Back to Top

Tag Archives: Diane Gaston


Diane Perkins (Warner), the newest member of the Riskies, leads a double life as Diane Gaston (Harlequin Historical/Harlequin Mills & Boon). She’s gained a loyal following as a writer who tackles the gritty underside of the Regency era with passion, style, and compassion. Her May 2006 Harlequin Historical release, A Reputable Rake, is an RWA Rita finalist, and The Mysterious Miss M was voted 2005 Favorite First Book on eHarlequin and tied for Best Historical Series on AllAboutRomance.com.

Brilliant writing, a classic reformed rake plot, and vivid depictions of the Regency period make this a compelling read for fans of this era. Romantic Times BOOKclub

This latest, after such stellar releases as The Mysterious Miss M, and The Wagering Widow clearly show this author has what it takes…. Historical Romance Writers

Diane, congratulations on your Rita-nominated book, A Reputable Rake. Tell us a bit about this book–how did you come to write it, and what gave you the original idea?

The “Rake” of A Reputable Rake (Gaston), started out life as the villain, Cyprian Sloane, in my second Mills & Boon, The Wagering Widow. He tried to take over the book, so to appease him, I promised him a book of his own. Sloane was one of those “bad boys” who really is honorable inside. He decides to become respectable, but the alluring woman next door threatens that goal.

Did you come across any interesting research snippets while you were writing this book?

I read Courtesans by Katie Hickman (Harper Collins, 2003), which told the real life stories of five courtesans from the 18th and 19th centuries. It seemed to me that courtesans had more freedom and led more interesting lives than Regency housewives and I wanted to write about them. So I decided to have the heroine run a courtesan school right next door to Sloane, and he keeps getting embroiled in her scheme, to the risk of his attempt to become reputable.

Which is your favorite book, and why?

Well, The Mysterious Miss M (Gaston) has a special place in my heart, as does my first Diane Perkins book, The Improper Wife. Both were born of the same idea–a dramatic, emotionally bonding first meeting between the hero and heroine. The Mysterious Miss M is extra special to me, because it was my first published book and the book that almost never was. But I really have a special fondness for A Reputable Rake, another Gaston book. Cyprian Sloane captured my heart immediately, and his heroine, Morgana Hart, was such a strong, resourceful woman. I loved them both, and I loved the cast of characters that joined them in the story.

This is a Regency with the gutsiness of a Dickens novel. It’s not always pretty, but it’s real and passionate. Gaston’s strong, memorable debut provides new insights into the era and characters that touch your heart and draw you emotionally into her powerful story. — Kathe Robin, Romantic Times BOOKclub.

The Marriage Bargain was a struggle for me to write but I am so proud of the result. It was a Romantic Times Top Pick and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

Perkins takes a standard marriage of convenience plot and brilliantly turns it into an emotionally intense, utterly captivating story that will thrill readers to their core.– Kathe Robin, RT BOOKclub

Your first book, The Mysterious Miss M, has a heroine who is a prostitute. Was this a difficult book to sell?

When the manuscript that became The Mysterious Miss M became a finalist in RWA’s 2001 Golden Heart contest, I marketed it to every agent and editor I could think of. It was rejected over and over, editors and agents saying that readers would never accept my “prostitute” heroine. By the time Miss M made the finals of the 2003 Golden Heart (giving me membership in the Wet Noodle Posse!), I knew of nowhere else to send it. I had just finished writing The Improper Wife and could only think to use my GH finalist status to try to sell that book. Then one day I had a phone call from Kate Paice, an editor at Mills & Boon who’d judged Miss M in the Golden Heart and wanted to buy it! I literally never considered sending the manuscript to Mills & Boon, so if it had not been for the Golden Heart contest, Miss M might never have seen print. And I would not have written The Wagering Widow or A Reputable Rake. I should add that Miss M won the 2003 Golden Heart for Best Long Historical manuscript, and a couple of months later, The Improper Wife sold to Warner Forever.

Her stories are witty and unforgettable, with characters that are laid bare in such a manner that readers are drawn into the story right from the opening chapters… Diane Gaston’s books are always page-turners; she involves her readers in the dramas of her characters with the knowledge of their motives and cheeky insights into their thoughts. Naomi, Fallen Angel Reviews

Do you feel that having a first book with such a controversial heroine made your readers expect something different and daring in consequent books?

