Hello & Welcome All!

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Susanne Dunlap author of The Falconer’s Lost Baron.

Hi Susanne, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

You are so welcome!

For those readers not familiar with you, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a historical novelist (14 novels) who has made a thrilling switch to Regency romance, which I’m absolutely loving. I live by myself in Biddeford, Maine, in a converted textile mill, and I lived for 10 years in London a LONG time ago (both my daughters were born there). I have a PhD in Music History from Yale, which I was hoping to turn into a college teaching job. Sigh.

Who or What inspired you to become a writer?

I think I’ve wanted to become a writer since I first read Nancy Drew books when I was about 8 years old. I didn’t do it seriously, however, for decades after. I spent 20 years writing advertising copy, and was a musician (pianist) and academic, so I wrote for both of those careers. It was only after I managed not to get a job teaching music history (long story) that I turned to writing fiction based on the research I loved. My first book was published when I was 50. (Emilie’s Voice, Touchstone Books of Simon & Schuster, 2005)

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

A combination. I used to be a pantser, but I’ve forced myself to become more organized and plan more—something that I think is essential in creating a successful romance novel.

What are some books you have enjoyed recently?

I’ve been listening to all Georgette Heyer’s novels over and over, and I’ve also been listening to M.C. Beaton’s Regency novels, as well as Christina Dudley’s. Because I write during the time I used to read for pleasure, I do almost all my reading as listening now while I’m out on my daily walks. I did absolutely love Remarkably Bright Creatures too.

5 Quick Things About Susanne:

– Favorite Food? Brussels sprouts and chocolate are more or less tied.
– Favorite Drink? Tea—I think I consume two pots a day, one caffeinated, one herbal
– Favorite Color? Just about any shade of blue
– Favorite Book? Whatever I happen to be reading!
– Favorite Season? Autumn

Tell us all about your main characters — Who are they? What makes them tick?

Antonella: She’s a bit of a rebel, and at the beginning of the book a big revelation throws her into complete confusion, no longer knowing who she is. She seeks refuge in her passion: caring for the birds in the woods, healing them in her little shed.

Belinda: Twin sister, born to be a society belle, but devoted to Antonella. She has a big heart. She wants nothing more than for her sister to be happy, but is one of those people who finds the good in everyone.

Lord Atherleigh: Lost his left hand in a battle on the Peninsula, is hiding from the world feeling sorry for himself. He thinks he just wants to be left alone.

Hector Gainesworth: Atherleigh’s close friend, determined not to let him wallow, but to get him to face the world again. He’s wealthy but untitled, his fortune comes from trade. He’s a notorious rake, but capable of real love too.

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

I think my favorite scene is when Lord Atherleigh discovers Antonella hiding in a closet, having fled from the masked ball after being tormented by horrible young gentlemen who throw her diminished status in her face.

Please share a few fun facts about this book…

1. I have worked with hawks myself, and although I had to do a lot of research too, my own experiences served as inspiration.

2. Amblemere Court is based on a stately home I visited decades ago in Cornwall, Cotehele.

3. I own a copy (in translation) of the falconry book that both Antonella and Atherleigh own: De arte venandi cum avibus (the Art of Hunting with Birds) by Frederick II Hohenstaufen.

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

It is entirely my pleasure! Thank you for having me.

The Falconer’s Lost Baron

A sweeping Regency tale of identity, devotion, and unexpected romance.

Lady Antonella thought she knew who she was—until a shattering family secret strips her of her name, her place in society, and her future. Cast adrift in Cornwall, she finds an injured goshawk in a poacher’s net and begins to nurse it back to health. But the hawk belongs to the war-scarred Lord Atherleigh—a man haunted by loss, determined to dismantle his mews, and certainly not expecting a spirited young woman to upend his solitude.

In London, her twin sister Belinda—radiant, poised, and newly on the marriage market—has only one goal: to find a worthy match… for Antonella. But when Hector Gainesworth, a charming rogue with laughter in his eyes and secrets of his own, turns his attention to Belinda instead, her heart begins to spin in an altogether unexpected direction.

As the sisters navigate betrayal, desire, and the demands of their hearts, two men must decide whether to risk everything for love. And Antonella’s goshawk may be the wild, winged thread that binds their fates.

Purchase Links
Amazon * Amazon UK

 

 

Susanne Dunlap is the author of over a dozen historical novels featuring strong women, from Medieval times to the 20th century. This is the fourth Regency Romance in her series of Double-Dilemma Romances. Susanne lives and writes in Biddeford, Maine.

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