I officially got my rights to A Tryst With Trouble back from Dorchester Publishing today. I’m submitting the story to my new publisher, Carina Press, so keep your fingers crossed they’ll be interested in publishing it. I love my editor at Carina, and they have the BEST cover art.

What did the Earl of Winchilsea say that made the Duke of Wellington challenge him to a duel? I’m at Romancing the Past today, blogging about nasty political disputes of the eighteenth century. Stop by to read about Winchilsea and Wellington, plus why American president Andrew Jackson was the Chuck Norris of his day.

Click here to jump to Romancing the Past.

I’m at the Romancing the Past site today, blogging about famous portrait-sitters. Click here to read what was expected of a good portrait artist, including the highly unusual request Oliver Cromwell made of painter Peter Lely.

I’ve made some passing references to my next regency, but now it’s official: Carina Press will publish Lord of Secrets (that’s the new title) on or about March 25, 2013.

Lord of Secrets is the story of a young woman, Rosalie Whitwell, who’s spent most of her life sailing the globe with her father. When he suffers a fatal heart attack in the middle of the North Atlantic, she turns in her panic to a fellow passenger–the moody, mysterious Lord Deal.

Having witnessed his father’s suicide years before, David Linney, Marquess of Deal, has withdrawn from society, living the life of a recluse. Even so, he’s drawn to his pretty shipmate, like him the victim of family tragedy.

The end of the voyage spurs David to propose. But on their wedding night, Rosalie meets with an unwelcome surprise: her handsome husband is strangely unwilling to consummate the marriage. Is her own lack of allure to blame, or is there some other reason for David’s reluctance? To find the answer, Rosalie must unlock the secret of David’s past.

To view a Pinterest board of the story inspirations, click here.

I’m at Romancing the Past for my July visit, this time blogging about Sarah, Lady Archer, and why she was a favorite target of late Georgian caricaturists like Gillray and Rowlandson. Was it her politics, her gambling, her looks?

Or was it that nobody puts Lady Archer in a corner?

Click here to read the post.

I just discovered today that back when A Tryst With Trouble was supposed to come out in January of this year–specifically, in June, 2011–Publisher’s Weekly included it on their list of “Damsels Who Rescue Themselves” book picks. PW called Tryst “a passionate Regency romance debut.”

Here’s hoping the book will be released one day soon.

There’s a bit of breaking news this morning about Dorchester Publishing, the now-defunct publishing house that holds the rights to my first regency, A Tryst With Trouble. Digital Book World is reporting that unless another bidder steps forward, Amazon will acquire Dorchester at auction in August.

The article–available here–reports, “In practice Amazon, or any firm that outbids Amazon in an auction to be conducted in August, will tender amendments to authors and agents transferring rights to the new entity, in exchange for which back royalties will be paid in full.” Since my book was never published, I’m not owed any back royalties, so I’m not sure whether I’ll be tendered a contract amendment or not. In other words, it’s not clear whether my book will automatically become Amazon’s, or (since my original deal with Dorchester was for both print and digital, but Amazon is strictly digital) whether I’ll have an opportunity to opt out, take my rights, and publish the book elsewhere. Even if Amazon does acquire the rights to A Tryst With Trouble, I don’t know when the book would be released, or if the cover art would look the same. But at least there’s some movement on the Dorchester front.

P.M. Update: Publisher’s Weekly has also reported on Amazon’s bid here, including a quote from an Amazon spokesperson:

Moving forward, Dorchester authors will, Amazon said, be offered the choice about how they want their titles published. An Amazon spokesperson explained: “We want all authors to be happy being a part of the Amazon Publishing family going forward and we have structured our bid so that we will only take on authors who want to join us. As part of this philosophy, if we win the bid, Dorchester has committed to revert all titles that are not assigned to us.”

I’ll continue to post more information as it becomes available. The auction isn’t until August 28, so whether the news is good or bad, a resolution is still months away.

On Friday, I posted about the review of Ruined by Rumor on Book Lovers Inc. That review was written by Stella, and her home blog is called Ex Libris. I hope you’ll check her blog out here–not just to see how pretty her review of my own personal book looks on her site (and it does! Her rating system even calls the book “Novellus Superbus!”) but because all Stella’s reviews are thoughtful and informative.

Just click the blog name above to jump to the Ex Libris site, or click anywhere in this sentence. Thanks again for the insights you provide to authors and readers, Stella!

Ruined by Rumor received 4.5 stars in a charming and thoughtful review on the Book Lovers Inc. site today.  “Despite the humour and wittiness Ruined by Rumor was an angsty Regency romance of the best kind: the type where the reader is constantly biting their nails and having trouble swallowing as they are too anxious to see how the hero and heroine will finally find their way to each other.”  The reviewer, Stella, even included a link to my Pinterest board.  Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Stella!

Click here to read the full review.

Today I’m at Romancing the Past, blogging about nicknames of the regency.  Stop by to learn how Thomas Raikes came to be called Apollo, and why Balloon Foley probably hated his nickname.

 

To jump to Romancing the Past, click here.