I’m thrilled that my friend and acclaimed historical romance author Miranda Neville is on the blog with us today.  Miranda writes sexy and witty romances that are rich in history.  Her first book, Never Resist Temptation, was published in 2009 to great reviews, and with each book those fab accolades continue to roll in.  Take, for instance, The Wild Marquis, book one in her Burgundy Club Series.

This is the book that New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James called “sizzling, addictive, and deeply romantic…a joy to read.”

The Wild Marquis received a “Best of 2011″ from Dear Author, and Top Picks from Romance Junkies and Night Owl Reviews.

“Filled with secrets, mystery, romance, sizzling love scenes, witty, realistic dialogue, an imaginative plot and charismatic characters, this lighthearted story is captivating.  A riveting novel, I hated to see it end.  Do not miss THE WILD MARQUIS.  It is a keeper!” — 5 ribbons, Romance Junkies

The fourth book in The Burgundy Club Series,Confessions from an Arranged Marriage is now in stores.

As you might guess, it’s already gotten great reviews, including this one from Romance Novel News:

“Fans of historical romance should not miss “Confessions from an Arranged Marriage.” Miranda Neville has crafted a magnificent story with a wonderfully emotional romance and a flawed, yet unforgettable hero. This is a story that will tug on the heartstrings, cause emotional heartbreak, but in the end satisfy on almost every level. “

And here’s the blurb:

They couldn’t be more different, but there’s one thing they agree on.

In London after a two-year exile, Lord Blakeney plans to cut a swathe through the bedchambers of the demimonde. Marriage is not on his agenda, especially to an annoying chit like Minerva Montrose, with her superior attitude and a tendency to get into trouble. And certainly the last man Minerva wants is Blake, a careless wastrel without a thought in his handsome head. 

The heat and noise of her debutante ball give Minerva a migraine. Surely a moment’s rest could do no harm … until Blake mistakes her for another lady, leaving Minerva’s guests to catch them in a very compromising position. To her horror, the scandal will force them to do the unthinkable: marry. Their mutual loathing blazes into unexpected passion but Blake remains distant, desperate to hide a shameful secret. Minerva’s never been a woman to take things lying down, and she’ll let nothing stop her from winning his trust … and his heart.

I don’t know about you, but I love the theme of arranged marriages and marriages of convenience, and this one is sure to please.  And I love Miranda’s books.  If you like intelligent, sexy historical romance, I think you’ll love them too!

For my readers today, Miranda is giving away a copy of Confessions from an Arranged Marriage.  Let’s continue talking about this theme.  What’s your favorite marriage of convenience story, either historical, contemporary, or paranormal?  There are lots of good ones out there, so let’s start listing them!  One person who comments will win a copy of Miranda’s book.

Boy, have I let the winners pile up on the blog!  Here we go…

For Manda Collins’ new e-novella, the winners are:  Janie C, bn100, StacieD, Artemis, Tin.

And the winner of Manda’s ARC of her next book, How to Romance a Rake, is Alisha Woods.  Alisha also wins a copy of Legally Yours.

The winners of my Mother’s Day giveaway are Lisa B & MicheAnne Oboyle, who both win a copy of my new VK Sykes e-book, Fastball, and Sienny, who wins a copy of Mastering The Marquess.

Finally, the winner of Elise Rome’s upcoming release, The Sinning Hour, is Tina Rucci.

Congratulations to the winners!  I’ll be in touch soon.  And thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog.  My guest author on Thursday will be acclaimed historical romance writer, Miranda Neville.

I’m always happy when historical romance authors are guests on my blog.  And I’ve got a really good one on today–she’s Elise Rome, and she writes lush and lovely Victorian romances.  Elise has written a very, very interesting blog about some of the things she’s learned since she starting writing romance novels, and how she creates her heroines.

Take it away, Elise!

Thanks so much to Vanessa for welcoming me back on the blog! As I count down to the release of my first book as Elise Rome (THE SINNING HOUR, due out late June), I realized that I wanted to share a self-discovery I’ve made since becoming a romance writer.

In the past I never thought of myself as being a feminist. Raised in East Texas, there was a definite bias against the word. In my mind, feminists were loud, brash, rude—and yes, even braless; the opposite of my mother, who was hard-working, quiet, respectful toward others (and always wore a bra). Women’s rights never concerned me much growing up, probably because the issue had a “been there, done that” feel to it. I was born after the suffrage movement, after women wearing pants in public became normal, and grew up during a time when it was status quo for women to work rather than stay at home raising children. I didn’t understand what else there was to fight for, and it often seemed that women who were termed “feminists” were people who just liked to stir up trouble by making a big deal out of nothing.

