The Secret is Out

Here is the cover of my new book HENRIETTA'S HOAX.

If you are familiar with my last book, DEVERELL'S DILEMMA, you will recognize it as a sequel.
Here's a teaser:

     Henrietta has a secret. for five years she's hidden behind short hair and scruffy trousers, ducking down alleys and working odd jobs with the other orphaned street lads. But it's only a matter of time before her true identity is discovered. And when her uncle finds her, she'll pay for her defiance.
     Nathaniel Bromfield also has a secret. Under his dusty , disheveled exterior, Nat is a young man of wealth and respectable lineage, hiding from the Bow Street Runners and fleeing a bogus murder accusation. He must find a way to survive until his innocence is proven... not so simple without the help of his young orphan friend, Henry White. 
     Together, Henry and Nat face dangers in the brutal streets of London and learn to rely heavily on each other. But no thieving uncle or murderous street bully can prepare Henrietta for the biggest challenge of her life--telling her best friend she's a girl.
   Sparks fly in this lively Regency tale of mistaken identity and hidden affection. Will Henrietta and Nat uncover true love with their friendship ? Or will it remain hidden behind Henrietta's Hoax?

The book should be out in a week or two on Amazon and soon to follow on Kindle.

BTW my blog header and book cover are by Selestiele Design at selestiele@gmail.com

Four writers, Cecily White, Jean Rosenow, Kaye Calkins,
Beth Carter from Ozarks Romance Authors, will be signing
books at the First Friday Art Walk in Springfield, MO.

Place: Park Central Branch Library, 128 Park Central Square.

Date: August 2, 2013

Time: 6:00 - 9:00  

Immersed in History

   Williamsburg, Virginia was the capitol of the state from 1699 to 1780. It was here men like George Washington helped decide the fate of our first thirteen colonies. Several buildings give you the taste of the times and lives of those who lived during the revolution.

The Capitol Building

   The Capitol Building housed the Council Chamber, General Court, and the House of Burgesses. Patrick Henry delivered his speech against the stamp act, and George Mason wrote the Declaration of Rights for Virginia here. Jefferson was governor during the Revolutionary war. Later when the capitol moved to Richmond, the British took over the town.
   Virginia declared independence from England on June 29,1776 just five days before the nation did so in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776.


   The Bruton Parish Church was attended by the governors, whose names are on a plaque in the narrow auditorium. The governor had a very ornate chair set aside for him. Others from the House of Burgess also attended. George Washington's pew has his name on it. There was an excellent pipe organ concert the night we visited.

Bruton Parish Church

 
   The governor's Mansion was decorated in the style and colors of the period. Bright greens & blues dominated the drawing room. Heavy ornate white wood surrounded windows and doors. A tour was conducted by a lady in colonial dress and knowledgeable of the people who lived there and the times. The gardens were large and done in the English style of hedges and flowers.
   
   We heard a speech by a man dressed as George Washington and he also answered questions from the crowd. There were several acts put on in the streets and before the capitol in the afternoon. They were entertaining and informative. The man on the horse is Aaron Burr after he defected to the English.

The traitor - Aaron Burr

Governor's Mansion and Gardens

Vacationing in DC & Virginia

   I have spent a lot of time writing and editing over the last few months. But that's not all I have been doing. My husband and I had a delightful trip to Washington DC. We visited my younger daughter and her husband

Capitol Dome and Fountain

 who are living there.  

   I had always wanted to see Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia. We spent two and a half days there exploring and watching re-enactments.

   To stand on the shore of James Fort [later Jamestown], where the first permanent English settlers arrived in 1607 was a heart-pounding moment.
   The harsh ordeal they  faced over the next few years would take all but fifty- one of the five hundred lives by illness, starvation and exposure. They were gentlemen and business men and were totally unprepared and sometimes unwilling to commit to the hard manual labor of building  in this swampy marsh. At first the Indians provided food and support for them as the colonists knew little about farming. But relations with the Indians disintegrated over the first year, and conflict arose.

Jamestown Shore line

        
The endeavor was chartered by a group of investors, the Virginia Company of London. They expected a profit from their money and became anxious as they sent more and more supplies with no return. In 1608 a group of men from Germany and Poland arrived and started the first manufacturing -- Glassware.
    We spent a great deal of time watching these men blow glass. They make the same items, pitchers, glassware, etc that were sent to England in the 1600's.

Glass Blowers - Furnace behind

pitchers & small containers

Old Church on Jamestown Island

  Conditions were still deplorable until John Rolfe brought tobacco seed with him from the Caribbean, and a marketable product was harvested in 1614.                                   
   Jamestown was the capitol of Virginia until 1699.

   You can tell I love history. I hope you enjoyed this very short version about Jamestown.
Next time Williamsburg.

