Guest Author Miranda Neville!!

I will be under way from Cape May to NYC today, so moderation may be slow, but the wonderful Miranda Neville is here to keep you company. She’s talking to you about her book in the fabulous anthology, Dancing in the Duke’s Arms, that she along with several other my favorite authors have just released. I read it right away, and it is a must read!! She is also giving away one copy of any of her other books to one of you who leaves a comment saying you want it!!

First the cover!!

Why Do Dukes Fall in Love?

Every summer the cream of society gathers at the Dukeries, named for the ducal estates concentrated in one small corner of Nottinghamshire. While the entertainments include parties, balls, and a famous boat race, the ducal hosts and their guests find adventure, passion, and happy ever afters.

Four heartwarming stories from four bestselling authors of historical romance, Graces Burrowes, Carolyn Jewel, Shana Galen, and Miranda Neville

Miranda’s story is DUCHESS OF SCANDAL

She was too wild, he was too proud… When the Duke and Duchess of Linton meet after years of estrangement, they may discover they were made for each other after all.

After months of marriage, the Duke of Linton agreed to live apart from his wife. Thrown together due to a scheduling error, Linton finds Althea still has the power to make his heart race. Linton seems different from the critical, indifferent man Althea married. But though she burns for him as a lover, can she trust him to be the husband she needs?

Buy links: Kindle ~ Nook ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ Google Play

About Miranda:

Miranda Neville grew up in England, loving the books of Georgette Heyer and other Regency romances. Her historical romances include the Burgundy Club series, about Regency book collectors, and The Wild Quartet. She lives in Vermont with her daughter, her cat, and a garden full of weeds.

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Sunday News!

 

Happy Sunday!!

We’ll begin today with book winners, and we have a bunch of them.

First, the winner of Shana Galen’s books: Sandy Xiong

Next the winners of The Temptation of Lady Serena’s Blog Tour.

SOS Aloha: Janice Hougland

Manic Readers:  Glenda Martillotti

Miss Ivy’s Book Nook: Cathy Phillips

Romance at Random: Justine

Congratulations, ladies!!

In other news, I want to thank you again for keeping The Seduction of Lady Phoebe on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list for over four weeks now and The Temptation of Lady Serena on the Amazon bestseller lists for three weeks.

I recently discovered my iPhone camera can zoom in. I know it took me a while. Anyway here are some of the photos I took this week.

This photo of an early moon rise was taken at about 5:30 PM.

I finally got a picture of a pelican.

 

And a better picture of a visiting sailboat.

Except for a day visiting doctors only to discover I’ve torn my meniscus, I’ve been in the editing cave for the past week, and I’ll be there this week as well.

What did you do this week?

Ella

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Guest Author Shana Galen

Please help me welcome Regency Author Shana Galen back to the blog! Shana is giving away two books!

As you know, all use historical authors have to do a lot of research, so Shana is going to talk about how she goes about it. (sort of)

The Shana Galen Research Method

First of all, if you’re reading this blog post because you want research pointers, you should probably skip to the end and the info about the giveaway. This isn’t that type of post.

This is the type of post where I tell you how bad I am at research. Strange, right? I write historical romance novels. I’ve written something like fifteen of them. I must be used to research by now. I am used to it. I’m used to avoiding it!

Case in point, I’m writing another book set on a ship. The first such book was The Rogue Pirate’s Bride. I vowed never to write another book set on a ship again when that one was done. I wrote it when my daughter was a newborn and have pretty much no memory of what I wrote or what research I did. Which is why I have to do all the research over again for my newest pirate book.

Why did I break my vow? Because I’d made another vow first. I vowed to my readers that one day I would finish the Misadventures in Matrimony series. This book, Nick and Ashley’s story, is the last book in that series. The working title is Pirate Bride. Obviously, I have to set some of the book on a ship.

So about 40,000 words into the story, I figured I better start doing some research. There were too many pages where I’d left notes to myself to look something up or put XX because I wasn’t sure if the term I used was correct. See, one reason I love books set on ships is because sailors have a certain vocabulary. It’s not a corridor; it’s a companionway. It’s not the left side; it’s port (or larboard).

