Sally Britton's Blog, page 8

Interviews with Authors: Sara Cardon

Sara Cardon, Author Five Authors. Five Romances. One Unforgettable Party.
 
I am excited to be doing another interview with one of the incredible authors behind the Regency House Party (RHP). It’s my privilege to interview Sara Cardon and share an up-and-coming author with my readership. If you love Regency, if you love stories where the romance is sweet and clean, then the books in this series are for you.

As a quick recap, the Regency House Party started as a weekly serial event taking place across social media platforms. Five talented romance authors worked together to tell love stories set in the beautiful English countryside. They built a good, strong fan base as they took turns posting chapters about their wonderful characters.
 
After the stories came to an end, these five authors went to work turning the online content into novellas, now available for order and pre-order on Amazon.
 
Sara Cardon participated in this event and her story, The Stable Master’s Daughter, will be available on September 25, 2018. I’m really looking forward to grabbing my ebook copy, but if you can’t wait, the paperback is available now!
 
Sara, what did you think about the idea for RHP when it was presented to you? Were you excited to work with other authors to create this Regency world? 

I thought it was a totally cool idea. It was fun to brainstorm characters, setting, and possibilities. We swapped all kinds of ideas and jokes. We had an inkling it might be something great, but we kept saying, “If we have 25 engaged readers, we’ll count this a success!” It’s incredible to see how it came together!
 
What about the Regency era appeals to you?

There are a lot of contradictions to play with within this time frame. The manners are beautiful, but could be stifling. Britain was at war with France, but the upper class went on with high living. I love the contrasts.

Your story is called The Stable Master’s Daughter. That’s an unusual sort of person to be at a proper house party.

It’s completely crazy to have a person born into the working class among the elite. Marjorie knows it too. The invitation comes from the Countess, who is acquainted with Marjorie’s well-to-do aunt. Marjorie doesn’t usually brush shoulders with such an elite group, but the Countess thinks outside the box and is a scheming matchmaker.

What can you tell us about your heroine, Marjorie? What’s something you love about her?

Marjorie is whimsical, gracious, and resilient. She pours her heart into her art. She believes the lie that her worth is diminished because of her birth. At the house party, she confronts her beliefs, battles to align dreams with reality, and of course, falls in love with the wrong brother.

What about your hero? Miles is described as a man of “unyielding” principles. What sort of principles is he fighting to maintain?

Miles has things pretty well figured out—for himself and everyone he cares about. He has a template for life and rejects everything that doesn’t match up, making him quite judgmental. He believes to his core in being a gentleman. When Marjorie touches a place in his heart no one else has, he wrestles with what society wants and what he wants. He reexamines what being a true gentleman means.  

I asked Jen what one of her favorite “extras” in the series was. What’s something “extra” you enjoyed while y’all were putting this series together? 

The “extra” for me would have to be Thomas Webb. I have a love/hate relationship with him, since his part in the story came about out of necessity. One of the pitfalls of trying to incorporate other authors’ characters into my story is when I use them in a way someone doesn’t agree with, because it affects their story. I had a gaping hole where a bad boy character was removed. Jen offered one of her sweet brothers for the role, but I couldn’t do that. I also didn’t want a placeholder or a cardboard character to fill the role. So I felt as aggravated with creating Mr. Webb as the Countess probably was with having him show up at her house party, uninvited. Webb ended up being an interesting character and a great addition. It stretched me.
 
What are your future writing plans? Any more books in the works? 

I have a couple books I’m working on. I have a captain in the British Royal Navy trying to woo a jilted woman. I just finished some research into the Napoleonic Wars and the details will bring it into sharp focus. And of course, I have a zillion other book ideas because creating is fun.

As a romance author, I take it you’re a romance reader too.

I’m a huge reader. About ten years ago, all I read was nonfiction and literary fiction. I was always drawn to a romance subplot, if there was one. The summer I discovered clean and sweet romances was the best summer of my life!
 
What is one of your favorite romances you would love people to discover? 

Elizabeth Camden’s Against the Tide is a favorite. I love Kathleen Baldwin’s School for Unusual Girls series. Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Kasie West—there are so many great authors, and new authors I’m discovering all the time! I especially love authors who write smart women and good men—that’s what inspires me.
​
Thank you so much for your time, Sara! Links to the Regency House Party sites and books by all five authors are listed below. Check out these fabulous stories and make sure you follow the Regency House Party accounts for deals on their books and other great Regency reads!  Order Your Copy of The Stable Master's Daughter Sara Cardon's Website & Amazon PageSara's Homespun Heroes group on FacebookRHP NewsletterFacebookTwitter: @regencyhousepartyInstagram: @RegencyhousepartyRHP1: The Unwanted Suitor by Michelle PenningtonRHP2: An Unlikely Courtship by Heidi KimballRHP3: Mistaken Identity by Mindy Burbidge StrunkRHP4: The Stable Master’s Daughter by Sara CardonRHP5: Tabitha’s Folly by Jen Geigle Johnson

Why Do You Write?

