This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Margaret Izard will be awarding a Highlander's Holly & Ivy swag box* ($100 value) to a randomly drawn winner *US Only*. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
*Inside the box: Kissletoe Holiday Crystal Ornament, signed copy of book, Highlander’s Holly & Ivy book bag, Insulated wine glass with Highlander’s Holly & Ivy logo, Dublin shot glass with etched Highlander’s Holly & Ivy logo, Highlander’s Holly & Ivy bookmark, Highlander’s Holly & Ivy recipe card, Wild Rose Press (publisher) 2026 calendar delivered in custom printed Margaret Izard Author Book Swag Box.
A Christmas Companion book to the Stones of Iona Series.
In a land torn by politics and heritage, Alex MacDougall—Scotland’s Lord Justice Clerk—balances loyalty to the British crown and his secret role in preserving outlawed Scottish traditions. When tasked with retrieving a mystical stone tied to Scotland’s destiny, he crosses paths with Lady Iris Erskine, an Englishwoman captivated by Scottish culture. Disguised as Ivy, Iris masquerades as a highland lassie to be close to the dashing highlander.
Love blossoms between Alex and Ivy as tensions simmer between the English and Scots. While Iris vexes over revealing the truth to her handsome Scot, Alex grapples with his family’s secret duty to protect magic Fae stones. With his beloved targeted and hidden truths emerging, the world he once knew dissolves before his eyes.
Can two hearts bound by fate be enough to stave off an evil Fae intent on destroying the MacDougall Clan, or will Alex lose all he loves?
Read an Excerpt
Iris strode down the street beside her faithful maid, Laurel. “Miss, yer Gaelic is awful, and that accent.”
Iris clipped her reply. “What of my accent?”
Laurel groaned. “It’s English, very English. Ye’ll stand out like a sair thumb among all the Gaels.”
She wrapped the plaid, no arisaid tighter around her. “Sair, you mean sore?” She kept walking. “I am dressed like you. I can walk like you. I’ve un-styled my hair.”
Laurel barked a laugh. “Ye walk like royalty, and no matter how much Gaelic ye learn, ye still sound like the Queen of England.”
Iris stopped and turned to her maid. “I want to meet your people. Not because of the novelty.” Laurel rolled her eyes, making Iris smile. “Well, aye, the novelty, but I want to learn the culture, about yer people.”
Laurel’s eyes crinkled. “Ye really want this lass?” Iris nodded. Laurel took her arm in hers as they continued at a slower pace. “Then we need a plan, a canny one at that.” She breathed. “Ye’ll be my cousin. Ye wear the Comyn plaid, so ye’ll be a Comyn. Stay beside me, and for all that is holy, don’t speak. We’ll say ye have a throat injury, so ye can’t talk.”
Iris stopped. “But what if I have a question or something to say?”
Laurel pulled her along the lane. “Ye don’t have anything to say, and questions are for later. Just watch and listen. No talking.” They came up to the bridge—many had already gathered as the slaughterhouse's smell blew their way. Iris held her wrap to her nose, wondering how they tolerated the stink.
A woman approached and took Laurel into a hug. “So glad I am to see ye today.” Laurel hugged her back. “Mabina, glad I am to be here.” She waved to Iris. “My cousin, who is mmmm…”
Iris’ eyes went wide. She didn’t want to use her real name and be found out before it was all over. She panicked and glanced around. The pub beside the bridge already had decorations for the holiday season, and holly and ivy graced the doorway.
She pointed to the ivy, and Laurel grinned. “Ivy. Ivy Comyn.” She leaned over, whispering to Mabina, “She doesn’t talk, an old injury from a redcoat who tried to have his way with her. Her throat don’t work no more.”
The woman tsked, “Sorry I am to hear it, Ivy.” Iris nodded as the plaid fell away from her head.
Mabina smiled. “Ye are a pretty thing, though.”
Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
MI: I live in Houston, Texas, with my husband, two of my adult triplets, and our very opinionated pets—Buddy the dog and Daisey the cat (yes, with an e, because she’s extra). I’ve immersed myself in the performing arts my whole life, and I’ve always loved the beautiful escapism storytelling offers.
What genre do you read? Who’s an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
MI: I read romance, sci-fi, historical, and romantic fantasy.
Fav authors – too many to list.
What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
MI: I am currently drafting another book. I do not read while drafting.
Favorite sports.
MI: Dance, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, football, baseball, swimming
Favorite thing about the state/country that you live in.
MI: Texas has every kind of landscape you can imagine, and we love exploring it all. And the food? We’re obsessed. Absolutely obsessed.
How long have you been writing?
