Love and Parrots

Today we welcome best-selling author Patricia Rice to the Lair as we celebrate the release of The Devilish Montague, the second in her Rebellious Sons series. The first book, The Wicked Wyckerly, was a 2011 RITA nominee.

Welcome, Patricia! What is the Rebellious Sons series?

I thought it would be fun to write about the younger sons of society, the “spare” heirs expected to marry well if they want to continue a life of ease. What would a hero do if he had no money and society frowned upon his earning a living?

Please tell us a little about Blake and Jocelyn. I understand a parrot has something to do with their meeting?

Blake has an encyclopedic mind and a restless soul. He’s an absolute whiz at solving puzzles and is convinced he can break the new French encryption machine code if only he had more than one example to work on. To obtain more battle field codes, he needs to go to war. Unfortunately, as a younger son, he has little money of his own to buy his officer’s colors. And somehow, cynical Blake has ticked off a few too many people in power to garner much sympathy for his plight. So marriage it is, if he can find a woman who wants a husband on another continent.

Although Blake calls her a “flibbertiwidget,” Jocelyn knows she’s the perfect match for him. First off, Blake will receive her family’s old estate should he marry. Secondly, since she plans on moving in with her highly eccentric family and their pets, a husband a thousand miles away is the only kind who will tolerate her!

Besides, he's compromised her by confronting her in a barn at dawn, after she’s stolen a parrot and ruined his duel. Obviously, they’re made for each other.

Your website refers to an "inconvenient marriage." What's that about?

Blake is not precisely a patient or domesticated man, as he frequently mentions. He wants to go to war, not marry. He risks his life in duels, lives in a bachelor’s quarters with books stacked to the ceiling, and spends his evenings at his club. He doesn’t have time for families, even his own. In his experience, families are far too intrusive, and he resents being molly-coddled just because his mother is superstitious enough to believe he’ll die because of a white streak in his hair! He’s far more likely to shoot Jocelyn’s birds than feed them. Marriage is not a state to which he aspires—except Jocelyn has just inherited a lot of money that can buy his colors.

Jocelyn has had the painful experience of being thrown out of every home she’s ever lived in. She’s not real high on tying herself to another man now that she has the wherewithal to be independent. But her socially incompetent younger brother, her eccentric mother, and their collection of pets have spelled disaster anywhere else she’s lived. Now that Blake's family owns their old family estate, she can’t possibly afford to house pets and family in London, even with her new inheritance. And she adores the ton that Blake scorns. It would break her heart to live in rural environs.

And then Blake ruins everything by confronting her in a barn at dawn. Once she shoots his toe and brings the entire house party running, what else is a girl to do except marry the man for his home?

What are their biggest emotional obstacles?

Blake really has to realize that no man stands alone, no matter how smart and independent. He might not want to be coddled by his wife, but despite Jocelyn’s flighty manner, she’s extremely perceptive and capable of getting him what he wants. Jocelyn, on the other hand, believes she must take care of everyone in her path and has some difficulty believing Blake doesn’t need her help, too. Or that he can actually relieve her burdens. Besides that, she doesn’t want to do anything to create babies so she has even more family to fret over, especially if he's planning on going to war to get killed! Which creates a bit of a sticky wicket since Blake figures there’s only one point in marriage.

How they resolve their differences, learn to respect and enjoy working together while catching spies with parrots requires reading the book because it takes much too long to explain!

Can we see an excerpt?

Sure. Here we go:



“Methinks he thinks too much,” Jocelyn crooned to the parrot, stroking it. The parrot batted its head against her soothing finger, then settled into sleep.

Shivering in her wet cloak, Jo tried not to think too hard about Blake Montague. Tonight, aiming a pistol in her direction, he had looked the part of dangerous rogue.

Montague was a lethal weapon. His cynical wit had a cutting edge she couldn’t hope to match. And for all his education, he didn’t seem to like anyone very much. She’d seen scorn in his eyes each time he looked at her. Men disliked rejection.

She’d learned the value of stealth and a good diversion very early in life, while avoiding Harold’s rages. Spreading her thick cloak, Jocelyn settled in a rear stall where a barn cat fed her newborns.

“I know you’re in here,” a husky baritone called from the entrance. “You have disappointed me. I had hoped to have to hunt you down.”

Jocelyn wanted to ask what he intended to do about it, shoot her? But she saw no reason to disturb the kittens.

