 |
 |
 When
I originally signed my contract with
Pocket that was the plan. It had become
apparent to me during the writing of
Duchess that Myrtia was a woman with
more to her past than she was letting
on and that I knew precisely the man
for her. But somewhere along the line,
I decided that I wanted to do something
different next, and it’s taking
me a little more time. I’m slow.
Have I mentioned that I’m slow?
So more on that soon. |
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Does
that mean Myrtia’s story is not
going to be told? And will Cecy’s
problems be resolved? |
|
|
Of
course. No author in their right mind
could bear to leave their characters
dangling that way. My plan is to come
back to them for the following book. |
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Will
you ever write serious, dark, angsty
books? |
|
|
No.
Real life can be serious, dark, and angsty
enough. There are writers who do this
amazingly well, but not me. My books
are written to entertain and, with a
little luck, provide a laugh or two. |
top
 Those
of us who are writers or aspiring writers
know that a critique partners is so much
more than just, well, a critique partner.
Mine is a combination writing coach, therapist,
friend, confidante, dispenser of advice,
and merciless shrew (what can I say? She
suggested a few changes last time, all
right?). And somewhere in the midst of
all that, she has managed to write a book
or two of her own. And, oh, what books
they are--fast, funny, sexy, smart, fabulously
written, and deeply moving. These aren't necessarily new books, but they are wonderful favorites of mine.
Your
Wicked Ways
A Wild Pursuit
by
Eloisa James
 In Your
Wicked Ways, Lady Esmé Rawlings, aka
Infamous Esmé, has problems. She has retired
to the country to join the village sewing
circle, become a pillar of the local church,
and await the birth of her late husband Miles's
child in the respectable, matronly solitude
that befits a young widow expecting a happy
event. Her scandalous past is, thankfully,
very much in the past.
Or at least it was, until
the houseful of guests: First there is her
dearest friend Helene, weepy and dispirited
over her own dismal marriage. Then there
is the formerly stuffy Marquess Bonnington—who
might or might not be the father of Esmé's
unborn child— who has somehow managed to
get himself employed as her gardener, and
refuses to accept that fact that she has
fired him (numerous times) with the same
determination with which he refuses to forget
the route to her bedchamber… As if that were
not enough, her boisterous aunt has arrived
with the young and wild, bosom-stuffing,
cosmetic-wearing Lady Beatrix Lennox and the
starchy and upright politican, Stephen Fairfax
Lacy in tow. Surely a match made in hell?
Although, actually, Mr.
Fairfax-Lacy might just come in handy to
deflect Bonnington's attentions—if only he
and Lady Beatrix would not persist in shooting
those unexpected and most unrespectable sparks
off of each other—particularly once Bonnington's
gorgon of a mother has shown up to make it
perfectly clear that she will never accept
the Infamous Esmé as her daughter-in-law…
 And
then, in A
Wild Pursuit find out what happens
next, when the virtuous and upright Helene,
Countess Godwin, who has been on the outs
with her husband for ten years, decides that
she's had enough with the virtuous and upright
bit. That she's done being weepy and dispirited.
It's her turn—this time she wants
a baby, and she's going to do what it takes
to get one.
So what is a formerly virtuous
and upright lady like herself to do under
such circumstances? Surely the answer is
to return to the marital home and convince
her scandalous rogue of a husband to do his
duty? Even if it means gritting her teeth
and taking up housekeeping with him... and
his mistress. Let's just say that, unlike
her hellion of a husband, Helene has been
on her best behavior for the past decade,
and when the sparks start flying, well, they
really fly.
To visit Eloisa James'
site, click here.
The
Souvenir Countess
Souvenir Of Love
by
Joanna Novins
  I
was introduced to Joanna
Novins by a mutual acquaintance when we both had sites in develpment with Waxcreative at
the same time, and since we both had books
coming out at the same time, it seemed
like we might have a lot in common. And
we did. Since that time, Joanna and I have
maintained a lively email correspondence
covering everything from writing successes
and insecurities, husbands, children, schools,
cars, websites... you
get the picture. And while I won't
share those correspondences, I will pull
out the adjectives and share the fact that
I think her books are fabulous, amazing,
fast, sexy reads. And to make things even
better, there are two of them.
The
first, The
Souvenir Countess, is the story of
Alix de la Brou, a young woman who has
lost everything in the French Revolution,
and stands to lose the one thing she has
left--her life--if
she is not careful; and of Rafe Harcrest,
the Earl of Moreham. An English nobleman
secure in his firm, if misguided, belief
that he knows with certainty what is best
for Alix. He is also a man with complications--a past, a woman back at home to whom he is promised,
and secrets he is reluctant to share. As
they begin their adventure together, attempting
to journey through an unstable and dangerous
France on their way to England, it is up
to Alix to decide whether she can allow
him to save her, and in so doing allow
herself to save him.
 I
loved that first book. And those who know
me know that I don't
often like books where a lot of, well,
stuff happens. I always hide my eyes in
movies at the really exciting parts, and
I generally skip over the action scenes.
In fact, I usually like books that are
just a whole bunch of talking. But Joanna's
books manage to seamlessly blend action,
intrigue, and danger (there are parts where
I definitely would have covered my eyes
if I could, but had to settle for reading
ahead and then coming back) with romance
and fully rounded characters, who have
actual conversations. And her heroines,
without ever breaking their nails, are
women ahead of their time, of true strength
and courage.
Now,
onto the second, Souvenir
of Love. I loved this one even more.
The writing is all at once lovely, gripping,
and unafraid. It's
the story of Rafe's
sister, Lady Elizabeth Harcrest and the
sexy, dashingly tortured James Harcrest,
future Duke of Dinsmore. After James publicly
compromises Elizabeth at a party, and does
not offer for her, it seems to both him
and the reader he can go no lower. But
Elizabeth, despite her relative youth,
understands there is more to him than he
knows and is determined to help him learn
that (and maybe rescue a few prisoners
of war along the way). And so off they
set on their own adventure of danger, intrigue,
and passion.
To
visit Joanna Novins' site, click here.
It’s
a commonly held belief—ahem—that
I would be a much faster, more prolific writer
if I spent less time surfing the web looking
for things to read. Here are some current
favorites. Please note that I have hated
doing book reviews as far back as the second
grade, so my descriptions are brief.
Lynn
Michaels, Return Engagement.
A really fun, character-driven romance
by an author with a fresh voice. Funny
and poignant.
Elizabeth
Young, A Girl’s Best Friend.
A charming, cozy, British read.
Nora
Ephron, Heartburn. The
touchstone by which I measure all humorous
novels. Still hilarious after all these
years.
Peter
Robinson, Close to Home and Reginald
Hill, Death’s Jest Book.
For my money, the two best contemporary mystery writers going.
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