Release Day for A Kiss of Promise by Elaine Violette—Giveaway!

Release Day for A Kiss of Promise

Thank you, Susana, for hosting me. My newest novel, A Kiss of Promise, a Blush Historical Romance, is being released by Ellora’s Cave Publishers as an ebook today, April 3^rd!

Researching A Kiss of Promise

It is a pleasure to tell your readers about the research behind my newest release and a bit more about the story. First, I’d like to mention that A Kiss of Promise has set me on a new road or, perhaps, I should call it a voyage. My first two books are traditional Regencies. A Kiss of Promise is released as a Historical Romance. The change occurred because I wanted my heroine to travel to America. This was a real departure from writing strictly about the rules, customs and traditions of the English Regency.

And so the voyage begins.

I became thoroughly absorbed in my research into ocean travel in the early eighteen hundreds. I learned about the first ship lines, length of travel, crew’s responsibilities and inherent dangers involved in sea travel. I learned about the animals that were kept on ships for food and drink, sea shanties sung by the sailors, and other fascinating details that I was able to include in A Kiss of Promise.

Since Martin and Alaina, my hero and heroine both travel to America, one freely, the other under duress, I needed to research life in New England in the early nineteenth century. I studied the time period as if I were traveling down a road in New York or Boston at that time, I learned about landmarks, shops, banks, social events, business dealings, and gambling halls.

I imagined what it must be like for travelers who were reaching the American shores for the first time, their fears and their hopes for the future.

Where my voyage is taking me…

I became so interested in my research that my newest manuscript takes place in New England. I’ve already spent much time researching church life, farming communities, household chores, politics and racial undertones of the time period. It’s especially interesting to read local newspapers when freed slaves and servants were often treated like chattel.

More than sweet and sensual

While romance is the ultimate hope for my heroes and heroines, all my novels present the darker side of human nature.In each of my published novels, readers meet villains without conscience. This changes in my newest manuscript but I’ll save that for a future post.

A Kiss of Promise continues the story of the Blackstone brothers, introduced in my debut novel, Regal Reward. While Regal Reward tells of York Blackstone’s struggle to regain the title lost to him when their father is falsely accused of treason, A Kiss of Promise tells of Martin Blackstone’s desire to free himself from his family scandal, escape the stuffy rituals of England and seek adventure in America. He leaves the beautiful and desirous Alaina Craymore broken hearted in order to realize his dream, rather than seek deeper reasons for his need to escape. It’s only when he discovers that she is in danger that he is forced to face his personal truth and fight to save her.

To summarize

In A Kiss of Promise, characters experience not only the aristocratic life in British society with all its rules and expectations, but also the hazards of sea travel and the unruly world of gamblers and prostitutes.

I hope readers will voyage along with Martin and Alaina in A Kiss of Promise and enjoy it enough that they’ll want to read Martin’s brother, York’s story in Regal Reward.

Giveaway for two readers who order Regal Reward and read York Blackstone’s journey to love.

I am offering two free ebook copies of A Kiss of Promise. All readers of Regal Reward need to do is message me on Facebook and answer the following two questions correctly:

1) Where and under what circumstance does York meet Marielle?

2) Where does Richard Craymore go and what does he attempt to do when he learns of his father’s crimes?

About A Kiss of Promise

Adventurer Martin Blackstone escapes the stuffy rituals of England to seek his destiny in America. He leaves Alaina Craymore behind, believing she is better off without him. Suffering under the scandalous circumstances surrounding her father’s death, only Alaina’s love for Martin and the memory of their one stolen kiss have kept Alaina steady. But she hasn’t heard from Martin in far too long and cannot wait forever in the hopes that he will return from America. Just as Alaina begins to recover, one of her father’s associates emerges from the shadows with a choice—she must pose as his fiancée in America or he’ll send her brother to prison on charges of forgery. Willing to endure ruin and an uncertain future, Alaina agrees—she can do no less for the brother who’s spent his entire life protecting her. Only the man who spurned her can save her from the black mailing scoundrel and a ruined reputation.

Martin hasn’t forgotten Alaina or the kiss they shared. When word of her sacrifice reaches him, he’ll move heaven and earth to find her and make her his, no matter the cost.

