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Guest Author: Sally MacKenzie & Giveaway!

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Woot!  Sally is in the house!  That would be USA Today bestselling author Sally MacKenzie.  She writes funny, hot, Regency-set books for Kensington Zebra. Her Naked Nobility series concluded (at least for the time being) with The Naked King, which was named one of ALA Booklist’s top ten romances for 2011.  Sally also happens to be one of my favorite historical romance authors.

Let’s ask Sally some questions about her new series, shall we?

Your latest book is the second in your new Duchess of Love series. What’s the idea for the series, and what inspired you to come up with it?

The idea is pretty simple: The Duchess of Greycliffe was a matchmaker even back in the boring village of Little Huffington before she married her duke. Now she’s the premier matchmaker for the ton, but the only matches she can’t make or mend are those of her three sons.

As to how I came up with the idea…that’s a little more convoluted. Unlike some authors, I’m not bristling with story ideas. And I’m what romance writers like to call a “pantser”–I write by the seat of my pants, making stuff up as I go along rather than following a detailed outline. (I prefer to think of it as letting my characters lead me, but whatever.)

So, my publisher wanted a synopsis for the new series–a narrative outline of what’s going to happen over the three books. O-kay. Synopses make me break out in a cold sweat, but they’re a necessary evil, I guess–and I think (I hope) my editor realizes mine rarely bear a lot of resemblance to the finished project. So I brainstormed with my agent and pieces of a plan fell into place. I had an elaborate back story, part of which had Venus, the duchess, a widow. She was going to develop her own love interest over the course of the series.

And then we had the idea to write the novella telling the story of how the duchess met her duke. But…I couldn’t kill off the duke after getting to know him! (No Downton Abbey downers for me!) So the plan changed, but long after the synopsis was done.

I realized a few weeks ago that I needed to update things when I got a payment for delivering the first few chapters of Ash’s story, and the check stub said it was for Loving the Duke. Oops. Ash was indeed the duke when I wrote the synopsis, but he can’t be now because I didn’t kill off his dad! Historicals are like that. So we changed the title to Loving Lord Ash. Glad I caught that before anyone worked on the cover!

One aspect of the series has a little basis in reality: Each chapter starts with a quote from “Venus’s Love Notes,” a leaflet of marital advice that the duchess shares with the female members of the ton. This publication mortifies her sons–they’d rather poke their eyes out than read one word of it…much as my romance novels cause my sons to flinch and run for cover.

Surprising Lord Jack–I love the title! What’s your new book about?

It’s about Jack, the duchess’s youngest son, and it begins in the ballroom around the time Ned’s book is ending.

In writing Ned, I discovered Jack knew how to fight dirty, which told me he knew his way around the seedier sections of London. (Jack, unlike his brothers, lives in Town.) His family also considers him a bit irresponsible, a devil-may-care sort of fellow, which of course meant he was nothing of the kind. So…I decided he had a secret life. He had charities connected with the stews which he didn’t want the ton to know about; thus he pretended to be a rake as a cover for his true interests. And when someone starts slashing the lightskirts’ throats à la Jack the Ripper, Jack feels it’s his job to get to the bottom of it, since most of the ton don’t care about what they consider the dregs of society.

Miss Frances Hadley is a completely new character–she doesn’t appear in Ned. She’s extremely independent and strong willed, and she’s been running her family’s estate since she was fourteen. Her mother died when Frances was young, her father took off even before she was born, and her twin brother left as soon as he could. Now her aunt is trying to trick her into marriage. Frances is not about to stand for that, so she cuts her hair, puts on some of her brother’s castoffs, and sets off in disguise for London to demand the money she feels is hers from her family’s man of business.

Unfortunately bad roads–a result of the blizzard that occurs in Ned–force her to take refuge in an inn. The innkeeper’s wife pities the “boy” and gives Frances the only open room, the one usually saved for Jack and his brothers. But then Jack shows up. Not wanting to roust the sleeping boy and send him down to the common room, Jack decides to share the bed. It’s large enough, and the lad seems to be a quiet sleeper.

