Harlequin Historical Authors

HH May Release: Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady by Bronwyn Scott

2008-05-01T12:59:00.001Z

Determined not to enter into a forced marriage, Julia could see no way out—unless she were to become a ruined woman! Notorious rake Paine Ramsden was reputed to have no qualms about seducing innocents, so maybe he would help with her…predicament.

Certainly, Paine deserved his rakish reputation, yet Julia was so achingly pure, one night with her might just ruin him! Awakening Julia's sensuality aroused unfamiliar feelings in him—was it too late to make them both respectable?
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Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady

HH May release: Western Weddings Anthology

2008-05-01T12:18:00.003Z

Rocky Mountain Bride by Jillian Hart

Savannah Knowles arrives in Montana expecting to marry Nate Brooks, but he has never heard of her! Can this quiet man find room in his heart for lonely Savannah?

Shotgun Vows by Kate Bridges

Milly Thornbottom has a crush on Mountie Weston Williams, and one stolen kiss changes their lives! After they're marched straight to the altar, can her crush possibly develop into more?

Springville Wife by Charlene Sands

Grace Lander returns to Springville to pick up the pieces of her life and become the town's schoolmarm. Single father Caleb Matlock's kiss may be just what Grace needs to mend her heart and make a home!

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Western Weddings

HH May Release: Cooper's Woman by Carol Finch

2008-05-01T09:23:00.003Z

Alexa Quinn wanted much more from life than a society wedding. She was determined to make her busy father see her true worth. So when secrets and lies threatened the good work he was doing, Alexa seized her chance to save not only her father, but herself as well.

Enter Wyatt Cooper—ex-lawman, legendary gunslinger and a fine-looking man! He was the best in the West for stopping trouble in its tracks, but for Alexa he meant excitement, adventure and danger. Just what she was looking for….

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Cooper's Woman

HH May Release: Taken by the Viking by Michelle Styles

2008-05-01T09:02:00.005Z

A Viking raid

They claimed they came in peace, but soon Lindisfarne was aflame. Annis of Birdoswald fled in fear, but she could not escape the Norse warriors.

An honorable captor

One man protected her—Haakon Haroldson. The dark, arrogant Viking swept Annis back to his homeland, taking her away from all she held dear.

A new life—as his mistress!

Now Annis must choose between the lowly work that befits a captive, or a life of sinful pleasure in the Viking's arms!

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Taken By the Viking

If you are intereseted in Vikings, Harlequin ebooks are offering a three book bundle of some of the earlier Viking/AngloSaxon books!

HH May release: A Wealthy Widow by Anne Herries

2008-05-01T09:00:00.004Z

Elegant, beautiful and inordinately rich, Lady Arabella Marshall is used to fending off fortune-hunters' unwanted flattery—but now such attentions have become deadly!

Lady Arabella is quite alone in the world, so she turns to the aloof and enigmatic Charles Hunter for protection. She instinctively trusts this quietly handsome gentleman. But, for safety's sake, Arabella cannot let her heart rule her head….
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A Wealthy Widow

HH May release: Talk of the Ton by Mary Nichols

2008-05-01T08:57:00.003Z

Her name was on everyone's lips. They were agog to find out what Miss Elizabeth Harley had been doing down at the East India Docks. And in such shocking apparel! Why, her uncle's generosity in giving her a London season had been thrown back in his face.

Elizabeth had not meant to sully her good name. All she'd craved was a chance to travel. Andrew Melhurst had come to her rescue when she needed him most, but should she consider marrying him to save her reputation?

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Talk of the Ton

A Week at Romance Vagabonds...

2008-04-13T19:59:00.005Z

Harlequin Historical Authors will be busy all this week at Romance Vagabonds! There will be competitions, chat, questions and prizes. Medieval Authors set the ball rolling on Monday 14th April...

Do visit!

http://www.romancevagabonds.com/

Picture of the Medieval castles of Lastours, South of France.

