Tag Archive | Regency romance

Diane Farr: Adventures in Audiobookland

I write (mostly) romantic tales set in Regency England. But even if you know my books, you might not know that my first artistic career wasn’t on a page, but on the stage! Years of training, a degree in Drama, a move to Hollywood, an actual union card…so yeah, seriously, I was an actress. And more to the point, in addition to my stage work, I did voiceovers. I had something called “instant talent”—a knack for picking up a script and reading it “cold,” switching regional accents on command, that sort of thing.

You’ll notice I am using the past tense. I’ve been out of the business for a long time now, writing. But I’ve often thought it would be fun to record my books. And when Amazon acquired Audible, and then launched the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)—bringing their expertise in self-publishing to the production of audiobooks—I knew it was just a matter of time before I jumped on the bandwagon.

I jumped in 2013.

And discovered that producing one’s own audiobook is just a tad different from walking into a studio, grabbing a script, putting on a pair of headphones and following someone else’s direction. I’d always thought that voiceover work was the easiest gig in show business. I now learned that what made it so easy was all the heavy lifting being done by the people surrounding the actor! In the brave new world of indie publishing, I had to do all the hard stuff in addition to the easy stuff.

And the easy stuff wasn’t that easy, either. I began with a novella—a lightweight bit of romantic fluff called Dashing Through the Snow—because, duh, it was the shortest piece I had. I thought of it as a sort of warm-up exercise. But I soon realized that a sustained reading of 20,000 words is a bit more difficult than voicing a 30-second commercial.

I swallowed. I breathed. I muffed my words from time to time. My voice cracked. Once I accidentally bonked the microphone with my tea cup. A couple of times I had to stop to clear my throat. All this vocal crapola had to be carefully edited out, and I didn’t have an editor. Or a recording engineer. Or a director. Or a sound technician. I had to wear all the hats. It’s tough to read out loud for hours on end while wearing multiple hats.

Oh, and did I mention that I don’t happen to own a recording studio? I have two cats, a husband and a washing machine, all reliably making noise at varying levels. The farthest point from the action in my house is the master bathroom. I closed the bedroom door and the bathroom door, huddled on a stool, and read into my newly-acquired Porta-Booth—which was balanced on a second stool, facing me.

With all this going on, I wasn’t able to tackle the gigantic problem rearing its hoary head—the one that had kept me from trying this during all the time I had wished I could. I am (a) female and (b) American. Many of my most important characters are (a) male and (b) English.

The marketing geniuses at ACX assured me that their audience wanted to hear books read by the author, no matter what. In their view, the fact that the narrator had also written the book outweighed any trifling consideration of accent or gender. So I forged ahead, perched in my bathroom with hot tea at my elbow and a microphone seated in a foam box before my face.

And then spent many an evening going over the recording with a fine-toothed comb, editing out the pops and gaps and odd noises, watching (and then applying) “how-to” videos on audio compression, and equalization, and blah-blah-blah. I got pretty good at blah-blah-blah.

Would I recommend the experience to other authors? Yes and no. Yes, if you are technologically savvy or don’t mind becoming technologically savvy. And if you like to read out loud. And if other people enjoy hearing you read out loud. And if you’re a total cheapskate who would rather do all the work yourself than pay someone else to do it for you.

If you answer “no”—or even “I’m not sure”—to any of those questions, my recommendation would be to visit ACX and offer your books to the hungry voiceover actors who may audition for you. There are actors who are willing to read your book for a share of your royalties. There are even producers who are willing to produce said actor’s work for a share of your royalties.

Dashing through the Snow went on sale through Audible, Amazon and iTunes on November 1, 3013 and I received my first royalty check yesterday—with no share deducted for anyone other than myself. So for me, was it worth the hours spent cursing under my breath and hating the sound of my own voice? I would have to say yes!

Available

Audible

About the Author

Diane Farr was first published at the age of eight when the Bakersfield Californian printed one of her poems. She has spent most of her life with her nose in a book — sometimes reading, sometimes writing. Eventually she produced eight historical romances and a novella, all published by Signet Books, a division of Penguin Putnam. Her latest adventure is a teen paranormal series: The Spellspinners. All her books are now available as e-books as well as in print.

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter

Killarney Sheffield and “Through Gypsy Eyes”

Jan9

Hi Susana! I’m so pleased to be visiting your parlour today.

I’m Killarney Sheffield, the author of Through Gypsy Eyes, released from Crimson Romance on April 15, 2013. Through Gypsy Eyes is my eighth published novel.

Giveaway!

I would be delighted to offer my newest re-release Stand & Deliver Your Love from BooksWeLove to one lucky commenter.

Many people have asked me just how I came up with the idea of a blind heroine and a guide animal in the form of a seeing eye pony named Jester. Like many authors I sometimes struggle with “showing” vs “telling” and developing the sensory dimensions in a novel. I started writing a short piece from a blind woman’s point of view. Obviously my character could not see the world around her but had to interpret it through touch, taste, smell and the sounds around her. It is a wonderful exercise that really helped me connect with Delilah.

The story just took off from there and refused to stay quiet until I seriously wrote her story and for me as a Canadian farm gal, a book is never complete without some kind of animal sidekick. Most people would have gone with the guide dog approach but, I hate to offend anyone here, I am just not a dog person. My whole life has been spent around show horses of various breeds and disciplines.As I was thinking on an animal sidekick I remembered an old show I saw once on Animal Planet about a lady in the USA who trained miniature horses to be guides for the blind. She used a harness similar to a dogs, put cute little sneakers on the pony’s feet for traction and house-trained them. These remarkable little creatures could do everything a guide dog could and posed less of an allergy problem.

From this simple show the idea behind Jester was born and he quickly became a most endearing character who threatened to steal the story in more than a few scenes! You can view a quick teaser of the tale here: http://youtu.be/S6qfLlbIkxA.

True to my love of critters big and small I am currently polishing another historical romance novel with suspense, adventure and paranormal aspects to it titled Love’s Magic. It is the story of a female magician and her unusual sidekick, a black Holland rabbit named Dexter.

About Through Gypsy Eyes

Delilah Daysland doesn’t see herself as marriage material. After all, who could love a woman locked in darkness?

Try telling that to Lord Tyrone Frost. He’s determined to do his duty and see her wed to a suitable gentleman, as the King commands.

