Regency Thunderdome!!

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Kensington Publishing is running a fun #Ultimate Heroes competition on their website and Tumblr page. My book, CONFESSIONS OF A ROYAL BRIDEGROOM, is pitted against Theresa Romain’s SEASON FOR SURRENDER. Since Theresa and I are good pals and love each other’s books, we’ve decided to engage in an epically lame battle of Regency-themed trash talk. You can follow along on Twitter, if you like, under the hashtag of #UltimateHero. We’re having a great time!

You can vote for the heroes here. The best part? You can vote for either hero as many times as you like! *snort*

PS. Both CONFESSIONS and SEASON are on sale on Kindle and Nook for only $2.99 for the month of Feb!

And I’ve got another stop on my VK Sykes MEET ME AT THE BEACH blog tour today. Just click here to read an excerpt, review, and for another chance to enter my fabulous contest.

Meet-Me-at-the-Beach-VK-Skyes

Have a great day!


Guest Author: Jennifer McQuiston & Giveaway!

 

I’m thrilled to be hosting debut historical romance author Jennifer McQuiston on the blog today.  I had the good fortune to read Jennifer’s work before she was published, and I immediately knew she was a talented writer who would be going places.  Shortly thereafter, she sold to Avon Publishing.  Let’s chat with Jennifer and find out about her and her new book, shall we?

You have what some might think is an unusual background for a romance novelist – you’re a vet and an infectious disease researcher.  Did any of your scientific training help you in your new life as a romance novelist?

Well…it may have prepared me for things like research, deadlines, and peer review, but it certainly didn’t help me write a romance novel. My early attempts to write romance were called “stilted” by more than one well-meaning contest judge. I had to re-train myself to write creatively, as all those scientific journal articles had numbed my mind. I do think writing romance has influenced my scientific writing for the better… I recently wrote a book chapter in the new Rickettsiales text on rickettsial diseases that actually uses the phrase “strapping young lumbermen” in the Introduction.

Maybe if more people knew that, it wouldn’t be ranked #2,644,000 on Amazon. 

During my first fumbling attempts to pen a novel, I at least attempted to incorporate some public health and infectious disease research into my writing, but that gradually became less of a focus as I improved as a writer. My first published book, What Happens in Scotland, is actually the fifth book I wrote, and it contains nothing of scientific reality in it. In fact, I am pretty sure some suspension of disbelief is necessary to enjoy it!

People love “the call” stories.  Can you tell us about yours?

 We had gone out on submission with three other books, so I was prepared for about 6 months of radio silence after we went out with What Happens in Scotland in March, 2012. No one was more shocked than me when an offer came in three days later… and then the amazing serendipity of getting more offers and moving to auction. Those days seem like one big blur for me. The coolest part about my call story was that it came the same day that my critique partner, Romily Bernard, got her call. We’d been struggling side by side with countless rejections, so to finally strike gold on the same day was surreal.

Tell us about your new book.

What Happens in Scotland is a rompish “she woke up married” story set in Victorian Scotland. Some reviewers have compared it to The Hangover, and I admit the movie *might* have inspired more than one plot element.

When recent widow Georgette Thorold wakes up in a Scottish inn with a wedding ring on her finger and lacking all memory of how she came to be there, she does what any well-bred lady with a modicum of sense and a distrust of marriage would do: she panics, clocks the wickedly handsome stranger in her bed over the head with a chamber pot, and runs.

James McKenzie, Esquire has either spent the evening protecting a very naïve, and—dare he say it—very drunk young lady from the advances of every disreputable character in the town of Moraig, or he has gone and married a pretty, scheming thief. Not that his own head is entirely clear on the matter, but when the woman in question repays his kindness with a knock on the head, the bill for her room, and the theft of his purse, an embarrassed James is determined to track her down and show her she picked the wrong solicitor to swindle.

As Georgette sets out to discover exactly what happened during her forgotten night, she uncovers a man that seems far more a hero than a rake. But when they finally meet, instead of sweeping her into his arms and kissing her senseless, he serves her with a summons, claiming she is a thief. Now the fight is on, and the only question is was it a night worth remembering? Or a mistake they would both rather forget?

What’s up next in your writing life?

I was fortunate enough to be given a 3 book deal, and so next out of the gate is book #2 in my series, Summer is for Lovers, which will be published September 24, 2013 (but is available for pre-order now).  An unrequited love story set in the seaside resort of Brighton, Summer is for Lovers features a hero some might consider a villain, and an awkward young woman who is the last person he should want.

 

 

Thanks so much for being with us today, Jennifer!  Folks, Jennifer is graciously giving away a copy of her debut book, What Happens in Scotland.  To be eligible to win, just tell us what’s your favorite book made into a movie?  One person who comments will win the book!  And be sure to check out Jennifer’s website and also look her up on Twitter.


Guest Author: Katharine Ashe & Giveaway!

