Watch for Deb’s debut Regency-set novel, Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss on shelves now! Deb will also appear with Diane and Amanda in an as-yet unnamed anthology in 2009…
Hello, Deb! Tell us about your new book.
First, let me thank you Risky Ladies for having me here! Your books may be risky, but you have created a safe and welcoming corner of cyberspace for lovers of historical romance. You’ve built a lovely community here, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. Thank you!
Now, to answer your question…
Charles Alden, Viscount Dayle, is a rake who has already reformed. The days of his misspent youth ended with the deaths of his brother and father. He has worked hard in pursuit of a political career, but someone seems determined to hold his former life against him. He decides that the only way to live down the wickedness of his past is to secure the dullness of his future and take a properly respectable bride.
Miss Sophia Westby is not the sort of woman he had in mind. His childhood friend is as spirited and unconventional as ever. She’s come to London determined to do something with her skills in design. Reunited with Charles after years of separation, she scorns his new demeanor and longs for the rake’s return.
I know this is a debut book! What was your “path to publication” like?
A long and winding road? Hee hee! Truthfully, being a writer was always a dream, and I always knew if I had the chance, I would want to write Romance. Books and history were my youthful passions, but circumstances required a more practical career path. I reached a crossroads when my son was born with multiple health problems. Once we got him all straightened out and my younger child headed to preschool, all my family and friends expected me to go back to my career. All I wanted was to write! It was my chance to chase my dream. My husband was amazingly supportive, so that’s when I really started to concentrate on my writing. I love Romance. I love the message that it sends out to the world. I couldn’t be happier to be beginning a career as a historical romance novelist.
We couldn’t be happier, either!
Were there any challenges you encountered in researching for this book? Any new or surprising historical information you discovered?
I don’t know that it was new or surprising, but I did thoroughly enjoy learning about Regency design. Advancements in technology began to make interior decorating accessible to many different sorts of homeowners. And I thought it was so interesting to see the famous people and events of the time show up in furniture and decor.
Poor Charles is bedeviled by the press in this book, and made the topic of caricatures and broadsheets. I enjoyed learning about that aspect of the Regency, as well.
Did the Splendors of the Regency tour a few years ago (where Diane and Amanda first met Deb!) help you in any way?
In so many ways! Not the least of which was meeting Diane and Amanda. 🙂 It was a little daunting to go alone on a trip like that, but nothing beats first-hand experience of the places we write about. Even better was experiencing it with a group who shares the same obsession. I will never forget the crowd of us, scribbling like mad in our notebooks and peppering the docents with question after detailed question. I think they adored us for being so interested!
Tell us what’s “risky” about your book?
Hmmmm. I suppose that Sophie’s interest in design could be considered Risky for a Regency miss. There will always be someone who might dispute that if something “didn’t” happen it “wouldn’t” happen. But I say they never met a determined force like Sophie!
I’ve also been told a time or two that you need to write a rake to sell a Regency. Having a hero determined NOT to give in to his old ways might be risky.
Totally off-topic, but tell us about your sons’ fun Harry Potter appearances last year!
Oh, they were determined to go to the Harry Potter Party at the bookstore, celebrating the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! The oldest had been to one in the past, and the younger knew this was his last chance to get there. They dressed up, one was a Dementor and the other Harry, and we had a great time participating in all the festivities! They had live owl demonstrations, Magic Potions shows, fortune telling, the Sorting Hat, etc. They really liked the massive scroll everyone signed to thank JK Rowling for so many hours of reading pleasure. While we were there, a local magazine took our picture and we ended up in the publication. My youngest was especially pleased because he had been telling his elementary class that his mom was a famous author, and now he had his 15 minutes of fame!
Maybe new authors in the making???
What’s next for you?
In March comes the UK release of my second book, An Improper Aristocrat. This one is a rollicking story with plenty of action and intrigue. A deathbed pledge brings the adventurous Earl of Treyford back to England. Instead of the aging spinster he expects to find, Chione Latimer is a beautiful half-Egyptian girl caught in chaotic circumstances. Before long, Trey finds himself where he never wished to be: stuck in parson’s mousetrap, up to his armpits in eccentrics and in the midst of a villainous plot to recover an ancient Egyptian artifact.
