Aloha to Deb Marlowe and HOW TO MARRY A RAKE

Two heroes make my heart sing - one stars in Hawaii Five O and the other can be found in Regency Romances.   For Hawaii Five O, check out my guest blog at The Reading Reviewer.  For Regency Romances, join me in welcoming one of my favorite authors, Deb Marlowe.  From her bio,

Deb Marlowe grew up in Pennsylvania with her nose in a book. Luckily, she’d read enough romances to recognize the true modern hero she met at a college Halloween party—even though he wore a tuxedo t-shirt instead of breeches and tall boots. They married, settled in North Carolina and produced two handsome, intelligent and genuinely amusing boys. Though she spends much of her time with her nose in her laptop, for the sake of her family she does occasionally abandon her inner world for the domestic adventure of laundry, dinner and carpool. Despite her sacrifice, not one of the men in her family is yet willing to don breeches or tall boots. She’s working on it.

Deb loves to hear from readers! You can contact her at deb@debmarlowe.com

Tux or Regency - which do you prefer?

Kim:  I enjoyed the humor in how you met your personal hero (even without breeches and tall boots). Has this inspired any plots in your books? What other sources inspire your books?

Deb:  Well, I have to say that the heroine in my next book, tentatively titled The Marauding Marquess, has a decided preference for men in boots—but that’s as far as I’ve taken that particular idiosyncrasy. 

As for other sources—an idea can come from anywhere! From a painting or a line in a song, for instance. But since I am a major history geek, the majority of my ideas are spawned by historical research. I never understand it when people think history is boring—because in many instances truth really is stranger than fiction!

Kim:  How did you break into publishing? Can you tell us a little about how it is to write your own story and then collaborate as you have with THE DIAMONDS OF WELLBOURNE MANOR? 

Deb:  I broke into publishing from the slushpile, with a little nudge from my lovely and multi-talented mentor, Nicola Cornick, who was so very kind enough to tell her editor that she had a good manuscript waiting on her attention.

As for the Diamonds of Welbourne Manor, there was a lot of collaboration going on with that anthology! Diane and Amanda and I came up with the Manning/Fitzmanning family together and we worked very closely on connecting all three stories. For the follow up books, it was a little different. I was the first one to write a spin-off, so I came up with a conflict and story and ran it by the other two. We talked about where/what the other characters would be doing at the time. Luckily, Stephen’s story takes place away in the racing town of Newmarket, so I just mentioned the other family members and didn’t have to worry about locking Diane or Amanda into anything.


cardmine.co.uk


Kim:  Your new book, HOW TO MARRY A RAKE, spotlights England's fascination with horse racing.  Do you have any personal experience with horses and/or racing? Where did you draw upon resources for your research?

Deb:  I only have a little first hand experience with horses, but I was a typical girl—fascinated with them! The research for Newmarket and the racing scene that is featured in HTMAR was mostly done through research books and online sights. I’m a fiend for that sort of thing, and like to research the pants off of a subject so I can feel grounded when I’m writing about it.

  

Kim:  What's next for Deb Marlowe?

Deb:  Later this year Harlequin Mills and Boon is re-releasing my first two books in a two-in-one volume. Titled Regency Rebels, it will feature Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss and An Improper Aristocrat.

Next year will see the release of The Marauding Marquess (final title to be determined), the story of a reclusive nobleman and the woman he hires to help him organize and display his incredible weapons collection. It’s an adventurous romance with such disparate elements as a mysterious Hindu spear, party planning, an obsession with men in boots and the very difficult feat of dropping the masks we hide behind in order to embrace love.

Mahalo, Deb, for swapping tall boots and breaches for flip flop and boar shorts!  In honor of Deb's visit, I am giving away a copy of HOW TO MARRY A RAKE:
 
Back from Europe, heiress Mae Halford has mended her heart after her friend Stephen Manning's rejection. Looking radiant and full of confidence, she's ready to find herself a husband!
 
Only the first man she bumps into at a Newmarket house party is Lord Stephen himself! When the two find themselves covertly working together to find a missing prized racehorse, romance blossoms.
 
But can Mae believe that Stephen has changed enough that their adventure will lead to the altar?

Audley End House and Stables ... 
.... perfect country house for horse racing!

Click on this link for an excerpt. To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about a costume that would interest you in a man - tuxedo?  Tall boots and breeches?  Cape and fanged teeth?

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 21, 10 pm, in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 22.

Mahalo,

Kim

I look forward to seeing Deb and other Regency writers at the
Beau Monde Conference during the RWA National Convention in NYC. 

See if any of your favorite authors are nominated for the RITA at this link.