Delilah has other plans. Convinced her father’s death was no accident, she must depend upon her pony Jester to guide her through everyday challenges as she seeks the truth behind mystery, murder, and deception. Though drawn to Tyrone she’s afraid to trust him, until she sees the world and love through gypsy eyes.

Sensuality Level: Behind Closed Doors

Available

Amazon

Excerpt

The pony snorted and then nickered. She strained to hear anything beyond her own movement as she kept herself afloat. Was there a slight rustle in the brush? Stilling her movement, she paid closer attention. After detecting no further sound she closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax and float in the blissful rocking motion of the current. It must be a small woodland creature out to parch its thirst on such a stuffy night. There was nothing to fear from such creatures, she was sure. A soft splash gave her pause and she rolled over. Treading water she turned to face the opposite bank. Ripples rose, slapping her chest as if something waded in the shallows. She listened again. A rhythmic sloshing made its way toward her. Alarm quickened her pulse as she concentrated on the sound.

“Jester?”

An answering nicker came from the bank behind her. She worried her damp lower lip between her teeth. If Jester is yet on the bank, then what is in the water with me? The unknown visitor slowed, treading water a few yards from her. By the noise it made she surmised it was large. Intuition told her it was not a mink or beaver come to fish. The fine hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle. Crossing one arm over her breasts and paddling with the other to keep afloat she inquired, “Is someone there?”

“I thought my eyes deceived me when I spied a fair maiden floating in this pool.”

The unexpected baritone froze her movement. Delilah gasped, almost going under the surface of the water when she forgot in surprise to paddle for an instant. She scrambled for something appropriate to say under the circumstances. “I beg your pardon, sir? ‘Tis most unseemly to disrupt a lady’s swim.”

He chuckled, a low, husky sound making her picture a large, muscular physique. “Ah, you are right; however, I have yet to determine whether you are a lady or merely a figment of my overtaxed imagination.”

Heart thudding against her ribcage, she swam backward toward the opposite bank, struggling to appear calm and collected. The stranger could accost her here and no one would know to come to her rescue. How senseless I have been. Surely Jester will be no match for a man intent on harming me. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage.

“I assure you sir, I am not a figment of anyone’s imaginings, least of all yours.”

“Hmm …” the preponderance followed her. “Perhaps then you are a woodland nymph out to temp any man who passes by to try your nectar?”

Her feet touched bottom, sinking into the sand. Before she could turn and make for the bank his hands were on her waist. To her horror he cradled it in a firm, yet gentle grip.

“Release me sir, for you do offend a lady, not a nymph.” She fought a growing sense of panic as he drew her to him.

His minty breath tickled her damp cheek. “You have flesh as any maiden. Do you taste as sweet as one, too?”

Anger and shock at his boldness brought her hand down with force to slap the surface of the water. He sputtered in response to the spray splattering his face. Perhaps I might have the upper hand. “Release me this instant or I shall scream and alert my maid who sleeps on the bank,” she bluffed.

Despite the warning, he chuckled. “There is no maid, wood nymph, for I walked the whole perimeter when I spied you here.”

Is his intent to take advantage of a lone woman and defile me? What am I to do?

Summoning her little remaining courage, she tried to reason with him. “I say again, release me good sir, for my presence will be missed at the manor even as we speak.” She grimaced at the tremor in her voice betraying her fear. He shifted, his mouth brushing her ear, and she gasped at the intimate contact.

“Ah, even so I would take a moment to test your lips to see if they are as soft and sweet as your voice,” he whispered.

About the Author

Well, before becoming a published author I used to be a natural horsemanship trainer, farrier and English & Western riding coach. I currently live on a Canadian cattle ranch with my family, though one day have dreams of seeing the world and moving to Australia. I am still as passionate about my horses as my writing but have to work hard to balance the two these days. Which is my greatest joy? Probably my registered Thoroughbred stallion, Stamp de Gold, whom I lovingly refer to as Love Monkey. In a horse person’s life there comes that one very special equine who seems to know exactly what you want and what you are thinking. I have been blessed with two of those amazing creatures over my years of owning, training and showing, my dear departed Melderman and Stamp de Gold. For all those ‘horsey’ readers and authors out there I also have a blog dedicated to all kinds of horse info.

Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Blog

Current Books on Amazon

Lydia M. Sheridan: Wodehouse and Benson, Unsung Masters of Regency Style

Jan2

Wodehouse and Benson, Unsung Masters of Regency Style

As much as I adore Jane Austen, she is not necessarily my favorite authoress of traditional, or classic, Regency romances. I think this largely stems from one too many male profs having no idea, firstly, that there were any other female writers worth a second glance (they were wrong, of course), and secondly, heaven forbid they should be forced to consider tales of love and romance which ended in happily-ever-afters as Great and Powerful Litrachaw of the ages. Jane, therefore, became a great contemporary writer of biting satire and witty social commentary. No doubt true, but we all know she was really writing about the trials and tribulations of young women finding love. The satire and commentary were just super-fun extras. (N.B. These profs were the same ones who insisted that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was about the social upheaval and financial catastrophe of the early 20^th century, insisting that the Wicked Witch of the West’s silver shoes were a parody of the gold and silver monetary standard of the time. [insert eyeroll here] Every woman on the face of the earth, of course, knows that Baum’s stories were about the strength and beauty of home, family, and friendship. Oh, and shoes! There’s a reason MGM changed the silver to ruby. No wonder I only managed a C in that class. Yeesh.)

If I had to choose my favorite Regency authors, they would be Georgette Heyer (all hail), Joan Smith (Aunt Sophie’s Diamonds never fails to make me snort), P.G. Wodehouse, and E.F. Benson. The first two authors are obvious: Heyer is the godmother of us all. Her books are hysterically funny (The Talisman Ring), blueprints on what traditional Regency plots should be (Frederica), and, unlike Austen, concocted the amazing, colorful language of the Regency genre. I might be wrong, but I can’t think of a single instance in which Jane used slang or thieves’ cant in her works. I’m sure Mr. Darcy was bit by the barn mouse on occasion during his time at university, and Captain Wentworth certainly did the blanket hornpipe before meeting Marianne, but as we are not privy to those moments, we are not treated to the richness and variety of the vulgar tongue.

Heyer, on the other hand, gloried in it. Her heroines, of course, are never caught out in such appalling lapses of “bloody” this or “bugger” that. Had they done so, they would have been instantly ostracized by society and considered no better than they should be. Subsequently, they are invariably limited to an occasional “fiddle.” But no such restrictions are laid upon the men in her books. From Jimmy Yarde, the petty thief in The Corinthian, to virtually any of the teenage boys in her books who are anxious to be all the crack, the gentlemen are allowed the use of the most colorful slang terms of the time. Heyer incorporated the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue so skillfully into her books that her style and word choices have become the expectation of readers of classic Regencies.