I love it that in your next book the heroine will have some oriental blood… very original for a regency!
Hi Deb,
First of all I want to say that the cover of your book looks very nice.
Second, the book itself sounds very nice too,lol.
Third, I agree with Nathalie: a heroine with oriental blood is very original! I’m realy curious about that story.
And last of all: I’m realy looking forward to reading your books! 😀
Thanks Nathalie and Stefanie! Chione was a joy to write. She was a fascinating mix of steely strength and personal insecurity, and I so enjoyed finding her happiness and purpose in life! That book is available next month in the UK and I can’t wait to see what readers think of it!
Stefanie, thanks for the nice words about the cover! Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss has had two covers, as you can see, and I love them both. I also think they make an interesting comment on the two different markets!
Deb
Deb, congratulations on creating some very new and innovative Regencies, probably what perked your publisher’s interest in the first place! That and of course talent. Glad you followed your dream. I can’t wait to read both of them 🙂
Hi Deb!
Read your first (am in the UK) and thoroughly enjoyed it, so am looking forward to seeing your next one in March.
Best wishes Carol
I have my copy! I found it on Jan 31 and it was the last copy in the store.
The HH cover is so romantic. I just love it.
I’m so very happy for you, Deb. It is wonderful when our dreams really do come true.
Thank you Donnell! And many congrats to you for Deadly Recall’s final in the Linda Howard Award of Excellence contest! Best of luck to you as it goes on to Lauren McKenna! She’s one smart cookie and the brilliant editor who snagged my CP out of the slush pile!
Fingers crossed for you!
Carol, Thank you so much for the kind words! The family and I went out to the bookstore this weekend to see SLRM on the shelves and I picked up my copy of An Honorable Rogue! I’ll probably have to fight my mom for it–she loves those Normans and Saxons as much as I do.
I have my copy of SCANDALOUS LORD, REBELLIOUS MISS! Whew! I got the last copy at my local Borders, so hurry up if you’re planning to buy it. They’re going fast!
Having seen both covers, UK and US, I have to admit to liking the US cover better. I guess I really am an American! What can I say? I like the close up of her hand on his naked chest.
Sigh.
Deb, I love the concept of the reformed rake and the girl who wants the rake back. What fun! I’ll bet you had a blast writing their scenes together. Which one (without delving into spoiler territory) was your favorite?
Thank you Diane, and thanks so much to you and all the Riskies for having me here today!
I love that cover too. I can only hope I’ll be as lucky as you in that department –you’ve had some beauties!
Hi Claudia!
Oh, these two were so much fun! Sophie is constantly poking at Charles, trying to get him to lighten up a little and that was great fun.
If I had to choose a favorite I would say it must be the Masquerade Scene. Sophie has been the victim of some malicious mischief and Charles has such a typical MAN moment–where he thinks he can fix everything if she would just listen to him. Except that he fails to take her feelings, indeed everything that he knows about her, into consideration. It’s a hard blow to Sophie and a turning point in their relationship.
You’ll have to let me know if you have a favorite!
It’s an adorable book, Deb, and deserves every success. And just to annoy everyone else, I’ve already READ Chione’s book, and you’re going to love her. Deb does really stellar characters with great motivations, and Sophie and Chione are no exceptions!
Hi Deb, welcome to the Riskies! Loved the title and cover. The art department was certainly in a Regency mood the day they design the cover.
Deb, do you miss your former career? The schedule of going someplace outside the home every day? And the colleagues you talk with?
Do you Facebook?
Ooh research on interiors! Thst’s what I have been doing lately, and it’s fascinating to see what was “in,” what was “out,” what was “outre.”
What is it like to have back-to-back releases? Writing those two stories, both historical, both set in the Regency must’ve been challenging.
Hi Deb!