When Jack finally discovers Frances’s true gender, he is not happy, but he’s resigned to do the right thing and offer marriage. Frances, however, is having no part of that–she came to London to avoid that exact fate. It takes a while–and some help from the Duchess of Love–for these two strong, independent and somewhat stubborn people to fall in love, but they do! (Are you surprised?)

Oh, and there’s a dog. Did I mention Shakespeare? He’s full of tricks and a hero in his own right.

Everyone has different reasons for loving the Regency period. What are some of yours?

I came to the Regency via Georgette Heyer. I think I was around middle school age when I first read her books. They were so funny and witty and romantic, though I confess I was young enough to think her thirty-year-old heroes really old.

And if I can be rather shallow, I’ll admit I like the ballrooms and the lavish estates and even the whole nobility thing, which seems very un-American. Of course my nobles aren’t stuffy and condescending.

What’s next in Sally’s writing life?

I’ve finished the first draft of the last book in the trilogy–Loving Lord Ash–and now I’m deep into revising and polishing. It’s scheduled to come out in Spring 2014. Once I send it off to my editor, it’s time to go back to the idea patch and pick a few good ones for a new series.

Thanks so much for being with us today, girlfriend!  Readers, Sally is graciously giving away a copy of The Naked King.  Let’s talk some more about historical romance–what are some of your favorite historicals, old school or new?  One person who comments will win a copy of Sally’s book.

 

Guest Author: Shana Galen & Giveaway!!

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I’m so happy to have one of my favorite romance writers guest-blogging with me today.  Shana Galen is a bestselling author who writes fast-paced and adventurous Regency-set historicals.  Her books are published all over the world and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs, and she’s one darn good author.  Shana has a new book out, so I’m turning the blog over to her so we can find out all about it.

Oh, For a Muse of Fire

People always ask me about my inspiration for books. I dread this question because I don’t generally have an inspiration for a book. I honestly don’t know where my ideas come from. They just come.

But you wouldn’t believe that, would you? And that doesn’t make for a very good interview or blog or story. What makes for a good interview is dreaming a book and then waking up and writing it or having a character appear out of nowhere to inspire the authorial muse.

Yeah. I don’t have a story like that. But I will say now that If You Give a Rake a Ruby is about to release, and I’m thinking about it after a period of time away, some of the inspirations are becoming clear to me. One look at my Pinterest board tells me that Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twistinspired me. In fact, the heroine of If You Give a Rake a Ruby was based very loosely on the character of Nancy from Oliver Twist.

Rubies and gems and lush colors and fabrics also inspired me. Fallon is a courtesan, one of the glamorous Three Diamonds. She’s known as the Marchioness of Mystery. Having been denied beauty as a child, she embraces it as an adult. She’s surrounded by silks and velvets and pillows in jewel-tones.

But I also had pictures of Seven Dials, a notorious London slum, before me as I was writing this novel. I didn’t want to forget where Fallon came from. You can take the girl from the gutter, but can you take the gutter from the girl? I don’t think you can completely.

So perhaps I am not so much uninspired as just unaware of my inspirations. I see them more clearly with time and distance.

What about you? What inspires you? Photos of beautiful gowns, landscapes, or handsome men? Maybe it’s a great book, an exciting movie, or your favorite music. One reader who comments will win a copy of If You Give a Rake a Ruby (U.S. and Canada only).

If You Give a Rake a Ruby  by Shana Galen—in stores March 2013

HER MYSTERIOUS PAST IS THE BEST REVENGE . . .

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery, is a celebrated courtesan with her finger on the pulse of high society. She’s adored by men, hated by their wives. No one knows anything about her past, and she plans to keep it that way.

ONLY HE CAN OFFER HER A DAZZLING FUTURE . . .

Warrick Fitzhugh will do anything to protect his compatriots in the Foreign Office, including seduce Fallon, who he thinks can lead him to the deadliest crime lord in London. He knows he’s putting his life on the line . . .

