Welcome to Fallen Angel Reviews Margrett. I know you are very busy at this time of year and I appreciate you taking time to speak with us.

Hot to the Touch was just released in October by Ellora’s Cave. Can you tell us a little about Claudia and what she would like out of life?

I am pleased with the way Claudia grew and matured, even though HT3 is such a short story. She has taken her life as a spoiled and pampered girl in Ancient Rome for granted until her spirit begins to rebel when faced by a second marriage to another old man. She discovers true humanity and sympathy as she begins to see her slaves as people rather than objects. So she is ready to take what she wants when she acquires a young, virile slave, captured by her brother in foreign wars. At first, she thought she would merely learn ‘the pleasures of the bed’ but is captivated by her lover, and finds that he also cares for her. They both take enormous risks at the end to stay together and win physical and emotional freedom for themselves and for the people who serve them.

Your works Secret Services and Bella Donna have been well received by readers. In fact Bella Donna was nominated for the CAPA and both have gone to print. How did you react to this news?

Love it! LOL. I grew very fond of both my heroines and I am very drawn to the time period of the twenties and thirties. It was a time when people (at least those with money and standing) spent time and energy on enjoyment, even though black clouds of political turmoil were gathering in Europe. Both Gillian and Emma are forced to face the dangers inherent in the turbulent times and make choices that put them in danger. I hope the print books do well.

Are there genres you find more appealing to write? Read?

I like fictionalized history and I read a lot of mystery and suspense. I think I bring both these elements into my writing, even in the Quickies. I always have a puzzle or a danger that the hero and heroine must solve or overcome together.

Where did the idea of Heat come from?

As you may know, I have spent a lot of time in volunteer work in E. Africa since 2001. When we can get away, we love to go on safari, particularly to the Maasai Mara , which is an extension of the Serengeti. The flat, dry plains make it possible to see the many herds of animals so clearly. Of course, poaching is still a major problem in African game parks, either for bush meat or for collectors. I wanted a heroine who was intimately connected with the animals, so I found Sara, who is a shape shifter and takes the form of a lioness.

You spend many months in Africa each year. Can you share with readers a little of this experience?

I first came to Kenya as a tourist and always wanted to return because of
the beauty of the land and the rich culture of the people. In 2001 I served as a field agent for the Canadian Harambee Education Society which provides scholarships for bright, needy girls to go to High School. In 2003 I returned as Education Secretary for the Anglican Diocese of Maseno North in Western province and my husband runs a computer school. I work in schools with teachers and Head teachers.

We work on projects to improve schools, to sponsor bright students in school or college and to support women's initiatives. In addition I am a Rotarian and we have just dug three wells in local communities so that the women do not have to walk hours every day to carry water from small, muddy pools. We have four more wells pending and a dam planned for a women's cooperative that is raising goats.

What is one thing that you always take with you?

My laptop. It is a precious thing that I always bring so that I can write and keep in touch with my publisher and my writers’ groups. Next is the camera. Otherwise we bring good pens, as many office supplies as we can and, of course, the money we have raised while home in Canada. We also have to pack computer paper, such as label sheets for making business cards and photographic paper for printing digital pictures.

What has been the most memorable aspect of these trips?

Anyone who visits Africa is impressed by the indomitable spirit of the people. Their optimism, courage, friendliness and strong family ties are inspirational. We hope that our small contribution will bear fruit in one corner of the continent. The motto of the Canadian Harambee Education Society is 'We can't do everything, but we can do something.' We remember that almost every day.

What do you enjoy about writing?

Creating characters. Losing myself in a new world. Unfortunately I am so busy in Africa that I have little time to write, but my subconscious is working all the time, gnawing away at plot and character development. And when I do sit down to write it feels wonderfully liberating.

Heart’s Delight was just contracted by Ellora’s Cave. Can you give us a hint about this new paranormal romantica? When can we get our hands on it?

I don’t have a release date yet, although the final edits have gone in. This is the story of Elaine, a young woman who is struggling to maintain her riding stable in the face of developers who want her land. The recent death of her beloved grandfather adds to her worries. She has a friend who insists on giving her sex toys, which Elaine never uses. But she receives the gift of an antique mirror that her grandfather had bought for her and things begin to change. She starts to see things in the mirror, including a young man, Quinn, who makes her heart beat faster. What she is seeing is the original Victorian family who owned the mirror. Eventually she pulls Quinn through the glass into her life and her bed. Quinn is fascinated by the sex toys she has accumulated and they play a large part in their love affair. There is a mystery, a villain and danger to overcome before the happy ending, which is not necessarily what you might expect.

When you are not writing, how else do you spend your time?

I plan workshops for my Kenyan teachers and of course make sure that all our projects, wells, education etc are on track. In Canada I spend quite a lot of time speaking to various groups about our work. I read as much as I can. At home in Canada we have a sail boat and we also like to walk, and spend time with friends. We are privileged to live in a beautiful part of the world on the West Coast. Our time in the Third World has made us look critically at the many ways there are to spend money in the Western world and we are very selective about our entertainment. I must say, however, that our older son gave us a pile of DVDs, so in Kenya in the evening we often fire up the laptop after supper and watch a movie. We have no radio or TV and there is no movie theatre in town, so this makes a nice change of pace.

What else are you working on?

I have started a futuristic shape shifter which I think is going well. The hero is a panther and the heroine a psychic with a hidden agenda. I have also submitted a more lighthearted ghost story to EC for consideration for an anthology, but I haven’t yet heard if it has been accepted.

Thank you Margrett for joining us today. You are one very busy woman and I know the readers and I have appreciated getting to learn more about you and your work. Readers, if you want to read more about her stories or hear more about her trip to Africa, stop by her website.

Interviewed by: Amanda