Thursday, June 2, 2011

The Secret Desires of a Tiffany Clare Fan!

by Anna Campbell

Hey, Tiffany's back again and she's going to tell us about another one of her brilliant historical romances. This time, it's her third book, THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS which has not only got a fabulous title but one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen.

Here's the blurb for THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS:

YEARNING FOR HIS TOUCH...

From the moment Abby meets her new employer—the mysterious, brooding Earl of Brendall—she is appalled by his brutish manner…and even moreso by her own attraction to him. Has she lost her senses? As a governess, Abby has no choice but to play by the rules. But as a woman, she cannot deny the fiery sensations he ignites—or the fantasies he inspires…

BURNING FOR HER KISS...

From the moment Elliott lays eyes on his new young governess, he knows he’s in trouble. Abby is intelligent, defiant, and utterly captivating, though Elliott must do his very best to resist her. But as the two grow closer, the passion burns hotter. Soon, the only thing that can destroy their love is the darkest secret of his past—and the secret desires of a governess…

You can find out more about Tiffany and her books on her website: www.tiffanyclare.com


Tiff, congratulations on the release of THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS.

Thanks for having me! I love coming to the lair, you Bandits sure throw an awesome party!

Can you tell us about this new story?

My heroine, Abby Hallaway, wants to build an independent life from her sisters, so she leaves the comfort of their home in pursuit of a job. She believes that she will have no problem in teaching young ladies the same education her father gave her—she was an apt student. Only when she arrives at her posting it’s to find a number of things wrong: her charge is not a little girl, the staff on hand (which are few in the huge castle) seem to dislike her on sight, the master of the house is domineering, uncouth, and constantly in her way making her feel all sorts of feelings she doesn’t want to feel for any man. And as the weeks wear on, she’s sure someone is trying very hard to acquaint Abby with the afterlife.

Elliott Wright, the Earl of Brendall, wants only the best for his son, but he fears his son will end up just like him. Elliott has his chatelaine hire another governess after the last one ran off. The first thing Elliott notices when the new hire arrives is that she’s younger than all the previous—much prettier, too. He thinks it only a matter of time before she runs off like all the past governesses. He doesn’t expect to seek her company out on a regular basis. But growing close can only mean her demise. After all, his wife and mother had ended their lives to escape Wright men, and once Abby knows all the secrets of his past and present she may want nothing more than to escape him too, even if that means through death. And the last thing he wants to do is destroy the woman he’s slowly falling in love with.

The Delphin painting is how I pictured Abby (I used it as a screensaver while I worked on this book). Clive Owen is exactly how I picture Elliott. Elliott is a bit more brawny, but he’s got that look about him.

Also, readers can read the first chapter on my website (there is a link there if you want to read the first THREE chapters: http://www.tiffanyclare.com/bookshelf/the-secret-desires-of-a-governess/).

I grew up reading governess/master of the house romances and they always gave my adolescent heart a thrill. Why do you think this theme is so popular in the romance genre? Do you have any favorite governess romances that inspired you to write THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS?

JANE EYRE was my inspiration all the way! I adore that book to pieces, as well as every movie/mini series adaptation ever made. One thing I love doing when writing my stories is secluding my hero and heroine. Doing so totally rackets up the tension (especially of the sexual kind). And best of all, it means they can’t really escape each other!

The other inspiration is Beauty and The Beast. You’ve got the old castle that the locals are afraid of, the dark, brooding beast of a hero, the pretty young woman that comes into his life and changes his way of thinking by thrashing through the barriers of his heart . . .

This book is totally what you get when Jane Eyre has babies with Beauty and The Beast.

I always ask you about interesting tidbits of research that turned up when you’re working on your books. Did anything unusual take your fancy when you were researching THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS?

I don’t think any unusual historical facts came up while writing this book. I did do a lot of research on the thing that gives my hero a true disadvantage in life. You’re all wondering what that is now, aren’t you? I can’t share what that is, it’s a bit of a spoiler! But readers will know what I’m talking about when they get a copy of the book.

You’ve spoken before about how art inspires your writing. Did you have any particular pictures in mind when you wrote THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS?

A bell. Only it was a photograph this time. And I’ve looked and looked for this bell since, and I cannot find it anywhere (my computer hard drive crashed during this project and I lost all my research). There was something about that bell that put this scene in my head, which leads to uber hotness with the hero.