HENRIETTA'S HOAX --- Coming Soon

   It has taken a long time, but I hope to publish my sequel to Deverell's Dilemma in the next month. Several readers had mentioned how much they liked a couple of my characters. I felt the same way about them, thus Henrietta's Hoax was written.

    I sent Henrietta's Hoax to Avalon Publishing in late 2011. At that time the owner was working on a deal to sell the publishing business. Many manuscripts sat in their office until April of 2012 when it was announced Avalon had been sold to Amazon. I told you about this earlier.

  The manuscripts that had not been contracted by Avalon were turned over to Amazon. The good part of the sale was our published books were put into paper back and Kindle. The hard part was my manuscript for Henrietta was now on a desk waiting -- again.

The first of this year I got a refusal from Montlake, the romance publisher of Amazon. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my book but decided to do a complete edit with the help of my critique partners, Barb, Cecily & Diana. After much thought I decided to e-publish on Kindle. For the last six months I have made royalties on Deverell's Dilemma from Kindle sales, so it seemed like the best place for it.

 Keep your eyes open for HENRIETTA'S HOAX.

 IT'S A DELIGHTFUL ROMP THROUGH THE REGENCY ERA.
   

Exciting news! My book DEVERELL'S DILEMMA is now in paper back and on Kindle.
Several of you, who are Kindle owners, have asked about it in the past.

I am down to the last few chapters of my new manuscript, BELOVED. I have woven a story from several verses in Ezekiel 16. It has been a different journey in my writing than my Regencies. When you are using the Bible as your background you want to get it right. It's a love story that starts in 14th century France and moves to the Middle East. The research, though fascinating, involved a great deal of time. More than once I wanted to give it up, but the basis of the tale had been in my heart for over seven years. I knew it had to be written.

Kaye Calkins & DEVERELL'S DILEMMA

Cecily relaxing

This was the 25th Anniversary of the Ozarks Romance Authors Conference. Fabulous job and many thanks to all of  the conference committee and especially to Chairman Cecily Cornelius-White.
Some of the Author sessions were on Self - Publishing, Publicity, Writing Emotion, and Plotting. The two agents gave tips on how to negotiate the Agent/Author Relationship.
The day was informative and fun. You should be there next year.

I've selected a few pictures to share.            

                                                                                            

Author & Publisher: Steven Law

Two of our speakers: Authors Leigh Michaels

 & Jennifer Brown 

Agent: Lucienne Diver Author: Rob Thurman Agent: Corie Deyoe Author: Jennifer Brown

My Favorite Authors Now

   I like my history tangled with murder and mayhem and no one does it better than Anne Perry. I am addicted to her two Victorian series. Her characters are wonderfully real -- flawed, but intelligent and likable. She keeps you guessing til the end when Thomas and Charlotte Pitt expose the culprit. Or Monk and Hester bring the malefactor to justice whether they are noble-born or from the crime infested alleys of Seven Dials. Her re-occuring secondary characters enhance the story with their own distinct voice.
   C.S. Harris has a series called Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries. Sebastian is a noble man, in the Regency period, who likes to solve murders to the dismay of his father and many others in the ton. Ms.Harris is superb at adding twists and turns that keep her readers captivated and eager for the next book.
   I have other favorites I'll share at another time.

Amazon Purchases Avalon

   Surprise! It truly was a surprise to find out last week that Avalon had been sold to Amazon. I am anticipating information from Amazon this week as to what this transition will mean.
   For all you Avalon readers out there we understand that our books will still be the same family-friendly style you are used to. As you know our books have not  been obtainable for e-readers but with Amazon that all should change, so they will be available to more of you.
   I am eager to find out what exciting new prospects are waiting, but for now I will keep writing on my present 'work in progress'.

Avalon Authors: Author Interview with Kaye Calkins

Avalon Authors: Author Interview with Kaye Calkins:
[click on line above]
I was honored to have the opportunity to interview Kaye Calkins, author of Deverell’s Dilemma, an historical romance published by Avalon...

Ozarks Romance Authors

   I have belonged to the Ozarks Romance Authors for six years.They are a supportive group of people for published and wanna be published writers. I have learned a lot of my craft from their monthly meetings. We have a membership of writers in many genres.

Their yearly conferences bring in great speakers including published authors, publishers and agents. Each year they hold the Annual Weta Contest, {named for the lady who started ORA}. This year the conference is on June 23rd. Please check it out at http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/annual-contest/  You'll be glad you did.

Deverell's Dilemma

The news is out. Deverell's Dilemma will be available for order end of Feb. at Amazon and Barnes & Noble's websites. Check them both out.  What a thrill to see my book on these pages. It's been a long time coming, but worth the wait. All you authors out there know how I feel.

