Today I have a treat for you. The heroine from Stone of Fear by Margaret Izard, Marie Murray, is here to join us. She agreed to join us to talk about her experiences including falling in love and traveling through time with a very bad man. So, grab your favorite beverage and join us. Marie, take it away.
I am so glad to be here! I’ve never done an interview before. Well, one that wasn’t for the university for my studies. I’m at Dunstaffnage Castle, Oben, Scotland, working on an assignment for the Historic Environment of Scotland. It’s the spiritual buildings I specialize in as an archeology architect. I love historic worship houses. The grander, the better. When the chance came to work with Brielle DeVolt, now MacDougall, renovating the Chapel in the Woods, I jumped at the chance. Redoing the mosaic flooring was a passion, but meeting the love of my life, John MacArthur was mind-boggling. Ye see, we fell for each other while Bree and Colin traveled back in time searching for an Iona Stone, magic Fae stones, and the MacDougall’s guard for the Fae. John, ye see, he’s the Captain of the Castle and a handsome man if ye ask me. But enough waxing on. Let’s get to yer questions.
Where would you most like to live?
A historic modified church building. One made to fit today’s building code but embodied the historic architecture and spirit of the building. I’d love to oversee a remodel one day, like my friend Bree, but those projects are hard to come by. The expense is out of reach, and anyone would not want to invest in the old church buildings. It is such a shame.
What is your most treasured possession?
My grandma’s necklace. It’s like Bree’s filled with a stone of Iona Isle. My grandma, who raised me after my ma’s death, gave it to me. She said I’d need it one day and I always wear it. People say the rocks from Iona are magic, and I like to believe they are.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Ha! Can; I’m small, almost a midget by some standards. Barely five feet tall. But at times, it’s nice to be short. I can wiggle into spaces most cannot.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Loyalty. A man who wouldn’t leave a woman alone to fend for herself. No matter the obstacles, a man must stand by her support, and love her. To leave a woman alone, to defend herself, well, I can’t abide that.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A cuppa with a biscuit and clotted cream. No, wait, a juicy cheeseburger with a stout beer. Oh, that would be nice. Fish and chips, mmm, that would be yummy as well. Ye know the Dunstaffnage Marina pub serves the best lunch.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Loneliness. My ma died when I was young, leaving me alone in the world. My da, he left, but it was always my ma and me. Grandma did a great job raising me, but it wasn’t the same. She died, too, and all that there was - was me. I made friends fast and spent time with all I could to stave off the loneliness, but it’s still there—just me and the world.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Betrayal. To give someone yer trust and have it broken, even of my mistake. I’m not too fond of that. I give my trust, and it means something to me. My friends are most valuable to me. Their trust and friendship mean a lot, and I would never hurt them.
What are your favorite names?
It’s a Scottish slang nickname – scabby bassa. It means a mean guy. I’ve had a few mean ex-boyfriends, and there’s no better word for them than scabby bassa.
Thank you, Marie, for the insightful interview. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with you. Readers, scroll down to read more about Marie’s adventures through time and the love she shares with John.
Title Stone of Fear
Author Margaret Izard
Genre Paranormal Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
She’d give everything to keep his love. He’d chase her through time to save her soul.
Marie Murray, a spunky expert on spiritual buildings, jumps at the opportunity to renovate the chapel mosaic floor at Dunstaffnage Castle, where she falls hard for the dashing John MacArthur. From their first kiss, sparks fly.
Believing her religious renovation creates magic, a fanatical priest kidnaps Marie. Obsessed with obtaining a powerful magic Stone of Iona, he drags her to 15th-century Scotland.
With his love kidnapped, John must tackle his hereditary duty and locate a magic Fae stone while chasing his love across time. Her memories of their passion keep her sane. His fuel his will to find her.
Will John get to Marie in time to save her soul?
Excerpt
When he strolled toward the chapel, he smiled. She would stay there much longer now the Historic Society of Scotland approved the next project, the excavation of what Marie and Bree believed to be the village from the eighteenth century. Last night remained magical and marked the beginning of their new life together.
Magical. The word sparked John’s memory of the first time he observed Marie from the wall walk the day she arrived for Bree’s renovation project. Laird Ronald and Lady Emily MacDougall remained alive, back when things were simpler. The laird and lady were away, which left John to show Marie around. He never forgot the first time he saw her.