She suffered a nervous chill at the thought of being alone with an enraged man, but for all his brooding gloom, Mr. Montague was widely reported to be an honorable gentleman. He might scald her with the acid of his scorn, but a gentleman would never lay a hand on a woman. Behind him, dawn was lightening the sky, silhouetting his square shoulders. She wished she didn’t admire his strength so much.

She’d stationed herself so she could see the length of the barn and knew when he approached.

Good soldier that he was, he spotted her instantly. She could almost swear he growled as he limped forward. She held a finger to her lips to indicate quiet. He quirked a menacing dark eyebrow at her.

“Quit posturing and admit the bird is better off free,” she whispered.

“Free?”

If he’d worn a hat, she thought he might have stomped on it. He really was a quite dashingly dangerous figure of a man—not at all suitable for her purposes, unfortunately. But then, no man she’d met these last six months had a care for her purposes—only her money. Picking up a kitten, she returned his glare. “What else could be done with such a rude creature?”

“You did not let a tropical bird loose in chilly England. You may be nicked in the nob, but no one ever said you were stupid.”

She slanted her eyes thoughtfully. “Actually, Harold said it quite often. And my brothers-in-law had occasion to mention it once or twice. Lord Bernard certainly said it over these past days. I think I prefer nicked in the nob. What, precisely, does that mean?”

He ignored her diversion. “The bird belongs to the duke. You cannot keep it. It’s theft. Just tell me where you’ve hidden it, and I’ll see it’s returned without question.” He crossed his arms over his soaked waistcoat and glowered.

Jocelyn beamed at him in return. “Nature cannot be owned, sir.”

What's next for you?

A contemporary paranormal romance! Not the dark kind, but a perfectly normal couple—well, sort of normal. The heroine was a teenage singing sensation who disappeared off the map and doesn’t want to be found because…well, her voice kills. But she’s the only key our intrepid hero has to finding his kidnapped son, so he’s not about to allow her to hide much longer. THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC will be out in January 2012.

Thank you for letting me visit with the bandits. I'll leave Nancy in charge of choosing a winner to a commenter, but I have a shiny new copy of THE DEVILISH MONTAGUE ready to go!

For more about Patricia and her work, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook.

So tell us, everyone, what's your favorite book about a second son or a non-titled hero? Or tell us about a heroine you loved to see give the hero trouble.

The winner will be posted just before midnight tonight, along with the winner of a copy of Evil Genius from Patricia's last visit.

July Coming Attractions

Can you believe this year is already half over? We've had so many amazing books and wonderful authors visit the Lair already, and there is yet another half-year yet to come. If July is any indication, you're all going to have a ton of fabulous books stacking up on your teetering TBR piles.

Check out these wonderful authors visiting us this month:


On July 5, Patricia Rice returns to the Lair with the latest in her Rebellious Sons historical series, The Devilish Montague. Join Patricia and Nancy and see how a stolen parrot brings Blake Montague and Jocelyn Byrd-Carrington to the altar.

Then on July 7th, Aunty Cindy hosts Rita Nominee Kendra Leigh Castle whose new series Dark Dynasties debuted a few days ago with Dark Awakening. (Aunty drools over hunky cover)

Will a vampire's vow of eternal protection stop the evil forces a human Seer has the power to awaken...or will he unleash her dark destiny?

Rose Maybud will be Donna's guest on the 8th. And the fabulously fun MJ Fredrick will be hanging out with Trish on the 9th, chatting about her summer releases.

Then on Monday, 11th July, Anna Campbell talks to historical romance author Christina Brooke (www.christina-brooke.com) about her wonderful new series THE MINISTRY OF MARRIAGE. The first book in the series, HEIRESS IN LOVE, is out in July and it’s a humdinger! And isn’t that such a pretty cover?


Later in the month, on July 19, thriller author Jon Land makes his Lair debut. He and Nancy will chat about Strong at the Break, the latest installment in his series about fifth-ge neration Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong.


On Wednesday, 27th July, lair regular Miranda Neville (www.mirandaneville.com) and Anna Campbell will talk about Miranda’s fantastic new release THE AMOROUS EDUCATION OF CELIA SEATON. I’m so looking forward to reading this book – Miranda’s THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT was one of my favorite reads last year.



Sandy Blair is chatting with Suz on July 28th.






Lair favorite Marie Force returns on July 31st to celebrate the launch of book three of her "Fatal" series: Fatal Consequences.


