Marti Talbott/author of Highlander Series/review and interview

Of Scottish and English descent, Marti Talbott lives in Seattle and has written several full length novels including Seattle Quake 9.2, The Promise, Broken Pledge and Suspects. She began writing the Highlander Series in August of 2009. The first five books are a collection of 20 short stories followed by Betrothed, The Golden Sword, Abducted, A time of Madness, Triplets and now Secrets. To be notified when new books are available, visit her website - Marti Talbott's Stories at: www.firstchapterproject.com The first book in the Highlander Series My Review: I always try to avoid reviews on books I choose to read as I often find them far too gushy and overzealous or quite the opposite, far too critical, either way they somehow spoiled my enjoyment of the book from the start. I hope mine does not for you, because this book is just too good to pass up. I have always loved this genre and because I too am from Scottish and English heritage,anything regarding the royalty and clans fascinates me. I read books to escape into another place and time. To feel as if I am right there with the characters of the story. I was not disappointed when I began the first story which was an intriguing, yet humorous portrayal of a English heroine(ANNA) and the handsome and honorable clansman (Kevin). Now that's not to say there weren't some issues. Along with some minor grammar errors and missing words, I found the beginning moved a bit too fast for my taste. Once a character was introduced I became truly involved and wanted to learn more, but suddenly I was pushed on to another and another and soon I began to feel frustrated. But the plot was so intriguing that I forgave the author, (by the way I have yet to read ANY book without editing errors)and continued on. I was glad that I did. As the story opened up, so too did my heart and I found myself feeling so many emotions. One minute I would be laughing hysterically, and the next reaching for a Kleenex. I hadn't planned on reading the entire book in one night, but to my dismay I couldn't put it down and continued on with the other two stories. I couldn't believe how seamlessly they blended together, and I was overjoyed when some of my favorite character's returned or heartbroken when some were lost. These stories have much adventure, and even more romance, but it wasn't the kind of romance I usually find in books of this genre. There is no sexually explicit material whatsoever, and truth be known I didn't miss it at all. How refreshing to read a novel that keeps you within the plot instead of distracting you with all the meaningless fluff. I have an imagination and trust me, this author tantalized mine completely and left me feeling quite satisfied without ALL the details. It was the kind of "first loves" that everyone fantasizes about. The kind where there is humorous bantering, and a battle of wits, and you just want to slap one or both of the character's for being so stubborn...and than finally...well no spoiler alert here folks! The bottom line is this first book in the series is free, but you best get your pocket book out because you aren't going to be able to stop at just one. I'm already halfway through the second, and will be placing the remainders on my wish list for when I have more time to read. I promise you that you will be hooked the moment you turn the first page and the love story between the characters, Kevin &Anna, Rachel &Connor and Charlet & Blair will capture your heart and lift your spirits and make you believe that maybe, just maybe, happy endings really do exist!

My Interview with Marti Talbott: ME: What inspires you to write? Marti: Each book had a different inspiration. For example, the Carson Series was inspired by stories my wonderful grandparents left behind, and I wrote Seattle Quake 9.2 hoping to warn my fellow Seattle citizens of the possible danger. Now, my inspiration comes from those who enjoy my writing. My grandfather was the inspiration for the first laird in the Highlander series. He was a huge Scot, strong, yet affectionate and gentle. ME: How long does it take you to write one novel? Marti: My first books, (The Carson Series, Seattle Quake 9.2 and Suspects) written while I still had a day job, took a year or two each. Since I retired, I have I manage to turn out a new book every two or three months. ME: Why did you decide to do "self publishing?" Marti: It was very kind of Amazon to invent the Kindle and encourage self publishing, just for people like me, who were sick of rejection letters and suffered severely limited opportunities. When I first heard about Kindle books, I did not hesitate to give it a try. I uploaded "Anna," the first short story, just to see how the system worked, and in one hour, three people bought it. Totally shocked, I quickly put "Anna" it back on draft, and added two more stories to make it book 1. Still, "Anna" was the beginning and I've never looked back. ME: Who is your mentor? Marti: I don't really have a specific mentor. My help and encouragement comes mostly from my readers. I try to make it easy for them to contact me either through my website, www.firstchapterproject.com ME: What one key piece of advice can you offer potential "indie" authors that you think would make a Huge difference in their success? Marti: Read! While this business looks simple, it is a business and knowing the industry is the key. Thousands of hints and pages of advice are freely available on the internet, and those who do not take the time to learn, learn the hard way. ME: What do you think makes a successful author? Marti: I confess I have made every possible mistake, from spelling, to grammar, to not choosing my titles wisely. In the end, it is the story, and perhaps the ability to hook the reader from the very beginning and keep them reading. ME: If there was one person you could say helped you attain the success you have, who would it be? Marti: Success is not one person, it is "word-of-mouth." One person reads it, loves it and tells all their friends, who, if you you are very lucky, recommends it to all their friends. ME: What do you do besides write? Marti: You mean there are other things to do in life? Writing is all consuming for some of us. I go to a family functions and invent characters, I sit outside in the sun and think up dialog. It can be quite maddening. ME: What inspired you to write the "Highlander series?" Marti: The Highlander Series began with "Anna,"one little story I wrote just for fun. I put it on my website and shock of all shocks, readers liked it. So, I wrote another and another until the stories numbered twenty. Ten thousand website hits later, I combined them into five volumes, published them on Amazon and have added six full length novels since. They include: Betrothed, Book 6, The Golden Sword, Book 7, Abducted, Book 8, A Time of Madness, Book 9, Triplets, Book 10, and Secrets, Book 11. The Viking was written after the first twenty short stories, yet it is a prequel that explains how the clan came into being. I am currently working on book 3 of the Marblestone Mansion series, which is also about the MacGreagors, this time in America. ME: What research did you do to make the series so realistic? Marti: Thank God for the internet. When I wrote the Carson Series some 30 years ago, I paid the Kentucky Historical Society for research material. These days, what I need to know is usually just a click away, and there are tons of good sites that helped me understand Scotland and their ways. I tried to look up everything, including Scottish names, available building materials, foods, and clothing. The rest, I fear, is my runaway imagination. ***THANK YOU Marti for being such an inspiration to all writers and for capturing the imagination of many readers. I appreciate you taking the time to do the interview and I wish you even more success with all your books!