You guys, we have an extra special fun post from awesome author Theresa Romain today! Whee! I hope you’ll give her a warm welcome, and also extend the same to her brother!
Limecello, thanks so much for hosting me today! My second historical romance, Season for Surrender, just came out last week. I’ve asked my brother to help me with this post, because
1) Season for Surrender is, in large part, about family relationships, and
2) This way he will do half the work for me.
Thanks for your help, Brother R!
Absolutely – it never hurts to help! So, you say Season for Surrender is about family relationships, eh? I’m intrigued – tell me more.
Well, that statement was only partially true. It’s first and foremost a romance, of course! But when the book begins, both the hero and heroine are trying to figure out how to make their own path away from their family. Rakish Alex, Lord Xavier, has begun to feel trapped by the expectations of his friends (and villainous cousin—grrr). Shy Louisa Oliver is ready to overcome her fears about society by leaving her sister’s household. They meet at a naughty Christmas house party. Whee!
Well, if I lived in my sister’s household, I am sure I would never want to leave because it is so darn cool.
I do keep a lot of baked goods on hand.
Speaking of that sister, are we going to meet Julia and James in Season for Surrender?
Look at you, referring to the hero and heroine from my debut (Season for Temptation). You really did read it?
But of course! I brought it to the gym and read it in between sets. It was great – no one bothered me to ask for a spotter.
Well, YEAH. A guy who’s strong enough to read a pink book in public is obviously a guy you don’t want to tangle with.
In answer to your question, Julia (heroine from my debut) makes a brief appearance in Season for Surrender. But! You can read either book without having read the other. (Not you. People in general. You are required to read both, Brother R. Sorry.)
No worries, I’ve been longing for some more good gym reading to work on my emotional strength as well as my physical strength. 😉 Who else will be at the Season for Surrender house party, and what sort of goings-on can readers expect to find?
*Louisa’s blunt-spoken aunt, Lady Irving, serving as a chaperone
*Xavier’s cousin Lockwood, who has a cunning plan
*Xavier’s other cousin Jane, who wishes she had a cunning plan but can’t because her mother is keeping a close eye on her
*a library full of secrets
*mistletoe.
I am amazed by your creativity in coming up with cunning plans and characters with awesome names. (I secretly wished I was named Xavier in elementary school.) From whence do you draw your inspiration?
Nice historical-speak, Brother R. A day with a “whence” is a good day indeed.
Character-name inspiration can come from all over the place. Film crew credits at the end of British movies; 19th century novels; my trusty directory of English peerages. As for the cunning plans: strictly my imagination, I swear.
Should we give away a book now?
We are giving away a book? What book? And, I heartily agree, a day with a wench is a good day indeed. May I quote you on that?
We’re giving away a signed copy of Season for Surrender, so someone will get to read about this ever-festive house party full of cunning plans. And—to return to our original topic—see how Xavier and Louisa find love while also finding their own path away from their families.
Not that families aren’t great. Because they are. Especially when they help one with one’s work. Thanks, Brother R!
You’re welcome. Do I get to ask the question for commenters now? Sweet! Okay, here it is: “What is the most embarrassing thing your family has ever said to a date you brought home?”
I can answer that for you. “When Brother R was little, I used to dress him up like a—”
<coughs loudly> Well, it was nice blogging with you, Sister! That’s all, folks!
Hee! I, for one, was vastly entertained. We’re hoping to get Theresa’s brother here, so what question do you have for either sibling?!
Loved this! And the use of whence! Nicely done, Brother R and Theresa. ;D
Best I avoid the topic of family… :X
But I do have a question for Brother R – do you read any other romances? Or just the ones your sister has written?
Thank you both for visiting with us today!
Hmm…I might have to plead the fifth to this one!!
Hahaha – no, actually I believe SFT was my first romance novel. Although I have read some pretty girly books (Hunger Games). I tend to gravitate to sci-if and fantasy – sort of the dude’s equivalent of a romance novel, wouldn’t you say? 🙂
Cute interview, and I am impressed that your brother has read the first book. I think the second book is even steamier, will you have to white out certain scenes, or do you think he can handle it?
Gayle–ha! I actually tore out certain parts of the first book before handing it over to him. Then I learned that he’d already bought his own un-torn-up copy. Oh well.
I think anyone who’s seen an R-rated movie can handle anything in most romance novels. Probably? And I know Brother R’s seen an R-rated movie, since he took a woman to see Jarhead on their first date. (Yes, really. He really did.)
In my defense, it was her idea. Well, she actually mentioned a chick flick first but it was my second choice.
You would think I’d learn, but just a few months ago I took a girl to immortals. Gah.
Anyway, I will have plenty of airplane travel in the next few months and I plan on reading the unadulterated (hah!) version.
Lime, thanks so much for hosting me–er, us–today! I think Brother R will be stopping by later this evening. I’m curious about his answer to your question. Mr. R (my husband) has started reading a few other romances, at least when I can pry his issues of Maximum PC away. He likes Courtney Milan’s and Sherry Thomas’s books–good man!
Great interview! 🙂 Your brother sounds like mine! 🙂 It’s terrific that he’s so supportive in his own way!
He definitely is, May. I asked if he would help me write a blog post and he said “sure” right away. He didn’t even ask what it was about–could have been a risky move on his part!
Hahaha – “he’s so supportive in his own way”. I love it. I figured the blog post was about SFS – I am somewhat in the loop! – but you’re right. Had it centered on feminine care products and the like, I’d have been in trouble….
My family was pretty good, but I did leave them speechless and not very happy when I got home, they thought up a lot while I was gone. He looked rough with a beard and a tattoo, the monster truck didn’t help. He was a nice guy, but teenage rebellion is so fun. Fun for me not for them.
Annwitch, they saved all the questions for you? Your date got off pretty easy! (I am definitely not looking forward to experiencing teenage rebellion from the parenting side.)
At least if you guys had gotten in a wreck, his monster truck would have won. Just saying…
I thought it was hilarious that Brother R read the book at the gym & no one asked to be a spotter! That’s impressive thinking!
Rebe, I guess everyone knows better than to bother a guy with a romance novel. 🙂
It was either that or find a manly book cover to put over the top. And I wouldn’t want my sister to think I was embarrassed to read her book….
Bwahahahaha. You guys are hilarious. Not that I expected anything different.
Not the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened, but one of the most amusing:my high school sweetie and I went to rival schools, so one evening when the boyfriend was over for dinner, my brother sneaked out and affixed a license plate from my high school to the boyfriend’s car. He even donned a black ski mask for the occasion. We have pictures.
Amanda, ha! How long did it take the BF to notice that his car had been co-opted by another school? Too funny that your brother wore an Authentic Cat Burglar Costume to put on the license plate.
Hopefully he had as much of a sense of humor as you and your family did!!
This was such a fun read through. Got to love family. I think it’s a law.
Just staring & sharing a private joke is always tres embarrassing when I had company.
Ah, those private jokes, yes. The people who know us best have no shortage of ways to embarrass us, do they?
True story…
I can’t think of anything embarrassing my family did, except for my little sister. She’d come and sit right between me and my date – she had to be right in the middle of everything and was a total pest.
Barbara, that is too funny. I wonder if your parents encouraged her to keep an eye on you and your date?
I don’t think I ever did that to my older sisters…right? 😉
Hmm, not that I remember. Though my dating days have been over for (ahem) a while.
Fortunetely they were always pretty cool.
I do enjoy these stories where quirky family members mix things up!
Tell them their nickname for me when I was a kid “Fatty” & my Uncle’s nickname for me which was “Fat Fish”. Needless to say I was plump as a kid.
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