Kieran Kramer's Blog, page 8

HIS MISTLETOE BRIDE: 5 Fun Facts with Vanessa Kelly

Wow, another gorgeous holiday cover and a fabulous story to match [scroll down a few inches to see the cover], just in time for chilly nights before a roaring fire–or maybe there’s an autumn-scented candle on the coffee table and a cat in your lap (or any variation thereof of a cozy scene)! This time we welcome hugely talented, award-winning author Vanessa Kelly, who has been such an amazing friend to me from the very beginning of my writing career. I hope you all welcome Vanessa with tons of comments and lots of good vibes–what I love best about the people who visit my blog is their total thoughtfulness to my guests!!!

Vanessa’s a fascinating person, and she wears a couple different author hats, as you’ll see in her biography. I’m very lucky that she’s based not too far away from where I live, at least part of the year. I’ve already planned a visit to Vanessa’s Romance Writers of America chapter to say hello in the winter of 2013–and no wonder I jumped at the chance…Vanessa winters in Florida! When she’s not there, she and her husband, who co-authors contemporary romance novels with her, live in Canada.

Anyway, I’m thrilled to have you here, Ms. Kelly. And I hope all my blog buddies get into the holiday spirit and buy themselves a special pre-holiday treat– His Mistletoe Bride –if they don’t win it here. But stay tuned, you just might, my friends!!! On Friday we’ll pick the winner. :>)

His Mistletoe Bride

Kensington Books

October 2, 2012

BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE…

When Major Lucas Stanton inherited his earldom, he never dreamed his property would include the previous earl’s granddaughter. Phoebe Linville is a sparkling American beauty, yes, but with a talent for getting into trouble. Witness the compromising position that forced them into wedlock. Whisked away to Mistletoe Manor, his country estate, it isn’t long before she is challenging his rules—and surprising him in and out of bed…

Phoebe has no intention of bowing to Lucas’s stubbornness even though he offers all that she wants. His kisses and unexpected warmth are enticing, but Phoebe is determined to show the Earl of Merritt what real love is all about. And if that takes twelve nights of delicious seduction by a roaring fire, she’s more than willing to reveal her gifts very slowly…

 

5 Fun Facts About HIS MISTLETOE BRIDE:

1. My heroine, Phoebe Linville, is a Quaker.  Quakers are generally thought of as very quiet and calm people, and I certainly intended Phoebe to fall into that mold.  Originally, she was even rather shy.  Imagine my surprise when she decided to become a pretty outspoken person and someone who has trouble controlling her temper.  She does get very embarrassed when she loses her temper, which tends to happen at inopportune moments.  As an author, I loved it!

2. I had originally plotted this book as a Regency “High Noon,” where my hero, a former soldier, had to confront a dangerous gang of smugglers over the objections of his Quaker wife.  But then my editor decided he wanted a Christmas book, which meant I had to rethink everything.  I still kept the smugglers, although they morphed from dangerous, evil smugglers into rather rascally smugglers who were forced to engage in their criminal activities in order to feed their starving village.  It was actually a lot of fun to turn my original plot on its head.

3. Most of us assume the Christmas tree tradition was brought to England by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband.  But the Christmas tree had already become something of a custom in some British houses well before Victoria’s reign, albeit in a much smaller version.  It first came to England with the Georgian Hanoverian monarchs, who set up small, decorated trees on table tops.  But the wide-spread custom of the larger, decorated tree didn’t really catch on until later in the 19th century, during the reign of Queen Victoria.

4. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the winters were much colder in England and the River Thames would periodically freeze.  When it did, Londoners participated in Frost Fairs.  Merchants set up booths to sell goods and food, and various kinds of races, spectacles, and games would play out on the ice to the delight of the city’s inhabitants.  I really wanted to include a Frost Fair in His Mistletoe Bride but, alas, the last one took place in 1814.  My book begins in October of 1817.

5. His Mistletoe Bride is the 4th and final book in my Stanton Family Series.  All the heroes and heroines of the previous books make at least a brief appearance, as do some of the other major continuing characters.  I loved bringing them all together again for a final adventure, and I hope my readers will love visiting with them one more time!

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed of  HIS MISTLETOE BRIDE by Vanessa Kelly and a signed copy of  IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 10/12.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Her latest book, My Favorite Countess, was nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Regency Historical Romance.

