Regency Romance With a Gothic Twist: Interview With Elf Ahearn, Author of “A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing”

May9

Today I am pleased to welcome Elf Ahearn to Susana’s Parlour. She writes “Regency romance with a Gothic twist” and her book, A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing is currently available (see below).

She’s giving away a free copy to the commenter who gives her the best response to her question about their favorite and/or most-hated food. (Just for the record, I detest lima beans too, Elf!)

What inspired you to start writing?

My friend, a beautiful fellow-journalist named Susan Baker, and I decided to form a literary society. At our first meeting only three of us met, me, Susan and this guy named Dave. We read scraggly little fragments of our fiction to one another and offered lame criticism mostly based on good reporting skills. Susan’s piece was incredible, though. It was a story about a crabby old woman befriended by a guy who takes the time to talk to her—to find out what made her so upset.

After that first meeting Susan left the paper for a job at the front desk of a factory. The pressure to make deadlines, she said, was killing her. In fact, I’d noticed that for hours sometimes, she’d just sit and stare at an empty screen on her monitor.

Despite her move, we decided to hold another literary society meeting. When that day dawned, however, Susan couldn’t make it, and Dave had to write an article about a planning and zoning meeting. “It’s just you, Elf,” Susan said, “You have to carry the torch.”

A few weeks passed and Susan and I decided that the ideal excuse for a get-together was to celebrate our birthdays. She just couldn’t muster the energy to write for a literary society anymore, she told me. The weekend before the scheduled date, I was staying with my boyfriend, (now my wonderful husband) when my sister called. Susan had telephoned with the message that she wouldn’t be able to meet for our birthdays after all. I didn’t call her back. I figured I’d phone her Monday.

So, Monday came and I dialed Susan’s number. Her roommate picked up. Over the weekend, the roommate told me, Susan drove to the far end of a parking lot in Poughkeepsie. She aimed her car at the brick wall of a church and hit the gas. The impact killed her.

Susan’s father approached me at her memorial service. He had a package for me—a birthday present from her. When I unwrapped it I found a red journal with lined pages. At the center of its cover, delicately surrounded by a picture of a smiling sun, curling flowers and puffy clouds, were the words, “Seize the Moment.” I’m not going to say that I write for Susan or even that I write for her memory, I write because I have to and I write because, as she so permanently proved, the moment is now.

How long have you been writing?

I wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, but my spelling was atrocious. Teachers left snarky notes all over my short stories—always about the spelling. My father had an expression, “xysizzle.” That’s what most three-syllable words looked like after I got through with them. So, I was afraid to write. Then a man named Steve Jobs teamed up with another guy named Bill Gates. They invented this magical machine that made it possible for me to write without anyone knowing what a terrible speller I am. Steve, Bill—you’ve made a lot of money—but still, I owe ya.

What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

Take classes! It’s amazing how much teachers know. But, if they’re not supportive, ditch ‘em. Nobody, but nobody, needs to hear how much they stink.

What comes first: the plot or the characters?

I ascribe to the “big bang” theory of plotting. At the climax of my novels, I want gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes, fire, thunder and a whole lot of other dramatic stuff. Ergo, I usually have the end in mind before I start, but the characters push me around before I get there.

What is your work schedule like when writing?

I’m most creative at night, in bed. I don’t want to count the number of times my husband has gently pried the computer from my sleeping fingers.

What is your favorite food? Least favorite? Why?

Lima beans and creatures of the sea are the bane of my existence. Otherwise, I’m not picky.

What is something you’d like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

Naturally, I’d like to be on the New York Times Bestseller List with movie executives licking my toes for a chance to make a film of A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing. On the off chance that that doesn’t work out, I’d like to see the last two books in the Albright Sisters series published. Crimson Romance, the publishers of Rogue, already purchased Lord Monroe’s Dark Tower. That’s the second book in the series. Hopefully, they’ll be interested in taking them all on.

Every writer dreams of getting “the call.” What were you doing when yours came? Who got to hear the good news first?

My friend, Liz Shore, got the call first and I was super excited for her because she’d been through heck in a hand basket, and she earned that contract. Then two days later, Jennifer Lawlor, my editor at Crimson Romance, sent me an email accepting Lord Monroe’s Dark Tower. I asked about A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing and a few hours later she wrote back saying they wanted that book as well!

Strangely, the news depressed me. Weird, right? I wandered around the house for a few hours totally unnerved. At last, I called my husband. He was so thrilled that I finally allowed myself to be happy. After that, I called Liz and we screamed for like fifteen minutes.

I’d love to hear from Susana’s Parlour readers. How about telling me what your favorite/most hated foods are? The best answer gets a free digital copy of A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing.

About A Rogue in Sheep’s Clothing

In Lord Hugh Davenport’s opinion, women of the ton perpetually hide behind a mask of deception. That’s hard for Ellie Albright, the daughter of an earl, to swallow—especially since she’s disguised herself as a stable hand to get back the prized stallion her father sold to Hugh to pay a debt. If Hugh learns her true identity she’ll lose the horse and her family will go bankrupt. Somehow, though, losing Hugh’s affection is beginning to seem even worse.

Already only a step away from being snagged in her own web of lies, Ellie’s deceit threatens to spin out of control when Hugh’s mother invites Ellie and her sisters to a house party. Now Ellie has to scramble to keep Hugh from knowing she’s the stable girl he wants to marry, while simultaneously trying to win his trust as herself. Can she keep her costumes straight long enough to save her family? And even if she does, will it be worth losing his love?

Available on

Amazon.com (Kindle), iTunes (iPad, etc.), Barnes & Noble (Nook) and BookStrand.com.

Visit me at www.elfahearn.com or become a pal at Facebook by going to elfahearnauthor.

Excerpt

A stiff breeze swept up the massive stone edifice bringing the scent of heather, gorse, and a tinge of the dank salt sea. The beauty of it sobered her. “My God, it’s magnificent,” she said, feeling the sun’s warmth and the chill of the breeze on her cheeks. For miles around she saw only the dip and rise of the yellowed moors disappearing into soft, distant gray.

Hugh joined her cliff-side. He settled on a patch of thin, wind-whipped grass. Ellie plopped down beside him and took a deep whiff of the heather he’d picked for her on the trail. “Ah,” she said. “It smells like England.”

Hugh broke off a branch of the plant and put it between his teeth. “Tastes like her, too,” he said. Ellie laughed.

Then they grew silent, listening to the rustle of grass, feeling the hot sun, and breathing the rich smell of sweet flowers and fecund herbs.

“This is my day,” said Hugh, lying back in the grass. “You may have a piece of it.”

Ellie swatted him with the stalk of heather. “I shall take your captain’s salute on horseback.”

“And I shall take this moment, right now,” he said, closing his eyes.

They were silent again. Ellie lay back and snuggled into the grass. The cool wind couldn’t reach her here – just the thick heat of the sun. She closed her eyes, too.

