A backlog of winners to post today!
The winners of Manda Collins’ novella are: Jackie Wisherd, Kim, and Maria
The winner of the Brenda Hiatt book is: Judith
The winner of the Brenda Jernigan book is: Kristine
The winner of the Dana Marton book is: Erin
Congrats, ladies! I’ll be in touch.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog. I’ll have lots of guests appearing on the blog this summer, so be sure to check back often!
I’m always excited when my good friend Manda Collins visits my blog. Manda writes witty Regency-set historical romance with a dash of mystery. Her next book, Why Dukes Say I Do, just received a prestigious Top Pick from RT Book Reviews. Dukes will released on July 30th.
But Manda has a new novella out tomorrow, and it’s another of her witty, emotionally appealing stories. She’s here to talk with us about it!
How does your novella fit into The Ugly Ducklings Trilogy?
The Perks of Being a Beautyis the story of Miss Amelia Snowe, who is the nemesis of Cecily, Juliet and Maddie in the Ugly Ducklings trilogy. In Book 3 of the trilogy, How to Entice an Earl, we see Amelia coming to the realization that she’s been behaving rather badly during her reign as the toast of the ton. Well, in The Perks we see Amelia in seriously straitened circumstances. Her mother has died, leaving Amelia not only penniless, but also owing a great deal to her mother’s creditors. Forced to make her own living, Amelia has become the companion to a wealthy cit’s daughter. It’s a far cry from being able to wind the gentlemen of the ton around her little finger!
Your heroine is looking for redemption. Why do you think that particular theme resonates so well with readers?
You know, I’m not all that sure it does. I know that readers have a ton of love for redeemed rakes and villains, but I think it takes a bit more for them to forgive a villainous heroines. I’m not sure if it’s because most romance readers are women, and we tend to be harder on our own sex, or what. Still, I do think there is much to touch readers hearts in this kind of story. We’ve all done things that we aren’t particularly proud of, and by watching a character like Amelia make amends to the people she’s harmed, we see the possibility for our own redemption–whether it’s harsh words to a loved one or something more serious.
Hopefully, after seeing how truly repentant Amelia is, readers will begin to root for her.
The book trailer for The Perks of Being a Beauty is awesome. How did you come up for the idea for it?
I’ve been a fan of the Dos Equis commercials about “The Most Interesting Man in the World” since they first came out. And I’ve been thinking about fun promo ideas for my upcoming series, but I knew that the only character who could pull off “The Most Interesting” theme was Amelia, who is somewhat larger than life in the Ducklings books. Coming up with her character traits was the most fun I’ve had in a long long time! Readers, you can watch this adorable trailer here.
What’s up next in Manda’s writing world?
On July 30, the first book in my new Wicked Widows trilogy, Why Dukes Say I Do, will be released. I’m really excited about this new series and seeing how readers respond to it. I’ve just gotten my review from RT Book Reviews and was floored to see it was not only a Top Pick, but my hero Trevor (a real dish, if I may say so myself!) was named a Knight In Shining Silver (or K.I.S.S.) hero! “Witty and smart, Collins’ prose flows smoothly as she merges a charming, compassionate love story with gothic suspense….Add strong pacing and depth of emotion and there’s no doubt this is a winner.”
And I can’t wait to read it! For my readers today, Manda is graciously giving away three copies of The Perks of Being a Beauty. As someone who’s also written a book about a bad girl reformed, I’d like to talk about that. Can you think of any heroines from books, a TV show, or movies who redeemed herself? Three people who comment will win a copy of Manda’s novella!
As promised, here’s the cover for Book One in my new Renegade Royals Series. Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard will go on sale Jan. 7, 2014. Here are the blurbs from the front and back covers of the book.
SECRETS FOR SEDUCING A ROYAL BODYGUARD
The Renegade Royals
VANESSA KELLY
In matters of desire, he’s the perfect teacher…
“Full of intrigue, emotion and sensuality.”
–Katharine Ashe
In this witty, sensual new series, Vanessa Kelly introduces the Renegade Royals, illegitimate heirs to the throne who are finding their rightful places in society…
Accomplished spy Aden St. James prefers to stay away from the frivolous ton, especially after the way his mother was used by the Prince Regent. But his latest mission compels him to guard unconventional, vibrant Lady Vivien Shaw. Rescuing her from kidnappers was easy. Resisting her beauty is not. Duty demands he keep an eye on her—and naturally, his lips soon follow. For someone who views entanglements as a weakness, this is pure, delicious folly…
Though grateful for Aden’s help, Vivien has secrets she must keep hidden. Yet with her abductors still at large, she needs Aden’s protection almost as much as she craves his touch…
Pretty cool, eh? I am SO excited about this book! And in case you’re interested, it’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! <g>
It’s been an exciting week for me! My editor sent me the covers for the first works in my upcoming historical series with Kensington Publishing, The Renegade Royals. This is the cover for Lost in a Royal Kiss, which is the e-novella that kicks the series off. Isn’t it simply gorgeous?!