Here’s a tiny excerpt:


She hiked up her skirts to aid her in walking through the tall grasses. She hadn’t thought to explore the old church grounds before now. It had seemed like a sacred untouched place and she hadn’t wanted to disturb it, afraid to ruin the wildness it had sprouted into over the years.

“Father will have my head if we go in there. You can’t go, Miss Hallaway. Please . . .”

He tried to grasp onto her hand, but she was already steadily moving forward. Jacob remained in the clearing, just on the other side of the tall grasses.

“Nothing bad is going to happen.” The only way to prove that for fact was to show him, she figured. “I promise.”

She stepped toward the lime-crusted bell, her fingers outstretched. The old bronze was cold and rough beneath her hand, and she stroked over the long-faded inscription, barely making out the words coram Deo and nothing more. How many battles had this very bell gonged through, warning the inhabitants of an imminent battle, warning townsfolk of an incoming enemy from the seaside?

“Have you ever touched this church bell?” Abby walked around the bell, skimming her bare fingers over the alloy as she went. “It’s almost as if I can hear it ringing as it once used to.”

She closed her eyes and trailed her fingers over the cool rough surface as she inhaled the sea air deep into her lungs. She loved the sound of church bells.

I used a lot of photographs to aid me with this book because I chose a real location (again). Bamburgh Castle was my setting, with a few minor changes, of course.


What’s next for Tiffany Clare?

I’m working on another trilogy for St. Martin’s Press, something in the vein of DANGEROUS LIAISONS.

Here’s my blurb:

Four friends in the pursuit of pleasure enter a dangerous game of wagers, seduction and temptation, but when one of their own is bent on a self-destructive path of ruin, they must put aside their schemes or lose everything they’ve come to hold dear.

Sounds fabulous! Can't wait to read them. Can you take us through a typical day in the glamorous life of romance novelist extraordinaire Tiffany Clare?

Not so glamorous, especially now at the height of the allergy season—I look like a train wreck! I wake up uber early to write (4:00 a.m.). Then I write some more on the streetcar ride into work for my 9-5. I pick up the kids from their afterschool program on my way home, have a beautifully made dinner waiting for me–my hubby is a marvellous cook. I’m usually zonked at this point of the day and gear down to go to bed early so I can start the process all over again.

Here’s my question to the blog readers: If you could choose two of your favourite stories to be amalgamated (like I did with JANE EYRE and Beauty and The Beast) which two would you choose?

Great question, Tiff. Everyone, get commenting. Tiffany has very generously offered our commenters THREE copies of THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS today! Good luck!

114 comments:

lindsey hutchison @ United By Books said...

hey there Tiffany your book sounds awesome and you combined two of my favs. i love jane erye and beauty. my two picks would have to be pride and prejudice and phantom of the opera that could make for an interesting mix i would think.

Pat Cochran said...

Hi, Tiffany and Anna,

My choices would be Beauty and the
Beast and Princess Bride. The mix
should be quite amusing! LOL! ( I
really think I've been up too late!)

Congrats, Lindsey!

Danielle Birch said...

I'm adding these books to my "to buy" list.

My choice of books to add together would be The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe and Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates. Two of my favs.

Lolarific said...

the book sounds very interesting!

my two picks would have to be Peter Pan and Twilight.

in my mind they make for a good cross, maybe the neverland lost boys were just the cullens other children. you'd have peter/edward and wendy/bella.

a lot of correlations that could work (in my mind at least! lol)

Anna Campbell said...

Lindsey, looks like the chook's coming back your way! Great choice - Mr. Darcy in a mask? Works for me!

Anna Campbell said...

Pat, your suggestion made me smile. Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya and you put a curse on me, you foul witch! Prepare to DIE!!!!

Anna Campbell said...

Danielle, you're definitely going gothic with the Radcliffe. I don't know the Joyce Carol Oates. What's it about? Is it gothic as well?

By the way, strongly recommend Tiff's books. They're fantastic!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Lola, interesting choice. I think Wendy would give Bella a run for her money, actually! LOL!

Nas said...

Hi Tiffany, Hello Anna,

Your book sounds awesome.

Maybe Cinderella and Vampires/werewolves? Cinderella after coming away from the ball meets the hottest werewolf? So would she decide on the Prince or have a ball with this werewolf?

Sheree said...

I was thinking of the Frog Prince and the Phantom of the Opera but a singing frog has been done already ("One Froggy Evening"). Hm... I have to think on this some more.

Danielle Birch said...