To Warrick’s shock, Fallon is not who he thinks she is, and the secrets she’s keeping are exactly what make her his heart’s desire . . .

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Vanessa, here.  I’m not kidding when I tell you how much I love Shana’s books–she’s one of my favorite authors.  So run, don’t walk to pre-order If You Give a Rake a Ruby.  And be sure to check out Shana’s website to learn about her other books.

Guest Author: Christie Kelley & Giveaway!

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I’ve very happy to welcome fellow Kensington author Christie Kelley to the blog today.  Christie writes critically acclaimed, Regency-set historical romance, and her books are described by RT Book Reviews as “racy and romantic.”  Fun!  Christie has a new book out, so let’s find out all about it, shall we?

Bewitching The Duke is not your standard Regency romance, with lords and ladies cavorting about London and living the good life. What can you tell us about the book, and why you decided to write it?

After writing five books of lords and ladies cavorting in London, I needed something new to write. The idea started when watching a documentary on witches on the History channel. They had a quick blurb explaining what wise women were and how their healing abilities led to them being called witches. All it takes is a little something like that to make think…what if? What if there had been some wise women protected by their landowners and still practiced their healing ways in the Regency period. Plus the idea of writing a woman who was a free spirit and not tied down by society’s rules intrigued me. It was actually a lot of fun to write Selina.

Your heroine, Selina, is not from the same social class as the hero. Did you have fun playing with those class differences?

I loved writing Selina. She is a woman who really doesn’t care if she wears her hair unbound. She doesn’t want to cause the servants more work so she’ll take her boots off before walking around the manor. While Colin was born and raised to be a duke, he thinks she is completely mad. He doesn’t understand how a woman can act so freely. It was great fun to write! Plus writing about a woman who is hiding out in the manor under the nose of a duke made me laugh as I wrote it.

What attracts you to the Regency period, and did you come upon any interesting historical tidbits when you wrote the book?

I love writing the Regency period because I can play with the mores of the day. I can stretch those boundaries or stay strictly inside of them depending on the story or the character. And who doesn’t love the clothes! For me, learning more about the healers of the day was terribly interesting. I had to stop myself from the research so I could get the book written. Does that make me a geek? Probably.

What’s up next in your writing life?

I’m currently editing my October release, Enticing the Earl, which is Mia’s story. And writing the third book in the trilogy. After that, my editor mentioned writing some novellas for some of the secondary characters in Enticing the Earl. So, I’m keeping busy!

Vanessa, here.  Bewitching The Duke sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  Here’s the blurb:

ONLY HER DESIRE…

After losing his wife in childbirth, Colin Barrett, Duke of Northrop, does not trust healers. So when he discovers Selina White cleansing his home, he is livid. As duke, Colin is accustomed to his charges taking orders from him. But the fiery Selina has the audacity to defy him when he asks her to leave his lands. More infuriating, he cannot stop thinking about the seductive sway of her hips when she walks.

CAN HEAL HIS HEART…

The sick tenants of Northrop Park depend on Selina, and she’s not about to let a man tell her she must leave her village—even if he is a duke. And while Selina does not fear Colin’s temper, she is afraid of the secrets she keeps from him and of the desire he sets off in her every time he is near.

For my readers today, Christie is giving away a copy of Bewitching The Duke.  Since Christie’s heroine is not your usual Regency lady, let’s talk about that.  What kind of heroine do you like to see in your historicals?  The gently bred lady, the sexy widow, a free spirited commoner, or all types?  One person who comments will win a copy of Christie’s book!

 

New Regency Historical Series!

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I’ve been hinting about my new Regency historical series with Kensington Publishing for a few months now, so I’m really thrilled to be able to announce titles and release dates.  The series will be called Renegade Royals, and it’s about four sexy alpha males who also happen to be the illegitimate offspring of Britain’s royal princes.  These four roguish cousins will get into all kinds of scrapes and adventures as work they claim their rightful place in society, and win the hands of the strong-willed women who love them.

There will be two novellas and four books released in a two year period. 

