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Review & Giveaway: A Secret In Her Kiss by Anna Randol

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012



A Secret in Her Kiss
Author: Anna Randol
Publisher: HarperCollins/Avon
Pub. Date: January 31, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0062025807
Pages: 384
Digital Price: $4.99
Print Retail Price: $7.99
Amazon ~ B&N ~ iBookstore

SHE WOULD GLADLY RELINQUISH HER LIFE OF INTRIGUE…

A rare beauty, raised in the exotic heart of the mysterious East, Mari Sinclair knows it’s time to end her career as a British spy when she narrowly avoids a brush with death. Unfortunately, there are those who think otherwise – and they are not above using blackmail to keep Mari in the game.

Saddled with a handsome, duty-obsessed “minder” to ensure that she completes – and survives – one last mission, Mari is incensed…for her guardian, Major Bennett Prestwood is simply too dedicated, too unbending, and too disarmingly attractive. But in the face of dark secrets and deadly treacheries, as the true peril to Mari is slowly revealed, loyal soldier Bennett realizes that to save and win this extraordinary woman, he will have to do the unthinkable and break the rules – rules that passion and desire have suddenly, irrevocably changed.

~*~*~

REVIEW

A Secret in Her Kiss is a unique and wonderful debut historical romance.

A Secret in Her Kiss takes place during the regency period, but instead of the glittering ballrooms of London the hero and heroine find themselves risking their lives and falling in love in Constantinople.

I’m always a little leery about regency romances that aren’t typical. I’ve read some fantastic ones. (It’s a personal preference that there are drawing rooms and balls.) I was wonderfully surprised by A Secret in Her Kiss. The setting plays such an important roll in the story and it is wonderfully written. There is a touch of mystery and intrigue that surrounds the couple.

Mari Sinclair’s only real goal in life is to help the Greek people. Her mother, once a slave, had taught her the importance of helping her people. Mari is willing to do whatever it takes, including spying, to accomplish her task. She doesn’t want to put up with a stodgy English soldier. She knows that he will only get in her way.

Major Bennett Prestwood wants nothing more than to get home to his family. His sister is in an untenable marriage and he knows that he must get home soon to rescue her. Bennett wants nothing to do with the beautiful spy. These two go through so much together and find themselves falling in love around the way.

I love the relationship between Mari and Bennett. It evolves from them merely tolerating each other (and not well) to them being unable to live without the other. Ms. Randol does an excellent job of making their relationship progress naturally and in a realistic manner.

A Secret in Her Kiss is a fantastic debut novel and I can’t wait to see where Ms. Randol takes us next.

Rating: 4 (Very Good)

Heat-Level: 4 (Hot)

Reviewed by Carrie

Comment and enter to win your own copy of A SECRET IN HER KISS

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Posted in Avon Books, Giveaways, Reviews | 45 Comments »

Karyn Gerrard debuts with Timeless Heart

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Please welcome one of the fabulous reviewers who review for The Season and is making her debut…KARYN GERRARD!

THE APPEAL OF TIME TRAVEL

Time Travel as a plot device for either TV, movies or books, seems to ebb and flow in popularity. But the concept itself is fascinating and always appealed to me. Visiting different periods in time, the romance and adventure of being caught up in another era.

My ebook novella debut, TIMELESS HEART, has its origins believe it not, from a dream. I was in my late teens and was watching a BBC period drama series called POLDARK. British actor Robin Ellis who played Poldark, was in my dreams every night, a teenage crush to be sure. But one night, I dreamt Poldark travelled through time, and I found him. Took him home.  Needless to say, the dream was very graphic, real and wicked, considering I was a naive and innocent teen.  I always had a vivid imagination. The dream had such an impact on me, it stayed with me all these years.

When I decided to try my hand at an erotica/romance, the dream that never left me was insistent that it be a tale to be told. How could two people from different eras cross the chasm of time to find love, happiness? The essence of my story is two people, seemingly lost, adrift for different reasons, find what is missing in their lives, in each other. Can they reach across ‘oceans of time’, throw out that lifeline and rescue one another?