One of my favorite historical authors is returning to the blog today.  She’s Katharine Ashe, and she writes passionate, exciting, character-driven romances.  Here’s what Katharine’s official bio says:

The American Library Association’s Booklist named Katharine Ashe among its “New Stars of Historical Romance.” She is a two-time nominee in the Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Awards, and her novella, A Lady’s Wish, launched Harper Collins Publishers’ e-book imprint, Avon Impulse, to rave reviews.

All this is very true, but I’ll tell you something else about Katharine–she’s smart and funny, and a lovely person to boot.  Can’t you just tell that from her picture?  I think she’s the bee’s knees, and if you’re not following her on Twitter or Facebook, you really should.

Katharine’s first book was Swept Away by a Kiss, which got rave reviews, including this one from RT Book Reviews:

TOP PICK!
“An incredible romance with enough sexual chemistry to singe your fingers. The characters are complex and highly sensual, the plot riveting and the backdrop vividly detailed. This is both a page-turner and a keeper.”

I bet you won’t be surprised to hear that Katharine’s subsequent books also received stellar reviews, right?  You can pop on over to her website to read some of those reviews, and to get the deets on each book, including excerpts.

Katharine’s readers (including me) are thrilled that she’s got a new series coming out, with the first book releasing this week. It’s called When A Scot Loves A Lady, and it kicks off her Falcon Club Series. Not surprisingly, it’s already getting great reviews:

FIVE QUILLS!
“A staggeringly intense love story… gripping, engaging, sublime… Ashe is a virtuoso… Her books are filled with an undeniable love, with arresting characters, and with plots that twist and turn, keeping a reader bound to the pages from beginning to end.”
— Romantic Crush Junkies

Isn’t that a beautiful cover?  Here’s the blurb for When A Scot Loves A Lady:

London gossips are asking: What use has society of an exclusive gentleman’s club if no gentlemen are ever seen to pass through its door?

After years as an agent of the secret Falcon Club, Lord Leam Blackwood knows it’s time to return home to Scotland. One temptation threatens his plans—Kitty Savege. The scandal-plagued lady warms his blood like a dram of fine whiskey. But a dangerous enemy stands in the way of desire, and to beat this foe Leam needs Kitty’s help…

Kitty never wanted to spend her holidays in a wretched country village! With snow up to the windows, escape is nowhere in sight. A roguish Scottish lord, however, is. His rough brogue sends tingles of heat from Kitty’s frigid toes to her chilled nose, but she’s confident she can withstand that. What she cannot control is the reaction of her carefully guarded heart when she discovers this beast is, in fact, no beast at all…

Sounds awesome, doesn’t it?  There’s an excerpt of When A Scot Loves A Lady on Katharine’s website, along with lots of interesting extras.  And be sure to stop by Katharine’s wonderful group blog, The Ballroom Blog, which she hosts with other fabulous authors like Miranda Neville and Gaelen Foley.

For my readers today, Katharine is giving away a copy of When A Scot Loves A Lady.  Just tell me the title of one of your favorite historical romances, and why you love it.  One person who comments will win a copy of Katharine’s fabulous book!

 


Social Media – Love It Or Hate It?

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with social media.  It’s like crack, luring me in with the promise of a better tomorrow, until I realize that I have totally wasted today on Twitter, or Facebook, or Goodreads.  But is it really a waste?  I’ve stumbled across so much fascinating information by using social media, discovering all kinds of interesting articles, blogsites, and websites on history, pop culture, politics, and the arts.  I rarely surf the internet anymore.  Rather, I follow the specific links I find on Twitter or Facebook.  Even better, I’ve discovered people.  Wonderful, funny, intelligent people, including writers, publishing industry professionals, and readers, from all over the world.  Some have even become friends, and how utterly cool is that?

So it seems that what I have to do is manage my addiction and use social media to enhance my personal and professional relationships, and support my work.  To that end, I’m reading a couple of really good books that deal with social media.  One is a fabulous how-to book by Kristen Lamb, entitled We Are Not Alone.  This is a social media guide for writers, and it deals with the big questions about social media and why people – not just writers – need it.  The book also provides a nuts-and-bolts guide for setting up your own social media sites and accounts in clear language that is truly helpful to techno-peasants like me!

Kristen writes for Who Dares Wins Publishing, an independent publishing company created by Bob Mayer and Jennifer Holbrook-Talty.  Bob Mayer is another great resource for writers and anyone aspiring to get published.  He uses the skills and mindset he learned as a Special Forces soldier to teach writers how to conquer fear and bring discipline and positive change to their professional lives.   Bob is also a really good writer and an all-around cool guy.  Along with Jenny Crusie, he wrote one of my favorite books, the hilarious Agnes And The Hitman.

And you know how I found out about some of these folks?  Through social media, of course.  I even follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

How about you?  Social Media:  a positive vision of the future, or the bane of our existence?


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