A fly tickled her forehead. She brushed it away. It came back and tickled her again. She opened her eyes in time to see Hugh leaning over her, the branch of heather in his teeth. He flicked it away from her face.

“You’re the annoying fly,” she said, lunging to pull the heather from his mouth. He caught her wrists and rolled onto his back. She struggled, enjoying the feel of his large, callused hands. “I suppose if I were really clever,” she said, giving up and leaning on his chest, “I could get that branch without using my hands.”

“Oh yes, and how would you do that?” replied Hugh, a glint in his eye.

Ellie leaned over and, bringing her face close to his mouth, pulled the heather from his teeth.

A bolt of electricity raced through her. She hadn’t meant to be so intimate—hadn’t anticipated the heat of his flesh against hers, or the soft velvet of a corner of his lips. Her heart beat fast and her face grew hot. She looked away, dropping the heather from her mouth. “I’m never getting married,” she blurted.

Hugh studied her. “Then I’m not either.”

Gently, he brushed a bit of heather from her lips.

The caress stirred a small fire. She closed her eyes and lay back down on the grass. Joy washed over her. “That’s wonderful,” she sighed. Hugh’s hand closed on hers.

About the Author

Elf Ahearn, yes, that is her real name, lives in New York with her wonderful husband and a pesky (yet irresistible) cat. Learn more about her at www.elfahearn.com or friend her on Facebook.

Spotlight on Regency Author Joan Smith + Giveaway

May6

I’ve been making my way through two shelves of Joan Smith books for quite some time (guaranteed fun reads), and the other day when I found one that I felt was truly outstanding, it occurred to me that it was a shame that few young people—who may not have been born in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s when Joan Smith was producing her delightful Regencies—have had the opportunity to read her work. (Note: Joan also wrote as Jennie Gallant; don’t overlook those titles when you come across them.)

Oh, you can find them in used bookstores, and nearly 70 of them can be found in the Kindle store for $3.99, not to mention on the Regency Reads web site for $5 a pop, but let’s face it, authors’ backlists don’t get the sort of promotion the newer titles do, and most younger people will probably never know what they missed.

So I decided to do my part in getting the word out. What sort of reader would appreciate Joan’s Regencies? Anyone who enjoys

traditional, “sweet” Regencies. Her stories will never be outdated.
spirited heroes and heroines with a sense of humor
witty dialogue à la Georgette Heyer without the superfluous narrative found in other books
three-dimensional, memorable secondary characters
well-crafted plots and believable scenarios
lively romps through Regency society in a variety of English locales

The Virgin and the Unicorn

This is the book that inspired me to write this post. I wrote this review for Amazon:

Miranda has known the Herscham family all her life; thus, she knows better than to set her cap for Lord Rotham, the oldest son, who has proven to be a ramshackle young man of the worst sort–not to mention the one who had played fast and loose with her older sister’s affections all those years ago. Miranda has been sent to stay with the Herschams, ostensibly because of her younger sister’s bout with the measles, but Miranda knows her parents are hoping she will make a match of it with Pavel, the younger Herscham son. It seems hopeless, though, since Pavel is only eighteen–the same as Miranda–and they’ve always been more like siblings.

Lord Rotham unexpectedly returns from his post at the Vienna Congress, and although he has a serious problem on his hands, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to Miranda, who proves to be immune from his practiced charm. It gives him pause to realize how his antics of the past have tainted him in Miranda’s eyes, and this latest escapade of his–having stolen a valuable French tapestry from a cathedral on a lark–is not showing his character in any good light either. Still, there’s no keeping secrets in that household, especially after the tapestry is stolen and the servant left guarding it seriously wounded. Since this matter is likely to cause an international incident, somehow they have got to figure out who stole it and get it back again.

Rotham knows what he wants almost from the first, and even his affectionate parents see it before Miranda does. But how can she take this rogue seriously when he was the cause of her sister Trudie’s anguish in the past? No doubt he had cut quite a swathe through the great ladies at the Vienna Congress before returning home. And hadn’t she seen the looks he’d exchanged with the beautiful comtesse who was also lodging with the Hershams? No, Miranda is far too sensible to have her head turned by a gentleman with HIS track record.

And yet…is Miranda truly so cautious and staid herself? Perhaps the truth is that she’s been waiting for an opportunity to have an adventure herself…and who better but an experienced rogue–one who is feeling seriously remorseful of his misspent youth–to accompany her?

I love the characters, the close family relationships, the witty repartee, especially Pavel’s remark about the lump on Rotham’s forehead giving him the look of a unicorn, a reference to the famous tapestry of “The Virgin and the Unicorn”. (No need to worry; it was a minor injury that soon faded.) The implication being, of course, that Miranda was the virgin who had tamed the unicorn without really trying to; he had voluntarily laid his head in her lap in a gesture of eternal surrender.

Joan Smith is a talented author; it is to be hoped that her books will be released in ebook format for the enjoyment of newer readers, who do not often get the chance to read such delightful Regencies these days.

Who is Joan Smith and What’s She Up To These Days?

This is the bio you will find at the end of most of Joan Smith’s books and on web sites. (It’s dated, as Joan hasn’t published anything since 1998, as far as I can tell.)

Joan Smith is a graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor. She is the author of over a hundred books, including Regencies, many with a background of mystery, for Fawcett and Walker, contemporary mysteries for Berkley, historical mysteries for Fawcett and St. Martin’s, romances for Silhouette, along with a few historicals and gothics. She has had books in the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, been on Walden’s Bestseller list, had two Regencies selected for the Romantic Times ten best ever Regencies, and had one book condensed in a magazine. Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.

Update from Joan as of April 22, 2013:

The bio you have pretty well covers it. Still following the same interests, along with a keen interest in healthy cooking. I’m a widow now, enjoying time with the growing family of grandkids and great grandkids.

Have you read any of Joan’s books and if so, what do you like best about them?

Joan Smith Giveaway

In case you haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of Joan’s books lately, I’m offering one lucky commenter the following six books from my Joan Smith collection. Do make sure you leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you happen to be the lucky winner.

The Barefoot Baroness (1992)

After one disastrous Season, Laura Harwood had no designs for snagging a husband. She hardly felt qualified to accompany her cousin, Olivia, Baroness Pilmore, to London for her debut.

However, Olivia’s fears of social failure proved unfounded—although meeting the Season’s social lion, Lord Hyatt, whose artistic talent was rivaled only by his masculine perfection, was a bit troubling.

His interest in painting Olivia’s portrait put Laura on her guard. Was it Olivia’s aesthetic countenance or her fortune that Hyatt found so appealing? Moreover, Laura found Hyatt’s attention to herself most disturbing. Alas, she knew it was simply a matter of time until he saw her for the provincial miss that she was.

The Royal Scamp (1989)

She had her pick of dashing gentlemen, but was one among them a common thief?

Naturally, eyebrows rose when Esther Lowden, a lady of quality, turned her family estate into a country inn. But business had never been better, thanks to the notorious highwayman whose midnight escapades encouraged fearful travelers to stay the evening.

