Aloha to Jenn LeBlanc and THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE

No Ka Oi - none is better than the multi-talented photographer and author, Jenn LeBlanc.  She is the creator of the hot book, THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE, with the hot cover and hot pictures!   I asked Jenn a few questions about her intriguing bio 


Kim: It seems that some people have all the creative talent! Tell us about Colorado - what is your favorite sight, sound, and smell?


Jenn:  Thank you Kim, and thank you for having me today! I'm not sure I received all the creative talent, I do call on others for help in certain areas. I like to think I'm a good storyteller, both visually and in words and I believe if you have enough passion for something, anything can happen.

Oh Colorado, I love it here, all we need is a broad expanse of beach and I would never leave. I think my favorite sight, sound and smell is the headwaters of the Platte River all the way up at the top of Red Cone Pass. Not very many people can get up that high, and that makes it special. The air is crisp and clean, the water tumbles noisily over the rocks and in the spring the earth is covered in moss and wildflowers.

This isn't Colorado, it's the one thing that's missing, the beach. This is one of my favorite places in the world, Wildcat Creek on Garrapata Beach in California.

The break at Garrapata.

Kim: I envision you now, sitting back in all these circumstances, taking inventory of what would make a great "story" on film and in text. What inspired a Colorado photographer to write an novel about a time travel to Victorian England?

Jenn:  I suppose my daydreams of being with the amazing dukes and other characters in some of my favorite romance novels started it all. I think the first time I ever really thought about being in another time and place was after reading series about the Cynsters by Stephanie Laurens and the Wallflowers by Lisa Kleypas. I absolutely LOVED Lord Westcliff and Devil Cynster and I remember having a big "Oh no he di'int!!" moment when Devil simply informs everyone that she is to marry him. I loved all of the primary Cynster book heroes and while their bride's all did very good jobs of taming their men, I wondered what a modern day woman would do with a Duke like that. It seemed every time I read a historical novel I was wondering what a modern day woman would be thinking in these situations. Thus came Gideon, and with him Francine. I chose the Victorian era because I know much more about it, and I have always been quite enamored with all things Victorian. There is also some secondary storyline with mental illness in my book that wouldn't have been as possible in the Regency, I needed my novel to take place around the very worst time for the Bethlem Royal Hospital.

Kim: Tell us about THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE.  I assume you photographed the book cover - who is the male model?

Jenn:  This book is such an adventure. A woman torn from her modern day existence lands under the hooves of some very large and dangerous horses, a Duke terribly burdened by his past and the fact that he nearly killed a girl. This man takes everything to heart, regardless of cause or fault. As the Duke, anything that happens under his purview he considers his responsibility, and this girl has him all tied up in knots (as heroines as wont to do).  Francine on the other hand can't figure out what the deal is with this stuffy, obnoxious, overpowering, male burden who seems to be offended by the slightest glance of female skin. Gideon's story is so very endearing, and the change he goes through as a man is truly quite powerful and emotional, and while Francine has always been true to herself, she really finds her footing and her roots, far from anywhere she ever expected to be.

Ah, the face of my hero, Derek Hutchins. Terribly handsome isn't he? I discovered him here in Denver, though he is currently based in San Francisco and soon moving to either LA or NYC depending on where the agency he signs with wants him. He has actually become a dear friend of mine though all of this chaos, and he has a fan following as Gideon, my Duke of Roxleigh. Though they follow everything he is doing now. You can keep up with him on twitter with the hashtag #TeamDerek.

Kim: What's next for Jenn LeBlanc?

Jenn:  I am currently working on the much anticipated follow up to THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE, Perry's story. I plan to shoot the images in September, it is slated for a February release. At the moment I am knee deep in casting for my hero Perry, and if you'd like to follow along there my twitter followers got me to start a tumbler just for that. It is terribly NSFW at times, so be careful.

This is from the original Perry shoot, but unfortunately my original Perry has moved to Korea to teach English to kids...so.

I'm shooting illustrations for another author's novella that I am in LOOOVE with:

This is Levi Goedl, he is a new model I've started working with.

As well I am writing a novella for inclusion in a historical anthology, the working title of which is Twitchy. It is set to be released in January of 2011.

I have also started the next set of the illustrated series, I love the opening scene it's like a wedding based on White Christmas, the old movie with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.

Thank you having me Kim!

Mahalo, Jenn, for joining us and sharing these gorgeous photographs - they are a work of art!  I have to admit I was a bit nervous importing them into the blog .... I wanted to make sure I gave them their due respect!    Jenn is giving away an e-copy of THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about time travel to Victorian England - what would you enjoy about it?  What would loathe about it?  

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 27, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winners on Sunday, August 28.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii
(fanning myself from the hot pictures) 

This double sided "Victoria" fan was made by Terri Brisbin 

for last year's RomCon ....

.... do you think Her Majesty would be shocked 

by Jenn's luscious pictures?