Anna, I'm obsessed with Gothic novels, have been for a long time. Bellefleur is a Gothic novel as well, and it's dark story of a family with flaws and terrible secrets. It's one of Joyce Carol Oates' earlier books and my favourite of hers. It's definitely worth picking up a copy if you can - they're not easy to get hold of.

Bron said...

Hi Tiffany and Anna

I loved to see Tristan and Isolde meets Vampire Diaries. Then when Tristan dies he can come back to life as a vampire and have Isolde.

Jane said...

Congrats on the new release, Tiffany. I would love to see a mashup of Agatha Christie's "The Pale Horse" and Sidney Sheldon's "If Tomorrow Comes."

Anna Campbell said...

Wow, Nas! She loses her shoe at midnight and then he turns into ashes at dawn. That's one night old Cinders is going to have!

These are fun. Great question, Tiff!

Anna Campbell said...

One Froggy Evening, huh? Do they see each other across a crowded pond, Sheree? Oh, dear, I do amuse myself. It's SOOOO sad! ;-)

Anna Campbell said...

Danielle, I've never read her. Sounds really interesting. You know what a sucker I am for a gothic!!!!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Bron, LOVE it! One of books under the bed is a retelling of T and I. I've always found it a really haunting story. Great idea!

Anna Campbell said...

Jane, I haven't read The Pale Horse. Mind you, most of my Christies I know via David Suchet who I think is fabulous as Poirot. I think I've read the Sydney Sheldon. I went on a real craze on him years ago - do you remember the shock ending of the Other Side of Midnight? Whoooo-weeeeee!

Jo's Daughter said...

So many favorites... which to choose. I like Alice in Wonderland & Cranford. If you mix 'm together the ladies of Cranford could fall down the rabbit hole and have loads of adventures.

Mary Preston said...

Cinderella and Bleak House (brilliant Dickens classic)- I think Cinderella would feel quite at home in this tale of woe, love and disappointments & add a few laments of her own.

Christine Wells said...

Hi Tiffany! A hearty bandita welcome to the lair. Anna, thank you for hosting Tiffany today.

Tiffany, I love, love, love your cover for Governess and I'm looking forward immensely to this story. I enjoy the governess trope, too and I'm so intrigued about the mysterious THING!

Cinderella meets the Karate Kid? Sorry, I'm no good at X meets Y. Might have to come back to you on that:)

Lindsey, congrats on the bird! Love your mix! Very intriguing. I'm taking notes:)

Helen said...

Well done lindsey have fun with him

Hi Tiffany

This one sounds so good I have your other 2 books on the TBR pile and I am really looking forward to reading them I must move them up then I can read all 3 one after the other YAY.

As for mixing two of my favourite stories what about Cinderella and I am going to have to think on this one LOL.

Thanks Anna for inviting Tiffany back today

Have Fun
Helen

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

I think maybe a little Cinderella and P & P would make a nice mix. Let's see what Darcy thinks when someone runs off and leaves him. He really needs that pride taken down a notch or three.

Tiffany Clare said...

Lindsey, that would be an awesome mash-up! Mr. Darcy could be the Man in the Mask! Congrats on the rooster.

Pat, I ADORE The Princess Bride. One of my all time favorite movies. That mix up with not only be amusing but hilarious! The Beast fighting off ROUS's! LOL

Danielle, I'm not familiar with Bellefleur, but an Udolpho mash up with be all dark and full of intrigue! It's almost like Jane Eyre's darkness in a sense!

Tiffany Clare said...

Lolarific, That's brilliant! The characters are similar on both sides, aren't they! I've never thought of that. The lost kids of Neverland are like the werewolf pack! LOL

Anna, I'm just reading your comments and realizing we almost said the same things! LOL Great minds . . . ;)

Tiffany Clare said...

Hi Nas, Hope you love my books!
I have a friend, Maureen McGowen who writes YA, and she did two great mash up books. One was Cinderella Ninja Warrior, and Sleeping Beauty Vampire Slayer... your suggestion reminded me of that! And I'm all for Cinderella with werewolves! They are my favorite preternatural creature!


Sheree, So you can kiss the phantom and he turns into a prince? I kinda like the phantom all scared and brooding like he is! LOL, Yeah, call me demented, but that is what Elliott is. Not scared just hiding information about himself and all brooding.


Danielle, My agent is also obsessed with Gothic novels! My book will be right up your alley! I hope you love it! I'll definitely look up the Oates books.

Tiffany Clare said...

