Ella: Please join me in welcoming fellow Regency author Katherine Bone. (Applause)
Katherine: Thanks for inviting me, Ella!! I hope you don’t mind me bringing along some pirate bootay? (The undead monkey is your responsibility.)
Ella narrows her eyes: What booty and what undead monkey?
Katherine: Now, Ella. Get your mind out of the pigpen. Gibbs hangs out there anyway and he’s no use to us today. By the way, no need to bring out the BeeGees either. I’m talking about pirate treasure, doubloons aplenty, silver and gold.
Ella: My mind is not er, with the pigs. That meaning as applied to the word booty dates to 1920 and we’re in the Regency period. Now about the monkey…”
Katherine: well… Barbossa made Jack acquiesce to bring him along.
Ella sighs: Ah. Well I guess that explains it. Now, let’s get down to business. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Katherine: My travails are many, Ella. You see, I was abducted at a young age by Captain Jack Sparrow and raised on the Black Pearl, took a fancy to gold earrings at an early age, (so I’d never have to worry about paying for me own burial), and learned how to ride two sea turtles to Tortuga.
Ella: Katherine, I know you were not abducted.
Katherine: Who told you that? (Stomps foot)
Ella: I realize you’re caught up in your story, but please do remember you are the author.
Katherine: Oh man… That means you want the truth?
Ella nods: Indeed.
Katherine: All right… I’ve been enamored with pirates since Kathleen Woodiwiss, Johanna Lindsey, and Fern Michaels published books about sea captains and brigands years ago. Growing up a military brat, I had to learn to fit in fast, learn things on the fly, oftentimes a different language in order to get by. Being exposed to diverse cultures at an early age contributed to my zaniness and my muse. In art school, I met my own rogue, a dashing lieutenant who drove a yellow 280Z with black stripes! (Pirate!) Seduced by his effects, and charm, I allowed him to whisk me off my feet to that weathered horizon. It was during my years as a roving military wife and mother, with a compass pointing to what I wanted most, that I first felt the stirrings to write my own books.
Ella: Much better.
Katherine: Hey, I’m a writer. What’s better than disappearing into fiction?
Ella: You’re here today to promote your debut novel, Duke by Day, Rogue by Night, but first tell us how it feels to finally be published.
Katherine: It’s like rowing up to a hidden cove, plundering a cave’s depths and discovering barrels and barrels of rum. No… wait! That should be bootay— ‘er treasure. (Sashaying across the ship)
Ella glances briefly up at the ceiling: Katherine, please behave!
Katherine: Ooh, Ella. You do get straight to the point, don’t you?
Ella: I can but try.
Katherine: All right. Truth can be stranger than fiction. Becoming a published author has been a 20 year journey with gales in my wake. Before you cringe at how long it’s taken me to get to this point, you have to know that I was very involved as an Officer’s wife and in my children’s lives during this time, volunteering to help with events and fundraisers. So when I wrote, I only did so in spurts.
Then seven years ago, when my youngest child was in high school, the muse nudged me to seriously seek publication. I joined RWA and my local writing chapters, took online classes, and attended conferences. My philosophy has always been writing is about readers. And, as a reader who spent countless hours curled up with a book when my kids were fast asleep and my rogue was far away from home, my greatest joy has been maintaining the idea that one day I might be able to return the favor.
Ella: So how does it feel to be a published author?
Katherine: It’s a phenomenal boon to my spirits that I can now share my swashbuckling adventurous stories with readers everywhere. If I could ride two sea turtles to the moon and back, I would. 😉
Ella: What made you decide to write Regencies?
Katherine: Regencies rock! But I didn’t always write them. My first book was a Native American/Post Civil War/Shapeshifting/Western historical/paranormal. (I hope you read that right, because you won’t want to read it again!) LOL!!! Sadly, editors and agents liked the premise but couldn’t figure out what to do with the book. Then came Pirate by Night, which is now Duke by Day, Rogue by Night. The book flowed out of me like melted chocolate poured into a pre-shaped mold. (Pirate!) And as with any book, it went through many molds before it became what it is today. So, why the Regency period? After all, going from westerns to Regency seems to be a great leap. (Shoots the undead monkey)
Ella: I am not going to be responsible for that.
Katherine: It’s not as if you can kill him.
Ella sighs: I suppose not.
Katherine: Pardon me… I digress. What draws me to the Regency period? Within both genres, there are overlapping core values. The sense of self-discovery women explored. The alpha male who would do anything to protect the ones he loves. Eager gentlemen, top hats, rules of society, and the unshaken core of duty that drove nearly everyone to maintain a stiff upper lip, even when faced with deprivation or starvation. But what drew me to the Regency period more than anything else, however, was— England. No longer was the setting arid, desolate and rugged, but steep, forested, with hills and valleys and of course, filled with men like Mr. Darcy, who lived in castles and manses dotting the landscape, complete with historical mores and legends too numerous to name. And did I mention names? Here’s one example for your pleasure: Percival Avery, Marques Stanton, 7th Duke of Blendingham. With characters and setting, musical exhibitions and ballroom extravagances, the Regency period is pure Technicolor to a writer and a reader, and when properly done— sheer literary joy to the soul.
Ella: All historicals require a great deal of research. Was there anything particular that struck you?
Katherine: This is a great question! As you know, in order to create a three-dimensional story, a writer has to do his/her research. And when writing a novel, the research should be detailed. In Duke by Day, Rogue by Night, I knew I wanted to set my story in England. I also knew I wanted to write about pirates. What few people know, and what I learned during the research process, is that piracy did not end in the Golden Age of Piracy and the Caribbean. No, piracy existed in Europe until the capture of Benito Del Soto in 1833. When I discovered this little-known fact, I felt like I’d uncovered gold doubloons. Yes, piracy existed in my time period— 1804! As I dug deeper, I learned that the wars between England, France and Spain, created a market for smugglers to provide what the demi-monde and upper-crust desired to enhance their daily lives, things like brandy, tobacco, silk, and coffee. The majority of these smuggling groups established bases along the Cornish Coast, where Zephaniah Job led a thirty year monopoly beginning in the late 1770’s. So I had proof, setting, and the basis of conflict. What of my protagonists? While searching for ideas, I came across another great thread— Admiral Nelson. Prior to Trafalgar, Nelson was the key strategist in almost every naval encounter. He was highly respected, but he also never went without his tea, surprisingly— even during battle. This tiny tidbit about Nelson intrigued me so much, I thought, what if tea was code for mercenaries he called upon to carry out secret duties for the crown? What if these men were first sons from every walk of life, beyond suspicion? And what if these duties and pirate activities along the Cornish Coast coincided with the occupations of the men of Nelson’s Tea? Historical java, mates!
Ella: I see you have something special for one of our readers. 
Katherine: Yes. One lucky commenter will win one of my pirate treasure trunks full of bootay: bubblegum and chocolate doubloons, a postcard, bookmark and pen with my logo and book info, one of my stress bones, pirate rubber ducky, pocket watch, and more. (Shipped to US & Canada only)
Blurb: Duke by Day, Rogue by Night
Constance Danbury is fleeing an arranged marriage to lecherous Lord Burton, a man who has blackmailed her father and is nearly twice her age. Her escape takes her aboard a merchantman bound for Spain, where she hopes an aunt will help her procure funds to save her father’s dwindling reputation. But fate intervenes. Constance is captured by a pirate with a wit and stubbornness to match her own, and a secret he’ll do anything to keep.
Nobleman Percival Avery is a member of Nelson’s Tea, an elite group whose members are first sons from every tier in society. Undercover, he disguises himself as a pirate to infiltrate the gang of cutthroats responsible for his sister’s death. But when his vessel attacks a merchantman with valuable cargo, Percy is forced to choose between vengeance and saving the life of his commander’s niece, Constance Danbury. Mutiny is sure to obliterate his well-laid plans. It also aligns him with the one woman sure to see through his disguise. Forced to play the fop by day to outwit his enemies, he masquerades as a rogue by night in order to avenge his sister’s death – and to win his true love’s heart.
Excerpt
“Resisting me is pointless, Constance. I know what you need and I’m more than willing to provide. Only say the word and I will gladly show you how thrilling it is to sail with a pirate.”
“I’d die first,” she hissed.
“So you’ve said and nearly done.”
“You’re a vile, despicable beast!” she railed.
“A hungry beast,” he said close to her ear, taking one lobe between his teeth.
The hair on her neck stood on end as his breath energized her skin all the way to her lower extremities. Sensations prickled along her spine as his lips traced light kisses from her ear to her shoulder. Unbelievably, Constance felt her body reacting to his touch. Her legs weakened, her womb constricted strangely, and she let out a defeated moan. Encouraged, he pushed her blouse down the top of her shoulder and flicked his tongue across her neck, working up to her ear in a circular pattern.
“I’ll not pluck your petals unless you allow it, sweeting,” he whispered.
“Never,” she moaned.
“So you say now. Mark my words— you’ll be craving what I can give you before long.”
Buy Links
Crimson Romance: http://ebooks.crimsonromance.com/product/duke-by-day-rogue-night
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Duke-Day-Rogue-Night-ebook/dp/B009LQH7P0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353014434&sr=8-1&keywords=duke+by+day+rogue+by+night
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/duke-by-day-rogue-by-night/id568164766?mt=11
“Duke by Day, Rogue by Night is a rollicking romp of a pirate romance in the classic style. From ship deck to London ballroom, Katherine Bone’s story is packed with intrigue, and the disguise of her rough and dangerous hero as a town popinjay positively delights.” – Katharine Ashe, author of Captured by a Rogue Lord
“Ms. Bone has weaved a captivating tale of cat and mouse that will keep the reader turning pages long into the night.” – Michelle Beattie, author of Romancing the Pirate
“Katherine Bone is an author after my own heart! Duke by Day, Rogue by Night is a sexy, adventurous romp guaranteed to keep you reading into the wee hours of the night.” – Shana Galen, author of The Rogue’s Pirate Brid
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Ella Quinn ~ Author 