TIMELESS HEART
Author: Karyn Gerrard
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Rel Date: May 9, 2011
Format: Digital
Words: 24,000
Price: $3.99

Sandra Cranston, an elementary teacher on leave, discovers an abandoned carriage deep in the woods. Inside is a man, Jerrod Ross, who fuels all of her wicked Regency dreams and fantasies.

Ross has been torn from the only world he has ever known—1821 Cornwall, England. How will he adjust to the future and his growing desire for the lovely lady who found him? More importantly, how will he ever return to his time?

**Click title or cover to purchase from Amazon or Evernight Publishing, respectively.

My hero is from 1821, Jerrod Ross brings with him all that era encompasses, he is a gentleman, honorable. Passionate. And yes, he looks like he stepped off a historical romance cover. Everything the heroine is looking for in a man. But he doesn’t like 2011, he wants to go home. Chasms of time can be great indeed.

In all time travel movies or books, the big decision comes. Does the person stay in the future, or the other person go back to the past with the time traveller? Is love enough to make such a sacrifice? Personally, as much as I loved the guy, could I go back to 1821? No electricity? No flushing toilets? No Ipod Touch?

Tell me, could you do it? If a 6’2 hunk of Regency virile hotness held out his masculine hand and said, ‘Come with me’, with that deep come-to-bed voice, would you go? Why or why not?

Answer the question and you will be entered for a chance to win a PDF copy of TIMELESS HEART.

Living in a small town in a corner of Ontario, Canada, I wile away my spare time writing, reviewing and reading romance.Happily married for a long time to my own hero, a teacher that braves everything that is thrown at him. His encouragement keeps me moving forward.

I have my own little corner of the internet, THE ROMANORUM, where I review books and anything else that strikes my fancy with regards to the world of romance.

I also do some reviews for THE SEASON. And also at Goodreads. You can find me on twitter as well. http://twitter.com//KarynGerrard/  And facebook

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Posted in Authors, Giveaways | 48 Comments »

Review: Going Cowboy Crazy

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

DEBUT!Going Cowboy Crazy
Author: Katie Lane
Publisher: Grand Central
Line: Forever
Pub. Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0446582780
Retail: $5.99 ~ New low price
Pages: 384

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Faith Aldridge wants answers. Bramble, Texas is the only place she can find them . . . as well as Hope, the identical twin sister she never knew she had. But the townsfolk reckon that shy city-girl Faith is really her long-lost sister Hope, back in Bramble at last. And they’re fixin’ to do whatever it takes to heat things up between her and Hope’s long-time flame, Slate Calhoun. If that means rustling her car, spreading rumors like wildfire, and reining in some explosive secrets, well, there’s no way like the Lone Star way . . .

But Slate’s no fool. The woman in his truck may look like Hope, yet the way she feels in his arms is altogether new. He’s determined to keep this twin in his bed and out of his heart. Trouble is, the real Hope is headed home, and she’s got her own designs on Slate. If Faith wants to avoid heartbreak, she’ll have to show a certain ruggedly handsome cowboy that this crazy-impossible love is worth fighting for.

~*~*~

Faith Aldridge didn’t know what to expect when she arrived in the small west Texas town of Bramble looking for the twin sister she’s never met, but she certainly didn’t anticipate meeting a man like Slate Calhoun. The rest of the town mistakes her for Hope, her twin, but Slate knows the second he kisses her that this polished city slicker isn’t his oldest friend.

The chemistry between these two ratchets up to white hot in no time, but misconceptions abound. The towns people, convinced that Faith is Hope, and laboring under the delusion that Hope and Slate are MFOE (made for each other), hold Faith’s car hostage and refuse to let her leave town until “Hope” and Slate are together.

With no place to go, Faith finds herself sucked into the town and into Slate’s arms. But Bramble and Slate have more layers than she expected, some of them more troubling than others. Finding allies in Shirlene, wife of the town’s richest citizen, and Austin, one of Slate’s football players who hides behind a badittude and smart mouth, Faith begins to realize that it’s time for her to live for herself – and for love.