Lost in a Royal Kiss will be released in December, 2013, and is a digital novella that will introduce some of the main characters and set up the premise for the series.

A Royal’s Rules for Love is book one in the series, and will be released in both print and digital in January, 2014.

Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom is book two in the series, and will be released in both print and digital in April, 2014.

The second digital novella will be released in December 2014, and books three and four will follow early in 2015.

My editor and I are very excited about this series, and I can’t wait to share covers, excerpts, and lots of other fun details with you.  If you want to keep up with all the latest news on the Renegade Royals series, please sign up for my newsletter.  And you might also want to check out my Pinterest board, my collection of pictures and various inspirations for the new books.  I really have fun brainstorming on Pinterest and I’d love it if you joined me – I also have a great Cupcakes and Cakes Pinterest board, for those of you with a sweet tooth!

Happy reading!

 

We Have Winners!!

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The winner of Juliana Stone’s contemporary romance, Offside, is Teresa Salyers.  And the winner of Colleen Gleason’s medieval historical romance, A Whisper of Rosemary, is Jeanne Sheats.  Congratulations!  I’ll be in touch.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog.  My next guest will be fabulous historical romance writer Manda Collins.  She’ll be here this Thursday, so please stop back!

Guest Author: Colleen Gleason & Giveaway!

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One of the really cool things about many writers today is how capable they are of moving between genres. Used to be that authors who wrote historical romance only wrote historical romance, and authors who wrote romantic suspense stuck to romantic suspense. Not anymore. Authors have kicked down the genre barriers, moving easily from historical to paranormal to urban fantasy, and back again, all while building loyal audiences of readers and crafting wonderful books.

I’m featuring someone today who excels at blasting through the genre barriers. She’s international bestselling author Colleen Gleason, and she writes luscious medieval historical romance, Regency vampire romances, and futuristic urban fantasy as Joss Ware. And in all three of those genres she’s gotten great reviews, including this one from Smart Bitches Read Trashy Books:

“Above all, the writing is what recommends this book most. Gleason’s writing is sharp and taut, which makes for excellent action sequences, and a plot that travels quickly from the start. The writing strength alone gives me ample reassurance that this potentially plot-heavy series is in the right hands. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.”

Today, we’re looking at A Lily on the Heath, book four in Colleen’s Medieval Herb Garden Series.

This series is all about passionate romance and court intrigue, lords and ladies, and knights and castles. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? Here’s the blurb for A Lily on the Heath.

Passion and deception in the turbulent court of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II.

An honorable man: Malcolm de Monde, Lord of Warwick needs a wife. He reluctantly journeys to the royal court where his plan is simple: find a dutiful woman, gain the king’s approval for his choice and return to Warwick with his chosen lady wedded, bedded, and carrying his heir—all before winter.

An independent woman: Judith of Kentworth, Royal Falconer and lady-in-waiting, is a woman from Malcolm’s past. Although she is a confidante of the queen, Judith’s beauty and vivacity attract the unwanted attentions of the king—and thus the woman who commands winged predators becomes prey herself.

A simple plan that goes awry when Malcolm is reacquainted with Judith, once betrothed to his friend—and a woman who is nothing like the meek wife he seeks…but who may be exactly the type of woman he needs.

An impossible choice: Malcolm offers Judith a chance to escape her predicament…But can she risk entangling her own personal white knight in a dangerous web of royal intrigue?

Yum! I love a meaty historical romance, set in an era where the stakes were very high. If you haven’t tried Colleen’s books yet, this is the place to start. You won’t regret it!

For my readers today, Colleen is giving away a copy of A Whisper of Rosemary, book three in her series.

Since these books are in the Medeival Herb Garden series, let’s talk flowers and herbs. What’s your favorite herb to cook with, or flower to pick from a garden? One person who comments will win a copy of A Whisper of Rosemary. And be sure to check out Colleen’s website for the latest news on all her books.

 

Guest Author: Anna Campbell & Giveaway!