And here’s the blurb:
In this thrilling introduction to her Renegade Royals series, Vanessa Kelly transports readers to the court of King George III—where a London street urchin unwittingly plays Cupid, ushering in a new era—and ultimately a new kind of royal…
With her widowed mother working long hours as governess to the royal children, Linnet St. Clare must look after her siblings and run the household. Now she must add to her worries the fate of Dominic, a poor orphan who has inspired the wrath of the king himself. Clearly Linnet has no time to consider her own desires—much less notice the attentions of a certain handsome, powerful magistrate…
Sir Anthony Tait is at a loss for how to capture Linnet’s interest. If only she would be still long enough for courting. Outright seduction seems the only answer. But will his kisses be enough to persuade her—or might Anthony have something to learn from young Dominic about matters of the heart? And in saving the boy’s future, might Anthony and Linnet at last create their own?
Cool, eh? Later this weekend I’ll publish the cover and blurb for book one in the series, Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard. Oh, and Lost in a Royal Kiss will be out in December, with Secrets to follow in January. More details to come!!
I’m so thrilled to have Brenda Hiatt visiting the blog today. Brenda is a talented author, writing teacher, and romance industry advocate who’s had a successful career and written truly wonderful historical romances. She’s also just published a mystery, which I’m really curious about. Let’s find out about it, shall we?
You’re mostly known for writing historical romance, but you’ve just published a mystery with Bell Bridge Books. Why the switch?
I cut my writing teeth on traditional Regency romances, publishing six of them with the Harlequin Regency Romance line (now long defunct, alas). When that market dried up, I tried a few other things, including one time travel, eventually published by Harlequin Superromance as BRIDGE OVER TIME. But it wasn’t until Mary Jo Putney took me aside at a conference and told me I should try Regency-set historicals that I took that step, which got me back into the game with SCANDALOUS VIRTUE at HarperCollins. I went on to write seven more single title historicals for HC and Avon, most of them Regency set. Unfortunately, after several tight deadlines in a row along with a couple of difficult life events, I frankly burned out. I didn’t write at all for more than a year, and when I did start writing again, I decided to write something just for me, about a woman having the kind of mid-life adventures I imagined myself attempting if I only had the nerve. That book became OUT OF HER DEPTH, which just came out in March from Bell Bridge Books.
I never thought of it as a mystery while writing it, but that’s what they’re calling it, and I guess it fits. It’s about a woman reinventing herself, with lots of action and suspense and a big dose of humor along the way–along with a bit of romance, of course! It grew out of a vacation to Aruba and my own love of scuba diving, and was a heck of a lot of fun to write. Best of all, it got me writing again!
There have been rumors lately that historical romance is dead (again!). Do you think readers are less interested in historical romance than they used to be?
All genres and subgenres have their peaks and valleys, as one thing or another becomes the “hot” genre or type of story. But historical romance has always had a strong following, and I personally believe it always will. It’s true that some settings–time and place–are more popular than others, but one of the extremely cool things about the new publishing paradigm is that it allows even authors of the offbeat, “unpopular” (at least by traditional publishing standards) stories to find their readers, the people who love those exact books. It would be a boring world if everyone liked to read (and write) the same thing, wouldn’t it? For example, while my Regency-set books have tended to be my best sellers, I’ve gained some passionate fans with my American-set, “Titanic”-style romantic historical fiction novel, SHIP OF DREAMS, which relies heavily on the real events of the sinking of the steamship “Central America” in the 1850s.
You have so many wonderful historicals, but The Saints of Seven Dials series really caught my attention. What can you tell me about those books, and do you have a favorite?