The murder of two members of the Capitol Cleaning Service might’ve been just another homicide investigation—that is If one of them hadn’t been romantically involved with a married senator from Arizona. Racing to catch a killer before he can strike again, Lt. Sam Holland and her fiancé, U.S. Senator Nick Cappuano, attempt to plan a wedding while her colleague Detective Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales faces life-changing news.

Whew!! As usual, I'm inspired and impressed by the variety of talented authors who visit with us. And even more impressed with the gorgeous covers!! Wowza, baby. Talk about hot (especially the hot pink). And with even more Bandita fun, be sure to check out this great contest!


Anna Campbell is running a Mammoth and Midnight contest in July and August. Anna’s giving away THREE signed copies of THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF REGENCY ROMANCE which includes her mini-novella “Upon a Midnight Clear”. Winners will also receive a bonus signed http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifcopy of MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. All you need to do to be in the draw is email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info and tell her http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthe names of the two characters who appear in the excerpt from “The Chinese Bed” on her website. You’ll find the answer here: http://www.annacampbell.info/chinesebed.html The contest closes 31st August, 2011. For more information, please visit Anna’s contest page: http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html


Now that's enough to keep your July steaming hot, isn't it?! Be sure to drop by the blog all month long, as you can see, we're going to have a great time.

Adventures of an Evil Genius

Bestselling author and fourth-time RITA nominee (for the book we discussed in July, The Wicked Wyckerly) Patricia Rice joins us today with something that's new for her, a direct-to-electronic release, Evil Genius.

To keep the FTC happy, I'll disclose that Patricia sent me a free copy of the book. I finished it yesterday and loved it.

Welcome, Patricia! What made you decide to release this book independently?

This book has been sitting in a desk drawer for years. I love the characters, but even I have to admit that it does not neatly fit any market niche. I never even tried to circulate it in NY. I did spend those years removing it from hiding and paring it down so the mystery threads became stronger, but it's not a cozy and not a thriller. It's a mystery about people. And since NY knows me as a romance writer, I just decided not to fight the system but experiment with e-publishing.

Who is the Evil Genius?

That's completely a matter of opinion! There are several characters who could be tagged with that moniker although none of them are actually evil except the bad guys, and they're no geniuses. But nine-year-old Elizabeth Georgiana, who cynically predicts all the family disasters, is the one everyone calls EG.

Tell us about some of the people in EG’s world.

Ana Devlin is the central character, a self-confessed doormat for her family, an introvert by nature—which means she prefers being alone but is quite capable of emerging from her computer cave to punch the crap out of anyone harming her family. Although, being a genius in her own right, she usually does so creatively and without malice. Then there's Nick, Ana and EG's half brother who ought to be a movie star except he remembers numbers, not words. And then, let us not forget the spy in the attic…

What’s the big problem for the characters in this book?

EG's senator father is accused of killing his aide. That's the inciting incident anyway. After that, one thing leads to another and pretty soon they're not only tracking a killer but an international conspiracy and the man who stole their inheritance. See, I told you it doesn't fit any niches!

Is there a romantic arc?

I would hesitate to call it romantic at this stage, although if I have the opportunity to write future books, it will become so. Ana and the spy begin at a hostility level too high to turn it into romance by the end. Let's just say they learn to respect and appreciate each other.

Can we read an excerpt?

There's a link for downloading a .pdf of the first chapter on my website.

Were there challenges in independently publishing this book that you didn’t expect?

Working with bookviewcafe.com, which produced EVIL GENIUS for me, is pure pleasure, so the only real challenge is figuring out how one does promotion without a bookstore. Until I see a large enough demand for the book, I don't see a good reason to go to print yet, but I'm having a hard time adjusting to a "virtual" book. I can't even autograph it!

What’s next for you?

I'm always up to no good. DEVILISH MONTAGUE, the next of my regency rebellious sons, will be out in July. I believe the next reissue of MUST BE MAGIC will be out in spring 2012, probably about the same time as my first contemporary Malcolm/Ives, THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC. And just because I'm having too much fun with weird stuff, I've sold two urban fantasies, but they'll be published under a pseudonym so as not to distract from the romances.

And thank you, Bandits, for letting me stop by and say hi again. It's always a pleasure to be here!

It's always a pleasure to have you!

For more about Patricia Rice and her books, check out her website.

One commenter today will receive a .pdf version of Evil Genius, so tell us--what's your favorite book or that's "offbeat" or didn't strike you as fitting a niche? Or what's your favorite mystery or series featuring a quirky family?

