Today I’m happy to welcome to my blog Lizzie Lamb, author of seven published novels, five of which are part of a series called Lizzie’s Scottish Romances. She specialises in hot, Highland hunks! I’ve been a fan of Lizzie’s writing since I read her first book, Tall, Dark and Kilted, and fell completely in love with gorgeous Laird of Kinloch Mara, Ruairi Urquhart, so I’m delighted that she’s here with me today to talk about her latest novel, Dark Highland Skies. Over to you, Lizzie.
An inspirational view
I was happy to publish Dark Highland Skies on Valentine’s Day 2023 as it has been a labour of love. I first got the idea of writing it in Scotland two summers ago whilst visiting Mallaig and the Silver Sands of Morar. Standing on the road’s edge and looking down onto the white sands and turquoise water I could have been in the Caribbean.
A scene popped into my head of the heroine Halley, standing in the self-same spot on a dark November evening, and looking down at the glassy river, just visible under a gibbous moon.
The questions came thick and fast – Who was she? What was she doing there? Why had she returned to a place which only held bad memories? I wrote the first three chapters in double quick time on my MacBook when I returned to the caravan. Then I came up with the hero Hector Strachan – known as ‘Tor, a war veteran suffering with PTSD, and the novel was on its way.
What’s the story about?
Astrophysicist Halley Dunbar has spent her career searching for the one-in-a-billion exoplanet outside our solar system capable of sustaining life. Required to travel to Lochaber, Scotland to arrange her great-uncle’s funeral, she leaves the world she knows behind and encounters people who make her realise there’s more to life than searching for something that might not exist. Laird’s son, Tor Strachan rocks up, and she discovers the one man capable of making her happy. However, there are obstacles in the way, and it becomes clear that Afghan veteran Tor must confront his demons before he can be the man Halley deserves. As for Halley, she has secrets of her own; ones she can’t share with anyone – not even Tor.
At the end of chapter one Halley knocks Tor unconscious and fears that she has killed him. Here’s a little snippet from the end of the last paragraph to whet your appetite. If you want to read more and perhaps download a copy; you’ll find a sample here.
“‘Jayzus,’ she muttered, waiting for him to regain his senses. ‘What have I done?’
Her voice had the desired effect because he groaned, opened his eyes and raised his hand to the gash on his temple. His fingers came away, sticky with blood.
‘You,’ was all he could manage.
One word, but with the power to push back the years and remind Halley how it felt to stand on this beach twenty years ago, in trouble and with no one to turn to.
Dark Highland Skies is my seventh novel and the fifth in my Scottish Romances Collection on Amazon. It’s FREE to read if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber. You can also buy a paperback.
All About Lizzie
With Scottish, Irish, and Brazilian blood in my veins, it’s hardly surprising that I chose to become a writer. As a child, I wrote extra scenes for the films I watched at Saturday cinema and handed the handwritten scripts out to my friends. I was almost drummed out of the playground for keeping all the good lines for myself. Luckily, I save them for my readers these days.
After thirty four years as a primary school teacher, I decided it was time to find out if I had it what it took to become a published author. My last post was as deputy head of a large primary school in Leicestershire. I joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association and honed my craft. It was at an RNA Conference that another writer encouraged me to write from the heart and not focus too overtly on what I ‘believed’ agents and publishers were looking for. After some deliberation, I formed the New Romantics Press with three other members of the RNA and went down the self-publishing route. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
In November 2012 I finished Tall, Dark and Kilted – themed Notting Hill meets Monarch of the Glen – which echoes my love of Scotland in every page and published it as a paperback and kindle on all Amazon sites. Since then, I have published Boot Camp Bride – romance and suspense on the haunting Norfolk Marshes – which was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. I then returned to Scotland with Scotch on the Rocks which became #1 BEST SELLER in romance>Scottish less than two weeks after publication. My fourth novel, Girl in the Castle reached #3 in the charts just weeks after it was published. I then wrote Take Me, I’m Yours, and fulfilled a promise I made to a friend many years ago to set a book in Wisconsin. Since then I have written Harper’s Highland Fling which fans have loved and that spurred me on to write Dark Highland Skies.
