Hi friends! So I’ve been kinda quiet lately – lots going on, but today I bring you a new guest! Author Samantha Kane, who wrote for Ellora’s Cave, and now also Random House. Yay variety! And since Ms. Kane asks you all a question at the end, I’ll just leave it at that. 🙂 I hope you answer though, because I’m curious as well!
Some Days You Feel Like a Nut…
And, of course, some days I feel like I’m still a newbie and I know NOTHING. Every time I get a great review or win an award I want to pull a Sally Field, “You like me! You really like me!” You’d think after fifteen books I’d be over that, but nope, not yet.
My next book, The Devil’s Thief, will be out this November. It’s the first book in a new series for Bantam Loveswept called The Saint’s Devils. And I’m nervous. It’s my first mainstream romance. I’ve been writing erotic romance for years. I’ve made a name as an erotic romance writer. So why am I switching gears? To be honest, I just didn’t think I was reaching as broad a reading audience as I could by limiting myself to erotic romance. Countless times I’ve heard the comment, “I’d read your stuff, but I’m not really into erotic romance. If you wrote a mainstream romance I’d love to read it!” So for those readers, here it is! (But never fear, dear readers. There will be more books in my erotic historical series Brothers in Arms!)
Another reason is because I want my writing to stay fresh. Writing mainstream requires different storylines and character development. It was a lot of fun writing this book and stretching myself as an author. I tried to make these books somewhat different from my award winning erotic historicals. This series is lighthearted and playful, reminding me in some places of those old screwball romantic comedies from the 1930’s. And I’ve created a Sherlock Holmes type character, Sir Hilary St. John, who’s a mix of Robert Downey Jr. and Thomas Jefferson. Only a historical romance writer would do that, right? I’ve thrown in some mystery, Bow Street Runners, street-wise criminals with hearts of gold, bemused heroes who aren’t quite sure what happened to them, and strong, if misguided, heroines.
If any of you are attending AAD this August, I’ll be doing a reading from The Devil’s Thief at the historical reading event, and I’ll be giving away ARCs at the Blogger ARC party! I look forward to seeing you all there!
How have you stretched your reading or writing boundaries lately?