Vanessa spends most of the year in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband, but she’s lucky enough to spend some of the winter near lovely Amelia Island, Florida. When she’s not dreaming of plots for her next Regency novel, she’s writing contemporary romances with her husband, under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.

Connect with Vanessa:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

SEASON FOR SURRENDER: 5 Fun Facts with Theresa Romain

I’m so thrilled to welcome Theresa to the blog this week. She’s a real ray of sunshine in my writing life–always upbeat and supportive. And she’s an awesome writer! Check out her fascinating 5 Fun Facts. I was literally open-mouthed reading one of them. It is so cool! Theresa’s 5 facts alone prove what I already knew about her: She’s tons of fun! And she’s full of surprises. Theresa has such a fresh take on the Regency world we all know and love.

So get ready to get comfy by a cozy fire with her latest offering…it’s a perfect treat to give yourself this holiday season.

Season For Surrender

Kensington Zebra

October 2, 2012

HONOR AMONG ROGUES

Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation—for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party—and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the challenge is impossible—he will simply have to appoint himself Miss Oliver’s protector…

MISCHIEF AMONG MISSES

Louisa knows her chance for a husband has passed. But she has no desire to retire into spinsterhood without enjoying a few grand adventures first. When Lord Xavier’s invitation arrives, Louisa is more intrigued than insulted. And once inside the rogues’ gallery, she just may have a thing or two to teach her gentlemen friends about daring…

5 Fun Facts About SEASON FOR SURRENDER:

1. Season for Surrender will be an October 2012 (holiday) release—and I actually wrote most of it during the last holiday season. It was so much fun to write about a Regency Christmas house party during a festive time of year. During this heat wave, I’m struggling even to remember what winter is like!

2. The working title of Season for Surrender was Madam Librarian, because the heroine loves books, and several key scenes take place in a country house library. What can I say? The title made me laugh. It also made me think of the song of the same name from The Music Man, which is one of the funniest in all musical theater. When else will you hear “librarian” rhymed with “carrion” and have it be somewhat romantic?

3. The hero, Lord Xavier, has the family name of Edgware. I borrowed the name from the title character of the Agatha Christie novel Lord Edgware Dies. Ms. Christie is one of my favorite authors—though with apologies to her, my Edgware survives the novel. And, of course, enjoys a HEA.

4. Louisa, the heroine, is fascinated by book binding and history, and I had a lot to learn to keep up with her. One of my favorite research discoveries was fore-edge painting. This painting technique creates a hidden picture on the page edges—that is, the “fore edges”—of a book. Here’s a quick little video demonstrating a book with a fore edge painting:

5. The villainous Lord Lockwood’s first name never appears in the book, but it’s George. To learn more about him, Xavier, and Louisa, check out Chapter 1 of Season for Surrender on my website.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed of  SEASON FOR SURRENDER by Theresa Romain and a signed copy of  CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 10/5.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

 

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest.

 

 

Connect with Theresa:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

SECRETS OF A WEDDING NIGHT: 5 Fun Facts with Valerie Bowman

I’m so excited to introduce all of you to Valerie Bowman, a debut Regency author who writes for the same publishing house I do, St. Martin’s Press. And I’m incredibly honored to host her the very same week her first romance novel, Secrets of a Wedding Night, hits the shelves Tuesday, Sept. 25th!!!

Not only do I adore the premise of this book with a proactive heroine and hottie hero, I’m in love with the cover! Scroll down an inch or two to see it…isn’t it stunning? And in the upper lefthand corner, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas heaps high praise on the story:

“This engaging and sweetly romantic story is just too delightful to miss.” 

Now that’s an awesome recommendation!

Folks, Valerie herself is delightful, too. She’s fun and full of energy–and I predict she’s going to go far in the world of romance. I know you’ll enjoy her Five Fun Facts and the excerpt from Secrets of a Wedding Night. I’m already reading her second novel (it hasn’t gone to print yet) and love it!

I’m so proud that such friendly readers come here to my blog. Let’s all give a warm welcome to Valerie and have fun getting to know more about this fabulous new talent on the Regency scene!