I am not sure about readers, but I know that Mills & Boon expected something different and daring in my subsequent books! They really have encouraged me to explore the darker side of the Regency, which has been great fun. Warner has been more interested in the emotional character-driven stories set in the Regency, and that also has been a great pleasure, because I love to delve deep into my characters.

What do you consider particularly risky about your writing?

The easy answer would be my choice of subject matter for my books — prostitutes, gaming hells, courtesans — but I think what is really risky about my books is my take on the characters. I love to conjure up complex characters that have genuine flaws and darkness about them. And I don’t like to totally redeem them either. They are flawed people who grow because of love, but not everything turns out perfectly. Because of love, however, they are able to live with what is not perfect.

 


The Improper Wife is a grand historical romance written with deep emotion, authenticity, and originality. One for the keeper shelf.— Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today

Your books have beautifully done sex scenes. Do you find them difficult to write?

Thank you! I have the great good fortune to have Karen Anders, a Blaze author, as a critique partner, and, although my sex scenes are not nearly as erotic as hers, I have learned so much from her on what makes a great love scene. Something emotional has to happen and change for the characters in their sexual encounter, and you must try to bring in as many of the senses as possible. So I just try to emulate Karen when I write the scene.

What are your influences/what do you like to read?

My influences are first and foremost Mary Jo Putney and Mary Balogh. Books like theirs were what I aspired to write when I tried my hand at writing a Regency Historical Romance. I’ve also read a great deal of Georgette Heyer and all of Jane Austen. Before I started writing in the Regency, my very favorite genre to read was Traditional Regency, now sadly fading from the publishing landscape. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to all the authors who taught me to love this time period and to honor its history. Unfortunately, now that I’m writing in the time period, I have a great deal of difficulty reading it. I think I am afraid I will assimilate other author’s story ideas. Or maybe I’m afraid I’ll read something so wonderful, I’ll be scared to compete! What I’m enjoying reading lately are non-fiction books set in or relating to the Regency era. Lately I’ve been reading books about Brighton, where my next as-yet-untitled Warner book is set. Before that I thoroughly enjoyed My Lady Scandalous : The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Royal Courtesan by Jo Manning.And I recently read Discipline by Mary Brunton, a novel written during the Regency. I want to read more novels of the time period and on my TBR pile is The Duchess of Richmond’s Ball: 15th June 1815 by David Miller, about the Ball the night before Waterloo. I also recently acquired a 1926 edition of The Linleys of Bath by Clementina Black and I can’t wait to read that.

What are you working on now, and when does your next book come out?

I am currently writing Warner Forever Book #3, as yet untitled. It is the second book in my “Ternion” series of the three friends, Spence from The Marriage Bargain, Blake, and Wolfe. This is Blake’s story. My next book to be released is another as-yet-untitled book, a Harlequin Historical Christmas anthology. My novella, A Twelfth Night Tale (Gaston), will be one of three. The other authors are Elizabeth Rolls and Deborah Hale. A Coveted Rose (Gaston) will be out in the UK sometime in early 2007, telling the story of one of the courtesan students from A Reputable Rake. Blake’s story from Warner, (Perkins) , is due to be released in Spring 2007.

Diane, welcome to the Riskies, and thanks for talking about yourself!

Tomorrow is the Release Day for A Not So Respectable Gentleman?
It should appear in bookstores and can be ordered online. (ebook versions is out Aug 1, and the Mills & Boon version is out Aug 3)

I’m both excited and a little sad that the book is finally here (almost). A Not So Respectable Gentleman? is the last book in the series that began with the anthology, The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor.

In 2007 the adventure began when Harlequin Mills & Boon editor Maddie Rowe invited Deb Marlowe, fellow Risky Amanda McCabe, and me out to dinner during the Romance Writers of America conference in Dallas, Texas. We thought she was just being nice. The Mills & Boon editors always do nice things like that for their authors during the conference. Turns out she offered us a Regency anthology and each a book connected to the anthology.