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It really reminded me of an early Rachel Gibson (Daisy’s Back in Town) or early Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Lady Be Good). As a Texas girl, I enjoyed the setting, although I thought it might have been a bit over done. Still, the small town fishbowl really worked for the development of the characters and provided a nice little microcosm for the love story to blossom. The twins separated at birth storyline bugged me until Lane tossed in a twist that added a unique layer of complexity and depth to the story that I appreciated.

As in most Texas tales, the supporting cast is fun. Shirlene steps in and fulfills Faith’s need for a female ally in a town of slightly crazy people and pushes her to step outside of her comfort zone to embrace the woman she can be. Young Austin serves as a well placed mirror for Slate, a reminder of his own troubled youth so that he can connect with his football team and lead them to the victory every Texas high school football team strives for.

As main characters, Faith and Slate were delightfully flawed. Slate is the typical town football star-turned coach complete with good looks and smoldering hazel eyes, but the intuitive, compassionate side of him Lane made sure to include made him a dynamic, interesting partner for good girl Faith. The differences between quiet computer programmer Faith and her larger than life twin Hope were a bit conventional, but with Slate, Faith became a sassy, intriguing heroine who could take on the entire town and the tough Texas boy’s pigheaded nature.

~ Taylor

Rating: 7.5 (Better than just Good)

Heat Level: 4 (Hot)

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RATE THIS BOOK!
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

Make sure you check out the next book in Katie’s series, MAKE MINE A BAD BOY. It’s a June release and I’m giving away an ARC on the website. Click here for entry details.

Would you like to try out this new author? I’m giving away an ARC of GOING COWBOY CRAZY to one lucky commenter. :)

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Posted in Giveaways, Grand Central, Rate Me Reviews, Reviews | 22 Comments »

Vicky Dreiling’s making a splash with her debut!

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Please welcome debut author, Vicky Dreiling to The Season Blog today. Vicky is a friend and a sweetheart and she comes bearing gifts in the name of her brand new release, HOW TO MARRY A DUKE. ;) We’re also doing a swap. I’ll be on Vicky’s blog chatting about the history of the titles for both my books (Promotion is very tiring work).

~*~*~

HOW TO WRITE A REALITY SHOW IN REGENCY ENGLAND

BY VICKY DREILING

A long, long time ago (well actually about five years), there lived a wanna-be romance writer who couldn’t figure out what to write. She had previously written one historical romance several years ago and somehow that deeply flawed manuscript managed to make the finals in the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest for unpublished writers. She wrote a great three chapters, but the rest of the book was frankly a mess and got rejected. Life got in the way with a trip back to college and a new career in marketing.

After several years of establishing her marketing career, Miss Wanna-Be yearned to return to writing. She had a vague idea about writing a book about a matchmaker, but that was as far as she got. Miss Wanna-Be procrastinated and read numerous How to Plot books. She read so many plotting books she concluded she could write one herself. The poor wanna-be romance writer was hopelessly stuck. Yes, that wanna-be writer was me.

My writing life took a surprising turn one night while changing 800+ TV channels. I happened upon a hilarious reality TV show with a hunky bachelor and twenty-five bachelorettes all scheming vying for his heart. Of course, the crazy antics and alliances appealed to me. When the episode ended, an Idea popped into my head: The bachelor in Regency England (minus the hot tub and camera crew).

All those plotting books helped after all as I’d conjured up a high concept premise. The marketer in me realized a Regency-era version of the TV show would differentiate my novel from all the other historical romances on the shelves. But first, I had to write the book. How hard could it be?

