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Monthly Archives: September 2014

Cover of A Notorious Ruin, Sinclair Sisters Series, Book 2

A Notorious Ruin

A Notorious Ruin launches September 23. click here for Pre-order links

This book was everything you expect from Carolyn, outstanding characters, a great story and sumptuous awe inspiring sex. She writes with stunning complexity that keeps your mind engaged at all times.
The Reading Wench

BetrayedByHisKissCoverIt’s almost October—that means it’s new book day for me!!!!  Betrayed By His Kiss is (almost) available now (see it on Amazon here or at my website for more info)–and you can win a signed copy by commenting on today’s post.  Here’s a little sneak peek at the history behind the book….

I was first inspired to write Isabella and Orlando’s story when I had a yucky cold and spent the weekend lounging around on the couch, having an epic viewing of all three seasons of The Borgias! The sumptuous costumes, the luxurious palaces, the passion and murder and danger. (Not to mention Cesare’s eyes…). I’ve always loved the Italian Renaissance, the beauty and intrigue of it. And I loved finding the characters of Isabella and her Orlando among the palazzos and riverbanks of Florence.

The pinnacle of danger in the Renaissance came with the famous Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478. It was an attempt by a few members of the ancient Pazzi family, along with some powerful allies (including the pope!) to displace Lorenzo de Medici as the de facto ruler of Florence. On April 26, 1478, they rose up in the midst of a crowd of 10,000 at Mass in the Duomo to assassinate Lorenzo and his handsome younger brother Giuliano. Lorenzo escaped; Giuliano did not.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica:

In league with the Pazzi were Pope Sixtus IV and his nephew Girolamo Riario, who resented Lorenzo de’ Medici’s efforts to thwart the consolidation of papal rule over the Romagna, a region in north-central Italy, and also the archbishop of Pisa, Francesco Salviati, whom Lorenzo had refused to recognize. An assassination attempt on the Medici brothers was made during mass at the Cathedral of Florence on April 26, 1478. Giuliano de’ Medici was killed by Francesco Pazzi, but Lorenzo was able to defend himself and escaped only slightly wounded. Meanwhile, other conspirators tried to gain control of the government. But the people of Florence rallied to the Medici; the conspirators were ruthlessly pursued and many (including the archbishop of Pisa) were killed on the spot.

The failure of the conspiracy led directly to a two-year war with the papacy that was almost disastrous for Florence. But the most important effect was to strengthen the power of Lorenzo, who not only was rid of his most dangerous enemies but also was shown to have the solid support of the people.

Cesare1I always love incorporating real historical figures into my fictional stories. Botticelli is one of my favorite artists!  Isabella’s cousins Matteo and Caterina are not real, though Giuliano de Medici certainly might have been in love with the beautiful, fragile Caterina, who is loosely based on his real love Simonetta Vespucci, who died young of tuberculosis and was the model for many of Botticelli’s paintings. . Fiencosole  is also a fictional town, but based on some of the many walled, beautiful fiefdoms of Renaissance Italy.

IMG_0713One of the stops on The Duke of Wellington tour was Basildon Park–not because the historic house has any connection with the Iron Duke, but because it was nearby, open, and a treat to see.

Basildon Park also represents the rise and fall of fortunes which so often inhabit our Regency books.

It was built between 1776 and1783 for Sir Frances Sykes, the son of a yeoman farmer who made a huge fortune in the East India Company and was friends with Warren Hastings and Clive of India. It was built in the Palladian style by John Carr and its interiors were in the style of Robert Adams.

Almost as soon as Sykes purchased the house his fortunes began to decline and had diminished by his death in 1804. His grandson, the third baronet, became a part of the Prince Regent’s set, further depleting the Sykes fortune. After a scandal involving his wife, Sykes had the humiliating distinction of being the model for Charles Dickens’ “Bill Sikes,” the villain in Oliver Twist.

Sykes sold the house in 1838 to James Morrison, a self-made Victorian millionaire, who wanted it to display his huge art collection. After his death, his daughter inhabited the house and upon her death in 1910, the house’s fortunes again turned bleak. The nephew who inherited the estate again depleted his funds and had to sell it in 1929 to a man who wanted the land, not the house. This man tried to sell the house, even offering to dismantle it and rebuild it if some wealthy American would pay the price for it.

