1. The magic. Okay, I know you were expecting me to say the kilts, the man chest, or the abs and those are a bonus, but it’s really about the feel of the story. I started out writing paranormal romance filled with magic in a fictional world I created, so the move into Scottish Historicals was an easy one. The magic and mystery of Scotland is real and touchable, you can smell it, you can see it.

2. Alpha males. In seventeenth century Scotland, with all its political upheaval and the clan system, it was imperative for men to take the leading role in the safety of their people. I, like many other women, am one of those ladies that have too many responsibilities and the pressure of having to make so many daily decisions. I don’t like overbearing men, but I do like ones that have my best interests at heart and that will say, “Lay back, you need a break and I’ll take care of everything for you.” In today’s society, most men and women run a household evenly and it’s not fair to ask for the man to take on every worry, but it’s nice to be able to fantasize about being treated like a queen.

3. The scenery. I’ve seen a small slice of the Highlands, but the majesty of the mountains, the fresh feelings all the lush greens imbue and the beautiful waters of the land will never be adequately put into words. I do my best, but until you’ve seen the beauty for yourself, we just have to dream about it, read it, or write it and pretend we are there. Once you’ve been there, you want to hold on to those vistas in your mind until you can return. I hope I’m able to bring a little bit of that to my writing.

4. The weather. Most people might balk at this, but I’m not a summer lover. I was blessed with pale skin that burns easily, so fall has always been my favorite time of year. I love getting out of the shower and still feeling clean several hours later instead of like a droopy melted mess. I love cozy sweatshirts and blankets and snuggling on the sofa. Sure, it rains a lot in the Scottish Highlands, but the cool weather only instills the need to nestle and get closer to the ones we love.

5. The Scottish Brogue. Crazy, I know, but I still place this above the kilts. I love tartan, but words have always held special meanings to me and when they are spoken with a Scottish accent, even the simplest words sound sexy. The soft warm purr of a Scottish accent makes me want to melt and cuddle up with the speaker under that easy access kilt. Good thing my husband has been working on his accent, and he’s doing a verra fine job.

Lori Ann Bailey has a romantic soul and believes the best in everyone. Sappy commercials and proud mommy moments make her cry. She sobs uncontrollably and feels emotionally drained when reading sad books, so she started reading romance for the Happily Ever Afters. She was hooked. Then, the characters and scenes that ran around in her head as she attempted to sleep at night begged to be let out. Looking back now, her favorite class in high school was the one where a professor pulled a desk to the center of the room and told her to write two paragraphs about it and the college English class taught by a red-headed Birkenstock wearing girl, not much older than she, who introduced her to Jack Kerouac. After working in business and years as a stay-at-home mom she has found something in addition to her family to be passionate about, her books. She lives in Northern Virginia with her real life hero, four kids that keep her on her toes, two dogs determined to destroy her house and two cats secretly plotting the demise of those dogs.

Lori can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and LoriAnnBailey.com.