Snort. If I’d had any idea of the difficulties I would face, I probably never would have attempted to write HOW TO MARRY A DUKE. My first task was to decide who should be the starring characters. I decided to keep the matchmaker. Thus, Miss Tessa Mansfield, a wealthy and independent matchmaker, became the hostess of this zany courtship. Since I adored powerful dukes, I created Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne, a man who desperately needed a wife to produce the requisite heir and spare. I soon discovered he was England’s Most Eligible Bachelor, and every belle in the Beau Monde was chasing him. Exasperated and tired of shopping at the Marriage Mart, Tristan decides to hire a professional. Tessa, however, concludes the unromantic duke needs lessons in how to properly court the young ladies.

While the bridal candidates form alliances and plots to stay in the competition, Tessa and Tristan try to resist their forbidden attraction. Everyone in London is watching, and they dare not risk scandal.

Writing the book presented numerous challenges, but I admit to having fun reinventing modern dating practices to fit the Regency era. In the end, Tristan and Tessa stole my heart.

Have you ever tried your hand at matchmaking? Or have you ever had a blind date?  What aspects of courtship have never changed since the nineteenth century?

I’m giving away one copy of HOW TO MARRYA DUKE in a random drawing, so be sure to leave a comment. May the Magic Romance Fairies be with all of you.

To read an excerpt and learn more about Vicky and her upcoming books, visit her website: http://www.vickydreiling.com/index.php

Backcover copy:


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Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne is a man with a mission: find a wife he can tolerate as long as they both shall live. No love is necessary—nor desired. But how to choose amid a dizzying array of wealthy-yet-witless candidates? Hire London’s infamously prim and proper matchmaker. Then pretend she’s not the most captivating woman he’s ever met . . .

Helping a devilish Duke create a contest to pick his perfect mate is the kind of challenge Tessa Mansfield relishes. Her methods may be scandalous, but she’s determined to find the notorious bachelor more than a wife—she’ll bring him true love. Yet when Tessa watches the women vie for the Duke’s affections, she longs to win his heart herself. And after a stolen kiss confirms Tristan’s desire, Tessa knows she has broken a matchmaker’s number one rule: never fall in love with the groom.
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Posted in Authors, Giveaways, Grand Central | 55 Comments »

Year in Review: 2010 Historical Debuts

Monday, December 20th, 2010

So here are the Historical Debuts of 2010! So what do you think of this year’s crop? Are there any that struck you as particularly memorable for whatever reason–good or bad? Any you still plan to read but had just never heard about? Any you would recommend? I’m giving away a bunch of prizes but I’m not saying exactly for what because I don’t want to skew the answers. Be honest and you have a chance of winning.  Tell me how many of the below debuts have you’ve read and answer one of the other questions above and you’ll be entered to win.

Click the above image and it will take you to the 2010 Historical Debut page on the site where you can read the back cover blurbs and available reviews, view covers and any available book trailers and also give you quick access to buy links for all the major online book sellers.

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Posted in Giveaways, Miscellaneous, The Season Sites | 80 Comments »

October Book Discussion: Seducing the Duchess

Monday, November 8th, 2010

So did everyone get to finish it? I did and what angst!

So let me begin my saying it took some time for me to warm up to the heroine, Charlotte. She goes to some extremes in trying to get her husband–a duke mind you–to divorce. Yes, she’s that unhappy. At the beginning of the book the readers–and her husband–find her in a gambling den “…perched on the lap of some rotund, fortunate bastard, her half-naked bosom exposed to his leering gaze.” In the duke’s POV we learn he believes she’s a harlot but he’s come to collect her in any case. He’s decided he wants a real marriage and he’s just as determined Charlotte will cease her extramarital affairs and be his alone. His problem is his wife despises him. Loathes him. She has forsaken her reputation by playing the whore in order to force his hand to grant her the divorce she desperately wants.

These are the things you learn right out of the gate. Needless to say their marriage is anything but blissful. And right out of the gate–because you don’t know what he did–you might not be too enchanted with Charlotte. But you learn. Boy do you learn. He, our hero, Phillip, has been a complete cad with a capital ‘C’ to her. He married her for revenge. And it was to get back at her brother for ***spoiler coming*** trying to runaway with his fiancee. Then he proceeds to basically abandon her and cheat on her the next three years. As soon as I read that, my sympathies immediately went to Charlotte. Cad! Rake! Cur!

