Rakes Rogues and Romance

May 23, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 13 Comments

Review of Lorraine Heath’s Lord of Wicked Intentions, the last “Lost Lords of Pembrook” book, and favorite romance series

What can I say about this series? It has become my most loved romance series. Each book, starting with the first, “She Tempts the Duke” builds upon each other to weave a tapestry of a story of betrayal, loss and ultimately, love.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know my favorite of the series is Lord of Temptation. Tristan Easton is close to my perfect hero. If you want to read perhaps one of the best written, emotionally wrenching scenes ever written, read the scene when he returns to the castle where he and his brothers were imprisoned. Call me a fool but it never fails to make me cry.

But we, as lovers of this series were waiting for Rafe’s story. Rafe was the little brother, only ten years old, who was left behind in a workhouse by his oldest brother Sebastian. You see, the three brothers, Sebastian, the oldest and heir to the Dukedom, his twin Tristan, always a little devilish, and Rafe, the baby brother, were imprisoned by their uncle, who wanted to take control of their inheritance, homes, their lives.

We know that Sebastian was wounded horribly in the Crimean War and Tristan had his own scars, but Rafe? He was the enigma, the one who hardly spoke, who pulled away from all contact with not only society, but with his brothers. He couldn’t find it in his heart to forgive them for leaving him, for subjecting him to live in the subhuman conditions of London’s underbelly.

The beauty of the writing is how Ms. Heath allows her characters to overcome their psychological wounds and pain. to learn to forgive and to open themselves to life and love again.

Rafe is the owner of the most notorious gambling hell in London and many noblemen owe him fortunes. The Earl of Wortham has offered up his bastard half sister as mistress to the highest bidder. As soon as Rafe sees the lovely Evelyn Chambers, he knows he can’t let another possess her. Evelyn feels drawn to the dark and silent man, and when Rafe takes her home with him, rather than let her be bought by a lascivious lord, she knows her life as an innocent is over.

We read the book and we learn how Evelyn works through her shame of giving up her dream of marriage and family to relegate herself as a mistress.

It is Rafe however whom we want to see redeemed. We want him to find peace for his soul, as he is so tortured, he can’t have anyone touch him. That’s right. He can’t allow anyone to put their arms around him. As you read his heartbreaking story of growing up alone, feeling unwanted, always waiting for his brothers to come and rescue him, your heart continuously breaks for him.

The conclusion is eminently satisfying and worthy of such an epic series. Seeing how these two scarred desperate people battle their demons to learn how to love and forgive is worth staying up well into the night for.

And not everyone is forgiven. Keep a watch for what happens to Evelyn’s brother, Wortham. A fitting retribution.

What is your favorite romance series, and which book out of them stands out for you? Why? What made that book so special for you?

After all, I need more books in my TBR pile!

May 22, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 5 Comments

An Inside Look at Today's Book Reviewers

Reblogged from Writers In The Storm Blog:

Writers In The Storm is pleased to welcome Big Al, our first reviewer!

Looking at the posts on the Writers In The Storm Blog and reading the bios of the contributors I was reminded of one of my favorite things to say about what I do: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, review.”

I know, not very original, which is at least part of the reason why I’m not an author.

Teaser Tuesday-Post an Excerpt

How about we do a teaser Tuesday? Post from your Work in Progress, (or your release, with buy links) any excerpt (500 words or less please!) that gives a hint of a secret or something one of your characters wishes to hide.

This is from my very rough draft of my newest WIP, The Marquess and his Lady.

