Today my guest is Julianne Maclean. I’m not even sure when I met Julianne the first time – it might have been when I was the keynote speaker at the Marshlands RWA conference in Moncton NB in 1998. Either way, it’s been a while. Julianne is every bit as charming and gracious and just plain nice as you might imagine, either from reading her books or following her online. (You can find Julianne online on Facebook, right here, and her website is here.) I’m delighted to have her here today.
Please welcome Julianne!
Julianne MacLean – on her Highlander Trilogy Conclusion
What would you do if you were trapped up against a Scottish standing stone by a savage beast of a Highlander with wild vengeance in his eyes?
That’s what happens in the first meet scene of my new historical romance, SEDUCED BY THE HIGHLANDER, and let me tell you, it was the most fun I had writing an opening scene in ages.
Those of you who have read my books in the past will know that I’ve been writing romances set in the late-Victorian period, and have written my share of ballroom scenes. Sometimes, however, a writer needs to shake things up a bit and explore new territory, which is why I was itching to start a new trilogy with a different setting and time period.
I couldn’t have chosen anything more dramatic than Scotland during the aftermath of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. These were turbulent times, and I’m quite sure that ballroom gossip was the last thing on a Highlander’s mind when he was charging across a battlefield with a terrifying war cry, drawing his claymore to meet his foe.
Okay, let’s stop right there.
THAT is the reason I wanted to write about the Highlands. Sure, the mountains and the mists are beautiful and all that, but it was the notion of the rugged, brawny warrior who borders on the barbaric that stirred my imagination.
What is it about a big, dangerous, savage in a kilt that gets under our skin?
I openly confess that I enjoyed exploring this question in all three books in my Highlander Trilogy. Each “first meet” scene was a thrill to write on every level. The heroine in the first book is an English debutante traveling north to marry her scarlet-uniformed gentleman fiancé, and when the hero breaks into her room, she is terrified of him – and rightly so, because he’s looking pretty angry and carrying a big, heavy axe. Then he drags her off into the night to parts unknown.
In the second book, the hero brings and army to invade the heroine’s castle, and after a triumphant conquest, he claims her as his bride.
In the third book, which releases today, the hero is cursed by a seductive witch and hunts her down three years later to regain his freedom from the curse. When he finds her, she is disguised as an heiress and claims she can’t remember anything about her life (much less how to break the curse), so he kidnaps her in order to help jog her memory.
There were so many complex emotions and conflicts to delve into in all three books. The characters were at war with each other in the opening scenes, which made the story arcs a challenging roller coaster of discovery and transformation. There were days when I, as the writer, didn’t know how the heroine was going to survive a certain situation, much less grow to love her enemy.
But isn’t that what we love best about romance novels? Even the most tortured, conflicted characters can overcome their demons and learn how to be gentle, and how to love.
Each of my Highlanders are rough and frightening, at least on the surface. But by the end of each book, a strong and loving woman helps him to find peace.
Thanks for joining me today, and please leave a comment about what kind of hero you love best. Do you like the dangerous, brooding type, or a more polite well-mannered gentleman? I’m going to give away three copies of CLAIMED BY THE HIGHLANDER to three lucky commenters, so don’t be shy!
Deborah Cooke: Author 
126 responses to “Visit from Julianne Maclean”
Love those highlander hunks. Where are they today?
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I do not know if I have a preference of gentlemen or knights/highland warriors, I go through phases of ballrooms and battlefields in my romance novel consumption. I think I mostly just like the idea of a man who is more than he appears, and who is different with the woman he loves than with everyone else; showing her the kind heart behind the facade, whether it is a polished mask of sophistication or a fearsome mask of deadly skills.
Either way I love reading about them and am looking forward to falling for yet another in your most recent novel.
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Can’t wait to get my hands on this for a read. Of course, would be even more fun to win it!! LOL Good luck with it – hopes it’s a bestseller for you.
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I love a warm and witty hero – with a dash of danger
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I have always been more attracted to the dark and brooding heroes.
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I like the dangerous, brooding type.
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I have read many of your books, and like you I have a thing for the Highlanders. Big, brawny, nice to look at, my kind of men. Too bad there are none around now!
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Rough is good,but loving is better
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I like both and a sense of humor always gets me. You can have the well mannered gentleman w/ a dangerous edge too…Gotta admit a preference for dark hair though…
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Julieanne has been one of my favorite authors and I have enjoyed all her books. What’s not to love about an alpha male in a kilt-WOW!
