Aloha to Sharon Page and ENGAGED IN SIN

My husband sings in a barbershop chorus and quartet. They are practicing for their holiday shows so he is humming Christmas songs around the house. He already knows what I want for Christmas - peace on earth and goodwill towards men. Since he can't box those items, I asked him to give me a "credit" to stay at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for the RT Booklovers' Convention, April 11 - 15, in Chicago. There are three things that I can count on at the RT Booklovers' Convention:

- Kathryn Falk, Lady of Barrow, will make me laugh.

- Readers with military connections will give me a hug.

- Sharon Page will make the convention sizzle.

Sharon joins me today to celebrate the release of ENGAGED TO SIN .... it's sizzling already!

Kim: Aloha, Sharon! I have had the honor of meeting you at the RT Booklover’s Conventions. What draws you back to the convention each year?

Sharon: Aloha and it’s always great to see you at RT. I love RT: writing is a solitary job so it’s fun to visit with 2000 other people who love books. It’s a great opportunity to meet readers and booksellers. There’s always so much going on: there are gatherings in the mornings and afternoons, parties every night, and everyone is welcome. RT is my only opportunity in the year to dance. I usually share a room with author Kayla Perrin and last year we were discussing about how we were thin when we were young and danced the nights away. This inspired us to try the “Party Girl” workout, where you can eat what you want, because you’re going to burn it all off dancing until 2:00 a.m. 

Sharon and Kayla - wouldn't I love to be a fly in their room!

The workshops are fabulous. I write historical romance, but I go to all kinds of workshops. For example, I love to go to mystery/thriller panels so I can learn about pacing, villains, and creating suspense—things I use even when writing Regency-set romances. This year again, I’m the captain of the erotica workshops, which gives me the chance to talk to great authors, agents, editors—and get answers to my questions about the industry. 

Going to RT always feels like getting together with a large family. For writers or readers interested in going to a conference, I highly suggest RT.

Saucy Sirens - Can you guess who the authors are portraying?

Kim:  As you mentioned in your bio (at this link), “all those years in technical fields gave me a great perspective for writing from a male point of view.” Can you give us an example of the difference between the male versus female pov, especially in the Regency era.

Sharon: When I was in university, I would spend a lot of time with my boyfriend (later my husband) and other guys from our class. They would discuss dating, etc. so I did learn a lot, and I discovered that guys talk about their “feelings” much more than I expected. It turned out that men were much more vulnerable and nervous in relationships than I’d thought.

When I write about the Regency, my heroes are dukes and earls—titled men who were raised to be leaders and who are wealthy. In this period, there were the “bluestockings”, educated ladies who believed women should have more options and more rights. Combine those forward-thinking women with proud, noble, arrogant gentlemen, and you get lots of delicious conflict. And I love to put my heroes in situations where they are humbled by love.

Powderham Castle - ancestral home of the Earl of Devon *
blog.devonanddorsetcottages.co.uk

In Engaged in Sin, Devon doesn’t feel strong and that frightens him. He explains to the heroine Anne Beddington, “The war, the battles, the blindness, the killing and the grief—I wasn’t strong enough to let it all just glance off me. I’m no war hero—all throughout the thing, I was filled with pain and fury and grief and doubts. A hero is a man who is filled with confidence, who takes action and doesn’t waste time on remorse. He doesn’t hide in the dark. He gets a grip on himself. But I can’t.”

The Regency era is a perfect setting for strong characters, both men and women. Even though they come from different circumstances, Devon and Anne recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and that is what helps them become such great partners in life.

Regency painter Edmund Leighton

Kim: What was your family’s response to “the secret” that you write sexy romance books?

Sharon: I was shy about admitting it, but my family was very supportive. My mother-in-law told everyone in the family about it in her Christmas cards, so at that point the secret was really out. My parents were very proud and pleased. Unfortunately, my mum developed Alzheimer’s disease, so I don’t think she remembered when I told her about my books coming out or times I’d won contests. But my dad is a big supporter, tells all his friends, and always promotes me when he goes to local bookstores.

