Suzanne G. Rogers's Blog, page 45
March 12, 2013
You Say Metrosexual, I Say Dandy – Challenges of Historical Research
One of the more interesting challenges of writing historical fiction is choosing words appropriate for the time period. Some things are obvious; if you were writing a story set in 1850, you would know not to use a word like ‘metrosexual’ (circa 1994) to describe a dandy (late 18th century). I find myself constantly looking up the origin of words, and trying to determine first usages. It can be very frustrating when I’m off by only a few years! For example, in my current work-in-progress (Duke of a Gilded Age), the story is set in 1890. I wrote this perfectly lovely exchange:
“Look, ever since my father died I’ve had no peace,” Wesley replied. “The obituary mentioned his brother the duke, and I’ve been mercilessly mocked and teased around here until I don’t want to hear another word about it! I don’t aspire to be a member of royalty whatsoever.”
Belle’s gaze was unwavering. “You ought to be proud of what you are, Mr. Parker. Although from my perspective, you’re well on the path to becoming a hooligan.”
It occurred to me afterward to look up the word hooligan. Its etymology was mid-1890s… a few years too late for my story! Alas, I had to change the word to delinquent (circa 1475-85), which was perfectly adequate but somewhat less colorful.
My research is not just confined to words, however. I have to make sure to describe my locations they way they were at the moment in time in which my tale takes place. I did extensive research on New York City in 1890, and many landmarks we now take for granted (ie: the Flatiron 
Building) did not yet exist. The Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886, had not yet begun to oxidize and was still its original dull copper color. In addition, the condition of the city was under rapid flux; any one street could look vastly different from one year to the next. For example, New York used to resemble a spider web with all of its utility wires strung overhead. A blizzard in 1888, however, downed so many wires that havoc ensued. A law requiring burial of these lines had been on the books since 1884, but was ignored by utility companies due to the expense. Mayor Hugh Grant came into office on January 1st, 1889 and gave the utility companies 90 days to comply or have their poles cut down. So the way Manhattan streets looked at the beginning of 1889 might have changed rapidly even within the space of three months!
My research is slow and painstaking, but will hopefully pay off. My goal is to finish Duke of a Gilded Age before the end of March. No official release date yet, but I’m shooting for April… something to look forward to other than tax day!
~ S.G. Rogers
March 5, 2013
Judging a Book by its Cover
When I am looking for a new book to read, I look at the cover first, don’t you? It’s human nature, I suppose, to be drawn to certain images. In my experiences with
smaller, independent publishers, the design of a book cover has been a collaborative process between me, the author, and the cover artist. An author may specify what he or she might like to see on a cover, and is encouraged to browse the royalty-free images available at any one of a number of online companies for suggestions. The big publishing houses have a larger budget for this sort of thing, and will often design custom covers with images you won’t find anywhere else. Nevertheless, the indie and small press publishers do a very nice job trying to please their authors and create a cover that will help market the book.
The Ice Captain’s Daughter was my first crack at designing my own cover. Admittedly, I got lucky with the image I chose, but it took many long hours to find it. I wanted to have a girl in a fancy dress suggestive of the era (late Victorian). The peachy pink color was pretty, and set off nicely by the cloudy gray background. Since Jillian Roring’s father is Norwegian, the girl’s light blonde hair was appropriate. Although the story isn’t fantasy, I was drawn to the fanciful feeling the image suggested. I also liked the little crown; although Jillian isn’t royalty, she is nicknamed Ice Princess. I was happy with the idea of the cover as less a realistic portrayal of the heroine and more the idealized way Mackenzie Logan views her.
Using Photoshop, I made some necessary adjustments to the image, dropped in the Victorian frame, and added the titles. When it came time for the cover reveal, I was apprehensive. What if what appeals to me doesn’t appeal to anyone else? Fortunately, the response amongst my friends and acquaintances was strongly positive… but the proof would be in the sales numbers, would it not? After The Ice Captain’s Daughter was published, sweet relief flowed through me at its ranking. I have a screenshot from Amazon that shows it reached #8 in Historical,#9 in Historical Romance, and #24 in Teens, and sales have remained strong since then.
Yesterday, I received a lovely email from InD’Tale Magazine informing me the cover had been chosen to com
pete in their Creme de la Cover Contest! If you like The Ice Captain’s Daughter cover, I encourage you to vote for it HERE before next Monday. You’ll have to subscribe to the online magazine before you can vote, but it’s free. InD’Tale Magazine comes highly recommended; it contains articles, columns, and reviews of books by category. Also, the graphics are splendid. I especially like the turning pages with the accompanying sound effects!
