Julia Justiss's Blog, page 5

BREAKING NEWS AT LAST!

It's been a long wait, but the official news is finally in: UK and NA historicals will merge next year and be simultaneously released on both sides of the pond. So no more will you see a book on one side of the Atlantic have a cover which then appears on a completely different book on the other side. Not sure whether the UK or NA "style" will be used, but as of May 2012, only one cover per book and the English-language paper and digital editions will appear simultaneously in the UK and NA markets.

The first part of the year will be taken up with "evening out" books that have been released on one side or the other but not both; then in May, all new releases will make their appearance in both locales at the same time. Because of the shift-over, Max's book, completed and approved this spring, won't come out until after May and still doesn't have an official release date. Probably it will be released soon before Will's book, on which I'm working now. Historicals Senior editor Linda Fildew said final details on the 2012 schedule are now being sorted out, so I'm hoping to know something by summer's end.

CHRISTMAS IN…APRIL?

One of my favorite things when I stop to catch my breath is to browse through overseas websites to check if any of my books have been released in foreign editions. I indulged myself a few days ago and discovered that one of my favorite books, A PROPER WIFE, came out in Italy in February with my favorite cover, a full-length portrait of the hero Sinjin in uniform (which was the inside cover of the North America release.) Then I found out that my October 2009 release, FROM WAIF TO GENTLEMAN'S WIFE, will be out in the UK in July, and a large-print edition of THE COURTESAN will be out there in August.

There's also a new release in Norway of ROGUE'S LADY. When this volume was released in the UK, they changed the heroine's dress from blue to green; the Norwegians changed it back to blue. I have to admit I'm partial to the blue. Also, the NA cover showed the heroine's figure up to just above her lips; the UK and Norwegian covers both show her full face.

Aren't covers fascinating?

BTW, why, do you ask, must I search to see what books I have out? All the Harlequin international offices are independent, so there isn't a central coordinating spot that notifies authors when one of their books is going to be released in a different country. We don't find out unless/until a fan in the issuing country lets us know, or we get a box of author copies in the mail, or the book shows up on a royalty statement. One would think in this era of computers that some such central notification forum could be set up. But then I wouldn't discover Christmas in April.

MAX’S BOOK ACCEPTED!

I’m happy and relieved to receive word from my editor that Max and Caroline’s book has been accepted and put into the system for release. No date for that, or hint of a title for the book (or, for that matter, for the series itself; it may end up eventually being called something other than “Ransleigh Rogues.”) Now on to finishing the Undone that will accompany Max’s book, the story of Caroline’s cousin Elizabeth. After that, I’ll start work on Book 2 of the Rogues, which will feature Max’s black sheep cousin Will, illegitimate son of Max’s uncle, the earl’s brother. Returning after serving with the occupation forces in Paris following Waterloo, he’s outraged that Max’s brilliant diplomatic career was destroyed at the Congress of Vienna. Vowing to find the woman responsible and drag her back to testify and exonerate Max, Will sets off for Vienna. But Elodie Lefevre turns out to be not at all like the callous femme fatale he was anticipating.

MAX'S BOOK ACCEPTED!

I'm happy and relieved to receive word from my editor that Max and Caroline's book has been accepted and put into the system for release. No date for that, or hint of a title for the book (or, for that matter, for the series itself; it may end up eventually being called something other than "Ransleigh Rogues.") Now on to finishing the Undone that will accompany Max's book, the story of Caroline's cousin Elizabeth. After that, I'll start work on Book 2 of the Rogues, which will feature Max's black sheep cousin Will, illegitimate son of Max's uncle, the earl's brother. Returning after serving with the occupation forces in Paris following Waterloo, he's outraged that Max's brilliant diplomatic career was destroyed at the Congress of Vienna. Vowing to find the woman responsible and drag her back to testify and exonerate Max, Will sets off for Vienna. But Elodie Lefevre turns out to be not at all like the callous femme fatale he was anticipating.

REVISIONS ARE IN AND LOOKING AHEAD

Thanks to a series of snowstorms unusual in this area of Texas, I've had a few non-scheduled days off to finish up the revisions on Max and Caroline's book, (first of my new Ransleigh Rogue series.) Magnificent Max's book has just been mailed back to my editor with fervent hopes that she will like the changes made. While she's pondering the latest draft, I'm looking ahead to the next project, an Undone to accompany Max's book that will feature heroine Caroline Denby's cousin Elizabeth.

Beautiful, wealthy, impetuous Elizabeth fell deeply in love with a rake. Blinded by love and passion, she married him…and lived to bitterly regret it as Russell went through her money, her love, and most of the scandalous women in London. She's a wiser, poorer, hurting and bitter widow when childhood friend Nathan returns to London. Nathan has always liked Elizabeth–and during her tempestuous marriage, often offered to help distract her from the pain of Russell's infidelity by having an affair with him. When he repeats his offer, angry with men, fed up with being the Good Girl and the Good Wife, she agrees–but only if he is prepared to meet every extravagant whim of the woman who intends to become The Most Expensive Courtesan in London. I think it's going to be lots of fun to write, as Elizabeth and Nathan engage in a battle of wits, with passion as their weapons and love the unintended result.

After that, it's on to the second Rogue story. I had intended to do Alastair next: the poet and intellectual of the Rogues, when the woman he loves jilts him in the most public and humiliating way possible, he throws away his pen, joins the army, and vows never to love again. Selling out after Waterloo, he thinks he's finally over Diana, until a chance meeting in Bath revives all his anger, pain and passion. Thinking to purge himself of her forever, he challenges her to become his mistress…

But now I'm torn. After Max's book came to a resolution I hadn't expected (those sneaky characters surprise you like that sometimes) I discovered that one of the other Rogues not only had a different name, but a different heroine. Rex became Will, and his heroine will be the woman who betrays Max at the Congress of Vienna, destroying Max's chances of a diplomatic career. Will is horrified when he discovers Max has settled for life on a horse farm, far from the councils of government in which Will knows he would shine. Certain that Max cannot really want that life, and fiercely devoted to the man who saved him from the streets as a child, Will sets out for Vienna to find the mysterious Madame Lefevre and bring her back to England to testify to Alastair's innocence–even if it means the gallows for her. But the complex, wounded woman he finds in Vienna isn't anything like the heartless adventuress he expected…

So now I have until after I finish the Undone to dither over what next: Alastair or Will?

POLISHING THE DRAFT AND GIVING PRESENTS

The draft is done and by the end of the weekend, Max, first of the Ransleigh Rogue cousins, should see the draft of his book winging its digital way to my editor. As always when finishing a book, there's a sense of wonder in how the story and the character migrated from its first glimmerings in my mind, with Max and Caro ending up together (as always envisioned) but after traveling down ways NOT envisioned. In fact, Max wandered so far that one of his Rogue cousins not only got his name changed (from Rex to Will) but also has a new heroine…the woman who betrayed Max at the Congress of Vienna.

Although I want to move immediately into writing the Undone that should accompany Max's book (featuring Caro's cousin Elizabeth, a disillusioned widow who married the rake with whom she fell madly in love and came to bitterly regret it) there will still be time for holiday rejoicing. I'm looking forward to spending Christmas in Mississippi at the the new home of my oldest son and his bride, then returning home where ALL my children and their significant others will join us for New Years. Hmm…should have built a bigger house!

Then there's the great holiday giveaway ongoing with the Harlequin Historical Authors Advent Calendar contest. The event will visit here on Sunday, December 19. All you must do to be entered for my individual prize of a $50 Amazon gift certificate and the grand prize of a Kindle 3G is to post a comment here, on the news/blog page.

Happy Holidays to all!

NEARING THE END

I didn't quite make it for November, but I'm finally closing in on the end of the first Ransleigh Rogues book, featuring Magnificant Max. Five more scenes to go…and then some polishing (okay, alot of polishing) before sending it off to my editor as an early Christmas present to me. During the writing process, I discovered that one of the other rogues, Max's cousin, originally named "Rex," actually must be "Will"…and his heroine won't be who I thought she was either. In the meantime, Max ended up doing some things for Caro that I hadn't anticipated, while the interplay between them was hotter than I'd first imagined it. That's a rogue for you, always surprising you with the unexpected!

Next up, an Undone.

THE HAPPIEST DAYS…

To paraphrase Melanie in "Gone With the Wind," the happiest days are when terrific new covers come in. So last Monday, when my editor emailed me the just-released cover for my upcoming February 2011 release, SOCIETY'S MOST DISREPUTABLE GENTLEMAN, was a wonderful day indeed! Check out the gorgeous cover and book description of this, the story of Greville Anders, brother of heroine Joanna from FROM WAIF TO GENTLEMAN'S WIFE, on the Bookshelf page.

CHECKING IN WITH NEWS!

After having abandoned updates on this page for a shamefully long time (in her defense, Julia points to the many blogs she's been writing over the last six weeks to promote the release of SMUGGLER,) she is happy to check in with some great news. Greville's book has a title (SOCIETY'S MOST DISREPUTABLE GENTLEMAN) and a January 2011 release date. One of her favorite all-time books, WICKED WAGER, will be released for the first time in the UK in November with a lovely new cover. And A MOST...

LAND HO! CONFERENCE AHEAD!

If the gentle reader wonders why Julia has neglected to provide much news of late, please look at the extensive list of blogs to which she has and will contribute this summer as part of the promotion for the REGENCY SILK & SCANDAL miniseries, including her Book 3, THE SMUGGLER AND THE SOCIETY BRIDE. You may find her Words of Wisdom (or at least commentary) posted at the Pink Heart Society; e-harlequin's Community "Regency Silk & Scandal" Authors' blog; the UK Historical Romance Authors; the ...