Good morning, Bron, Uh, good morning provided you are on the same side of the world as me! LOL
What a great way to make the storey have a happily ever after! I do love Tristan and Isolde.

Jane, Thank you! I haven't read that Sheldon (would you believe he's a distant relation through common-law-marriage to my family?) But the Christie novel would be awesome!


Anna, It IS fun asking this question! I ask it on another blog I'm doing coming up, because you can get so many varying opinions and learn about new books, and revisit some old favorites!

Tiffany Clare said...

Jo's Daughter,
I know, so many great books get listed! It's like a game to see who can come up with the best mash up!
Alice in Wonderland & Cranford sounds delightful! What would the mad hatter and rabbit do with so many ladies!

marybelle, All the Dickens are on my To Be Read list! I want to read them over the next couple years!

Christine Wells, *WAVES* HELLO! And thank you ladies for having me. We do have a ball and a great day of chatter! I love governess tropes, too! I think that was why I just had to write this story. And there are many mysteries. The mystery of Elliott's wife, about his past, about the house, and yeah. I will say, I didn't set out to write a mystery, it just happened! LOL I didn't think it was all that gothic when I was writing either, that just seemed to happen too!

Karate Kid, eh? I loved those movies as a kid, heck, I even love the newest one (took the kids to see that in the theatre)!

And I think all the writers are taking notes! LOL

Hi Helen, I hope you enjoy the books! Cinderella is definitely an old favorite amongst romance writers! There are tons of Cinderella Tropes out there and every one of them awesome!


hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna,
Mr. Darcy could rescue Cindrella from her evil family! Awesome!

Tiffany Clare said...

Hello All! I will be in and out all day! Blasted day job is going to stop the fun from time to time, also, I have a dentist appointment in the evening! But I'll be back throughout the day and night to chat with everyone!

Pearl said...

I'd go for a mesh-up of Cinderella and Romeo & Juliette (with a HEA of course)

Laurie G said...

I'd cross a strong male The Count of Monte Cristo with one of Karen Hawkin's feisty Scottish heroine like Fiona MacLean in How To Abduct a Scottish Lord!

sheila said...

Hi Tiffany and Anna.

I'm not good at mixing and matching either. I love Cinderella and Chip & Dale-*snort*, that's all I could think of, and it's not a pretty picture.

I haven't read any of your books Tiffany and look forward to getting them, the cover on this one is gorgeous. I love the new covers with the colorful dresses.

Susan Sey said...

Oh, Tiffany, I love the sound of this book! I love mash-ups, too, so Beauty & the Beast + Jane Eyre just makes me happy. :-)

My fantasy mashup, though? Let's think. I'd love to see a JR Ward/Jessica Andersen mashup. You know, get all those brothers of the black dagger brotherhood mixing it up with the Nightkeepers. I think that could be loads of fun.

Thanks for coming by today! I'll be on the look out for your book. And can i just say your cover is gorgeous?

gamistress66 said...

Congrats on the new release -- it sounds very interesting which of course means another book for the TBR pile (eek) ;) Sorry, can't think of an answer to your question -- that's why I'm a reader & leave the writing to others much more talented, creative, crazy ;) than me :)

Hellie Sinclair said...

Read this book, loved it, and I know what the secret is! *LOL*

What two stories would I mash up? That's a good one.

My own love story is like a mash up of Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion mixed together.

My current manuscript is a bit like Couples Retreat (movie) and War of the Roses (movie).

But my FAVORITE stories mashed together? That's crazy because that would be like Harry Potter and The Undomestic Goddess--and that wouldn't make any sense whatsoever. (Except maybe it does sound a bit like Bewitched, doesn't it? She was a witch, but she couldn't cook...)

catslady said...

Wow so many great and interesting combinations. How about Cinderella and Castle. Actually I would mix anything with Castle since I have a huge crush on Nathan Fillion lol.

Gannon Carr said...

Hey, Tiff! I have your latest on my TBR list---can't wait to dive in! I know I'll love it as much as I did the first two. :-)

I'm still drooling over the pic of Clive Owen---Yum!---so I need a moment to decide what two stories I would put together.....okay, I'm ready. My pick would be Pride and Prejudice and The Princess Bride. Mr. Darcy could conquer the evils of the fire swamp with only a "look." *g*

June M. said...

Congrats Tiffany on the new release. It sounds like it will be as great as your previous books. I'm not really good at coming up with ideas to mix but how about Romeo and Juliet and a vampire book. Then when they committed suicide, they would come back to life. As I said, not good at these things.