Ignorant, I know. I don’t think there’s any better word for it.

Two things happened when I began writing romance, though. One, I became part of an international community where women (for the most part) write love stories for women (again, for the most part). If any group of people could rightly be called feminists, it’s romance readers and writers… and yet, despite the stereotype I grew up believing, they’re some of the nicest, most generous, caring people I know. Through them, I’ve learned that being a feminist is something to be proud of. Modern romance espouses the idea that men and women should have equal footing in intimate relationships and, in turn, in every other arena where men and women interact. I’ve learned that being a feminist doesn’t mean that I want to beat down men or show myself to be superior to them; it means that I insist on being treated with the same respect and right of personhood that every human being should expect.

Part of my understanding of what feminism means and who I am as a feminist came from my participation in the romance community, and there are hundreds of fellow romance lovers to whom I am grateful as a result.

The second part, however, came from the actual writing of romance novels. As I hinted above, I think my entire (erroneous) perception of feminism can be attributed to social stereotyping. In truth, I think I’ve been a feminist all along. This truth continues to emerge in the heroines I write. Since I write historical romance novels—currently set in Victorian England, and soon also in the 1920s—my heroines have even less rights and privileges than we do today. Yet despite these boundaries, I’ve always been drawn to write heroines who refuse to settle for what’s expected of them; they know they are worth more, they know they deserve more. They want more, and they go after it, even if there are disastrous consequences to bear.

When I began toying with the idea of a new series, my first thought wasn’t how I could promote feminism by giving five heroines a chance at complete independence in a time when other women were constrained by the wills of their fathers, brothers, husbands, and other male relatives. No, I began with who the heroines were individually—both internally and externally—the type of respective heroes they each should have, and a general premise for their love stories. Then, at the end, I finally put together the idea of the women knowing one another because they’re all co-owners of a gaming hell.

To be honest, I don’t think I would have come up with that idea if I’d started by asking myself for a great hook for a new romance series. As a writer, to me every story begins with individual characterization. But once the idea evolved and the premise came of five women owning a gaming hell together, it resonated with me as a reader. And that’s when I realized how well the label “feminist” truly fits me; I want to read and write about strong women (this also helps me understand why Scarlett O’Hara has always been a particular favorite of mine).

Some may be beautiful, some may be plain; some may be rocket-scientist smart, some may be of average intelligence; all of them are vulnerable in one way or another, but that doesn’t mean they’re inferior because of their gender, just that they’re human. Most importantly, each heroine either knows who she is or discovers who she is through the course of the book, and while they may all long for an intimate, meaningful relationship with the hero of their dreams, they would never see themselves as unworthy or incomplete because they’re not attached to a man.

Yes, I’ve finally discovered what a feminist is, and what being a feminist means. It’s opened my eyes to see how much prejudice against women still exists, and it enrages me when I hear that a woman is raped every 26 seconds in South Africa, when I wonder why there is any rape at all.

Upon this realization, I’m more proud than ever to be a part of the romance community where we give hope to women who, possibly unlike our heroines, aren’t able to be strong at this very moment…but who grow more cognizant of their inner strength with each happily-ever-after ending.

The world that scoffs at the romance genre does so because they believe it’s all about sex and women who are dependent on men; they have no idea that while a committed relationship between two equal and loving partners is essential to our HEAs, a woman who will fight for herself with self-possession and intelligence is just as important.

Obviously, they’ve never met one of my heroines.

Elise Rome has never forgiven Margaret Mitchell for making her fall in love with Scarlett and Rhett in Gone with the Wind and then not giving them a happy ending. She likes to think that she makes up for this injustice with each romance novel she writes. When she isn’t telling stories about sexy, headstrong heroes and intelligent, independent heroines, Elise stays busy chasing after her two young daughters, semi-attempting to do housework, and hiking in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.

THE SINNING HOUR is Elise’s first book in her new Victorian Unmaskedseries, in which five masked women claim their independence by creating the most exclusive gaming hell in London. The book is scheduled to be published in late June 2012.

For more information about Elise, please visit her website at www.eliserome.com or connect with her through Facebook and Twitter.

What does the romance genre mean to you as a female reader or writer? One random commenter will win a digital copy of THE SINNING HOUR upon its release.