The Canadian Wild West and the Mounties...by Kate Bridges

2008-04-04T19:42:00.020Z

I write Westerns. Some of them are set in the American West, but since I live in Canada, a lot of them are set here, with Mounties as the heroes. This is a photo I took when I visited the Yukon, on the road to Alaska.

Last year, I was interviewed by a German magazine called LoveLetter. They wanted me to tell their European readers about Canada’s history and the Mounties. These are some of my notes from that discussion, which were later translated into German.

Dressed in crisp red uniforms with wide brown Stetsons, the Mounties galloped across the prairies and symbolized everything romantic about how Canada’s West was tamed. These were resourceful men, quick to make decisions, respectful, handsome and daring.

Because of the sheer volume of population, America’s West was settled fifty years before Canada’s. The U.S. had sheriffs and marshals, whereas Canada had the North-West Mounted Police. They were formed in 1873 by the government in order to settle the prairies, rid the land of whisky traders, make peace with the Indians, and maintain a lawful border with the States. In 1904, King Edward VII renamed them the Royal Canadian Mounted Police—bestowing the title of ‘royal’ because they fought so bravely in the Boer War for England.

At that time in Canada’s history, anyone from a commonwealth country was allowed to join the Force. Many signed on from the United Kingdom and the United States. Marriage was restricted. These men were expected to lead solitary lives, policing great distances on horseback, months away from home and sacrificing personal lives to serve their country. It was argued that if a Mountie constable had a wife and family, his duties would be diminished in order to protect his own homestead and family. Officers, on the other hand, weren’t so restricted.

The photos you see were taken in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. That's me in front of an actual Mountie cabin that was used during the Klondike Gold Rush. Inside the cabin, check out that ball and chain!

My current novel, out now, Klondike Fever, takes place in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. It’s a reversal of fortune story when the heroine, the richest woman in the Klondike, is robbed on a stagecoach headed to Alaska and chained to a man she used to work for as a servant. He’s a Mountie, disguised as a drifter and alcoholic, working incognito.

In May, I’ve got another Mountie story in the anthology Western Weddings, which I share with fellow authors Charlene Sands and Jillian Hart. If you’ve been following my Gold Rush series, you’ll recognize the heroine, Milly, and her family, the Thornbottoms as they go through the unfortunate circumstance of “Shotgun Vows.”

I hope you enjoy the stories! Feel free to visit my website and drop me a line.
Kate
www.katebridges.com

HH April Release: Klondike Fever by Kate Bridges

2008-04-03T11:22:00.003Z

Sexy Mountie Dylan Wayburn is having a bad day. Disguised as a drifter, he fetches up in the same stagecoach as Lily Cromwell, a beautiful redhead who was once a family servant. She could blow his cover sky-high. Then their stagecoach is held up at gunpoint—because everyone knows that Lily has struck gold. Pretending to be married to search for the gang who've stolen Klondike Lily's fortune leaves Dylan very, very close to the woman he should protect. He'll try and fight the flames of his desire...but how can he ignore the full lips begging to be kissed?

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Klondike Fever

Available as an ebook. Part of e-harlequin's It's raining men promotion.

HH April Release: No Place for a Lady by Louise Allen

2008-04-03T11:20:00.002Z

Miss Bree Mallory has no time for the pampered aristocracy! She's too taken up with running the best coaching company on the roads. But an accidental meeting with an earl changes everything....Soon, beautiful Bree has established herself in Society. She hopes no one will discover that she once drove the stage coach from London to Newbury...or that she returned unchaperoned with the rakishly attractive Max Dysart, Earl of Penrith.Bree's independence is hard-won: she has no interest in marriage. But Max's kisses are powerfully—passionately—persuasive!