Tiffany Clare said...

Pearl, That would be very interesting! The stepmother and sisters would fit in perfectly with R&J!

Laurie G, What a mash-up of stories! That would be a lot of fun, wouldn’t it!

Sheila, My publisher has done a wonderful, wonderful job with all my covers! And no worries with mixing and matching. I didn’t realize my stories was a mash-up till it was just about done!

Susan Sey, Thank you! I hope you get a chance to read it! And you’re hilarious on the mash up… There was a bit of a mash up with Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld and Cole’s Valkaries! I hope it happens more! Yes, you can scream out how gorgeous my cover is if you like! It’s fantastic!

Di R said...

Congrats on your newest release, Tiffany!

I think a combination of Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood, would be interesting!

Di

Maria D. said...

Love,Love,Love the cover to The Secret Desires of a Governess! Congrats on the release.

If I was going to think of a mashup - I think I would like to see A Tale of Two Cities meets The Emporer's New Clothes ...I don't know how it would be done but I think it could be lots of fun....

Tiffany Clare said...

gamistress66, Thank you! Hey, you should see my TBR pile... it's about a few hundred deep :) And I WILL read them eventually.

MsHellion, Awesome to see you here!
YOU TEASE YOU!!!! Oh, I'd love a mix up of P&P and Persuasion-How romantic would that be?

I thought couples retreat freaking adorable! Love the contrast with War of the Roses!

LOL re: Betwitched, HP for your mash-up choice!


catslady,
I've never seen Castle, but I hear the guy is totally swoon-worthy!

Gannon,
HELLO! *WAVES* I hope you DO love this one as much as the last!
Isn't Clive dashing? He's got the brooding down pat in his pictures. I just want to eat the man up!


LOVE! Kill the ROUS's with the look!--->My pick would be Pride and Prejudice and The Princess Bride. Mr. Darcy could conquer the evils of the fire swamp with only a "look." *g*

Thank you, June! I hope you love it! I think a lot of people have taken the main themes from R&J and done wonderful mash-ups! And you are wonderful at these things!

Tiffany Clare said...

Di R, you have my writer's hat whirling with that one! Oh, putting that on the back burner to toast up something yummy! Thanks for the congrats!

Maria, That would definitely be fun! Thanks for stopping by!

May said...

Tiffany, Congratulations on your book! (Anna, I just got your latest in the mail last week and finished it last night! It is GOOD!)

I would pick beauty and the beast and princess bride (movie). Not sure how that would work but those 2 are my favorite fairy tale movie!

jo robertson said...

Hi, Tiffany, a super big welcome back to the Lair! Wow, this book has all the elements I love, very Jane Eyre-esque! I'm off to purchase it right now.

Great interview, Fo.

This is a hard question, probably b/c I would've chose JE and B&TB too, my favorite fairy tale joined with one of my favorite novels.

Tiffany Clare said...

May, Thank you! And I see a lot of readers and writers want to see a mash-up of The Princess Bride! It's not suprising in the least. It was a great movie! The most fantabulous of the fabulous! I think I've seen that movie over 300 times! LOL

Tiffany Clare said...

Jo, I hope you love it! And I'm glad I was channeling those two books, because I really enjoyed writing this book! And it wouldn't be what it is without the main elements of those two great stories!

Janga said...

Tiff, congratulations on the release of The Secret Desires of a Governess and on all the great reviews it's getting. Clearly you are the darling of the cover gods. All of your covers are gorgeous, and together they are spectacular. I think TSDOAG is my fave.

I once threatened to write a mashup of The Scarlet Letter and Dracula. That wouldn't really be much of a stretch though since Chillingworth is already a kind of vampire.

Deb said...

Hi, Tiffany! Your book is waiting for me to pick up at my fave little indie store!!

I love the movie "An Affair To Remember" (sigh, young Cary Grant). So I would combine that with either movie of "The Princess Diaries" or "The Prince and Me". As for stories, a little bit of Cinderella and a little bit of "Beauty and the Beast" always make great stories, so combining them would be good.

Anna Sugden said...

Welcome Tiffany - great to see you back in the Lair. Looking forward to the latest in your series!

Hmm - I'm no good at coming up with these. I'd probably combine Cinderella with a hockey book (eg by Rachel Gibson or Deirdre Martin). Or perhaps one of my fave movies Charade or The Philadelphia Story and a hockey book. Are you spotting a theme here *g*?!