Deb, Amanda and I were already friends. We’d become especially close on the Regency tour of England in 2003. So this was a fantastic treat. Our only instructions were to set the anthology in the Regency.

When we later met in Williamsburg, Virginia, to plan the anthology, we decided to create connected stories about a scandalous family created by the love affair between a duke and a lady who left her husband, an earl, to live with him. Their children – his, hers, and theirs – became known as the Fitzmanning Miscellany.

The anthology was about the three daughters. Deb’s and Amanda’s books were about the Duke’s legitimate sons, and A Not So Respectable Gentleman? is about the illegitimate son.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Since Leo Fitzmanning returned to London, he’s kept his seat at the card table warm, his pockets full of winnings and his mind off a certain raven-haired heiress.
Until whispers at the gaming hell reveal that Miss Mariel Covendale is being forced into marriage with an unscrupulous fortune hunter!
Leo must re-enter the society he detests to help her before returning to his clandestine existence. But he hasn’t counted on Mariel having grown even more achingly beautiful than he remembered. Soon Leo realizes that there’s nothing respectable about his reasons for stopping Mariel’s marriage.

Here’s what the reviews are saying:

a lovely romance with a bit of suspense and the power and strength of a family….Gaston’s talents for evoking the era hold true to form….–Kathe Robin, RTBook Reviews

What made this book such an enjoyable read was the quick pace of the story, with characters that were allowed to be intelligent and practical people, while also being flawed…the romance that Leo and Mariel find again in one another kept my attention from beginning to end, and I closed the book with a smile for their future together.–Sara Anne Elliot, Rakehell

It was great fun revisiting the family we created together. Because this was the last book, I made it a point to bring all the Fitzmanning Miscellany back. They play important roles in Leo’s story. In fact, what Leo must learn in this story is that he can rely on his family when all else fails.

In celebration of the A Not So Respectable Gentleman?’s release, I’m giving away one signed copy of The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor and one signed copy of A Not So Respectable Gentleman? to one lucky commenter, chosen at random. I’ll announce the winner on July 25.

A question for you. If a book is part of a series, do you have to read all the earlier books first? Or do you not mind if you don’t know all the details that came before?

Jane Austen was born Dec 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England, a day for us all to celebrate; however, we Riskies are celebrating Jane Austen ALL week.

We want you to celebrate with us. There will be prizes. We’ve managed to scrape up Jane Austen-related prizes to send to one lucky commenter chosen at random next Sunday after Amanda’s Saturday blog finishes our week.

What was your first introduction to Jane Austen?

I first read Pride and Prejudice in college, but I cannot say my love of Austen hit me then. At the time, I loved everything about English Literature, enough to focus on English Lit as an English major. The real impact of Jane Austen came later for me and not through her books but through a movie.

Shortly after I’d first started writing, my critique group went to see Persuasion in the movie theatre, the Amanda Root-Ciaran Hinds version. There on the big screen the world of the Regency came alive in front of my very eyes. I’d just started reading traditional Regencies at the time and the beautiful houses, the clothing, the lush countryside, the sea coast, Bath, were all before me to experience as if I were really there. I loved the performances in the movie. I loved how Amanda Root as Anne began the movie looking like a dowdy spinster and ended up beautiful when the love she’d lost came back to her. I loved how Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth was not movie-star handsome, but seemed like a real man from that era. All the characters in the movie seemed perfectly cast and the scenery was unsurpassed. Look here for the movie trailer and you will see what I mean.

I still didn’t return to reading Austen at that time. That came later when I decided to try writing a Regency Historical. To help me develop a “Regency Voice” I listened to Jane Austen’s novels in audio book form over and over. Persuasion was still my favorite. I loved the “second chance” aspect of it.

You can hear a sample of that audio recording here.

Through the audio versions of Jane Austen’s novels, I truly began to appreciate her storytelling mastery. It is no wonder that librarians chose Pride and Prejudice as their number one favorite novel of all time…and Persuasion as number 82.

For more about Persuasion look here

For Cara’s Jane Austen Movie Club discussion of the 1995 movie Persuasion look here.

Tell us, did you love Jane Austen at your first exposure or did it happen later? Did you start with a movie or a book?

