Emily's Winner!

Thanks so much, everyone, for giving Emily May such a lovely welcome yesterday. We all had a ball - including Emily! Now it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the signed copy of THE UNMASKING OF A LADY:

SHEILA!

Congratulations, Sheila! Email Emily on worldaroundthecorner @ gmail.com (no spaces) with your snail mail addy and she'll get your book out to you! You'll just love this story!

Emily May Just Be a Star!

by Anna Campbell

It is with great pleasure that I introduce one of my favorite people in Romancelandia - and a gal who's basically a neighbor in world terms! - Emily May.

Emily is a brilliantly talented writer from New Zealand. She writes romantic fantasy as Emily Gee - her debut novel THIEF WITHOUT A SHADOW was nominated for a RITA in 2008 which is where this very happy photo of the two of us was taken. And she writes breathtakingly good Regency historicals as Emily May which is the persona in which she visits us today.


She's here to tell us about her latest release, THE UNMASKING OF A LADY, which I read in one sitting last week. It's one of the best historicals I've read all year, just perfect!

Here's the blurb:

It's common knowledge that Miss Arabella Knightley spent her early years in London's slums. But what the Ton doesn't know is that Arabella has a secret: by day she is a lady, but at night she helps the poor--stealing jewels from those who court her for her money but disdain her for her past.

Adam St. Just--one of London's most eligible bachelors--is bored by polite society. Uncovering the altruistic thief's identity is an interesting diversion--but unbuttoning her proves to be even more diverting. There is far more to the infamous Miss Knightley than he had ever imagined...


You can find out more about Emily and read excerpts from her books on her website. She also blogs regularly with a number of Australia's best romance writers on Love Cats DownUnder.

So here's Emily!

Emily, welcome to the Bandit lair! Please, don’t trip over the cabana boys! They’re tired, poor things! We’ll get one of the gladiators to make you a margarita! Although, watch out, they have a very heavy hand with the tequila. It’s all that sword practice!

I had the great pleasure recently of reading your brilliant Regency historical romance, THE UNMASKING OF A LADY. It kept me glued in my place until I finished it! Can you tell us about this story?


Anna, thanks for inviting me, it’s wonderful to be here. I do love a good margarita (especially if it comes with a sexy gladiator!).

I’m glad you enjoyed reading THE UNMASKING OF A LADY – I had a lot of fun writing it! The heroine, Arabella Knightley, is an earl’s granddaughter and heiress who spent several years in London's slums when she was a child. Arabella has a secret: by day she’s a lady, but at night she helps the poor--stealing jewels from those who court her for her money but disdain her for her past. The hero, Adam St Just (one of London's most eligible bachelors), is bored by polite society; uncovering the altruistic thief's identity is an interesting diversion. But he discovers there’s far more to the infamous Miss Knightley than he ever imagined!

I loved the rich Regency detail in your story and you ventured quite a way off the beaten track in parts of THE UNMASKING OF A LADY. So we get the ballrooms of Mayfair but we also visit the slums of Whitechapel. Can you tell us a bit about your research?

To capture the flavour of the slums, I read a lot of excerpts from Charles Dickens. He had first-hand experience of London’s slums, not long after the Regency, and described them vividly! For example, this description of a kennel (gutter) from OLIVER TWIST: The kennel was stagnant and filthy. The very rats, which here and there lay putrefying in its rottenness, were hideous with famine. You can practically smell it!


You are a woman with an alter-ego, a bit like your heroine Bella in THE UNMASKING OF A LADY. By day, you write Regency historicals for Harlequin Mills and Boon as Emily May and by night, you write fantasy novels as Emily Gee. Is there a difference in your two incarnations? What do you get out of each genre?

The main difference is that with the fantasies I can make up everything (although I still research many things, e.g. weaponry), whereas with the Regencies I’m writing about an established world that is beloved by many people. I adore the Regency period and I do my absolute best to get the details right!

What’s coming up next?

I’ve just started a new Regency, about a penniless spinster who writes titillating tales in order to earn money. The hero (who’s recently returned from Waterloo) sets out to discover the anonymous author’s identity. What’s fun about this project is that I get to write some of those titillating tales myself!


How interesting! It's another hidden identity story (I love those too!). Can't wait to read it. Can you tell us about your writing journey?

It was long and slow, Anna. I didn’t sell until my sixth book (a fantasy novel). I subsequently sold the fifth and fourth books, but the first three will never see the light of day. All part of the apprenticeship!

Do you have any advice for unpublished writers?

Short, but simple: Don’t give up!

You’re an avid traveller! I was particularly fascinated by reading about your stint in Antarctica (wow!). Do you have any favorite destinations and have you found any of your travels have specifically inspired your stories?

There are so many places I’d like to go back to, Anna! Italy, Syria, and Egypt jump to mind first, along with Scandinavia, but I’d also love to go back to the American southwest—the scenery there is stunning! Bits and pieces of landscapes have certainly found their way into my fantasy novels, as well as details from European medieval towns. I think all experiences are useful for an author!

Thanks so much, Emily! Love your answers. Is there anything you'd like to ask the Bandits and Bandit Buddies to get the conversation started?

