If You Give A Rake A Ruby: 5 Fun Facts with Shana Galen

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If You Give A Rake A Ruby: 5 Fun Facts with Shana Galen

Shana Galen, besides a great friend, a wonderful mom, and a Helen Hunt look-alike, is also the bestselling author of The Sons of the Revolution trilogy, Regency Spies, Misadventures In Matrimony, and her latest Jewel of the Ton series, featuring three captivating courtesans dubbed as–you got it!–the Jewels of the Ton. She can be found on Twitter and Facebook sharing her dry wit, her love for Downton Abbey, and anecdotes featuring the uber cute Baby Galen, and when she’s not there, she’s contributing posts to the Peanut Butter on the Keyboard site, where “mommy brains and writing collide.”

Today she’s sharing some super fascinating Five Fun Facts about her recent release, If You Give A Rake A Ruby. Please give her a warm welcome and leave a comment for a chance to win When You Give A Duke A Diamond as well as one of my books.

Welcome, Shana!!!

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If You Give A Rake A Ruby

Jewels of the Ton #2

March 6, 2012

Sourcebooks Casablanca

HER MYSTERIOUS PAST IS THE BEST REVENGE . . .

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery, is a celebrated courtesan with her finger on the pulse of high society. She’s adored by men, hated by their wives. No one knows anything about her past, and she plans to keep it that way.

ONLY HE CAN OFFER HER A DAZZLING FUTURE . . .

Warrick Fitzhugh will do anything to protect his compatriots in the Foreign Office, including seduce Fallon, who he thinks can lead him to the deadliest crime lord in London. He knows he’s putting his life on the line . . .

To Warrick’s shock, Fallon is not who he thinks she is, and the secrets she’s keeping are exactly what make her his heart’s desire . . .

5 Fun Facts about IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY:

1) When I began writing this book, my editor had told me that she wanted each book in the Jewels of the Ton series to have the name of a jewel in the title. She hadn’t decided which jewel would be in the title of this book, and so I had to write the entire thing making sure any jewel would work for the rubies that feature so prominently in the story. I had always wanted Fallon’s jewel to be rubies, so I was relieved when that was chosen.

2) Fallon is loosely based on Nancy from Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist.

3) Initially I argued about the use of rake in the title of the book. Warrick, the hero, isn’t a rake. He is not a womanizer and doesn’t seduce young virgins. But my editor pointed out the term rake has a larger meaning. When I Googled rake, I found this definition: A fashionable or wealthy man of dissolute or promiscuous habits. Warrick isn’t promiscuous, but he has been known for dissolution, and he is wealthy. He’s the youngest son of an earl.

4) Another interesting tidbit about the title is that a suggestion from one of my readers, Melanie Bernard, led to the title. Editors always email out of nowhere and want twenty title suggestions in five minutes. Okay, it’s not that bad, but when you’re as hopeless at titles as I am, that email is terrifying. So I went to my Facebook friends and begged for reader suggestions. A version of Melanie’s suggestion was chosen, and I thanked her in the acknowledgements and sent her an advance copy of the book.

5) Editors also ask for directional ideas to assist the cover designers. This would be great when I am about two-thirds finished with the book. But often these requests come before I have even begun writing the book in question. But I give the designers my thoughts and then forget all about it for six or seven months. In the meantime, I’ve written the book. Then, again out of nowhere, I get the initial cover.

Imagine my surprise when it’s just what I envisioned. Until I found my original notes, I thought the designers just read my mind (I really seem to have trouble remembering anything these days!). And there have been many, many times when I made a suggestion and it was completely ignored. Here are my actual suggestions for the cover of Warrick and Fallon’s book:

I envision a woman in a ruby red gown and jewels, sprawled seductively on a satin bed with a man kissing her. Her hand, unseen by him, is reaching for a pistol or dagger hidden under a jeweled pillow.

As you see, the designers went with the pistol.

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Leave a comment to be entered to win WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND by Shana Galen and a signed copy of IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT. Giveaway open to US/CA. Ends 3/22.

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Shana Galen is the bestselling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Her books are published all over the world and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston’s inner city. Now she writes full time. She’s happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers: visit her website at www.shanagalen.com or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.