If anyone had told me back in August of
2012 that by now, I’d not only have completed and published three full-length
historical romance novels, but also have numerous works out along with the
launch of three other series, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. Yet it’s
true.
In 2002, I had this thread of an idea for
a Victorian maritime story set in France. That book became a long project which
somehow morphed into an empire. In 2013, Upon
Your Return was released. I was ecstatic! Not only was my first historical
romance on the market, it was traditionally published to boot. Not too long
after receiving the book contract for UYR, an image of a young woman stowing
away on a ship materialized in my mind. Before I knew it, I was planning book
two in the series, Upon Your Honor. The
third book, Upon Your Love, came to
me then as well.
Quickly, the entire project transformed
into a compelling period drama, with elements of romance and suspense, about a
family in New Orleans. Of course, the books were set in various locations
besides that city. Yet each individual had his or her own trials to face. So, I
guess you could say none of this was planned. The muse took on a life of its
own, and the Heiresses in Love Series came to fruition. The same thing occurred
with my other three series, the Magick Series, the Blood at First Sight Series
and the Code of Endhivar Series. Even though they all landed in different
genres or subgenres, there was one underlying theme.
Family.
Not only are the books about families, in
a sense, I’m a reader myself. And whenever I read a series by one of my
favorite authors, I rapidly become hooked on the stories and the characters.
You warm up to them like a relative you’d see at family gatherings. Maybe
you’re not with that person every day, but he or she inevitably becomes a part
of you. They give your life meaning. Think of it like a TV series. You connect
with the characters, so you keep cheering them on in all their life’s successes,
as well as sympathizing with their failures or tragedies.
For me, writing a series has a similar
purpose. As authors, we spend so much time getting to know our characters. They
become friends, or even family members, and after a series is finished, there
is a mourning period. I suppose it’s like moving out on your own. Sure, you
love your parents, and you experience a little sadness at the idea that they’ll
no longer be close at hand. But you know you must become the person you’re
meant to be. You have to fly, though your parents will always hold a special
place in your heart. And you’ll go back to visit now and then.
Writing a series is somewhat like loving
your family. You grow close to them, even have occasional tiffs, but the
familial bond can never be broken. And the Heiresses in Love Series will always
be dear to me, for a number of reasons. I love the characters as if they were
my own family.
Feel free to call me crazy; I’ll own up to
it. I think writers need a touch of madness to write good stories. Yet we can’t
deny that our characters become a vital part of us, even if they sprouted from
our minds and came to life on the page. They are more than a fragment in a
book, though.
They are family.
Marie Lavender
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