the first, which one was the most difficult to write? The easiest?
The most difficult was my first accepted novel “A Sprig of Broom” this was an historical romance. I studied
too much history and suffered over what to put in and what to leave out. I think I am the wrong sort of
person to write historicals as I am so pernickety about facts. It takes me ages to do the research. As it was
I had to prune and then prune some more! I think the easiest novel to write was Eden’s Child, my mind
was flooded with the light and colour of Australia, the words just poured onto the page.
Do you usually outline your stories before you write, or do you "go with the flow"?
I am a go with the flow, I get my characters in my head and then the question “what would they do if…?”
and then I am off.
Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have
any influenced your writing?
The Great Gatsby is my favourite book – I love the Bronte’s, I also like “romance” and “historical novels, as
well as thrillers. My favourite thriller writers are Kathy Reichs and Michael Connelly. I love the books of
Kathleen Woodiwiss, who sadly recently died. Francoise Sagan was also a favourite when I was young. If
any influenced me, it was when I was very young and that was Francoise. But I could never achieve her
perfection so went in a different direction.
Your website mentions an extensive “walk about” through Australia and New Zealand. How do you feel
this has influenced your writing?
I don’t think I would be responding to your interview without it. I went through a really bad period of
“writer’s block” and was truly miserable. My visit to Australia released the demon that was preventing me
from doing what I longed to do. I must also mention that while in New Zealand, I met Loren Teague a
fellow writer with Whiskey Creek Press, and Loren really encouraged me to start writing again. She was a
great aid to me, and I value her friendship more than words can say.
Congratulations on your recent release of EDEN’S CHILD from Whiskey Creek Press. Could you tell us little
about the story? What was your inspiration?
My inspiration for Eden’s Child was my trip to Australia. I had always wanted to visit the country and it took
me more years than I want to talk about, to get there. When I did, well you know from the above answer
what happened. Eden’s Child is a story of a young woman who has lost her memory. She cannot even
remember her husband, nor understand why he dislikes her so much. What is more she cannot understand
how she could have been so horrible to him when she knows she loves him. I am not gong to tell you
anymore, you will have to read the book for the resolution! Ha ha. I was very proud that this novel was the
number one best seller for the month of March, at Whiskey Creek Press.
Your book FORTUNE’S FOLLY, also from Whiskey Creek Press, deals with the heavy issues of divorce, hurt and
forgiveness. How do you approach writing a story with these themes?
The way I write about anything else, I guess. Let my imagination fly! Really it is about a woman who made
a terrible mistake. She was young and influenced by a woman who was downright mean, and so my
heroine left the man she loved. Andreas cannot forgive her but then again, he finds he is still attracted
to her, just as much as she is to him.
I was influenced by the film the VIP’s, I loved this movie and Liz Taylor leaves her husband Richard Burton,
for another man – only to realize how much she loves him. I sort of turned the plot around because there
is no other man involved in Fortune’s Folly.
Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write?
Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example?
Yes they do take over my mind. I think about them all the time and wonder how they are going to get out
of the situations I have put them in. Although they are with me, they don’t take over my actions. I doubt
I would have been married for 37 years if that happened. All my characters hang around in my head – it
takes me a long time to kick ‘em out and bring new characters into life.
Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?
No, I enjoy it. However what is difficult is making each “love scene” different, I mean how many ways are
there to describe a kiss – and the rest? You don’t want to get repetitive and have your readers say.
“Oh hello here is the same old same old love scene,” so new words and new actions are always required.
Have you ever suffered from "writer’s block"? If so, what did you do to get out if it?
Well yes, as I said earlier, this was a terrible, miserable time for me. I just felt sick at the thought of having to
write anything. I wish there was a magic cure, visiting Australia and meeting Oren did it for me, but I don’t
think there is a cure all for this terrible disability.
If you could write and be guaranteed publication of any genre of book, what would it be?
I love writing romance but I started out as an historical romance writer. I would like to write a really good
historical romance!
Are you working on anything right now? Can you tell us a teaser about these projects?
I have another book out sometime with Whiskey Creek Press “His other wife” which is a love story but it
about a woman damaged by life, who has a lot of learning to do. I love both my characters in this novel,
for both have been badly treated somewhere along the line and both overcame it. At the moment I am
working on a romantic thriller, people who have read interviews before, will know that I struggle with this
particular genre, but I am getting there!
Any final advice to aspiring authors?
Of course – write! If you feel you have to write do it, send your book off to a publisher that publishers the
kind of material you are writing. Do not be downhearted if you get rejections. How many rejections did
JK Rowling have? Let that be your “get up and go”
Do you have anything to add?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to spend time with you. I enjoy “love romances” and have done
a couple of “author days” and have one coming up on the 28th September, so do drop by and say hello.
Thank you so much for spending time with us at Love Romances & More. We wish you the greatest
success in all of your future endeavors.
Thank you Dee, it has been great fun.
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