In The Arms of An Earl second chance!

I am excited to announce that my first Regency historical romance, In The Arms of An Earl, is an Amazon "Encore" release!  They picked 100 romance novels out of 1,000s of The Wild Rose Press's catalog. It is being offered for free to Kindle Select readers for a set time frame. As of this writing, the Amazon ranking went from the high 700ks to about 39k! Thank you to everyone who read my book the first time it came out, and for those of you willing to give it a try now.

I got the idea for this story from my longtime favorite character, Mary Bennet of Pride and Prejudice. Specifically, from the actress, Talulah Riley (pictured on the right), who played Mary in the Focus Features film a decade ago. I was thinking of writing a spin-off P&P series of the younger Bennet sisters, Kitty and Mary. I couldn't think of how to make Mary a romantic heroine until I saw a photo of the actress who played Mary in the film. Seeing how lovely Talulah is in real life made me think that this is what our plain little Mary would look like if she were in love and cared for by a wonderful man.

Enter composer and hand amputee, Frederick Blakeney. This hero is probably the closest to my ideal man whom I've ever written. Tall, dark and handsome, with a musical genius cut short by a wound suffered in the war, Frederick is considerate, passionate, and ready and willing to sweep our plain little spinster off her feet and into the glittering world of London. Mary can hardly believe that her idol loves her as much as she loves him, and because of her own insecurities and being overshadowed by two newly married beautiful sisters, the plot of the book came quite easily.

But my heroine is named Jane, you may argue. What's all this about Mary? The original title of In the Arms of An Earl was MISS BENNET IN LOVE. I couldn't find a publisher willing to take on a story about Mary, so the new title and certain elements of P&P remain.

So, if you're like me, and always wanted to see Mary Bennet in her own happily ever after, please feel free to indulge yourself and imagine my heroine, Jane Brooke, is the hapless, hopeless, Mary Bennet. Perhaps you'll be cheering for her and Frederick by the time you reach The End.

Release Date for ROGUE Announced!

     I am thrilled that The Wild Rose Press will be releasing HOW TO MARRY A ROGUE on May 4, instead of late summer. To celebrate, I will post about the Regency period until the big day. Look for sneak peeks, character interviews, fun facts, and the background to this story.
     Let's begin, shall we?
     The Regency period is specific to England, as it encompassed the "regency" of Prince George, later to become King George IV, from the years 1811-1820. This basically means he ruled on behalf of his father, the "mad" King George III, known to Americans for being the tyrant Thomas Jefferson railed about in the Declaration of Independence.

     It's a popular time period for authors and movie makers, since Jane Austen was a central figure during this period. If you love a good novel or a classic movie, read or watch any of her stories. My favorite is Pride & Prejudice, which you probably already know if you've read my blog. I think of it as a classic "Beauty and the Beast" story, because Mr. Darcy is transformed by the end.

     The way of life, clothes, manners, and customs are unique to this period. The "empire" waist gown (the bodice ended at the lower part of the bosom instead of the waist) changed the female form, although the disfiguring corset was years ahead into the future. Men also changed from fancy silk coats and pantaloons to breeches made of buckskin, and riding boots became the daytime height of fashion.
     The country life grew in popularity, with outdoor sports, hunting, picnics, etc., becoming the "in thing" for the rich folk. It's fun to write books during this period, because the characters have a variety of things to do. Country balls (called Assembly balls because they were in a common building called an Assembly Hall), garden parties, picnics, riding, archery, and other games and diversions were great entertainment. I can have a heroine be an accomplished rider or talented pianist. A hero can look dashing seated on his horse during a hunt (no foxes are ever harmed in my books!), or elegant in his cream-colored silk cravat and embroidered waistcoat at an elegant salon in London.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek at the Regency! Next blog will be an interview with the heroine of the story, Georgiana Lockewood. She's beautiful, smart, and a little too stubborn about getting what she wants. Lucky for her, our hero is in the right place at the right time!

An Interview with Jane Austen

Every day as I write, Jane Austen is looking over my shoulder. I mean this literally, because I have the Jane Austen action figure on my desk shelf! Her friendly expression, saucy brown curls, and pen in her hand are my inspiration. When I get stuck in the middle of a scene, or can't think of the right word, I glance up at her brown-paint-dot eyes and ask, "What would you do?"

Sometimes, her plastic grin throws a challenge my way. I can hear a clipped English accent coming from her carmine lips as she scolds, "I wrote by lamplight without central air or heat. Figure it out!" Other times, when she is perhaps in a more charitable mood, she responds, "Move on to another scene until your mind clears."

Jane's birthday was this month. At the ripe young age of 239, she still has plenty of advice to give budding romance authors. Want a stoic hero with a heart of gold? Darcy's your man. Prefer an older hero who goes after what he wants? Knightley to the rescue! A spurned hero who still loves the heroine for your reunion story? That will be Captain Wentworth. And as for rogues - she has them in spades! Who is more despicable, Wickham, who uses girls for their money, or Willoughby, who seeks wealth over his heart?


