Welcome to the Interviews page, to read interviews that I have had recently or previous author interview that I did for the site, go to the bottom of the page and click on the link.

I will be interviewing an author or editor here every month. This month I interviewed author Kathleen Givens.

Kyla: Welcome, Kathleen. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by me. =) Can you tell us about your latest release?

Kathleen: Thanks for the invitation, Kyla! I really enjoyed meeting you and wish we'd had more time to talk at the conference. My latest release was May 22, a mass market edition of ON A HIGHLAND SHORE, which came out last July in trade paperback. It's set on the western shore of Scotland, in 1263, during the reign of Alexander III, when tensions between Scotland and Norway were high, and a renegade Norseman decided to take the law into his own hands. It's got Vikings, Scots, and a war - what better setting in which to place a love story?

My Highland series will follow Margaret MacDonald, two of her siblings, and their descendants, for 500 years. In July, the second book, RIVALS FOR THE CROWN - set in the Braveheart period and featuring William Wallace himself - will arrive and continue the saga of the MacGannons and MacDonalds. It's the story of two best friends in London and two cousins in Scotland, all thrust into the madness of the rivalry for the throne of Scotland. It was fascinating to research and to roam from Edward I's glittering court to border towns and the western shore of the Highlands.

Kyla: Can you tell us what you are working on just now?

Kathleen: I'm writing the third in my Highland series, currently title-less, set during the Robert the Bruce years. It continues the story of the MacGannon and MacDonald families, and fills in some of the threads left hanging in the first two. This will conclude the first trilogy of the series, and then I'll skip forward in time to resume the saga.

Kyla: Would you like to tell us about your 'love affair' with my homeland -- Scotland? And how this has shown through in your writing?

Kathleen: It is indeed a love affair, and one in which I am revelling. It started with my affection for shortbread, bagpipes, and books by Mary Stewart - and men in kilts, of course - and ended with a new career when my first books, KILGANNON and THE WILD ROSE OF KILGANNON were published in 1999. Seven books later I'm still writing about Scots and still madly in love.

I knew that both my husband and I have Scottish blood, but it wasn't until I did some research on my Irish bloodlines that I discovered that my ancestors came from the same part of the Highlands as his (one of my ancestors was a gallowglass warrior and I'm hoping to tell his story one day). I began to study Scottish history intensely and was amazed at the dramatic stories and legends I uncovered. As I dug further, I became fascinated with the reality behind the iconoclastic image of the Highlander, and by the many cultures that mixed to form your homeland. I am a Celt, and when I go to Scotland, part of me has come home. I've tried to be true to your country's history, to show both the valour and tragedy that formed modern Scotland. It's a wonderful heritage to have - the Scots, as I said in my prologue of ON A HIGHLAND SHORE, are a mix of many peoples, made of steel and fire and magic and mist, a people who have travelled the world and changed it forever. I'm humbled by those who went before us and try simply to tell their tales as best I can.

Kyla: I just love the name of your Blog. Tell us the story of how it came to be called this?

Kathleen: Thanks! We get a lot of comments about our irreverent blog THE WHINE SISTERS (www.whinesisters.com). Julia London, Sherri Browning Erwin and I have a good time with our blog and the Whiners who join us. I first met Julia in - of all places - the loo, where we started talking and whining about the queue, about the blistering hot weather in Chicago that summer, and the busy schedule. Julia did some spectacular and memorable whining and I knew I'd found a kindred spirit. That evening we were both surprised to meet at a cocktail party (wine glasses in hand) and learn that we both wrote for Dell Publishing. Sherri, stranger to us both, joined us - also wine glass in hand - and a beautiful friendship was born. We've been whining and wining together ever since.

Kyla: Tell us who your favourite authors are, do you have any recommendations about books we just have to read?

Kathleen: Most unfortunately, I have little time to read for pleasure, and when I do, rarely read other historical authors, although I never miss a book by Julia London and Sherri Browning Erwin. I read almost everything - not horror, and few westerns - but these days mostly read non-fiction and research material. I will always love epic historicals and learned a great deal from Pearl Buck, Robert Elegant, James Clavell, Mary Stewart, and Anya Seton, masters all of them. My books have been compared to those of Philippa Gregory, Sharon Kay Penman, and Diana Gabaldon, which I consider to be marvelous and humbling compliments. My "To Be Read" pile is embarrassingly high and I love to find a new author in which to immerse myself. Any suggestions?

Kyla: It was wonderful meeting you at the Booklover Convention in Germany, Kathleen, one final question. Please tell us where we can purchase your fabulous books and where we can find out all about your latest news.

Kathleen: My books are available from most bookstores - some of the older ones might need to be special ordered, and online, of course. A printable list can be found on my website. All of my books have been translated into German, and some into Spanish, Japanese, and Russian. I'm told more languages are on the way and am hoping to soon have those covers up on the website as well.

I can be reached at kathleen@kathleengivens.com and invite everyone to visit both my website at www.kathleengivens.com and at The Whine Sisters. Anyone who would like to be added to my irregularly sent newsletter can send an email to kathleengivensnewsletter@yahoo.com and be added to the list.

Kyla, thank you so much for inviting me to join you and for our wonderful chats in Germany. I hope we get together again soon. Good writing to you and safe journey, wherever you roam. Take care and Slainte!

Thank you to Kathleen for her interview answers. Look out for a great interview with Irish author Trisha FitzGerald-Petri next month.

Watch this space for further announcements of who will be interviewed next.

Kyla