Pelham Granville Wodehouse, of course, was by no stretch of the imagination a Regency writer. However, he managed to create a world which never truly existed, but which is so charming, that we have come to think of whenever we think of England. In his eternally carefree, upper-crust world of aristocrats and devoted servants, Wodehouse fashioned what we have come to regard as the classic English society. In this world, gentlemen are chaps, valets rally around, and aunts are appalling. His stories have that light, frothy touch of a classic Regency, in which a world which never existed has come to be considered the truest of British society, one which we admire and want desperately to live in, or at least visit.

E.F. Benson, perhaps the least known of the lot, is the author of the delightful Lucia series. In these six books, Benson has also created a world which has become more real than reality. While not the pinnacle of a brilliant, delightfully silly society, Lucia, Georgie, Miss Mapp, et al, are upper-crust enough to consider anything other than a life of leisure an appalling misfortune. Dahlia, poor enough to barely afford a maid, is the only one who needs money badly enough that she takes a job. She opens a tea shop, as genteel an occupation as one might find, and one which affords her the leisure to spend large amounts of time drinking tea and playing cards. The fascinating part of Benson’s creation is that we find out what people actually do all day when they don’t have jobs, don’t have to do housework, and who live in, if not Society, certainly on its fringes. They shop, gossip, play bridge, gossip, golf, gossip, play piano, gossip, and engage in metaphorically bloody battles of social one-upmanship. And all of this is done, once again, with the deftest of light touches.

As a reader, I go back time and again to these authors and revel in their fizzy, frothy worlds. As a writer, I try to absorb and reproduce their light, bubbly cadence and phrasing which bring to life the worlds they created, and which bring us so much vicarious pleasure. When your stock of Regencies runs low, do give them a try.

Available Books

Ventre a Terre

When the schemes of Miss Rosamund Hilliard are discovered, she must outwit her two suitors in order to safeguard her reputation — and stay out of Newgate Prison.

Ventre a Terre is a humorous, traditional Regency short story of approximately 16,000 words, or forty-one pages.

The Counterfeit Cavalier, Volumes 1-4

Utter mayhem breaks out when the Grey Cavalier once more robs and plunders near the village of Oaksley. The villagers could not be more delighted, since tourists and their money are now pouring in, including the mysterious Mr. Dalrymple. Unfortunately, this good news for the village is bad news for the Lady Katherine Thoreau, especially when the unthinkable happens. She and Mr. Dalrymple must work together to save an innocent from the gallows, and ensure their own future in the midst of highwaymen, counterfeiters, dragoons, and performing pigs.

Q & A with Lydia M. Sheridan

Q: Why did you want to write?

A: When I was a kid, I really wanted to be Judy Garland and go to Oz. (My mother swore up, down, and sideways that the movie was all true and I believed her until, well, along about last year). I still intend to be a big band singer or a concert pianist, but until those miracles happen, I write.

Q: Why is Lord Philip such a goober?

A: Poor Philip! [laughter] He’s not a goober! He’s just an extremely young man who is smart, but very bored, and subsequently gambles, boozes, and tries very hard to wench, except that he has no luck whatsoever with women. He first appears in Ventre a Terre (a story I’m embarrassed to say begins with vomit and ends with horse manure) and continues his gooberness in The Companion.

Q: Will he ever find love?

A: Yes, I promise! On January 18^th, to be precise. Philip grows up and falls in love for the last time (I hope, but you never know with that man) in School for Scandal.

Q: Do you have a website?

A: Er – probably I should do that, except Hostgator and I have developed a deep and meaningful loathing of one another.

Q: How can folks get a hold of you if they have a comment or question?

A: I’m on Facebook, or they can contact me at lydiam.sheridan@yahoo.com.

Q: What’s next on the agenda for Lydia? Assuming the concert pianist thing doesn’t work out.

A: Hey! [more laughter] Next up is a six-book series about six sisters and a castle, unless I change that to five sisters, because that’s just way too many s-es. I refuse to give up on the castle, however. That stays!

Q: Anything else you’d like us to know?

A: The Counterfeit Cavalier, a book which I literally wrote twenty-five years ago and had to piece together from three different computers and bits of dog-eared papers all over the place, is on sale at Amazon through January 6^th.

Q: Thanks for being with us today, Lydia.

A: My pleasure. Thank you for having me!

About the Author

Lydia M. Sheridan has yet to fulfill her childhood dreams of becoming a gold medal-winning figure skater, wicked-famous opera singer, or archaeologist, but she has written a couple of books, and that’s pretty cool, too. Her hobbies include losing at Scrabble, scarfing Milk Duds, and wearing extremely bright lipstick.

Contacts

Email • Facebook

Meredith Bond Talks About Historical Research

Dec30

I don’t think there could be anything more enjoyable than writing a historical novel. Honestly! Actually, it’s not just writing the novel. Actually, writing the actual novel isn’t the most fun part (I’m a little embarrassed to admit). It’s the research.

Doing research is definitely the most fun part of writing historical novels. I’ve got a whole bookshelf filled with books on the Regency. I’ve gone to England and walked the gardens of grand estates and royal parks. I’ve walked through houses which were lived in by the aristocracy of the Regency. It’s amazing to feel the history there – and you can really feel it!

But not all of my books are set in England. A good half of An Exotic Heir takes place in Calcutta, and boy did I have a great time doing research for that! Travelling around Kolkata (as it has been renamed), walking through the Victoria Memorial’s museum which gives a wonderfully thorough history of the city, reading diaries of the English who lived in Calcutta during the Regency period. All that history is just seeped into those buildings, those letters and diaries! You can feel it just walking the streets of what was known as the city of palaces because of all the beautiful, huge homes built by the British when they lived there.

And then it struck me, as I accompanied my mother-in-law to the bazaar one morning to buy fish and vegetables: vendors have been hawking their wares in bazaars in exactly the same way for over 250 years! Yes. When you go to buy vegetables, they are frequently laid out on the ground on banana leaves just as they have been for hundreds of years. Sellers still weight the fruits and vegetables using hand-held scales dropping weights on one side to balance the precariously heaped vegetables on the other. There are only two adaptations which I have seen – bare electric light bulbs which are strung up in the evenings (although not all sellers have them, some still sell by candle light) and the cell phone which is tucked away under the seller’s legs because everybody has cell phones in India!