It was only in the last few miles or so that Hunter’s nerves began to get the best of him. He rationalized seven years absence was the reason, yet if he thought hard upon it, he knew that wasn’t the reason. The thought of entering the house where his life came crashing down around him left him almost breathless with grief.
The carriage lumbered over the crest of the hill, and there she was. Redburn Abbey. The turrets stood just as tall and proud as he remembered, the lawns a verdant green, sparkling with the dew that had yet to dry in the coolness of the morning air. The grey stone façade looked the same as ever, with glossy green ivy snaking upwards, all outlined against a brilliant blue autumn sky. All the windows sparkled and there was a new roof and bricked chimneys.
“I haven’t seen the Abbey in almost a decade.” Ash peered out the carriage window. “Your father would be proud of how you’ve kept the estate.”
Hunter’s mirthless laugh echoed within the carriage. “You needn’t be kind. I’m a grown man. I am aware of how I’ve neglected my duties to the Marquesette.” He exhaled and raked his hand through his hair, welcoming the pain of pulling the tangles from his scalp. “My father would’ve been appalled at my disregard for my inheritance and taken a switch to me as if I were a lad of ten years of age.”
As they drew closer he could see the bustle of activity about the estate and watched as the front door opened servants pouring out to line up at the entrance for his arrival. He recognized few, save for the butler and the housekeeper, but then again, did it really matter?
This house had never truly been a home. There were no loving memories of picnics or parties, no birthday celebrations. His mother had died birthing Marshall and his father, busy with his position in the House of Lords, had never remarried and rarely came home when they were young, except to see to pressing matters of the estate. The only comfort he and his brother had ever received for scraped knees or fear of storms, had come from nurses, nannies or the housekeeper. There was never a tender smile to greet him in the morning or a bedtime story to be shared. Before he bedded his first girl at fifteen, a local wench from the village, he couldn’t recall a single time he had ever been kissed.
No one had ever told him that they loved him.
A sting of tears in his eyes almost sent him reeling. Needing to fill the silence he blurted out. “We’re here.” Master of the obvious, Hunter.
Ash looked at him strangely. “Quite so.”

May 20, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 9 Comments

Are Tropes de Trop?

We all have reasons we turn to particular books. Some are auto-buys. We have loved everything the author has ever written, so we just blindly buy the book. (And in some cases we find out w don’t really love it, but then make excuses and still continue to buy their books anyway).
Then there are debut authors, and as true readers, we like to give new authors a chance (I hope) so we but their first book in the hopes that it satisfies us.
But what draws up to want to read? For some it is the cover. I like a nice cover, but that could never persuade me to buy a book. We have to like what the author is writing about. We pick it up and it seems like it might be a familiar tale, but how is THIS author going to tell the story?
That’s a trope.
Romance novels have many. It could be the quintessential reformed rake, or the virginal hero trope. or ending up in bed with the wrong woman and therefore have to marry her trope (whew)
For women, there is the tried but true impoverished governess, or hidden ruination/baby, or how about the plump, or bespectacled or bluestocking who could never get a man but ends up with the biggest rake in town, topre?
Or do you not like tropes at all? Do you wish for something new and fresh?
What would you like to see romance authors write about?
And if you read and write Regency, Georgian, Victorian, what can you write about that hasn’t been done to skirt the boundaries, but still seem authentic?
There are trends I see now that I am happy to finally read. We have Maire Claremont whose The Dark Lady is about drug addiction. Heather Snow’s Sweet Madness, is about PTSD. My own work in Progress deals with child abuse and depression. All topics I believe ten years ago, no one would write about so openly.
It’s romance, so it should be happy.
I find that I like my happily ever after to come after the journey has made the characters grow and learn about themselves. Just to put a pair of glasses on a woman, or have her read a book and make her a bluestocking isn’t enough. It’s like calling a novel Regency because you date it 1810 and there is a carriage and a ball.
Show us something more. Something different. Something interesting.
So what are your favorite tropes and what are the books that best illustrate them?

May 17, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 8 Comments

Writing, Recipes and Sesame Chicken

Yesterday was a bad day. I lost my work keys, my ID, my Starbuck s card (truly the real tragedy) and the wallet to hold them all. As my son and I were making dinner -yes he is an amazing chef, I am so lucky, he asked me.
“So what’s with all these Dukes, mom?”
Innocently I answered, “Whatever do you mean?” So in between chopping onions, and knowing full well that he sees the books I have laying around.the house I explained in a little more detail than just, ”I’m trying to write a book.”
I’ve caught him reading my Twitter and checking out this blog, so he had a pretty good idea what the scoop is.
He thought for a moment then asked “Do you think after everything happens you’ll make a million dollars?”
After I picked myself up off the floor from laughing, I burst his dream and broke it to him gently. “No, honey, I’m sorry. That’s not going to happen.”
He thought for a moment then asked. ”Are you going to be on Amazon?
I smiled and answered, “I hope so. That’s the plan.”
He said, “Wow, that’s cool. I can’t wait to tell my friends.”
I thought about how simple it all was to him and I realized that’s all it’s truly about.
The fun of it, the joy of writing for writings sake, it’s why we do it.

