Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Elisabeth Hobbes on THE SAXON OUTLAW'S REVENGE

This week, we're pleased to welcome author ELISABETH HOBBES with her latest release,  THE SAXON OUTLAW'S REVENGE. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's  author interview for a chance to win a digital copy of the novel. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

At the mercy of her enemy! 

Abducted by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face-to-face with Aelric, a Saxon boy she once loved. He's now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his…

Aelric is determined to seek vengeance on the Normans who destroyed his family. Believing Constance deserted him, he can never trust her again. Yet, as they are thrown together and their longing for each other reignites, will Aelric discover that love is stronger than revenge?

**Q&A with Elisabeth Hobbes*

What is the elevator pitch for your latest book?

A Norman/Saxon reunion revenge romance.  Enemies - or those who by rights should be enemies - to lovers is one of my favourite tropes.

Do your characters have any basis in fact?

Constance is fictional but Aelric was based on a number of real life figures including Eadric the Wild and Hereward the Wake.  Both were Anglo Saxon noblemen or thegns who resisted the rule of the Normans, though in different parts of the country to where The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge takes place.  These men were among many who took refuge in the countryside after being displaced by the new rulers.  According to history, both Eadric and Hereward did eventually reach a compromise with the Normans and were pardoned, which at least gives Aelric and Constance the hope of a happy ending.

It wasn’t just the Saxons that newly crowned King William had to contend with, but occasionally his own supporters and Constance is set a task of discovering whether her hated brother-in-law Robert de Coudray is involved in possible rebellious behaviour.

Hugh D’Avranches, Constance’s friend who sets her this task in return for helping her gain admittance to a convent is the only historical person.  He was the Palatine Earl of Chester at the time and says early in the book that he would found a holy order himself if it would please Constance, which of course in actual fact he did.

Your last book, The Blacksmith’s Wife, was set in your hometown.  Is your new book also set there?

The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge is set in the area where I now live which is East Cheshire.  In the Domesday book, it is in the Hundred of Hamestan so this is the name I gave to the village where Aelric’s father had been thegn and which Constance’s brother in law, Robert, was granted after the conquest.  It’s an area with stunning scenery, especially around Alderley Edge with a steep sandstone ridge over what would have been thick forest that looks over the vale.  There is evidence of Bronze Age and Roman mining and it makes a perfect place for Aelric and his group of outlaws to hide.

This book is much darker in tone than your previous ones.  Why is that?

It’s a very dark period in history.  Lives and families were destroyed on a wide scale and the political, social and cultural face of England was changed forever in the aftermath of the conquest.   Without wanting to delve too deeply into it - this is a romance after all not a textbook- I wanted to do that justice and show the impact on the lives of different people including the dispossessed men such as Aelric and his companions and the villagers who remained whether they had been now struggling under new rule.  To write a light-hearted story felt like it would diminish the experiences of the people who lived through it but I think there are enough moments of hope and positivity in it too.

The book is released in December.  Is it a Christmas story?

Not at all!  The first chapter takes place in Autumn and the second, seven years later, moves the story to early Spring.  It completely bypasses the festive period.

Having said that, there is a tradition of Christmas stories being dark but ultimately leading to redemption.

Because of her act of mercy towards Aelric at the start of the story, Constance suffers both physical and mental pain and loss in her brutal marriage.  Aelric has lost everything, his home, family and his belief in his own self-worth.  He is driven by revenge, which rarely ends in anything positive.  They are two damaged people struggling to find themselves and each other.  I wanted to offer the suggestion that through reaching an understanding and embracing what we have in common rather than fixating on what divides us, people can come together to build a future- something that at this moment in time seems more important than ever.  In my mind, there isn’t a more Christmassy message than ‘peace on Earth and goodwill to all’.

What next?

I’m writing the story of Roger Danby, the villain from The Blacksmith’s Wife.  He was a fun character to write and towards the end of that book showed that he was not all bad, but Joanna was completely wrong for him.  I want to see him pitched against a heroine who won’t as much hero-worship him as smack him round the head with a soup bowl and make him shape up!