Dabbed the “Royal Scamp,” he was rumored to be quite the gentleman, bestowing kisses on his more comely victims. Indeed, Esther suspected, he might even be one of the dashing new arrivals at Lowden Arms.

Well, no proper businesswoman would harbor a criminal. But which gentleman wore the mask of a highwayman…and which wore the face of love?

Reprise (1982)

No one ever dreamed that Prudence Mallow, who wrote novels and was not London’s most ravishing beauty, would ever capture the heart of the dashing Lord Dammler. The fact that he wrote poetry was, of course, a bond with his beloved. But he cherished her most for her beauty of spirit and her lively intelligence.

Alas, one day Prue unexpectedly visits her fiancé at his home only to discover his former mistress prancing about in appallingly few clothes. Naturally this leads her to believe that Dammler has renewed his erstwhile erotic relationship.

And so Prue decides to get even—in a very novel manner.

Valerie (1981)

Valerie was a lioness!

Tall, sandy-haired, with golden feline eyes. What better model could her eccentric aunt find for the heroine of her latest anonymous romance novel?

But the plot of life proved far richer than fiction. For when Valerie arrived at her aunt’s country estate, she suddenly found herself in the midst of high society séances and chicanery…where secret passages hid stolen jewels, where money changed hands as fast as Val changed gowns. And where distant French cousins and dashingly attractive, if poor, scholars, turned out to be as intangible as ghosts, as flimsy as certain “famous” fortunes, and as illusive and longed-for as love.

Tea & Scandal (1996)

There was much ado about something at Wildercliffe!

Exceedingly wealthy Lord Pargeter had married his housekeeper…then expired, leaving the woman an heiress. There was something havey-cavey about the whole business, especially when the woman’s niece, Jane Lonsdale, arrived unexpectedly from her teaching position at Miss Prism’s Academy.

Across the lake, neighbors at Swann Hall were most interested. Visiting acquaintance Lord Fenwick decided to investigate…and was very intrigued by Jane, whose past hinted deliciously of scandal and whose lovely face and lively spirit fascinated him even more.

As devilishly attractive as she found Lord Fenwick, Jane kept frantically busy trying to keep her past a secret and was not gullible enough to succumb to the charms of a man too curious about her for his intentions to be nobel!

Bath Scandal (1991)

How much mischief could anyone get into in Bath?

At the insistence of his high-minded fiancéer, Lord Southam had dispatched his unruly tomboy of a sister, Gillie, to an acquaintance in Bath. Mrs. Beatrice Searle, an elegant widow, could surely smooth the girl’s rough edges.

But when rumors of Gillie running free with a reckless gambler reached Southam, he wondered if Mrs. Searle was still the unexeptionable lady he knew years ago. Determined to see how matters stood, Southam was unprepared for the charming, beautiful, and somewhat fast-living Beatrice Searl. And with his wild oat-sowing days about to end, how could he ignore the charms of a merry widow?

Sources of Joan’s Books

The Belgrave House (her non-Regency titles)

Regency Reads (Regency and Georgian titles)

Links

Joan Smith: The Canadian Georgette Heyer

Joan Smith on Goodreads

Jennie Gallant on Goodreads

Joan Smith on Shelfari

Romance Wiki (Joan’s Silhouette titles)

Many thanks to Peggy, Carola Dunn, and others from the Regency Yahoo Forum and the Mary Balogh Fan Forum for the great leads they passed on, and to Neff Rotter of Belgrave House for contacting Joan and getting a brief update on her for this post.

BTW, Joan: I was a French/English teacher also for a lot of years!

Shereen Vedam: A Beastly Scandal + Giveaway

Apr29

Today my guest is Shereen Vedam, author of A Beastly Scandal, a sweet Regency romance. Shereen is giving away a free ebook of A Beastly Scandal to one lucky commenter.

Welcome to Susana’s Parlour, Shereen!

Thank you for having me here, Susana!

What inspired you to write this story, Shereen?

In coming up with a concept for my first Regency novel, I decided to do one based on a fairy tale. One of my favorite fairytales is Beauty and the Beast so it was easy to dream up an isolated mansion, a brooding alienated hero and a good-hearted heroine, from which evolved A Beastly Scandal.

How long did it take you to write?

I was terrified I would fail to do this wonderful genre justice. It took me a year to write the book, and several months after that to edit. Then, although it was picked as a finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart® contest, the book wasn’t published. By the time fairytales became popular enough for this story to catch a publisher’s interest, I had finished six other Regencies and able to apply all that I had learned into this book’s final edits. It also helped to have a great editor to work with. Thanks to her guidance, I learned so much about adding tension at the end of scenes, being clearer about a character’s thoughts and feelings and adding specificity to my descriptions.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

I used to love writing the first draft. Now I love the editing process even more. Editing gives me the opportunity to add in layers and polish. A bit like dressing up for a ball. It’s not enough to simply put on a pretty gown. We need to choose the right jewelry, apply makeup skillfully and dress our hair in a pleasing style, never mind choosing the perfect pair of shoes to match the gown. All these extra touches are what allow us to wear that pretty gown with confidence. It’s the same when it comes to getting a novel ready for the public eye. The world building has to be right, then we need to strip away excess words and ensure the historical detail is correct. I believe editing is what helps to ensure a book become an enjoyable experience for a reader.

What is your least favorite thing about writing?

The need to hold down a full-time job in order to pay for the privilege of being able to write in my spare time.

Tell us something about A Beastly Scandal that is NOT in the blurb?

A game this couple plays is one of my favorite parts of the book. Showed me that sometimes when you win, you’re actually losing, and when you think you’re losing, you might actually be winning.

Are you working on something at present that you would like to tell us about?

My next three fairytale-inspired Regency romances to be released by ImaJinn Books starts of a new series called The Rue Alliance:

A Devilish Slumber (inspired by Sleeping Beauty)
A Scorching Dilemma (inspired by Cinderella)
A Perfect Curse (inspired by Snow White).

I find that Regencies often incorporate elements of fairytales. For instance, I’ve always thought that Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has a certain flavor of Beauty and the Beast. Can you think of any others?

View the Book Trailer

About A Beastly Scandal

A BELLE OF THE BALL…

Lady Annabelle Marchant was a belle of the ball in London until she used her psychical senses to save a man’s life. She failed miserably, leaving him dead and her disgraced. All she wants now is a chance to comfort his widow by cleansing the woman’s home of her husband’s restless spirit. But the widow’s son, the beastly Lord of the Manor, accuses her of coming to the wilds of Cheshire to snag him as a husband. Thoroughly disgusted, she is bent on proving him wrong.

…BECOMES PERSONA NON-GRATA…

Lord Rufus Marlesbury, the Earl of Terrance, is suspected of murdering his father. He has come home to clear his name by finding the real killer before the new year or the king has promised that Rufus will be called in front of the House of Lords to answer for the crime. He does not have time to waste fending off a marriage-minded miss who has inveigled an invitation to his home by playing on his grief-stricken mother’s worst fears.