Don’t forget, we’re giving away Jane Austen-related prizes in honor of her birthday, so make a comment today and all week.

Come visit my website and enter my contest by Dec 20 for a chance to win Mistletoe Kisses.

 

Oh, by the way, here’s a photo of my son’s graduation. He really did it!!
The little arrow is pointing to him. If you can see a bearded face, my son is right behind him.

Diane here.
Michelle Willingham and I both have Harlequin Historicals arriving in bookstores by Sept 1, if not a few days before (check your favorite store!). We’re each giving away one copy of the September books, so be sure to leave a comment!

Michelle’s September release is Surrender to an Irish Warrior.

Praise for Michelle’s RITA nominated, Taming Her Irish Warrior:
“Kudos to Michelle Willingham….Always true to her characters, Michelle Willingham writes an ending that will steal the heart with its imagery, emotion and romance”–Medieval Book Reviews

My September release is Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress.

Praise for Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress:
“Engaging characters,
action/adventure and sweet love add to the depth of these stories, which
demonstrate how war changes people — and the world.”–RT
Bookreviews

Michelle, it is so good to have you back with the Riskies! Tell us about Surrender to an Irish Warrior.

Michelle: Surrender to an Irish Warrior is the last book in my MacEgan Brothers series. It’s about an Irish warrior, Trahern MacEgan, who wants to avenge the death of his betrothed wife. Along the way, he rescues Morren O’Reilly, a woman who was attacked by the same Viking raiders. In Morren, he finds healing and redemption.

Diane: Oh, I love a rescue story. In Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress, Book 2 of my Three Soldiers Series, Allan Landon and Marian Pallant meet when he rescues her on the battlefield of Waterloo and takes her to Hougoumont for safety, only to have to rescue her again when the French set fire to the Hougoumont chateau. But, after that Allan and Marian take turns rescuing each other.




We always ask this. Was there anything risky about your book?

Michelle: Definitely! This was one of the most frightening books I’ve ever written, because I tried to keep it true to the time period. Vikings were known to attack women, and Morren was one of their victims. It’s the first time I wrote about a rape survivor, and although the opening is dark, it left me the chance to give them both of them an incredibly happy ending. It also gave me the chance to do a “family reunion” of all the MacEgan Brothers at the end.

Diane: Each of my Soldiers Series starts out with an almost-rape at the pillaging of Badajoz; I suppose it was risky that the perpetrator goes unpunished (Allan hates that) in this book. Instead he just causes more trouble for everyone. What I felt risky about, though, was making up a fictitious protest demonstration that Marian organized and Allan must prevent. Did I make it credible? I guess the readers will tell me.

What interesting research did you come across while writing this book (maybe we can contrast the different time periods here)?

Michelle: The Viking system of justice was fascinating. I learned that men convicted of a serious offense, like murder, were made into outlaws and could be killed by any member of their tribe with no consequences.

Diane: I learned a lot about the British system of justice during that post-Napoleonic war period. In its way it was also brutal. Habeas Corpus was suspended and anyone could arrested with no reason given. Any protest against the government was seen as a treasonous act. In a way, government could do what it wanted with protesters and have no consequences for it.

What’s next for you?

Michelle: I am starting a Scottish medieval series, set around the Braveheart era (Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, etc.). The first book, Claimed by the Highlander will be released in the spring of 2011.

Diane: Oh, I so admire you for taking on the challenge of yet another historical era. I’m sticking with the Regency, though. What’s next for me is the last book in the Three Soldiers Series, Gabriel’s story, as yet untitled and unscheduled, but probably due out in the spring of 2011. Maybe both our books will be released the same month then, too!

Now, a question from both of us. If you could be rescued by any sort of hero, what kind of man would it be? Medieval warrior? Handsome English soldier? Ruthless billionaire? (Or ask us whatever you want!) Post a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Surrender to an Irish Warrior or Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress.

Michelle and I are together again for Male On Monday at the Pink Heart Society, tomorrow, Aug 23, when, I, of course will be back here at Risky Regencies. Thursday, I’m at Diane’s Blog!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 23 Replies
Follow
Get every new post delivered to your inbox
Join millions of other followers
Powered By WPFruits.com