My GH finalist is kind of a cross between Bonanza and Emmerdale Farm (a British soap set in the Yorkshire Dales) - about a Texas cowboy who inherits an English sheep farm!

Minna said...

My choices would be Beauty and the
Beast and Numb3rs.

Jenn3128 said...

This is a tough question! I for whatever reason have zombies on the brain and keep trying to mash "The Walking Dead" with, well, everything. Imagine Bridget Jones Diary with zombies, that'd be funny.

Nas said...

Hi Tiffany,

What about ALIEN vs PREDATOR and LEGALLY BLONDE, that would be a pinkish goooey mix!

Anna Campbell said...

Wheweeee, sorry I've been AWOL. I've got Annie West here this weekend and she tied me up and made me drink champagne last night instead of being here dutifully playing in the lair. Hic!

Anna Campbell said...

Jo's daughter, I LOVE Cranford. Isn't it gorgeous? So warm and sweet and innocent in many ways and beautiful acting. Love your mash-up!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Mary, love the Cinderella/Bleak House thing. There's already a touch of that in the story with Esther Summers, isn't there? Great choice!

Anna Campbell said...

Cinderella meets the Karate Kid, Christine? She's never chopped so many vegies in her life! LOL!

Anna Campbell said...

Helen, good old Cinders is getting a workout today, isn't she? Clearly she's our popular gal! You'll love Tiff's books!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Dianna, I can just see Darcy combing Mayfair with one of Lizzie's dancing slippers in his hands! Hope he's wearing the wet shirt!

Anna Campbell said...

Tiff, clearly we share a brain - although sadly for me, I think you got the bigger half! ;-) Or perhaps that's just because champagne destroyed so many braincells last night!

Anna Campbell said...

Tiff, brooding works! Seriously!

Anna Campbell said...

Tiff, I'm REALLY enjoying everyone's answers to this. And as you say, it's certainly grist to this writer's mind! And you've got your high concept written even before you begin!

Anna Campbell said...

Day job and dentist, Tiff? You're going to need a blast of lair lurve to keep you smiling!!!!

Anna Campbell said...

Oh, Pearl, giving R and J a happy ending? I love it! Perhaps the families could come over for a barbecue or something! ;-)

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh Laurie, love Karen R! Some of her older English-set books are gorgeous too if you can find them. What a wonderful idea for a story - the COMC is one of those iconic stories, isn't it? Although I always think he should have got the girl (I ALWAYS think the guy should get the girl!).

Anna Campbell said...

Sheila, I love these romantic covers that are in style at the moment too - and that rich purple dress on Tiff's is one of the nicest I've seen. I loved the first two but this one takes the biscuit. Laughed at Chip 'n' Dale. I must say I started to think of male strippers!

Anna Campbell said...

Oooh, Susan, that mashup would produce some SCARY dudes! Great idea!

Anna Campbell said...

Oy, Gamistress, who ya callin' crazy? LOL! Seriously, you'll love Tiff's books.

Anna Campbell said...

Wow, Helly, you're a masher from way back. Does anyone else know that a masher was Edwardian slang for a womanising man? In the words of Dictionary.com - a man who makes advances, especially to women he does not know, with a view to physical intimacy. Whoo-hooo!

Anna Campbell said...

Catslady, I kinda have that same problem with Richard Armitage. Would you like fries with your Big Mac? Uh, no, Richard Armitage, please! ;-)

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Darcy as the dread pirate Roberts kinda works for me too, Gannon. It's a boot thing!

ClaudiaGC said...

Jane Eyre and The Beauty and the Beast are two of my favourite set-ups! How about a mesh-up of Cinderella and Pride and Prejudice?
Congrats on your new release!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, June, R and J as whiney teenagers forever? Eeeek, now that really is a horror novel. LOL! Great mashup!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Di, now that's intriguing. The Beast as the Big, Bad Wolf? RRRRRRR!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Maria, would all the people go to the guillotine wearing nothing at all? Now there's a thought - at least you wouldn't have to get bloodstains out of the wardrobe!

Anna Campbell said...

May, how wonderful you enjoyed Midnight's Wild Passion! Thanks so much for saying so! Hey, I rather like the idea of Westley being a bit more beastly. No "as you wish" from this guy anymore!

Anna Campbell said...

