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Visit Margaret Blake's web site
An excerpt from Dangerous Enchantment
About Margaret Blake
I was born in Manchester, England - actually during the blitz. My Grandson wrote a story about me and told how I was "born under a table" when actually what I had told him was that I used to "hide under a table when the bombs were falling!" If ever I do write an autobiography I certainly know what to call it.
John, the love of my life and my wonderful husband, recently died. He and I lived in the United States when we were younger, however we did not know one another then, and it is just one of those small coincidences that seem to bind us together. We used to travel quite a bit and lived in St Tropez, France for a short time, which was quite amazing. Now we live in Fleetwood, Lancashire and it is wonderful - I love being part of Lancashire once more!
I always wanted to be a writer but when I was growing up such things were not possible for me. My parents were wonderful but they were quite hard up. From being fifteen I had to go out and earn money and did lots of different jobs from window dresser, waitress and secretarial work. I ran a pub and worked in a hotel, lots of variety is highly recommended for any writer. Having such a varied career did me no harm, in fact in many ways it was a great educator.
I always wrote from being a little girl but it was John who encouraged me to do something about it and in l978 I had my first novel accepted for publication. I wrote historical and contemporary romance over a period of ten years and then opted to go into Higher education. This proved to be another remarkable experience, I can highly recommend being a student at 40, and you meet so many interesting people. It used to amuse me to see that it was the mature students that turned up for all the lectures!
I am proud to say that my historical romantic suspense The Substitute Bride made the finals at the Eppies this year.
I have one wonderful son, a fantastic daughter in law and three lovely grandchildren. They live in the States so I get to go over every year, which is marvelous.
My hobbies are walking and reading and of course writing. I like the theatre and films and television - I am a Frasier freak and just have to watch all the CSI shows. I really feel lucky to have my family and my friends. They are a wonderful support to me. They are carrying me over this lonely, heartbreaking path that I am currently on. Bless them all.
Back list
From Whiskey Creek Press
Spanish Lies
The Substitute Bride
Fortune’s Folly
Eden’s Child
Beloved Deceiver
From Robert Hale
Breaking the Clouds
A Poisoned Legacy
Shadows of the Past
From Wings Press
Bitter Betrayal.
An Interview with Margaret Blake
By Holly Hewson for The Romance StudioHH: Margaret, thank you for talking with us at TRS. Please tell us about your featured book, Dangerous Enchantment. MB: Dangerous Enchantment is an historical romantic suspense set in the 1480’s, just after the battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard the Third was killed. It tells the story of Kate Merryweather and the secret she carries. It is a dangerous time, the Lancastrians have won and Henry the Seventh sits uneasily on the throne of England but there are others with more right than he…if he knew who they were then they would have to be murdered.
HH: Your heroine is a woman living with a secret and your hero has inherited the house and land of her deceased husband. Where did you get the idea for this exciting tale? MB: I have always loved King Richard the Third and I wanted to write positive things about him. However, I am not a serious historian so I wove my love into this story. My hero is a Lancastrian who has been granted the lands of a dead Yorkist, the trouble is the house is already occupied.
HH: What do you like best about Kate and how do you relate to her? MB: Kate is a very brave young woman. She has been given by her King, a responsibility that puts her life in danger but she never shirks from that task. She is prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect the boy in her charge. She is also kind and clever.
HH: What do you like best about your hero and why might he be perfect for her? MB: Efan Caradoc is a Welshman who has had a hard, tough life. He has literally fought his way up into society. For his loyalty he is made a Lord and given extensive lands; he is cynical and suspicious and hard but he learns to respect Kate, for she too has risen beyond her birth.
I like Efan because he too is loyal and very honest and he has, in spite of appearances, a gem of kindness inside him.
HH: What sort of research went into this work? MB: I have written another book about this period – my first novel actually, A Sprig of Broom published in l978 – so I had all the research available.
I read extensively, a biography of Richard the Third, books about that period and wherever possible, some original records. I have often visited the Castle of Middleham in Yorkshire, which belonged to Richard the Third.
HH: What else do you have in store for lucky readers? MB: In June I have another historical romance, A Saxon Tapestry. This is set immediately after the Battle of Hastings. It says something of me that I seem to like the "underdog" for this also manages to promote positively, my other hero, King Harold of England. It also I think, lets the reader know that the Anglo Saxons were not as they were portrayed by the Normans, but were a cultured, artistic people. I don’t have a publication date yet for my modern romantic suspense but I am so looking forward to that one as it is very different and is set in Florida.
HH: So you had some good news for The Substitute Bride this year... MB: Yes I made the finals in the Eppies. Goodness that was so wonderful for me, a first time too. I should have loved to go but I was not able to make the arrangements as my husband was not too well. Unfortunately, John, the love of my life, died four weeks ago. This has been a terrible time for me, but I have been helped enormously by my lovely family and friends and of course, having to work on edits for A Saxon Tapestry and promotion for Dangerous Enchantment, meant I had to get up and go though my heart was breaking.
HH: I'm so sorry for your loss, Margaret... What would you most like to accomplish this year? MB: I am feeling too sad to even think about that.
HH: What are you reading these days? MB: I am reading Charlie Connolly’s latest book “And did those feet – walking through 2000 years of British and Irish History,” and he writes positively about King Harold too. A great read.
HH: Any exciting plans for the summer? MB: Not for summer yet, but I am hoping to visit my family in Florida pretty quickly.
HH: Thank you!
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