Get your copy of The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge now at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FD5ZC72

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-saxon-outlaw-s-revenge-mills-boon-historical

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-saxon-outlaws-revenge-elisabeth-hobbes/1123773847?ean=9780373299102

Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=68296

Learn more about author ELISABETH HOBBES at her website.

Excerpt Thursday: THE SAXON OUTLAW'S REVENGE by Elisabeth Hobbes

This week, we're pleased to welcome author ELISABETH HOBBES with her latest release,  THE SAXON OUTLAW'S REVENGE. Join us again on Sunday for an author interview, with more details about the story behind the story. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's post or Sunday's author interview for a chance to win a digital copy of the novel. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

At the mercy of her enemy!

Abducted by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face-to-face with Aelric, a Saxon boy she once loved. He's now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his… 

Aelric is determined to seek vengeance on the Normans who destroyed his family. Believing Constance deserted him, he can never trust her again. Yet, as they are thrown together and their longing for each other reignites, will Aelric discover that love is stronger than revenge?

**An Excerpt from The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge**

Disguised as a serving boy, Constance Arnaud is travelling to the house of her brother-in-law for the first time in seven years when the party is attacked.  The ambush has been masterminded by Aelric, now going by the name of Caddoc.

The air filled with cries of anger and exertion. The guards were pulled from their mounts, but had succeeded in drawing their weapons and began to return the blows they were dealt.

Stomach knotting, Constance staggered back against her horse. Running was futile. She was too slow and where would she go anyway? She crouched on the ground, trying to make herself as unobtrusive as possible against the mare’s legs.

The man from beneath the bridge had been kneeling beside Rollo. Seemingly satisfied that the bodyguard was no threat, he cleared the ground in a handful of strides. The guards would be no match when the odds were four against two.

But four against three...

As the hooded man passed her, Constance hurled her stick at his legs. It caught him a blow on the ankles and he tripped forward. He threw his arms out, recovering his footing almost instantly, and whipped his head round to see who had obstructed him. His hood slipped back and Constance caught a glimpse of his face, or at least the hair that flopped down to his neck and the wild, shaggy beard that covered his jaw. His blue eyes were strikingly bright amid the blond tangle and now they narrowed with fury as they regarded Constance.

‘There’s another over here!’ he shouted.

Cursing her own stupidity Constance pushed herself to her feet. The assailants had been so intent on capturing the guards they had overlooked her presence so to draw attention to it had been the height of foolishness. Now she was most probably going to die alongside the guards. She lurched sideways as her weaker leg sent her off balance, but threw herself in the direction of the woods. She aimed herself blindly at the thick undergrowth, her only hope being to find somewhere to hide. Before she had gone five paces a pair of hands seized her from behind.

‘No, you don’t, lad!’

The man she had tripped wrapped his arms tight around Constance’s waist, pinning her arms to her side. She threw her head back, trying to wrestle free, but his grip was unbreakable. His arms locked around her with a strength she had never before encountered and she felt herself lifted off the ground as easily as a child. She kicked and bucked wildly, but her resistance made no difference and she was carried back to the road.

Her captor threw her to her knees and cuffed her round the ear with the back of his hand. The blow wasn’t very hard, clearly intended as a warning rather than to cause injury, but nevertheless it set her head spinning. Once she had been hardened against such treatment, but now the violence came as a shock. She bit back tears. No man would weep at such a blow.

‘Stay still and you might live, boy,’ he growled, his accent curling oddly in Constance’s ears. Whoever he was his accent did not sound like the men of Cheshire.

The man trained his sword on Constance’s breast, hardly casting a glance at her face. Despite her terror Constance let out a long breath of relief. Her disguise had not been discovered. She tilted her head to try to see what was happening behind her. Her blood chilled. One guard lay dead, the other bravely stood his ground against three men, but even as she watched he was knocked to the ground and pinned on his belly by a foot in the back. The cart driver hauled the monk to kneel beside Constance as the nearest brigand began to hack at the straps holding the pannier containing Constance’s strongbox to the saddle.

