There’s No Substitute for Experience
Hi Deanna! Thanks for having me as your guest today in Deanna’s World.
Heroines, by and large, are an interesting bunch. They’d have to be or people wouldn’t want to write about them or read about them. If any of you have picked up many of my books, you’ll know that I’ve offered up a wide variety of leading ladies, from courtesans to the sweetest of innocents.
Lately, the innocents have predominated. I had virginal heroines for all my Sons of Sin books – four full lengthers and two novellas and counting. And my last couple of novellas have featured virginal heroines too.
It’s lovely writing a girl who has a world of sensuality to discover, and I certainly haven’t written my last pure lassie. Well, pure until she encounters one of my heroes, but that’s another story.
But when I decided to write a series of longish Regency novellas (the first one’s around the 160 page mark), I thought it was time I chose some heroines who had a bit more baggage in the back of their curricles. So I came up with the idea of three widows who for various reasons have missed out on what they deserve in life – and who decide that this sad situation isn’t going to continue. The Dashing Widows were born! I always admire people with the courage to face their circumstances honestly and take charge of their destinies to change things. That’s what these three women do and I’m cheering them all the way.
My first dashing widow is Caroline, Lady Beaumont, who was married very young to the dullest man in England. After 10 years with nobody but the dairy herd to talk to, she’s ready for some fun and adventure. And for a future that doesn’t involve the word ‘husband’. Unfortunately for her, she’s about to strike a big obstacle to that plan. The very charming Silas Nash, Viscount Stone, who is determined to change her mind about love.
Will he succeed? Hmm, given the title is The Seduction of Lord Stone, I think my money’s on Silas.
I’ve got a Kindle download of The Seduction of Lord Stone for someone who comments today. Just tell me the name of the last novella you read and you’ll go into the draw. Good luck!
Oh Anna, I do love a good virgin. I think it's from my days (I'm aging myself!) of reading historical Mills & Boons books I borrowed from the library as a young lass. :-) That said, there's something very empowering and refreshing about a lady who knows what she wants and goes after it. I am looking forward to getting to know your widows.
And now a little more about the book ...
The Seduction of Lord Stone
The Dashing Widows #1
By: Anna Campbell
Releasing September 1, 2015
Self published
Buy Links: Amazon | Smashwords
The Dashing Widows #1
By: Anna Campbell
Releasing September 1, 2015
Self published
Buy Links: Amazon | Smashwords
Synopsis
For this reckless widow, love is
the most dangerous game of all.
Caroline, Lady Beaumont, arrives in London seeking excitement after ten dreary years of marriage and an even drearier year of mourning. That means conquering society, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and taking a lover to provide passion without promises. Promises, in this dashing widow’s dictionary, equal prison. So what is an adventurous lady to do when she loses her heart to a notorious rake who, for the first time in his life, wants forever?
Devilish Silas Nash, Viscount Stone is in love at last—with a beautiful, headstrong widow bent on playing the field. Worse, she’s enlisted his help to set her up with his disreputable best friend. No red-blooded man takes such a challenge lying down, and Silas schemes to seduce his darling into his arms, warm, willing and besotted. But will his passionate plots come undone against a woman determined to act the mistress, but never the wife?
Caroline, Lady Beaumont, arrives in London seeking excitement after ten dreary years of marriage and an even drearier year of mourning. That means conquering society, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and taking a lover to provide passion without promises. Promises, in this dashing widow’s dictionary, equal prison. So what is an adventurous lady to do when she loses her heart to a notorious rake who, for the first time in his life, wants forever?
Devilish Silas Nash, Viscount Stone is in love at last—with a beautiful, headstrong widow bent on playing the field. Worse, she’s enlisted his help to set her up with his disreputable best friend. No red-blooded man takes such a challenge lying down, and Silas schemes to seduce his darling into his arms, warm, willing and besotted. But will his passionate plots come undone against a woman determined to act the mistress, but never the wife?
Excerpt
London, May 1820
Lady Beaumont’s Ball
Caroline couldn’t contain a smug smile. “My party is a great success, isn’t it?”
“It is indeed.” Silas regarded her from under tawny eyebrows, his gaze sharp. “I congratulate you on your victory over society.”
She flicked her fan open and cast him a flirtatious glance as she fell into their familiar bantering. “I intend to enjoy myself.”
“You deserve to kick up your heels a little.” The fondness in his expression made her heart swell. She wondered if he knew quite how much his friendship meant to her. His immediate approbation had done wonders for her self-assurance when she’d been new in Town. Without it, she doubted she’d have had the nerve to claim a prominent place in the ton.
“Oh, I plan on doing more than a little,” she said on a laugh. “I’ve spent my life as someone’s dutiful daughter or someone’s obedient wife. Now I seek amusement on my own account—and nobody can say me nay.”
“Until you find another husband.”
All the color and music and movement around her jangled into cacophony in her head. Her throat clogged with horror. Another husband? She’d rather die.
“Caro?”
Silas’s voice brought her back, reminded her that she need never enter the smothering hell of married life again. Instead, here she was with handsome Silas Nash and she was free to enjoy herself precisely how she wished.
She took in the tall, rangy build set off to perfection in evening clothes, the thick honey-brown hair, his intense, intelligent face with its Roman nose so like Helena’s. It all made for a man of more than average appeal. His title was singularly inappropriate—anyone less like a stone was impossible to imagine. He was the most alive person she’d ever met.
She waved her fan slowly in front of her face, chasing off all her dark memories. Tonight was hers, and she didn’t intend to waste it on unhappy thoughts. “I don’t want another husband.”
He frowned. “Of course you do.”
“Of course I don’t.” She tilted her chin and took advantage of the small island of privacy surrounding them to confide her wicked intentions. “I am, however, in the market for a lover.”
As she’d expected, her pronouncement didn’t shock Silas. His tolerant attitude was among the many things she liked about him. He regarded her thoughtfully. “Is that an invitation, Caro?”
Read another excerpt on Anna's website
Author Info
ANNA
CAMPBELL has written ten multi
award-winning historical romances for Grand Central Publishing and Avon
HarperCollins and her work is published in sixteen languages. Anna is
currently engaged in writing the "Sons of Sin" series, which started in
2012 with SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED. The fourth book in the series,
A SCOUNDREL BY MOONLIGHT, is out in April 2015. Anna lives on the
beautiful east coast of Australia where she writes full-time.Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Giveaway
A Kindle e-copy of The Seduction of Lord Stone
To enter, simply leave a comment below and Anna will pick a winner.
Find Deanna around SOCIAL MEDIA:
Karyn lives in a small town in the western
corner of Ontario, Canada. She whiles away her spare time writing and
reading romance while drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey tea.
Tortured heroes are a must. A multi-published author with a few
bestsellers under her belt, Karyn loves to write in different genres
and time periods, though historicals and contemporaries are her
favorite.