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I Like them dark big brooding kilts and long hair and scars . However I need to laugh sometime but not much.
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I just love and have all her books. Can’t wait to get my hands on this last one in the Highlander Series.
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I AM IN IT TO WIN IT!
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I prefer a rugged man who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty A man who is soft spoken, with a good sense of humor, and who can love completely would be welcomed in my heart and home anytime.
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I think I like the combination of the two the best. Just as long as its a Highlander. They are my favorite.
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I really like the dangerous, brooding type but; I like to have some kindness and a bit of humor about him.
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I like a hero who thinks he has it all together in his life and not in need of a wife/companion. Then, along comes a woman to show him that he is so very wrong! If authors add some humor here and there throughout a novel, they are the ones I keep coming back to book after book.
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As a young woman I liked the dark brooding type, but now I just want to smack them and say “snap out of it Mr. Broodypants, we all have issues”. Now I like a man who gets things done, has intelligence and humor, strength and compassion.
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Love this highland series, the men are magnetic, the covers are great and I really hate to see these stories come to an end…
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I really like the dangerous type of hero. Keeps me on my toes while reading. Now the polite guy is good too but not as exciting ;).
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I can hardly wait to read this book as I really enjoyed the first two.
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I can’t wait from one book to the next. Just keep them coming!
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Love the dangerous handsome man!
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Give me a combination of the two, with a gentle side and a bit of humor in the story.
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I love Julianne’s stories. I have ever since I read her first ones. I have just about everything she has ever written. When it comes to the Highland Hunk stories they are T-E-R-R-I-F-I-C!!! So this is a very exciting series.
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Tough question, but I’m leaning towards the macho, hulky overbearing type if only because he is always tamed by his heroine and that’s the real fun.
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Excellent post well done !!!And what a giveaway so nice of you ! Thank you for the chance to win
Desere
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Silly me I forgot to answer your question I like the dangerous, brooding type, so much more passionate and interesting !
Desere
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Love, love, love your books. They certainly take me away, which in my crazy life is absolutey essential! You are truly a gifted author – I am always amazed at the depth of feeling you bring out with each and every one of your wonderful stories. Thank you for that. And love those Highlanders!
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I love to read about the dark, dangerous, and brooding types, but I’ll stick with my non-brooding hubby in the real world. Yes, I have my cake and eat it, too!
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Great blog post! =)
I definitely love a hard, rough edged hero with a big heart. There really is just something about a rugged highland warrior that gets the heart beating faster. I find when I go off to read other genres and types of heroes that I always come back to the wild untamed hero wanting more.
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I definitely do like the dangerous, brooding type but I also like the more polite her who is dangerous and brooding underneath it all.
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Dangerous and brooding…but oh so very warm when you get to know him!
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I love highlander warriors and I am so glad this books is out today, I ordered the print version because I love to hold paper books. Love your books
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Give me the dangerous, brooding type. Please give him to me. LOL
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How about dangerous & well mannered? Brooding sounds too much like hard work.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
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What is not to like about Highland Hunks… Always loved those strong silent types, the deeper they are, the more passionate… Always enjoy your books Julianne…
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I like the dangerous, brooding, tortured hero, I think they’re so much more fun.
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I like them dangerous and brooding. It gives them an edge I don’t see in my normal life!
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Love the day old bearded wonders. Looks like the just woke up and have not shaved yet, but they have this funny smeark on their faces, like they had a wonderful evening and are still thinking about it.
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Definitely the dangerous, brooding type!! I married one of those 30 years ago, and it’s still the same!!!;)
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I love me a man in a kilt
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I’m not sure I have a favourite type, although I do tend to love the dark, brooding ones, but it really depends on the story/author. Thanks!
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Love this book. I truely hope to be a winner !
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Love any and all things highlander. Nothing is as sexy as a man in a kilt.
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Give me a Highlander any day of the week! I want a man who knows he’s a man but can still stop and smell the roses. And I’ve waited a long time to win, oops, I mean, read this book!
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Always have been pulled toward that dark , brooding
fellow who appeals to my warm and loving side.
Pat Cochran
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Give me a rugged Highlander any day. They may be a bit more intimidating, but when I needed help, he is the one I would want on my side.
Highland romances were the first romances I read and are still my favorites many years later. This is a series I will enjoy.
I hope the release goes well.
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Dark and dangerous, of course.
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I think I like the brooding type the best
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