A Blush® historical romance from Ellora’s Cave

Ellora’s Cave • Amazon • Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Elaine holds a BS in English Education from the University of CT and an MS in Educational Leadership from Central CT State University. When she’s not writing, she teaches public speaking part time at a local community college. She enjoys drawing, kayaking, traveling, and most of all, being with her husband Drew, her children and grandchildren. While her newest release, A Kiss of Promise, leads her characters from England to American shores, her present work, still in the manuscript stage, takes place in New England and deals with prejudice and its power over love. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, CT Romance Writers (CTRWA) and Charter Oak Romance writers (CORW). Elaine is available as a speech coach and presenter to help authors hone their public speaking skills.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

Elaine’s other books mentioned above:

Regal Reward (print and ebook)

A Convenient Pretense (ebook)

Guest Interview: Elaine Violette

Mar4

Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card and/or a Treasuring Theresa coffee mug!

Susana’s Parlour is celebrating the second anniversary of The Romance Reviews with the Treasuring Theresa Lucky In Love Giveaway. To enter the contest, click the TRR graphic at right or the Treasuring Theresa graphic in the side bar.

Before you go, leave a comment on today’s guest post for five contest entries. Be sure to include your email address in your comment!

Susana: Today my guest is Elaine Violette, who, like me, writes historicals for Ellora’s Cave. I’m eager to find out what else we have in common. Welcome to Susana’s Parlour, Elaine! I just bought your earlier book, Regal Reward, and pre-ordered the one that comes out next month, A Convenient Pretense. Can’t wait to read them!

Susana: First question: What inspired you to start writing?

Elaine: Thanks for having me, Susana. I’ll skip over talking about the terrible poetry I wrote about love and loss when I was teenager. Personal struggles drew me to write poetry and my love of romance drew me to read historical romance. After reading maybe my hundredth historical, I thought, I can do this, and so I did. My mom told me often, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” I believe that is true for all of us.

Susana: What advice would you give writers starting out?

Elaine: For new writers, it’s easy to get discouraged. High hopes can be dashed easily with the first rejection. The best way to prepare for the ups and downs is to maintain confidence in yourself as a writer, accept criticism graciously and continue to study the craft, while remaining true to your inner voice.

Writing a novel takes time and patience, one page at a time, and often it takes years to finish that first novel. My first historical romance, Regal Reward, published in ebook and print, tells the story of York Blackstone’s quest to retaliate against the man who framed his father, only to fall in love with the woman engaged to the villain’s son. I was excited and encouraged when it received wonderful reviews. My readers wanted me to continue the story of York’s younger brother. My editor accepted the manuscript immediately and the story of Martin Blackstone and his life out of the shadow of his older brother was prepared for publication, only to be pulled two weeks before publication. I was devastated. I won’t go into the details but for the first time, I could not diverge from my personal integrity as a writer and make changes where I didn’t wholly agree. Instead, I chose to shelve the manuscript.

That was the beginning of a downward spiral in my confidence as a writer. I dabbled with story ideas, wrote a couple of short pieces, attended my writing groups but I couldn’t bring myself out of the doldrums. My pity party lasted way too long.

New writers need to expect that rejection as well as disagreeable industry decisions, are part and parcel of being an author. Consider some of the most famous authors whose works were rejected: Stephen King’s Carrie, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, J, K, Rolling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, even George Lucas’s Star Wars. The list goes on…

I knew in my gut that I was a good writer and had to believe in myself again. Eventually, I started another historical romance, A Convenient Pretense, which is being released on April 4th as an ebook and is available on Amazon for pre-order, as you just mentioned.

Susana: Persistence is the key, isn’t it? A friend of mine once said she was grateful for all the potential writers who gave up too soon, because it cleared the way for her. Sad, but true.

Can you tell us a bit about A Convenient Pretense?

Elaine: Of course. Here’s the “back cover blurb”:

Emily Hughes has little patience for the frivolity of the season. Marriage brought out only the worst in her parents and if she has her way, she’ll avoid matrimony altogether. Only the demands of her father are enough to force her to join her aunt in London for the festivities.