Now, while working on my next historical romance, Duke of a Gilded Age, I’ve been designing the cover at the same time. Ironically, the success of The Ice Captain’s Daughter has made the process that much more difficult! Expectations will be high, but I’m determined to clear the bar. And I love the story; it’s a full length novel set in 1890. Currently, my characters are on a sinking ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean! I’d best get back to the writing cave, but if you’d like to vote for my The Ice Captain’s Daughter cover I’d appreciate it. ~ S.G. Rogers
March 2, 2013
Crowned Heart Award for Children of Yden!
The March issue of InD’Tale Magazine just came out, and the reviewer gave my fantasy adventure novel Children of Yden a marvelous review. In fact, my book was awarded the Crowned Heart for excellence! The full review is HERE, but the following is a quote:
“In a very Percy Jackson meets wizardry sort of tale, this book goes from the high fantasy adventure of the first book to more collecting wizards and fighting for good in the sequel. Due to the large number of characters and events alluded to but not explained or reintroduced in the second book, readers should definitely read the first book before picking this one up, but it will be worth the time. It is a solid tale good for children, young adults, and adults alike, readers will find themselves hoping Dorsit shows up at their houses with a clan ring and whisks them off to Yden to see the magical landscape and cool creatures that seem to abound… Well done!”
A big thank you to InD’tale Magazine, from me!
~ S.G. Rogers
Excerpt:
Jon materialized on Dragon Isle beach, far enough from the tree house not to be heard. If his grandfather had retired early
, the noise of a transport near the vanyean tree might disturb him. Yden’s two moons cast some illumination, but he knew the route so well he could have found his way in the dark. In addition, Ophelia’s glow cast all the light he needed.
As he trudged up the beach and into the garden, a crushing sense of loneliness descended. I wish Casey and Fred were here. They could dig a fire pit in front of the bungalow and have some late night laughs. But there wasn’t a fire pit and Jon had no one on the island to talk to. He couldn’t envision yukking it up with Max, especially after the way he’d zeroed in on Brett tonight.
The heat-sensitive statues were still radiating the warmth of the day and glowed eerily in the dark. Suddenly he saw a human
shape dart past the dragon statue. At the same time, Ophelia started to sting. Jon crouched behind a tree and counted several more bodies passing by — five in all. The intruders were heading for the vanyean tree, but Jon knew a shortcut. He slipped through a break in a hedge and practically flew to the bungalow. Max was snoring, but he woke with a start when Jon clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Shhh,” Jon whispered. “We got trouble outside. There are five hostile wizards in the garden and they’re heading this way.”
Children of Yden (Sequel to The Last Great Wizard of Yden)
Available for the Kindle at Amazon, for the Nook at BN.com and in all e-formats at Astraea Press.
February 26, 2013
Regency Romance – Only a Hero Will Do
I’m turning my blog over to author Susan Lodge today. If you like historical fiction, you’ll enjoy hearing about her novel Only a Hero Will Do! ~ S.G. Rogers 
About Me
I have been 
writing stories for ever but only in the last few years seriously started marketing my work. My first success was a short story published in a national woman’s magazine in the UK. This small but long awaited success prompted me to finish my novel Only a Hero Will Do.
Having lived at some of England’s most historic ports I have been surrounded with maritime history, so it is not surprising that my book is partly set at sea in the year 1810.
About – Only a Hero Will Do
Hetty’s desperate gamble to avoid an odious match lands her all at sea. Can an overbearing ship’s physician really be the hero she needs to escape her treacherous family?
Blurb
Marriage to a cruel dandy is not how Hetty Avebury envisions spending the rest of her life. Determined to raise funds to escape the match she earns money the only way she knows how—gambling. Her plans go astray and she finds herself onboard a man-of-war under the care of its stern physician. But Hetty soon realizes that the disapproving Doctor Withington is not at all the man she had first imagined.
If it wasn’t bad enough declaring one of the pressed men as a woman, Robert has been tasked with the tiresome job of returning her safely back to her dysfunctional family. It was ten years ago when his father gambled away his inheritance, home, and any chance of marrying the woman he loved. So when Robert discovers Hetty gambling he takes drastic action to cure her of the habit.
Excerpt
“Annie, will you please walk beside me? Try to remember, I am supposed to be your brother not your employer. You must keep your arm on mine.” Annie pursed her lips but did as she was told.