I had so much fun exploring the city, delving into its history and exploring the way people lived 250 years ago. I tried to infuse some of that into An Exotic Heir, to give a flavor of life during the British Raj. I hope you can feel it when you read the book, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I loved writing it.

If you do, tell me! I love hearing from readers. I can be found on Facebook at meredithbondauthor, on Twitter @merrybond or you can email directly at merry@meredithbond.com.

Amazon • Barnes & Noble

About A Dandy in Disguise

St. John Fotheringay-Phipps has nearly forgotten who he truly is. As the dashing, amusing dandy known to all in society as Fungy, he has hidden himself behind a mask of merriment. But he is reminded that there are pleasures beyond society — when he finds himself feeling responsible for the innocently lovely and fiercely intellectual Rose, the daughter of a famed archaeologist, and her charming, if socially inept, family.

Rose Grace knows that she cannot gamble with her future. She has suddenly been thrust into the role of mother to her two young sisters, companion to her brilliant, distracted father –and family savior. She needs to do the right thing — to forget her own desires and quickly find a wealthy husband before the creditors come beating at their door. Then why is she distracted by the foppishly handsome Fungy, who seems so very irresponsible and pleasure-loving? Surely he’s the last person whose advice she should follow!

Excerpt

Available

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Apple iBooks

About the Author

Meredith Bond is an award-winning author of a series of traditionally published Regency romances and indie-published paranormal romances. Known for her characters “who slip readily into one’s heart,” Meredith’s heart belongs to her husband and two children. Meredith’s second favorite pastime is teaching others to write.

Maggi Andersen and “Taming a Gentleman Spy”

Dec9

Maggi will award a $50 Amazon GC plus an e-book copy of A Baron in Her Bed – The Spies of Mayfair, Book #1 to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click the banner above to follow the tour and increase your chances of winning.

About Taming a Gentleman Spy

John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn, is on an urgent mission to find the killer of his fellow spy. After visiting the young widow of one of his agents, Strathairn strengthens his resolve. A spy should never marry, and most certainly not to Lady Sibella Winborne, with her romantic ideas of love and marriage. Unable to give Sibella up entirely, he has kept her close as a friend. Then, weak fool that he is, he kissed her.

Lady Sibella Winborne has refused several offers of marriage since she first set eyes on the handsome Earl of Strathairn. Sibella’s many siblings always rush to her aid to discourage an ardent suitor, but not this time. Her elder brother, Chaloner, Marquess of Brandreth, has approved Lord Coombe’s suit. Sibella yearns to set up her own household. She is known to be the sensible member of the family, but she doesn’t feel at all sensible about Lord Strathairn. If only she could forget that kiss.

Available

Amazon • Knox Robinson Publishing Ltd. • Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

Sibella’s brother Edward stood at her shoulder. “I’ve come to claim you for the next dance, before any of your admirers beat me to it.”

“I shouldn’t worry, many are losing interest,” she said crisply, rising from her chair.

He eyed her as they entered the dance floor. “Losing hope, more like.”

As they moved through the steps of the quadrille, he dropped quiet remarks in her ear.

“Give up on Strathairn, Sib.”

“I don’t believe, I—” They parted, and by the time the steps brought them back together, she’d given up protesting. Edward had inherited their mother’s astute nature.

“It’s not that I don’t like him. I do very much. But he’s not for you.”

“You needn’t worry. He doesn’t wish to marry.”

Her brother raised a black eyebrow. “Oh, I believe you could sway him toward marriage, if you set your mind to it. That’s not the reason.”

“Then what is the reason?”

“Chaloner hears things in the House of Lords. I can’t repeat them.”

“So he tells you but not me.”

Edward shrugged with a smile and moved away.

“Why does such mystery surround the Earl of Strathairn?” she hissed at him when she next got a chance.

He shook his head. She’d learn no more.

About the Author

Maggi Andersen fell in love with the Georgian and Regency worlds after reading the books of Georgette Heyer. Victoria Holt’s Gothic Victorian novels were also great favorites.

She has raised three children and gained a BA and an MA in Creative Writing. After husband David retired from the law, they moved to the beautiful Southern Highlands of Australia.

Maggi’s free time is spent enjoying her garden and the local wildlife, reading, movies and the theatre. She keeps fit swimming and visiting the gym.

Maggi is a multi-published author, and writes mysteries and young adult novels as well as her Georgian, Regency and Victorian romances.

Contacts

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook

Susana Interviews Mrs. Barlow, the Mother of the Heroine of “A Twelfth Night Tale”

Dec5

Susana is going all out to celebrate the release of A Twelfth Night Tale!

Besides the Grand Prize—a Giant Treasure Box—she is giving away a Twelfth Night Tale Christmas charm bracelet (silver-plated) for one random commenter on each of the twelve stops of the tour.

Click here for the Rafflecopter for the Giant Treasure Box!

A Twelfth Night Tale Giant Treasure Box*

lovely gift box
A Twelfth Night Tale Christmas charm bracelet (silver-plated)
Father Christmas figurine
Three Wise Men figurine
Thomas Kinkade photo collage
Treasuring Theresa mug
Treasuring Theresa necklace
Treasuring Theresa keychain
two Christmas ornaments from Scotland (Mary Queen of Scots and fleur-de-lys)
two decks of Ellora’s Cave playing cards
two perfumed soaps from Scotland
fizzing bath salts from Scotland
Celtic pen from Scotland
“jeweled” soap
nail clipper keychain from London
stuffed toy bear

*In lieu of the treasure box, a winner from outside the U.S. will receive a gift card from the book retailer of their choice.

My time-traveling Regency lady, Lady Pendleton, came down with a stomach ailment and was unable to travel to Oxfordshire to complete the series of interviews she agreed to before returning to the 21^st century. (Prior to that, however, she did manage to interview Jane Livingston, the hero’s sister, while they were both enjoying the Little Season in London.) And she somehow contrived to send Mrs. Barlow, Lucy’s mother, to me at my winter home in Florida for a brief interview. Someday I’m going to get her to tell me how she does these things. (And get her to take her back to Regency England with her—wouldn’t that be a historical researcher’s dream?)

Susana: Welcome to Florida, Mrs. Barlow. I hope you enjoy your stay. May I offer you some refreshments?