‘Get the box quickly, Ulf,’ Constance’s captor said, speaking with an authority that confirmed what she had suspected—he was the leader. ‘I want to be gone before anyone else appears.’

He reached down and seized hold of her by the neck of her cloak, leaning his face into hers. Constance braced herself for discovery of her deception, but a roar of rage made them both start. At the river’s edge Rollo had clambered to his feet and was staggering towards Constance, blood smearing his lips and chin. She sobbed with relief, her terror abating slightly, but her optimism was short lived as her supposed saviour lumbered past them, knocking Constance aside as though she had not existed. He aimed instead for the two men who were freeing the small, iron-hinged box from its leather bindings.

Constance’s mouth fell open in shock and disbelief. The bodyguard was supposed to protect her above all else. Rollo drew his weapon as he ran. Constance’s captor let go of her cloak, closing the distance between himself and Rollo with a bellow of warning, but he was too late. With a cry Rollo thrust his sword straight between the shoulder blades of the nearest man, who buckled at the knees, falling forward. With a speed that stopped the breath in Constance’s throat the hooded man twisted round. He had his weapon raised by the time he completed the turn but before he could reach Rollo the cart driver had pushed the monk aside and planted his own weapon deep in Rollo’s back, twisting viciously.

With a grunt Rollo fell forward, landing almost on top of his victim. The cart driver fell to his knees beside the bodies and gave a keening sob of anguish.

‘Wulf! My son!’

He pushed Rollo’s corpse to the side and rolled the limp body on to its back and cradled it protectively. The hooded man dropped to his knees alongside and put his arm around the older man’s shoulders. He gently pushed the dead man’s hood back and the victim’s head lolled to one side.

He was only a boy. Constance sagged back on to her heels, a burst of compassion punching her in the stomach at the sight of the father’s grief. Her head felt far too light and she feared she might faint, but through her terror it struck her that she was unobserved once more. The two deaths had granted her a reprieve that she would surely not get again. She began slowly to edge towards her horse, never expecting to make it, and surreptitiously releasing her dagger from its sheath as a precaution.

There was a cry, then hands on her shoulder. She twisted around and swiped sideways with the dagger at whoever was behind her. It barely penetrated the leather jerkin of the hooded man and didn’t strike flesh. He seized her wrist, tightening his fingers and digging the nails in until the pain forced her to let go of the weapon with a shrill cry. He kicked it away and pushed her to the ground.

‘I told you not to move. It wouldn’t take much for Gerrod to spear you like a pig ready for the spit and right now I wouldn’t stop him.’

‘Why not let him?’ Constance said. Her throat tightened with terror. Somehow she had had the presence of mind to deepen her voice. ‘You’re going to kill us anyway, aren’t you?’

Did she mean it? Every sense screamed no, she wanted to live, whatever it took.

‘You don’t have to die if you’re sensible,’ the man said. ‘We want what’s in here, not your lives.’ He gestured to Constance’s strongbox.

‘That’s mine!’ she exclaimed angrily.

The man laughed without humour.

‘Is it worth more than your life, lad?’

Constance sat back on her knees, her leg burning with pain. She bowed her head.

‘You’ve got ballock stones to keep trying, I’ll give you that,’ the hooded man said, a touch of admiration creeping into his voice. He snapped his fingers and pointed to Constance. ‘Osgood, search him.’

A short, broad man stalked towards her.

‘Put your hands up,’ he instructed.

She lifted them a little.

‘No. Behind your head.’

Constance did as she was instructed, aware of how the action caused her breasts to lift and jut forward. Osgood’s hands fumbled at her waist.

‘Nothing else, Caddoc.’

He began moving higher up her body. She recoiled in horror as he brushed against the swell of her breasts, then closed his hands over them. He gave a cry of shock and let go as though he had been stung.