I confess, these books were originally inspired by two movies: Disney’s “Aladdin,” and “The Princess Bride.” Luke, the hero of the first book in that series, ROGUE’S HONOR, was my vision of the lad Aladdin (as portrayed at the beginning of that movie) all grown up–a gleeful, daredevil thief with a heart of gold, who had a special way with the ladies. By the time I finished writing that book, I had concocted the idea of a series, borrowing from the idea of the “Dread Pirate Roberts” in “The Princess Bride”–how everyone believes the legend is just one man (in this case, my Regency Robin Hood, the Saint of Seven Dials) when in fact there’s really a series of men going by that moniker, with each secretly handing over his mask to the next in line. A favorite? Hm. It’s always hard to choose a favorite book, since I tend to be in love with whichever one I’m writing at the time, but my first Saint hero, Luke, will certainly always have a special place in my heart. Though Noel is pretty yummy, too. And Marcus. And Lord Peter. Then there’s Jack, in SCANDALOUS VIRTUE . . . Nope, can’t do it. Sorry.
What’s up next in Brenda’s writing life?
At the moment, I’m hard at work on a young adult series, just finishing up the first draft of book 3. It’s contemporary, but with science fiction creeping in as it goes along, and I’m having a blast channeling my inner 15-year-old as I write these books! My Bell Bridge editor has hinted she’d like to see a sequel to OUT OF HER DEPTH, so that will likely be my next project when I finish this series. Meanwhile, I finally have the rights back to the last of my Harlequin Regencies, so I’m hoping to get those formatted and available as e-books in the very near future. If only there were more hours in the day!
I’ll be looking forward to reading your backlist! And Brenda is graciously giving away a copy of Rogue’s Honor, one of her historical romances to one of my readers today. If you could only take one historical romance with you on a trip, which one would it be? One person who comments will win Rogue’s Honor!
Brenda Jernigan is a bestselling, award-winning romance author with a distinguished career. She writes in multiple genres, including contemporary fiction, western and medieval romance, and time travel romance. In fact, Brenda’s latest book is a time travel, and it sounds really cool. Here’s the blurb:
Alexandria Dumont is a doctor of rehabilitation medicine working long hours at Regional Hospital as she finishes her residency. Lately, she hasn’t had much time for a life. Her one treat is going to the flea market.
When she buys a portrait of an old Southern Plantation, she can’t get over how intriguing the picture is. It is a beautiful plantation surrounded by live oaks draped in Spanish moss, but the reflection in the lake doesn’t show its grandeur. It reflects a home burned to the ground. When she moves the portrait, a child’s diary falls upon the bed and Alexandria begins to read.
The next morning when she finds herself in 1835 she figures she has finally gone off the deep end. Nothing makes sense. Alexandria is unsure why she has fallen back to 1835 until she meets a crippled child she knows she can help walk again. However convincing the child’s brother, the arrogant Brad Wentworth, who hates doctors, that she can help his sister to walk again might be the biggest task that she has ever encountered.
As Alexandria sets about her task, she finds River Bends Plantation holds many secrets. Finding the answers to those secrets just may cost her . . . her life.
What a beautiful cover too, isn’t it? You can find Black Magic on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Be sure to check out Brenda’s website for info on all her other books!
For my readers today, Brenda is giving away a copy of Black Magic. Have you ever read any time travel books? If so, what are your favorites? One person who comments will win a copy of the book!
I’m thrilled to have Dana Marton back on the blog today. Dana writes fast-paced action-adventure romances that take her readers all over the globe. She is a Rita Award finalist and the winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and she’s been published in seven languages in eleven different countries. Obviously, she’s both a talented and accomplished writer! Let’s find out what’s going on with Dana, shall we?
Many in the publishing biz say that romantic suspense is a genre on life support, but I think all the evidence is to the contrary. Why do you think readers enjoy romantic suspense so much?
Suspense on its way out?! Never! I’m a huge fan of romantic suspense. They’ll have to pry RS out of my cold, dead fingers! And I know the genre has a lot of readers like me. Danger goes so beautifully with romance. What’s more romantic than a hero willing to risk anything, even lay down his life for the heroine? Thanks to my amazing readers, DEATHSCAPE, the first book in my Broslin Creek series was an Amazon bestseller when it came out last year. I hope that means my beloved genre is as strong as ever.
What’s the hook for this series?
Broslin is a small town in Pennsylvania with farmers and mushroom growers, horse farms, simple, honest people. It’s very much like the town I live in where people actually know their neighbors. (And we go to the country store for ice cream 
My heroes all work for the Broslin Police Department. They are very different men, some deeply scarred, yet they form a brotherhood. They are true heroes who will go to any length to serve and protect. So on one hand, here is this sweet little town with the gazebo and the band stand on Main Square, a place where kids ride their bikes down the street. But things happen that will make your toes curl. I love the juxtaposition of that. I’m immensely enjoying writing this series.
What’s your new book, DEATHTRAP, about?