…WHEN A MURDERER IS ON THE RAMPAGE

With an unruly manor ghost terrorizing the occupants and corpses piling up in the village, Belle must find a way to see the man beneath the beast and Rufus must learn to believe in the love of a woman who has no reason to trust him. Only by working together can they stop a vengeful ghost before it torments the guests or before the killer strikes again.

Excerpt

Lord Terrance may have forbidden her from coming to his manor house, but she was determined to clear his country home of its resident ghost.

“That is a desolate looking house, is it not?” Winfield said. “I would have it torn down and rebuilt in a more flattering style, but Terrance seems fond of this monstrosity. So what brings you so far north, my lady?”

She faced the gentleman. “I have come for a visit with Lady Terrance. She is my grandfather’s friend.”

“I had heard the countess still wore dark colors.”

Before she could respond, a loud crack sounded. She sensed danger stab from above. With a shouted warning, she pulled Mr. Winfield out of harm’s way just as an icicle crashed and shattered where they had stood. She protected her face as splinters flew in all directions.

Mendal screamed. The owl fluttered its one good wing and screeched. The dog barked ferociously.

Mr. MacBride spoke first, his voice quivering and eyes wide with terror. “It is an omen, ah tell ye.”

“He is right,” Mendal said, sounding unusually timorous as she crossed herself. “We should leave. Bad luck comes from going where we are not wanted.”

The front doors opened then, and a footman descended. Immediately, the dog raced up the stairs and inside.

“Dog!” Belle called out in alarm. The animal might wreck the place. This was not how she had hoped to introduce herself to the countess.

An older woman, dressed in black, moved to the open doorway. Belle recognized her from a drawing her grandfather had shown her. This was Lady Terrance. She gave off waves of fear as she looked toward the roofline.

Belle’s worries drowned beneath the lady’s emotional assault, leaving her head pounding with a headache. Through that onslaught, Belle’s purpose became crystal clear. This is why she had come here. Lady Terrance needed her.

About the Author

Shereen Vedam was born on a tiny paradise island called Ceylon, later renamed Sri Lanka. Since then she arrived in Canada and moved across the provinces until she landed in British Columbia where she found a new paradise all her own, filled with people and pets and plants (including an awesome giant Weeping Sequoia) that nurture her love of reading, writing and dreaming.

Website: www.shereenvedam.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShereenVedam

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shereenvedam/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShereenVedam

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3415603.Shereen_Vedam

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shereen-Vedam/e/B005A53Q10/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1366498580&sr=1-1

Meg Mims: Traveling the Transcontinental Railroad + Giveaway

Apr15

Meg is offering a free digital copy of Double or Nothing for one lucky reader and I’m throwing in a $10 Amazon gift card for another. To enter: leave a comment (and your email address) on this blog entry and then click here to enter the Rafflecopter. The winner will be chosen and notified on April 19th. Good luck!

I love reading historical fiction. I love researching them even more… and the transcontinental railroad is a favorite topic because the first book in my Double Series is a twist of True Grit and Murder on the Orient Express. Double Crossing won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel, and my new release, Double or Nothing, is the sequel. Book two is not set on a train, but incorporates some further information about the New York to San Francisco railroad.

So let’s talk trains! Most people take for granted the highways of today. Over 150 years ago, when gold was first discovered in California, men hoping to get rich traveled to San Francisco via steamships which navigated through the dangerous Panama River and jungle region in Central America. Settlers heading west chose stage coaches, river boats, Conestoga wagons, oxen or horses, which dictated how far one could go—and such trips would often take many months due to weather, Indians and no real roads.

After the ‘war of Rebellion,’ the Union Pacific began laying tracks west from Omaha. They had their own problems with marauding Indians, the Rocky mountains and keeping up the pace (although I’m not certain the AMC series Hell on Wheels is all that accurate). The Central Pacific had far greater obstacles and dangers. Relentless winter storms in the Sierra Nevada mountains stalled the work. Snow sheds were fashioned to keep progress going, and thank goodness for nitroglycerin and the Chinese laborers who gave their lives to build that route. The five-mile-long Summit Tunnel in the Sierra Nevada took 15 months, in fact, to finish. The “race” between the two companies ended at Promontory Point in Utah in May of 1869.

After the Golden Spike ceremony that joined the two lines, travelers could begin in New York and end up in Sacramento within a week or 10 days in good weather. But travel wasn’t easy. The Pullman Palace sleeping cars proved expensive for the average traveler, but were not luxurious by any standard. Station houses with 30-minute meal stops gave way to dining cars within the decade. Indians who had often sabotaged the Union Pacific crews withdrew further north to fight at the Little Big Horn—and eventual defeat after that short-lived victory by the turn of the century. The Western Pacific railroad was also built from Sacramento via Stockton and San Jose to get as close to San Francisco as possible, although many people took a spur railroad to Vallejo and then a ferry across the Bay. Within 25 years, the majority of fruit shipped to the East Coast from California via refrigerated freight cars.

The transcontinental railroad proved to be the biggest fuel for American western expansion. My Double series gives the reader that sense of the west, of adventure and mystery, a touch of romance, and a bit of inspiration as well. Double Crossing is a twist of True Grit and Murder on the Orient Express, while Double or Nothing continues the adventures of Lily and Ace with a twist on The Fugitive.

DOUBLE CROSSING—BOOK 1

A murder arranged as a suicide…a missing deed…and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered.

August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father’s murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed — both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the hunter but the prey.

As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust—the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

Amazon for Kindle and print
B&N for Nook
Smashwords
Hardcover Large Print Edition: – Amazon or B&N
Audiobook: Audible.com or Amazon

Click here to see the BOOK VIDEO

DOUBLE OR NOTHING—BOOK 2

A mysterious explosion. A man framed for murder. A strong woman determined to prove his innocence.

October, 1869: Lily Granville, heiress to a considerable fortune, rebels against her uncle’s strict rules. Ace Diamond, determined to win Lily, invests in a dynamite factory but his success fails to impress her guardian. An explosion in San Francisco, mere hours before Lily elopes with Ace to avoid a forced marriage, sets off a chain of consequences.

When Ace is framed for murder before their wedding night, Lily must find proof to save him from a hangman’s noose. Will she become a widow before a true wife?

Amazon for Kindle and print
B&N for Nook
Smashwords
Hardcover Large Print Edition: – coming in December!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BOOK VIDEO!

About the Author

Clocks and time play a big part in any late bloomer’s life. And time plays a vital part in every mystery.

Meg Mims is an award-winning author and artist. She writes blended genres – historical, western, adventure, romance, suspense and mystery. Her first book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America and was named a Finalist in the Best Books of 2012 from USA Book News for Fiction: Western. Double or Nothing is the sequel. Meg has also written two contemporary romance novellas,The Key to Love and Santa Paws — which reached the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list.

Excerpt

DOUBLE CROSSING — Chapter One

I burst into the house. Keeping the flimsy telegram envelope, I dumped half a dozen packages into the maid’s waiting arms. “Where’s Father? I need to speak to him.”