But then he forces her home to his country estate where he promises to grant her a divorce if she’ll find a bride for him. I really liked how Ashley handled this part. The ‘potential’ bride is known to both parties. You see Charlotte doesn’t exactly ‘buy’ he is seriously interested in the ‘other women’ and this woman concedes she won’t have him. So his plot–although he doesn’t know it–is pretty much doomed from the start.

Of course, they work through their hurt and get their HEA but the road is definitely a rocky one. I eventually forgave Phillip but I would have loved it if Charlotte actually had taken a lover. As I always say, what’s good for the goose…you get my drift.

SEDUCING THE DUCHESS is Ashley’s debut and she’s off to a fabulous start!

~*~*~

First, I love reading debut authors! And I was so happy when I was able to review SEDUCING THE DUCHESS for The Season, and I’m so happy that it was picked as the October Book Club Pick!

I liked it! I think it was a good debut and I found myself really getting involved in the story. When I first picked up the book I thought I was going to be Team Charlotte all the way because us women need to stick together, but I didn’t like her, at all! I found myself very drawn to Phillip. He was trying to win his wife back, although not really in the best way, and I love when the Hero’s bend over backwards to get the girl. I did grow to like Charlotte and the way she gets Phillip all flustered with her foul mouth. And how she really isn’t as strong as she wants everyone to think she is.

My favorite thing was the fact that this was all about the romance. There was no murder plot, just two people trying to fix their marriage and learn to trust each other.

~ Jamie Murawski

~*~*~

I loved this book. I especially loved that we see the pain that Philip goes through. We feel how distraught he is over losing Charlotte. So distraught that he can’t even get out of bed for a week. Usually in books we see this in the heroine. It was refreshing to see this through the hero’s point of view.

~ Danielle Gorman

~*~*~

I’m sure I’ll be unpopular in this discussion but I did not like the heroine at the beginning. I thought her actions were so way over the top, especially given the fact that it took place in 19th century England and she’s a DUCHESS! I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to keep reading this book after the opening scene but I needed to know why. Why she was acting this way. I wondered what could he have possibly done that she would really degrade herself like this. Again, she is a duchess!

I read on and I have to say I was glad I did. The hero turned out to be very petty and vindictive. Let me rephrase that. His reasons for treating her the way he did, I thought were pretty petty and vindictive. I know this is standard romance fare but why can’t you just get revenge on the person who has aggrieved you instead of trying to hurt someone they love to get to them. This did not endear him to me at all. But Ms. March did the right thing with this kind of plot, she didn’t start it three years before and take us through the turmoil and heartbreak of those early years because if she did, I’m not sure the hero would have been redeemable.

All in all, I read SEDUCING THE DUCHESS right to the very last page. I thought it was a satisfying ending and I ended up emphasizing and liking them both.

~ Mandie

~*~*~

Okay, now you’ve read 4 different opinions. Let me know what you thought of Ashley March’s SEDUCING THE DUCHESS. Two participants in the discussion (commenters) will receive a book of their choice (max retail $7.99)

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Posted in Berkley, Book Club Pick, Giveaways | 20 Comments »

When We Met Kieran Kramer

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Hi Kieran, welcome to The Season Blog. Okay, before I delve into the hows and the whats of WHEN HARRY MET MOLLY, please tell me who came up with the title?

I did, but my agent came up with the heroine’s name. So she helped, too.

Now you know everyone will draw a comparison between the much beloved movie When Harry Met Sally and your book. Apart for the difference of the historical setting, does WHEN HARRY MET MOLLY play out like a romantic comedy the movie is?

Available Now!

WHEN HARRY MET MOLLY is definitely a romantic comedy. And these are two people who never dreamed they could be together romantically, just like the characters in the movie. It comes as a shock to them both when the sparks begin to fly! Another similarity–Harry and Molly met a long time ago and then re-meet years later, just like Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal do in the movie.