Congratulations on the new book. I’m wondering how your heroine indulges her interest in design, is it in other people’s homes, her own home?
Sniff, sniff–Thank you Sabrina! That means a lot coming from someone who has written as many great books as you!
I can brag a little too and say I’ve already read your February release: Let Sleeping Rogues Lie. Readers will be lining up for this one! Madeline’s scientific mindset is the perfect coil for Anthony–the Viscount who is giving ‘Rake Lessons’ to the girls in Mrs. Harris’ School!
Hey, Deb!! Or should I say “Yankee Lady”?? I am so excited about the release of your book! It was already on the shelves at our local Wal-Mart (oops) and when I went back at the end of my work day to get one they were all gone!! Of course that was partly my fault because I did tell a few of the ladies I work with to buy it. I just didn’t expect ALL of them to go that day! We have a really sweet girl working nights in the cash office. Her name is Rachel and she is from Jamaica. She LOVES historical romance and says they actually help to improve her English. I KNOW she got a copy as I told her about it as she was leaving and I was coming in and she turned right around and went back for it.
I have to agree that your unique characterizations definitely caught the editors’ eyes. Very clever, my friend. Can’t wait for the next one either! Egyptian culture and the perception of all things Egyptian in the Regency is fascinating.
Your trip with Diane and Amanda sounds like the trip of a lifetime. I envy you that!
Do you treat writing as your full-time job now? I mean, is that how you approach it? Stephen King talks about how he works in ON WRITING. How does your writing day go and do you have any advice for fitting writing in around a regular pain in the butt DDJ (dreaded day job)?
Hi Keira!
I don’t miss my career at all. I enjoyed it while I did it, but this is really what I’ve longed to do! My characters become almost real to me, but I do sometimes miss real life adult conversation! Most of my writing is done while my kids are in school–then I do the Mom thing and haul kids to practice and activities. There does come the occasional time when I have to talk about something besides gymnastics though, and then I put out the desperate call to my cps and writing friends for lunch!
I’ve never ventured into Facebook, Keira, I would love to know what you guys think of it.
I know you are having a ball researching interiors! I used some of the houses we saw on the Regency tour as inspiration.
Back to back releases is exciting! Fortunately, I did not write them at the same time. Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss was finished and I was shopping it around while I wrote An Improper Aristocrat.
Hi Maureen!
Sophie’s family is in shipping and childhood visits to warehouses full of gorgeous furniture and objects set off her habit of drawing the beautiful rooms those things would eventually inhabit.
Her first real life endeavor comes from helping her best friend decorate her nursery and it all snowballs from there!
Just wanted to say glad to have you here today and the release sounds great!
Hi Pam!
Oh my gosh! Thanks so much for spreading the word about SLRM! Word of mouth is like gold! You are an angel!
That Regency trip was wonderful. I missed the second one, but I’m sure Diane and Ammanda will tell you it was fabulous. They got held up by highwaymen!
I’ve never had to fit writing around a day job, but fitting it around the raising of 2 kids is definitely a challenge! I write while they are in school and sometimes while I am waiting at practices etc. LOL–I had to wait to answer you because the oldest had to use the computer to do some research for school! This is most definitely a full time job for me, though! I’ve got another UK release in October and Diane and Ammanda and I are all working on a novella together while we work on our next books.
Please tell me you are going to SF? This Yankee Lady can’t wait to hang out with you in person!
Thanks tetewa! I hope everyone loves Charles and Sophie as much as I do!
I’m LOL at your description of Charles and his Man Moment. It’s so true, isn’t it?
I remember when my DH and I were first married, somewhere in the first 5 or 10 years, and the Rule that we worked out was that I get to explain and info dump all over him, backstory galore on The Issue that has me in a dither, and when I’m ready for his input I say, “Okay, now you can talk. What do you think?”
And then it’s his turn. *G* This system has not been patented, so if anyone wants to use it, I can highly recommend it! LOL
Deb, do you think that all your novels have a risky element? And if so, why?
Wonderful interview. Congratulations on your success.