“He’s in the library, Miss Lily. With Mr. Todaro.”

Oh, bother. I didn’t have time to deal with Emil Todaro, my father’s lawyer. He was the last person I wanted to see—but that couldn’t be helped. Thanking Etta, I raced down the hall. Father turned from his roll-top desk, spectacles perched on his thin nose and hands full of rustling papers. Todaro rose from an armchair with a courteous bow. His silver waistcoat buttons strained over his belly and his balding head shone in the sunlight. I forced myself to nod in his direction and then planted a quick kiss on Father’s leathery cheek. The familiar scents of pipe tobacco and bay rum soothed my nervous energy.

“I didn’t expect you back so early, Lily. What is it?”

With an uneasy glance at Todaro, I slipped him the envelope. “The telegraph messenger boy caught me on my way home.” My voice dropped. “It’s from Uncle Harrison.”

Father poked up his wire rims while he pored over the brief message. His shoulders slumped. “I’ll speak plainly, Lily, because Mr. Todaro and I were discussing this earlier. My brother sent word that George Hearst intends to claim the Early Bird mine in a Sacramento court. Harrison believes his business partner never filed the deed. He needs to prove our ownership.”

“Hearst holds an interest in the Comstock Lode, Colonel.” Todaro had perked up, his long knobby fingers forming a steeple. The lawyer resembled an amphibian, along with his deep croak of a voice. “His lawyers are just as ambitious and ruthless in court.”

Father peered over his spectacles. “Yes, but I have the original deed. I didn’t plan to visit California until next month, so we’ll have to move up our trip.”

“Oh!” I clasped my hands, a thrill racing through me. “I’m dying to visit all the shops out there, especially in San Francisco. When do we leave?”

“We? I meant myself and Mr. Todaro.”

I stared at the lawyer, who didn’t conceal a sly smirk. “You cannot leave me behind, Father. I promised to visit Uncle Harrison, and what if I decide to go to China?”

“Lily, I refuse to discuss the matter. This trip is anything but a lark.”

“It’s a grueling two thousand miles on the railroad, Miss Granville. Conditions out west are far too dangerous for a young lady,” Todaro said. “Even with an escort.”

“The new transcontinental line has been operating all summer. Plenty of women have traveled to California. I’ve read the newspaper reports.”

“I’m afraid the Union and Central Pacific cars are not as luxurious as the reports say. You have no idea. The way stations are abominable, for one thing.”

I flashed a smile at him. “I’m ready for adventure. That’s why I’ve considered joining the missionary team with Mr. Mason.”

Father scowled. “You are not leaving Evanston until I give my approval.”

“You mean until you dissuade me from ‘such a ridiculous notion.’”

“Need I remind you of the fourth commandment, Lily?”

“No, Father. We’ll discuss this later.”

My face flushed hot. Annoyed by being reprimanded in front of Todaro, I ignored the rest of the conversation. I’d always wanted to see the open prairie and perhaps a buffalo herd chased by Indians, the majestic Rocky Mountains and California. California, with its mining camps, lush green meadows and warm sunshine, the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco that had to be as exhilarating as downtown Chicago. I’d pored over the grainy pen-and-ink drawings in the Chicago Times. Uncle Harrison, who’d gone west several years ago to make a fortune and succeeded, for the most part, would welcome me with open arms. I plopped down on an armchair and fingered the ridges of the brass floor lamp beside me. Somehow I needed to persuade Father to allow me to tag along on this trip.

Contacts

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A Favorite Scene From Treasuring Theresa!

Mar28

The official excerpt is on http://www.susanaellis.com/pub.html. This scene comes later, however. Enjoy!

“When does the waltzing begin?” he whispered as they performed the elaborate steps of the country dance. “I must claim the first waltz.”

“We do not waltz here,” she whispered back. “It’s considered far too scandalous. Besides,” she added when they came back together, “we have already danced twice. A third would make us the talk of the shire.”

He chuckled. “Isn’t that what you were aiming for at the Sedgely ball? A juicy scandal to divert the gossips’ attention?”

She looked up at him in surprise. “You know,” she said, “I just realized I don’t care about that anymore. I’m glad Reese is happy with Eugenia.”

“Indeed,” he managed, wondering why he suddenly felt so relieved.

She did condescend to dance another set with him, and Damian hoped all of the old biddy gossips had noticed.

On the return trip, Mrs. Noble babbled on incessantly about gowns and stale cakes while Damian found his eyes lingering over the curvaceous form of the young lady on the seat across from him, the light of the moon being thankfully dim enough to conceal his bold appraisal.

She was silent, in a reflective mood, her head turned toward the window and the shadowed images of the scenery outside.

“Imagine that scamp Dickie Fielding enticing the Hampton chit to meet him in the garden!” Mrs. Noble exclaimed indignantly. “Why I thought her father would explode when they were discovered.” She lowered her voice. “I have it on good authority that they were embracing,” she revealed. “A dreadful scandal indeed should they not marry post-haste.”

Theresa’s head shot around to face him, and he knew she was recalling that night at the betrothal ball when she’d tried to lure him out to the terrace and he’d made a hasty escape. He rather thought now that he would enjoy a pleasant interlude alone in the moonlight with her. He would hold her against him, her head on his chest, while his hands swept over her curves. When he felt her pulse rising, he would draw her chin toward him and take her lips in a long kiss while his other hand would cup her breast, already pebbling with her desire.

Damian froze. What was he thinking? Cousin Theresa was no strumpet. The only way he could indulge in such carnal delights with her would include an obligatory wedding first. And that was out of the question.

Wasn’t it?

Don’t forget: the Epilogue to Treasuring Theresa is also available as a bonus read on my web site. Be sure to read the original story first, however.

Guest Author Linda Carroll-Bradd Talks About “Dreams of Gold” + Giveaway

Mar25

Thanks for hosting me today, Susana.

Today I’m talking about my sweet western historical novella, Dreams of Gold. I love stories where one of the characters is definitely outside his or her comfort zone. That’s exactly where my heroine, Ciara Morrissey, finds herself when she acts on a deathbed promise made to her dear mother. From civilized Massachusetts to a frontier town in Wyoming Territory is quite a leap, and Ciara finds herself in all sorts of trouble.

Leave a comment here which includes your email address for a chance to win a copy of Dreams of Gold.

About Dreams of Gold

1871, Wyoming Territory

Easterner Ciara Morrissey travels west to honor a sacred promise to her mother and locate her fortune-seeking father. Three years of acting as caretaker to her grandparents and mother until their deaths has created a thirst in Ciara to see what the wide world has to offer.

Sheriff Quinn Riley has been tracking the Irish charlatan who swindled half the population of Bull City, Wyoming. He’s determined to stick close to the opinionated woman who arrived on the runaway stagecoach. Within only a few hours, easterner Ciara Morrissey upsets the townspeople by making inquires about his prime suspect. He’s duty-bound to keep her safe, even when being close to the green-eyed beauty sets off a stampede in his heart.