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No Place For a Lady

HH April Release: A Sinful Alliance by Amanda McCabe

2008-04-03T11:18:00.003Z

The baseborn daughter of a courtesan and a lord, Marguerite was forced to fend for herself in the dangerous world of the French nobility—as the king's most feared spy.Sent to the court of King Henry of England, Marguerite found polite words and flattery concealed dark passions. Her only friend was her old enemy, the sensually tempting Nicolai Ostrovsky. And their sinful alliance seemed set to turn her from old loyalties to new desires!

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A Sinful Alliance

HH April Release: The Wanton Bride by Mary Brendan

2008-04-03T11:16:00.002Z

Mark Hunter managed to vex her at every opportunity—and seemed to enjoy doing so! However, to prevent a family scandal, Emily Beaumont must turn to him for help. Mark was more than happy to be of service to the delectable Miss Beaumont; with her quick wit and determined spirit she always made deliciously diverting company. But Mark soon discovered that Emily truly was in danger....With disgrace just a breath away, Emily ached for Mark's strong arms to comfort her. Yet she held a secret—one that would surely prevent any gentleman from considering her as a suitable bride....

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The Wanton Bride

HH April Release: More than a Governess by Sarah Mallory

2008-04-03T11:13:00.002Z

Stern and unyielding, Major Damon Collingham was prepared to pay a king’s ransom for someone who could stay the course as governess to his two motherless children. In her straitened circumstances, Miss Juliana Wrenn needed this post and could not allow herself to be intimidated by him—or his colorful reputation. A devil on the battlefield and in the bedroom. Juliana knew what was said about her employer. She would not fall under his spell. But then, those harsh features could sometimes soften to something so much more attractive….

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More Than a Governess

This is Sarah Mallory's debut novel for Harlequin Historical.

HH April Release: The Knight's Vow by Catherine March

2008-04-03T11:10:00.003Z

Believing she will never marry, Lady Beatrice has made a dramatic decision—she will take up a convent life. But first she must ask a favor of one of her father’s most handsome knights. Wanting to experience, just once, a man’s strong arms around her, she has turned to Sir Remy St. Leger, intending that they should share a kiss.His startling touch sparks desire deep within her, and all at once Beatrice realizes how much more life—and this man—has to give. Remy wants more, too…. But Beatrice cannot decide whether it is folly to refuse Remy, or folly to love him….

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The Knight's Vow

Also available as an ebook. Part of e-harlequin's "It's raining men" speacil offer.

March HH release: Taming theTexan by Charlene Sands

2008-03-03T09:27:00.001Z

Clint Hayworth had returned to the Double H to find his father's too-young, too-attractive widow in charge. The woman had to be a gold digger—so why couldn't Clint stop thinking about her? Tess Morgan-Hayworth couldn't sit by and watch the ranch be destroyed. It was the only place she'd ever felt safe. So she would have to face up to this stubborn, hardheaded, gorgeous Texan, and tame him….But Tess wasn't sure she could hold out against the sexy cowboy for long!
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Taming the Texan

March HH Release: High Seas to High Society by Sophia James

2008-03-03T09:25:00.002Z

Asher Wellingham, Duke of Carisbrook, was captivated by her! He had happened upon Lady Emma Seaton swimming naked and, beyond her beauty, had seen the deep curling scar on her thigh—a wound that could only be the mark of a sword.Who was this creature of contradictions? Something about her brought back tantalizing memories from the past. Her ill-fitting, threadbare clothes concealed the body of an angel, but what kind of woman truly lay behind her refined mask? Highborn lady or artful courtesan, she intrigued him and Asher wanted to possess both!

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High Seas to High Society

March HH release: Pickpocket Countess by Bronwyn Scott

2008-03-03T09:22:00.002Z

It's Brandon Wycroft's duty as the Earl of Stockport to catch the "Cat," a notorious thief who is stealing from rich local homes to feed the poor. Discovering that the Cat is a woman, he changes his plan of action—to a game of seduction! Mysterious and tempting, she teases him. And, as the net closes around the Cat, Brandon realizes he wants to protect her as well as bed her. But the only way to catch her is to spring the parson's mousetrap—and make her his countess!