Secrets of A Wedding Night

The Secrets Trilogy

Book 1

St. Martin’s Press

September 25, 2012

HOW TO STOP A WEDDING

Young, widowed, and penniless, Lily Andrews, the Countess of Merrill,has strong opinions on marriage. When she spots a certain engagement announcement in The Times, she decides to take action. She will not allow another hapless girlto fall prey to a man—particularly the scoundrel who broke her heart five years ago. Anonymously she writes and distributes a pamphlet entitled “Secrets of a Wedding Night,” knowing it will find its way into his intended’s innocent hands…

HOW TO SEDUCE A WIDOW

Devon Morgan, the Marquis of Colton, desires a good wife and mother to his son—someone completely unlike Lily Andrews, the heartless beauty who led him on a merry chase five years ago only to reject him. When Devon’s new fiancée cries off after reading a certain scandalous pamphlet, he vows to track down the author and make her pay. But when he learns it’s his former fiancée Lily, he issues a challenge: write a retractionor prepare to be seduced—to find out how wonderful a wedding night can be…

 

5 Fun Facts About SECRETS OF A WEDDING NIGHT:

1 – I actually came up with the title to Secrets of a Wedding Night BEFORE I came up with the plot. It’s the only story I’ve written that’s worked that way, but the title just came to me in the middle of the night and I thought, “Ooh, I want to write THAT book.”

2 – I named the heroine, Lily, after a character in one of my favorite historical romance novels of all time, Lisa Kleypas’  Then Came You.

3 – SECRETS OF A WEDDING NIGHT includes a stray dog named Bandit who “looks like an animal the Americans call a raccoon.” Bandit is based on my own rescue dog named Gabbie. Gabbie looks (and acts!) a lot like a raccoon though they tell me she’s a poodle/bichon. I wanted to include Gabbie in the book but in doing research, I learned there are no raccoons in England. So I had to add the line about the Americans. Check out my FaceBook page for a picture of Gabbie.

4 – I finished writing the book on the day my cousin’s baby was born. The baby’s name is Lily.

5 -The scene in the book where Lily is scared of a spider is taken directly out of my own life. I detest spiders! And on our first date, my fiance had to rescue me from one. That’s how I knew he was a keeper.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed of  SECRETS OF A WEDDING NIGHT by Valerie Bowman and a signed copy of  DUKES TO THE LEFT OF ME, PRINCES TO THE RIGHT. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 9/28.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

 

Valerie has a B.A. in English Language and Literature with a minor in History from Smith College and has been writing and editing professionally for over 15 years. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), and a member of The Beau Monde, Regency special interest chapter.

Originally from Rantoul, Illinois, Valerie lives in Fleming Island, Florida with her two rascally dogs. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or watching Hoarders.

 

Connect with Valerie:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

BLACKSTONE’S BRIDE: 5 Fun Facts with Kate Moore

I am so pleased and privileged to have the multi-talented Kate Moore with us today! Regency author, high school English teacher, and scholar, this 4th-generation native Californian writes historical romance novels that have won starred reviews in Library Journal and been nominated for three Ritas! Kate’s someone I’d love to meet in person because I suspect she has great stories to tell.

Not only has she taught school and written award-winning novels for many years, she 1) co-authored an academic article on Jennifer Crusie’s Welcome to Temptation in the IASPR Journal of Popular Romance Studies; 2) went to college in Boston for the sheer adventure of living in a “old and cold” environment but moved back to California for her graduate work, the lovely, cool summers, and the redwood trees, and 3) adores Winnie the Pooh. That fact alone won my heart. I, too, love Pooh!

Kate, we’re thrilled to have you on the blog, and I loved your Five Fun Facts. Good luck with your new series about three virile heroes in need of redemption. I’m particularly intrigued by the fact that the action of this series begins after 1825, when the days of the Regency are beginning to wane.

Everyone, let’s offer a warm welcome to Kate! Leave a comment, and you just might win a signed copy of one of her books and my own.

Blackstone’s Bride

Berkley

August 7,2012

A notorious portrait brings together a scandalous lord and a young banking heiress in this delectable Regency historical romance.

When the scandalous Lord Blackstone returns to London, fashionable ladies cast inviting glances his way, and his friends celebrate his infamous exploits. No one guesses that the lurid tales of his harem and the famous painting of his voluptuous mistress are a cover for an honorable promise and a secret mission to stop a deadly foreign agent.