Sophie Curtis is a heart-transplant recipient with some spooky body memories. She’s been in her own antiseptic bubble for so long, she just might not be able to venture out into the real world again.
Whatever shred of optimism Ethan Bing had left after becoming Broslin Chief of Police has been seared out of him by the unsolved murder of his wife two years ago. Then Sophie pops into his life and gets through his defenses like no other before, but he doesn’t think he deserves to move on until he brought his wife’s killer to justice. He doesn’t know that Sophie has been selected as the killer’s next victim.
Sophie also has a secret, which truly tries Bing. How much would you be willing to accept/forgive for the person you love? Is there a limit?
I have to say, I loved writing these characters. They both have weaknesses, but they fight on regardless. I like writing characters that I’d like to be friends with, people who inspire me.
What’s next in Dana’s writing world?
Next up is DEATHWATCH in the Broslin Creek series.
She’s a government witness hunted by an assassin, the only person who can identify the most notorious hit man in the country. The witness protection program is supposed to protect her, but when her safety net fails, Kate Bridges has to run for her life. Murphy Dolan is in the Army Reserves, returning from his 2nd tour of duty, only to find a stranger hiding in his house. She’s scared spitless. He’s completely burned-out on violence. Neither of them has any trust left to give.
If the best of the FBI couldn’t protect her from the country’s most notorious assassin, does a burned-out small town cop have a prayer?
For my readers today, Dana is giving away a digital copy of Deathscape, book one in her series. Just tell us what you think about romantic suspense—one life support, or still alive and kicking? One person who comments will win Dana’s wonderful book!
**Breaking News** For a limited time, Deathscape is now free on Amazon! You can download it here!
I’m visiting with the fabulous ladies at Riding With The Top Down, talking about my latest VK Sykes contemporary romance, Curveball. Drop by and comment for a chance to win a copy!
My fellow Jaunty Quills author Katherine Garbera has a fun post today on the new movie, Fast and Furious 6. She’s also giving away a set of her Bare Trilogy from Brava. Stop by the Jaunty Quills for a chance to win!
I’m very happy to be hosting romantic suspense author Terese Ramin on the blog today. Terese writes multiple award-winning romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and thrillers. She has a new book out—let’s find out about that, and ask Terese a few other questions, too!
You won the prestigious Golden Heart Award, sponsored by the Romance Writers of America. What book was that for and did it launch your career?
I won the Golden Heart Award for the first book I ever completed – Water From The Moon. I had two editors request the book and after six complete revisions of the second half of it (!), it was published. It launched my career in romantic suspense / romantic adventure.
You write romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and thrillers. Do you prefer one genre to another?
You know, it just depends upon the characters. I love all of the genres I’ve written in, but my writing also seems to go through cycles. I’ve just completed work on a thriller and gone straight into a paranormal romance that feels like it’ll be the best book yet (with writing partner Dawn Johanson). After that I’ve got a historical suspense whose characters are yelling at me to Give Them Their Time. *grin* I love all these personalities and the fact that I can switch gears in a way I never used to be able to. But honestly, suspense is probably the biggest part of any genre I write.
Your latest book is GUARDING GRACE. What’s it about?
Guarding Grace is about a widowed mom in her early 30s with four kids. Her hero is a 6’4″ US Marshal hunting down a federal witness who left Witness Protection. Mal Kwarles is the sexiest, funniest hero I’ve had the pleasure to write. Just love him. My editor asked for him and I resisted at first. She was right – he arrived full blown on his “Bad to the Bone” classic motorcycle and let me throw everything at him. He just laughed and said “bring it on.” Great fun, loved the romance between him and Grace, who is decidedly feisty herself.
What’s up next in your writing world?
Next…I’m in the completion stages of the first book of a new paranormal series Lords of Light. It’s different than anything I’ve done previously and it’s allowing me to explore aspects of my work that never occurred to me – and working in collaboration with my writing partner is absolutely freeing. We bounce things off one another, come up with story and action points and it’s simply a wonderful experience. The book’s characters are different – a fallen angel / psi-vamp and a human woman with extraordinary gifts she doesn’t know about. It’s set in San Francisco, one of my favorite cities, and is probably the sexiest thing I’ve ever written. I’m really looking forward to exploring the entire series!
Thanks so much for coming on the blog, Terese! Readers, Terese is graciously giving away three digital copies of Guarding Grace – which sounds totally awesome, by the way. Just tell us what are some of your favorite romantic suspense or thriller books or TV shows for a chance to win!