My Christmas anthology with Valerie Bowman, Vivienne Lorret & Ashlyn Macnamara, which released today in e-format! My story is titled Sophie & The Duke.

December 1, 2015
Buy the ebook:Kindle
|Kobo|iBooks|Nook|Google Play|HarperCollins

The holidays are a time for dining, dancing, and of course—dukes! Celebrate the Christmas season with this enchanting collection of historical romances featuring the most eligible bachelors of the ton…

A childish prank may have reunited the Duke of Hollingsworth with his estranged wife, but only the magic of Christmas will show this couple ’tis the season of second chances…

Sophie Kinsley planned to remain a wallflower at the Duke of Helmsworth’s ball. Yet when a dance with him leads to a stolen kiss, will the duke be willing to let her go? Or will Sophie’s Christmas wish be granted at last?

To the Duke of Vale, science solves everything—even marriage. When the impulsive Ivy Sutherland makes him question all of his data, he realizes that he’s overlooked a vital component in his search for the perfect match: love.

Patience Markham never forgot the fateful dance she had with the future Duke of Kingsbury. But when a twist of fate brings them together for Christmas Eve, will the stars finally align in their favor?

I love and I hate beginnings. I love figuring out the setting (as I blogged about last month), I love figuring out my characters. Love seeing them grow on the page and reveal their desires and fears in life. Love their romance to develop and grow.

But beginnings can be tough. I’ll admit, I’m one of those that usually fly’s through the first half of the book in a little over a month sometimes two. And then go back and make my changes. Usually I start at just the right time. The right place. I have a penchant for starting with Dialogue and in the middle of the action.

However, I did not do that with this book. I didn’t know until I had written a good 7K that I was starting in the totally wrong spot. It didn’t work for the characters, for me, for the story. It slagged. There was too much backstory, too much introspect. So, I put the book down for a couple weeks and thought about it. I didn’t realize that I would need to change the beginning (start it from page ten of what I had, not page one. Start it from Elliott’s POV–I rarely start in the male’s Point of View. But this book feels different. Heck, it is different. I don’t have a swarm of women to support each other in this book, something I’ve relied on for all the other historicals I’ve written. I feel like I’m wadding into uncharted waters sans life jacket.

A very good and wise friend said to me in the very beginning of my writing journey: Writing is about rewriting. I’ve taken that to heart. I’ve reminded myself of this every step of the way. I’ve repeated this mantra when I’m in revisions. When I know I have to cut scenes, when I know I’ve done something wrong in the story and I have to fix it.

What is the best piece of advise you’ve taken in your writing journey. The one thing you constantly remind yourself of? The one thing you repeat often to others (yes I tell everyone writing is about rewriting).

I love finishing a book. It means that I can work on the next project that I’ve already been thinking about for some months.

I’m gearing up to tell Abby and Elliott’s story. It’s got a very Jane Eyre feel for me with Abby being a governess, Elliott having a very dark past he wants to forget but can’t with his seven year old son staring back at him every day–don’t worry, there is no crazy wife in the attic.

I’ve chosen a secluded setting. I’m spreading out into the wilds of Northumberland. While doing research I stumbled upon the very private, kind of scary, and remote Bramburgh Castle.

Abby Halloway’s character is larger than life. She’s my little firecracker of the sisters. So much a page stealer I had to boot her off to Northern England so her sisters stories could be told.
I knew I had to give her a larger than life setting. Something that would temper her character and give my hero a step up so he’s not overshadowed by her brilliance. (Can you tell how much I love her?)

Though Elliott is a force to be reckoned with as well. He hasn’t had the easiest life, so when Abby Halloway shows up to fill the governess position, he refuses to play into her princess attitude. In fact, he’s outright ignoring her. In the process, he’s infuriating my young heroine.

For me, the setting is like another character. It needs to come alive around my characters and help set the overall mood of the story. I take as much time choosing my settings as I do forming my characters.

What are some of your favorite settings in books? Is there anything you haven’t read but would love to read for setting? What do you think of my humble abode?

It’s official. Hidden Beauty, though a great title, didn’t have quite the ring it needed.

So without further ado, I give you Jinan and Rothburn’s new title:

THE SURRENDER OF A LADY

And I might as well share with you the name of Emma and Asbury’s book, equally as awesome:

THE SEDUCTION OF HIS WIFE

Book three is still nameless. Well, not totally nameless, just waiting for the final placement of a few choice words. It’s being referred to as Abby’s book. How original, eh? I tend to stick with character names for working titles, makes life easier.

What makes a great title for you?

Also, I finished book two last night, rounding it at approximately 92K. I am very tired from marathon writing this long weekend. This book has been a new record for me, I finished it in five months (thank God I get more time for the third book. 🙂

I’m in deadline mode. That means no reading (for fun), no goofing off whenever the mood strikes, no cleaning the house AT ALL there is no longer a two second rule for dropped food, just bring it over to the garbage…

When this book is done (very soon) then I will become a somewhat sane person again.

I want an awesome present. I want to watch some great period flicks when this is over. You know those movies you can’t live without? That you recommend to everyone? Something to set the mood if you love reading or writing historical.

I love period flicks. Chances are I’ve seen a good chunk of them at least once (though I can’t guarantee I’ll remember the title).

My most watched movie-EVER: The Piano. I’m a sucker for the musically inclined.

So my next favorite movie should come as no great surprise, and it’s second most watched movie I own: Immortal Beloved. Let’s face it, it’s no great secret that I adore everything Beethoven.

Recently discovered a fave and I’ve watched at least a dozen times this year alone: Lady Chatterley. Drove me nuts they changed Mellors name to Parkin (maybe Mellors is hard to say en Français?), but this is by far the best rendition of Lawrence’s book. I own three other versions, and for the most part they suck and do the book no justice in any shape or form. In fact, some are completely diff from the book.

Give me more. I’ve already got North & South down pat (it’s four hours though so can’t watch it as frequently). But I know there are some that want to join these three movies in my binge the moment I’m finished with Asbury’s book.

(Ely here: P.S. Congrats to Tessa Dare on her new release, Surrender of a Siren. Buy this book now!)

Hello everyone. I’m home, not nearly rested enough, but thought I had better report on nationals.

Actually I don’t have a lot to report. I’m generally a very boring person—you know that person that kind of hangs out at the back of the room with a smile on her face… yup, that’s me.

So, I started the conference with the EJ/JQ BB party. It was great to meet so many BB people! The evening was all about standing in line with Courtney Milan for the literary signing! We didn’t realize how far back we were until we turned the corner to go into the room and there had to be like 700 more people in front of us! But, we prevailed and raced to Tessa Dare’s spot (we preplanned the race by figuring out where she was approximately on the map, LOL) And we were some of the first in line to get a brand spanking new Tessa Dare novel, Goddess of the Hunt.

After that, I don’t remember much of what I did besides lunch and brekky dates with my editor and agent.

I went to very few workshops. I’m not sure why. I planned to go to at least five and I only went to one. I think I was a little overwhelmed the first couple of days so was slow and doing anything aside from talking with anyone who happened to sit beside me. There were just so many people there, and you could literally go a day without seeing anyone you knew.

The best part of the trip was probably sitting and chatting with the many friends I’ve made online over the years and making new friends.

Not once did I take out my digital camera, so I have zero pictures. PJ, where are you? You always had your camera out.

Maybe next year I will be better prepared to report on this! LOL