JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Maria McKenzie, author of Masquerade: Book Two of the Unchained Trilogy
(CreateSpace)

Lavinia Hargraves lives life as a masquerade. She is a celebrated actress onstage, however, her most challenging role is enacted in real life as she conceals her true identity.

Born in 1872 to Daniel Taylor, a white man and wealthy landowner in southern California, Lavinia’s mother, Lori, is a Negro and former slave.

Lavinia, who appears white, is desperate to hide her Negro ancestry, as well as pursue her dream of becoming the world’s greatest actress, a seemingly impossible endeavor because of her race.

After Lavinia elopes with the much older Vernon Hargraves, owner of New York’s premier theater company, she is provided with all she could ever want: a new life as white, stardom on the stage, and an abundant supply of money.

Soon Lavinia’s seduction by a young and handsome actor sets in motion a devastating turn of events. Dashing millionaire contractor Andrew Standish comes into Lavinia’s life at a time when she needs him most. But to what lengths will Andrew go to uncover Lavinia’s past?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Masquerade: Book Two of the Unchained Trilogy”?

Maria McKenzie: I’m in an interracial marriage, so the topic of mixed race love through history is of particular interest to me.

The first book of The Unchained Trilogy, is “Escape”. That novel opens in1856 and tells the love story of Lavinia’s parents, Daniel, an abolitionist, and Lori, a slave. Continue reading 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Maria McKenzie, author of Masquerade: Book Two of the Unchained Trilogy →