Vanessa, here.  Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Elise, and for writing such a thoughtful blog!  Now, readers, have at it.  What does the romance genre mean to you?  One person who comments will win a copy of Elise’s upcoming release.

Happy Mother’s Day, all!  I hope you’re having a wonderful Sunday with your moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and those women who’ve given you love and support over the years.  I always have mixed feelings on this day, since my mom died thirteen years ago.  I still think about her all the time, and there’s many a day when I wish I could pick up the phone and talk to her.  But I’m very lucky–I have a wonderful stepmother who gives me all kinds of support, and a loving big sister and many wonderful female friends.  On this special day, I think of them all with love and gratitude.

My mom didn’t live to see me published, but I know she would have been proud of me (and my stepmother, I’m happy to say, is my number one  fan).  So, in honor of my mom, I’d like to give away some books.  I’m giving away a copy of my first book, Mastering The Marquess, a story of two sisters searching for their estranged grandmother, and my VK Sykes contemporary romance, Fastball.  Just tell me who you’ll be honoring this Mother’s Day for a chance to win one of my books.

Have a great Sunday!

My most excellent friend Manda Collins is back with us on the blog today.  Manda writes witty Regency-set historical romance with a dash of mystery for St. Martin’s Press.  Her books are simply lovely and fun, and if like historical romance and you haven’t read Manda…well, do!

But Manda is branching out these days, and she’s here to tell us all about it.  Take it away, my lady!

And Now for Something Completely Different

Have you ever felt yourself falling into a rut? Doing the same old same old starts to pall. The tried and true routines that might have given you comfort in the past begin to grate on your nerves. And soon you find yourself searching for something—anything—to change up the sameness of the days.

This is the just the situation that the heroine of my novella, Legally Yours, finds herself in. After years spent raising her younger sister after the death of her parents, Julie Streeter finds herself in the unusual position of suffering from empty nest syndrome—at the ripe old age of 30!

Now, I’ve never been in that kind of situation, but I can definitely relate to the feeling old bit. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you view it), I was one of those kids who was born old. My Great Aunt told me this hilarious story once of how she was riding in the car with my Mom and me (and it was the 70s so like any 4 year old of the era, I stood/sat on the armrest between the two front seats) and I very calmly and precisely told my mother where she should turn, and basically was being a big old back seat driver.

At age FOUR! So, you can imagine what I was like as I got older.

I read somewhere once, that Capricorns—among whose ranks I fall—tend to age backwards. That is, they start out as “old” children and then gradually as they age they become more and more carefree and childish. Not that I will EVER admit to being childish, but I can totally understand how this character assessment could be spot on for me.

When I was a child and a teenager, I was far too busy being a grownup to behave in a childlike manner. The same holds true for my writing career.

Though I’ve applauded and read lots of erotic romance over the years, always something has held me back from trying to write it myself. Perhaps it’s the whole Catholic upbringing thing. Perhaps it’s my family’s lack of respect for romance as a genre (though since I’ve gotten published they’ve gotten more respectful). Whatever the case, something kept me from taking the plunge, so to speak, into the erotic arena.

Now keep in mind, this has NOTHING to do with my respect for erotic romance. I respect the hell out of anyone who writes openly about sex. My reticence has more to do with my own fear of putting myself out there.

But, I realized something a few weeks ago when I turned in the revisions for my third Ugly Duckling book. I am not so very many years away from the big 4-0. And like Julie, I’ve realized that there are some things I’d like to do. Some risks I’d like to take.

So I wrote Legally Yours. And self-published it. And the sky did not fall! (Though we did have that enormous supermoon! Coincidence? Who knows!) So, item one on my own “Before Forty” list has been dutifully checked off! Woohoo!

So, dear reader, what about you? Have you ever found yourself feeling the need to change the status quo? Have you ever taken a risk just for the heck of it? Or, is there something you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t gotten up the courage to try yet? Inquiring minds want to know! I’ll be giving away FIVE copies of Legally Yours to randomly chosen commenters. And one sixth commenter will receive BOTH a copy of Legally Yours and an ARC of my next Ugly Ducklings book, How to Romance a Rake!

Vanessa, here.  Zounds!  What an offer!  Five copies of Legally Yours AND an ARC of How to Romance a Rake!  That is one heck of a deal.  So, readers, get to answering Manda’s question.  Let’s get this conversation going!