This is your debut book, the first book in your Impossible Bachelor series. How has this experience been for you, from getting the contract with St. Martin’s to the release? We’d also love to hear your ‘CALL’ story.

It’s been a wonderful and educational experience. I’ve learned so much about the writing and publishing process along the way, but the best part has been the people I’ve met. I’ve connected with so many wonderful people already. I LOVE being in this business and hope to remain in it for years to come. I LOVE telling stories and sharing them and hoping that they’ll make someone happy.

As for the CALL, I was on a small country road when I got the great news. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude and shock, I had to tell my agent I needed to hang up so I wouldn’t drive off into a corn field! Honestly, I was THIS close to losing control of the car because I could barely hang onto the wheel! LOL!!!

How much fun did you have writing this book? Were you constantly chuckling to yourself? My reviewer sent me the snippet of the poem your heroine, Molly, recited at the very beginning of the book when she was a young girl. I absolutely loved it!

I laughed ALL the time writing this book! It was a blast! The characters were a joy to write, all of them. And thinking up thee different aspects of the wager was a lot of fun, too.

Available November 30, 2010

The next book in the Impossible Bachelor series—which incidentally comes out next month— is DUKES TO THE LEFT OF ME, PRINCES TO THE RIGHT. Can you tell us a bit about this book? I have to add, that I love the play on the song Stuck in the Middle With You.

Thanks, I love that song, too. I want to brand myself as a fun, upbeat author, so if you get any hint about my attitude from that song, I’m glad. DUKES was another joy to write. I don’t want to give a lot away, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head that my heroine would make up a fantastic lie to keep unwanted suitors away–and that somehow that lie would rebound on her.

I take it you love long titles? Hehehehe.

LOL! DUKES was super long, but the rest aren’t nearly as long! Or are they? CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE is kind of long. Hmmm…I won’t tell you my fourth one–yet. let’s just say it’s not a one- or two-word title. Not even three or four words. So maybe you’re right! My titles ARE long!

I just saw the cover for CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE and it’s absolutely lovely. Are you not just thrilled with the covers St. Martin’s has given you to work with?

Thrilled doesn’t cover it. I am over-the-top ecstatic!!! St. Martin’s Press has captured exactly the feelings I want to inspire in my readers when they see these covers: fun, romantic, and a bit sassy.

Coming April 2011

Can you tell us a wee bit about CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE which is coming out April of 2011.

Yes, this is Stephen Arrow’s book. He’s a playboy sailor who’s never been serious about any woman. And now he’s land-locked in London next door to a prudish bookseller named Jilly who hates his noisy parties. He thinks he can win her over with his charm, but Jilly’s not so easily pacified. They both have their own agendas and expect to be neighbors in name only, But little do they know, Fate has other plans for them–other very HOT and sometimes zany plans!

How many books will there be in this series?

As far as I know right now, four.

Did I miss anything, Kieran? Was there anything else you wanted to say?

Only that I’m really honored to be here. Thank you SO much for supporting me. When I met you in Orlando, I got the sense that you TRULY love romance, Beverley. I can’t thank you and your readers enough for taking the time to cheer me on by being here with me today.

I’d love to see all of you at my website, www.kierankramerbooks.com, where you can enter a contest for a $100 Amazon gift card, win free books this week on my News page, and check out my over-the-top fun video with the unforgettable Penelope Brown-Braun, who spoke to me about When Harry Met Molly. I’m also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KieranKramer and Twitter (Twitter handle: kierankramer).

~*~*~

I want to thank Kieran so much for joining us on the blog today. It was such a pleasure meeting her in Orlando this year. I know without a doubt that WHEN HARRY MET MOLLY will be a smashing success.

Update: 11/3 – And Kieran did not come empty-handed, 3 (THREE) random commenters will receive an autographed copy of her debut book!