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Woot!!  Anna Campbell is in the house!  I’m so thrilled to have one of my favorite authors visiting the blog today.  Anna writes the most fabulous, passionate and smart Regency-set historical romance, and she’s got the reviews, awards and reader accolades to prove it.  And luckily for us, she has a new book out – hooray!!  Let’s turn the blog over to Anna to hear all about it.

Stormy Weather in SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED

Hi Vanessa! It’s great to be back here on your blog! Thank you for having me as your guest today to talk about SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED (out 25th September).

So let’s talk about including that telling detail that makes a setting come alive. Sometimes there’s no substitute for visiting the place where a book is set. Even if you’ve forgotten that you’ve been there!

Most of the events in my latest historical romance, SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED, the first installment in the “Sons of Sin” series, take place on the Devon Coast in November, 1826.

I picked Devon because I wanted somewhere rugged and untamed and dangerous, a little like Jonas Merrick, the hero of the book. I needed a location a long way from the civilized environs of London. And I had a vivid picture in my mind of half-ruined Castle Craven where my scarred and tortured hero barricades himself away from the world. It was rambling and craggy and perched on jagged cliffs over a crashing sea.

Castle Craven is actually based on a ruined castle I visited on the Northumberland coast in the north-east of England. If any of you are Anya Seton fans, Dunstanburgh Castle was a stronghold for John of Gaunt, the hero of that wonderful historical romance KATHERINE. Dunstanburgh is at the opposite end of England to Devon, but one of the joys of writing historical romance is that you can pick up any random old house and plop it wherever you like. The power can be quite intoxicating!

The weather forms an essential part of this wild and stormy tale. You know, it’s wild and, uh, stormy.

The funny thing is that until I sat down to write this piece on some of the research behind SEVEN NIGHTS, I’d forgotten that my only visit to Devon was in November 1986. It was just before I flew back to Australia after two years living in England and I was returning home with very mixed feelings indeed. And would you believe the weather mirrored my turbulent emotions? Much as the tempestuous weather in SEVEN NIGHTS mirrors the conflicting, powerful emotions of Sidonie and Jonas. How strange to discover that the memories from that rather bleak holiday have lurked in my subconscious all this time, ready to pop up when I wrote SEVEN NIGHTS.

Devon in England’s south-west is unusually sunny for the U.K. (which in Australian terms is still not very sunny, but that’s another discussion!), so much so that it’s earned the nickname of the English Riviera. When I visited the county this particular November, it was more like the English Siberia. Howling, icy winds. Seas that looked like they wanted to devour you whole. Horizontal rain. Not very Riviera-like. Brrrr!

It wasn’t a great holiday – aside from the meteorological horrors, I didn’t have a voice. And as anyone who knows me will testify, not talking is the ultimate torture! But I now realize that vivid images and atmosphere from that trip lodged in my brain to stew for twenty-six years, resulting in the dramatic, gothic setting for dramatic, gothic SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED.

You can read an excerpt of SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BEDon my website.

Isn’t the mind a strange thing? Have you ever realized that something you thought you’d forgotten is influencing current thoughts or behavior? Do you have a favorite stormy weather scene in a romance? One of mine is in FLOWERS FROM THE STORM by Laura Kinsale where, you guessed it, the hero gives the heroine flowers. In a storm. Yup, pretty much gave that one away in the title. Anyway, if you like stormy weather in a book, I’m hoping you’ll enjoy SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED. To put my money where my mouth is, I’m giving away a signed copy to a commenter today. Good luck!

Vanessa, here.  Anna, you know I love ALL your books, and I can’t wait to read this one!  So, let’s talk stormy weather – can you think of a great stormy weather scene in a book, movie or TV show that you particularly liked or remember?  Just comment for a chance to win Anna’s new book.

And don’t forget to stop by Anna’s website to read about her other books and to find some great excerpts. 

 

Guest Author: Manda Collins & Giveaway!

