Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Aloha to Collette Cameron and THE EARL'S ENTICEMENT


Isn't this cover gorgeous?  Collette Cameron joins us with a guest post to celebrate the release of THE EARL'S ENTICEMENT .... 

Can I Be Honest With You?  Want to know a secret? 

Well, I guess it’s not really so much a secret as a confession. I never aspired to be an author. And, I never, ever dreamed I’d write romance novels.

What?

I didn’t scribble notes and fabricate prose from the time I could string two or three words together? I didn’t dream of being the next Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, or Emily Bronte?

Nope.

Almost sounds blasphemous, doesn’t it? 

I did write some rather heinous poetry in high school, but there was never the slightest inkling to someday become a published author. Really. I’m telling the truth.

So, what happened, you ask? Okay, maybe you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway. Lucky you.

I started reading—more like voraciously inhaling—sweet romances when I was thirteen. A girlfriend gave me a Barbara Cartland Regency to read, and I was hooked! Over the next several years . . . er . . . decades, I read thousands of romances, mostly historicals because to me, those are the ultimate romance. (BTW, I graduated from sweet, just a wee bit.)

Still, it never crossed my mind to write a novel, let alone a romance. All that dialogue and . . . well, you know, the sex. I couldn’t ever write a love scene. Ever. What would people say?

Actually, they ask all the time if I write them from my personal experiences. Seriously?

But I digress. Back to how I became a historical romance author. I know, the suspense is killing you.

A couple things happened that starting the old creative juices flowing. I went back to school and got a bachelor’s of Science in Liberal Studies and a Master’s in Teaching (In three and a half years-Do Not do that! It nearly killed me.) Naturally, there were all sorts of torturous essays I had to write, but professor after professor told me I had a knack for writing.

One of them, my Children’s Literature professor, turned to me one day after I’d shared a children’s book I’d written for an assignment, and said, “You’re going to be a great teacher, but writing is your true gift.”

Yeah right. The story was a ridiculous thing about split pea soup and a frog swimming around the bowl. Still, the insidious seed of, “What if?” had been planted.

Within a year, my last child left home for college, and there I was with a brand new teaching certificate, no kids at home (hubby doesn’t count) and I was only substituting part-time.

So, what did I do?

In February 2011, I parked myself in front of my computer, and as an experiment, decided to see if the scene that had popped into my head a few weeks before, could be made into an entire novel.

Seems it could.

Highlander’s Hope, the first book in the Castle Bride’s Series was born. My, but that was a long labor! Today, I’m celebrating the The Earl’s Enticement’s release, the third and last book in the series. Another six book series, The Highland Heather Romancing a Scot Series, is in the works, as well as two novellas. All the books are spin-offs from the first series.

Now, I’m thoroughly addicted and cannot imagine why I waited so long to begin writing. Hubby would say I’m obsessed, but that would mean I’m preoccupied and a bit fanatical about writing. . . . All the time. Every waking moment.

Darn. He’s right.

I think the most important thing is, once the niggling seed to become an author took hold, a dream I didn’t even realize I harbored, blossomed. And look where I’ve ended up?

What are your impossible dreams? What can you do to make them come true?

Urquhat Castle on Loch Ness

THE EARL'S ENTICEMENT

She won’t be tamed.

A fiery, unconventional Scot, Adaira Ferguson wears breeches, swears, and has no more desire to marry than she does to follow society’s dictates of appropriate behavior. She trusts no man with the secret she desperately protects.

He can’t forget.

Haunted by his past, Roark, the Earl of Clarendon, rigidly adheres to propriety, holding himself and those around him to the highest standards, no matter the cost. Betrayed once, he’s guarded and leery of all women.

Mistaking Roark for a known spy, Adaira imprisons him. Infuriated, he vows vengeance. Realizing her error, she’s appalled and releases him, but he’s not satisfied with his freedom. Roark is determined to transform Adaira from an ill-mannered hoyden to a lady of refinement.

He succeeds only to discover, he preferred the free-spirited Scottish lass who first captured his heart.

