Please welcome Amanda McCabe back to the blog! And she’s not alone, in a way. She’s joined by Lady Caroline Blacknall, one of the main characters of McCabe’s Lady of Seduction, the third novel in her Daughters of Erin series. So we’ll zip our digital lips and let them take it away.

We’re here with Lady Caroline Blacknall as she prepares herself to head for the isle of Muirin Inish. Can you spare a minute to answer a few of our questions?

Once I get my trunks packed!  But who needs more than a couple of gowns and the right books?  I would rather have a wee dram and chat with you!

First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.

You know what they say about youngest children?  “The youngest children tend to be most affectionate, and more sophisticated than their peers without older siblings to show them the ropes.”  I am quite sure I read that somewhere, and my two older sisters would agree!  When they aren’t saying I was a pest who followed them around all the time.  I wasn’t the pretty one, or the responsible one, but I was the bookish one, the one hiding in the library.  Which is where I met Grant, hiding out from a party….

And so, why Muirin Inish? What are you hoping to find out there?

A book, of course!  An ancient volume of Irish myths, which Grant alone possesses.  And since he is a recluse now, I must seek him out, no matter how stormy the sea I have to cross.  No matter how attracted to him I once was.

Have you ever been out on a boat before?

Yes, to England!  But not alone, and not seeking a man….

What does your family think about your trip? How do your parents like the idea of you going out like this? What about your Husband?

My eldest sister lives in France now, and my middle sister (who was once almost engaged to Grant herself!) is a duchess.  My mother has married a dangerous man herself, a younger man (shocking!  And wonderful).  They worry about me, I am their “baby,” even if I’m a widow.  They would worry more if they knew who I was meeting.  You must not tell them!!!

Oh! You’re a widow? We’re so sorry to hear that. Forget we ever asked about your husband. However, an accomplished woman like yourself must have another man on her horizon? What about this Grant fellow we’ve heard so much about?

My husband was older than me, a scholar, a gentleman, and I cared about him.  But I confess no one has ever made me feel like Grant once did.  Excited, anxious, angry, ecstatic.  I shiver thinking about it!

Do you have a guide or a chaperone set to head out with you at least?

Not at all.  No one knows where I’m headed, which is quite unlike me…

Well then, how good are you in an emergency? Have you ever been in a life or death situation before?

Oh, indeed, with Grant himself.  I was kidnapped (by mistake; such a long story!) and ended up nearly dying in a fire, until he rescued me.  He was scarred by it all, and I cannot help but wonder what will happen when I see him again.

(For the tale of Caroline and Grant’s meeting, see Duchess of Sin…)

We’ll let you get back to it then, Lady Blacknall. We can tell you’re excited to get on your way. Thank you so much for your time. If we could just ask you one last question, what do you think about all of this fuss to free Ireland?

My sister is exiled because of her beliefs, and I support her!  I hope to help myself, through my studies.  And by Grant’s side.

If you, like us, are dying to find out what happens next for Lady Blacknall, treat yourself to a copy of Lady of Seduction to find out. And don’t forget to drop us a line in the comments before you go!

Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen–a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…)

She’s never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network–even though she doesn’t cook.

You can find out more on her website, or by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, BookBub, and Pintrest. She also has a blog!