Mrs. Barlow: [looking around her in wonder] No thank you, Miss Ellis. My stomach is still a bit queasy from the journey.

Susana: Oh dear, I hope you are not coming down with the same ailment that has sidelined my friend Lady Pendleton.

Mrs. Barlow: Lady Pendleton? Oh yes, the…uh…woman who sent me here. She’s a bit…eccentric, is she not?

Susana: [hiding a smile] Indeed she is, Mrs. Barlow. But kindhearted and quite harmless, really.

Mrs. Barlow: [looking relieved] I’m glad to hear it, Miss Ellis. This is all quite a shock, you know. She said you wished to inquire about my daughter Lucy?

Susana: Er, yes. It’s research for a story I’m writing. I understand you have five daughters?

Mrs. Barlow: [Sighing] Indeed I do. Five daughters to marry off and no sons.

Susana: And Lucy is the eldest?

Mrs. Barlow: Yes, she is already eight and ten years of age and of an age to make her bow to Society, but unfortunately, her father and I have not the means to stake her. [Shaking her head] A house in London with servants is enormously expensive. We cannot even stand the cost of providing her with a suitable wardrobe. [Sighing] It is very sad, really. Lucy is a delightful girl who would be a splendid wife, but there are few eligible gentlemen here in Charlbury.

Susana: I understand the young man next door recently returned from service in the Peninsula. Livingston, I believe. Andrew Livingston. Could he be a prospect, do you think?

Mrs. Barlow: [Sighing deeply] No, unfortunately he’s betrothed to some London chit. Since before he took up his colors two years ago. I suppose they’ll be marrying posthoste now that he’s returned. A shame really, because Lucy has always had a tendre for him. The Livingstons are an unexceptionable family and quite well-to-heel, and it would be a great thing if Lucy were to be settled so near—but no, he’s never seen Lucy as anything but a child, and besides, he’s spoken for.

Susana: What a conundrum! Are there no other ways for young ladies to meet eligible gentlemen in the country?

Mrs. Barlow: Occasionally, someone’s cousin or nephew comes to town for a visit, but there are few eligibles in that lot. There are assemblies, of course. Oh, that reminds me. [Perking up] There was a quite agreeable viscount at the last assembly who seemed quite taken with Lucy. He danced twice with her. Perhaps he will come to call soon. Oh my, that would be a marvelous thing for my girls! To have their sister a viscountess who can sponsor them in London when the time comes! I must urge Lucy to encourage him!

Susana: Was she equally taken with him, then?

Mrs. Barlow: [shrugging] These things resolve themselves over time. I don’t believe she was repulsed by him. He looked well enough, for an older gentleman, and his manners were unexceptionable. It is said that he was a considerate husband to his late wife, and seems to be devoted to his three daughters.

Susana: Oh, he’s a widower. No doubt looking for a mother for his daughters.

Mrs. Barlow: And an heir, of course. He still needs a son to inherit, and Lucy is young enough to manage that.

Susana: [Doubtfully] I suppose so, and yet…one could wish a love match for her.

Mrs. Barlow: [Stiffening] Lucy is a practical girl, and not at all the sort to waste time dreaming of the impossible. She will make a wonderful wife and mother and take great pleasure in using her elevated circumstances to assist her sisters.

Susana: I’m sure she will, Mrs. Barlow. I did not mean to imply otherwise. Please forgive me if I offended you.

Mrs. Barlow: [Relaxing] Of course. I’m afraid this is a topic about which Mr. Barlow and I frequently cross swords. He says Lucy is still young and will find her own way. But he’s never been the most practical man, and I suspect he’d be just as glad to have all of them at home with us forever.

Susana: An indulgent father then. [Glances at the clock]. Oh dear, it’s almost time for our visit to end. I wonder if you’d like to take a walk around the park, Mrs. Barlow. It’s such a lovely day, and you might enjoy the flora and fauna here in central Florida. Perhaps we’ll even see an alligator in the lake.

Mrs. Barlow: An alligator! Goodness!

Susana: From a distance, of course. But there are palm trees and snake birds, and plenty of sun to warm you before you go back to chilly England

Mrs. Barlow: [shivering] Chilly indeed! The weather has been exceptionally cold this year. By all means, let us walk a bit in the sunshine.

And so ends the interview. It may interest you to know that the winter of 1813-1814, when A Twelfth Night Tale takes place, was one of the coldest on record, so much so that in February the Thames froze and a frost fair was held for four days, during which an elephant was led across the river under Blackfriars Bridge.

About A Twelfth Night Tale

A wounded soldier and the girl next door find peace and love amidst a backdrop of rural Christmas traditions.

Without dowries and the opportunity to meet eligible gentlemen, the five Barlow sisters stand little chance of making advantageous marriages. But when the eldest attracts the attention of a wealthy viscount, suddenly it seems as though Fate is smiling upon them.

Lucy knows that she owes it to her younger sisters to encourage Lord Bexley’s attentions, since marriage to a peer will secure their futures as well as hers. The man of her dreams has always looked like Andrew Livingston, her best friend’s brother. But he’s always treated her like a child, and, in any case, is betrothed to another. Perhaps the time has come to put away childhood dreams and accept reality…and Lord Bexley.

Andrew has returned from the Peninsula with more emotional scars to deal with than just the lame arm. Surprisingly, it’s his sister’s friend “Little Lucy” who shows him the way out of his melancholy. He can’t help noticing that Lucy’s grown up into a lovely young woman, but with an eligible viscount courting her, he’ll need a little Christmas magic to win her for himself.

Available

Ellora’s Cave • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

Excerpt

Jane was chatty as usual, prattling on about the wedding, her latest letter from Theodore and the coming events for the Christmas holidays.

“We are expecting you all at our house for Christmas dinner as usual,” Lucy broke in. “Mama has a new recipe for plum pudding and she’s anxious to see what you think of it.”

The Livingstons had been guests of the Barlows for every Christmas dinner since Mrs. Livingston’s death. Jane and Andrew’s mother had been a wonderful hostess and a great advocate for the Yuletide traditions, and after she had passed away,

Mrs. Barlow had begun the practice of sharing the family Christmas with their good friends and neighbors. There was never a dull moment in a household with five such lively daughters as the Barlow girls, and the Livingstons were not allowed the luxury of brooding over the past during a time of year meant to be joyful.

“Yes indeed,” piped up Mr. Livingston. “Your mother sets a fine table and it’s always a pleasure to be among so many pretty young lasses, is it not, Andrew?”

