Anniversary Bash: Finale!

Welcome to the final day of Unusual Historicals' anniversary!

I have to say, this has been one of the best blogging experiences I've had in a long time. The comments all of y'all have provided have often had me rolling with laughter. Definitely the way to start every morning, and even more than that, the best way I can think of to celebrate four years at such an awesome blog. I can't wait to see everyone stick around as we return to normal programming.

Before we get to the really, really good stuff--the extra huge pack of books we have to give away today--I want to take a moment out to thank Carrie Lofty for the work she puts in around here on a regular basis. I've always known she was the one who kept this gig running smoothly, but I never realized until I took over this week exactly what that entailed. A lot. Like, just putting up posts with pictures and silly questions has taken me hours of work. I can't imagine how much time Carrie must put in. Ms. Lofty, I tip my hat to you.

Ok, the books. What have I been holding back for today? Why, really awesome stuff. Twelve books! You read that right, twelve. All stuffed carefully in one box and mailed off to a single lucky winner. Sounds like a wonderful distraction from family and holidays!

Today's winner will get:

Elizabeth Lane:
The Horseman's Bride (signed)

Amanda McIntyre:

The Diary of Cozette; Tortured; The Master & the Muses (all signed)

Hope Tarr:
Vanquished (signed)

Diane Whiteside:
The Devil She Knows (signed and there's a matching keychain)

Lisa Marie Wilkinson:
Fire at Midnight; Stolen Promise (both signed)

Lisa J. Yarde:
On Falcon's Wings

Kate Bridges:
Alaska Bride on the Run; Mail Order Marriages (both signed)

Monica Burns:
Kismet

Seriously people, how can you top that stack? Y'all are lucky the books are actually at Carrie's house. If I had 'em, they'd probably be pre-read before they got to the winners. (Honestly, I've read most of them already. But that's just because I really do love the special zing I get from reading a great historical set somewhere different.)

We've hopefully introduced you to a lot of new Unusual Historicals authors this week. So for today's Grand Prize, tell me which UH author you're most eager to read. The winner will be drawn at random first thing next Sunday morning, just like our usual Sunday giveaways.

The usuals: Void where prohibited. Prizes can only be mailed to the US and Canada. Don't talk to strangers. (Unless they're really cute and rich.)

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Lorelie Brown's first book, JAZZ BABY, is currently available from Samhain Publishing and will be released 4 January in paperback. Her second romance, an 1880s-set western, will be published by Carina Press in Summer 2011

ALASKAN RENEGADE Winner!

We have a winner for Kate Bridges' ALASKAN RENEGADE guest blog. A free copy goes to:

WANDA!

Contact Carrie to provide your mailing address. The book must be claimed by next Sunday or another winner will be drawn. Please stop back later to let us know what you thought! Congratulations!

Weekly Announcements - 20 Nov 09

The covers of two of our regular contributors, Blythe Gifford and Margaret Mallory, have been named as finalists in The Seasons' Best Historical Covers of 2009 poll. Blythe's entry is IN THE MASTER'S BED, while Margaret has two entries: KNIGHT OF DESIRE and KNIGHT OF PLEASURE.

Voting will open November 30 to determine the best, but for now we'll just offer our congratulations at having made it this far!

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Jennifer Mueller just received an offer for large print, hardback and paperback rights from the BBC for her Regency novel A RUINED SEASON. Congratulations!

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Lindsay Townsend received a four-star review for A KNIGHT'S CAPTIVE from Lauren Calder at Affaire de Coeur. "Good solid writing and a steady paced tale draw the reader into the story. Ms. Townsend has a talent for entertainment and a flair for telling tales of knights in shining armor."

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Carrie Lofty received a four-star review from Romantic Times for her January release, SCOUNDREL'S KISS. "With its atypical setting and unique characters, Lofty's latest sweeps readers into a historical plot that tackles many contemporary themes in a meaningful and thought-provoking way. Kudos to Lofty for her innovative approach."

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Zoe Archer also received four stars for her Crimean War-set novella "The Undying Heart" in her duology with Bianca D'Arc entitled HALF PAST DEAD. "These zombie stories stand out in a genre dominated by vampires. The two tales of lovers reunited feature strong, courageous women who won't let zombies stand in the way of getting their man. Archer's imaginative and unusual tale will have you cheering for the characters, while D'Arc delivers a creepy and pulse-pounding story of danger."

