Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Aloha to REGENCY MASQUERADES - Box set with Brenda Hiatt, Lynn Kerstan, Allison Lane, Gail Eastwood, Alicia Rasley, and Elena Greene


Regency author Elena Greene joins us today to chat about REGENCY MASQUERADES - a box set of six Traditional Regency romance novels of secrets and disguises ...


When Kim was kind enough to agree to host us, she asked us how groups of authors come together for projects like this. We can’t answer for other groups (though many of them probably came together in a similar way) but we’ll be more than happy to share our journey. It’s all about the community of romance writers.

Alicia was the one who first conceived the idea of an ebook bundle of reissued traditional Regencies, the goal being to attract new readers and spread the word about all of our individual reissues as well as our new stories. She sent out a request for interested parties on the Regency Loop, a long-standing online community of Regency romance authors where we share research and writing news. One by one, the rest of us responded. Although some of us are good friends, some of us had only met before at writers’ conferences or online communities such as the Regency Loop or the Beau Monde, Romance Writers of America’s Regency special interest chapter. Yet even from the beginning, we trusted one another enough to join Alicia in this venture.

We wanted to have some kind of a theme for the set and soon realized that we’d all written stories where the plot involved either the hero or heroine (sometimes both) being in disguise. We all love how a disguise both conceals and reveals character’s issues and desires, the drama that occurs when the masks are removed, and the final message of being loved for who you really are.

So Regency Masquerades was born. We exchanged flurries of emails, making plans for formatting, for cover art (done by the talented Tara at Fantasia Frog Designs (link) and for promotion. We have a diverse set of skills and levels of experience, and eventually everyone found a role to play in making the project come together.

We’re just one example of the strength of the romance writing community. We’ve always always shared knowledge of the research and craft of writing. Now that we can self publish our backlists, it’s a natural way to help one another in the belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats”. Rather than see ourselves in competition, we know that romance readers are so eager for good books that we can better please them by working together.

And so this week, we launched Regency Masquerades and we’re delighted to see that it’s hitting the top of the Amazon Kindle historical romance and other lists.

Readers can buy Regency Masquerades at Amazon (link), Barnes & Noble (link), iBooks (link), and Kobo Books (link). Learn more about the set at our Facebook page, facebook.com/regencymasquerades.

And here are our author websites and Facebook pages.

Brenda Hiatt ~ BrendaHiatt.com, facebook.com/BrendaHiatt and twitter.com/Brenda_Hiatt

Lynn Kerstan ~ LynnKerstan.com and Twitter.com/RegencyTwisters

Allison Lane ~ Eclectics.com/AllisonLane and twitter.com/allisonlanebook

Gail Eastwood ~ GailEastwoodAuthor.com, facebook.com/GailEastwoodAuthor, and twitter.com/GEastwoodAuthor

Alicia Rasley ~ AliciaRasley.com, Facebook link, and twitter.com/AliciaRegency

Elena Greene ~ ElenaGreene.com, facebook.com/ElenaGreene, twitter.com/ElenaGreene7

Thank you for hosting us!


I am giving away a digital copies of REGENCY MASQUERADES:

Six beloved bestselling and award-winning Regency authors bring you six full-length novels of disguise, deception and secret identities. From sweet to subtly sensual, these traditional Regency Romances demonstrate that true love can see through even the most elaborate mask!

This special, limited-edition set includes:

Daring Deception, by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Hiatt

When her brother promises her in marriage to pay a gaming debt, Miss Chesterton dons a disguise to prove Lord Seabrooke a fortune hunter. But even as she gathers evidence, she finds herself losing her heart to the handsome Earl.

Lucy in Disguise, by RITA® Award-winning author Lynn Kerstan

A charming aristocrat in trouble is rescued by a young woman disguised as a Lancashire Witch. Love comes swiftly, but she’ll only agree to wed if they protect her friend, a fearful heiress, from a greedy and dangerous family.

The Earl’s Revenge, by award-winning author Allison Lane

A battle of wits unmasks the secret lives of the Earl of Bridgeport and his former fiancée Elaine Thompson. Only love might prevent ruination.

The Lady from Spain, by award-winning author Gail Eastwood

A young woman posing as a Spanish widow returns to England after Napoleon’s war, set on a dangerous quest. Can the handsome lord who must unmask her also turn her heart toward love?

Gwen’s Ghost, by RITA® Award-winning authors Alicia Rasley and Lynn Kerstan

An unredeemed rake must mask his true self so that he can undo the damage he caused with his life--and his death.

The Redwyck Charm, by multiple award-winning author Elena Greene

Heiress Juliana Hutton masquerades as an opera dancer to escape an arranged marriage to the Earl of Amberley, but fate has different plans...

Plus the authors are giving away a special digital prize package:

Gabriella by Brenda Hiatt, The Rake and the Spinster by Lynn Kerstan, The Prodigal Daughter by Allison Lane, The Captain’s Dilemma by Gail Eastwood, Poetic Justice by Alicia Rasley, and Lord Langdon’s Kiss by Elena Greene.


To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about masquerades ... what costume would you wear?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 18, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City


14 comments:

  1. Thanks for helping us spread the word, Kim!

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  2. Thanks for such a fun post! I"d have something modest ;)

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  3. I would wear something from the Georgian era.

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  4. Maybe Cleopatra or any kind of royalty!

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  5. Thanks for hosting us, Kim, and thanks for writing up the post, Elena! It's been a lot of fun working with these ladies, I have to say! :)

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  6. I would like to wear a pirate costume.

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  7. I'd love to dress up for a Regency ball. What a beautiful costume that would be.

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  8. I had the chance to dress for a Vauxhall-themed dance last year, so I went as a "Dove of Peace" with my white Regency underdress with a piece of sheer fabric over the top, and a white feathered mask-on-a-stick with green leaves on the stick.

    Kristen

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  9. I think I would work a "Steampunk" costume.

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  10. For a masquerade during the Regency era, I'd probably dress as a Grecian goddess.

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  11. What a fun chance to dress up! Either a full-on ballgown or a steampunk style ensemble would be great--depends on what inspiration I can find at the thrift store! ;)

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