Some of my newer visitors to the blog might not know that I have a writing alter-ego – it’s VK Sykes, and under that name I write sexy contemporary romance with my husband. As you can imagine, it’s very interesting to write books with my hubby, but I have to say that we have a lot of fun doing it.  The sex scenes, though, I have to write those.  When I let him do it they’re only about three paragraphs long.  He’s a little shy when it comes to that sort of thing!

We’ve recently released two new books.  Fastball is a sports romance, and is a prequel to our award-winning book, Hardball.  Here’s the blurb for Fastball:

Baseball reporter Maddie Leclair has spent years chasing her dream job—covering the major league team, the Philadelphia Patriots. Now that she’s landed the assignment she intends to make it big, with feature articles on the front page of every sports section in the country. But to do that, she needs to score an interview with the most private and elusive athlete in baseball, Patriots’ superstar Jake Miller.

On the rebound from a devastating injury that knocked him out of play for a season, Jake has a lot to prove to the suits in the front office. He’s sure he still has what it takes to win, and he’ll be damned if he lets anything get in the way of his climb back to the top.

The last thing Jake needs is a pushy female reporter distracting him. But one look at Maddie and he knows he’s in trouble. He finds himself trying for a different kind of play, one that involves bedrooms and not baseball stats. Sleeping together could damage both their careers, and Maddie is all about saying no. But when it comes to the game of love, Jake is playing to win.

Jake is one of my favorite heroes.  A big, strong, straight-up guy who always wants to do the right thing.  If you like sports romance or athlete heroes, I think you’ll like Fastball.

Our latest book isn’t a sports romance, but it’s a lot of fun.  Hot Number is set in Las Vegas, and revolves around the heroine’s determination to put her old, hard-working and boring life behind her for a little excitement in Sin City.

Here’s the blurb:

Geeky but brilliant college professor Sadie Bligh has failed once again to win the most prestigious award in mathematics. All she has to show for her life’s work is a flat-lined career and a non-existent social life. So when her best friend suggests a wild week in Las Vegas, gambling and hooking up with hot guys, Sadie decides she has nothing to lose.

But Sadie’s first night in Vegas involves an unfortunate run-in with a mojito and a poker table, drawing the attention of the casino’s deputy chief of security. Nick Saxon thinks Sadie’s a problem, but she thinks he’s incredibly sexy. Since she’s come to Vegas to let loose, Nick just might fit the bill.

With a sick mother to care for and a boss who hates his guts, Nick has enough on his plate, and the bundle of mayhem called Sadie Bligh spells nothing but trouble. She’s also funny and smart, and the sexual energy between them could light up the Vegas strip. But when she’s fingered for counting cards at the blackjack table, Nick is faced with a stark choice: protect her and risk getting fired, or toss her out on her sweet behind and risk never seeing her again.

I love Sadie.  She’s whip-smart, funny, and vulnerable all at the same time.  She was a lot of fun to write.  If you like very sexy contemporary romance with a lot of humor and heart, I think you’ll like Hot Number.

Both Fastball and Hot Number are currently available on Amazon and Smashwords for only $2.99.  Within a few weeks, the books should also be available for the NOOK and other e-readers at sites like Barnes & Noble and the Sony Store.

Happy Reading!

PS.  If you’ve read and enjoyed my books, I’d be thrilled if you could post a review to Amazon, B & N, or Goodreads.  In fact, posting reviews for books on those sites is one of the best ways you can support your favorite authors.  Thanks!!

The winner of Bronwen Evan’s book, An Invitation To Scandal, is Diane Diamond.  Congratulations!  I’ll be in touch.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog.  My guests later this week will be historical romance authors Monica Burns and Manda Collins.  Please stop by!

I’ve got a wonderful guest with me today.  She’s Bronwen Evans and she writes lovely and sensual Regency-set historical romance for Kensington Brava.  Bronwen is on her Invitation To Romance Blog Tour, and she’s graciously stopped by with us today.

Take it away, Bronwen!

The World of Romance Authors – Who Influenced Me to Write and Who keeps Me Sane

Hi Vanessa! Thanks for letting me visit with you today, all the way from New Zealand. Please bear with me for the time differences. I might be a little behind you!

The most common question I get asked is how I come up with my story ideas, followed closely by what motivates me. I really don’t have any problem finding ideas for stories. Sometimes, if you’re like me, Vanessa, you live most of your life with characters in your head. It’s crowded with loads of different characters all screaming to be heard. Sometimes it’s hard to order the characters’ traits, fears, and the conflicts they find themselves in.