At five foot four, Hetty was tall enough to masquerade as a male. Her disguise was not of fine quality this time, as she had no desire to stand out in the crowd. It was serviceable and clean, if a little ill-fitting. She resembled a rather youthful clerk.
They had left in the early hours after Hetty had written her aunt a short note to tell her not to worry. She couldn’t risk anything else, as she knew Stark and her father would ask too many questions. If she knew nothing, Aunt Amelia wouldn’t have to lie—something she didn’t like to do.
After a moment, Hetty and Annie searched for a respectable inn, both having missed breakfast. It was only after they had seated themselves in the Boar’s Head and ordered a modest meal that Hetty realized it was a bad choice. The tables were occupied by groups of unsavoury looking males, half of whom were staring at Annie in a very vulgar way. Hetty looked around with a feeling of foreboding while picking at a cold rabbit pie. The room started to empty as a strange murmur of discontent rippled through the establishment.
Annie fidgeted beside her. “I don’t like it, Miss Hetty! It ain’t right.”
Hetty groaned. “Harry—not Miss Hetty! For heaven’s sake, Annie!”
“Beg pardon…Harry,” she said, as though the name was blasphemous, “but I think we should go now.”
Hetty agreed and prepared to rise when the door shot open and the remaining customers scattered in all directions. A small party of hefty men, armed with wooden batons, sauntered in and stopped in the centre of the room, assessing the occupants.
Annie grabbed Hetty’s arm. “It’s the press-gang!”
It took a moment for Annie’s words to register then Hetty swallowed violently. If only her skirts were back on. One of them noticed her and narrowed his eyes with a terrifying gleam like a predator. He pointed his finger her way. “Now, lad, I reckon you look ripe for adventure. Eager to serve your king, I wager.”
Hetty shook her head and grasped Annie. “No, sir, I have my sister here to look after.”
The man wandered closer, his fleshy face beamed and his voice cajoled. “What’s your name, lad, and how old are you?”
“Harry Blake. I am fourteen.” Surely that is too young.
The man considered her for a moment, and Hetty didn’t dare to breathe.
“Bring him.”
Logic ceased. Hetty ducked under the table and tried to crawl toward the door, but one of them crunched a foul-smelling boot down on the small of her back, and her breath escaped in one whoosh of pain. A large hand hoisted her up by the neck cloth and placed her on her feet.
Links:
Available at Musa Publishing – http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14&products_id=336
Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/only-a-hero-will-do-susan-lodge/1107076321?ean=2940014973380
Please visit me at my website - http://www.susanlodge.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/susan.lodge.39
Twitter – https://twitter.com/pagehalffull
February 23, 2013
Spotlight on Children of Yden
Blurb: The wizard Efysian has been defeated and the Earth-born children of Yden are returning home. Many are seeking vengeance, and the Fox Clan is only too willing to harness their rage. As Jon Hansen begins his magical training, the threat of war simmers in the background. He struggles to balance the workload at his regular high school with the rigors of his apprenticeship on Yden. At the same time, his love life becomes increasingly more complicated. When the Fox Clan begins their siege of terror, Jon tries to stay ahead of the game. He does not yet realize a close friend will render him more vulnerable than he ever thought possible.
Excerpt:
Dorsit frowned. “The children of Yden would not return here merely to become pawns in Guinn’s game.”
“They would if they’re being lied to,” Max said. “If Guinn had told me the Dragon Clan was responsible for the death of my father, nothing would’ve stopped me from trying to take Jon apart.”
“Max is right,” Ronny said. “Most of these kids will believe anything they’re told, and they’ll be looking for revenge.”
Her words had the bitter ring of truth to them.
“That’s just great,” Jon exploded. “None of us is safe from now on. And because Guinn has a vanyean seed, Earth isn’t even a refuge anymore.”
Children of Yden (Sequel to The Last Great Wizard of Yden)
Available for the Kindle at Amazon, for the Nook at BN.com and in all e-formats at Astraea Press.
February 21, 2013
Shadow Eyes – Author Dusty Crabtree
The Inspiration Behind Shadow Eyes
The idea for Shadow Eyes actually first came to me as a screenplay for a Christian horror movie, if there ever was such a genre. The movie would have been about a cast of intertwined characters going about their lives and making mistakes with dark, creepy shadows (demons) hovering around them, whispering to them, and influencing them to do evil things. Only the audience would see the shadows. The characters would be completely oblivious.