Marcus Deming, Earl of Pembridge, refuses to love after watching his father succumb to a broken heart. Marcus will marry, but only for the convenience of producing an heir. Love need have no place in a marriage.

Emily and Marcus agree to spend the season in each other’s company, fending off the worst of the suitors and their aunts’ schemes. It isn’t until Emily is called home to aid her ailing father that she and Marcus realize their pretense has escalated into something far more intense. So alike, right down to a shared stubborn streak, it’s going to take a common enemy and the ability to admit when they’re wrong for Marcus and Emily to secure the future they suddenly can’t imagine living without.

Elaine: I hope my readers enjoy Marcus and Emily’s story.

Incidentally, I finally gained the courage to go back to the story that was pulled just before publication. I learned that while it’s important to be open and accept criticism, we also need to own our ideas and respect our muse. The changes I made reflected growth while I maintained my stand in areas I truly believed should not be changed. I recently signed a new contract for that second manuscript, A Kiss of Promise, Martin Blackstone’s story, which will be released later in 2013. For those who haven’t read Regal Reward, they might enjoy being introduced to York Blackstone’s story before Martin’s story is released.

Here’s the blurb from Regal Reward:

Marielle Henley’s betrothal to Richard Craymore has settled her future until her disobedience leads her into the path of a ruggedly handsome highwayman. York Blackstone’s seemingly invulnerable nature, hardened by a life molded in poverty and thievery is tested when he becomes enamored with his beautiful and defiant captive. When she reveals the name of her betrothed, she becomes a pawn in his obsession to destroy the man who falsely accused his father of treason and left his family desolate. York will let nothing or no one, not even his alluring captive stand in his way. Marielle becomes trapped between loyalties to her betrothed and to her own heart.

Susana: Are you a plotter or a punster?

Elaine: I admit to being a pantser. As an idea develops, I begin to write. I don’t know who will appear in the story apart from my hero and heroine and, perhaps, a villain. My muse takes over and has not disappointed me. As long as I make the effort to sit down and write, she joins me and the story and characters evolve. Technically, I must keep a record of names, eye color, etc., of my characters, but the story takes on a life of its own. A workshop speaker once said: “Sit down every day and write, even if it’s only one sentence.” I never forgot that slice of wisdom, though I confess I no longer remember the author’s name. I don’t always follow that advice, but I do my best to write or revise as often as possible.

Susana: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Elaine: Absolutely. As I stated above, when I allowed my confidence to diminish, I found it difficult to write even a word. I needed to continue to participate in writers’ groups and, most important, silence the voice that diminished my belief in my abilities. Most commonly, writer’s block happens when my mind is filled with all of life’s interruptions and responsibilities. I find, however, if I begin writing that first sentence, I become slowly freed from outside interferences. I just need to get hooked by my characters’ dilemmas.

Susana: Wow, can I identify with that! What are you working on presently?

Elaine: My newest manuscript is a departure from Regency romance. A Kiss of Promise takes place in New England during the 1800s. Racism and intolerance takes a major role in the heroine’s plight as well as a ghostly spirit intent on justice. I look forward to seeing where the story takes me and how my characters develop.

Susana: What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

Elaine: I love all of Mary Balogh’s books. She is my idol when it comes to historical romance. I find, however, that reading other genres improves my writing, especially reading novels by male authors like Clive Clussler and Ken Follet.

Susana: What a coincidence! I just did a spotlight on Mary Balogh in Susana’s Parlour last week! Tell us about your life apart from being an author.

Elaine: Though I will always be an incurable romantic who enjoys weaving stories of heroes and heroines, my most rewarding pastime is spending time with my husband, my children, two sons and a daughter, and my six grandchildren. As a veteran English teacher, I work as an adjunct at a local community college presently teaching public speaking. My favorite time of year is summertime when I get sit by the ocean or get out on my kayak.

Before I leave, I want to express my gratitude for my devoted readers. I absolutely love to hear from fans. Please visit me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elaine.Violette.author and say hello. At present, my website, www.elaineviolette.com .is undergoing some updates, but it should be back up soon.

My books are (or will be) available on Amazon and Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

Thanks for having me drop by today, Susana!