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I’m thrilled to have my good friend and talented historical romance author Manda Collins on the blog today.  Mandy writes witty and charming Regency-set historical romance with a dash of mystery. Her first book, How to Dance With a Duke, debuted to great reviews and spent several weeks on the Bookscan bestseller list.  Let’s have a chat with Manda, and see what she’s up to with her latest book, How To Romance A Rake.

Your series is called The Ugly Ducklings. Can you tell us a little bit about it and what inspired the premise?

The concept of three cousins who are considered ugly compared to their glamorous mothers grew out of a story I read somewhere about the famous Gunning Sisters. They were real life Regency characters who came from no-one knows where and took the ton by storm with their beauty and married very, very well. I did a “what if” and wondered what it would be like to be the daughter of such a famed beauty–especially a daughter who suffers by comparison. I came up with the Fabulous Featherstone sisters and out of that grew their daughters, the Ugly Ducklings.

The heroine of How to Romance a Rake, a tremendously appealing character, is not your conventional Regency miss. Can you tell us a little bit about her?

Juliet Shelby is the daughter of Rose, Viscountess Shelby, who is, unfortunately, the vainest of the Featherstone sisters. And when Juliet suffers a disfiguring accident in her teens, Rose thinks not of how awful it must be for Juliet, instead she thinks of how having a daughter who is less than perfect will reflect upon her. So she does her best to make sure that Juliet gets very little notice from the ton. Along with her cousins, Cecily and Maddie, Juliet spends a lot of time sitting out dances with the other wallflowers. But despite her mother’s restrictions, Juliet has managed to become an accomplished pianist. And when her music teacher goes missing Juliet joins forces with swoony Lord Deveril to search for her.

Your stories often revolve around a mystery element. What do you like about combining mystery and romance?

I really like having a strong external conflict for my hero and heroine to work together to solve. My favorite romances are the ones where there is teamwork between the main couple, and what better way to put them to work than in solving a mystery in which the stakes are high for one or both of them?

You’ve recently ventured into the realm of indie publishing. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

In May, I self-published a contemporary novella called LEGALLY YOURS. It’s a reunited lovers story about two former law school classmates who meet again years later. One is a corporate lawyer and the other, who didn’t finish law school is working as a paralegal. Sparks fly, and one thing leads to another and…well, you get the idea. I hope to publish a follow up story in the coming months but it depends on my historical writing schedule. I’ll keep you posted!

What’s up next for Manda?

In January, the third and final Ugly Ducklings story, HOW TO ENTICE AN EARL will be released. It’s Maddie and Monteith’s story and I think readers are really going to love seeing these two together. I know I had a lot of fun writing them!

Thanks so much for being with us today, girlfriend! And here’s the blurb for How to Romance a Rake:

Dancing with Danger

What’s a nice girl like Miss Juliet Shelby doing in a place like Lord Deveril’s ballroom? With her shy demeanor, she’s a total stranger to the dance floor and a source of mockery for the ton. So imagine her surprise when Deveril gallantly comes to her defense—and offers to teach her to dance! Juliet can hardly believe the most handsome bachelor in London would notice her, until he takes her in his arms and sets her heart ablaze…

Playing with Fire

Lord Alec Deveril has never felt such a spark of attraction for an unmarried lady before. Unlike the “fashionable” women he’s accustomed to, Juliet possesses a generous spirit, a fiery intelligence—and an explosive secret. Deep in the London underworld, a dear friend has vanished, and Juliet fears the worst. Deveril insists on helping, escorting her through the darkest alleys in town. But he too is hiding a shocking secret—and the only way he can defeat the devil in his past is to seduce the angel in his arms …

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  I had the good fortune to read this book in advance, and I can tell you it’s a tremendously charming and heartfelt book.  If you enjoy Amanda Quick’s historical mysteries, you’ll love Manda’s books.  And for my readers today, Manda is giving away a copy of her first book, How to Dance With a Duke to one person who comments.  Just tell us about one of your favorite mystery or suspense books for a chance to win.

And don’t forget to check out Manda’s website for excerpts and more interesting stuff!


 

 

Guest Author: Kris Kennedy & Giveaway!