A few years after I’d had that idea, my friend suggested I write a novel like the paranormal angel books we’d been reading and loving. I’d always loved the concept of angels and demons in stories and immediately thought back to that screenplay idea. I just continued tweaking it until I had the basic concept of Shadow Eyes – a 17-year-old girl who had this special ability to see the shadows and light figures when nobody else could.
~ Dusty Crabtree
Synopsis:
Iris thought she could ignore the shadows…until they went after everyone she loved.
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.
Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.
As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.
Excerpt:
I meandered slowly to my locker. Even though I didn’t need anything, I rummaged through it as if I were searching for a tool on a job that paid by the hour. The longer I waited, the less people and, therefore, shadows would be waiting for me when I stepped into the parking lot.
I hated crowds and tried to avoid them as much as possible. Three years of dealing with the visions had taught me how to cope in various ways, but I’d never gotten used to walking among herds of people that were ignorant of the truth I was forced to see. It was like being the only one wearing ultraviolet glasses that unveiled every germ and bacteria around me and having to constantly witness unsuspecting people touching things and getting into things that are disgusting and potentially dangerous. Some people would feel lucky to have such insight. Me? I felt trapped, helpless, and exposed.
Luckily, since it was Friday, everyone wanted to get away from school as quickly as possible. By the time I stepped outside, the parking lot was basically empty. Only a few cars belonging to football players remained.
I began to trek the long distance to my car, which was at the end of the lot due to my near tardiness every day for the same reason I always left late. However, even though the lot was void of people, a couple of dark figures loomed over and around a yellow Camaro to my right. I recognized it as Marcus Beaman’s new car. He was a well-known football player and had been bragging about the birthday present for three months since he got it in June.
Why were these shadows out in the parking lot without any humans around? The bizarreness of it made me pause, and my mind began fabricating all possible explanations—none of which I could do anything about. Lost in my thoughts, I must have peered at them with critical eyes just a tad longer than was safe. One of them stopped, inclined its head to glare at me, and flashed an evil grin. I shuddered, closing my eyes tightly in an attempt to erase the image and pretend the scene away as I cowered toward my car like a timid little girl.
I threw open the driver’s side door, jumped in, tossing my backpack on the passenger seat, buckled my seatbelt, and locked the doors. As if that would help.
Check out Dusty’s blog at http://dustycrabtree.wordpress.com/
Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dusty.crabtree.1
Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dustycrabtree
Buy Shadow Eyes at http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=176
(also available at all major online bookstores)
February 18, 2013
Without a Chaperone – Excerpt from THE ICE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER
Victorian-era manners and sensibilities were a lot different than they are today. A young lady’s virtue was everything, and a slight misstep could bring ruination to an entire family. With nothing like the Internet, television or radio for entertainment, gossip was elevated to a sport. Public and private behavior was scrutinized, analyzed and dissected for every possible nuance. And if something calamitous should occur by happenstance, disaster management was in order by friends and family. This is the setting for The Ice Captain’s Daughter. Enjoy the excerpt!
~ S.G. Rogers
Excerpt:
“I cannot countenance your bringing a trollop into this house.”
Logan’s mouth fell open in shock, but Mrs. Lyman scarcely drew breath.
“Your mother and father would roll over in their graves if they knew Idunn Court had been so besmirched.”
“A trollop? Surely you cannot be referring to Miss Roring!”
The housekeeper’s nostrils flared. “Indeed I am.”
Logan had difficulty keeping his countenance.
“Mrs. Lyman, let me set your mind at ease. Miss Roring is a gentlewoman of good breeding and the highest morals. She was traveling to the train station yesterday afternoon when a highwayman accosted her very near my hunting cottage. A bullet grazed her leg and I rendered her assistance.”
Mrs. Lyman’s lips narrowed into a harsh line. “That is my point, exactly. She spent last night with you in the cottage, without a chaperone.”
“For mercy’s sake, it was not her choice, nor mine! The lightning storm forced us to seek shelter.”
Not at all mollified, Mrs. Lyman sucked in her cheeks and folded her arms across her chest. Logan sighed.
“Her aunt will collect her this afternoon,” he said. “Can you bear with me until then?”
“The sooner she is gone, the better.” In a swirl of self-righteousness, Mrs. Lyman strode over to the door, yanked it open, and disappeared down the hall.
The daugh
ter of a wealthy ice merchant, Miss Jillian Roring intends to marry for love. En route to her first Season in London, however, a failed kidnapping sends her into the arms of the most jaded bachelor in England. When Logan and Jillian unwittingly violate the rigid rules of propriety in Victorian-era England, he is obliged to make her an offer of marriage. Because she aspires to be more than an obligation, Jillian refuses the match. Logan follows her to London to woo her properly, but his scheming ex-fiancée has other plans.