EXCERPT

More evidence she was a stranger to the wild circumstances of the western frontier. Anticipation of organizing the chase flitted through him. “Did they use names? Or speak to their horses?” At her head shake, he fought back the urgency rising in his chest. “Anything that might provide a clue?”

“We heard shots, and Mr. McGinnis shouted for us to do what we were told. A man rode up to the window on each side, demanding our money and jewels.” A dainty shoulder lifted in a shrug. “That’s when Miss Fairchild screamed her virtue was about to be stolen and swooned, landing in my lap.” Green eyes danced, and a high-pitched giggle escaped. “Frankly, I doubt the robbers planned on lifting anyone’s skirts.” Eyes widening, she clapped a hand over her mouth and shook her head.

Damn. Quinn had seen witnesses suddenly realize the danger they’d been in and that’s when hysterics set in. Lord, he could not abide a crying woman. “Did you notice any detail about their saddles or markings on their faces that stood out?”

Her brows scrunched low, and she squared her shoulders, pulling her jacket snug across her breasts. “I feared for my very life, sir, and you think I should have noticed their saddles?” She inhaled deeply, and then her whole body stilled. “Yes, I do remember something about the saddles.”

He watched the movement of her chest—in particular, how the buttons strained their closures. The rhythm of his heartbeat kicked up and a bead of sweat trickled on his forehead. Lifting his gaze to her face, he leaned forward, forcing himself to concentrate on what she might share. “What’s that?”

“Each man sat in one.” Her body rigid, she raised the mug to her lips and waited, an eyebrow arched high.

Excerpt © Linda Carroll-Bradd

Author Bio

As a child, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about characters having exciting adventures in places far away. Upon reaching a landmark birthday, she decided to write one of those romances she loved so much. Easier said than done. Perseverance paid out and twelve years later, she received her first call from a publisher and a confession story was published. Now Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor, and many have a tie to her previous home of Texas.

Linda currently lives in the southern California mountains with her husband of 34 years and their two spoiled dogs, Shiba Inu Keiko and terrier mix Phoenix.

www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Guest Author: Debra Glass + Giveaway

Mar21

Susana:

Today my guest is Debra Glass, who, like me, writes historicals for Ellora’s Cave, although hers are quite a bit more steamy than mine! Last year I loved her ménage book, Scarlet Widow, so I’m eager to hear about her latest release, Lover For Ransom. Welcome to Susana’s Parlour, Debra!

Debra:

Thank you very much for hosting me in the Parlour today.

A Yankee Teacher Comes South in Lover for Ransom

Cathleen Ryan is one of my favorite heroines. She’s feisty and no nonsense and has a firm grip on everyone and everything—except herself. I thoroughly enjoyed writing her interaction with Southern hero, Ransom Byrne, who found he was far more intrigued with the Yankee hired help than he wanted to admit.

Leave me a comment and be sure to include your email address. One lucky commenter will receive a copy of Lover for Ransom!

**********

Byrne’s End, Thompson’s Station, Tennessee

June 3, 1866

Mr. John A. Bennett

Dear Sir,

I have arrived in Tennessee in one piece, though at times, I highly doubted that would be the case. Once my train crossed the Mason Dixon line, there was a marked change in the land. Many once grand dwellings are now but burned out shells, skeletal remains of the bastions of slavery I so fervently fought against during my tenure as an abolitionist prior to the war. I must admit, however, this area referred to as Middle Tennessee by its inhabitants is, for the most part, unscathed by the ravages of the war.

Upon my arrival, I was met at the station by Mr. Ransom Byrne who, I’m given to understand, contracted my service with the Perkins School for the Blind. Though pleasant enough, Mr. Byrne embodies all the qualities I would have heretofore ascribed to a former officer in the Rebel Army. With his easy and overly familiar manner of speech, he seeks to dazzle and woo, but I assure you, Mr. Bennett, those cavalier charms are lost on an affirmed spinster such as I, but not, as I so shockingly observed, on the local maidens.

Mr. Byrne took it upon himself to confide in me that, during the war, he had been brought home to convalesce during an illness which he unwittingly spread to members of the Byrne family, including my charge, his younger sister, Jenny. The illness resulted in her blindness, and I have clearly determined that my work with the sixteen-year-old has been cut out for me. Like many who have been robbed of sight in the bloom of life, Miss Byrne is disillusioned and bitter. I have no doubts I shall be able to rectify that and teach her that the blind can indeed live full lives.

It is obvious to me that Mr. Byrne feels beholden to his family and their business of horse breeding. In fact, the Byrnes and their servants alike, put far too much stock and trust in the wiles of the beasts, as I unfortunately learned firsthand after a mishap with a wagon and its novice driver, seven-year-old Charles Hunt.

I imagine a lesser woman would be intimidated by the Southern aristocracy, but not I. I fully intend to not only adhere to the standards I have adopted from my friends and mentors, Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Miss Susan B. Anthony, but to instruct these Southern women, long repressed by their menfolk, the way to equality both in the home and at the voting poll.

As soon as I begin my instruction with Miss Byrne, I will write to you and inform you of my progress. Again, I appreciate the opportunity you have afforded me to travel from my hometown of Boston to this godforsaken land where I might not only help this young woman, but also enlighten my Southern sisters.

Very Truly Yours,

Cathleen M. Ryan

About Lover For Ransom

Ransom Byrne has been ravaged by guilt since an illness rendered his little sister blind. The former Confederate cavalry officer has resolved to make amends by hiring a Yankee tutor who’ll hopefully restore order to his sister’s life. Once accomplished, he’ll be free to leave Byrne’s End.

From the moment she steps off the train in Tennessee, Cathleen Ryan makes a startling first impression. With her feminist ideas, the irrepressible Bostonian quickly outrages everyone—especially Ransom. He deems the bespectacled teacher too uptight and prim for his tastes. Appearances, however, are deceiving. She tenders decadent proposals that shock and intrigue him, and sultry nights spent submitting to his every illicit request offer them both love and redemption.

But when her steadfast convictions attract the attention of dangerous men, Cathleen risks losing her chance of becoming more than just a lover for Ransom.

Inside Scoop: This 19^th-century tale contains mild violence, spanking, sloppy puppy kisses, more spanking, fiery suffragette speeches and an attitudinal horse named String Bean.

A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Excerpt From: LOVER FOR RANSOM

“Don’t you ever read anything for pleasure?”

She toyed with the earpieces of her glasses, her mind fixed on the way his velvety drawl had played havoc with the word pleasure. She cleared her throat. “There are far too many important things to read to waste my poor eyesight on frivolities, Mr. Byrne.”

He closed her book, set it on the table and stood. Cathleen flinched as his leg brushed hers when he passed on his way to the bookcase. He opened it and pressed his fingertip to his lips in thought as he perused its contents.

Cathleen studied his casual stance. His weight shifted to one leg and his head cocked to the side. He looked back at her, stared so long it made her insides quiver and then turned back to the collection and removed a slender book from the shelf.