Originally Published on December 5, 2017 on WordPress.  Hanging out on one of my favorite Facebook groups the other day, I read a plea for help. It went something like this: 

I am a terrible author because I never have the time to write. I’m raising small humans and have a lot of other responsibilities. I want to write. But I haven’t published in forever and I will take at least a year or two or three or six to finish my current work in progress. Should I just give up and admit I will never be good enough? That I am not serious enough?
​
As you can imagine, the responses to this kind of question run the gamut from kindly sympathetic to abrasively rude. (Hint: rudeness never helps anyone.)

“Go easy on yourself,” said the kind people. “We all go through this!

“Write or don’t. Stop crying about it,” said the cynical.

I’ve been where that original poster is/was, and I had people heap both sorts of advice onto my head. But the best advice I ever got was in the form of a question.

“Why does writing matter to you?”

This is a huge question. It’s really the question every writer should pose to themselves during one of those long dark tea-times of the soul. 
Are you driven by sugar-plum fairies to jot down witty tales? Is it therapeutic? An escape? Do you need a source of extra income? (Don’t laugh, some authors make it big.)

Determine why you write. Because when you hit that wall, you’re going to need to know the answer.“What do you mean, a wall?”

I mean when you come up against a very solid reason to give up writing, you need to know why you’ve got to go up and over that reason.

Your reason-to-stop-actively-writing might not even be a bad thing. There can be good reasons to step back. Like you get an amazing job with amazing pay and it fulfills you, or you get a new family member (spouse, child, pet) who needs all your time. Maybe you find another creative outlet (painting, blogging, scrap-booking), or you win the lottery and have to spend all that cash!

There are sad and serious reasons, too. Death of a loved one, loss of a job, loss of a relationship, poor health, or having absolutely no time to breathe, let alone write.

These are the walls. You may run into many. But what is going to get you up and over them?

Ask yourself why you write. Now, write down the answer. Explain the answer the way you would explain it to your best friend, your mom, and a stranger on the bus.

Write it again. Write it using the most beautiful words you know. Or the simplest.

Is it real, your reason? When you read it to yourself, does it resonate?

Good. Now put it somewhere you can see it. Make a snazzy graphic and set is as the background on your phone/tablet/computer screen. Tape it to your mirror/fridge/lamp. Read it every time you stand in front of it. Make it your mantra.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a single sentence or a paragraph, it might not be profound, or it might sound generic. Doesn’t. Matter. It’s your reason. Own it.

I’ll share my reason with you. I don’t even care if you laugh.

I write because I’ve told myself stories since childhood and I want those stories to be accessible to the people I love. I write because the stories have always been there. I write because I know my stories bring me happiness and I want to share that feeling with as many people as I can. I write because I love to create with words.

Whatever your reason, it’s a good one. Love or money. (Or why not both?)

Confession Time: My Wall

My latest wall was my pregnancy and the first year of life of a tiny human being. All the joy of writing left during my pregnancy. I joked that the baby was using up all my creativity. But I secretly worried I would never find the desire to write again.

That was the indication that this wall would not stretch before me forever. I worried that part of myself was gone. I was concerned. I cared.

I remembered my reasons for writing. It took me nine months of pregnancy and twelve months of caring for a tiny person, and the rest of my family. That’s 21 months lacking the desire to write.

But it came back as a flood of ideas, hope, and energy. I didn’t even DO anything to get it back. It was just there, suddenly, and I knew I was ready to write again.

But that was a long dry spell. A long time staring at a wall.

There were other things going on in my life, needing attention, care, and love.

There are seasons to our lives. 

“Write or don’t,” is the most ridiculous thing you can say to someone staring at that wall.

Why do you write? If your reason matters to you, it’s a good reason, and you will be back. The wall will come down, or you will climb over, or perhaps blow it up. But if you want to write, you will. Eventually.

Give it time. Plowing into that wall is only going to hurt you. Sit. Think. Wait. Study. Take care of what needs your attention. You’ll get that tingly feeling in your finger-tips again, when the time is right. And remember the wise words of a man who didn’t make it big in life, but loved what he did:

Interviews With Authors: Jen Geigle Johnson

Jen Geigle Johnson, Author Five Authors. Five Romances. One Unforgettable Party.
 