‘He’s a woman!’

Constance brought her fist round and smacked Osgood hard across the nose. He cried in pain. As his hands came up protectively she spun away, rising to her feet only to be seized by the neck from behind. She glared up into the blue eyes of the hooded man, Caddoc. He pulled her close to him so their faces were almost touching and examined her intently.

‘Who are you?’ he demanded. He lowered his hood, tilting his head to one side and narrowing his eyes.

Constance’s heart missed a beat as the gesture sent her spinning back through time.

‘I know you!’

‘I don’t think so,’ he said curtly. His gaze moved to Constance’s dagger that was frustratingly just out of her reach. His jaw set. He pulled Constance’s cowl off to reveal the coil of hair she had concealed so carefully.

‘Tell me who you are,’ he repeated. He looked back at her and brushed a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. A deep white scar ran the length of his neck and his left ear was missing the lobe, coming to an abrupt stop at the cartilage.

Constance’s heart stopped and she blurted out the name without thinking.

‘Aelric!’

His face twisted with shock.

A searing hot flush raced across Constance’s throat and chest, turning to a chill that left her trembling violently from head to foot. Nausea overwhelmed her, tightening her throat and twisting her belly.

‘Help me, Aelric.’

Her voice sounded distant and dreamlike in her ears and her legs began to shake. She felt herself slipping away from the world, floating to the ground. Felt his arms seize her before she hit the track. The last sight she saw was his eyes; wide, disbelieving and filling her vision, before blackness consumed her.

Get your copy of The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge now at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FD5ZC72

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-saxon-outlaw-s-revenge-mills-boon-historical

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-saxon-outlaws-revenge-elisabeth-hobbes/1123773847?ean=9780373299102

Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=68296

Learn more about author ELISABETH HOBBES at her website.

Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Elisabeth Hobbes on THE BLACKSMITH'S WIFE

This week, we're pleased to welcome author ELISABETH HOBBES with her latest release,  THE BLACKSMITH'S WIFE. One lucky visitor will get a digital only copy of The Blacksmith's Wife - this giveaway is open internationally. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's author interview for a chance to win. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

A passion forged from fire

Rejected by her favoured knight, Joanna Sollers knows she will never love again. Especially when the man she’s now forced to marry is none other than her beloved’s half brother!

For blacksmith Hal Danby, marrying Joanna makes his lifelong dream of entering the Smiths’ Guild possible, even if the secrets in his past mean he’ll forever keep his distance. But everything changes with one stolen night, and in the arms of his new bride, Hal wonders if this loveless arrangement could transform into something real...

Praise for The Blacksmith’s Wife

‘A passionate story that unfolds with a great plot and well defined characters. It is one that you will remember and a little out of the ordinary for its content.’

‘I loved the historical accuracy and detail, and the plot gives you great characters (some you'll love, some you'll enjoy hating!), excellent settings, and the desire to bang heads together as two people don't let on what they really think.’

‘The attention to setting and period details mean that you quickly become immersed in the tale - and this tale has everything you need: tensions and misunderstandings, a growing passion between two very engaging protagonists, and a dog called Simon. It's brilliant.’

**Q&A with Elisabeth Hobbes**

Can you summarise your latest book for us?

Joanna is in love with Sir Roger, a knight who has no intention of in marrying her.  When Roger’s brother, illegitimate blacksmith Hal discovers this, he insists Roger ends the assignation.  The unforeseen consequence of this is that Joanna now needs a husband.  Her uncle, the master of the guild Hal has ambitions to join, decides Hal would be the perfect candidate to take his unwanted niece off his hands in return for possible entry into the guild.

Despite neither Hal nor Joanna wishing to marry, and both knowing Joanna is in love with Roger, they feel they have little choice but to agree.  They move to Hal’s village on the North York Moors to try build a life together.  As they begin to grow closer, secrets and misunderstandings threaten to destroy their prospective happiness.