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Historical romance fans, don’t you just love a good, juicy medieval romance?  I do, which is why I’m particularly delighted to be featuring one of today’s best medieval romance authors on my blog.  She’s Kris Kennedy, and she writes sweeping, adventurous and very sexy historical romance.

Kris burst onto the romance writing scene when she won the prestigious Golden Heart Award from the Romance Writers of America.  Her first published book was The Conqueror, put out by Kensington Publishing, which received great reviews and was a Recommended  Read from the influential romance blogger, Dear Author.

Her second book, The Irish Warrior, which was her Golden Heart manuscript, came out in 2010 to a whole boatload of acclaim.

And I do mean boatload!  The Irish Warrior ended up on numerous top ten lists for the year – including The Romance Dish, Wendy the Super Librarian, and The Book Binge.  It was a Desert Island Keeper from All About Romance and a Fresh Pick from Fresh Fiction.  Whew!  I’ve read every one of Kris’ books and I can tell you that the accolades are well deserved.

Luckily for her readers, Kris has a brand new book out.  It’s called Deception, and it’s awesome (yep, I got to read this one early, too!).  As expected, the reviews are great and the book has already earned a coveted 4-1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews and a Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews.

Now, Deception is not just the same old thing, and that’s one of it’s many strengths.  Here’s how Kris explains her new book:

Deception isn’t your typical medieval romance.  It’s less about knights and chases across the countryside, and more about cons.  And dirty money.  And the powerful men who want it, and what they’ll do to get it. 

And of course, the person who will risk everything to stop them.

Oh, and Sexytimes.  Lots of that.

I can vouch for the sexy times, folks!  And I loved the fact that it was a medieval caper – one with a super cool and very hot hero.  Here’s the blurb for Deception:

A dashing con man

Breaking and entering to reclaim her corrupt late father’s ledger comes surprisingly easily to Sophia Darnly. But is it mere coincidence that her misdeed unexpectedly reunites her with Kier, the outlaw lover who abandoned her years ago?

A lady skilled in trickery

Time has not erased Sophia from Kier’s heart, nor tamed her fiery spirit. She boldly insinuates herself into his plans. But Kier is on a mission of revenge, and can’t allow even the woman he once loved to stop him.

A game that could get them both killed

The danger mounts as they lure the leader of a powerful consortium who needs the fabled Darnly ledger—and all its damning details about the wealthiest merchants of England— to execute his nefarious plan. Their rekindled passion burns hot, but when they discover they too are the targets of a deadly deception, the fate of their love, and of England itself, lies in the balance.

Seriously, folks.  If you love intrigue, adventure, and a smart heroine and a sexy hero, this is the book for you!  No one writes medieval romance quite like Kris Kennedy.

For my readers today, Kris is giving away copies of her previous books, Defiant and The Irish Warrior.  Let’s talk about thrillers and capers.  What’s your favorite thriller or caper TV show, movie or book?  Robin Hood?  Mission Impossible?  Let us know for a chance to win one of Kris’ fabulous books!

And don’t forget to visit Kris’ website to read excerpts from all her books and for samples of her many reviews!

Guest Author: Katharine Ashe & Giveaway!

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I’m so very thrilled to be hosting Katharine Ashe on my blog today.  Katharine is an award-winning author of historical romance who was described by Booklist in 2010 as “one of the new stars of historical romance.”  She’s both a talented writer and a truly wonderful person, and she’s here today to tell us about her new book.  How To Be A Proper Lady has already been getting phenomenal reviews, and is an Amazon.com Editors’ Choice for Best Book of the Month.

Without further ado, let’s talk to Katharine!

It seems we never lose our love for pirates and privateers – and no wonder, with the likes of Captain Jack Sparrow as a role model!  But How To Be A Proper Lady has several unusual twists.  Your hero is not your average English aristocrat or even your standard pirate, and your heroine is herself a privateer.  How did you come up with such an unusual idea?

