Last week I got a very nice surprise! The cover for my first Laurel McKee book, Countess of Scandal (out in February 2010!). I think the purple color is gorgeous, her dress, her fan, her necklace–all of it. Though it’s a bit weird to see “someone else’s” name on the cover–I will just have to get used to my other half (I’m sure she’s the one eating all the chocolate and drinking all the Chardonnay in the house, not to mention using up my MAC Hello Kitty lipgloss and watching the Twilight DVD over and over. That crazy Laurel…)
BTW, if you happen to be in the New York City area, be sure and pop in at Lady Jane’s Salon on June 1. Diane and I will be there talking about Diamonds of Welbourne Manor, and my editor at Grand Central Publishing, Alex Logan, is pulling together a fun presentation on how a cover like this goes from concept to reality. (I’ve heard the cocktails are fab there, too!). We’ll also be in the Harlequin booth at BookExpo America on the 30th at 3:30.
Speaking of romance novels, I realized last week that I haven’t curled up and read one in a long time! (At least not a historical romance–I’ve read some paranormal and contemporary series, as I fiddle around with vague ideas in those genres). I’ve been mostly reading lots of research books, and I don’t usually read many historicals when in the middle of writing a book myself, so the TBR pile had been, well, stacking up a bit. I miss them!!! I MUST read a historical romance! So I sorted through some of the titles I’ve been buying lately, and pulled out a few to get me started. I can’t wait to dive in. (Here’s a pic of some of them. Have you read any of them? Anything you recommend I start with?)
Amanda I too love the cover it is beautiful.
I have read Confessions of a Little Black Gown Elizabeth Boyle and loved it I also loved Your Scandalos Ways Loretta Chase I have 3 of the others in my TBR pile and am looking forward to reading them.
I picked up one of your books at the shops last week A Notorious Woman and am looking forward to reading it.
I hope you enjoy your books I am sure you will
Have Fun
Helen
GORGEOUS cover! Congrats!
I can understand it must be weird, adjusting to the new name. But that Laurel sounds like a fun girl! 🙂
Lots of good choices–I-m partial to the Liz Carlyle! 🙂
What a great cover, Amanda! …er…I mean Laurel….
(just wait until you have to sign at RWA in 2010. Who will you be??? Will you remember when you have the pen in your hand?)
I love that purple dress! What an enticing cover!
Personally, I’m partial to Madeline Hunter, but I also highly recommend Confessions of a Little Black Gown.
Happy Reading!
Sarah
Any wonder which one I would pick?
What would Jane Austen do?
Hmmm….what would I do? I wonder…..
The cover is GORGEOUS! You must be all aflutter.
I’ve read the Loretta Chase and the Madeline Hunter, liked both of ’em.
“I can understand it must be weird, adjusting to the new name. But that Laurel sounds like a fun girl!”
It’s a bit like having an imaginary friend, I think! When I was a kid I used to blame all my pranks on those pesky IFs–this could be useful…
I think I’ll start with “Confessions of a Little Black Gown” this weekend–it looks like lots of fun, and after 15 straight days of rain I am desperate for fun!
Jane/Rachel, I did pick up the “What Would Jane Austen Do” for the title, I admit, but it also looks fun–a time travel. Would Jane time travel???
Very terrific cover! 🙂 And it’s been a while since I’ve gotten new books, so been doing plenty of rereading. . . but if I had that pile, sure would be picking up the Elizabeth Boyle ones first! 🙂
Lois
Helen, I hope you like “A Notorious Woman”! I loved writing that one so much–hopefully I can do another Venetian setting someday
I’ve heard great things about Carolyn Jewel’s, which I haven’t read, but I really liked her paranormals.
Lovely cover and I like the new name!
(snort, my word verification is estrings. Like g strings but earlier in the alphabet).
Absolutely gorgeous cover. I can’t wait until next year to read it. I must confess I haven’t read any romance novels lately just research books and historical fiction but I do have Eloisa Jame’s new book in my TBR pile.
I adore the clors used on the cover, it’s so beautiful!
Recommend books from your TBR pile would have to be Carolyn Jewel’s Scandal is one of my fave books that have come out this year, I can’t say enough great things about it and Elizabeth Hoyt’s To Beguile A Beast is another great part and stand alone novel from her Four Soilders series!
OOOoooooohhhhhhh….I’m swooning over that gorgeous cover. Ammanda, THIS is the gown you need to wear at National this year. Coverflats, my friend. Hope you get stacks of them to run contests with and give away at Lady Jane’s.
I would recommend starting with the Loretta Chase.
LOL, Keira! I think my mom would not be happy if I said “Forget that dress that’s almost done now–make this one!” Great idea for next year, though–I may need one for the booksigning. (I’m also considering going to RT next spring–it would be perfect for that)
Elizabeth, isn’t it sad how pesky research reading always gets in the way? 🙂 It sounds like no matter which romance I start with, I will have a good read–but I also just a big box of new research books from the Edward R. Hamilton catalog…
Your cover’s going up for my picture day Friday.