The house continued to decline, even suffering a fire, until 1953 when it was purchased by the 2nd Baron and Baroness Iliffe, who lovingly restored it to its present glory. Here is some of the beauty they rescued:

Entry Hall
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Stairway
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Upper rooms
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Dining room ceiling
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The original dining room had been sold and now exists as the Basildon room of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Basildon Park has played Netherfield Park in the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice, and, more recently, Grantham House in Downton Abbey. It became a National Trust property in 1978

Posted in History, Research | Tagged | 3 Replies

sevenwickednights-3d-smallSome of you may know that I’m the elf who maintains the book links in our sidebar and also our Risky Books page.

I was busy for most of an afternoon yesterday updating things, so that’s what I’ll talk about.

A Notorious Ruin by Carolyn JewelFirst off, Carolyn is now a USA Today Bestselling author! She has a story in Seven Wicked Nights, along with fellow authors Courtney Milan, Tessa Dare, Leigh LaValle, Caroline Linden, Erin Knightley and Sherry Thomas. This ebook set is still just 99 cents, so snap it up while you can!

Also from Carolyn this month is the eagerly awaited 2nd book in her Sinclair Sisters series, A Notorious Ruin, Lucy and Thrale’s story.

A bunch of us have new titles coming up, all available for preorder.

In October we have:

Betrayed by His Kiss by Amanda McCabea new Renaissance romance by Amanda, Betrayed by His Kiss.

and Regency Masquerades, an ebook set including stories from Elena and Gail, as well as Brenda Hiatt, Lynn Kerstan, Allison Lane and Alicia Rasley. This one is also 99 cents, so preorder now!

RM3DWeb

And our November releases include:

A Christmas Reunion by Susanna FraserA Christmas Reunion, by Susanna, for the lovers of Christmas novellas,

The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior by Megan Frampton

 

 

 

 

and Megan’s The Duke’s Guide to Correct Behavior, a “Dukes Behaving Badly” novel. Who can resist that?

Now I am going off to have a cup of tea, to rest after doing all these updates.

Riskies rule!

Elena

 

eatingC.S. Lewis really nailed it. I’m someone who’s never thrown herself out of bed for eating crackers, and I’m a chronic eater/reader.

The idea for this post came when I was getting ready to watch Call The Midwife (brilliant series) and I was compelled to drink tea (nothing unusual about that) and eat a slice of bread and jam. Why? Because they’re the flavors of my childhood and that show evokes the time and place so brilliantly.

Chocolate and romance is something of a cliche, but check out this review I received for my book Improper Relations in which the reviewer says she:

… sat down in the snuggliest corner of my couch with a cup of earl grey and a piece of shortbread. Upon beginning the book, however, I realised that perhaps I should have started with a glass of claret and a plate of figs.

I consider that a terrific compliment to the book and I’m wondering if it’s possible to enhance your reading with the appropriately chosen food. Think about it: a very alcoholic hot punch, boiled ham, plum pudding for Dickens. Dickens was very keen on telling us what people were eating so you have many choices. For Austen, it’s not so easy. She rarely describes food: the nectarines and grapes and peaches served at Pemberly are there to remind us again that Darcy is super rich with an estate similar to Edward Knight‘s; and Lydia’s cucumber salad may be, as Freud famously said, only a salad.

hepburn I’ve just read a book with lots of ex-military alpha males with tats and I think a big rare hamburger with fries would have been excellent. Or else a huge all-American hot dog. Dripping with … condiments.

If you’re into food and books, and planning a trip to the Baltimore Book Festival this weekend, I’ll be at the Maryland Romance Writers’ tent at 7 pm on Saturday evening on a panel about Sex & Sensuality (condiments optional). It’s a great festival, books, beer, and naturally food, down at the Inner Harbor this year. And also check out the Maryland Romance Writers Online Auction. I’m offering a critique and tea-related goodness and there are all sorts of fantastic items. Check it out!

What have you been reading recently? What food would have gone with it? Or suggest an author-food match!

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