Welcome our guest Michele Hauf
Thanks to Barbara for inviting me to ‘embrace the shadows’ today. Interesting, in that my hero in THE HIGHWAYMAN has to learn to embrace his own shadow. Or rather, the demon shadow within him. He doesn’t like the thing. He never asked for it. You see, over two centuries ago, he was tricked into playing an integral part in a demon summoning. But something went wrong, and half the demon got stuck inside my hero, Max Fitzroy. Ever since then, he’s been denied the pleasures of life, including eating, sleeping, and well, orgasm. (Oh yeah, I do like to torture my menfolk.) He’s been on a quest to get the frustrating thing out of him for centuries, and while he’s doing it, he’s slain every demon he can get his hands on, just for good measure. He’s also taken to slaying familiars, because the familiar is the one creature required to summon a demon to the mortal realm. Get rid of all the familiars; no more demons. Right? Works for Max.
Did I mention my heroine is a familiar? 🙂 I’ll just let you wonder about how those two can possibly get along. You can find the first chapter excerpted at my website to get you started.
Now I wanted to bring up the reason behind this story. It didn’t start with the idea of putting two opposites together and watching them combust. No, it was all about the lace. Oh yeah. (Read the dedication in this book to find out how much my editor loves lace on men.) Anyway, I love a man in lace. No wait, I know what you’re thinking. Don’t go there. Picture a sexy rogue wearing a leather greatcoat that swings about his knees and some lace falling about his wrist and hand. The other hand slides along his waist to reveal the pistol tucked there. I’m talking about ‘the highwayman’. That classic image of a man in dandy clothing riding the roads and taking what he will with a shout of ‘stand and deliver!’.
So yep, this story started with the freakin’ title. No kidding. And the image of a highwayman with lace at his wrists. Now, you won’t find any lace in the story unfortunately (see dedication, as mentioned above), but I was fine with that. I got to write about my highwayman, and slipped in some great scenes about his origins in the eighteenth century. (Historicals are my first love.) I just took that image and modernized it. I think the cover art does a fabulous job of the image as well.
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[…] Michele was also a guest of ours recently, where she talked about her book, The Highwayman. Read that post HERE. […]
Susan Blexrud
Embrace the Shadows 
We’re so excited to have you and your highwayman visiting us at EtS today, Michele. Great questions! I love all sorts of heroes, but I have a worn copy of The Scarlet Pimpernel on my keeper shelf. And I’ve carried a crush on Zorro for about thirty years! lol There’s something about a man who is a dandy one second and darkly dangerous the next.
If I was to pick one archetype that’s my favorite to revisit again and again it would be the wounded warrior.
Can’t wait to read The Highwayman!
Thanks so much for stopping by Michele! Great post! Your book looks fabulous. I can hardly wait to read it.
I’m a big fan of historicals, too. At least part of it is the pagentry. I love the classic Victorian Era wardrobes. There is nothing wrong with a little lace. 😉
As far as my favorite hero goes, I have to choose the classic tortured alpha. I know that there are other types of men out there, but I just can’t help coming back to the reserved hero with a troubled past. Someone who is in a constant struggle to control everything around him — including his emotions. Mr. Darcy anyone? 😉
Thanks again for stopping by!
LOL, Michele, it depends on the story, and the setting, I guess.
But I DO tend to obsess about heros being TALL, and broad…and as Alpha as they come….but as far as lace?? If a hero can pull it off, it only enhances the sexiness. I’m thinking James Mallory here….and The Raider. I loved that hero, and Jude but him through hell but he pulled it off. What I don’t like is color for my hero….not too into my hero sporting a baby blue greatcoat, or a puce shirt…ugh.
Your book sounds interesting because I think we all have demons inside us – not fro two centuries, though! Sometimes we try to get rid of the demons by persecuting others who are different. Maybe it’s the lace that makes him unhappy??? :>)
What an interesting premise. Half a demon getting trapped in, and tormenting, a person for centuries. It sounds very promising. I’m going to have to put this one on my TBR list.
ha! Lace making him unhappy. Well, I promise this hero doesn’t wear any lace. I tried to put some on him for the 18th C flashback scenes, but didn’t.
Never thought about heroes and color, but yeah, definately don’t want my hero in a pink polo shirt or even some kind of stone-washed jeans. He’s gotta dress macho. Jeans, dark denim, leather coats, or a soft, touchable gray or blue sweater that enhances his eye color. Num.
Num, all right. I have a massive, MASSIVE thing for Levis. Around long-legged, slip hipped men, with, maybe, a polo. Casual, but tidy. But I’ve got to say, I have a new thing for the cover of ‘The Highwayman’. Brace yourself Barbara; I’m going to mention ‘drovers’…
This cover, with it’s billowing coat, puts me in mind of one of our Aussie icons, the Drizabone. It’s an long oilskin coat worn by jackaroos (and loads of other farming types) when they’re droving (how you doing’, Barbara?). It’s cut to go over the back end of a horse, and typically, is worn with an Akubra, our Stetson. Not too far different from the classic American cowboy I’d say. So – I love this cover.
I can see the Highwayman is not a cowboy, but he must at least work out… 😛
Having said that, I’m with Suzanne on the Mr Darcy (Colin Firth – also on my ‘thing’ pile), and I’ll also happily take a leather-clad viking, or a bad boy in black… See – not fussy!
Great post, Michele, and I look forward to reading about Max…
Sounds cool. 🙂 I have a few of your books (which I very much enjoyed) so I’ll be sure to pick this one up too.
I’m a fan of the tortured hero, the kind with the troubled past that sounds like he was the victim of a country song (lost his girl, lost his truck, lost his dog). 😉 I do like sharp dressed men, and I’d be all about a sexy rogue in a leather greatcoat.
Hi Michele–
Love the cover and will be adding The Highwayman to my TBR pile.
I love an elegant alpha hero with an edge of danger. Suave on the outside but you know if he loses control he’s deadly.
sorry i missed this ur book sounds hota nd i love love that cover
It is indeed an amazing cover! The premise is interesting as well. I’ll have to try it!
Hi Michele!
Great seeing you here. I’ve gotten to enjoy a few of your Nocturnes and look forward to The Highwayman.
I enjoyed the wounded hero or redeemable bad boy myself :).
Pam S