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Join us Sunday when Unusual Historicals will welcome Kensington author Carol Ann Didier. She'll be discussing her latest American Indian romance, NAVAJO NIGHT, and giving away an autographed copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Kate Bridges' ALASKAN RENEGADE. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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And stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Margaret Mallory, Michelle Styles, Carla Capshaw, and MJ Smith will be our guests. We hope you'll join us!

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Have a good weekend! Remember, you don't have to be an Unusual Historicals contributor to submit good news to the weekend announcements. If it has to do with unusual historicals, we'd love to shout it out to the world! Send announcements to Carrie. See you next week...

Guest Author: Kate Bridges

This week we're welcoming Kate Bridges back to Unusual Historicals. She's celebrating the release of ALASKAN RENEGADE, her latest Harlequin Historical romance set in the wilds of the northern frontier.

When the Skagway town nurse, Victoria Windhaven, sets off on a dangerous medical journey through the Alaskan wilderness, she is forced to ride with a man from her past--bodyguard Brant MacQuaid.

Five years ago in St. Louis, Brant left her heartbroken sister standing at the altar. Victoria can’t forgive him. He is one of three men who deserted Victoria when she needed him most. Now it's up to them to battle the wilderness, a vicious criminal who is in desperate need of medical help for his father, and the undeniable attraction that grips them.

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Award-winning author Kate Bridges enjoys writing sexy historical romances set in the Canadian and American West. Her novels have been translated into nine languages, studied in over a dozen colleges in commercial fiction courses, and are sold worldwide.

"...fans will love her latest hero..." ~ Romance Reviews Today

"The wild north heats up whenever Bridges brings her alpha heroes and strong-willed heroines together in a battle-of-wills romance." ~ Romantic Times magazine

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Welcome back, Kate! What was the most difficult thing about writing your new book, ALASKAN RENEGADE?

Figuring out the backstory of each character. That part often doesn't come to me fully until I have the plot points in place. That's when I go back and delve deeper into their mindset. The backstory--life history and motivation--is what makes the storyline ring true or not for the reader. In this particular novel, I have three major characters (plus the villain) who all play an important role.

The last time you were here, you were in postgraduate studies in comedy screenwriting. What was that like?

A ton of fun! I wrote two screenplays during that time, went to a lot of comedy shows in Toronto, did improv classes at Second City, and learned comedy techniques from some of the most talented people in the business. It was a real eye-opener for how serious the comedy business is. Craft and skill are honed and perfected and much attention is placed on building characterization. Great characters we can root for in a story are everything--whether it's comedy or drama.

How has comedy screenwriting affected your novel writing?

Comedy is surprise. A surprise turn of a phrase, an unexpected look, an unexpected action. I haven't tried to make my novels any funnier, because Westerns aren't that type of genre – although many readers tell me my books do have funny moments, and the medical student in ALASKAN RENEGADE provides comic relief--but I have learned to put in more twists and surprises in my writing.

In general, the structure of screenwriting has helped me tremendously with the three-act outline and creating turning points. I started using screenwriting techniques ten years ago when I first started novel writing--this isn't something new for me. The comedy part is, although I think I've always had a flair for comedy and it was waiting to come out in a bigger way--hence enrolling in the comedy studies. The course program states that they can't teach a person to be funny, but they can teach a person to be funnier.

What do you think Hollywood gets right about romantic comedy movies, and what does it get wrong?

Ah, the eternal question we romance readers and writers love to speculate on. Every film has to be weighed on its own merit--much like every book--but in general, I think Hollywood is great at high concept ideas for romantic comedies. (A short logline or sentence that gets a big idea across we can instantly connect with.) For example THE GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST, WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE. Sometimes, though, the movie flops because the situations stretch credibility or they don't give enough character background to let us 'like' these characters enough to make us root for them. I'd say that's the biggest problem--there's not enough depth to their emotional makeup--the film starts with a big bang of action or a big situation and we never learn why or what motivated that person. They're just a one-note character--continually silly or continually angry, with little range.

What's next for Kate Bridges?

Two more books next spring (release dates TBA)! One of them is an anthology of mail-order bride stories with two of my favorite authors--Jillian Hart and Carolyn Davidson. I'm also pursuing the screenwriting aspect of my career, sending out my work and currently developing other ideas.

Thank you for inviting me to come chat with you! For anyone who leaves a comment or question today, I'll put your name in a draw for a free copy of ALASKAN RENEGADE. Are there any of you out there who've tried screenwriting? What are some of your favorite romantic comedies or screwball comedies? What appeals or does not appeal to you in relationship movies?