Only one woman remains unmoved by Blackstone’s seductive ways. Banking heiress Violet Hammersley believes she has firm control over her passions and her life. That is, until her brother goes missing with a report vital to the British government–and the government puts Blackstone on the case. Now, if Violet wants to find her brother, she must work closely with the man who once broke her heart–without succumbing to the powerful impulse to fall for him again…

 

5 Fun Facts About Blackstone’s Bride:

1.  Snow White was my inspiration for heroine, Violet Hammersley.  Two modern versions of Snow White’s wintry beauty are Lily Collins in Mirror, Mirror, especially in her fighting costume with a great group of dwarves, and Elizabeth Jagger, Mick’s lovely daughter, who has both an edgy sophistication and a fresh youthful side—perfect heroine inspiration.

photo credit: allstarpics.net

2. Did you know Beethoven had a personal spy following him around Vienna?  When I read that in a piece about the rise of secret police networks in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, I knew the British Home Office would not be far behind in domestic spy experiments.  They already had some low life spies on the payroll, but what about a group of gentleman spies with access to the ballrooms and bedrooms of the nobility?

3. What would be the logical front for a new spy organization? As many romance authors know—it would be a gentlemen’s club.  There were at least fifteen gentlemen’s clubs in existence in the late Regency, and the nineteenth century saw the rise of many more.  Even before romance writers got into the act of inventing new clubs, avid readers could enter twenty-three fictional clubs with their favorite heroes and villains, clubs like—Brats, the Egoists Club, and of course, Blacks.  The Pantheon Club in Blackstone’s Bride has highly specific membership requirements, which only the club’s mysterious manager knows.

4. What makes a fashionable gentleman a good spy?  Well, he’s attentive to social detail, to elements of dress, to nuances of expression and gesture.  And that attentiveness makes him a good lover, too.  If he can be trusted, if he’s who he says he is.  That big “if” fuels the conflict of Blackstone’s Bride. Blackstone himself is a man of fashion with a scandalous past.  He looks a lot like actor/model Jonathan Caillat, whose appearance in suits evokes an edgy English gentleman air.  Of course, it’s the furrow in his brow that most inspired me.

photo credit: theberry.com

5. Movies do “product placement;” I do “friend placement.”  Whenever I need a street or business name or a valet, butler, or dressmaker, or perhaps a balloonist—I give my friends a cameo role in my books.  I suspect that other writers do the same, using something familiar in every day life to create fiction.  In Turow’s Presumed Innocent the victim is Caroline Polhemus.  Well, near Stanford, where Turow studied, off the 280 is the Polhemus exit.  I wonder.  Okay, it’s not like having your name on a baseball stadium, and it’s a bit like playing “Where’s Waldo,” but still—your name in print!  Blackstone’s Bride has a trio of my friends saving the day at an important point in the plot.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed of  BLACKSTONE’S BRIDE by Kate Moore and a signed copy of  IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 9/21.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

 

I’ve lived most of my life along the California coast. That experience has made me a jeans-wearing, toes in wet-sand, married to a surfer, fog-loving weather wimp, with a hint of East Coast polish from spending my college years in Boston. Family history connects me to Irish and English immigrants, Cornish miners, gold prospectors, and adventurers who sailed around Cape Horn bound for San Francisco.

When I’m not reading, writing, teaching, or brainstorming, I walk in the redwoods; feed birds; collect books, apples and leaves; watch the tele-novellas on Spanish-language TV; and immerse myself in all things English. My favorite food groups are butter, brown sugar, dark chocolate, and red wine. My early literary influences were The Little Engine That Could, The Little Red Hen, and Winnie the Pooh. Austen, Heyer, Chaucer, and Homer came later and inspired me to put that first plot on paper.

My heroes are honorable, virile outsiders with some grand ambition. My heroines are practical princesses, who drive those edgy loners into love with good sense and good sex.

My family and friends offer endless support and humor. My children are my best works, and my husband is my favorite hero.