“Most assuredly,” said Andrew, with an appreciative smile at Lucy. “If Miss Barlow here is any indication, the Barlow girls must be growing up quite agreeably.”

Lucy flushed. “You must come to the church tomorrow night for the Christmas Eve pageant,” she put forward. “My sisters and I are all in the play, and Jane will need an escort.”

Andrew raised his eyebrows. “You are all five in the play? I don’t recall so many females involved in the nativity.”

Lucy laughed. “I’m the director,” she said. “Laura plays the part of Mary, Lydia is one of the wise men, Louisa is a shepherd, and Lila is a camel.” She grinned. “The script originally called for domestic animals, but Lila being Lila, refused to settle for anything so mundane.”

“Who, then, is the Christ Child?” inquired Andrew after the laughter had subsided.

“Louisa’s cat, Beau,” Lucy told him. “We meant to use the Tadsens’ baby in the beginning, but he wouldn’t stay still and kept crying, so we tried several dogs and cats for the part, and Beau was the most cooperative.”

More smiles circled the table, and Andrew agreed that he would be pleased to escort Jane to the pageant.

“How could I possibly refuse? This production is certain to be the highlight of the county. You should accompany us, Papa,” he said, turning to his father.

“Perhaps I shall,” said Mr. Livingston.

Jane and Lucy excused themselves, leaving the two gentlemen to their port.

“Oh Lucy!” Jane said when they reached the drawing room. “I’ve had the most marvelous idea! Well, it was your doing, really.”

“Me? What did I do?” Lucy was mystified.

“You invited Andrew to the pageant! Brilliant thinking! He’s been holed up in his bedchamber like a grumpy bear for weeks now, even before Cecilia jilted him. We need to get him out of the house. Encourage him to meet other people and stop feeling sorry for himself.”

She gave Lucy a speculative look. “And now that I think about it, you would be the best person to do it. Cheer him up, I mean. I haven’t seen Andrew in such a lively frame of mind since…well, before he went off to war.”

Lucy was horrified…and hopeful. “You want me to be in charge of cheering up Andrew? Why not you? You are his sister.”

“I’ve tried everything I know, and it’s no use. You are with him for an hour and he’s laughed twice!” She grasped Lucy’s shoulder. “Look, I’m not asking you to marry Andrew or anything like that. All you have to do is come for visits, bring your sisters, persuade him to get out of the house, things like that. You can do that, can’t you? For my sake?”

“Well…” said Lucy doubtfully.

“You do like Andrew, don’t you? Want him to regain his spirits?”

“Of course.” That was the problem. She liked him far too much. It wouldn’t do to get her hopes up and then have them dashed to pieces.

“Then it’s settled.”

And in spite of everything, Lucy was glad that it was.

Contacts

Web site • Email • Facebook • Twitter • Linked In • Pinterest • Google+ • Goodreads

Susana’s Parlour (Regency Blog) • Susana’s Morning Room (Romance Blog)

Cotillion Christmas Traditions: Susana Ellis and “A Twelfth Night Tale”

Nov21

Christmas Traditions is the theme of this year’s Ellora’s Cave Blush Cotillion Christmas series. Eight stories focusing on Christmas traditions during the Regency will be released digitally, and then in print version as two anthologies.

The eight stories in the series are:

10/10/13: Twelve Days of Christmas, Barbara Miller

10/17/13: A Christmas Caroline, Christa Paige and Vivien Jackson

10/24/13: Festive Persuasion, Charlene Roberts

10/31/13: Lydia’s Christmas Charade, Saralee Etter

11/7/13: Snug in a Snowstorm, Cynthia Moore

11/14/13: Helena’s Christmas Beau, Aileen Fish

11/21/13: A Twelfth Night Tale, Susana Ellis

11/28/13: Sense of the Season, Kate Dolan

Celebrate the Release Day of A Twelfth Night Tale!

Susana is giving away a fabulous sterling silver necklace and A Twelfth Night Tale Christmas charm bracelet (silver-plated). Click here for the Rafflecopter!

About A Twelfth Night Tale

A wounded soldier and the girl next door find peace and love amidst a backdrop of rural Christmas traditions.

Available

Ellora’s Cave • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • Sony

Excerpt

A Blush® Regency romance from Ellora’s Cave

Chapter One

The Barlow Home

near Charlbury, Oxfordshire

23 December 1813

“It’s so kind of you to call, Lord Bexley. The flowers you sent are simply lovely, are they not, Lucy?”

Unable to miss the warning tone in her mother’s voice, Lucy sat up straight in her chair and smiled sweetly at their caller.

“Oh yes indeed. They are undoubtedly the most beautiful I’ve ever received, my lord.”

Of course, she did not mention that they were the first flowers she’d ever been sent by a gentleman. And considering that there were few opportunities to meet eligible gentlemen in the quiet little neck of the woods where the Barlows resided, the arrangement was quite likely to remain the only floral tribute to come her way.

Her caller beamed with pleasure. “They were the best I could find at the florist, but of course they cannot hold a candle to your beauty and sweetness, Miss Barlow.”

Lucy swallowed and forced herself to reply. “You embarrass me with your flattery, my lord.”

“Not at all,” he insisted. “You were quite the belle of the Christmas Ball last evening, Miss Barlow. I was much envied to be allowed the honor of two dances with you when so many gentlemen had to be turned away.”

The “Christmas Ball” was merely a small celebration at the local assembly rooms. Her mother had encouraged her to favor Lord Bexley, but in truth, Lucy herself had not found him objectionable. He was an accomplished dancer and quite distinguished-looking, in spite of the fact that he had at least twenty years over her. At eighteen, she was of an age to be out in society, and Lord Bexley, a wealthy widower from Warwickshire, was undoubtedly the most eligible gentleman in the county. Recently out of mourning, he was seeking a new wife and a mother to his three children, and as Mrs. Barlow kept telling her, Lucy should be flattered that he seemed to be favoring her for the role.

Well, she was flattered. Wasn’t she? The number of young ladies far exceeded that of eligible gentlemen, and she didn’t wish to be left on the shelf. With her family in financial difficulties and four younger sisters to be married off, Lucy knew she owed it to them to marry well and do what she could to find her sisters suitable matches as well.

