Friday, July 25, 2014

Aloha to Elizabeth Michels and HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS

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Elizabeth Michels joins me for an intimate chat to celebrate HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS, Book 3 in Tricks of the Ton series:

"I want to know you, to understand anything at all about you, because you are the most maddening lady I have ever encountered."
He's the perfect gentleman...

After years hidden away from the mockery of the Ton, proud Andrew Clifton, Lord Amberstall, is finally ready to face Society again. But when his horse is injured on the road to London, Andrew finds himself literally thrown at the feet of the beautiful, infuriating, and undeniably eccentric Katie Moore.

...she's anything but a lady.

Katie always preferred the stables to society, so when she was badly injured in a riding accident, she was more than happy to retreat to the countryside and give up the marriage mart for good. She never expected an infuriatingly proper lord to come tumbling into her life - and she certainly never expected to find herself wondering what it would be like to rejoin the world at his side.

They couldn't be more different, and soon Andrew and Katie find themselves at odds about everything but the growing passion between them... and a keen awareness of a threat that may end their unconventional romance before it has even begun.
Kim:  After completing your third book of your debut series, what have you learned about fans and their expectations of Regency romance?

Elizabeth:  When I began writing Regency romance, I did so because I was a fan. I love the fashions and the ballroom scenes, but most of all, I love the escape from modern day reality this genre provides. After completing 3 books, the fact that I carry with me is that I’m exactly where I belong. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of my readers and speak with others via email since my first 2 books were released, and every time I walk away with the feeling that I’ve found my people. I’ve found others like me who love history, love fun characters, and want to spend the afternoon dreaming of a time when carriages ruled the streets and scandal was only an alcove away. I love my readers, and I’m very thankful I found them.

Kim:  HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS involves horses - do you have equestrian experience or did you conduct research?

Elizabeth:  I grew up in an equestrian neighborhood of mini-farms. All of my neighbors had horses, and I would feed them occasionally even though I never learned to ride. I’m pretty sure we were the only family who lived there and didn’t have horses…because we had Christmas trees. *grins* But, my knowledge of trees didn’t help me much in telling this story of an injured horse who leaves a lord stranded and forced to take refuge with a most unconventional lady while on the road south from Scotland. So, I spent days watching videos on subjects ranging from treating wounds on horses to breaking wild horses. I read blogs and articles. I interviewed friends experienced with horses. And, at the end of it, I wrote HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS. It wasn’t without its fair share of challenges, but I think readers will be pleased with the outcome.

Kim:  Your titles are odes to contemporary romantic comedies - what are the key elements of combining romance with humor with the constraints of a historical era?

Elizabeth:  The humor, I blame on my characters. In my stories there are always shenanigans. My characters seem to find trouble if trouble is to be found. And, I think more trouble is to be found in a historical setting than today because of the constraints of their social situation at that point in history. I like the snowball effect one small event has on another. My former editor used to compare the comedy in my books to I Love Lucy when the conveyer belt of chocolates speeds up. It seems like a small change in their situation, and yet it ends in mouths and shirts stuffed with chocolate. These small changes that produce wild situations happen so easily within a historical setting that my characters seem to seek them out. Perhaps I need to keep a tighter rein on them, but to be honest, they make me laugh and that makes me happy.

Kim:  What's next for Elizabeth Michels?

Elizabeth:  I’m writing more! I’m currently working on Lady Roselyn Grey’s book and will follow that up with three ladies you’ll remember from DESPERATELY SEEKING SUZANNA, Evangeline, Isabelle, and Victoria. These are going to be great stories involving a new group of gentlemen I’m really excited about writing. There will be love, and knowing my characters, there will definitely be shenanigans.

Thank you for hosting me today on SOS Aloha! I hope you enjoy HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS! I look forward to chatting with you here in the comments. What is your favorite part of a Regency romance?

Buy links:
Amazon: link
BAM: link
B&N: link
IndieBound: link
iTunes: link


Sourcebooks is giving away a print copy of HOW TO LOSE A LORD IN 10 DAYS OR LESS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment to Elizabeth's question - what is your favorite part of a Regency romance?

2.  Comments are open through Sunday, July 27, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Monday, July 28, assuming I recover from RWA!

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Elizabeth and her books at elizabethmichels.com.

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34 comments:

  1. Hope you're having a great time at RWA, Kim! This sounds like a great story...I love reading about the fashions and mores and of the rigid society described in Regencies contrasted with the rebels who find a way to circumvent the rules and find love.

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    1. Me too! Rebellious lords and ladies make me happy. :)

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  2. I love all the rules of courtship. The etiquette - love it all really.

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    1. Mary, I like the intensity the etiquette brings to every encounter. Having a romance with all the rules makes every brush of the hand exciting. Love it!

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    1. I love the balls too, Debby. *giggles inappropriately*

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  4. My favorite parts are the balls and clothes.

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    1. I love the fashion too! Regency wouldn't be nearly as much fun without the clothes. I'm a fan of dresses that twirl. :)

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  5. Rakes who need saving by a headstrong young woman.

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    1. Yes! And might I add, if you like headstrong young ladies, I think you'll like this one! :)

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  6. I like the interactions between the characters, the social events and everyday life descriptions.

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    1. I like the social events too! There are just so many fun things that can happen when society gathers together!

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  7. I love the romance!!! That dawning moment when either the hero or heroine or both! figure it all out :) Thanks for sharing!

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  8. I love the dresses and the balls.

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    1. I agree! The ballgowns are so much fun, May! I love them!

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  9. I love the fashions, balls, social mores of that time, and rakes and the women that reform them.

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    1. Isn't it fun to watch a rake reform, Cathy? *happy sighs* I love it.

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  10. It's hard for me to say just one part of Regency Romance that I like best. I like the back and forth courtship dances that the heroines and heroes go through to reach their HEA. Kinda like going through a maze...sometimes funny and sometimes scary, with miscommunication and misconceptions. As a reader we can look down on the maze and know where they're going and wonder why they don't just speak their minds and hearts and get the angst over with...but then, it wouldn't be a Regency Romance, would it!? :-) I do love to read them and get all tangled up in their shenanigans. jdh2690@gmail.com

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    1. Me too, Janice. I love everything about Regency! And, I love your maze analogy. I always think of it as a tango, but I like the idea of a maze. And, the shenanigans are totally the best part. Thanks for commenting!

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  11. I like it all - the different time and what goes with it from traditions, fashion, expectations, and of course the romance.

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    1. *sighs* It's hard to pick just one thing, isn't it? I love all things Regency! :)

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  12. I like the dialogue. And the tight breeches. LOL!

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  13. My favorite part of a Regency romance is the first interaction between the hero and heroine. When you see their impressions of each other and there's that spark of interest, whether they like it or not.

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  14. I like learning about the time period.....how society was at that time, the balls, the clothing, etc.

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  15. I love the balls and clothing. I'm amazed that more scandals didn't occur.

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  16. The heroine who wants to break free from the proper decorum and the scandalous hero who gives up his wicked ways to get the lady he wants. Sigh!

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  17. I like all the ton rules and watching how the characters get around them. LOL

    Marcy Shuler

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  18. I love the clothes and the manners.

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  19. I love everything about the Regency period. I love visiting the Dressmaker with them, the wonderful balls, riding in Hyde Park, and then going off to the house parties with them.

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  20. The alpha males are great even when they are faced with a strong woman. The clothes are amazing as well as the parties.

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  21. I love everything about it, especially how everything is so elegant. The falling in love part is the best thought.

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