Archive for September, 2012

Hooray! This week is such a happy time in my house. I’m proud to announce the birth, er, debut of my Regency romance novel, Secrets of a Wedding Night.

Ever see a book dressed up like a baby? You’re about to!

Ok, so here she is. My baby, I mean, book. Humor me, people, I’ve got no actual kids.

Her birthday is tomorrow, 9/25/12.  Her name is Secrets of a Wedding Night, I call her SOWN for short and she was a twinkle in my eye back on June 3, 2007 when I started typing my very first story.

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As summer winds to a close, this Duchess always breathes a sigh of relief at being excused from public viewing. It isn’t that I don’t love the beach – it is my chosen vacation spot, and I count a beautiful beach on St. John as my favorite place in the entire world. But why can’t I swim in shorts and a T-shirt, as I suspect would be not only more comfortable, but also more functional? Why must what I wear while swimming be dictated by fashion standards that reward youth and beauty over skill and experience? Because let’s face it… if given the choice, this Duchess would always rather be able to swim to shore than look cute while drowning.

Whether you are of the modest variety of sea bather or a more daring sort of sun worshiper, a glimpse at what defined “swimwear” in bygone days is an interesting topic of study. I developed an interest in historical women’s swimwear when I was researching my current work-in-progress, a Victorian-era romance set in the British seaside resort of Brighton, and I found the topic and the visual examples I uncovered both fascinating and cringe-worthy.

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Today, I’m excited to announce that we have the pleasure of welcoming her grace, Vanessa Kelly, to the duchesses’ drawing room.

Vanessa Kelly writes Regency romance that sizzles. She was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance.”  Her romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance.  Her latest book, My Favorite Countess, was nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Regency Historical Romance.

So please do draw up a chair and have a cup of tea, as we hear from Vanessa on rascally smugglers and help from her friend.  Read the rest of this entry »