Archived Novel Spotlight
Surrender To A Scoundrel
Julianne MacLean

Original Date: January 2007
Interviewed by January

Surrender To A Scoundrel
Julianne MacLean
ISBN# 0060819367
On Sale January 2007

1-Can you please tell us about your novel Surrender To A Scoundrel?

SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL is a historical romance about a notorious rake who is also the yacht racing champion of England in 1891. All the world believes him to be a carefree rake, but only the heroine, Evelyn Wheaton, knows there's turbulence beneath the surface charm. She is the only woman who is not swooning over his charisma, and for that reason, he can't resist her. Martin loves a challenge, and he sets out to woo her, and for once in her life, she decides to enjoy herself, however temporary the pleasures might be.

2-When did you know you were going to write Lord Martin's story?

Lord Martin first appeared in TO MARRY THE DUKE, which was the first book in the series, and he's the duke's younger brother, only seventeen years old, so at the time, I wasn't thinking about giving him a book. If I did, it was a "maybe someday" kind of thought. Then I started getting letters from readers asking if he would get a book, and by the time I'd written the whole series, surprise, he was older!

3-What is it about Evelyn's character that made her right for Martin?

On the surface, Martin and Evelyn are polar opposites - he's reckless, wild and very sociable, while she is reserved, sensible, and shy. But as the book progresses, he discovers that she is in fact a very similar creature on a deeper level.

Evelyn is different from all the other women in Martin's social circle - because she doesn't let herself be charmed by him. In fact, this is a defensive measure, because she has never considered herself to be a beauty, she knows rejection all too well, and is afraid of getting hurt. So Martin is forced to work a little harder to get to know the real woman beneath the cool exterior and bring her out of her shell, and he soon finds himself becoming enraptured by something real at last, rather than a superficial encounter. What he discovers is a woman who loves the same things he loves in life, a woman who can teach him many things about joy and peace of mind. She is also a woman who needs to learn a few things herself - from him, and no other.

4-Lord Martin's character was a complex one full of layers, he wasn't what he appeared to be, was that how you originally saw him?

That's how I see all the characters I write about. If I don't explore their psyche's too deeply in one particular book, I always know there's got to be more beneath the surface, as there is with real people in real life. And because of the date the book is set, I had a number of missing years to play with, so I was able to explore what he would have been doing in that time, and how his character would have evolved even before SURRENDER begins.

5-I know reading this story made me cry in some parts, was this an emotional story for you to write?

Definitely. And of all the books I've written, this one has my favorite ending. (Or maybe it's a tie with Love According to Lily.) I get a lump in my throat just thinking about where the characters are on the last page, and where they are going.

As some of you know, I'm a Maritimer from Nova Scotia, and when I was a girl, my father was an underwater filmaker and shipwreck hunter, so I spent a lot of time on secluded ocean coves and in fishing boats. I live near the water and absolutely love the smell of the sea, so just the setting alone and the excitement of being on the water was important to me.

Martin's and Evelyn's love story was emotional for me, too, as Evelyn went through a lot while learning to value herself enough to feel worthy of a good man's love. I love that she never gave up on Martin, and learned to charge forward with grit and determination to get what she wanted, even against impossible odds. And Martin - well, he went through a lot, too, and had experienced his share of tragedy in the past. Seeing him come through it was a great relief.

6-How much research did you do on yachting and sailing for this story?

Lots! I read books on the subject and my good friend took me sailing, and I also went to visit the Isle of Wight off the coast of England, where most of the story takes place. I had to research the history of yachting as well, since the book takes place in 1891. I thoroughly enjoyed all that. It was a refreshing change from my usual research.

7-This is the last novel in the American Heiress Series. Are there any bittersweet moments as you leave this series behind and start on a new one? Can you give us any details on the new series that is coming out later in 2007?

I do feel sorry to leave this series behind, and I also have a hankering to give Lord Spence (a secondary character in SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL) his own book, but I can't right now because I've already begun the new series. Maybe I'll do a novella sometime...

I just turned in the first book in The Pembroke Palace Series, which is set in the late-Victorian period in England, and it's about an aging duke with four sons. The palace has more than its share of problems and conflicts, as the duke is going rather... How shall I say it? Okay, he's going mad. He thinks the palace is cursed. But I'm not going to say much more than that for now - except that the first book has the oldest son escaping into an erotic diary with an intriguing young lady, just to escape the madness at home.