Jo, I think JE and BATB work so well together too because there's already a very strong hint of the Beast in Rochester. Glad you love the sound of the books!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Janga, great mashup. I have to admit I TRIED to read the Scarlet Letter once and just couldn't stomach it.

Anna Campbell said...

Oh, Deb, I adore An Affair to Remember. Did you know it was the inspiration for TEMPT THE DEVIL? I think the connections would probably be vague to anyone but me but I can definitely see where the links are.

Beth Andrews said...

Welcome back to the lair, Tiffany! That is such a gorgeous cover and the premise sounds wonderful *g*

I'm not very good at mash-ups but I'll give it a go. How about one of my favorite romantic comedies, It Happened One Night and Cinderella. Clark Gable could be the prince in disguise helping a run-away Cinderella escape her evil stepmother :-)

Anna Campbell said...

Anna, did you say you liked lacrosse? Snicker!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Minna, like the idea of that - who would be the beast, Rob or his geeky brother?

Anna Campbell said...

BJD with zombies? Works for me, Jenn. I think with everything Bridget drank, she would have spent a bit of time at least FEELING like the living dead!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Nas, I'm picturing lots of pink blood everywhere and only the chihuahua makes it out alive!

Anna Campbell said...

Claudia, PandP and Cinderella would work wonderfully! Like Jane Eyre and BATB, there's already an element there although Lizzie is considerably mouthier than Cinders!

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, Beth, love your mashup. Seriously - WRITE IT, I WANNA READ IT! What fun we'd all have with that story.

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, old Rochy as Dracky-poo? Works for me, Karyn! And we could keep the creepy castle and all those other wonderful elements of the story!

RFTC Blog said...

I think Sleeping Beauty and the Vampire Diaries would be very interesting.

I can't wait to read this book.

Tiffany Clare said...

Woohoo, back from the dentist earlier than I thought, and it was relatively painless this time! LOL

I'm responding to everyone now!

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Hey Tiffany! Welcome back! Always lovely to see you in the Lair. Thanks for a great interview Anna!

Girl, you had me at Clive Owen! With him as inspiration I'm pretty sure this will be a fantabulous book!

Hmm, mixing two stories together, huh? Right now I'm pretty sure it's Cinderella meets Tombstone.

Tiffany Clare said...

Thank you, Janga, The cover Gods adore me to no end! TSDoaG is my favorite cover! Probably because purple is my favorite color!

Hmmm... you could just kill off all the annoying characters in Scarlet Letter! LOL Okay, it's not my favorite classic, but mixed up with Dracula, oh the blood and mayhem!


Deb, I hope you love Secret Desires! I love your uber mash-up! That would make for fun, romance, a touch of the dark to a well rounded story!

Hi Anna Sugden! It's so great to be back! In my opinion, Cinderella could work with ANYTHING! Including hockey! Yes, I'm seeing the theme!

A cowboy and an English setting? What's not to love? It's all win-win with a little drawl in there!



Minna, what is Beast and Numb3rs?

Jenn3128, It's a fun question. You can have as much fun as you want with it. Just take your two favorite story tropes and mash 'em up! Zombies can eat everyone's brains! LOL so long as they aren't Firth's brains!

Tiffany Clare said...

Nas, that is hilarious!

Anna, too much champagne? How is such a thing possible? :) and HA! Shows how much you know about braincells... It's KIDS that kill braincells, not champagne! LOL

Tiffany Clare said...

I love the high concept of this book, Anna. I was all proud of myself (well, Elyssa, anyway, because she came up with it). It's my first high concept. I've not been able to explain my books in one sentence before now!

And yes day job and dentist! The universe was trying to torture me today! And my English Cider will keep me smiling and make the frozen side of my mouth less awkward... well, less awkward in my head as I numb myself! LOL Is it Friday yet? I want it to be Friday!

Tiffany Clare said...

Claudia, Thank you, and I hope you get a chance to read it! I think it's quite fantabulous!

Anna, what man in their right mind would walk to the guillotine sans clothing? Better to lose the head on your shoulders, I think!

Tiffany Clare said...

Anna, we were forced to read Scarlet Letter in school. I couldn't stand it!

Karyn, Yeah, *THUD!* LOL Now just imagine picturing that man while reading (or in my case, writing) the book. It's distracting in all the right ways. My crit partner loves me so much she found me some nice bum shots of Clive's... the man is ALL MAN! RWOR!

Tiffany Clare said...

Danielle, Oh, that would work! Can we make one of the hot brothers Sleeping Beauty?