Connect with Kate:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

ALL AFTERNOON WITH A SCANDALOUS MARQUESS: 5 Fun Facts with Alexandra Hawkins

This week I’m so pleased and proud to introduce a very classy lady to my blog: Alexandra Hawkins, the super popular author of the Lords of Vice series. She’s a lovely person–the type who reaches out to other people who could use a kind word. I know, because she did that for me. Authors are people, too, and we have the same ups and downs as everyone else. When someone I dearly love landed in the hospital, Alexandra, whom I’d only met once, took the time to spend time with me online–comparing notes about her similar experience and offering comforting words.

I’m thrilled for this generous lady’s success! And today she’s sharing some fun facts about her latest release as well as giving away to one lucky commenter a copy of ALL AFTERNOON WITH A SCANDALOUS MARQUESS. That same reader will also win a signed copy of my own book, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE.

Let’s all give Alexandra a warm welcome–and have a great week, everyone!

All Afternoon with a Scandalous Marquess

Lords of Vice

Book 5

St. Martin’s Press

August 31, 2012

Simon Jefferes, the Marquess of Sainthill, has done the unthinkable—he’s fallen in love. The so-called “Saint” has spent his life gambling, dallying with women, and satisfying his every whim. And he fully intended to continue his wicked ways, until he met the mysterious, exotic, and irresistible Madame Venna—the one woman he can’t have…and the only one he’s ever wanted for more than an evening.


 The proprietress of the Golden Pearl, one of London’s most exclusive brothels, Madame Venna takes pride in the lush, decadent club she’s created. With a half-mask to conceal her identity, she’s careful to safeguard something even more valuable—her heart. But Saint is determined to tear down the walls she’s built around herself, and to finally expose the truth—that Madame Venna is a woman very much in love…with him.

 

5 Fun Facts About All Afternoon with a Scandalous Marquess:

1. I listened to a lot of Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart while writing the book.

2. I’m a plotter so I had worked out Saint’s plot before I started to write ALL NIGHT WITH A ROGUE.

3. Per my editor’s request, I had to tone down Saint’s reaction to Madame Venna’s affair with a certain notorious Lord of Vice.

4. As I worked on Madame Venna character profile, I test her “exotic” accent on my husband. He loved it, and said that Madame V was welcome to drop by any time.

5. All finished manuscripts are celebrated with champagne and Chinese food.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed copy of  ALL AFTERNOON WITH A SCANDALOUS MARQUESS by Alexandra Hawkins and a signed copy of  CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 9/14.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

Alexandra Hawkins is an unrepentant Anglophile who discovered romance novels as a teenager and knew that one day she would be writing her own. In “The Lords of Vice” series, she has combined her love of English history, mythology, and romance to create sensual character-driven stories that, she hopes, will touch readers’ hearts. Alexandra lives in Georgia with her husband and three children.

 

Connect with Alexandra:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY: 5 Fun Facts with Katharine Ashe

Hi, everyone! I’m so excited to announce that I’ve been lucky enough to meet Katharine Ashe, and she is–to put it mildly–awesome! Not only do her books make you want to time travel back to the historical world of lords and ladies, hunky heroes and sassy heroines, Katharine herself *acts* like a heroine from a book. She’s just so fun and interesting and sassy herself. She wears these cool red glasses, looks like a princess, and is as gracious as one, too. But she’s also got a sly wit that makes you wish she were coming to your house for a tea party–because you just know big, amusing, crazy, and important things are going to happen around her!

She exudes a sense of adventure–that’s it!! And it’s what I love most about her.  You pick up on that energy in her stories, too, in a huge way. So have fun asking her questions–she’ll be here all week.

Welcome, Katharine! We can’t wait to spend some time with you. And when we’re done, one lucky commenter will reap the rewards of hanging out at my blog: a signed book from each of us. Thanks, everyone, for showing Katharine that romance readers really do support the authors who write the stories we all love to love–the ones with happy endings!!

 

WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY

The Falcon Club

Book 1

Avon

February 28, 2012

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…

 

5 Fun Facts About WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY:

1) While I was researching the book, a gorgeous bartender in a cozy pub in Edinburgh taught me how to drink Scottish whisky. (The life of a romance author is so hard sometimes.)

2) A handful of paragraphs near the end of the book got written they way they did because I didn’t want to write a whole long wrap-up scene between the hero and the villain. I was just as impatient to get to the hero and heroine’s declarations of love as they were! So I summarized the villain’s scene into a few lines. Among the scenes I’ve written that don’t include a hero and heroine together, those few lines are now my very favorite.

