In Stone of Lust, a young woman finds herself in a dangerous conflict with evil Fae as she comes face to face with the warrior who stole her heart. Where did the idea for this novel come from?

From the start, I knew the third book in my series, Stone of Lust, would be a Viking tale. I knew it would feature Colin’s sister, Ainslie, and she would have this juxtaposition between the caring special ed teacher and the warrior inside her heart that, as a child, whipped her older brother, the Laird, while sparring.

I chose the MacDougall clan for my series from the get-go for several reasons. Dunstaffnage Castle has a tumultuous history; the Chapel in the Woods provided the mystic magical element I wanted, and their ancestor was the Lord of Lorne, the ruler of the Western Isles of Scotland in Viking time. Their family history screamed for a Viking story, and I’d miss a huge opportunity if I didn’t tell it.

There was so much about the Viking era with the Lord of Lorne. The idea of merging the modern Ainslie with the stern, rugged Viking ancestor’s first guard, Rannick, proved a great temptation for storytelling and an intriguing romantic tale. The dual plot line with Brielle’s kidnapping and Ainslie’s brother’s rescue provided an opportunity to include a historical relic, the Brooch of Lorne, which is an actual artifact that carried mystical stones the MacDougall ancestors believed gave the person wearing it magical powers. Including that gift from research was such fun for me.

Much of what the reader sees from the Viking era in my book comes from history. How the ships sail, and the men travel is true to historic accountings. “The Thing,” their grand gathering and healing methods, come from meticulous research. I found the Viking people to be just as sophisticated as rugged. Their values and morals are of the highest standard. The way Vikings take these nearly opposing elements and combine them into a thriving society is the heart of what makes them such a dramatic era to write about. There is such richness in the tales it almost writes itself.

Two years ago, my husband and I traveled to Scotland. A highlight of the trip was the stop in Oban since it was near the castles featured in my books, Dunstaffnage and Dunollie castles. I spent a memorable day between the locations featured in my books. Our accommodation, The Oban Inn, faced Oban Bay and the setting sun. Each evening, I’d sit having wine and dinner with the Lord of Lorne’s Castle Dunollie to my right, the Viking Bay before me where the Vikings landed their dragon ships and the sunset beyond. Truly inspiring!

Note, we went in June, and the sunsets last long, not finishing until 10:30 pm. The sun rises at 3:30 am since Scotland is so far north. Being there gives you an other-worldly feeling.

Do you have a favorite scene in this installment of the Stones of Iona series? 

It’s an excerpt I often use, the Viking Feast conversation between Ainslie and Rannick, where he frets over his uncontrolled lust for fighting, and Ainslie explains how there are many types of lust.

Excerpt from Stone of Lust

Ainslie smoothed her hand over his firm fist, and he relaxed it a little. She understood his warrior’s heart. The desire to control the fierce energy within him that wanted to wage war but still needed to be gentle with his friends and family. The people he loved deeply. Maybe if she explained how she saw the bloodlust, he might understand the balance between the two.

“Bloodlust is something every fighter has, Rannick. Even women.”

He stared at her hand, gently stroking his, and he relaxed a little more.

Her fingers trailed along his knuckles. “Fighting comes in many forms, not just the sword a warrior wields, but a mother’s fight to bring an infant into the world, a husband’s fight to hunt for food for his family, a warrior’s fight to defend his land.”

She opened his fingers and lightly brushed hers along his palm, from his fingertips to his wrist and back. “A child’s fight to survive in a hard world.” She slowly traced the lines in his hand. “Using the bloodlust for the right reasons and causes is the art of being a great warrior.”

Rannick glanced at his hand, then her face. His free hand came to her cheek and caressed it.

He used his thumb to tilt her head till their eyes connected. “Warrior for the children, woman of war. Is yer bloodlust only for the children?”

Ainslie gazed into Rannick’s bright blue eyes and became lost. She spoke before she thought. “Everyone, I fight for everyone. Who does yer bloodlust fight for, Rannick?”

He leaned toward her, and their breaths mingled. “I fight for many things.” He licked his lips and spoke softly. “But tonight, I use it to pursue the woman I love.”

I find Ainslie MacDougal to be a fascinating character. What was the inspiration for her traits and dialogue?

There are several inspirations I drew from—some from myself and others from people around me.

The first—the special education teacher came from my triplets’ teachers when they were young. The caring nature combined with the hard will to reach a child and teach them was something I felt was a warrior at heart.

Ainslie’s strong will and determination came from me. My strong will and tenacity are characteristics that helped me raise triplets and forge ahead into the dream of writing my stories and seeing them published.

Last is her desire to learn to fight. The idea of sending a modern woman to the past who not only could be a warrior but also brought a juxtaposition of modern ideas was a plotline I felt too tempting to pass up.

Ainslie has a special place in my heart since there’s much of my personality in her. I enjoyed writing Anslie, and I hope readers adore her as much as I do.

Will there be a fourth installment in this series? If so, what can readers expect to see? 

The fourth release from the Stones of Iona series is the Christmas Companion book Thistle in the Mistletoe, a Christmas companion book featuring Mary and Roderick (Colin’s identical ancestor in the past featured in Book One, Stone of Love). An innocent highland beauty seeks peace in a forced marriage to her clan’s greatest enemy as betrayal looms from within; she only hopes to find true love. Releases November 4^th.

The fourth book in the series, Stone of Hope, is Dominic’s story (Brielle’s brother). Adrenaline junkie, special ops hunk, finds himself hunting a magic Fae stone as his niece and nephew, who possess Fae powers, land them in the middle of a 1930s Egyptian dig of an attractive archaeologist whose archenemy attempts to steal her work. Releases January 13^th.

The fifth book in the seven-book series, Stone of Doubt Evie’s story. (Colin and Bree from Stone of Love daughter) A human with Fae powers finds herself fulfilling an old magic stone prophecy as her lost dream boy, now a man, must rescue her from the cruel grip of an evil monster and save the realms. It will be released in 2025.

To keep up with all my latest information, check out my webpage, www.margaretizardauthor.com

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