Are your books linked in any way?

None of them are linked in a series, though the idea for the plot of The Blacksmith’s Wife came out of the fact that in my second book, A Wager for the Widow, the heroine was faced with a choice of two men: the hero who she loved but who had hurt her and a knight who she did not love but who would have presented a better opportunity.  Eleanor made the right choice but it made me wonder what might happen to a heroine who chose to marry the ‘other’ man in that situation and how the unwanted husband could turn out to be the right choice in the end.

I am currently editing my fourth book and after that I am considering whether to tell Sir Roger’s story and see if he can be redeemed enough to earn a happily ever after.

How do you go about researching for a new story?

Once I have an idea I research dates to find out if there are any particular events that the story would fit into. For A Wager for the Widow I chose the 1290s because of the opportunity for Will to make his fortune in the wine business.  For The Blacksmith’s Wife I wanted a time when my heroine Joanna would meet the knights that were travelling round the country taking part in tournaments and close enough to the Black Death (or Great Pestilence as it was known at the time) to have orphaned her.

Once I’ve chosen my period I like to use visual images as inspiration for clothing, hairstyles, buildings and so on.  Because I set The Blacksmith’s Wife in my hometown of York I spent a lot of time visiting the many buildings from the medieval period that still stand and taking photographs, walking the snickelways (lovely word) and alleys that Joanna and Hal would have walked, and (very happily) visiting a couple of the pubs that would have been there at the time.  My sister works at the Jorvik Viking Centre and has friends and colleagues who spend their lives surrounded by artefacts and documents so I was very lucky to have ready access to ask any questions I needed answering.

Do you draw on any personal experiences when writing?

In this book more than my others I drew on my love of York and the North York Moors to create the setting.  Joanna is unwilling to move to Hal’s village but once she’s there she can’t help fall in love with the landscape.  I don’t get back as often as I would like and share Hal’s emotional response on seeing the rolling vastness of the moors after a long absence.  Especially when they’re covered in purple heather they are breathtaking.

Although I don’t have a dog, I do think giving dogs human names is very amusing.  Naming Joanna’s dog Simon came about accidentally (the uncle was named before the dog even existed in the story) but coincidentally it’s the name a friend and I agree is the best name for a dog so it was great to be able to give Hal and Joanna our in-joke.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

No.  I believe in attraction at first sight and that lightning bolt feeling of ‘wow!’ when you meet someone new.  Just like Joanna and Hal discover, love takes longer to develop and comes when you really get to know and understand someone.

Are you doing anything special to celebrate the book's release?

I’ve recently joined Knutsford Literary Society and in the week The Blacksmith’s Wife is released I will be hosting an author Q&A session and reading excerpts.  I love meeting readers so I’m really looking forward to the event.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blacksmiths-Wife-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B01B16JQ10/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1460925809&sr=1-3 

http://www.amazon.com/Blacksmiths-Wife-Harlequin-Historical/dp/037329882X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461003740&sr=8-1&keywords=elisabeth+hobbes

Learn more about author Elisabeth Hobbes

https://twitter.com/ElisabethHobbes

https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHobbes?ref=hl

http://elisabethhobbes.co.uk

Excerpt Thursday: THE BLACKSMITH'S WIFE by Elisabeth Hobbes

This week, we're pleased to welcome author ELISABETH HOBBES with her latest release,  THE BLACKSMITH'S WIFE. Join us again on Sunday for an author interview, with more details about the story behind the story. One lucky visitor will get a digital only copy of The Blacksmith's Wife - this giveaway is open internationally. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's post or Sunday's author interview for a chance to win. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

A passion forged from fire

Rejected by her favoured knight, Joanna Sollers knows she will never love again. Especially when the man she’s now forced to marry is none other than her beloved’s half brother!

For blacksmith Hal Danby, marrying Joanna makes his lifelong dream of entering the Smiths’ Guild possible, even if the secrets in his past mean he’ll forever keep his distance. But everything changes with one stolen night, and in the arms of his new bride, Hal wonders if this loveless arrangement could transform into something real...