Suzanne, Oh let me count the ways that I love Clive...

Cinders meets the West? Love it!

Beth Andrews said...

Ooh, Beth, love your mashup. Seriously - WRITE IT, I WANNA READ IT

LOL! As I was writing my response I thought, "Hmm, that's actually not a bad idea for a book." *g* I'll put it in my Ideas file :-)

Laney4 said...

How about WUTHERING HEIGHTS and THE ADDAMS FAMILY (which, by the way, did you know was originally a series of cartoons?)? Can you imagine the romance, LOL?

Anna Campbell said...

Danielle, I suspect you'll really like it - strikes me as something that suits your taste! Hey, didn't know you were under observation, did you? Snort!

Anna Campbell said...

Suz, how did I know Tombstone would get a mention. I'm your huckleberry (well, I am if you look like Val Kilmer in that movie!).

Anna Campbell said...

Hmm, I hope the guillotine didn't miss and aim for OTHER bits! Snicker.

Hey, it's Friday in Australia!

Anna Campbell said...

Actually I can kinda picture Heathcliff really settling into that Addams family house! Perhaps that's where he ran away from before he joined the Earnshaw family. Not that they were exactly examples of great family values either.

Maureen said...

Congratulations on your new book! I would pick Gone With the Wind and Pride and Prejudice, a crazy combination.

Nancy said...

Lindsey, congrats on the GR!

Tiffany, welcome back and congratulations on your new book! It sounds fabulous. A brooding, slightly brawnier Clive Owen would be a great hero.

Will we see you in New York?

Laney4 said...

Anna, you cracked me up re Addams Family/Wuthering Heights comment! BTW, Do you have any idea how tempted I was to rewrite the Addams Family theme song for just such a book? It was a close call, though....

Instead, I have been singing the revamped lyrics from many moons ago. Have you heard it before? Pardon my language, but here it goes: The Addams Family started, when Uncle Fester farted. They all became retarded, the Addams Family. Da da da da. Da da da da. Da da da da, da da da da, da da da da.

I hope you're having a lovely day. We went from having our furnace off/on each day to three days later having our air conditioning on all the time for a week now. Would have been nice to have a few weeks instead of days in between, though, but I DO realize how lucky we are to be living where we do....

Tiffany Clare said...

Beth, You really do need to write that book!

Laney4,

My husband would love me even more if I included the ADDAMS FAMILY! He watches the TV series and the movies ALL THE TIME! It's a perfect mix with ANY gothic classic! it would add the prefect amount of humor with the whacky family included!

Thank you, Maureen! I don't believe anyone has mentioned Gone with the Wind Yet! P&P would become a sweeping saga! Love it! Only, the heroine would get Rhett in the end!


Thanks, Nancy! Yes, you'll see me in NY! I'm very excited about this trip!

Laney4, Hey, no laughing at the Addams family... They used to call me Morticia in high school because of my long, dark hair and uh... glowing skin! LOL Yes, I admit, I was tall and lanky, too.

Ps. Your song is hilarious!

Anna Campbell said...

Maureen, that IS crazy but it's kinda interesting at the same time!

Anna Campbell said...

Yeah, Nancy, the CO thing kinda did it for me too!

Anna Campbell said...

Oh, dear, Laney! The Poor Addams Family theme will never be the same again! Beautiful day here - we've been soaking up the sun. Annie's had rain for the last little while so she'd enjoying the weather.

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, guys, thanks for a huge day of fun blogging - and I hope somebody will write a couple of these stories. I'd certainly buy them!

Thanks, Tiff, for being your usual wonderful guest self. Good luck with the new book. I think that cover sells itself, even without the considering how wonderful the story is!

Don't forget to check back to see who won the THREE copies of THE SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS.

Tiffany Clare said...

Anna,

Thank you so much for having me here!

Thank you EVERYONE for joining in on the fun yesterday! I had a great time coming up with fun story ideas!

Margay Leah Justice said...

What a fun question!

What about North and South with Persuasion? Or Jane Eyre and Little Women?

LilMissMolly said...

I've always enjoyed reading (and watching) adaptations of old favorites. For example, I loved the Clueless movie because it reminded me so much of Jane Austen's Emma. One story I'd like to see updated is the Bard's Much Ado About Nothing. I love that story! I'm not a huge tragedy lover, so nothing on that front. Did I read on here the Count of Monte Cristo? That would be good and well as The Prince and the Pauper.

Unknown said...

Snow White and westside story lol