The heroine of THE UNMASKING OF A LADY could be called a female Robin Hood: she steals from the wealthy to give to the poor. What’s your opinion of Robin Hood? Was he a hero, or a villain? (And do you like his tights?) One lucky commenter will be chosen at random to receive a copy of THE UNMASKING OF A LADY!

Wow, that's great, Emily! OK, people, get commenting and may the best Bandit Buddy win. You'll LOVE this book!

Coming Attractions for November!

by Anna Campbell

Wow, November is rockin' in the lair! We've shipped in extra cabana boys to cope with the extra strain on the bar!

We've got guests and giveaways galore and not one, but TWO infamous launch parties (yeah, you can see why we need extra staff!).

And don't forget, if you click on any of the covers, you go straight to Amazon!

First cab off the rank (such an elegant cab - clearly a Jaguar!) is fabulous historical romance author Sarah MacLean who will be my guest on Tuesday, 2nd November.

Sarah burst onto the historical romance scene this year with her fantabulous NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE. She's visiting us to talk about her November book TEN WAYS TO BE ADORED WHEN LANDING A LORD. Love the titles, Sarah!

Sarah is a load of fun (and she's doing a giveaway) so don't miss her visit.

On November 3rd, Jessica Andersen returns as the newest installment in the Nightkeepers saga launches. BLOOD SPELLS is Patience and Brandt's story. In their honor, Jessica will discuss "After the HEA" with us. She may also have a Big Surprise for us.



On 4th November, Caridad Pineiro visits the Banditas to celebrate the publication of her 25th release – STRONGER THAN SIN from Grand Central Publishing. This is the second in Caridad's Sin series. We like a bit of sin in the lair so that should be huge fun!














On Friday, 5th November, a dear friend of mine Emily May (who also writes brilliant fantasy romance as Emily Gee) will be here to talk about her latest Regency romance, THE UNMASKING OF A LADY. Emily is coming to the lair all the way from New Zealand and she'll be talking about her two identities and giving away a signed copy of her book.








On 9th November, Nancy will host Julie Kenner/J.K. Beck in the lair. Julie is here to talk about her latest series of vampire romances, WHEN BLOOD CALLS, WHEN PLEASURE RULES and especially her latest release WHEN WICKED CRAVES. Sounds like something the Banditas and their Buddies can get their teeth into! Oh, I do love the chance for a good meaty vampire joke!












On November 11th we have the lovely Donna Grant talking to us about her fabulous, pulse-pounding paranormal Scottish historical Dark Sword series. Her latest release is WICKED HIGHLANDER - ooh, I can see myself being wicked with him!












Aussie contemporary romance author Kandy Shepherd returns to the lair on Tuesday, 16th November, to talk about her wonderful new book HOME IS WHERE THE BARK IS. People who loved LOVE IS A FOUR-LEGGED WORD will adore this story about an FBI agent who gets involved unwillingly in a doggy daycare center. Kandy will be doing a giveaway!







On the 20th November, we have the first of our Bandita launches for the month. RITA winner and one of my favorite authors Beth Andrews lets her latest release A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS loose in the lair. Swing by for mayhem and margaritas.

Here's the blurb:

It’s a wonderful life…?

Growing up in her perfect sister’s shadow wasn’t easy. Especially because JC Montgomery had been in love with Liz’s boyfriend for as long as she could remember. Brady Sheppard, a a guy who thought of her as only the kid sister. But that all changed when Liz married somebody else and Brady ended up in bed with JC! It was like a dream come true.


Except now JC’s pregnant. And Brady’s a wounded marine, so it’s going to be difficult for him to get down on one knee and tell her she’s his reason for living…But he will. Because she still believes in Santa Claus.

For 21st November we have a delicious treat for all you historical lovers. Delightful debut author Kieran Kramer is chatting with us about her Impossible Bachelor series. WHEN HARRY MET MOLLY, the first instalment in the series, hits the shelves this month.







To finish the month (11/30), we have another fabulous Bandita release to celebrate (oh, my poor aching cabana boys!). Tawny Weber's novella A BABE IN TOYLAND is out from Blaze in an anthology called IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE MISTLETOE... (Yeah, right!).

Here's the blurb:

They’re going to have a hot, hot Christmas...

The weather outside might be frightful—
but the Cole sisters are indulging in
something quite delightful...

Rita Mae Cole and Tyler Ramsey hail from feuding
families. Be together? Impossible. But the incredible
sex between them says otherwise....


After the huge success of my last contest where I gave away a pile of signed books, I'm doing it all again in my latest website contest. The question is really easy. Other than English, please name three languages in which my books are available. You might just find the answer on this page of my website. I'll choose TWO winners at random and those lucky entrants will receive signed copies of:

MY RECKLESS SURRENDER by Anna Campbell
DARK AND DEADLY by Jeanne Adams
NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE by Sarah MacLean
THE WICKED MARQUIS by Miranda Neville
PROOF BY SEDUCTION by Courtney Milan
Either WHAT HAPPENS IN LONDON or THE DUKE AND I by Julia Quinn

Good luck! The contest closes 30th November, 2010. Email your answers to anna@annacampbell.info For more information, please visit my contest page.