Dear Reader;
Welcome back to medieval Scotland!
The Renegade’s Heart is the first book in my True Love Brides series, which picks up the story of the Lammergeier siblings from my Jewels of Kinfairlie series. By the end of The Snow White Bride, Alexander had resolved to let his younger sisters marry for love and at their own choice. This new series tells those stories at long last. It has been a few years since I wrote about Kinfairlie and Ravensmuir, so time has passed for my characters as well. The older sisters have had children, Eleanor is pregnant for the second time, and both Isabella and Elizabeth are impatient to find their true loves.
The Renegade’s Heart is Isabella’s story. Although she is younger than Annelise, the Isabella we already know and love is not one to be shy about stepping forward out of turn. Murdoch and the injustice he has experienced makes him the perfect hero for Isabella – while she is the woman who can set all to right in his world. Murdoch’s experience is out of the ordinary – he has been the captive of the Elphine Queen, a Fae monarch, and realizes that his release from her kingdom is just a trick. He resolves to make whatever time he has in the mortal realm worthwhile and sets out to correct an injustice done to his family, apparently by the family at Kinfairlie. He never anticipates that Isabella will not only help him to succeed, but will steal his heart and save him from the dark queen’s plans. Their story is that of love conquering considerable obstacles and it was fun to write.
This book begins as the new series will continue, with more prevalent paranormal and fantasy elements than was the case in the Jewels of Kinfairlie trilogy. I always wanted the realm of the Fae to become more intermingled with the world of the Lammergeier family – we’ve heard the stories before that Kinfairlie was a portal to the Fae realm. Now the Elphine Queen is asserting her power in this neglected corner of her realm and the portals between the worlds are being kicked wide open. I’m looking forward to the interactions between the worlds and the conflicts that will inevitably result.
A series of linked books also gives us a large cast of characters. That there are eight siblings in the Kinfairlie family is one thing, but as they marry and have children, the list of characters becomes more extensive. It even takes me a few minutes to straighten out who is who each time I come back to Kinfairlie! As a result, I’ve added a Cast of Characters for your reference.
There is also an excerpt at the back from the next book in the True Love Brides series: The Highlander’s Curse is Annelise’s book.
In other news, I will be making a quick trip back to the future this summer. My Prometheus Project trilogy featuring fallen angel heroes left one character without his happy ending. I’ve been worried about Tupperman ever since that series was completed, and I finally figured out his story. “Halo Not Required” is a novella set in that dystopian future society and starring Tupperman. It takes place after Rebel, when Tupperman has so lost hope that he thinks he has nothing left to lose. He takes a dare with Lucifer to retrieve a lost angel – only to fall in love and realize he has many reasons to survive, if he can. Look for Tupperman’s story in August 2012. (Note that this changed since this reader letter was published: Tupperman’s story became a book called Abyss.)
That’s all my news for this time! I’ve had a wonderful time revisiting Kinfairlie and I hope you enjoy Isabella’s story.
Until next time, I hope you are well and have plenty of good books to read.
All my best,
Claire
Read more about The Renegade’s Heart.
Deborah Cooke: Author 