3) My heroine, Kitty, plays a small but crucial role in my award-winning CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD.

4) My Scottish hero, Leam, never wears a kilt in the book. But he does look mighty fine in breeches without a shirt on when he’s just lost that shirt during a game of strip piquet. Mighty fine…

5) I would like Kitty’s jewelry on the book cover for my very own. And her dress. And a ball to wear them both to. Please.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed of  WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY by Katharine Ashe and a signed copy of  DUKES TO THE LEFT OF ME, PRINCES TO THE RIGHT. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 9/7.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

 

Upon the publication of her debut novel in 2010, the American Library Association named Katharine Ashe among its “New Stars of Historical Romance”. Reviewers call her books “thrilling,” “breathtaking” and “lushly intense.” She is a two-time nominee and 2011 winner of the Reviewers’ Choice Awards for Best Historical Romantic Adventure, and her novella A Lady’s Wish launched HarperCollins Publishers’ newest imprint, Avon Impulse, in 2011. Her latest book, How To Be a Proper Lady, was an Amazon Editors’ Choice for Top 10 Books of the Month.

Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her husband, son, two dogs, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of European history, she has made her home in California, Italy, France, and the northern US. She loves hearing from readers!

Connect with Katharine:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

LORD AND LADY SPY: 5 Fun Facts with Shana Galen

I’m thrilled to have another one of my fellow Peanut Butter on the Keyboard moms here on my blog…she is the fabulous Shana Galen. I wish I had her hair and the calmness she exudes! But there are so many more reasons I love her. She’s super organized and friendly on the Peanut Butter blog, helping me when I run into admin walls and boosting all the mom-bloggers and readers with her insightful, supportive comments. And Shana is a fantastic writer! Her stories, my friends, have zing, which in my opinion, is very important in a book.

So enjoy Shana’s chatty Five Fun Facts (you might learn a little something about a future release!) and delve into that delightful excerpt. Afterward, please leave a comment if you’d like to be eligible for our giveaway. My ever-enthusiastic assistant Kati said, “Two pink books!! Who wouldn’t love that?”

Yes, we need more pink books in this world!!! One of them is my new release, Loving Lady Marcia, and the other is Shana’s own classic, Lord and Lady Spy.

 

LORD AND LADY SPY

Sourcebooks Casablanca

September 1, 2011

No man can outsmart him…

Lord Adrian Smythe may appear a perfectly boring gentleman, but he leads a thrilling life as one of England’s most preeminent spies, an identity so clandestine even his wife is unaware of it. But he isn’t the only one with secrets…

She’s been outsmarting him for years…

Now that the Napoleonic wars have come to an end, daring secret agent Lady Sophia Smythe can hardly bear the thought of returning home to her tedious husband. Until she discovers in the dark of night that he’s not who she thinks he is after all…

 

5 Fun Facts About LORD AND LADY SPY:

Thank you so much for hosting me this week, Kieran. Lord and Lady Spy came out last September, and it’s one of my favorite books–okay, maybe the favorite book. But don’t tell my other books. They all think they’re my favorite. I’d love to share some fun facts about my fave—I mean, Lord and Lady Spy.

1. Adrian and Sophia are both spies for the elite Barbican group. They’re also husband and wife. Their positions are so secretive, they’ve kept their identities hidden, even from one another. If the theme sounds a little like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you’re right. This is an historical homage to the movie–but only its premise. No AK-47s or Brangelina.

2. Sophia (AKA Saint) is the spontaneous spy. She works by intuition and impulse. Adrian (AKA Wolf) is methodical, logical, and plans ahead. These two do not work well together, an problem when they’re forced to work together.

3. I based Sophia on a real-life spy I read about named Grace Dalrymple Elliott. She was a courtesan who spied for the British during the French Revolution. She risked her life to save French royalist sympathizers, even hiding one of the king’s men under her mattress.

4. There’s a cameo in Lord and Lady Spy by my all-time favorite hero, Freddie Dewhurst from my 2006 novel Pride and Petticoats. It was so much fun writing a short scene with Freddie and catching up with both Freddie and Charlotte.