The trick to research, though, is to do way more than you ever use in the book. Can I just say that, as an author who doesn’t love research, I hate this fact? By the time this book is done, I’ll know way more about ships that I ever wanted, and my reader will only get a few of those details sprinkled in. It has to be this way. The only thing worse than a poorly researched book is one with too much research.

Honestly, I envy those authors who remember everything they research. My brain is like a sieve. I’m vowing never to write another book set on a ship, but if I do, I know I’ll have to do the research all over again.

Giveaway! I’m so excited to be working on Nick and Ashley’s book. I’m planning to self-publish it in late spring or early summer (depends how the research goes!). Until then, one person who comments saying she/he wants the books, will win the first two books in my Jewels of the Ton series (When You Give a Duke a Diamond and If You Give a Rake a Ruby), which concludes in March with Sapphires Are an Earl’s Best Friend.

Now I can finally show you the cover.

Author Bio:

Bestselling Author, Shana Galen

 

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 or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

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The Seduction of Lady Phoebe Release Tour

Six days and counting. Today I’m on the Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills, and I’ll be giving away a copy of The Seduction of Lady Phoebe. Please come join me!!

The Seduction of Lady Phoebe

“Lady Phoebe is a heroine Georgette Heyer would adore—plucky, pretty, and well worth the devotion of the dashing Lord Marcus. A marvelous find for Regency romance readers.” —Grace Burrowes, New York Times bestselling author

Polite society has its rules for marriage. But for Ella Quinn’s eligible bachelors, their brides will show them that rules are for the weak of heart…

Phoebe Stanhope is not a typical Lady. As feisty as she is quick witted, no one can catch her, especially when she is driving her dashing phaeton with its perfectly matched horses. And unlike her peers, experience has guarded her against a growing list of would-be suitors. But when she encounters Marcus Finley, what she fears most burns deep within his blue-eyed gaze…

For Lord Marcus, the spark of recognition is but a moment in the love he has held these many years. Now that he’s returned to England, all the happiness he desires rests on Lady Phoebe never finding out that he was the one who turned her heart so cold and distant. He must work fast to gain the advantage—to convince her what she wants is exactly what she denies—but in order to seduce her into his arms, he must be willing to give up more than he can control…

“A passionate tale full of humor, romance, and poignancy. Quinn writes classic Regency romance at its best!” —Shana Galen, author of If You Give a Rake a Ruby

 

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Sunday News!

Congratulations to this week’s winners!!

Jennifer Lowery won Collette Cameron’s book.

Melanie has won Shana Galen’s book.

Ceri won The Seduction of Lady Phoebe on Leatherbound Reviews

 

The Temptation of Lady Serena received her first review from Liza O’Connor.

The Temptation of Lady Serena

 

And The Seduction of Lady Phoebe received two more reviews on Goodreads.

The Seduction of Lady Phoebe

And to round out the week, I have a series trailer for The Marriage Game. Please let me know how you like it.

Have a wonderful week.

Ella

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Spotlight and Q&A with Shana Galen

Please help me welcome bestselling Regency Author Shana Galen. While I’m spotlighting her latest book, True Spies, Shana is going to answer your questions. She’ll also be giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commenter says they want the book in their comment.

Now to the cover. I think this is really lovely. What do you think?

Now accolades and the blurb:

Praise for Shana Galen:

“GALEN STRIKES THE PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN DANGEROUS INTRIGUE AND SEXY ROMANCE.” –Booklist

HE’S GETTING TIRED OF DECEPTION…

Winslow, Baron Keating is honor-bound to finish one last mission as an elite spy for the Barbican group even though he just wants to go home and be with his family. But after years of secrecy and absence, his daughters hardly know him and his wife has given up on him.

SHE WANTS TO TRY A LITTLE INTRIGUE . . .

Elinor, Lady Keating has had enough of domestic boredom. She contemplates an affair with a rakish spy, only to discover a world of intrigue and treachery that she never knew existed. Even more shocking, her neglectful

husband is suddenly very attentive – quite the jealous type – and apparently there is much more to him than she ever knew . . .