“Countess of Scandal” looks great. Are you going back to Regency? Please say yes.
That cover is exquisite!
I’m so far behind most readers that I haven’t read any of the books in the picture :hanging head in shame:
Ammanda, you’d be a hit at RT with that dress.
(Caution: I would not recommend wearing a costume/dress for the RWA signing next year though. Remember the kerfuffle at Dallas?)
Diane, I didn’t get a chance to comment on your post yesterday. So here goes…
It’s so great to read all your wonderful book news!!! It pleases me so much to see you get the recognition your writing deserves.
When I was thirteen, a woman in her late twenties took me under her wing and from her I got my love of classical music. She taught me to recognize, discern, and appreciate. She gave me my first voice lessons, took me with her to her own voice lessons and to concerts, and generally was the friend and mother of my heart I didn’t have among my peers. Then at seventeen I went away to college, and I lost touch with her. I wrote letters and cards initially, but it just wasn’t the same thing. Thank you, Diane dear, for reminding me of her on this special day.
Keira, how wonderful to have such a mothering person at such an age. It makes me tear up to hear the love in your story and what others wrote.
“Caution: I would not recommend wearing a costume/dress for the RWA signing next year though. Remember the kerfuffle at Dallas?)’
Well, maybe if I didn’t wear thigh-high stocking with it, LOL!
Linda, this book (the first of a trilogy, all of them set in Ireland1) is in 1798. Book two is 1801, book three probably 1803-04, so early Regency! And I have an Amanda McCabe Regency trilogy coming out next year with Harlequin, starting in April, so lots of Regency fun 🙂
Amanda, that cover is GORGEOUS and in my favorite color too!! It is going to be so much fun to read your books under TWO names. And it does give you someone to blame for all the bad habits we writers acquire!
I think I’ve read or have all of the books in your lovely collage there. Loretta Chase’s book was good as was the Madeline Hunter. Her hero,especially, was to die for!
Oh and the Nicola Cornick will be terrific. Hers always are!
Countess of Scandal is beautiful!
Would Jane Austen time travel?
Well I think I already have to be honest. Enough authors invoke my name and my characters that I have time traveled to the 21st century and at times am unsure if I’m happy to be here.
Certainly there are some books that are faithful to me and my story and my characters, but more often than not everything is bastardized. That doesn’t mean it can’t be fun, but I do fear that perhaps people will start to get sick of Jane Austen without actually reading any REAL Jane Austen. It’s a tough line.
On the one hand it’s great to still be mentioned and loved and on the other hand I like to think I wrote everything well enough the first time.
However these updates and sequels and revisionism are bringing my characters to a whole new audience just like the film adaptations. If only I could insist they read the original work instead of only the newer ones. As much as I loved Matthew McFadyen Darcy never says “You have bewitched me body and soul”. It was a great line in the movie, but still….
LOL! Thank you so much, Jane, for your most insightful commentary. 🙂 I just added the “Lost in Austen” DVDs to my Netfliz queue–can’t wait to see where that fits into the Austen dichotomy…
Amanda,
Although the true Jane was much more apt at her job than I am, I like to think occasionally I have flashes of brilliance that the real Jane Austen would enjoy.
Glad to know I’m not the only writer who watches the same movie repeatedly. In my case it’s not Twilight but something even more embarrassing. My family have threatened to hide it, whereupon I threatened to buy back-ups!
I really want to read the Carolyn Jewel.
Amanda, that cover absolutely rocks. It is AMAZING!!!
“My family have threatened to hide it, whereupon I threatened to buy back-ups!”
Okay, Jane, you HAVE to tell us what it is!! (I admitted my terrible movie obsession)
P-p-penelope. I am mocked mercilessly!
And the cover is HAWT, Laurel!
Penelope–Haven’t seen that one yet, but anything with James McAvoy is good with me 🙂
“And the cover is HAWT, Laurel!”
LOL! I hope the book inside is hawt, too. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
I’m up a wee bit early here so after seeing the abs on What Would Jane Austin Do, I feel so much perkier. lol
But the cover and colors of your cover are amazing. A definite eye catcher. I would start with Madeline Hunter’s. I love this series. Also To Beguile a Beast, another series. It’s the second in the series. Have a great day.
Carol L.
Oh its a gorgeous cover! I love it!! I don’t think I can wait til 2010 tho! I’m all the way on the other side of NY (Near Lake Erie) I would have loved to come! I’d love to hear about it when you’re back. Where is the BookExpo? I never heard of that.
Most of those books are on my wishlist! But Nicola is a guaranteed one! Is that other one Madeline Hunter! Go for those two I read them! I have the Jane Austen here to read soon. I just did a re-read of P&P first time since HS and I can’t stop thinking about it!
Elizabeth Hoyt’s is 3rd is the 4 (I think) series. I so love Carolyn Jewel and Elizabeth Boyle! I’d love to hear about them when you done! I’m starting FIRST COMES MARRIAGE of Mary Balogh tonight!
Have a great time reading!