5. Sophia was not the name I originally gave to the character of Saint. Originally, I named her Bridget, but my editor asked me to change it as Bridget wasn’t a name common among the upper classes of that period.

And if you think you know all my secrets now, hold on because I still have a few surprises up my sleeve. I’m writing the follow-up to Lord and Lady Spy right now. True Spies (tentative title) is a Fall 2013 release.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of  LORD AND LADY SPY by Shana Galen and a signed copy of  LOVING LADY MARCIA by Kieran. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 9/2.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

Also, check out Shana’s latest release, When You Give A Duke A Diamond:

He had a perfectly orderly life…

William, the sixth Duke of Pelham, enjoys his punctual, securely structured life. Orderly and predictable—that’s the way he likes it. But he’s in the public eye, and the scandal sheets will make up anything to sell papers. When the gossips link him to Juliette, one of the most beautiful and celebrated courtesans in London, chaos doesn’t begin to describe what happens next…

Until she came along…

Juliette is nicknamed the Duchess of Dalliance, and has the cream of the nobility at her beck and call. It’s seriously disruptive to have the duke who’s the biggest catch on the Marriage Mart scaring her other suitors away. Then she discovers William’s darkest secret and decides what he needs in his life is the kind of excitement only she can provide…

WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND  BY SHANA GALEN – IN STORES SEPTEMBER 2012

Shana Galen is the national best-selling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals. She is a two-time RWA Rita Award finalist and a winner of the coveted RT Reviewer’s Choice KISS Award. A former English teacher in Houston’s inner city, Shana now writes full time. She is happily married and has a daughter. Look for the next book in the Jewels of the Ton series, If You Give a Rake a Ruby, in March 2013. For more information, please visit www.shanagalen.com, or follow her on Twitter, @ShanaGalen, or Facebook

 

 

 

SEDUCE ME: 5 Fun Facts with Robyn DeHart

Hi y’all! It’s Kati again and this week you’ll have a chance to win a  copy of Robyn DeHart’s SEDUCE ME and Kieran’s very own, IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT.

SEDUCE ME

The Legend Hunters

Book 1

Forever

August 1, 2009

Fielding Grey is a treasure seeker with a taste for danger and experienced women. His latest mission: wrest Pandora’s fabled box from a notorious criminal mastermind. Not in the job description: save an innocent damsel in distress.

A bookish miss, Esme Worthington has favored dusty tomes over society balls, and thrilling tales over flirtations. But when two scoundrels break into her home, she is thrust into a real-life adventure. Pursued and suddenly possessing the forbidden box, Esme can’t resist peeking inside. Under the spell of Pandora’s seductive curse, she’s soon offering herself to Fielding – body and soul. With her reluctant rescuer determined to resist her charms, can the two outwit an enemy who will stop at nothing to seize their precious prize?

5 Fun Facts About SEDUCE ME:

1. The inspiration for Esme Worthington was British actress Eva Green, well, really it was one picture in particular of her. As for Fielding Grey, that took many hours starting at pics of Paul Blackthorne….difficult research, that.

2. To date, Esme Worthington, is Robyn DeHart’s favorite heroine she’s ever written. Esme says whatever she’s thinking and she’s brave and has a wicked sense of humor.

3. The soundtracks to The Mummy and Pirates of the Caribbean set the mood while Robyn wrote this book.

4. Robyn did not know about the popular Pandora charm bracelets when she wrote this book and came up with the cursed bracelets from Pandora’s Box.

5. The concept behind the Legend Hunters series and the gentleman’s club Solomon’s came from a love archaeology and treasure hunting and great adventure romance movies like Indiana Jones and The Mummy.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of  SEDUCE ME by Robyn DeHart and a signed copy of IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT by Kieran. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 8/26.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

A life-long lover of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ’s and computer. Award-winning author, Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn’t be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers. Publishers’ Weekly claims her writing to be “comical and sexy” while the Chicago Tribune dubs her “wonderfully entertaining.” Robyn is a three-time RT Bookclub Reviewers’ Choice award nominee, and her book Seduce Me won for the 2009 Best Historical Romantic Adventure. The same book also won the inaugural RomCon Reader’s Crown award. She is the author of the award-winning Legend Hunters series and the Ladies’ Amateur Sleuth Society series.