It’s one of those Crazy Author things, Vanessa. The hero of How To Be a Proper Lady, Jin Seton, presented himself to me pretty much fully formed so I hadn’t much of a choice about who he was.

I’d just started writing Captured by a Rogue Lord. The hero of that book, Alex Savege, begins his story as a Robin Hood-style pirate who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Jin was Alex’s first lieutenant, and from the moment he spoke to Alex in the opening chapter of that book he told me who he was: not fully English, but a man with a brutal history who now sought atonement for the violent deeds of his past. I loved him. And I knew within minutes who his heroine would be: a strong, adventuresome woman, Viola Carlyle, the girl that had been abducted by her smuggler father fifteen years earlier and that everyone presumed dead.

Fortunately, Jin liked that idea. A lot. He told me he would find Viola and bring her home to her noble family. Of course, he didn’t count on Viola’s stubborn determination not to do his bidding, or his desire for her. Or hers for him! And that’s where the fun began…

In addition to being a fabulous romance writer, you’re also a history professor.  Did you draw on any models from the history books in creating the characters of Jinan and Viola?

Thank you! Yes, indeedy, the histories I read definitely inform my characters. Sometimes I get ideas from history books for specific things (like the captive English brides in my In the Arms of a Marquess), and sometimes the historical places and subjects I’m reading about more generally inspire characters or plots. I’m very fortunate that my husband and his friends happen to be the world’s foremost scholars of Caribbean history in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, so I’m always reading their books and talking with them about it. It was a thrilling and dangerous time! I don’t need to invent anything; I just borrow it from history.  (Vanessa, here.  What a cool profession for your hubby–and very handy for a historical romance writer!)

Jin and Viola presented themselves to me after I’d been reading a lot about the shipping routes of the British Empire, and the movements of merchants, navies and slaves across the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Jin’s unsparing past and Viola’s profession came straight from my studies. And their sizzling romance? Well, that came from who they were in their hearts and what they each dreamed of becoming.

When you were writing this book, did anything surprise you? Any strange bits of research? Did the characters take you in unexpected directions?

Oh, yes! They took me to the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, which admittedly I’d anticipated. But what I hadn’t understood before was they couldn’t just sail down the U.S. coast from Boston; air and ocean currents required ships to sail east first, to Bermuda, then south. Also, because Jin does manage to haul Viola back to England and return her to her aristocratic roots, I learned alongside my poor sailor heroine a whole lot about the accomplishments expected of a proper lady in that society. Poor Viola! I suffered with her through every lesson in French, watercolor painting and etiquette that she was forced to endure.

Let’s say you were kidnapped by a ravishing pirate and taken to a deserted island. What two luxury items would you beg him to let you take, to make your stay that much more enjoyable?

I will respond to this question when my heart reenters my body. I mean, really, where does a girl I begin??? Satin sheets and a refrigerator filled with champagne!

And here’s the blurb for How To Be A Proper Lady:

The rules of being a proper lady

1) Never take steps greater than six inches apart
2) Never look boldly at a gentleman
3) And never, ever kiss a man who is not your fiancé…

But beautiful, bold Viola Carlyle doesn’t care about the rules. And she desperately wants to kiss the notoriously tempting Captain Jin Seton, the man who brought her kicking and fighting back to English society. Kidnapped as a child, now she longs to return to that life of freedom where she was able to live—and love—as she wished.

Having hunted Viola for two years, Jin Seton has finally found his good luck—for by finding Viola his oldest, deepest debt will at last be paid. And although he has vowed not to let her win his heart, this very improper lady might finally be the one who tames him.

Thanks for the great interview, Katharine.  I have to say, How To Be A Proper Lady has moved to the top of my TBR pile!  Readers, be sure to check out Katharine’s website for all the details and buy links, and to read an excerpt.

Katharine is also generously giving away copies of her previous books today.  For a chance to win a copy of When A Scot Loves A Lady or Captured By A Rogue Lord, tell us what your favorite pirate movie is.  My all-time favorite is Captain Blood, but I’m partial to space pirates too, like Han Solo in Star Wars!