Kim: Where do you find research to write “sexy Regency books”?

Sharon: Generally I use research books to my historical information. For Engaged in Sin, I found a book called “The Blind Traveler” about a young naval officer who lost his sight in 1812. This book really helped me understand what life would have been like for a blind man in that era. I read many memoirs and books about blindness. For the “sexy” part, I use books of erotic prints of the period for ideas. 

I also made a research trip to England with four writer friends a while ago. I went all over London, from Whitechapel to Mayfair, and spent three days at Dartmoor, on the breathtakingly beautiful moors. Now, when I’m writing, I remember the areas I walked through. For me, it makes it so much easier to write when I can “see” the setting.

Bowerman's Nose atop Dartmoor
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk

Kim: (seeing Sharon's answer for the first time). OMG - Dartmoor! My grandmother lived in Torquay. I would visit her each summer and she treated me with a picnic on Dartmoor! We'd look for the pixies at Dartmeet and she'd buy me a "flake" cone from one of the ice cream trucks. During the day, it is gorgeous. At dusk (and night), it is haunting.  And it's the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's THE HOUND OF BASKERVILLES.

Back to the interview, tell us about ENGAGED IN SIN!

Sharon: Engaged in Sin evolved because I wanted to write a book where the heroine heals the hero. With the Napoleonic War taking place, I decided to make Devon a soldier. He has been blinded and suffers from post traumatic stress. When Anne insists he can learn to cope with his blindness, he thinks she is mad. It’s a bit of a Beauty and the Beast story. Even though Devon is handsome, he is hiding in a dark house and refuses to heal, go to his family, or even go out in society. Writing this story was a delight, and in the end, I had a book where the hero and heroine heal each other, so what’s more perfect? Here’s bit of the description of the book. My editor worked hard to make the ‘blurb’ shine, and I think it’s terrific.

Anne Beddington is in a desperate situation: on the run for a crime she didn’t commit. Anne understands the wicked games she must play to survive, but has she sufficiently mastered the art of seduction to become the mistress of the notorious Duke of March, Devon Audley? War has left Devon a recluse, but Anne is penniless, alone, and in need of a powerful gentleman’s protection. She has learned how to pleasure a man, yet when this sinfully handsome duke insists that intimate delights must be a two-way street, Anne cannot deny his sensual promise.

Kim: What’s next for Sharon Page?

Sharon: This fall I’m in a Christmas anthology for Aphrodisia, Silent Night, Sinful Night (available now), and I will be releasing a spicy Regency novella on my own in late November. It’s called Sinful and will be priced at $0.99. Blood Secret is coming out in spring 2012: the heroine is a shape-shifting dragon and the hero is a vampire/dragon slayer. My website is www.sharonpage.com.

 Kim: Wow! You are a busy writer and romance readers thank you! I appreciate you visiting us today ... and I look forward to seeing you at RT next spring. Let's have a cup of tea and share stories about Dartmoor!   


Sharon is giving away an autographed copy of ENGAGED IN SIN to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about a guilty pleasure that you might consider "engaged in sin" (keep it clean). Mine is watching ABC's REVENGE. It is a modern soap opera full of cliches .. but still entertaining!

2. This giveaway is open to all - thank you Sharon for your generosity!

3. Comments are open through Saturday, November 5, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, November 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

The party continues on Dartmoor with my guest post at the Reading Reviewer at this link.


To learn more about Sharon and her books, including links to purchase, log onto www.sharonpage.com.

To learn more about the RT Booklovers' Convention, log onto www.rtbookreviews.com. I also invite anyone to contact me for tips on how to enjoy it to the fullest!

To learn more about Dartmoor, log onto 

www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk.


* My second cousins live in a townhouse that was converted  from the Earl's former stables.