This is what the Regency House Party (RHP), an incredible weekly serial event, promised readers across social media back in December 2017. Five talented romance authors worked together to tell love stories set in the beautiful English countryside. The near-constant flow of story and extra content (like the adorable social media account of Wellington the Pug) kept fans entertained for several months.
 
After the stories came to an end, these five authors went to work turning the online content into novellas, now available for order and pre-order on Amazon.
 
I’ve asked Jen Geigle Johnson, author of The Nobleman’s Daughter, Scarlet, and the RHP Title Tabitha’s Folly, to tell us a little more about this incredible project.
 
What inspired this unusual method of storytelling?

A long time ago, a group of Regency Authors used to manage a blog called, The Ballroom. It was essentially a setting to play around in with regency characters. I loved the sound of it. People could check in at any time to see what was going on in the Ballroom. I loved that concept and wanted to create a world like that.
 
What made you decide to use a Regency house party as your setting?

Who doesn’t love a good house party? It seems like that setting left lots of room for many different scenes and characters, conflict and maybe even a little clean scandal.
 
Did you already know the other authors? What was the recruitment process like?

The authors for Regency House Party were friends in my critique group and beta readers for my books. I knew I loved their writing, their grasp of the time period, and I enjoyed working with them already. I also knew that they were going places. When we met, I was the only one with a published historical book. Michelle had several contemporary romances out. And the others were just beginning, but there was such talent and such promise in these ladies, I knew it would become something special.
 
How are the stories tied together? Could you read them as stand-alones or is it best to read the series from start to finish?

They are all set in the same place during the same time. You will find characters showing up in all our stories. There are some static characters who also hold the stories together, but each romance is a stand alone book and they can be read in any order. You will get the richest experience if you read all of them. There are fun hidden secrets and nuggets and hints that you would only notice if you are familiar with all the stores, but each book on its own is a complete experience.
 
The extra content was fantastic and fun. What’s one of your favorite “extras?”

Damen. What a character. He took on a life of his own. He is one of the footmen at the house party, but he is just one of those intriguing larger than life characters that sort of grabbed us all. The Countess is also like that. Once I had finished Tabitha’s Folly and analyzed Damen’s role in her story, I knew he needed his own novella. And so Damen’s Secret was available for free for a few months and will now be for sale for .99 as an extra story. He has his own romance and motivations and I love how his situation turned out.
 
Your novella is titled Tabitha’s Folly. What do you want your readers to know about Tabitha?

She is hopeful and fun and gentle. But she is surrounded, stifled by her five brothers and because of their overbearing hovering, she makes rash decisions that could get her into a lot of trouble. She is distractingly in love with her childhood friend and desperately hopes he will one day see her as anything but the little sister. Her Folly. What is her folly? I would be interested to hear what readers think.
 
What comes next for fans of RHP? Will there be future multi-author projects in your future?

We will be doing other Regency House Party stories. This spring we will start work on our next one, and we are actively seeking out a new location. Our minds are turning with character and plot. I see lots of opportunity for this to continue to grow.
 
You’ve also published two books with Covenant, The Nobleman’s Daughter and Scarlet. Do you have any personal projects or publications coming up?

I have two more books coming out with Covenant between now and 2020. A Lady’s Maid will be published in August 2019. And Lady in Disguise some time the following year. I have big plans to continue a line of books set in the same story and setting as Scarlet. But the thing I am working on right now is another line of Regency stories set in Bath. I can’t wait to introduce these characters to you also.
​
Thank you so much for your time, Jen! Links to the Regency House Party sites and books by all five authors are listed below. Check out these fabulous stories and make sure you follow the Regency House Party accounts for deals on their books and other great Regency reads!
Jen Geigle Johnson's Website & Amazon PageRHP NewsletterFacebookTwitter: @regencyhousepartyInstagram: @RegencyhousepartyRHP1: The Unwanted Suitor by Michelle PenningtonRHP2: An Unlikely Courtship by Heidi KimballRHP3: Mistaken Identity by Mindy Burbidge StrunkRHP4: The Stable Master’s Daughter by Sara CardonRHP5: Tabitha’s Folly by Jen Geigle Johnson

New Clean Regency Romance: Cover Reveal

Miss Devon's Choice, by Sally Britton Gorgeous, isn't it? Many thanks to Shaela Kay for the brilliant design. I really, really want this dress. Let me tell you a little about this beautiful book. 