If I could speak to her for only a moment, I would ask where she got her inspiration. From relationships she observed in her family and friends? Her own active imagination? Or her heart that dreamed of a love never attained? All of the above?

She looks at me from the shelf. A breeze from the a/c duct overhead stirs the plastic feathers in her quill. I think she just winked at me.

Dear reader, what is your favorite Austen book? If you haven't read the books but enjoy the movies or series, feel free to comment. Responders will be entered for a chance to win an adorable facsimile of a Regency dance card that is a little notebook. It features a cover inspired from Emma.

Guest Author ELLA QUINN Is Here!

It's a great pleasure and thrill to host my first guest author interview with the lovely and talented Ella Quinn! Her newest book, The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh, is available for pre-order now from Kensington Books and will officially release on November 7, 2013. It is Book 2 in The Marriage Game series.

Ella will be giving away a copy of her new book to a lucky commenter. Please enjoy the beautiful cover, excerpt, and our interview!

“Let yourself be seduced by this sexy mix of spies, smugglers, and happily ever afters.” —Sally MacKenzie

EXCERPT:

     Since she was a young girl, Anna Marsh has dreamed of Sebastian, Baron Rutherford asking for her hand in marriage. But that was in another life when her brother Harry was alive, before she vowed to secretly continue the work he valiantly died for. Now as Sebastian finally courts Anna, she must thwart his advances. Were he to discover her secret, he would never deem her a suitable wife...

     Sebastian has always known Anna would become his wife someday. He expects few obstacles, but when she dissuades him at every turn he soon realizes there is much more to this intriguing woman. Somehow he must prove to her that they are meant to be together. But first he must unravel the seductive mystery that is Miss Anna Marsh…

What an intriguing premise! Ella, what is your writing day like?

After exercising (I learned the hard way I cannot skip that part), I do Twitter, Facebook and visit blogs. Then I write or edit. If one of my critique partners has chapters posted, I will work on those as well.

I need to start an exercise routine, too! Sitting at a desk all day takes a toll on my back. Tell us - was there something interesting or strange that you had to research for you book?

Quite frankly, I find all research interesting. The Secret Life of Miss Anna March takes place in 1814, when Napoleon was exiled in Alba, but not too long before he makes a comeback. I had to research the political climate of the time, the types of things being smuggled, who would have been working behind the scenes in preparation for Napoleon’s escape, and the geography of the area where I placed my story. I’d lived in England and had visited Kent several times, which helped, but it’s been a while and I needed a refresher.

I love researching a new book. Sometimes you find ideas for new stories amid all that history. Do your characters have any bit of yourself in them or are they unrelated to you?

Their desire to help their country might reflect something of me. I served in the Army during the 1970’s.

Authors are always discussing how much or how little they plot their books before writing. Are you a plotter or do you like to write as the ideas come to you?

I am not a plotter, unless you want to include plotting the next scene or the story arch in my head. I find it works better if I just type.

I write the same way. I think most writers do what is most fun for them. Speaking of fun, who is more fun for you to write: heroes or heroines?

My heroes. Most of the time, I bond with them much faster than I do with my heroines. I once went a full five chapters without my heroine’s point of view for the first few drafts.

If you could time-travel, where would you go and what would you do?

I’d visit the Regency, but I’d make sure I was a wealthy widow. That way I couldn’t shock anyone.

I'm sure you'd raise a few eyebrows at Almack's! Speaking of time travel, what is your favorite historical era?

LOL, need you ask? The Regency period.

That era is so popular, I think, because it was the dawning of so many new ideas and happenings around the world. What is your least favorite era?

Victorian. Though with the second series, I know I’ll get there at some point.

Sounds interesting! We need more Victorian-set romances. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

If you want to be published, treat writing as a job. Join a critique group, professional organizations, learn to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to critiques and contests, build your marketing platform, and be true to your voice.

Good advice, especially about it being a job. It's one of those professions that has more "on the job" training than most. What are you currently working on, and what are your future projects?

I’m working on the 5^th book of my first series, The Marriage Game. It takes place in St. Thomas, where I live. For the 6^th and 7^th books I’ll be back in England. There is a second series, A Season for Love, which has some of the same characters as The Marriage Game. I’ve written the first two books, but have not edited them yet.

You are very busy, which is great news for your readers. You've inspired me to finish my projects. You must relax sometime! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I walk, paddle-board, and read.

 

Thanks you, Ella, for chatting with us today! We wish you continued success with your new book and the books to come.

Ella Quinn has lived all over the United States, the Pacific, Canada, England and Europe before finally discovering the Caribbean. She lives in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands with her wonderful husband, three bossy cats and a loveable great dane. Ella loves when friends connect with her. Please visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and her blog.

 

 

Take an Art Tour with Jane Austen!

I found this wonderful site from the University of Austin in Texas that takes you on a guided web-tour of an art exhibit that Jane Austen actually saw on May 24, 1816. Click on the link below, and go through the exhibit in a leisurely fashion. Leave the children with their nanny or governess, and tea and cakes will be waiting at the end. I'll be sure to have a barouche waiting outside the door to whisk you to Grosvenor Square, where a supper party awaits!

Jane Austen Art Show