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Pickpocket Countess

March HH Release: A Knight Most Wicked by Joanne Rock

2008-03-03T09:20:00.002Z

Baseborn Sir Tristan Carlisle had fought his way to a knighthood. On the threshold of gaining land and power, he would not be distracted from his ultimate goal.Until, deep in the Bohemian forest, he encountered a woman with unforgettable green eyes. He never expected to see her again—but then the gypsy arrived at court as a lady-in-waiting. Convinced that she was an ambitious impostor, Tristan set out to seduce the truth from Arabella—assuming he could resist the power of her charms….

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A Knight Most Wicked

March HH release: The Lord's Forced Bride by Anne Herries

2008-03-03T09:17:00.003Z

A dark and handsome stranger fighting in a town square mesmerizes youthful, innocent Catherine Melford. His shirt off, his skin glistening with sweat—he's all man!On meeting him again in the opulence of the royal court, Catherine finds her desire is more aroused than ever. But he is Andrew, Earl of Gifford, and bad blood runs between their families. And he is the lord she'll be forced to wed!

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The Lord's Forced Bride

March HH Release: Eleanor by Sylvia Andrew

2008-03-03T09:16:00.003Z

Miss Eleanor Southeran was reliably informed that independence of mind was not a desirable quality in a young lady. But, convinced that she could not love any of the fashionable fribbles of the Ton, Eleanor had so far evaded matrimony.Meeting Mr. Jonas Guthrie, a forthright, coolly cynical gentleman, was a refreshing change—until the scandal that surrounded his name was revealed. Believing herself deceived about his character, Eleanor intended never to see him again. But Jonas had other plans for her….

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Eleanor

Roots of An Idea

2008-02-28T16:40:00.002Z

People often ask writers where they get their ideas. I try to simplify the answer wherever possible because, honestly, it’s a complicated business. Take for instance my upcoming release, A KNIGHT MOST WICKED. I started out with a couple of very general concepts that I wanted to weave into a backdrop of a story. I didn’t have a couple in mind. No conflict in mind. I had a setting. An ambiance. A mood. I wanted to write a book set in Bohemia.

I made decisions very quickly from there. If you’ve ever picked up Malcolm Gladwell’s BLINK, you’ve heard about his ideas of “thin slicing” and the rapid cognition processes our brains go through when we’re making judgments or—in my case—brainstorming. I think I came up with Bohemia for a setting because I wanted to write a bohemian character. I believe this because, honestly, I had no idea when or exactly where Bohemia existed. But I quickly oriented myself and discovered Bohemia was a historical country located in what is current Czechoslovakia. The historical country existed from the eleventh century to World War I.

Futhermore, in thinking I wanted a bohemian character, I actually didn’t do a bad job in searching for the physical region of Bohemia. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, bohemian means “’a gypsy of society,’ 1848, from Fr. bohemién (1559), from the country name, from M.Fr. Boheme "Bohemia." Aha! And as luck would have it, my bohemian heroine would have secret gypsy roots, so I’d come to the right place.

I believe I knew all of this in the back of my mind. The knowledge wasn’t certain or accessible, but I’d no doubt been exposed to it at some point and it surfaced when I needed it. I think some of my creative processes support some of Gladwell’s BLINK ideas. Once I had my gypsy heroine and my Bohemia setting, the rest of the story came together in a flash. I searched for an intriguing time in history and came up with 1380, when Princess Anne of Bohemia gathered a huge retinue to accompany her to England to wed Richard II. The retinue had to be impressive since her dowry was not. And that’s how I worked my heroine with an unusual background into the glittering royal company.

*** I’ll be giving away copies of A KNIGHT MOST WICKED at my website starting this weekend. Please do drop by for a chance to win!