EXCERPT

He was standing across the room, shirtless, hair tousled, and he turned as she opened the door. The first thing she noted was the fatigue in his eyes. He’d always had the most beautiful, clear green eyes. He’d once given her a pair of emerald ear bobs, and she thought if he had been a woman, they would suit him better, for they matched his eyes perfectly.

    The second thing she noticed was it had been quite some time since she had seen him without clothing. His chest was bronzed and hard. He had broad shoulders, powerful arms, and a flat stomach. When he’d turned to look at her, the muscles in his abdomen had bunched and rippled in a way that left her all but breathless. And she still hadn’t caught her breath, because she noted he had lost a little weight. His trousers were loose at the waist and hanging at his hips, where a line of dark hair trailed temptingly downward.

      She had the mad notion to put her tongue on that trail and follow it down with long, wet strokes. She shook her head. Where had that idea come from? Elinor forced her gaze back to her husband’s face. He had a day’s worth of stubble and what appeared to be the beginning of a bruise on one cheek, and for some reason, it made him look rather rough and dangerous. That and the length of his wavy hair. How long had it been since he’d had it trimmed? She had never seen it this long. For a moment, she wished he were some dangerous stranger who would cross the room, take her in his arms, and kiss her until she forgot to breathe.

 Now a little about Shana:

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 or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.

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Sunday News!

Good morning to you all. Let’s start with the winner of Gina Danna’s book, Her Eternal Rogue, Linda Thum. Congratulations Linda!!

The giveaway for The Temptation Serena on Leatherbound Reviews is still ongoing.

The Temptation of Lady Serena

Today I’m on Romance Lives Forever. Please stop by and visit.

I’m working with the delightful Leanore Elliott on a series trailer for the first three books of The Marriage Game. I’d love to hear what you think.

The Seduction of Lady Phoebe

The Seduction of Lady Phoebe received a wonderful review.

She is also on Goodreads for a giveaway.

To those who remember the bird from last Sunday. I have discovered it’s a blue egret.

This is a busy week. Tomorrow is Monday Excerpts, where I invite authors, both published and pre-published to post their excerpts.

On Thursday I have a spotlight on Collette Cameron who is giving away a copy of her latest book, The Viscount’s Vow, and on Friday I have a spotlight and Q & A with Shana Galen, who is giving away a copy of her latest book, True Spies.

Pursuing Miss Eugénie Villaret has been sent to my editor and agent. I’ve begun book #6 whose working title is Lady Mary, which is turning out to be interesting in a convoluted way.

Here is a short excerpt, unedited excerpt.

Even though they were experiencing one of their few warm days this summer, a log crackled in the fireplace of the dower house’s elegant first floor morning room. Lady Mary Tolliver stared at her grandmother, the Dowager Countess of Barham, wondering at Grandmamma’s incipient insanity.

 Mary opened her mouth, then closed it again. Several moments passed in silence as she struggled make sense of what she thought she’d heard. Finally she said, “Surely, I have not understood you properly. You want me to do what?”

“Well I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

Mary shifted her gaze to her widowed aunt, Lady Eunice Phipson. Perhaps madness had always run in the family, and it was kept a secret so as not to ruin the family socially. After all, who would deliberately marry into a family where insanity was rampant?

“He has a face like a fish.” Aunt Eunice opened her eyes wide and moved her lips in a fair imitation of fish’s.

“Hake.” Grandmamma nodded decisively. “It’s the way his eyes protrude.”

Mary closed her eyes, repressing a shudder. “I agree, but there must be less drastic measures I can take.”

Grandmama leaned forward and pounded her cane on the floor. “He may look like a fool, my girl, but he’s canny, and, if what Cook told me is true, which I have no doubt it is, he almost caught you yesterday.”

“Yes, well.” There was the need to hide in the split of the old oak tree, before sprinting across the lawn to the kitchen garden, and into the dower house. “I got away from him.”

“This time.” Grandmama’s lips thinned.

Have a fantastic week.

Ella

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