Ooh, bestsellers!

It's always good to have a bestseller! And my Kobo readers have been especially good to me this week. Two of my historical erotica romance have popped up on the Number 1 list!

Have you read these books yet? The Darkness in the Marquess of Dane actually hit #1 twice in like 4 days, so that was cool. Two different series represented here: Birds of Paradise and Mad Duchesses.

Mad Duchesses series is complete with four books about widowed duchesses trying to find love. The Birds of Paradise series has one more book, with one chapter complete. This series has been fun, because the primary protags all have varied relationships. Check out the series pages on this blog for more info! Also please not that The Darkness in the Marquess of Dane is one of my most highly rated books, but be prepared, the heat level is pretty high! Ah, who am I kidding, so is One Last Night!!!

One Last Night Bestseller

I was surprised (happy, thrilled) this morning to find One Last Night, Book One in the Mad Duchesses series, ranked #1 in the Historical Erotica category at KOBO.

This is a lovely series. Personally, I love the novella From Now On. Yes, I wrote it, but even authors have favorite children.

Hope you enjoy all four books! Available at all major retailers.

Bucket Lists and Writing Goals

I was just staring at my keyboard when a question popped into my head. What would I like to be doing right now if there were no obstacles to the doing? You know, like money, time, family intrusions, job…

I’ll answer that later.

But it did remind me of another time when I asked the same question. It was several years ago when I asked myself, “Why aren’t you writing?” I was home alone (my husband was traveling,) and the stir of feelings about writing the great American romance swept over me again.

It had always been my wish to be a romance writer. I blame Kathleen Woodiwiss. She wrote the most stirring romantic epics. I know some readers think she is overblown and prosy but something about her writing spoke to me. Every time I cracked open Ashes in the Wind, I could see Cole Latimer with his Hardee hat and long sideburns. And of course, the street urchin coming off the steamboat that we would learn was our heroine.

I read Ashes in the Wind and the Wolf and the Dove at least once a year. I would love to write like her. Or Mary Balogh. Or Eloisa James. Or Loretta Chase. Wow, am I off subject.

So it really came down to having a dream and then having the will to go forward.

The first year, I started my own story with a dashing sea captain and the former whore he had purchased at a slave market. Sadly, that book will never see a publisher’s emblem. But my goal wasn’t to actually get the story published. My only goal, and I repeated it to myself nearly every day for a year, FINISH THE BOOK.

No matter what it took, I knew I had to get through it. I had to write THE END.

So it took me a full year and 112,000 words, but I got it done. At the time, there wasn’t a better feeling. It was the feeling of accomplishment. Since then, there have been better feelings – contracts, book covers and release days.

Oh and by the way, today is release day for One Last Night – go check it out at Ellora’s Cave.

So my point is, if you want to write you have to write. Just like if you want to win Powerball, you have to play. Writing one chapter won’t cut it. Writing one book probably won’t cut it either. I have started sixty-six stories and of those, I’ve only finished nineteen and they aren't all published yet.

Some people say they have to write or they would die. If I didn’t write, I would find something else to do. But I must admit, there is nothing more satisfying then penning a tale, exciting readers and knowing that I finished what I started. Oh, and the sweet feeling of knowing that IT IS GOOD.

So why am I asking the same question today? I just marked a big thing off my bucket list last weekend. I now have to add something to it. So what should it be?

One Last Night purchase link: http://www.ellorascave.com/one-last-night.html

One Last Night: Release Day Coming Up

One Last Night releases on April 10th from Ellora's Cave Publishing. This is the start of a new series currently called Mad Duchesses. Each story features a duchess facing a changed future and a surprising (and sometimes inappropriate) love interest.

A dark past and unrequited love make John’s life difficult until he is offered the chance to spend one night with sensual, widowed duchess Lucinda Aversham. Pleasure he can provide, but one night with the woman he loves won’t be enough. Neither will living a half existence as he watches her from afar.

Lucy wants to experience a night of exquisite passion. She doesn't want to know the man’s name or see his face. She wants to know pleasure—in any way her mysterious lover can provide.

When an unwelcome note from her one-time lover arrives, Lucy knows she must have him again. But she could lose everything if she is exposed.

Here's the link:

http://www.ellorascave.com/one-last-night.html

Cover by the wonderful Dar Albert.

One Last Night: A Blurb

As requested by Janemary, a short tease of a blurb from One Last Night:

The Duchess of Wallingford waited a year and a day before she threw off her widow’s weeds, dressed in a simple gray muslin gown with a humble neckline and arranged for an unmarked carriage, which would take her to Madame Dupuis’ whorehouse.

She was going for the oldest reason of all.

Preparations for such an affair were more difficult than she had imagined because one didn’t ask gossipy friends how to arrange such a liaison—one asked the discreet, worldly friends but in such a way as to imply shocked curiosity rather than an unwavering fascination and a determination to partake.

When Madame Dupuis had inquired as to the type of man Lucinda would like to engage, the Abbess had mistakenly believed she wished to entertain certain passions with a man similar to her departed husband. While the Duchess of Wallingford was married, she had been the envy of her friends, a perfect example of how to marry properly.

Wallingford was handsome, charming and wealthy with only six years between them, but none of that mattered or changed the fact he was beyond cruel and believed that the one person in this life to whom he should have been devoted was the last person for whom he held any regard. She did not want a man with golden-blond hair or piercing blue eyes. She did not want superficial appeal.

She’d requested a man—any man—who had brown hair and soft brown eyes, though she could not risk a liaison with a noble. Other than that, his station did not matter, only that he was clean and would treat her with tender regard in the bedchamber for this one night—a guarantee considering Madame Dupuis’ reputation for sensual entertainment. And for what the Duchess was paying…

Coming soon from Ellora's Cave.

New Covers

There is only one thing I like in my in box more than a contract and that is the resulting cover art for a new book.

So, folks, here is what I have coming up in the next several months. Check out these awesome covers for upcoming releases. No dates available yet so just keep a look out at the Ellora's Cave Coming Soon page. And, of course, I will post on Facebook as soon as I hear.

On Thin Ice, Book Two in the Cold Play Series

Courtesan's Passion, Book Two in the Birds of Paradise Series

Wicked Secrets, Book Four in the Wicked Affairs Series

One Last Night, the first of a new series (I hope,) but hasn't been named yet

What do you think?

And I mustn't forget to mention that these covers were all designed by Dar Albert. I LOVE the distinctiveness of themes within each series.