Sometimes the answer to ‘where do I get my stories from’ leads to a discussion about what’s happening in the world around me. I often hear some lyrics, or watch a movie, world events, or something that happened to friends in real life triggers something in my head. I think about what would be different about this in the Regency era—and voila a story idea germinates.

However, these sources of inspiration help me with stories ideas. So what inspired me to write in the first place and what keeps me writing?

Well, it has to be other authors! It’s my love of reading romance that sparked the desire to write it. Especially historical romance, but really I read across all genres.

I remember crying, and laughing and smiling after reading a Penny Jordan book; I decided on the spot that was what I wanted to do. I didn’t really know how to start so I joined RWNZ and RWA and began to learn.

Now that I’m a published author, I still find inspiration through other authors. Reading a great book still sends me straight to my computer to write my own stories. Also being able to dive into other author’s characters gives my head a well needed rest.

I love that we all have different voices and different strengths in our writing. I’m constantly learning from other authors, how to be a better writer.

If you’re wondering which authors influenced me to write INVITATION TO SCANDAL, there are many. However fellow author Elise Rome always told me to give credit where it’s due.

So, these are just a few of the authors I return to again and again who I can count on to awe and inspire me, my auto-buys: (including Vanessa Kelly of course!)

Gaelen Foley

Nicole Jordan

Anne Mallory

Madeline Hunter

Mary Jo Putney

Jennifer Ashley

Even if you’re not a writer, you likely have a list of authors who continually awe you when you read their books. Who are your favorites that you would passionately recommend to any fellow romance reader?

One random commenter will be chosen to win a copy of my newest book, INVITATION TO SCANDAL (open internationally)!

PLUS: Find out how to win the INVITATION TO ROMANCE Book Tour Grand Prize of a $200 Gift Card from Amazon or B&N PLUS 30+ ‘signed by the author’ romance novels by visiting www.bronwenevans.com

There will be a one WORD hidden in each blog post [WHO] in brackets (the word ‘WHO’ is the first clue from Shana Galen’s post on 26^th April). There are 30 words altogether. These words will spell a paragraph related to my May release INVITATION TO SCANDAL.

Zounds!  Vanessa, here.  Bronwen, what a great contest!  Readers, be sure to check out Bronwen’s website.  And don’t forget to answer her question in today’s blog for a chance to win a copy of AN INVITATION TO SCANDAL.

Update:  Hey, folks!  I’m on Bronwen’s blog today.  I’m talking about current and future releases, and giving away a copy of My Favorite Countess.  Stop on by!

Some of you may know that romantic suspense author Brenda Novak sponsors a yearly on-line auction to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research.  It’s an awesome event and a great cause, with hundreds if not thousands of fantastic items to bid on – from books to hand-crafted items to e-readers loaded with books, and to lunches or dinners with your favorite authors.

I’ve donated two items to the auction.  The first is something for writers.

I’m offering a critique of a three chapter romance novel proposal, which includes a followup phone call to discuss the manuscript.  Now I don’t want to brag, but I’ve done a number of these in the past few years, including one for Brenda’s auction.  Several of the authors have gone on to get published including Ashlyn Macnamara, who won a critique from me from the on-line auction a few years ago.  A Most Scandalous Proposal went on to final in RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart Contest, and it was subsequently sold to Bantam Dell.  It was a wonderful book to begin with, but Ashlyn swears she couldn’t have whipped the manuscript into its final shape without me!

That’s all to say that I give good crit, so if any of you aspiring writers are looking for some thoughtful feedback on your manuscripts AND you’d like to donate to a good cause, hop on over to the auction website and take a look at my auction proposal.

The other item I’ve got up for auction is a joint one – a NOOK Color that I’ve donated with my fellow authors from Rock*It Reads.  We’re a group of published authors who are also self-publishing, and we’ve donated this NOOK, loaded up with copies of our books.  And great books too, by authors like Elisabeth Naughton, Pamela Clare, and Kris Kennedy.  Good, eh?  Romance readers will definitely want to check it out!

Again, there’s tons of good stuff up for bid, so spend a while checking out the auction website.  You might find something you just have to have, and you’ll also be supporting a great cause!

The winners of the copies of my first book, Mastering The Marquess, are Kanya Chhet and Eileen Dandashi.  Congratulations, ladies!  I’ll be in touch.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog for Kate Noble’s fun interview.  I’ve got some great guest authors coming up in the next week, including historical romance writers, Bronwen Evans and Monica Burns!