Glenfinnan, Scotland

Award winning, Amazon best-selling, and multi-published historical romance author, Collette Cameron, has a BS in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Teaching. A Pacific Northwest Native, Collette’s been married for thirty years, has three amazing adult children, and five dachshunds. Collette loves a good joke, inspirational quotes, flowers, the beach, trivia, birds, shabby chic, and Cadbury Chocolate. You'll always find dogs, birds, quirky—sometimes naughty—humor, and a dash of inspiration in her novels. Her motto for life? You can’t have too much chocolate, too many hugs, or too many flowers. She’s thinking about adding shoes to that list.

Connect with Collette:

Website 

1779857818300575

Mahalo, Collette, for sharing your secret!   It's no secret that I love Regency ... and Scotland!   I am giving away a digital copy of THE EARL'S ENTICEMENT to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Answer Collette's question, What are your impossible dreams? What can you do to make them come true?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 31, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Glen Coe, Scotland

25 comments:

  1. I have some dreams to travel abroad that are impossible at this time due to medical issues, but I'm hoping I can resolve some of these to live my dreams.

    Marcy Shuler

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    1. I hope you can too, Marcy. Traveling abroad for extended periods of time is a dream of mine too. There's so much to see and experience!

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  2. I want to go to New Zealand but am not sure if we will make it.

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    1. That's one of the places people often tell me they want to visit along with Australia and Scotland.

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  3. In order for my dreams to come true I would have to win the lottery!!!! I would love to travel the world but for that I need money!

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    1. So true, Danielle. Traveling isn't cheap. Sigh.

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  4. I would like to visit Scotland, New Zealand, and Austrailia, but to do that, I need some money. Danielle was right. We both need to win a lottery.

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    1. Cathy, I'm chuckling because I just posted above that those are the three countries I hear people most want to visit, including me!

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  5. LOL... quit my job, finally get to read all the books in my TBR room and travel!!! The only way I could accomplish this is to either marry rich or hit the lottery :) Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Erin, yeah, there is that whole business of having to support oneself unless one wins the lottery or is inherits a ton of money!

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  6. Good Morning Kim! Thanks for hosting me today. Love, the Scottish pictures. I can't wait until I get to visit there in 2015.

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  7. I think winning the lottery would be a great dream come true, but since I don't buy tickets, that will never happen. Like you, Collette, I'm living a dream of being a writer, something I didn't think could happen even though I was one of those people who wrote from the time I could form sentences. BTY, I love the Scottish castle pictures on the site and your books. Good luck with this one.

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    1. Yes, writing is a dream come true and it's also opened lots of other doors.

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  8. Collette,
    This is fascinating! I'm always curious about the path author's took on the road to writing. You've such a gift.

    As for me...my two dreams which seemed so very unattainable...motherhood and publication both came true this year. For me, I'd received 'no's' on both my dreams...but my persistence, an absolute refusal to quit both ventures resulted in the greatest triumph--my daughters...and my bestselling romance novels has only been the icing on my proverbial cake!
    Congrats on the release!!

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  9. What a wonderful story and those are my favorite type of reads. I've given up on dreams and have them for my children now.

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  10. What a wonderful post, Collette!! I tweeted and shared on FB.

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    1. Thank you Ella. You are always so good to do that.

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  11. my impossible dream is to love & be loved........
    to make it come true, I need to be more confident & take more chances......

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  12. winning the lottery

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  13. To travel and be paid to do so! Hmmmm.....maybe work at some travel writing to make it come true.

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  14. I write time travel romance set in Scotland and my impossible dream is to walk the hills and gaze at the lochs of the Scottish Highlands. I buy a lottery ticket every Wednesday and Saturday, while crossing my fingers. Reading books like yours gives me a glimpse of a life 'back then' and 'over there'. Thanks!
    Nancy Lee Badger
    http://nancyleebadger.blogspot.com

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  15. Travel around the world. When I have enough money... I will do that.

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  16. My dreams are to travel more and downsize our life so we have more time. To get this done I have to wait for my son to graduate from college.

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  17. My impossible dream is probably to become a doctor or healer of some sort. I don't want to deal with the politics. I just want to help people. I will be looking into the RN program and maybe EMT or Paramedic soon. :)
    I am glad that your dream is your reality. Great blurb!

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