**Drawing open to  residents of the United States or Canada.

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Posted in Giveaways, Interviews, St. Martin's Press | 68 Comments »

Jeannie Lin Debuts with Butterfly Swords

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

It’s debut week on Blog! Please welcome Jeannie Lin today. Jeannie is debuting with her Golden Heart winning manuscript, BUTTERFLY SWORDS! I was lucky enough to read her Harlequin Historical Undone, THE TAMING OF MEI LIN and it is fabulous. I devoured it in one sitting. I have BUTTERFLY SWORDS on deck to read next and I have no doubt that it will be relegated to my ‘keeper shelf’. Jeannie is definitely an author to watch.

~*~*~

Tell us a little about Butterfly Swords.
It’s a story about a Tang Dynasty princess and a swordsman from Dark Age Europe who’s travelled across the silk roads. It takes place in the later part of the Tang Dynasty after what’s commonly thought of as the fall of the Golden Age. Ai Li is a young woman who’s been betrothed to a warlord, but she fakes her own kidnapping when she learns that the warlord is plotting against the throne. Ryam steps in to rescue her as she’s trying to make her way back to the capital, so they form a bond as they venture together through the countryside.
It’s a travel adventure with political intrigue, honor, and romance of course!

How much of the story is historically accurate?
I believe the historical setting and customs are accurate. The places are all real, from the imperial city of Changan to the western frontier of Gansu. I tried to envision the feel of the landscape in this time. However, the actual people are not historical figures. The figure of Emperor Shen is very loosely based on a warlord who seized the throne in this time of unrest and Ai Li’s character is also inspired by several notable princesses of the Tang Dynasty, however she’s not meant to be a depiction of any one person.

As to the question of westerners in China during this time, there’s some conjecture about visits from Roman envoys and European merchants such as the Radhanites throughout the Tang Dynasty. There are also legends about a Roman legion that made it all the way to the western frontier of Gansu, but centuries earlier. The East meets West elements of the story are a bit of alternative history twist, though there are records that indicate China knew of the West and thought favorably of it, calling it ‘Daqin’ which meant Great China; an empire as magnificent as its own.

Click to read 9.5 Top Pick Review

What sort of responses did you get when submitting such an unusual setting?
It’s funny, I always got a lot of interest, but also a lot of rejections citing the risky setting and premise. I think the story was high concept enough that people wanted to take a peek, but once they did, they had to decide if there was a market.

I sincerely believe that Butterfly Swords was rejected mainly because my writing wasn’t strong enough yet. The historical market is competitive for a debut author trying to break in with any setting. It just took a little more work for Butterfly Swords to be considered. The Golden Heart nomination came at a critical time and I think it gave the story a fighting chance. I was almost ready to set it aside, and query with the follow-up book, The Dragon and the Pearl.

Your book has received some buzz prior to the release date. Does any of it surprise you?
It’s all a little overwhelming, but for once it’s nice to stick out like a sore thumb, right? I really didn’t know what to expect, but I knew people would talk about the setting and perhaps the multicultural romance. I’m so grateful and relieved that the response has been so positive and supportive. The one thing that has surprised me is how people have responded to Ai Li. I didn’t realize how much she would seem to overshadow Ryam.

What’s next after Butterfly Swords?
The sequel is already at the end of the revision stage, though there’s no publication date set yet. Without too many spoilers, it’s tentatively titled, The Dragon and the Pearl and starts where Butterfly Swords left off. It features several of the secondary characters from Butterfly Swords, but is written as a complete standalone.

Other than the setting, it’s a very different book. First of all, there aren’t any of the big sword fights you’ll see in Butterfly Swords. After seeing how much people liked the fights, I’m a little worried about that. Butterfly Swords centered around martial arts and honor culture, whereas The Dragon and the Pearl focuses on the political underworld.

Jeannie Lin writes historical romantic adventures set in Tang Dynasty China. Her short story, The Taming of Mei Lin from Harlequin Historical Undone is available September 1. Her Golden Heart award-winning novel, Butterfly Swords, was released October 1 from Harlequin Historical and received 4-stars from Romantic Times Reviews—“The action never stops, the love story is strong and the historical backdrop is fascinating.”