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Thanks for stopping by! You heard the lady, dear readers. You can answer her questions about comedy and romance, or just leave a question or comment for your chance to win ALASKAN RENEGADE. I'll draw the winner next Sunday. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!

Weekly Announcements - 13 Nov 09

Publishing under the pseudonym Ellen Connor, Carrie Lofty and her friend Ann Aguirre have sold three books to Penguin. They're not historical but they certainly qualify as unusual. Full details here, if you're curious.

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Lisa Marie Wilkinson's debut FIRE AT MIDNIGHT was recently named winner of the Fiction and Literature/Romance category of USA Book News Best Books of 2009. Congratulations!

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Jennifer Linforth's debut, MADRIGAL, is now available from Highland Press as an ebook.

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Join us Sunday when Unusual Historicals welcomes the return of Harlequin Historicals author Kate Bridges. She'll be discussing comedy, romantic screenplays, and of course, her newest release: ALASKAN RENEGADE, set in frontier Alaska! She'll also be giving away a copy. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Amanda McCabe's THE WINTER QUEEN. You still have time to leave a comment or question for your chance to win.

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And stay with us through the coming weeks when we'll be featuring the best unusual historical authors! Carol Ann Didier, Margaret Mallory, Michelle Styles and Carla Capshaw will be our guests. We hope you'll join us!

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Have a good weekend! Remember, you don't have to be an Unusual Historicals contributor to submit good news to the weekend announcements. If it has to do with unusual historicals, we'd love to shout it out to the world! Send announcements to Carrie. See you next week...

Kate Bridges Book Winner!

We have a winner to celebrate Kate Bridges' WANTED IN ALASKA guest blog. She's giving away a copy of KLONDIKE WEDDING to:

LINDA!

Contact Kate to give her your address. The book must be claimed by next Sunday or another winner will be drawn. Please stop back later to let us know what you thought of her book! Congratulations!

Weekly Announcements - 27 Feb 09

Bonnie Vanak has had a great run of reviews for her April release, THE LADY AND THE LIBERTINE. RT gave it four stars and wrote: "With a few twists, she combines an English lord, scarred in body and soul; an illegitimate young Englishwoman; a ruby and enough adventure, pathos, secrets and betrayal to keep you turning the pages of this sexually charged romance."

Marilyn Rondeau, at C2K Kwips and Kritiques, wrote, "Vanak has a knack for creating strong, imperfect heroines and her characterization of Karida bears witness to her genius in giving life to her unforgettable characters." You can read the entire review here, and here's a link to more information about this, Bonnie's newest Egyptian-set romance.

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Join us Sunday when debut author Lisa Marie Wilkinson will be here to talk about FIRE AT MIDNIGHT, an adventurous and touching pirate romance from Medallion. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Kate Bridges' WANTED IN ALASKA. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend! If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...

Guest Author: Kate Bridges

This week's guest author is Kate Bridges, an award-winning author of Alaskan-set romances who writes for Harlequin Historicals. Her newest is WANTED IN ALASKA.

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Outlaw Quinn Rowlan is in desperate need of help for his wounded brother when he attends Skagway's fancy masquerade ball and kidnaps a nurse. Except that Autumn MacNeil is no nurse, and his reckless mistake could cost them their lives.

Autumn is outraged at what this madman has done, and has a few tricks of her own for survival. What neither of them anticipates is how intense and meaningful every moment they spend together becomes. Slowly, they lower their guard, and set off on a dangerous adventure to set the world right.

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I hear you write Westerns set in unusual places. Tell us about that.

I'd love to--I write sexy historicals set in the American and Canadian West. Law and order was brought to the States by sheriffs and marshals. In Canada, we had the Mounted Police. So some of my books have Mountie Officers. Currently, I'm writing about the Klondike Gold Rush. I had a fantastic time visiting Alaska and the Yukon on a research trip for these books!

That sounds exciting. What was that like?

An experience I'll never forget. The landscape, the mountains, the smells were incredible. There were three rainbows arching across the sky when we landed in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. We rented a car and drove to Skagway, Alaska, on the coast. What I'll always remember most is the smell of the air. It was so pure and clean, and fragrant with flowers and woods, that every step brought a fresh new scent. There are more photos posted on my website.

What's the storyline of your latest release, WANTED IN ALASKA?

It's about an outlaw, Quinn Rowlan, who's desperate to get help for his wounded brother, so he kidnaps a nurse. He arrives at a masquerade ball in Skagway, asks Autumn MacNeil to dance, and before she can blink, he hauls her over the balcony. But he's made a big mistake. She's not a nurse and doesn't know the first thing about medicine.