I then asked him why he likes to cook. One of his dreams is to be on Chopped, but he isn’t a fast cook. He is deliberate and needs to make sure he putting together things that make sense. He looked at me and said, “cause it’s fun to think up all the different recipes and put stuff together and see how it works and tastes. Plus I like to eat.”

True That.

He is the king of 3 dinners a night, starting before I get home at 5 o’clock and lasting until abut 10 o’clock. If you look at it from my son’s point of view, it’s the same reason we write. We think up stories and like putting it all together to see how it works. And we do it because we have this love of reading.

Luckily, it’s also less fattening.

Writing a book is like creating a recipe. We figure out the ingredients of our story, work out the amount of time each character needs to be present and who works well with whom, then we combine them all together. After he first attempt, it usually doesn’t taste the best, so you get your taste testers to try it and help you figure out what need tweaking.
Eventually though, you get it right. and that is the fun of it. Because there isn’t any million dollar pot at the end of the rainbow. That isn’t why we write, or cook or create anything. We do it because we love it, for the innate sense of joy and happiness it brings us.
Oh, and here’s what he made:
Pineapple Sesame Chicken:

And yes it was delicious. Now if I could only get him to cleanup the kitchen afterwards…..

May 15, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 19 Comments

Darcy Burke joins us today to discuss her new release “Never Love a Scoundrel.”

I don’t even remember how I discovered the first book I read of Darcy Burke. It was “To Seduce a Scoundrel.” For those of you who read this blog regularly by the title alone, you know it would be my kind of book.

Yes it was. It has a totally tortured hero in Ambrose, and that was all it took for me. I was hooked and I read it and read the other two in the series. Somehow, I had done what I hated, which was read the series out of order, but I didn’t care. Each book is wonderful on its own, although Ambrose does remain one of my top tortured heros.

Now we are lucky enough to have Darcy here on release day for the latest book, Never Love a Scoundrel. I am in the middle of it and it is just as good as I knew it would be!!

Let’s meet Darcy

So you started writing at 11. Did you keep your story about the swans?

Yes! I read it to my daughter often when she was younger (she’s 12 now). You can see a picture of it on my website.

Did you always want to write romance and why?

Yes, because I’m a huge fan of happy ever afters. Movies and books (you know, “women’s fiction”) that end without an HEA frustrate me. Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy them, but I can’t seem to think of stories that don’t have a happy ending. If I have an unsatisfying dream, I sometimes wake myself up trying to fix it!

What drew you to the Historical Romances?

I’m a total history geek. Even as a kid, I was obsessed with pretending I lived in a different time, whether it was Little House on the Prairie or Tudor England. In school, i enjoyed history so much that I decided to major in it. Most people wondered what I would do with such a degree besides teach (which had occurred to me). Guess I figured out how to use it!

Please tell us about your new release, Never Love a Scoundrel.”

Never Love a Scoundrel has a little bit of a Beauty and the Beast flavor. The hero, Jason Lockwood, has a vicious scar that, along with an explosive temper at a bad time in his life, have led Society to believe that he’s a madman. Then the fact that he hosts scandalous vice parties doesn’t exactly recommend him. The heroine, Lady Lydia Prewitt was introduced in book two of the series, His Wicked Heart. She was a very secondary character, a sort of mean girl, and I didn’t intend for her to have her own story at the time. Then she showed up in To Seduce a Scoundrel and her backstory became very intriguing to me–why was she such a scandal monger? What are her hopes and dreams?

Given Jason’s utter sandalousness and her penchant for dishing gossip, they seemed like a perfect match!

What was your inspiration for this series?

I’m not sure I had an inspiration for the series. Each book has inspired me in different ways. When I conceived Her Wicked Ways, which is about a poor orphanage owner who doubles as a highwayman, I thought he would be the hero of the final book in a trilogy, but that story really came to me quickly and so I decided to write it as the first of a trilogy that would feature the heroine’s brother (Jasper in His Wicked Heart) and his best friend (Ambrose in To Seduce a Scoundrel). His Wicked Heart (and To Seduce a Scoundrel too, I suppose) was partially inspired by Fight Club. I thought it would be intriguing to write a hero who participated in something like that–for whom violence became a soothing mechanism of sorts.

What is up next for you?