“I shall read to you then,” he said with a smile and he returned to his chair. “To protect your poor eyesight from…frivolities.”

Cathleen gulped as his long fingers opened the book and he thumbed through the pages. It looked like a child’s volume in his hands and she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d chosen.

“Ah, here,” he said, placing his elbow casually on the armrest of his chair to hold the book at a comfortable height. “It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea, that a maiden lived there that you may know by the name of Annabel Lee.”

Edgar Allan Poe. Of course she was familiar with the famed Baltimore author. But she’d read his works in braille, and certainly had never heard them read aloud by a man with such a hauntingly husky voice. This night—this moment, with the clock’s pendulum ticking off the seconds in time with the poem’s meter and the flickering glow of the lamp—seemed to be made for the dark, beautifully macabre poem about a woman who’d died before her time.

“For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee,” Ransom continued.

Cathleen closed her eyes, picturing a pair of young lovers walking hand in hand on a stormy beach. Ransom’s voice transported her and she felt the anguish of the author who’d lost his love only to find himself frequented by her ghost.

“And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side, of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, in the sepulcher there by the sea, in her tomb by the sounding sea.”

Eyes still closed, Cathleen sat in the stillness, absorbing the song contained in the words. When her lashes fluttered open, she was surprised at the tear that traced down her cheek. Blushing, she swept it away. “Very nice, Mr. Byrne.”

He raised his eyebrows in mock warning.

She giggled. She actually giggled. Closing her eyes for a split second, she struggled to compose herself. She was acting like a bashful schoolgirl. “Ransom,” she corrected, her voice but a breath.

In that instant, something had suddenly changed between them and she was at a loss to decipher it.

Staring, he inhaled. “With your hair loose, you reminded me of the woman in that poem.”

Her eyes widened. “Dead?”

He chuckled without mirth. “No. Wild and windswept.”

This time, Cathleen did begin to smooth her hair down.

“No,” he said. “No. Don’t touch it. It’s perfect the way it is.” He must have realized he’d said too much. “I mean, it’s only you and me. There’s no need for pretense.”

Cathleen nodded. Her gaze fell to the brown leather covered book in his hand. “Do you believe such love exists?”

He snorted and closed the book. “This was the fancy of a man who imbibed too much and who thought too much. Love like that is for the young and foolish—for people who haven’t experienced the things I have.”

Cathleen gnawed her bottom lip. “Are you referring to your time during the war?”

He suddenly looked uncomfortable. His big and masculine exterior seemed incongruous with his sudden unease. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I saw and did things no living human being should ever have to see or do. Things that’ll make you hate yourself.”

Cathleen didn’t know how to respond. Newspapers told of the hardships and combat. She’d seen soldiers boarding trains to join the fighting. She’d watched neighbors don their widow’s weeds. She herself had received a telegram informing her that her brother had been killed. But even when the war had come into her very home, it had always seemed a distant thing. But these Tennesseans had lived the war. This man had fought it. Federal troops had occupied their home. While on the train, she’d overheard tales about frightening guerilla raids from both sides, about men who didn’t live by any code of decency, who took what they wanted and killed indiscriminately. These families had lived day to day, wondering if their hard-earned food stores, their homes or even their very lives would be taken from them.

“No,” Ransom continued. “The war was anything but glory.”

Still, Cathleen remained uncharacteristically silent. While she pitied the plight of these people, in her eyes, the war had been a necessary evil, a vehicle through which an entire race had broken the bonds of slavery and declared themselves free. And yet, she didn’t feel free to admit her thoughts on the matter to Ransom Byrne. Not tonight.

“What about you, Cathleen?” he asked, his gaze finding and holding hers, daring her to correct him. “Do you believe in that kind of love?” His tone was almost mocking.

Realizing he’d shifted the conversation back to the poem, she let out a laugh. “Of course not. In fact, I don’t agree with marriage at all and I shall never marry.”

“How did you come to this conclusion?”

“Contrary to what you might think, I haven’t chosen a life of spinsterhood because I am bookish and outspoken, not to mention plain.” She straightened, confused at the way a belief she’d always maintained with pride, now hurt. “No. I simply do not accept as true that a woman should have to marry and live out her days in subjugation.”

“Subjugation?” he asked and then laughed. “I’ve always thought that was the other way around. All the married men I know are pretty beholden to their wives.”

“That’s but a puerile joke. We all know that marriage gives husbands rights to a woman’s livelihood and even her body, if he so chooses to claim them. For a woman, marriage is nothing but legalized…rape.”

This time, both his eyebrows shot up. “That’s a mighty strong word.”

“A married man can demand his rights anytime he chooses. Therefore, if a woman is forced into coitus with him, it is legalized rape.” Cathleen lifted her chin, awaiting an argument. It was a strong word. But he needed to know how she felt about subjugation. She needed him to know it.

Instead, he surprised her. “Don’t you ever feel desire?”

Yes, I’m feeling it this very instant.

Can’t wait for the drawing? Buy Lover for Ransom (available in all ereader formats ) at Ellora’s Cave today! http://www.ellorascave.com/lover-for-ransom.html

About the Author

DEBRA GLASS is the author of over thirty-five books of historical and paranormal romance, non-fiction, young adult romance, and folklore. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Professional Authors’ Network as well as RWA’s Heart of Dixie and Southern Magic Chapters.

She lives in Alabama with her real life hero, a couple of smart-aleck ghosts, and a diabolical black cat.

www.DebraGlass.com

Spotlight on Jane Ashford + Giveaway

Mar14

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!

Spotlight on Jane Ashford

In my younger days, I used to devour the old Signet, Zebra, Candlelight, etc. Regencies by the dozens, and still have quite a collection on my TBR shelves. Jane Ashford was one of my favorites. I’m glad to see that she is making some of these available in digital form so that they can be enjoyed by the younger Regency readers.

The more I learned about Jane Ashford (whose real name is Jane LeCompte), the more I realized how much we have in common. She discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school, while I discovered Heyer’s magic in ninth grade, but both of us were entranced with “the glittering world and witty language of Regency England.” She studied English literature in college. I have an English minor. She traveled widely in Britain and Europe. I studied abroad in Spain, France and Mexico, lived in Ecuador for three years, and have traveled around Europe, Central and South America. She was born in Ohio and lived in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. As for me, I’ve always lived in Ohio, except for the three years in Quito, Ecuador. She started writing at a younger age, but her career was interrupted by various life events. I read voraciously during my teaching career and began writing seriously afterward.

At the moment I’m reading The Impetuous Heiress, which features a strong, self-confident society lady labeled an “ice queen” because she’s turned down so many offers of marriage. But when she meets a tall flame-haired Scotsman who isn’t impressed by her popularity or beauty, she falls hard. This time, though, she is the one who gets turned down, and oddly enough, it only seems to make him more attractive to her. Will the Scotsman see through her social veneer to the sweet, generous girl beneath, or will his first impression of her as a rather “fast” society lady make a love match between them extremely unlikely?

Which of Jane’s Regencies have you read? Do you miss the shorter Regencies as much as I do?