From his perch on the wall walk, John waited for the scholar. She stepped out of the car, grabbed her bags from the back seat, and glanced at the chapel. She possessed bright golden hair she pulled back in a ponytail which flapped in the wind. John’s eyes followed her gaze to the chapel as the building sat in the morning light. Like a beacon, it glowed brightly in the sunlight. The dew cast shimmering flecks of light which reflected off the water like jewels in the woods.
He sensed her step as she rounded the car. John saw her more clearly. Marie’s petite body strode with a lively bounce to her step. She came here for the chapel renovation—her specialty, rocks. Well, old churches, but Marie came here for the mosaic flooring. They communicated over the phone and email for some time before she made the trip to see the floor. Over time, professional banter quickly turned into romantic flirtation which made John search for any excuse to speak with her again.
John turned to go down to greet her when he sensed a tweak at his heart.
She stopped and glanced up. Time slowed. They stared into one another’s eyes. A spark of awareness washed over John. His soul said mine. It felt like they floated and drifted together.
Someone startled Marie, and she turned, the spell broken by Mrs. Abernathy, the main housekeeper who called Marie inside the castle.
John pulled up short of his run. So lost in thought, he stood at the doorway to the chapel. The door stood wide open. John glanced around the yard and didn’t see Marie. Now that he looked, he didn’t see Ronnie, Conner, or Ian, the wharf workers hired to help with the excavation project.
John strode into the chapel and called Marie’s name but only encountered an empty aisle. He called her name again, and his voice echoed lightly as dust particles danced in the sunlight that shone through the stained-glass windows. A chill spread up his spine as a bead of sweat dripped down his back. Something wasn’t right.
He marched out of the chapel and scanned the area. Certainly, she couldn’t have gone too far. Movement in the distance by the dock caught his attention. A man in all black carried a sack over his shoulder and lumbered toward a boat docked there. This seemed strange. There were no tourist boats due on the property today.
John strode to the man and, when he turned, John saw what he carried wasn’t a sack, but legs dangled in front of the man. His heart skipped as he ran near the man and never took his eyes off him.
The man flung the body into the boat, and that’s when realization hit him. A blonde ponytail flapped from the head. John almost lost his breath but ran faster and harder now; he would recognize that hair anywhere.
“Ye, stop. Stop!” John yelled as he ran hard to the man.
The man glanced over his shoulder, spied John, and clambered into the boat.
John pushed harder. I must get there before he gets away. God, I have to help her. He’s hurt her, and Marie needs me.
John could kick himself. The safety of everyone at the castle was his duty. Today he failed. He pressed harder, but his body was slow to respond, weary from his morning exercise.
A shout came from his right. Conner ran toward him, blood dripping down his face.
John slowed as Conner yelled, “Get the priest. He attacked us!”
The boat motor started, and he turned just as the boat steered away from the dock.
John took off again. He must get to her. “No, Marie. That priest took Marie!”
When he finally reached the dock, the boat cleared the Firth of Lorn and headed into the open ocean. He jerked his head around and searched for a boat, but there wasn’t another one nearby. He left his cell back at the castle. His heart dropped.
Conner made it to him.
John grabbed him by the shoulders and yelled in his face. “What the hell happened? Why did he take Marie?”
Conner shook his head, tried to speak, and fell forward in a faint at John’s feet.
John tried to catch him, but his body remained exhausted.
Giving into his body’s needs, John fell to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He glanced up and stared at the ocean.
That man kidnapped the love of John’s life. His Marie had vanished.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Stone of Fear (Stones of Iona Book 2) - Kindle edition by Izard, Margaret . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Stone of Fear Book Swag Box Giveaway:
Enter to win the following -
Signed copy of book
Large Stone of Fear book bag
Small Stone of Fear book bag
Insulated wine glass with Stone of Fear logo
Dublin shot glass with etched Stone of Fear logo
Stone of Fear bookmark
Stone of Fear recipe card
Author pen
Wild Rose Press (publisher) 2024 calendar
18-inch .925 Sterling Silver Necklace with Purple Amethyst Gemstone Celtic Cross (display not included)
Delivered in custom printed Margaret Izard Author Book Swag Box
Runs May 29 - July 25.
Drawing will be held on July 26.
Author Biography
Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
Readers can email me at: info@margaretizardauthor.com
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