Here are some of the reviews I’ve received for Dark Highland Skies –
- A real page turner in a wonderful setting.
- I have enjoyed this author’s previous novels but with this one I can’t help feeling that with Dark Highland Skies she has risen to another level.
- Dark Highland Skies, as with Lizzie’s previous brilliantly written novels, ticked all my boxes and then some. I loved it!
- The landscape so vividly drawn it’s as captivating as her cast of enchanting and unforgettable characters.
- Halley reaches for the stars and meets her destiny. A magical romance under the dark highland skies.
- The setting in beautiful Scotland provides the perfect backdrop for Halley and Tor and their difficult but burgeoning relationship.
Giveaway!
On August 11th 2023, my husband Dave and I will celebrate our Golden Wedding. We’ll spend it touring Scotland in our caravan, researching locations and writing #8. I have a signed paperback to give away to one of Sharon’s blog followers who can answer this simple question:
What is the name of the Strachans’ castle as featured in Dark Highland Skies?
I’d like the gaelic name and its English translation.
You will find the answer within the first pages of the novel which can be accessed via the Amazon page and the READ SAMPLE button beneath the book cover. Send your answer to lizzielambwriter@gmail.com and the first correct answer I pull out of a hat will be declared the winner.
Many thanks to Sharon for featuring me and my books on her blog.
It was my pleasure, Lizzie! You can buy Lizzie’s books here
Social media links
It’s always a pleasure to read about Lizzie, especially so in here. Two of my favourite authors in one place! LOL Great blog post xx
Ah, thank you, Isabella. Thanks so much for popping by xx
Sharon, Isabella and I met up in London on Tuesday for two hours (!) because the trains were running ona crazy schedule but it was the first time we’d seen each other in three years. Isabella, like oyu, is a great friend and supporter. Thank you for having me on your new blog.
It was my pleasure, Lizzie x
Dark Highland Skies is a really good read. Having recently visited the silver sands of Morrar, I can vouch for the splendid scenery that becomes an extra character in the story, along with believable human characters who have genuine motivations for their behaviour and how they carry the story. It a thoroughly recommended book. I walkways like to read about other writers’ lives so this is a great blog post. Thank you Sharon and Lizzie.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Ros. I loved Dark Highland Skies, but then I knew I would. I always enjoy Lizzie’s books. You’re right about her settings becoming characters in her stories too. x
Thanks Ros. Isn’t it so beautiful there? We plan to return this summer with the caravan and you can bet images from the book will be flitting through my mind as I relive some of adventures the charcaters got up to. (especially Tor . . . .)
Fabulous blog, Sharon – thank you for such a fascinating interview with our own wonderful Lizzie Lamb. Like you, I love all of Lizzie’s brooding heroes, but Tor struck a cord with me from very early on, and I was so delighted that Halley listened to her poor, broken heart in the end. A really superb read, made all the more moving by the beautiful descriptions of Lizzie’s beloved Highlands. Loved it!
Thank you Adrienne. I didn;t think that the ‘wounded hero’ trope would be so appealling. But everyone seems to have fallen in love with Tor. Need to get thinking hard about my new character . . . .a war correspondent.
I think a wounded hero is extremely appealing! Tor is gorgeous and I’m just relieved that Halley finally put the past behind her and followed her heart. Thanks for dropping by, Adrienne.
Thank you Sharon and Adrienne xx
Lizzie’s novels capture the magical beauty of the Highlands and this one is no exception. It was wonderful to read how the scenery inspired this story and the opening chapters flew onto page.
Hard not to be inspired when you’re in the heilands, especially in the summer when it never gets dark.
A lovely blog post. Warm and engaging – just like Lizzie and her novels. I always marvel at Lizzie’s descriptions when I read her books as she captures so well the charm, atmosphere and depth of Scottish life and culture which always comes across so brilliantly through her characters. I loved Dark Highland Skies and I too fell in love with Tor. Thank you Lizzie & Sharon for a thoroughly entertaining post Xx