Moonlight and Romance

2008-02-14T00:37:00.007Z

Moonstruck is a favorite movie of mine. Seemingly star-crossed lovers overcome the odds to claim a forbidden romance, and they are egged on—despite their naysaying relatives—by the irresistible draw of the moon. Sound far-fetched? Not according to romantic lore throughout the ages.

One of my mother’s favorite tunes is “Moonglow,” a song made all the more famous by an unforgettable dance scene between William Holden and Kim Novak in Picnic. The lyrics suggest “It must have been moonglow… that moonglow gave me you.” The tie between romance and moonlight is clear. One of my personal favorites is “Harvest Moon,” a Neil Young song that extends an invitation to dance in the moonlight. “Because I’m still in love with you, I want to see you dance again, on this harvest moon.” “Moonlight Serenade” is a Glenn Miller classic. What intrigues me about the songs is not just that they wax romantic about the moon, but that they suggest moonlight and dancing go hand and hand.

Some of that might reverberate right back to our most pagan roots. The full moon and the light it offered provided a time to celebrate community rituals. Dancing would accompany these ceremonies, especially when they offered praise and thanksgiving. Or when they celebrated the harvest and fertility. So the moon’s association with romance is wound deep in our cultural roots.
Even today, scientists struggle to pinpoint the reason for the statistical increase in crimes near the full moon and new moon or the increase in conceptions around the full moon. Could it be that our bodies, made up of so much water, respond to a kind of physiological tide? Or is it simply that the full moon beckons us to dance and make romance. For the maladjusted and emotionally disturbed, perhaps that call takes on a negative connotation the rest of us don’t feel.

Whatever it is, I tapped the moonlight and romance connection for A KNIGHT MOST WICKED, providing the hero an opportunity to teach the heroine to dance under the soft glow of the moon. My 14th century healer could not resist anymore than Loretta Castorini could turn away Ronny Cammareri in Moonstruck. No matter how much Loretta wants to make the practical marriage choice, la bella luna brings her to the doorstep of her finance’s brother.

After the moon has its way with the characters, a choice based on love is her only option. And as a romance writer, I can’t help but enjoy that magical draw of the moon.

***Do you have a favorite moon song or moon scene?

HH February Release: Outlaw Bride by Jenna Kernan

2008-02-02T12:49:00.000Z

Breaking him out of prison was the easy part…Bridget Callaghan was willing to do anything to save her family, stranded in the Cascade Mountains. The only man who could attempt such a treacherous rescue mission was Cole Ellis, but he was behind bars—and condemned to hang!Bridget's boldness in breaking him out of jail was the jolt Cole needed to give his life purpose again. But with a posse at their heels and the mountain looming, she couldn't help but wonder if putting her trust in this tough, life-hardened man wasn't the biggest danger of all….
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Outlaw Bride

HH February Release: The Wayward Debutante by Sarah Elliot

2008-02-02T12:46:00.000Z

She Tempted Fate, Then Fate Tempted Her…It was utterly scandalous for a young lady to attend the London theater unchaperoned. She could easily have been mistaken for a woman of easy virtue. Yet Eleanor Sinclair loathed stuffy ballrooms packed with fretful mothers and husband-hunting girls. Craving escape, she donned a wig and disappeared into the night.There she caught the eye of James Bentley, a handsome devil with a wry wit. He played a game of seduction that imperiled Eleanor's disguise—and tempted her to forsake all honor….

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The Wayward Debutante

HH February Release: Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss by Deb Marlowe

2008-02-02T12:44:00.000Z

The Wicked Lord DayleCharles Alden, Viscount Dayle, is intent on reform, having misspent his youth on hard living, soft women and outrageous pranks. Forced by circumstance to hold a title he never wanted, he's determined to live up to his noble name.The Unconventional Miss WestbySophie Westby is the last woman who should attract his interest. And yet she comforts his battered spirit, captivates his wary mind and tempts him with her exotic beauty. But the reformed rake cannot cause another scandal—can he?

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Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss