Loretta Chase's Blog, page 16

There's only one Difficult Dukes book so far

Thomas Rowlandson, A Book Auction

I've heard from a couple of readers who are wondering whether they missed a book in the new series. It took a little while to figure out what led to this conclusion. Eventually I realized: References are made in A Duke in Shining Armor to the Duke of Blackwood's having married Ripley's sister a year earlier. Since I often refer to past events that are in my head, and will eventually (I hope) be worked out in ensuing books in the series, as part of the series...

International Editions: Brazil, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania

It's always a lovely surprise to find international editions in my mailbox. These turned up most recently.

Top row left to right: Not Quite a Lady (Romania), Not Quite a Lady (Czech Republic), Silk is for Seduction (Poland), Scandal Wears Satin (Poland), Dukes Prefer Blondes (Brazil)

The Duke of Ripley's Invalid Chair

At a recent appearance with historical romance author Caroline Linden, she and others who’d read A Duke in Shining Armor asked about Ripley’s invalid chair.

As the illustration and photo illustrate, it was a real thing, an early version of a wheelchair. It uses, as described elsewhere, “hand-cranks, wheels, gears and an adjustable back and footrest.”

A few years ago, when I first came upon it, I wrote a short post for Two Nerdy History Girls. More recently, when I found myself with my hero and...

Blog Exclusive: Loos of London

In the course of visiting museums and historic sites during my stay in London last summer, I visited, as you’d expect, quite a few ladies’ rooms. I’m not sure what set me off. Maybe the first one or first few were so pleasing aesthetically. At any rate, I started photographing them. Not all. In some, the space was too tight. In others, there were other occupants, and I did not want anybody emerging from a stall to find my camera pointed at her. And once or twice I forgot my camera. Still, a g...

What's a Pomatum?

January 1831 Magazine of the Beau Monde

In A Duke in Shining Armor (and in other of my books),  the term pomatum appears. If the context leads you to believe that this has something to do with styling hair,  you’ll be right.

A pomatum,  based on a grease of some kind (usually lard), was used to style hair and to keep it smoothly in place, like today’s gels, mousses, hair waxes, and sprays.

March 1831 Magazine of the Beau Monde

Some recipes call for bear grease, but it appears that other form...

A Duke in Shining Armor Book Tour, Actual & Virtual

Me in London in June,  happily making a point of some kind at the Geffrye Museum.

As we approach the release day of A Duke in Shining Armor, you can expect to see the pace of my blog posts pick up. Among other things, I plan to offer my loyal blog subscribers exclusive material as well as some first-look (ahead of my other social media) related to this first book in my Difficult Dukes series.

Also, you’ll find me popping up in various places online in November:

At USA Today’s Happy Ever After,...

Auction for Romance Readers

The Bacon Free Library is having an auction, and what an auction!

It’s going on right now, until 29 October

This is my stuff here. Also at right.

But I’m not the only one. At least a kazillion other romance authors have put together some splendid swag.

Here is a fine opportunity to get books and other lovely things, and support a library at the same time. Libraries are our friends. That’s where vast numbers of us got hooked on reading, and numerous others became inspired to write our own books...

Those Puzzling Messages from Amazon UK

Marguerite Gérard, Lady Reading in an Interior

Loyal readers in the UK recently alerted me to an upsetting development. They have received messages from Amazon UK telling them they can’t get copies of A Duke in Shining Armor. These readers had pre-ordered (thank you!) and things were OK, I guess, until the recent message arrived, telling them things were not OK.

Well, that can't be right, can it? No, it isn't. I checked.

Here’s the good news: A Duke in Shining Armor will definitely be availabl...

Dukes Prefer Blondes News: Amazon Has a Deal For You

I'm happy to announce another bargain for my readers.

Dukes Prefer Blondes, the fourth book in my Dressmakers series, is a Kindle Monthly Deal.

Just $1.99 from 28 August through 2 October.

Please be aware that Amazon might not show the sale price immediately. I'm told it might take a day for the $1.99 deal to appear on the site.  But as one of my faithful website blog readers, you deserve to be the first to know.

If your email reader isn't a Kindle, there might still be hope. Very often other re...

Mr. Impossible News: Audible Has a Deal for You

Here’s a very nice deal for those of you who like to listen to my books.

My second Carsington Brothers book, Mr. Impossible, will be featured in Audible’s “Choose Your Own” BOGO sale which runs from Monday 14 August through Monday 21 Augustat 11:59 PM PT. This is a members-only promotion where you can get two books for one credit.

The sale will be featured here.

Please be aware that you won't be able to access the sale unless you are a member.