Giveaway#2: One randomly chosen commenter will receive the following SIX vintage Jane Ashford Regencies*:

The Repentant Rebel (1984)
The Irresolute Rivals (1985)
Meddlesome Miranda (1988)
Gwendeline (1980)
A Radical Arrangement (1983)
The Impetuous Heiress (1984)

*These are used books in relatively good condition.

Jane’s new historical release is Once Again a Bride:

Pushed by her dying father into a marriage with one of his friends, Charlotte Rutherford Wylde finds herself bound to an old man who disdains and ignores her. Miserable, furious, she determines to take drastic action, but before she can confront him, her husband is murdered in the dark London streets. From the moment Charlotte hears this upsetting news, she is subject to shock after shock. Her dead husband has spent the fortune she brought him, leaving her nearly penniless. His will reflects his obsession with the artifacts of ancient Rome, turning her home into a museum. And most astonishing of all, he had an entire family that he never mentioned.

The fashionable Wyldes are as surprised to hear of Charlotte’s existence as she is of theirs. To the charismatic Alex she is, at first, just another obligation in his overburdened life. He has to grapple with his dead relative’s shady business dealings, an attempted robbery, and a suspicious Bow Street Runner. But it’s not long before Alec realizes that there is nothing he would rather do than cherish the entrancing Widow Wylde.

Jane discusses marriage laws in Regency England on the Historical Hussies blog.

Historical romances by Jane Ashford include:

Once Again a Bride (Sourcebooks – February 2013)
The Marriage Wager (Sourcebooks re-issue in September 2013)
The Bargain (Bantam Books)
Charmed and Dangerous (Bantam Books_
Bride to Be (Bantam Books)

Regency romances by Jane Ashford include:

Gwendeline (Warner Books)
Bluestocking (Warner Books)
Man of Honour (Sourcebooks re-issue in August 2013)
Rivals of Fortune (Warner Books)
The Three Graces (Sourcebooks re-issue in October 2013)
The Marchington Scandal (NAL/Signet)
The Headstrong Ward (NAL/Signet)
A Radical Arrangement (NAL/Signet)
First Season (NAL/Signet)
The Impetuous Heiress (NAL/Signet)
The Repentant Rebel (NAL/Signet)
The Irresolute Rivals (NAL/Signet)
The Reluctant Rake (NAL/Signet)
Meddlesome Miranda (NAL/Signet)

Jane Ashford’s Web Site

Guest Interview: Elaine Violette

Mar4

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

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!

Susana Got Tagged in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!

Mar3

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

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!

You Got Me, Téa!

One of my History Lovers colleagues, Téa Cooper, tagged me for the “The Next Big Thing Blog Hop.”

SO WHAT IS THE ‘NEXT BIG THING’ BLOG HOP?

The idea is for me to answer ten questions about my latest project, and then tag other authors in order to continue the hop.

I was tagged by Téa Cooper and haven’t tagged anyone else.* Yet. (Let me know if you would like an excuse to discuss your latest project. It was more fun than I expected!)

*Update: My friend Cora Lee will be writing about her upcoming project on March 28. Now I just need two more people!

Since I’ve blogged a lot about Treasuring Theresa, I’ll talk here about my latest project, which is still in revision stage and subject to change. It doesn’t have a cover yet, but I do have a photo of my heroine, Charlotte. The title, too, is subject to change.

TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT…CHERISHING CHARLOTTE

Was Cherishing Charlotte always the title of this book, even when it was a work in progress?

Well, originally I thought to call it The Heatherwyck Inheritance. But after Treasuring Theresa was published, I thought Cherishing Charlotte would be a good followup, since the major characters do appear here in cameo roles. But…keep in mind…this story is still a work in progress, and nothing is set in stone as yet.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

One day while Treasuring Theresa was still out to my critique partners and our MVRWA annual brainstorming event was approaching, I decided to brainstorm a list of future story ideas. This is one of the plots that came to me (and yes, I have several more waiting to be written). And thanks to the MVRWA for helping me straighten out the plot last September!

The idea came to me of a situation where the heroine (Charlotte) was being pressured to marry her grandfather’s nephew and heir (her second cousin) to save her family from destitution. Her wealthy grandfather disinherited his daughter (Charlotte’s mother) when she ran off with a tutor, but as he faces his own mortality, he comes up with a way to ensure his Chapman lineage by marrying off his estranged daughter’s child to his brother’s son. Of course, Charlotte can’t stand her cousin Wyatt, but her family is in desperate need and she won’t inherit anything unless she goes along with her grandfather’s plan.

What genre does your book fall under?

Cherishing Charlotte is another traditional, sweet Regency romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Frankly, I don’t like the idea of casting real people as my fictional characters. I don’t really like my favorite books, such as Outlander, being made into movies, because it totally spoils my inner visualization of these fiercely-loved characters.

But I did create a Pinterest board for help in visualizing characters and places in Cherishing Charlotte, and I have already chosen a photo of Charlotte for use in creating promotional items when the time comes. I’m having a hard time finding a good one for Colin, because my sources of stock photos seem to be limited to dark-haired or extremely young men. But I’ll keep looking!

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Hmm…I haven’t actually gotten that far yet. But I’ll give it a try here. Just keep in mind that things may change before the story’s publication takes place.

Charlotte must choose a lifetime of misery wed to her coxcomb of a cousin or else doom her beloved family to destitution…unless she can persuade her grandfather to change his mind.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Who knows? It’s still a work in progress at this point, but I have no plans to self-publish it a tpresent.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

If you don’t count November, when I put it aside to write my NANO novel, which is the next project for revision, about two months so far. However, I am making substantial changes to the plot, so I would add another month before it is ready to submit to a publisher.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Treasuring Theresa, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and lots of English historical romances based on English inheritance laws and romance.

Who/what inspired you to write this book?

No one thing, I suppose. I am just intrigued by the situation of young women in Regency times whose futures depended upon “suitable marriages” to gentlemen they couldn’t even like or respect, let alone love. How many had to choose between spinsterhood or marriage to men like Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice? What would you do if your beloved brothers’ futures depended on you marrying someone you knew would make you miserable? There weren’t a lot of options for women in those days. In the end, did Lizzie Bennet think less of her friend Charlotte Lucas for marrying Mr. Collins? If the situation with Mr. Darcy had not turned around, I suspect Lizzie would have chosen spinsterhood, much as Jane Austen did herself.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Charlotte’s grandfather employs a handsome estate manager who is hiding a few secrets of his own. Colin Graham can’t like the match between his employer’s granddaughter and nephew, but he’s certainly not in a position to help her escape from it, even if he wished to, which he doesn’t. Does he?

And that’s about it!

Watch my blogs, Susana’s Parlour and Susana’s Morning Room, as well as my web site, for more news about Cherishing Charlotte (or whatever it will end up being called in the end).

And if you haven’t read Treasuring Theresa or the epilogue to Treasuring Theresa (a free read), why not do that now and be prepared to meet them again in Cherishing Charlotte?