She was prepared to do her duty and make the best of it, but somehow, when she thought of marriage and children, it was not the kindly Lord Bexley who came to mind. It was the face of the strapping, dark-haired Adonis with laughing gray eyes who lived on an adjoining estate with his younger sister—her bosom friend Jane—who had teased her unmercifully from the time she learned to walk. She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been in love with Andrew Livingston—she’d even asked him to marry her at the age of five when he’d been twelve and about to leave for Eton. He’d laughed and quipped that it would be like marrying his sister, and she’d nursed a broken heart ever since.

She sighed as she frequently did when she thought of Andrew and his affianced wife, and her mother glared at her. Fortunately, Phillips wheeled in the tea cart and Mrs. Barlow’s attention was mercifully diverted.

“Please do the honors, Lucy. An excellent opportunity to practice your housewifely skills.”

Lucy flushed. Could her mother’s intentions be more obvious? But Lord Bexley did not seem to notice. He smiled kindly at her somewhat shaky inquiry as to his preferences, and thanked her graciously when she brought him his tea and a plate of cherry tarts.

“Quite charming,” he commented as he regarded her with obvious approval. It was unclear whether he was speaking to her or to her mother, and Lucy wasn’t sure how to respond.

Fortunately, there was a shriek followed by the sound of fierce arguing from the back rooms of the house. Lucy turned instinctively to the door, which was promptly thrust open and filled by the figure of her sister Lydia, who was breathing hard and wringing her hands in agitation.

“Do come, Lucy! Lila and Louisa are having one of their rows again, in the kitchen of all places. Lila broke one of Cook’s mixing bowls, and Cook swears she’ll leave if someone doesn’t stop them and you know you’re the only one who can, Lucy!” She flushed when she saw Lord Bexley and her mother’s angry face. “Oh…pardon me, I didn’t realize we had a guest.” She backed out into the hall, shooting Lucy a pleading look as she did so.

Relieved for an excuse to terminate the social call, Lucy muttered her excuses and scrambled out of the room. But not before she heard her mother’s mortified apology and Lord Bexley’s soothing reply that he found it quite agreeable to discover a young lady so accomplished in the maternal skills.

Goodness, he really was intent on courting her! She should be flattered. She was a sensible girl, and it was pointless to set her cap at Andrew Livingston, in any case. Lord Bexley would be an excellent match for her. His three daughters could not possibly be as troublesome as her two youngest sisters, after all.

She gritted her teeth and hurried to the kitchen, the ineffectual Lydia as usual trailing behind her. The second eldest Barlow daughter was as helpless as their mother at controlling the two youngest children. When Lucy married and left the house, as she would in time, her bookish middle sister Laura was going to have to take up the reins.

About the Author

A former teacher, Susana is finally living her dream of being a full-time writer. She loves all genres of romance, but historical—Regency in particular—is her favorite. There’s just something about dashing heroes and spunky heroines waltzing in ballrooms and driving through Hyde Park that appeals to her imagination.

In real life, Susana is a lifelong resident of northwest Ohio, although she has lived in Ecuador and studied in Spain, France and Mexico. More recently, she was able to travel around the UK and visit many of the places she’s read about for years, and it was awesome! She is a member of the Maumee Valley and Beau Monde chapters of Romance Writers of America.

Contacts

Web site • Email • Facebook • Twitter • Linked In • Pinterest • Google+ • Goodreads

Susana’s Parlour (Regency Blog) • Susana’s Morning Room (Romance Blog)

Guest Author: Hetty St. James

Nov11

Hetty St. James is the perfect embodiment of an Irish-German Aries. Hard-headed, opinionated, stubborn—all those good things! But for the most part when I latch on to an idea, there is some basis in fact to bear it out. For instance: I have a NOOK (with a Kindle app on it, thanks to Google!) but I much prefer print books. Fortunately, I don’t yet need large print, but at those book signings where I’ve had both regular and large print versions, the latter have always sold more copies than the former!

For some fifteen years, I was a volunteer reader at the Cleveland Sight Center, and taped books of all kinds for their closed-circuit radio station, and a few for the Library of Congress Talking Books program. This led me to learn more about large-print books, and why they’re so important to the readers I most want to cultivate. I’ve worked (and volunteered) with senior citizens who do not have e-readers or computers, so the world of Kindle and/or NOOK is a foreign one to them. They do, however, like to read, and value large-print above other media.

Thanks to Georgette Heyer, I love the Regency era, and it is my first choice to write about. I didn’t know, however that her books were commonly known as ‘romance’ novels, until I wrote my first book in 1988. It’s a Regency titled Bertie’s Golden Treasure and it was only then that I discovered the genre of ‘romance’. It came as a big surprise to me. Of course it took eighteen years to find a home for the poor girl, because it’s told in first-person. But finally, the Cotillion imprint of Ellora’s Cave liked it enough to publish it, in both e-book and print in 2007.

Two years ago, they acquired a novella titled Wagered Kiss, which is also part of that year’s anthology, Christmas Kisses. Most of the people I know do not have e-readers, so they were happy to hear of the print versions of each of these stories. A goodly number inquired about the possibility of large print.

So, when I decided to self-publish, I naturally thought first about print and large-print as well as e-books. So my current project is a combination of the three: each of the three stories is available individually in Kindle format, while the three together form A Regency Christmas Collection in regular or large print.

These three stories are about as different from each other as it’s possible to be. The first was written in 1989, because I wanted to contribute to Signet’s Christmas Regency anthology! Hah! I was so new to it all that I didn’t realize that would never be able to happen, as I was not a Signet author. But I still liked my story—The Duke’s Christmas Gift—even if it didn’t quite fit the category requirements. Actually, almost none of my books fit well, because they tend to go off in their own direction.

But it’s those detours that can enliven one’s journey, don’t you think? A Castle Cramlye Christmas is about a family with the centuries-old tradition of everyone gathering for the holidays, until they don’t. This particular year, circumstances intervene, and most of the family are unable to gather with their matriarch. It’s a sort of slice-of-life story with a happy ending, although there’s not a lot of excitement there.

But that’s okay. The final story, Pongo Finds Love, has enough excitement for several stories, with masques, hidden identities, all swirling around the outrageous fop, Pongo (whose real name is Oswald) and his search for his own Pongerella.

The Elegant Runaways is a novelette. In an era when marriages may be determined by guardians rather than the two persons most involved, one young heiress rebels when told she’ll marry a Duke. She’d prefer to find her own husband, thank you very much. So she sets out to find one.