Connect with Robyn:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE: 5 Fun Facts with Manda Collins

Hullo again. Another week, another 2 book giveaway. One of you lovely readers will win a signed copy of Kieran’s CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE and HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE by Manda Collins.

HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE

The Ugly Duckings Series

Book 2

St. Martin’s Press

July 31, 2012

You can lead a wallflower to the ball, but you can’t make her bloom—unless one daring young bachelor turns up the heat…

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 …

5 Fun Facts About HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE:

1. I listened to “Let it Be Me” by Ray Lamontagne approximately 587 times during the writing of this book.

2. After Lord Uxbridge lost his leg at the battle of Waterloo, the leg itself became tourist attraction in the city of Waterloo until 1878 when the owners were forced to hide it under threat of a diplomatic incidence with England. And I thought WE were macabre!

3. I named the owner of the music shop where Juliet goes to buy sheet music after the great Peter Frampton.

4. The germ of the mystery plot in this book began with an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

5. The man who marries Alec and Juliet in Gretna is based on the real life “anvil priest” Robert Elliot, who claimed in his memoirs to have performed between 4000 and 8000 ceremonies!

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE by Manda Collins and a signed copy of CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIGE by Kieran. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 8/19.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

Manda Collins spent her teen years wishing she’d been born a couple of centuries earlier, preferably in the English countryside. Time travel being what it is, she resigned herself to life with electricity and indoor plumbing, and read lots of books. An affinity for books led to a graduate degree in English, followed by another in Librarianship. By day, she works as an academic librarian at a small liberal arts college, where she teaches college students how to navigate the tangled world of academic research. A native of coastal Alabama, Manda lives in the house her mother grew up in with three cats, sometimes a dog, sometimes her sister, and more books than strictly necessary.

Connect with Manda:

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LADY MAGGIE’S SECRET SCANDAL: 5 Fun Facts with Grace Burrowes

Wow! Y’all are such fabulous readers. Y’all have taken to Kieran’s new blog feature like fish to water This week, one of you lovely readers will win a signed copy of Kieran’s very own DUKES TO THE LEFT OF ME, PRINCE’S TO THE RIGHT and a signed copy of LADY MAGGIE’S SECRET SCANDAL by Grace Burrowes.

 

LADY MAGGIE’S SECRET SCANDAL

Sourcebooks Casablanca

May 1, 2012

Lady Maggie Windham has secrets…

And she’s been perfectly capable of keeping them…until now. When she’s threatened with exposure, she turns to investigator Benjamin Hazlit to keep catastrophe at bay. But Maggie herself intrigues Benjamin more than the riddle she’s set him to solve. As he uncovers more and more of her past, Maggie struggles to keep him at a distance, until they both begin to discover the truth in their hearts…

 

 

 5 Fun Facts About LADY MAGGIE’S SECRET SCANDAL:

1. Is based in part on courtesan Harriette Wilson’s scheme to blackmail her titled paramours, including Wellington himself

2. Wellington’s response when Harriette offered him a chance to buy his way out of her memoirs was “Publish and bedamned.”

3. Introduces a secondary character in the person of the Marquis of Deene who has a real problem getting along with Maggie’s youngest sister (HINT)

4. Reveals some secrets kept by Her Grace, the Duchess of Moreland

5. Made me cry when Maggie realizes how steadfast Her Grace’s love for her has been

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Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of LADY MAGGIE’S SECRET SCANDAL by Grace Burrowes and a signed copy of DUKES TO THE LEFT OF ME, PRINCES TO THE RIGHT by Kieran. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 8/12.

If you’ve found this post on Kieran’s Goodreads page, click here to leave a comment.

Grace Burrowes grew up in central Pennsylvania and is the sixth out of seven children. She discovered romance novels when in junior high (back when there was a such a thing), and has been reading them voraciously ever since. Grace has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Bachelor of Music in Music History, (both from The Pennsylvania State University); a Master’s Degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University; and a Juris Doctor from The National Law Center at The George Washington University. Her debut novel, The Heir was chosen as a Publishers Weekly Top Five Romances for 2010, and is the first in an eight-sibling historical romance series published by Sourcebooks Casablanca.

Connect with Grace:

Author Site | Facebook | Twitter