Here's an excerpt from the opening scene, and you can read more on my website.

Dressed in black tails, elegant wool pants, a blue silk cravat and a spotless cream shirt that accentuated the intensity of his dark face, he'd walked into the masquerade ball at the Imperial Hotel shortly after eight. He'd tapped an older gent on the shoulder, appeared to ask a question, then both men had turned and stared at Autumn.

Autumn glanced away but her pulse strummed with excitement. Her lashes flicked against the velvet mask that covered her eyes. Such fun, after such a long winter. It felt exhilarating to be fooling everyone on this splendid Saturday evening. Even him.

(Excerpt from WANTED IN ALASKA, February 2009 Harlequin Historicals)

"Kate Bridges serves up a sensuous romance that generates enough heat to warm the icy Alaskan tundra." Love Western Romances

What's your hero like?

An exciting bad boy! He has a hidden occupation, besides being an outlaw, that is in jeopardy of being lost if he can't clear his name. Now he's made this horrible mistake in taking the wrong woman. She's furious, of course, and does everything she can to persuade him she can't help his brother.

And your heroine?

She loves her independence! For the first couple of years during the gold rush, women made up only 2 to 10% of the population. They were hardworking, bold and resilient. They opened their own shops. Some staked their own gold claims and became rich. Autumn is a singer in a hotel who dreams of owning the hotel. It's currently up for sale, but no male banker in town will give her a bank loan. So...she's struggling to find another way. Quinn has thrown a big wrench into her plans by whisking her away from Skagway.

At what point does she start falling for him?

When she realizes how intelligent he is, and that maybe he's not what he appears to be. He's able to quote legal passages from the Constitution. She's not expecting it from an outlaw, and so it begins a deep attraction and growing love affair.

What else have you got on the horizon?

More Alaska books! I just finished writing the second one in the contract. Although these books are set in the same region, they are each stand-alone stories. I'm also working on a novella, in a mail-order bride anthology that I'll be sharing with Carolyn Davidson and Jillian Hart--two of my favorite Western writers.

Tell us about the free book!

KLONDIKE WEDDING is from my recent backlist. The hero is a Mountie Officer and Veterinary Surgeon. In the opening scene, he's agreed to stand in as a groom in a proxy wedding, but gets accidentally married to the bride. Until a judge arrives in town to dissolve the marriage, they're stuck together. Anyone who posts a comment this week is eligible for the draw. Good luck and thank you so much for inviting me here today!

WANTED IN ALASKA is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Kate Bridges is an award winning historical author, with such honors as the Barclay Gold Award, CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, and several nominations from Romantic Times magazine for Best K.I.S.S. Hero of the Year and Best Western of the Year. Please visit her website and sign up for her newsletter to get the latest updates.

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Thanks for stopping by today, Kate! So...you need to leave a comment or question for Kate in order to have a chance to win a copy of KLONDIKE WEDDING. We'll draw the winner next Sunday. Good luck!

Weekly Announcements - 20 Feb 09

Michelle Styles continues to expand her career at Harlequin Mills & Boon, where she just sold four new books! One will be the third in her Viking trilogy, with the remaining three to be determined. Congratulations, Michelle!

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Carrie Lofty has received the back cover copy for her January 2010 medieval adventure romance, SCOUNDREL'S KISS, which follows Ada from WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS as she travels to Spain.

WHEN IT COMES TO TEMPTATION...
Turning his back on his old life as a rogue, Gavriel de Marqueda has joined a monastic order in Spain and taken a vow of chastity. Before he becomes a monk, he must pass one final test: help a woman who has lost her way. But when he lays eyes on Ada of Keyworth, he is tempted beyond measure by her sultry beauty and dangerous curves...

RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN...
Far from her home in England, Ada has been battling inner demons for more than a year. When she discovers that her only friend has abandoned her, she has no choice but to grudgingly accept Gavriel's help. But Ada is not fooled. Though Gavriel wears the robes of a monk, Ada sees that he is a virile man who looks at her with a hunger that matches her own--one that begs to be satisfied again and again...

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Join us Sunday when Kate Bridges will be here to talk about WANTED IN ALASKA, a new Harlequin Historical set 1899 Skagway. Don't miss it!

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We'll also draw the winner of Jade Lee's THE CONCUBINE. There's still time to leave a comment for your shot at winning!

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Have a good weekend! If you have an announcement to make for next week, email Carrie. See you next week...