This is the fifth book in my series, Branches of Love, and it's about the youngest of the Devon sisters. That's right, Rebecca Devon is finally getting her love story - but it's not going the way she planned. Rebecca is the reader in the family, always found with a book in her hand or hidden beneath the cushion on which she sits. She's a dreamer, she's read enough novels that she knows what a happy ending should look like, but then- Rebecca's father, the cold, manipulative man -arranges her marriage to a complete stranger. 

With only weeks until she speaks her vows, Rebecca's choices are all made for her, except one. It is up to her to decide whether or not to love the man her father has chosen for her. 

I have had such a lovely time writing this story and I'm thrilled to finally be sharing it with everyone. 

​You can hope on over to Amazon to pre-order the title, or keep an eye out. I'm hoping to release it in late September. 

A Trend in My Writing

I have some interesting information for people who wonder about what goes on behind the writing scenes.

When writers submit work for traditional publication, or to editors, or exchange manuscripts among themselves for opinions, we let people know how long our books are by sharing the number of words in the manuscript. We do this because page count varies depending on what your settings are in your word processor.

My novella, Martha's Patience, is just under 20,000 words. Super short. Romance books cannot be considered novels unless they have more the 40,000 words.

My novels:

The Social Tutor: 67,000 words
The Gentleman Physician: 65,000 words
His Bluestocking Bride: 76,000 words
The Earl and His Lady: 81,000 words

There's a definite trend going on here. :-) Because I just passed 80,000 words on my current work in progress and I still have a few more scenes to go! 

For a little contrast, War and Peace is over 580,000 words long. Pride and Prejudice is just over 122,000 words long. :-) 

10 Clean & Sweet Historical Romances

According to recent market surveys, the "clean romance" readership has grown by 60% in the last three years. Wow. Despite that significant amount of growth in readers it can still be really difficult to find a good, clean romance to read. When you start getting picky about genre beyond that, it can be even more difficult. So I'm going to do a monthly post with a list of clean romance books listed, and with different themes. This month, I'm sharing ten historical romance novels/anthologies that I've enjoyed. I hope you find some new favorites! Calico Ball, Timeless Western Collection
by Carla Kelly, Sarah M. Eden, and Kristin Holt

The Timeless Romance series is amazing. You can't go wrong with any of them. But this is the latest from their collection, featuring three of my favorite authors. Carla Kelly, Sarah M. Eden, and Kristin Holt. They're masters of their craft and these sweet stories are sure to leave you romantically satisfied.

:-)  The Merry Lives of Spinsters
by Rebecca Connolly

​I'll pretty much pick up anything by this author. She does an excellent job of crafting fun, memorable characters and entertaining stories. 

From Amazon: Georgiana Allen is a spinster and everybody knows it. She also happens to be one of the writers for the Spinster Chronicles, and everybody knows that as well. She’s accepted her lot in life, and, along with the other spinsters in her circle, takes great pride in the articles she writes and the influence she has. Then Captain Anthony Sterling infiltrates their group, and her life, and Georgie impossibly begins to hope once more.

Tony Sterling had no idea what to expect when he agreed to break up the Spinsters for his cousin, but he certainly did not expect Georgie Allen. From the very first meeting, she upends everything he thought a spinster would be, and her beauty and wit keeps him on edge in thrilling ways. The more he gets to know the Spinsters, the less he wants to break them up. And the more he wants Georgie in his life. Permanently.

Saving Grace,
​Book 1 in A Hearthfire Romance Series
by Michelle Paige Holmes

​​This was the first book I ever read by this author, and I was immediately charmed and eagerly waited for the next, and the next. This is such a beautiful story. 

From Amazon: After the death of her grandfather, the Duke of Salisbury, Grace Thatcher wants nothing more than to live quietly in the country with her younger siblings. Her father’s debts thwart those plans, and to protect her sister, Helen, Grace must marry a man of her father’s choosing. 

As each suitor proves less than desirable, Grace comes up with clever schemes, causing each to reject her. While staying at the mysterious Sutherland Hall, a middle-of-the-night mishap sends Grace into the arms of a stranger, Nicholas Sutherland—and provides inspiration for her grandest plan yet—one that will leave her reputation in tatters yet free both her and Helen from all possibility of marriage. 

Too late Grace regrets her rash actions when her father’s last choice, Mr. Samuel Preston, proves to be a gentleman and a friend. But Samuel is the sworn enemy of Nicholas Sutherland, the man responsible for her “ruin.” Now instead of being free, Grace is caught between two men—each with his own agenda.
His Bluestocking Bride
by Sally Britton

Yup. I have no problem including my books. I poured my heart and soul into this one, telling the story of a young woman who has given up hope of being loved for herself. While this is part of my series, it actually stands alone very, very well. 