Deverell's Dilemma Jacket Cover

   GOOD NEWS. I have just received the jacket cover for my book Deverell's Dilemma. The publisher has even used my title, which they don't often do. I understand it will be available sometime in February 2012 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

     It is exciting to finally see it coming together. Can't wait to hold it in my hands.
   Here's a teaser:
   It was just another dinner party until Alexandra shows up, a ravishing auburn-haired beauty. Deverell Bromfield doesn't recognize her as the spindly legged redhead with the fly-away hair he'd known as a youth. He hasn't trusted women since Ariadne threw him over for a viscount. Can he set that aside to pursue the delightful, unpredictable Alexi?
   At last convinced she truly loves him, he wants to marry her, but scandal rocks his family. His brother is accused of murder. Alexi's father forbids the match. Deverell searches for Nat to assure himself the boy is safe. He finds him in the backstreets of London, working in a warehouse. Determined to save him and win  Alexi's hand, Deverell sets out to find the real killer only to discover the evidence points to her brother. She is infuriated by his pursuit of her brother.
   The enticing Ariadne, now widowed re-enters Deverell's life with information he needs to prove the real murderer's guilt. Will she lure him back to her arms?
   Deverell is on the horns of a dilemma.

My Favorite Authors Through the Years II

   Georgette Heyer has been one of my all-time favorites for at least 45 years. I know, I'm giving away my age. She is one of the authors whose books I have collected and re-read several times. My sister-in-law and I discovered them in the library and took great delight in trying to out-do each other in the use of Heyer's famous cant terms. Some of my favorites are 'dicked in the nob', 'faradiddles', and 'make a cake of oneself".
  Miss Heyer's use of humor and witty stories along with her description of the Regency period sparked my interest then and still does today. The ball, the dress, the courtly manners drew me right in. But I loved even more the heroines who spoke their minds and ignored the strict rules of the day.
   The irrepressible Leonie and the dangerous Duke of Avon make for an unlikely hero and heroine in These Old Shades, but the story is delightful and one you will long remember. Faro's daughter, The Grand Sophy and Frederica are also enchanting along with the more than fifty books written by Miss Heyer.
    She was a very private person and because of her success was forced to keep her life hidden from the public. Her first novel was published at nineteen, but her breakout book was These Old Shades published in 1926. She was her own greatest critic and would be amazed at the number of people who still read and adore her work.  If you like English history you MUST read Georgette Heyer.

My Favorite Authors Through the Years

HELEN MacINNES  
Years ago I read Helen MacInnes. She was born in Scotland lived in England and married an Oxford Don. Later they moved to the United States. Her books were full of intrigue and espionage. Above Suspicion,  her first book, was an immediate success and set her on the path to becoming an international best seller.
   I loved her stories set in Greece and Crete after World War II.  Decision at Delphi and North from Rome are two.  Her descriptions of the area gave you the sense of being there amongst the temples and coliseums. Some of the characters were in more than one book and it was hard to tell if they were friend or foe, but I enjoyed the twists and turns the plots took.
   Several stories were based in England and Europe and dealt with Communism. I've read all her books until some on my shelves are falling apart. The Salsburg Connection and Above Suspicion were made into movies.
MARY STEWART
From England to Crete and everywhere in between Mary Stewart spins tales of intrigue and romance. Mary traveled with her husband, a professor of geology at the University of Edinburgh. Those travels gave her a wealth of knowledge about  far off places that filled her stories with realistic backgrounds.
   Romance played a larger part in her stories than in MacInnes', but the suspense kept you turning the pages. From her first book Madam Will You Talk  for over thirty years she kept her audience wanting more. Today she is considered the writer who created Romantic Suspense.

Will They or Won't They

   I've been putting most of my time and energy into getting my second manuscript ready to send to my publisher. I took two characters from my first story and wove a romance between them. My critique group helped smoothed out the rough places and and  fill in the holes. They are a great bunch of girls and we work hard for each other. Their encouragement is a lifeline.

Now that the manuscript is in the mail the waiting game begins. Will the editors like it or not? That is the BIG question.

In the meanwhile five chapters of my new novel are finished . This one is written in an earlier era, 1200-1300 and it's set in Burgundy and the Middle East. No, it is not about the crusades. It is a love story with a different twist and I am researching diligently. I am a history lover so it has been enjoyable to learn about another time and place.

Regency Romance (part two)

   In Regency times before a man could court a young woman he had to ask her father's permission. The father might ask if the girl was willing and allow her to make the choice. Or he might tell her the young man would be offering for her and she was to accept.

   During the courtship the fellow would squire his lady to the theater and other entertainments. After the engagement, stolen kisses, love letters, small gifts and moments alone would be allowed, but a chaperone would be somewhere lurking about. Of course we all know more intimate things did happen, but not in a sweet romance.