MI: I began writing in my thirties, took a long pause, and then—after tutoring my triplets through college—I picked it up again about six years ago. Since then, I’ve been writing full-time, and I’ve loved every minute of diving back into the magic.
What inspired you to become a writer?
MI: I love writing because I love telling stories, and the fantasy side of what I create is the perfect kind of escapism. I also adore blending lore and history into my worlds—twisting old fables, myths, and legends into something new and romantic. It’s where my creativity runs wild.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
MI: I’m a huge plotter—truly. My outlines can run upward of 200 pages and often include snippets of dialogue. I love planning a story in great detail because it lets me work through developmental edits during the outline stage. By the time I sit down to write the first draft, everything flows smoothly and much faster.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series? (If your book is a standalone, please skip)
MI: I came up with the idea for my Stones of Iona series by blending everything I love—Scottish history, ancient lore, and the magic of ‘what if.’ What if the legends were real? What if the old stones held power? What if love itself could shape fate? One spark led to another, and suddenly I had this sweeping world filled with Fae, dragons, Celtic myth, and epic romance. It became the perfect playground for my imagination—and it hasn’t stopped growing since.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
MI: Pizza, wings, and wine.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
MI: I’m pretty simple when it comes to tools—I use Microsoft Word for everything: outlining, drafting, and revisions. My outlines can get massive, so Word just works best for me.
For writers working on their first book, my biggest advice is this: write. Put the words on the page, even if they’re messy or awful or not what you pictured. You can’t edit a blank page, but you can shape, polish, and improve something that exists.
Also—read a lot, write a lot, and don’t try to do this journey alone. Find other writers, join groups, and connect with people who understand the process. And above all, remember: you can revise anything, but you can’t revise what you never started. Get it down first. Magic comes later.
How do you organize everything and find the time to sit down and write?
MI: How do I organize everything? Honestly—my outlines and my OCD work together like a well-oiled machine. My outlines keep the story on track, but it’s my obsessive need for order that helps me remember every little detail from Book 1 through Book 7 in the series.
And when it comes to finding the time, I’m a 9–5 kind of girl. I treat writing like any other full-time job. I sit down, I show up, and I work during those hours. The structure gives me momentum, the outline gives me direction, and together they keep the books flowing.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
MI: I’d choose a fox. Clever, curious, always sneaking between worlds, and just mischievous enough to twist a legend into something new. Foxes slip through shadows and stories with ease—and that’s exactly how I love to write.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
MI: My biggest supporter has definitely been my husband. He gives me emotional and spiritual support—and he also proofreads my stories, even when he doesn’t fully understand the magic systems. We’ve had hours-long debates over magical realism, and he still shows up for every draft. I couldn’t do this without him.
How do you name your characters?
MI: I usually name my characters based on meaning. I’ll hop on Google, look up names connected to the theme, emotion, or mythology I need, and choose the one that resonates with the story. Sometimes the perfect name comes from something completely ordinary—a word, an object, or a random moment of happenstance. When that spark hits, I know I’ve found the right one.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
MI: A typical day in my writing life starts with answering emails and filtering out spam—there’s always more than I expect. From there, I dive into my 9–5 routine. Some days are pure writing days where I review my outline, slip back into the story world, and let the words flow. Other days are full marketing days—social media posts, newsletters, graphics, giveaways, reader groups, all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the books moving. I balance the two, take coffee breaks, pet the dog, and then get right back to it until I’ve hit my goals for the day.
Tell us about your current release.
MI: My current release is Highlander’s Holly & Ivy, a cozy, romantic Scottish Christmas story set in my Stones of Iona universe—but written so anyone can jump right in. It follows Alex MacDougall, a Highland laird with far too much responsibility on his shoulders, and Lady Iris Erskine, an Englishwoman who slips into the Highlands under the name Ivy while trying to uncover her tangled past.
Their worlds collide during a snow-soft December filled with tartan, traditions, mistletoe, and just a hint of ancient magic. As Ivy digs deeper into her lineage, she discovers secrets tied to the mystical Stones of Iona—and to Alex himself. What begins as a research trip quickly turns into a tender holiday romance where trust, belonging, and destiny take center stage.
It’s warm, atmospheric, and full of Highland charm—a story about finding love, finding home, and learning that sometimes the greatest gifts are the ones we never expected.
Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Her latest awards are 2024 Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention for Stone of Love and 2024 Spring BookFest Silver Award for the same title. 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 desire 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.
Website: http://www.margaretizardauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mizardauthor
Buy Links: https://linktr.ee/mizardauthor
2 comments:
Thank you so much for featuring today's book.
Thank you for having me!
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