Praise for The Blacksmith’s Wife

‘A passionate story that unfolds with a great plot and well defined characters. It is one that you will remember and a little out of the ordinary for its content.’

‘I loved the historical accuracy and detail, and the plot gives you great characters (some you'll love, some you'll enjoy hating!), excellent settings, and the desire to bang heads together as two people don't let on what they really think.’

‘The attention to setting and period details mean that you quickly become immersed in the tale - and this tale has everything you need: tensions and misunderstandings, a growing passion between two very engaging protagonists, and a dog called Simon. It's brilliant.’

**An Excerpt from The Blacksmith’s Wife**

Having both been rejected- Joanna by Sir Roger, the man she loves, and Hal by the Smiths Guild he had hoped to join – Joanna’s uncle, Simon Vernon, Master of the Guild proposes that if Hal marries Joanna he will help ease Hal’s way into the guild.  Having made his decision Hal goes in search of Simon.

Hal retraced his steps to the Guild Hall along the alleys Joanna had taken him through the previous night. He suppressed a smile as he remembered her wide eyes full of innocence as she had led him in circles throughout the streets.

Even without instruction he could not have missed his destination. St Andrewgate was home to all York’s metalworkers. The narrow street was lined on both sides with open-fronted workshops making and selling all manner of wares and the heat from the furnaces and heady stench of smoke meeting the drizzle greeted Hal like an old friend.

Master Vernon’s foundry was located in an excellent position on the corner with two sides open to the street. Hal paused outside, aware of a clamminess creeping around his back. It was not too late; he could turn and walk away and no one would know. Except for him. He contemplated Simon Vernon’s establishment, larger and grander by far than his own forge in Ravenscrag. One day he would be master of such a place and today, for all his reservations, he was setting his foot most decisively on that path.

Simon Vernon was standing with his back to Hal, barking orders at a pair of young apprentices. A figure was seated at a table in the corner. Hal stared in surprise as he recognised Joanna, head bent over a wax tablet with a stylus in her hand. No one had noticed his arrival so for a moment he stood drinking in the sight of her. She wore a dark-blue dress, high necked and tight sleeved beneath a sombre grey surcoat, belted tight beneath her breasts. Her hair was braided and held back from her face with a linen band. In such a setting she appeared as delicate and out of place as a wren in a nest of crows. The impression was such a contrast to the gaily dressed, flighty girl he had encountered at the camp that Hal was transfixed.

She was not beautiful, at least not in the way he preferred his women to be, but engrossed in her task Joanna’s face was alight with enthusiasm, lending her cheeks a blush of rose. Her figure he already knew from having examined her the previous night. A slight stirring of excitement made him grin. Whatever other reservations he might have about marriage to Joanna, the physical aspects were not among them. He would enjoy getting to know his wife once they were wed.

Joanna muttered to herself, made a swift stroke with a quill and looked up. Too late to glance away her eyes trapped Hal’s. She frowned, a small furrow appearing between her eyes before she broke into a wide smile. She jumped from her chair and crossed the room to him.

‘Master Danby, what brings you here?’ she asked warmly. ‘Do you have a message for me?’ Her voice was hopeful, leaving Hal in no doubt whose word she craved.

He ignored the faint stab of jealousy that pricked his chest, deciding that whatever else occurred, Joanna would never discover Roger’s indifference from him.

‘I’m here to see your uncle.’

Simon Vernon finally noticed him. He strode to Hal, an eager expression on his face. ‘You again. Should I assume you are here because of our conversation last night?’

Hal bowed. ‘Good morning, Master Vernon. I am indeed here to discuss your proposal.’ He glanced at Joanna who was still standing beside her uncle, her eyes bright with suspicion. Master Vernon followed his gaze.

‘Joanna, go fetch ale for us. Make haste, girl!’ he exclaimed, pushing her shoulder.