Summary: Overlooked by society and underappreciated in her family, Ellen Bringhurst has resigned herself to spinsterhood and a life of reading. Until her match-making friends contrive to reintroduce Ellen to the man she has secretly loved since their shared childhood. 

As the younger son to an earl, Marcus Calvert must wed in order to inherit his estate. Still nursing a broken heart, he prefers a practical approach to matrimony rather than romantic love. When Ellen is presented as a possible bride, he proposes a marriage of convenience. 

Ellen accepts his hand, hiding her feelings rather than risking her husband’s rejection. Marcus, though determined not to expose his heart again, finds more to admire in his childhood friend with each passing day. What began as a sensible arrangement now has the possibility to become so much more. But is Marcus willing to risk his heart a second time?
Christmas at Edgewood Park
by Shaela Kay

A Victorian Christmas novella, by a lovely author and dear friend of mine. I love this book, so much. 

From Amazon: ​At nearly thirty years old, Eleanor Eves is a confirmed old maid - and a rather wealthy one at that. She enjoys her independence, relishes her position, and delights in serving the people of Littleton. But when the reclusive Mr. Cartwright returns to town after eight years abroad, she finds herself the unwilling delegate volunteered to welcome him into the neighborhood. 

Not only is he shrouded in mystery, but Albert Cartwright is horribly disfigured, and carries a reputation for being somewhat of a brute. With Christmas on the horizon, a holiday bazaar to organize, and her aging father to care for, can Eleanor make room in her heart for Mr. Cartwright as well?
The Earl and His Lady
by Sally Britton

This is a story of love lost, second chances, and healing. I cried writing it and more than a few of my reviewers said they cried reading it.

Lady Virginia Macon, the recently widowed Baroness of Heatherton, has an impossible decision to make. Her late husband’s unscrupulous brother demands guardianship of her sons. The courts are on his side, unless she marries someone willing to stand in her late husband’s place. Locking her heart away and devoting herself to her children is the only way Virginia can countenance such a decision.

Wearied by the world, Lucas Calvert, Earl of Annesbury, is tired of being alone. His wife’s passing six years previous left his life gray and empty. His only recourse has been to make life better for those around him, using his considerable wealth and influence. When he learns of Virginia’s plight, he knows he can save her and her sons.

During one of the rainiest summers in England’s history, Virginia and her children bring light and color back into Lucas’s life. But will Virginia’s determination to protect her heart destroy their possibility of finding happiness together?
A Rouge About Town,
Book 2 in the London League Series
by Rebecca Connolly

I know. It's book two. And the first book in the series, The Lady and the Gent, is charming and fun! But I like this one even more. 
From Amazon: Gabriel Statler, Lord Wharton, has a problem. His duties as an operative for the Crown are being compromised for the sake of his cover, where he is known only as the Rogue. His days are now filled with trivial investigations, and none of the problems are ones he wants to solve. Then he meets a mysterious young woman who holds more secrets than he likes, and, against his better judgment, he takes her case. 

Amelia Berger needs the Rogue, and she needs everything he can offer without revealing everything she knows. Her secrets are her own, and she has far too many to risk revealing even one. But when working with Rogue turns into something entirely unexpected, she finds that the secrets she began with are not the ones she most needs to protect.

Loving an Outlaw
by Kristen Iten

I enjoyed reading this sweet Western romance very much. It was absolutely delightful - full of beautiful description, strong characters, interesting twists, and a love story that made me sigh.

From Amazon: Eighteen-year-old Abigail Dodd has always dreamed of building a life out West. Her plans to join her older brother in Texas are put in jeopardy when he suddenly stops writing. Unsure whether he’s dead or alive, Abigail leaves for the Wild West in search of the truth. Jake Morgan rides to the rescue when things go wrong on the long road to Sweet Creek, Texas. He vows to see Abigail safely to her destination before continuing his own journey to California. When it becomes clear that her life is in danger, Jake decides to stay as long as it takes to make sure she’s safe — even if it costs him his life.
When Abigail learns of a dark secret from his past, she realizes that she may have to let go of the man she has come to love in order to save his life.

The Governess
by Kristen McKendry

I discovered this book and author quite by accident. This novel was an impulse buy for me at a brick-and-mortar store. Now, I almost can't stop recommending it!