The final book in the series, Scoundrel Ever After, which is Jagger’s story. We first met him as the villain of To Seduce a Scoundrel, and he’s appeared in every book since. He’s a devilishly fun character to write and I can’t wait to share his story. I also love his heroine, Audrey. She’s got quite a few secrets up her sleeve!

You have the most beautiful covers. Can you tell us something about them?

I have an amazing cover artist, Patricia Schmitt. Trish has a wonderful eye for color and she has a way of making my covers look like paintings that I just adore. Plus, Trish is so much fun to work with. I was fortunate enough to attend the photo shoot for the next book’s cover, Scoundrel Ever After. That was incredibly fun! Jenn LeBlanc of Studio Smexy took the photo. In fact, 5 of the 6 covers in this series feature her photos.

Do you plot out your individual books and your series, or are you a pantser?

I’m a plantser, which is something in between! I like to have a general plot outlined, or at least the turning points outlined. That way I can write to each turning point and then evaluate where I am in the character arcs and stories. I just wish I had a repeatable process from book to book, but I don’t! Everyone is its own animal.

With a husband, 2 kids and 3 cats, you obviously have a lot of spare time. (LOL) What do you do to relax, and what is your typical writing day like?

When the kids are in school, I have a 6 or so hour work day if I’m lucky. If I have to run errands or do appointments, that interferes. Of those hours, I hope to write for at least two of them. That seems like it’s not a lot, but it’s actually really hard to write for hours at a time. I tend to write for an hour, take a break and do other work-related tasks, and then write for another hour. It’s best if I can write at least once scene a day so that I stay “in” the story.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?

I like to spend time with my family, watch my favorite shows, which include The Vampire Diaries, Grimm, and Game of Thrones, and drink wine. Oh, and I run the occasional half-marathon or other length of race.

If you could visit any place you’ve never been, where would that be and why?

Tahiti. I really, really want to spend a few days in one of those bungalow things that sit over the water.

To one lucky commenter, Darcy will give away a copy of one of her back list books, print or ebook. U.S. or Canada only

Excerpt:
The set was finishing. If Lydia was right, a waltz was next. Did he know how? By all accounts, he hadn’t been to a ball in ages. “It’s a waltz,” Lydia said.
“Is it?” He sounded careless. “Excellent.” His gray eyes looked into hers with an intensity that made her toes curl. What was he about this evening?
She took his arm, and they left the alcove. With each step toward the dance floor, Lydia was aware of attention turning toward them, of heads turning, of conversation ceasing. By the time they took their places and the music started, the ballroom was almost deadly quiet, except for the strains of the waltz. As he swept her into the dance, the other couples remained still. For a few moments they moved about the center of the ballroom, his hand at her back, her hand on his shoulder, their fingers clasped. It seemed they were the only things moving in the entire world. Time had ceased to advance. Everyone around them was frozen in some eerie tableau.
But Lydia was most aware of him. His wide shoulders, his warmth, that jagged scar . . .
“Why do you stare at it so much?” he asked.
She shook her head and raised her gaze to his. “What?”
His eyes held the same intensity as they had in the alcove. “My scar. You always stare at it.” His voice grew soft. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“No,” she said the word before she even contemplated her reasoning. Why did she stare at it? She wasn’t the least bit repulsed by how it looked. “It makes me sad. I wish you didn’t have it. I wish I could make it go away, and not because it disfigured your face, but because it’s a reminder of something I’m sure you’d rather forget.”
She heard his breath catch. Her heartbeat doubled. She knew what it was like to want to forget, to erase memories from your mind and maybe create a history that could make you smile instead of weep. His eyes bored into hers and she thought he understood.
The moment shattered as other couples started dancing and conversation picked up again. She looked up at him, prepared to query him about his half brother, but the questions died on her lips. He was still looking at her in that intensely . . . hot way. Maybe whatever moment they’d shared hadn’t broken apart. Maybe this was more than a moment.
Lydia’s gaze locked with his as the waltz continued. For the first time ever she simply enjoyed the dance. She wanted to laugh at doubting his skill—he was exquisite. He moved gracefully and effortlessly for such a large man, but then his build was athletic. What did he do to achieve such results? Suddenly the questions burning her brain became far more personal. What did he do for leisure? How had he learned to dance so well? What made him happy?
But she said nothing. She was too afraid to ruin this blissful interlude where she was simply a young lady enjoying a waltz with a handsome man.
Unfortunately the music began to wind down. Lydia’s pulse quickened with anxiety. She didn’t want it to end, wished time would freeze again, and they could dance forever. Tears blurred her eyes. She never cried. Why now?
The music ended, and she blinked rapidly lest she break down. Goodness, pull yourself together, Lydia!
Reality forced its way back in as they made their way from the dance floor. People were openly staring again, and the sound in the ballroom came to a slow but definitive halt. Even the musicians remained silent.
And then Lydia knew why. Emerging from the throng of people to greet them as they exited the dance floor was the only other person who could cause such a furor.
She looked up at Lockwood, her arm clutching his as if she could give him strength. Later she would have to consider this sudden and surprising allegiance to him, but for now, she only hoped he was all right.
His eyes were dark and they fixed on the figure standing directly before them.
Locke’s lips spread in a wicked smile. “Good evening, brother.”