   The Prince Regent set a rather profligate tone for the era with mistresses and many illegitimate children. Some of the noble families followed his example. Young women were warned to ignore their husband's mistresses.

One of the interesting customs for a married woman was the attachment of men called cisebows. Some husbands did not care for the round of parties and soirees their wives  attended so the women had male friends who escorted them. They showered her with flowery compliments and acted the gallant, all with her husband's approval. these relationships were supposed to be platonic, but it does make you wonder.

Regency Romance

   Romance among the upper crust of the Regency was not as romantic as it seemed. Some marriages were predetermined by the parents of the young man and woman, often for financial purposes. Sometimes because of neighboring properties. One family might have money; the other  a deteriorating castle or lands. A title might be the reason; a rich baronet's daughter marries the dukes eldest son. In some cases little thought was given to the boy and girl as to whether they would suit or even liked each other.
                                                                                                                                          BALL GOWN
  Then there was the 'Season', late January to early July in London. It was really another name for a marriage market. It coincided with Parliament's session. The girls' parents bought them the finest wardrobes their money could buy. Several morning gowns, riding habits, walking dresses, ball gowns, shawl and wraps, gloves, hats etc. There was also the court dress for the presentation to the queen, always the finest and most expensive. It would have been an embarrassment to be seen in the same dress twice, especially ball gowns. Just the excitement of a brand new wardrobe of that magnitude would be enough to set most girls heads spinning.

  There were parties, dinners and balls; one was expected to attend one or two crushes each evening. Then there was Almack's. A committee of high- born ladies administered vouchers to those favored to enter it's doors. There a night of dinner and dancing where the cream of the ton, male and female could be found. A voucher was so sought after that the patronesses became very powerful among the ton. Some prerequisites to entree were careful dress, graceful dancing, beauty, wit, and good taste. The cream of Nobility was on parade.

                                                                             

                                                                         ALMACK'S

The young women would be escorted by their mothers or an older female relative to the parties, etc. They were never allowed on the streets alone, but were escorted by a brother, abigail or other paid servant when shopping, going to the public library or visiting. A young man and woman had to be introduced by a third party known to both, and rarely were they alone together before they were engaged.

More next time on why we find this all so exciting.


 

A Modern Fairy Tale

   I've just had this wonderful idea for a story. The hero will be a handsome prince named William, and the heroine a commoner named, hmmm--let's see-- Kate will do. They meet at university and are attracted to each other. She is beautiful and he's down to earth, for a prince.

   Life hasn't been easy for our prince. His parents divorced when he was an adolescent. It was scandalous for a prince and princess of the realm to part. The newspapers were filled the story, and the paparazzi followed his mother everywhere. William hated it for her and himself. He was a private person. A few years later his mother was killed in a tragic car accident. His scars were many and kept deep inside. After all he was a prince. He must carry on.
 
   The beautiful Kate was born into a family far removed from the spotlight. Her parents both worked for an airline when they met, but later started their own business which soon grew to multi-million dollar status. Life had been simple until  university and William. It was flattering and exciting to be wooed by a prince and there was no doubt she deeply cared for him. They developed a close friendship, but did she want to live in the glare of  all things royal? For several years their romance was on again, off again. Would she give in to her love for William or pursue her career in her family's business?

   At last love won out and the two were wed in the pomp and circumstance of Westminster Abbey with all of England and half of the United States watching that sweet kiss of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge from the balcony of Windsor Castle.

   Aaah -- sweet romance --

   OOPS! I think the story has already been told.

The Regency Gentleman

The rules of the Regency were a myriad of does and don'ts. Even the men did not escape, though they had far more freedom. Remember when you were told the man always walks on the side of the lady closest to the street? In the late 18th and 19th centuries there was a very good reason for that.
 
Whether dirt or cobbled, the gutters of the streets were filled with refuse of the most disgusting kinds. Rain puddles and horse droppings also pervaded the avenues. Thus the man walked next to the street to protect the lady from splashes of mud and garbage or heaven forbid, a runaway horse-drawn vehicle.
 
When alone in a carriage with a lady, he must take the seat facing backwards across from her. They may not sit side by side unless they are related.
 
He must never introduce himself to a female he does not know but must be introduced by a mutual friend or relative. The gentleman is always introduced to the lady, never the other way around.

   Education was not compulsory, but most upper class boys attended boarding schools or universities, ie Eton, Cambridge or Oxford. Their studies consisted of the classics, mathematics, history law and philosophy.
Here many made life-long friends.

Away from their homes and the discipline of parents and the guiding hand of a governess or tutor many fell into gambling, drinking and wenching. Thankfully, they matured and went on to become the handsome, debonair heroes of our modern day writers. Unless, of course, you like your hero a bit more mysterious and unpredictable.