Hal’s teeth gritted. If he had needed confirmation that he was making the right choice, the man’s manner towards his niece was enough.

Joanna left the building.  Simon Vernon watched her go then turned to Hal.

‘You’re here to ask for her hand?’

Hal took a deep breath. ‘I am.’

Now the words were out the weight of anxiety lifted from his shoulders.

‘Last night I was certain you would refuse,’ Simon said. ‘What changed your mind? Was the promise of my good favour too much to resist?’

Hal smiled politely. ‘Naturally.’

Simon Vernon held out a hand. ‘Then the matter is settled. Now let’s discuss terms.’

Joanna tapped her foot impatiently as the serving girl filled an earthenware jug with maddening slowness, all the while wondering what her uncle and Hal had been discussing. When she first saw him her heart had leapt, believing for one blissful moment that Sir Roger had changed his mind and sent his brother as messenger. Of course that had been foolish. From what she was learning of Hal he was too proud to consent to carry out such a task. This was not merely a visit for courtesy, however. From the way her uncle had dismissed her she knew there was more to Hal’s appearance and she was determined to find out what it was.

She arrived back at the foundry with heels skidding in the mud. The two men were facing each other, arms folded and legs set wide, consciously or unconsciously mirroring each other’s stance. They were both talking and smiling, but when Joanna entered Hal’s face became serious.

‘Bring the ale quickly, Joanna,’ her uncle instructed. ‘We have something to drink to.’

Obediently Joanna walked to the table at the back of the room and filled two cups. She picked them up and turned to find Hal standing close behind her.

‘Let me help,’ he said, taking the cups from her hand. He stared down at Joanna with an intensity that sent warm shivers running across her scalp.

‘Come here, girl!’ Simon called. As she joined them his jowly face split into a smile. ‘I said last night I would find you a husband if you could not find your own. Master Danby here has asked for your hand and I have agreed.’

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blacksmiths-Wife-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B01B16JQ10/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1460925809&sr=1-3 

http://www.amazon.com/Blacksmiths-Wife-Harlequin-Historical/dp/037329882X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461003740&sr=8-1&keywords=elisabeth+hobbes

Learn more about author Elisabeth Hobbes

https://twitter.com/ElisabethHobbes

https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHobbes?ref=hl

http://elisabethhobbes.co.uk

Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Elisabeth Hobbes on A WAGER FOR THE WIDOW

This week, we're pleased to welcome author ELISABETH HOBBES again with her latest historical romance release, A WAGER FOR THE WIDOW. One lucky visitor will get a free copy of A Wager for the Widow. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's author interview for a chance to win. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

‘I SUPPOSE A KISS OF GRATITUDE IS OUT OF THE QUESTION?’

Widowed Lady Eleanor Peyton has chosen a life of independence. Living alone on her rocky coastal outcrop, she’s cut herself off from the world of men – until William Rudhale saves her life and demands a kiss!

As steward to Lady Eleanor’s father, Will knows the desire he burns with is futile – but he’ll still wager he can claim Eleanor’s kiss by midwinter! Yet when the tide turns Will realises vulnerable Eleanor is far too precious to gamble with. Can he win his lady before it’s too late?

**Q&A with Elisabeth Hobbes**

A Wager for the Widow is your second book.  Is it linked to your first in any way?

It isn’t linked directly but the idea for Eleanor and Will’s story came from a minor plot element in my first book, Falling for Her Captor.  In that book I wanted to explain why my hero was an outsider, even though he was a nobleman so decided his mother had been a noblewoman who had married a man of a lower social class than herself.  When Harlequin offered me a two-book contract, I remembered that and decided to explore idea.

Can you tell us about Eleanor and Will, the heroine and hero of A Wager for the Widow?