From Amazon: Independent young Kate Porter envisions a future far greater than the middle-class existence she’s always lived, and her work as a governess is simply a means to an end. The glittering world of a society wife calls, and her new position as a private tutor for the children of Mr. Alonzo Colaco is a step in the right direction. She merrily imagines the grand house awaiting her—but when her new employer meets her at the train station driving a gaily painted gypsy wagon, Kate suspects her new job as a children’s tutor will not be all she dreamed. Instead of the mansion she anticipated, Kate finds herself living in the woods in a refitted train car as she teaches the charming children of Alonzo, a tinker by trade.
After trying in vain to secure another job, Kate is left with little choice. She must simply bide her time until a better position presents itself. Before long, however, she abandons her petticoats and preconceptions in favor of the joys of a simple life—and the possibility of true love. But when opportunity knocks, will Kate really be ready to walk away from all she’s come to care for to pursue her high-society dreams?
The Orient Express, Timeless Victorian Collection
by Elizabeth Johns, Annette Lyon, and Nancy Campbell Allen

Again, you cannot go wrong with the Timeless books. These three stories take place in the age of Queen Victoria, the golden years of the railway system that stretched from one side of Europe to Istanbul. In keeping with the tradition of writing about this amazing train, each of these sweet romances contains just a hint of intrigue.  Don't forget to share this list with friends!

Hero #4: Christian Hundley, Lord Easton

Name inspiration comes from crazy places, and I find names I love EVERYWHERE. I actually have a spreadsheet with something like 200 first and last names from the Regency period. I've used that list a lot for characters. But sometimes, a name just falls out of the sky...

​Or at least falls open in your lap.
My family loves used books. I recently found all the Lemony Snicket books for my oldest daughter to read. While paging through a used copy of The Carnivorous Carnival, I happened to look at the front page. There, in sweet little boy handwriting, was the most perfect name for a Regency hero...

Christian Hundley.

I knew at once I must use it. I messaged my critique partners with the name. They all agreed it was perfect, but for WHO? One of them even threatened to steal the name of I didn't use it soon! (Yeah, I'm looking at you, Joanna!)

Then I started thinking about Rebecca Devon and her love story. Who would be perfect for Rebecca? What sort of man would fall for her?

Of course, it would be Christian Hundley, Lord Easton. A viscount. And suddenly, he burst into my mind. :-) I think everyone is going to love him!

What are some of the best names you've heard? What names would you use in a novel?

My Unorthodox Planning Method

My most recent novel, The Earl and His Lady, features a hero who has been on my mind for a long time. I actually started working on a story about the earl, Lucas Calvert, four years ago.

Lucas has existed in my head for FOUR years. It took me a long time to get his story right. I always tell the stories to myself, mentally, over and over again until I'm ready to write them. I think about the characters, imagine their life story, then I put them into different situations again and again until something clicks.

Because this is my somewhat-unorthodox planning method, I often create and discard several plot lines and characters before I get it right.

I didn't know who Lucas was supposed to fall in love with until last November. He's been on and off my mind, in and out of plots, mentally interacting with all my other characters like a guest at a wedding reception.

After readers finished my first novel, The Social Tutor, several people guessed that Julia Devon would wind up with Lucas.

She came darn close to being the lady for him. So. Very. Close. Julia was a very natural fit because for so long she was going to discover new love at Lucas's side. That was the story I kept telling myself, anyway.

But then my imagination introduced me to Virginia, a young widow with two sons, in desperate need of rescuing.

TWO stories quickly evolved from there - The Gentleman Physician and The Earl and His Lady . They practically wrote themselves after that. :-) 

​Not really. There was some hard work involved. But I'll share more about that soon. 

The Earl and His Lady: New Book Smell

One of the best feelings you get, as an author, is holding a copy of your book for the first time. Super excited to share this story with you.

The Earl and His Lady is the love story between Lady Virginia Macon, widowed Baroness of Heatherton, and Lord Lucas Calvert, Earl of Annesbury. 

In this book, Virginia is still in the early months of the year-long mourning period that Regency society expected a widow to observe. For a full year, a widow was expected to wear blacks, grays, and browns. No jewelry, except for jet and accessories that consisted of things like a portrait or lock of hair from the deceased. It was not a fun time. A widow couldn't dance, go out to major events, and she certainly couldn't entertain callers.

So how does Virginia wind up being the heroine in a romance? 

This is a story of a marriage of convenience. Virginia needs help keeping her sons away from her late husband's conniving brother. Lucas, Earl of Annesbury, is the only man who can help her. 

I can't wait to share more about this book with you. I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it!

Here's the buy link. :-) 

Writer's Cut: A Deleted Scene From His Bluestocking Bride

Authors write a LOT and, sometimes, we create entire books, characters, and scenes that never make it to the publishing stage. 