Can Logan convince Jillian that his love for her is real or will the cruel gossip and sharp tongues of London society tear their budding relationship apart?
A romantic novella set in the turn of the century, Victorian England.
Available for the Kindle at Amazon ($0.99).
February 7, 2013
Romance is in the Air at Child of Yden
It’s hop time again at Child of Yden, just in time for Valentine’s Day! This hop features young adult/clean romance, and I’m highlighting five different titles (see descriptions, below). If you win, however, you may select ANY of my ebooks as your prize. All my books are good clean fun, so there is something for everyone!
To enter pick ONE (or more if you are so inclined) of the following:
1) Follow my blog; OR
2) Like my author page on Facebook; OR
3) Like one of my books on Amazon; OR
4) Add one of my books to your to-read list on Goodreads; OR
5) Pick your own way to enter (post this link to Facebook, follow me on Twitter, add/vote for one of my books to a list on Goodreads, or…?). I’m easy that way.
Don’t forget to LEAVE A COMMENT to let me know which way you entered. I’ll be picking the winner (using Random.org) on February 15th, so good luck and thanks for stopping by!
~ S.G. Rogers
To get back to the linky list, click HERE
MINNA & THE VALENTINE
Minna has a secret. Her father, ex-dragon jockey Wynn Westerfield, will forever hold a grudge against wizards. Because it was a wizard who caused his career-ending accident, Minna struggles to hide her incredible magical powers from him…and from the world.
Evan Valentine has attended a prestigious magical academy on scholarship, although he’s managed to conceal that fact from everyone. He’s on the fast track to success with his apprenticeship to wizard Thaddeus Bartholomew, and Evan’s carefully constructed life doesn’t include a certain beautiful girl whose powers rival his own.
Although Minna and Evan don’t realize it yet, their destinies have been intertwined for years. When a threat arises, Minna and Evan must travel to another reality to retrieve a dangerous magical artifact. Can Minna and Evan learn to work together, despite their mutual mistrust? Or will their explosive romantic attraction lead to disaster?
CYPHER
Although she has no memories before the quake that destroyed the kingdom of Augury, Cypher McCall holds a steadfast hatred of the repressive Cauldian regime now ruling the country. Because her magical gifts are deemed subversive, she does her best to avoid detection. Unfortunately for Cypher, however, she’s too beautiful to ignore. After a Cauldian contingent arrives in her hometown, a chance encounter leaves her repulsed by the arrogant Prince Ewan and attracted to his distant cousin, Lord Joss.
When she learns Prince Ewan plans to tear down the ruins of nearby Castle Augur, Cypher vows to stop him. Although handsome Lord Joss tries to protect her from his vindictive cousin, Cypher can’t bring herself to trust the enemy. At the same time, nightmares and dreams nudge her toward reclaiming childhood memories. She stumbles across a silver key she hopes will unlock her past, but first she must confront a long repressed horror at the Castle Augur ruins.
Can Cypher evade Prince Ewan long enough to recover her memories? Is Lord Joss all that he seems or is his charm a ruse to ensnare the unwary? Finally, will the knowledge of her true identity tear Cypher apart or empower her to restore everything she ever loved?
THE ICE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER
The daughter of a wealthy ice merchant, Miss Jillian Roring intends to marry for love. En route to her first Season in London, however, a failed kidnapping sends her into the arms of the most jaded bachelor in England. When Logan and Jillian unwittingly violate the rigid rules of propriety in Victorian-era England, he is obliged to make her an offer of marriage. Because she aspires to be more than an obligation, Jillian refuses the match. Logan follows her to London to woo her properly, but his scheming ex-fiancée has other plans.
Can Logan convince Jillian that his love for her is real or will the cruel gossip and sharp tongues of London society tear their budding relationship apart?
CLASH OF WILLS
Princess Samantha’s magical compass will help her locate her long-lost brother, but only if she manages to escape her royal parents for a few weeks. When an unwelcome suitor comes to call, Samantha seizes her chance. She beguiles the prince into taking her north, intending to abandon him at her earliest opportunity. Unfortunately, his captivating good looks and charming manner present an unforeseen complication—especially when she is forced to accept help from the very man she has deceived.