As others have said your upcoming book sounds excellent also. I am quite partial to Egyptian themes.
Hi, Deb!
I love both of the covers for Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss (though that title must be a bit of a mouthful to type over and over again…er…I mean bit of a handful, of course…) 🙂
Okay, got off subject there. Sorry. What I’m trying to say is, I love both of the covers! I do like the US cover better — gorgeous use of color — but I think the UK one is very nice too.
And I love the notion of a rake who’s reformed before the book ever begins… 🙂
Cara
Well, now I feel very lucky I snagged a copy at Wal Mart yesterday! I had to fight my way through people with enormous carts full of chips, sodas, and Super Bowl cupcakes to get it.
Which reminds me, I’ve got to put the book down now and bake brownies for my brother’s SB party later…
LOL, Claudia, you are so generous! But anybody who has ever met your husband knows what a great job you’ve done train–er, molding him! A woman’s work is never done! Hee hee.
I’ve never really considered my books as risky, but I guess they might have risky elements. The third book is about a heroine who has grown up in the Evangelical/Reformer culture of English society, so I guess that might be risky. I just write the characters who pop up in my head! 🙂
Now, Sophia, the Courtesan character in your series–her I would label risky! And deviously intelligent and a total blast to read!
Thanks Michelle! I hope you enjoy Trey and Chione’s story! It was such fun to research Egypt and antiquities etc. I especially enjoyed reading about Belzoni and all of his fabulous exploits. So much so that I made him a character in the book!
Thanks Cara! The next cover is very pretty too, although I have to say: there is nothing remotely Egyptian looking about it. 🙁 I hope to post it on my website soon!
Have a fabulous time, Ammanda!
I’m being good and staying away from the brownies!
Deb and Amanda, what a great interview. I love that both of you conveyed what fun you are in real life (meeting Deb was one of the highlights of my Dallas visit last year!). Deb, congratulations on the release of your first book. It sounds absolutely wonderful. Regency design is ming-blowing, isn’t it? I bought a stack of pictures of Regency china and some people thought they had to be modern. The elegance of the design really does have a timeless look. And I’m intrigued by the premise of the next one.
Hey, I want to know more about the glories of the Regency tour. Was this run through a company or was it something you put together yourselves? That’s something I’d get the credit card out for 😉
Huge congratulations on the start of your fabulous new and perfect-for-you career!
Love the pre-reformed rake angle and the Egyption orientalism in the next one. What are you working on now?
Thanks for being here, Deb. I found your book in the bookstore (face out and everything!) on Friday. What a great cover!
Yes, Deb, a woman’s work (on her husband) is never done.
I love risky characters! It makes the books so much fun; the plots seem to take on a life of their own. As a confirmed pantser, I’ve taught myself to find the joy in the book swinging wildly out of my control since it means the book is Alive! Of course, it can be a live monster and the villagers might revolt, storming the castle…
The terrors of being a pantser!
Are you a pantser or a plotter? And would you say your characters come first or your plots? It sounds like you get your characters first, or is it a mix?
Hey, I want to know more about the glories of the Regency tour. Was this run through a company or was it something you put together yourselves? That’s something I’d get the credit card out for 😉
Sigh, Anna.
This 2003 trip and another one in 2005 following the Great North Road were designed by our friend, Patty Suchy and her Novel Explorations travel agency. The trips were designed with writers in mind, so we were mostly writers on the trips. Patty focussed on taking us places we read about in Regency novels. It was beyond wonderful!
Unfortunately, Patty retired from her day job and shortly after retired from doing such extensive tours in favor of doing travel writing.
Oh, blast and confound it, Ms Gaston! I always find out about these things too late 😉 Oh, well, I’ll just have to ply you with cocktails and get all the details out of you next time I see you (Regency cocktails – g). It sounds wonderful! There’s no substitute for actually being there, is there?
Hey Anna!
So glad to see you here! Meeting you was a highlight for me too! I hope you know that you are now and forever more required to feed our Tim Tam addiction at conference!