In His Bluestocking Bride, I had to rid the book of an entire character. I wrote that character out of existence. Then I went back through and found a scene that was just "extra." It didn't add much to the plot and established something about my hero, Marcus, too early. So, it was cut.

But I still have the scene, and I'm going to share it with you now!

This scene takes place between Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 of the finished novel. As it was taken out early in the process, it was never fully edited. Please excuse any little mistakes. 

Enjoy! ​The wedding was but eight days away and Marcus arrived to spend time with his mother at Collin’s estate. He hardly expected to learn from the butler that Ellen yet remained, with her brother, as a guest in the home.

This close to their wedding, he thought she might have been home making arrangements and plans. After he freshened up, he went in search of her. He ran into Ellen’s maid in the hall, a basket full of multicolored ribbons in her arms.

“Ah. Sarah, isn’t it? You are attending to Miss Bringhurst still?”

She bobbed a curtsy.

“Yes, Mr. Calvert.”

“Is she about?”

The maid sighed, a reaction not common in hired help. “That she is, sir. Down in the morning room with Lady Falkham, Lady Calvert, Mrs. Wright, Miss Wright and Miss Verity.”

His eyebrows shot up at that. “Perhaps I ought to stay clear of that room.” He was hoping to tease a smile from the maid, but she only grimaced.

“That’s what I told Miss Bringhurst, but she went in anyway.”

A smile twitched at his lips. Servants were never this frank with him at his brother’s home. “Why would she brave such a den of danger?” he asked, fully expecting to be amused by the answer.

The maid adjusted the basket to her hip and fixed him with a bleak look. “As they are planning her wedding, she thought she ought to go and at least listen so as she’d know what to expect.”

He blinked at her, not sure he understood. “They are planning her wedding?”

“Yes, sir. It’s all they’ve been doing for days. They plan the wedding, then they discuss what she ought to do after the wedding and who should be visited. Then they talk about how soon she ought to get to London and which seamstresses she ought to see, or haberdashers, or cobblers, or such.” The maid shrugged. “They’ve got the whole of her life planned out for the next ten years, at least they will have. I think, if you’ll pardon my saying it, Miss Bringhurst ought to go home and rest. But no one will hear of it. I don’t suppose I know much about such things anyway.”

The more she spoke, the more concerned Marcus became. Ellen might not be a titled lady, but she certainly was not at the beck and call of his mother, or anyone else in the home. Nor should she be relegated to listen as others made plans for her. His mother cared greatly for pomp and circumstance.

“Thank you, Sarah.” He dismissed her and then made his way directly to the morning room.

He paused just outside the door, listening, and heard a gaggle of voices speaking all at once. Knowing there was no help for it, he took in a deep breath and pushed the door open.

No one noticed him at first. A sketch stood on an easel, which easel was draped with ribbons and sashes of cloth, and several different dried flowers were scattered about a table in the middle of the room. His mother sat in a chair the way the Queen might sit on a throne, gesturing at the easel and speaking loudly about where certain wreaths must hang. Mrs. Wright stood at the easel with a pencil, writing things in at various places on what must be a diagram of the church near Oak Lodge. Marianne sat between her cousins, showing Miss Verity something in a pamphlet and speaking loudly about women’s dressing gowns. Miss Wright sat with a wrinkled nose going through cards.

“You will want to look through these, Lady Calvert,” she said into the noise. “I haven’t the first idea which would do best for stationary.”

He couldn’t find Ellen at first, until his eyes searched the edges of the room, and he found her standing at one of the windows looking out at the gardens. Marcus stared at her for a long moment, letting the other sounds of the room fade from his consciousness, puzzling out the look on her face. Her brows were drawn together in a frown and she stood stiffly. Her hands were at her sides, curled into fists. But her eyes remained gentle, roving over the sleeping winter gardens, looking as though she would rather be out in the cold than in this room another moment.

That decided it for him. Ellen, he began to understand, had a mind of her own but was not at all used to wielding it. As any good comrade in arms must do, he came to her defense.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said loudly enough to pull everyone’s attention to the doorway. He kept his eyes on Ellen, watching her turn to him. Her eyes widened, then brightened as she smiled at him. He did not look when his mother addressed him, or Marianne rose to greet him. “Yes, Mother. My journey was safe. Thank you, Lady Falkham.”

He stepped into the room and walked straight past everyone else to stand by Ellen’s side. He reached for her hand, which she gave him with a curious glance, and bowed over it.

“Miss Bringhurst. Ellen. What a pleasure to find you still here. I felt certain you would be home, planning for our wedding and removal to Orchard Hill.”

The room remained still, each person in it watching their reunion with interest. Ellen raised her eyebrows at him and briefly at the people behind him before making her answer.