There are other incomplete novels and novellas and even a mystery series in my computer, all set in the Regency period. I find myself drawn to this period of history because of the inherent civility of the time. My formative years were spent with my grandparents, who were 60 years older than me, and of a strong religious bent. Good manners and language habits were pounded into me on a daily basis. Therefore, I’ve always been drawn to history, and especially that of the British Isles. There was no profanity or violence in my world as a youngster, and I much prefer books that avoid those elements, even now. This explains my love for the traditional Regency novels.

I’ve been writing for more years than I care to think about, and have no plans to ever quit! I’m also addicted to photography and classical music, especially opera. This photo was taken at the premiere of a script I wrote for an operatic production titled Puccini: The Man and His Music in January 2008.

Website

Available

Kindle

The Duke’s Christmas Gift • A Castle Cramlye Christmas

Pongo Guthridge Finds Love • The Elegant Runaways

The Regency Christmas Collection

Large Print

The Regency Christmas Collection

Cotillion Christmas Traditions: Saralee Etter and “Lydia’s Christmas Charade”

Oct31

The eight stories in the series are:

10/10/13: Twelve Days of Christmas, Barbara Miller

10/17/13: A Christmas Caroline, Christa Paige and Vivien Jackson

10/24/13: Festive Persuasion, Charlene Roberts

10/31/13: Lydia’s Christmas Charade, Saralee Etter

11/7/13: Snug in a Snowstorm, Cynthia Moore

11/14/13: Helena’s Christmas Beau, Aileen Fish

11/21/13: A Twelfth Night Tale, Susana Ellis

11/28/13: Sense of the Season, Kate Dolan

Interview With Saralee Etter

Susana: Tell us a little about yourself.

Saralee: I love to read, and always knew that writing was the only career for me. What could be better than to think up stories all day long? I day-dreamed constantly, so it seemed ideal.

Sadly, however, I couldn’t see a way to make a living writing the romantic and exciting stories that filled my head. Instead, I wrote other things: Newspaper articles, public relations releases, legal briefs.

Now I’m beginning to share the stories that I’ve been dreaming about for so long. They’re mostly light-hearted and fun. I’m an armchair time-traveler, so writing stories set during the English Regency period is the perfect way to enjoy history, romance, and delightful adventures all at once.

Susana: How long did it take you to get published?

Saralee: About 5 years from the time I began writing my first novel. As I mentioned above, I’d been writing newspaper articles and other non-fiction material, but that kind of writing is very different to writing a novel! I had to learn a whole new skill-set.

My first novelistic attempt was a sprawling historical romance/comedy/adventure/spy/mystery/ thriller I called “Death in a Powdered Wig.” The entire 128,000-word epic now lives in a three-ring binder on a shelf in the basement – where it will stay.

I wrote one other complete novel before Cerridwen Press (now Blush) published my traditional Regency romance, A Limited Engagement, in 2007. When you read Lydia’s Christmas Charade, you will meet Anthony Moore, one of the characters from that book. I liked young Anthony so much that I really wanted to tell his story, too.

Susana: What hobbies do you enjoy?

Saralee: I’m an avid reader, always with my nose in a book. I prefer to feel the weight of a book in my hand, but I also read a lot on my computer or phone (no ebook reader yet, but hope to get one soon). I enjoy making things with my hands – sewing, making beaded jewelry, and crocheting. I’m learning to knit.

Cooking is another fun activity. I love looking at recipes! There’s something so wonderful about beautiful food in lovely settings. Luckily, I live right near a family-owned you-pick vegetable farm as well as a large orchard, so I’ve got access to plenty of delicious fruits and vegetables.

Readers: What kinds of stories do you like to read? Light-hearted and happy ones, or the kind that make you weep and sigh? I know people who like both kinds.

Also, I’d love to know if you share any of these interests, or if you have other hobbies or activities that are fun to do.

About Lydia’s Christmas Charade

Dutiful, practical Lydia knew that her father, a wealthy commoner, planned to announce her engagement to a nobleman at their Christmas house party. But she didn’t expect her prospective fiancé to be in love with another woman!

Anthony wasn’t usually so reckless. But something about the unknown lady’s sweet manner and pansy brown eyes made him want to share a bit of juicy gossip with her. Everybody knew Lord Danville needed to marry an heiress to save his family from financial ruin. Nobody but Anthony would mention it to the heiress herself.

To fix the mess he’s created, Anthony must woo Lydia on his noble friend’s behalf—and Lydia will have to decide between duty and desire.

Available

Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Ellora’s Cave • Kobo • Sony

Contacts

Website • WordPress Blog (new!) • Facebook • Twitter

Cotillion Christmas Traditions: Charlene Roberts and “Festive Persuasion”

Oct24

The eight stories in the series are:

10/10/13: Twelve Days of Christmas, Barbara Miller

10/17/13: A Christmas Caroline, Christa Paige and Vivien Jackson

10/24/13: Festive Persuasion, Charlene Roberts

10/31/13: Lydia’s Christmas Charade, Saralee Etter

11/7/13: Snug in a Snowstorm, Cynthia Moore

11/14/13: Helena’s Christmas Beau, Aileen Fish

11/21/13: A Twelfth Night Tale, Susana Ellis

11/28/13: Sense of the Season, Kate Dolan

About Festive Persuasion

Blush sensuality level: This is a sweet romance (kisses only, no sexual content).

The terrible scandal overshadowing his family has left Lord Trevor devastated. Not only must he fight murder allegations alongside his father, but he must relinquish any hope of pursuing Lady Sophia for her hand in marriage.

Lady Sophia tolerates persistent visits from Lord Walter, yet she knows that her heart belongs to Lord Trevor, despite his stubborn honor to stay away.

During the Christmas season, it is revealed that Lord Trevor’s family is innocent and they are slowly re-accepted by the ton. Now it is up to Lady Sophia to show Lord Trevor—through gentle persuasion—that her feelings for him have not changed, and fight off Lord Walter, who will do anything to win her affections.

A Blush® Regency romance from Ellora’s Cave

Available

Ellora’s Cave • Amazon • Kobo • Barnes & Noble • Sony

About the Author

Charlene Roberts lives in Toronto, Canada. Her writing career started after helping a friend type her historical novel. When she became a member of her local writing group, she pursued her love of the written word until her first sale and hasn’t looked back since.

She has worked as a Script Supervisor, Book Reviewer for Romantic Times, modelled and now works as an Administrative Assistant at a consulting company. However her love of creating stories for others to read and enjoy still remains her first and foremost passion.

Website