I see that Diane filled you in on the fabulous Patty Suchy! If she ever decides to go back into business we’ll have people lined up at her door! But you have Nicola to make up for it! I’ll bet she makes a wonderful tour guide!
Thank you Jane!
Right now I am working on a book related to SLRM. Mateo Cardea is Sophie’s American cousin. He is a bit of a scoundrel and a merchant sea captain. He is currently getting his come-uppance!
I’m also working on a novella with Diane and Ammanda and we are having so much fun with it! It will be out in 2009.
Megan, thanks so much for going looking for SLRM! I appreciate it so much! Especially as I know how busy you are with remodeling and writing and everything else a mom and wife is saddled with!
Claudia,
Characters first, for me! I have to know who I’m writing about before I can see their journey!
I was a total pantser for the first book, but since then I’ve done a synopsis (dirty word in the Claudia Dain lexicon, I know!) for each book. Truthfully, the synopsis is only focused on the characters and the romance. The plot changes as I go.
Deb, Nicola was FANTASTIC! And I think she’s one of the few people in the universe who goes through a stately home even more slowly than I do 😉 Essential in a travelling companion. Just to fill the Riskies in, the fabulous Nicola Cornick, historical romance writer extraordinaire, took me on a Regency Writers go wild tour last year when I was in England. We had an absolute ball – and she’s amazingly erudite and what was interesting and rather nice is that my odd bits of information were generally different to hers. So we had a wonderful time speaking at length about minutiae!
And Deb, the Tim Tams go without saying. Well, they would, being chocolate biscuits, wouldn’t they? Not a lot of conversation out of a chocolate biscuit.
Hi Deb,
Congrats on your release. Were the gossip pages just as malicious and outrageous back in regency period as they are now?
Hi Jane!
Yes, the broadsheets and caricatures absolutely were vicious back then. In fact, when I read over Ammanda’s Politics Post, my first thought was that the tabloids today are just as directly related!
I have some examples of real doozies! Check out Gatrell’s City of Laughter: Sex and Satire in Eighteenth Century London for some examples!
Hi, Deb! Thank you for sharing your writing experiences and all the best on your new career!! I became a stay-at-home writer a year and a half ago and love it. Of course, my Alphie and I spend a lot of time at ballgames. Amazing how much I can type while my eyes are on the goalie or pitcher(my son has to be in the thick of things!).
I’m going to look for your book next time I’m out or have my bookstore order it for me. I love finding new Regency authors and your stories sound delightful.
Hi, Deb,
Popping over here from the Lair ‘cuz Anna said so 🙂
Congrats on your release, and on your upcoming books! (I, too, am really curious and excited to read about a heroine who’s even part Oriental!)
And I’ve always loved stories where the hero and heroine have some history–this one sounds great!
WOW! This blog’s sure been hopping, Deb. What fun!
And ooh Sabrina and ooh Claudia and ooh MEP and ooh AnnaC…Celebrities all and all!
Deb, about Facebook. Some authors are making their presence known there. It seems that MySpace is being left for the musicians and writers are moving to Facebook. JoBev, Mary Balogh, our very own Cara King, Sophia Nash, and some others.
AnnaC, you sure owe a lot of people multiple drinks. Hmm!!
That’s the OTHER Anna Campbell, Keira. The one who looks like Audrey Hepburn. This one keeps her wallet closed and her bar padlocked!
Thanks Tessa, that is music to a new author’s ears! Wishing you the best of luck with your writing! I’ll bet we could talk for hours about the different reactions you get when people ask you what you do!
Nice to see you over here, flchen1! I hope I’ll see you in the Lair on Tuesday!
Thanks for the kind words! I hope you enjoy SLRM.
Thanks for the info on Facebook, Keira. I’ll have to go check it out. I’m an extreme newbie on those sorts of social sites.
But I do love a blog and the Riskies have one of the best!
i can’t resist a story with a heroine who shares my nine-month-old baby’s name!
and the heroine of the next story sounds even more intriguing – shades of nefret in the amelia peabody books….