Join the launch celebration at http://www.butterfly-swords.com for giveaways and special features. Visit Jeannie online at: http://www.jeannielin.com

One lucky commenter is going to receive a copy of BUTTERFLY SWORDS. Comment to enter to win!

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Posted in Giveaways, Harlequin | 36 Comments »

Ashley March debuts with Seducing The Duchess

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

Please welcome debut author, Ashley March to the blog. Ashley is joining us today to talk about the appeal of the reconciliation story, which just happen to be one of my favourites and is the premise of her historical SEDUCING THE DUCHESS.

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The Appeal of the Reconciliation Story

Every so often, one of the numerous romance novel blogs or sites will run a poll on readers’ favorite romance tropes.  From what I’ve seen, along with wallflowers and marriages of convenience, the reconciliation story seems to be one of the top-ranked preferences for historical romances.

Although I can’t speak for other romance readers, of course, I can tell you why I like reading about reconciliations between husbands and wives, and also why writing a reconciliation story for my debut novel, Seducing the Duchess, appealed to me.

The Characters Have a History.

Not only do the hero and heroine know each other in terms of their daily habits, likes, dislikes, and have an in-depth opinion of what makes the other tick, but they also intimately know each other’s flaws.  They’ve been through courtship, the wedding, the wedding night.  Because they’re now separated—for whatever reason—they’ve most likely seen each other at their worst.  If they were in love at the beginning of their marriage, the first state of post-coital bliss has now waned, and they have to face the realization that the spouse who once fulfilled every dream may have suddenly become more like a nightmare.  Because all pretenses have been stripped away and reality has set in, the reader knows that when the hero and heroine interact in the future, they will see each other for the person they truly are—not a knight in shining armor or a pretty princess waiting to be rescued.  We trust that if the characters reconcile, it is due to a love which is far greater than the powers of physical attraction or the excitement of the moment.  No matter their flaws and past history, we will know that these characters belong together.

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The Characters Have Emotions.

Not just the happiness that comes from a mutual attraction, nor the jealousy of insecure love.  In reconciliation stories, the reader is assured a much more evolved array of emotions.  Yes, there is likely to be happiness toward the end, and jealousy somewhere in the middle, but there might also be anger, melancholy, desperation, loneliness, distrust, fear, disappointment, remorse, contempt, longing, and much more.  As a reader of romance, I want to know the characters can have all of these emotions and still come through together at the end.  As a writer, I want my readers to experience these emotions along with my hero and heroine, to feel my characters not only fall in love, but also see them turn to each despite these feelings.  To know that, in the end…

There is Hope for the Future.

Romance readers love our happily-ever-afters.  We want to know that, despite the many internal and external conflicts and issues a relationship brings, the hero and heroine will always stay together.  This is why we turn the last page of the last chapter and look for an epilogue.  We want to know that one year, five years, or twenty years down the road, the characters will still be happy together and in love.  Reconciliation stories are different from other romances in that they are the epilogues.  In these books, the hero and heroine have already married, yet something has happened to force them apart.  By showing the reader the struggle between the characters to make their marriage work and the reconciliation that comes despite their past troubles and mistakes, I as a writer can assure you that this couple can now make it through whatever else that comes their way.  You can know that their happily-ever-after didn’t end when the hero proposed, when they got married, or when the first baby arrived.  Every day is their happily-ever-after, and because they love one another, there will always be hope for the future.

Are you a fan of reconciliation stories?  I’d love to hear what you love most about this oft-used plot that keeps you reading it over and over again.  I want you to fall in love with Philip and Charlotte in their reconciliation story, and to see that you do, I’ll be giving away a copy of Seducing the Duchess to one lucky commenter (open to both US and international participants).

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Posted in Authors, Berkley | 54 Comments »

And the winner is…

Friday, October 1st, 2010

Congratulations Karen! Please email your snail mail address to Tiffany at Tiffany at TiffanyClare dot com to receive your book.

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Posted in Giveaways, St. Martin's Press | 5 Comments »

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