To maintain his bachelorhood, handsome Prince Wills is not above deception. Although reluctantly entangled in Samantha’s scheme, he vows to protect her…until a lie threatens to destroy their alliance. Can his powerful attraction to Samantha overcome his mistrust? And can they survive a dangerous quest to the wild and magical Uncharted Region?
MAGICAL MISPERCEPTION OF MERIDIAN
Railing against convention in the kingdom of Meridian, Jona thinks a girl should be able to wear trousers, fight like a boy when necessary, and marry whomever she pleases. She happens upon the queen’s nephew, Lee, who stammers and cannot speak to girls at all…that is, until he meets Jona.
When the queen hires Jona to help her nephew acquire proper social graces, Jona experiences a blissful summer of pure enchantment. Jona and Lee learn to dance, perfect the art of polite conversation, and discover which fork to use at the dinner table. Although they become best friends, Queen Gaia considers Jona a mere servant. At summer’s end, Jona’s job in Meridian is done.
Lee and Jona keep in contact through a set of magical mailboxes given to Lee by the Wizard Farland. When the friends are finally reunited after ten years, their budding romance is torn asunder by an edict from the queen. Against impossible odds, Jona and Lee will fight for an uncertain future. But unspoken secrets and mysteries long in the making have yet to be revealed.
Will true love be denied…or can the differences between commoners and royalty be shown to be just a matter of magical misperception?
February 5, 2013
Astraea Press Birthday Party Gifts on Tuesday February 2013
Yes, Astraea Press is having a birthday party the whole month of February, and each day you get the gifts. Today my fantasy adventure novel The Last Great Wizard of Yden (the first volume in the Yden series) is up for grabs.
For his sixteenth birthday, all Jon wanted were the keys to the family car. Instead, he got a lousy magic ring…
Artistic prodigy Jon Hansen yearns to fit in, but when he stumbles onto a supernatural kidnapping, his life changes forever. Unfortunately, his search for answers uncovers a magical secret—one that makes Jon a danger to everyone around him.
The Wolf Clan wizard Efysian has been draining the magic from Yden. On a quest for eternal power, he’s willing to kill to feed his addiction. To harness the ultimate source of energy, he travels to Earth. This time, however, he has a persistent witness to his crime.
Can Jon survive long enough to outwit the most evil wizard the magical world has ever known? Or will Efysian add the young wizard to his gruesome collection of trophies?
Also, Harp Lessons by Shea Ford is free today as well!
As a freshman at New York University, looking for love is the last thing on Sarah McKenna’s mind. She is too preoccupied with being homesick for her North Carolina home and finding a peaceful place to play her harp amid the noise of the city. And yet, she also dreams of Ireland and is always thinking about Grandma Maggie’s stories from that idyllic country. So who better to grab her attention than a handsome, young Irishman, especially one who shares her passion for Irish music? But Cal O’Keefe has dark secrets. Can Sarah learn to see past the superficial and cope with the secrets to be with the one she loves?
Go HERE, copy the code and follow the links to your free download. And enjoy!
February 3, 2013
The Next Big Thing for S.G. Rogers
My fellow author Meg Mims (Double Crossing, Santa Paws) tapped me for the Next Big Thing interview making the rounds in the blogosphere. She sent me the following questions, which I’ve answered. Now it’s time to share:
1) What is the working title of your next book?
Duke of a Gilded Age
2) Where did the idea come from?
I’ve always been fascinated by the differences between American society and British society when it comes to things like royalty. This story follows a young American man to Britain after he inherits a Dukedom from an uncle.
3) What genre does your work fall under?
Historical Romance, specifically Victorian Romance.
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie version?
Liam Hemsworth could play the part of the young duke Wesley Parker…but then again, what part couldn’t he play?
Someone who looks like Isabel Lucas
could play Belle Oakhurst.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis to explain where the story begins?
After the Tenth Duke of Mansbury dies, the title passes to the next male in the line of succession—an American teen born in Brooklyn.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m undecided on that.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
It’s still under development. I imagine it will take me another month to finish the first draft.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
That’s hard to say. Little Lord Fauntleroy, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, has a slightly similar theme, but that classic novel is not a romance.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
In my fantasy stories, I often feature characters that learn something unexpected about their heritage. I thought it would be fun to do that in a historical romance.
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
It’s set in 1890, and features historical details about New York, transatlantic steamship travel, and England. As I write, I’m learning so much about New York City that I never knew before. And because of my research into the “floating palaces” of the era, I’m also now determined to take a cruise to Europe!
Thanks, Meg, for the opportunity to discuss my next big thing.
~ S.G. Rogers