Bio:
Darcy Burke wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. An RWA Golden Heart® Finalist, Darcy loves all things British (except tomatoes for breakfast, or any other time of day, actually) and happy ever afters.
A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and three cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge. Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcyburke.com, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/darcyburkefans.

May 14, 2013
by NancyS.Goodman 15 Comments

The Day RT came to me

Take a look at these two fabulous women. The lady on the left is Lindsey Ross, voracious romance reader, and my cyber BFF. she has been a cheerleader and my beta reader, pointing out my strengths and weaknesses in my manuscript. She let me know what she liked best (my characters Dex and Viscount Grentham-right Lindsey?), and what needs work. She has recently begun her own blog, Romance Reader Girl, and I know she will be wonderful, as she understands and loves Historical Romance and is interested in promoting new and upcoming romance authors. :)

The marvelous lady on the right is none other than Renee Bernard. I discovered her books several years ago, with “A Lady of Pleasure.” It was about a Duke. Who was a rogue. And he was presumed to be a killer. You know I was all up into that book. It is great! Naturally, I read the other connected books and when she began her “Jaded Gentleman” series, oh I did the happy dance. I love her stories, her writing and my only complaint is that she doesn’t write fast enough for me.

Oops, sorry Renee.

Now you must all be wondering “This is nice, Nancy, they look like lovely people but, so what? What’s s o special about them?”

Look at this:

You see, Lindsey was lucky enough to go to RT last week and since I couldn’t go, she and Renee decided to bring it all to me.

Literally. I came home and found this box packed to the brim , stuffed with books, bookmarks, cards, lipgloss, nail files (can you believe it!!), playing cards, and SO MUCH MORE!!!

Now I have to tell you all, I have never met these women in person. Renee for some reason took a liking to me (I was probably a lunatic fangirl stalking her) and Lindsey is a friend of hers and we both would comment on her wonderful radio show, “Canned Laughter and Coffee,” so we cyber-friended.

Back to RT. All through out the day and evening, I would get texts and pictures from the convention, seeing them hang out with all my favorite author-people, going to panel discussions and little hints as to what was coming my way.

In this prize box were books on books on books and books and so many other goodies. Included in this treasure trove are two personally signed books, “Lord of Temptation” by Lorraine Heath and “How to Tame a Willful Wife” by Christy English.

I could plotz.

I’ve been teaching Renee a little Yiddish, so for those of you who don’t know, to plotz, means to fall over and drop. I think it sounds better in Yiddish. But that’s what I did. And I was so touched, because I couldn’t believe that Lindsey, a person I’ve neve met or even spoken to on the phone went around and did this for me, because she knew how much I loved these authors.

How amazing is she?

It speaks to me of the power of social media, because I never would have met these people, if not for Facebook. Where else can you connect with so many people at one time and share your passion?

It speaks to me of the power of books, the power of people who love books and the wonderful society we have for ourselves as writers and readers of this genre.

It doesn’t matter whether you read about cowboys or CEO’s, Vampires or vamps, Dukes or Earls, what we all love is that marvelous feeling that when we start a book, we are transported to another time, another place. We become lost in a world that is real to us, so much so that we can lose ourselves in the cities and towns, in the dinners and dances and the bumpy road to true love.

And just because I LOVE to have the last word in any argument, if someone thinks that Historical Romance should die and people aren’t reading it, just go to an RT convention. From all the pictures I have seen, the authors of this genre have nothing to worry about. Your fans, we all love you.

NOLA 2014!!!!

Keep on Truckin’