“I am afraid matters got a little out of hand. A great deal of planning has been going on.”

“Ah. Excellent. What have you decided about the chapel?”

“Oh, it’s lovely, Marcus. Ellen provided us with a sketch of the room so we will know how best to decorate,” his mother said.

“I see. But what has Ellen decided?”

Marianne answered next. “We are not certain whether to do sashes in red for the season or in pastels, as is fitting for a bride.”

Marcus stood at his full height and guided Ellen to place her arm through his so that they faced the other women shoulder-to-shoulder. He looked down at Ellen, who remained stoic, but he could see a light dancing in her eyes. She knew exactly what he was doing and a brief nod from her was all the permission he needed to proceed.

It is very generous for all of you to assist Ellen with her wedding preparations. However, Ellen likely has ideas for how she would like to proceed and it does not seem anyone actually allowed her to do more than provide a sketch.”

“Mr. Calvert, she could not possibly know the best way to go about planning a wedding,” Miss Wright began to say, putting her hands on her hips. “We are helping and having an amusing time of it.”

“Really?” Marcus said, looking about at the women. “I am certain that Ellen has had a great deal of experience with weddings. I believe she assisted with each of her sisters’ preparations, and I am certain Lady Falkham called upon her for help. I dare say she has had more experience than any of you fine ladies.”

Marianne blushed. “Oh, dear. I think you must be right.” She stood and dropped her pamphlet into Miss Verity’s lap.

Before she could say anything further, his mother spoke with firmness. “Marcus, do not be ridiculous. There is more to planning a marriage than planning a wedding. We have been discussing and advising Miss Bringhurst on many things. Invitations to accept when she comes to town, how to respond to any gifts or cards she receives, things such as that need to be planned in advance.”

“I am not entirely certain of that, Mother.” He looked down at his bride-to-be. “Ellen, I would like to offer my suggestion, and I think you ought to heed it, as I will be your husband soon.”

A blush stole up into her cheeks and he wondered if it was due to his attention or her dislike of being the center of all their focus.

I suggest you and your brother return home and you allow your sisters to help you decorate the chapel, should any decoration be needed. I also suggest you not worry about invitations until after our honeymoon trip, brief though it may be. I intend to take you to Orchard Hill before we go to London. You will have plenty of time to make plans, and I offer my humble services as your adviser on any matters you may wish to discuss.” Her eyes brightened and a slow smile grew as he spoke. “How does that sound?”

“I think I will heed your suggestions, Marcus,” she answered, the hand on his arm giving it a soft squeeze. “We will leave in the morning. If you will excuse me, I must direct Sarah to pack my things.” She looked about the room, curtsied, and left.

“I rather hoped she would stand up to you,” his mother said the moment the door shut.

“And I hoped she would not find herself in a position where she would be overrun by your good intentions, Mother.” His tone remained calm, but he looked at the two women in the room he knew best and shook his head. “How could she possibly tell any of you she did not like your plans? Or that she wished to leave? She is a guest here and does not wish to offend friend or family. If you will excuse me, I have no further wish to discuss my business in front of the charming Wrights.” He bowed, cast one last disapproving glance at his mother, and left the room.

He quickly caught up to Ellen, coming to the foot of the stair as she reached the top.

“Ellen,” he called up to her. She paused and turned, waiting for him to join her on the landing.

“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your rescue,” she said, her shoulders slumped. “I have tried to go home but your mother and Marianne, and even Collin, kept insisting I stay to finalize plans. I tried to tell them you might need to be consulted, but no one would listen to a word I said.” She raised a hand to rub at her temple.

“I thought as much.” He folded his arms across his chest, regarding her carefully. “But now you can go. You can take my carriage, too. No need to wait on anyone or anything else.”

“They were only trying to help,” she told him, shaking her head.

“Of course. Things just got out of hand. They were busy and amused by the idea of throwing together a wedding. But did they listen to you at all?”
E
llen half-smiled, a playful look on her face. “In regards to one thing. They all agree I should not wear a green gown to be married.”

He blinked at her. “A green—? That is preposterous. I expect you know your own mind about what you wish to wear. Pack your belongings. Leave first thing in the morning. Do as you wish for the wedding—only, is there anything I might assist you with?”

She smiled and shook her head. “No. It will be a small, simple affair. Then you can whisk me away to Orchard Hill and fulfill your promise to advise me in planning out the rest of our lives.”

He chuckled and she slipped away. It was oddly satisfying to have taken her out of a ridiculous situation. He decided to seek out Collin and avoid any more encounters with overzealous, wedding-planning women.