Eleanor’s husband died at their wedding feast three years before the story starts.  The marriage had been for duty and rather than return to her family or remarry she chose to live alone in the house she inherited.  She’s fiercely protective of her independence but also uses it as an excuse to avoid intimacy.  She is determined to ignore her growing attraction to Will who she -quite rightly at first- sees as an overly self-confident chancer.  As well as having to rebuff Will’s advances she has to deal with the pressures from her parents to marry a man from the proper social class and help advance her family’s fortunes. 

Will is Eleanor’s father’s new steward.  After an accident in his youth Will’s face is scarred, and he is determined to prove that he can charm any woman he meets.  If he can make some money in the process that’s all for the better.  Eleanor is the first woman he has encountered who resists which makes him more determined to win her over.  He has risen from a relatively low beginning and has no intention of remaining a steward for the rest of his life so plans to use his winnings to buy into a wine import venture.  As his feelings for Eleanor deepen he is faced with the choice of forfeiting the wager and losing his stake or winning and continuing to deceive the woman he is growing to love.

Do you have a favourite character?

Obviously I love Eleanor and Will, but despite his faults I have a soft spot for Eleanor’s brother, Edmund.  He’s completely self-centred, has very few morals and is happy to wager his sister’s virtue for fun, but despite that he does care for his sister.  I knew Will’s attitude towards women would have to change so was quite happy to have Edmund remain unrepentant as a contrast.  I may use him again and teach him a lesson in a future book.

What attracted you to the time period?

The medieval period had very clearly defined conventions, social structure and strict codes of behaviour.  Eleanor and Will are from different classes so as well as negotiating their own feelings they have to contend with Will not being considered a suitable match for the daughter of a nobleman.

I chose to set the story in the late 13^th century for a couple of reasons.  In the early period a widow was expected to remarry but after the signing of Magna Carta the king could no longer force this.  This meant Eleanor had freedom that women in earlier periods would not have had, though of course her family has other ideas on the matter.

Additionally the late 1290s was a time when England was importing wine from Gascony and fortunes could be made for those able to invest.  On Will’s career path from son of a falconer to steward of a baron’s estate he worked for a vintner who was offering him the opportunity to invest, thus providing the reason for him needing a quick boost to his savings.

What drew you to the setting?

A Wager for the Widow is set in Cornwall which is somewhere I’ve been visiting for years.  Eleanor’s home is based on St Michael’s Mount which is on a spit of land cut off by the tide and only accessible via a causeway revealed twice a day.  I loved the idea of a heroine literally and emotionally cutting herself off from the world who learns to trust and love again.  I also knew there would be plenty of scope for dramatic scenes and from early on planned that the location would play a key part in bringing Eleanor and Will together.

Did you have any actors or actresses in mind for the characters when you were writing?

Eleanor is red haired and I’m a huge Doctor Who fangirl so she’s based a lot on Karen Gillan, with a touch of Nicole Kidman from Moulin Rouge.  I love the model that Harlequin chose for the cover.

Will is based on a mixture of Alexander Skarsgard and Chris Hemsworth, though the latter became more of a model for Will’s rival for Eleanor’s affections, Sir Godfrey.  The hero from my first book was dark and brooding so I wanted a change.  There’s something about the combination of vivid blue eyes and sun blonde hair that is hard to resist.  For my current work in progress I’m back to the dark eyed, dark haired combo and spending far too much time searching for pictures of Aidan Turner.

Do you listen to music to get into the writing mood or do you prefer peace and quiet?

I like to write in peace with as few distractions as possible so no music on while I’m writing.  I have certain songs that I play when I’m trying to figure out plot points or characters in the early part of writing and these become a good way of getting back into the story if I need a little inspiration nudge.  For A Wager for the Widow it was Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen, which is about a man reaching out to the woman he loves.

‘You can hide 'neath your covers
And study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers
Throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a saviour to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero
That's understood
All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now?’

It’s a great anthem for second chances and taking a risk on romance and sums up Will and Eleanor’s story perfectly for me.  I hope readers will agree.

Learn more about author Elisabeth Hobbes

 http://www.amazon.com/Wager-Widow-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B00VS0FV5U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8 

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