Book Booty!

Book booty to give out today!

The winner of Maureen Hardegree's H'ain't Misbehavin' is Lady Graeye.

A copy of Patricia Rice's The Wicked Wyckerly goes to Louisa Cornell.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who stopped by.

Winners, please email mailing information to Nancy via the link at the top of the blog.

An Unlikely Earl

posted by Nancy
Bestselling author Patricia Rice is back in the Lair to celebrate the release of her 47th book, The Wicked Wyckerly. I got an early peek, and it's fabulous--full of humor and quirky characters and hot in all the right places. Just in case anyone doesn't know, Pat's romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her forty-sixth book, MYSTIC WARRIOR, is currently nominated for 2009 Historical Romance of the Year by RT Book Reviews. She has also been a RITA finalist in the historical, Regency, and contemporary categories.

Welcome, Pat! How is The Wicked Wyckerly different from the Mystic Isle series?

I’ve left the paranormal Mystic world behind and returned to the Regency world of my origins. Don’t get me wrong, I have more paranormals up my sleeve! But I’ve had this Regency idea nagging at the back of my mind that simply needed to be written. WYCKERLY is much more romance and character-driven and less action-oriented than the adventures of the Mystic Isles, but I hope my readers enjoy my characters enough to see what I’m up to now.

Who are the hero and heroine?

John Fitzhugh Wyckerly is the younger son of a bankrupt earl, one of the notorious Wyckerlys who gained their fortune through piracy and who have gone their own way through the ages without regard to anyone else. Fitz’s mathematical genius at counting cards keeps him in starched linen, since the estate provides no allowance. And his charm has made him ever popular at London’s dinner tables, so he never goes hungry.

Abigail Merriwether is a respectable rural spinster who almost married a vicar until her father died, leaving her in charge of four very young, rambunctious half-siblings. The small estate she inherits is scarcely sufficient to induce any man to take on the expense and trouble of four children. So the vicar fled, and then the childrens’ guardian decided they’d be better off with a distant—married, male—cousin, leaving Abby alone and determined to get the children back.

Fitz has prodigious skill with numbers. Was there any particular inspiration for that?

You think just because I’m an accountant that I might have prodigious skills? Not me. I’m lucky to add two and two and not get five half the time. But I wanted my hero to have one asset to call his own, one that he’s made the very best of, and counting cards worked best for the gambling-mad Regency era.

Abby is great not only with managing kids and the hero but with gardening. Any particular inspiration for that skill?

Okay, I’ll claim that one. I’ve gardened pretty much all my life. Gardening—and farming in general—requires a great deal of knowledge, patience, and a certain amount of luck. All of this requires a nurturing nature, which is what Abby needs to deal with children.

What's the biggest problem keeping Fitz and Abby apart?

Money, of course, or the lack thereof. Plus, Fitz is a dreadful father since he’s had utterly no experience in parenting. He’s been raised by a succession of poorly paid servants who allowed him to run wild as a child. Abby can’t possibly take a chance on a bankrupt gambler who lets his own child swear like a sailor. Not at first, leastways.

The Marchioness of Belden is an intriguing character. Tell us a bit about her.

When I first brainstormed this series with my editor, I had two series ideas in mind. One was about the younger sons of aristocrats, and the other was about an incredibly wealthy woman who has decided to give her female relations options she didn’t have by granting them a thousand pounds a year. Once I put those two ideas together, the marchioness, Lady Bell as she’s affectionately called, came into being. She definitely has a back story. With luck and reader support, perhaps I’ll have a chance to tell her tale some time. Every series depends on readers buying the books!

I notice the cover says this is one of the Rebellious Sons series. I love your series. Can you give us a preview?

THE DEVILISH MONTAGUE will be the 2011 release. The current blurb on him reads: On the field of honor at dawn—dark and sardonic, Blake Montague has the mind of a master strategist, but barred from claiming the glory of war by his restrictive family, he must put his warrior's heart at risk and find a wife willing to finance his desire to fight for England. Except what wife would want a man like him dead on a battlefield?

As an additional note, the last of my e-book Magic series, MAGIC MAN, was released last week on Bookviewcafe . The entire series is now available in just about every e-book format.

I loved that series, too. Readers can check out an excerpt of The Wicked Wyckerly at Pat's website, where it downloads as a pdf. Before you run check it out, though, answer one or more of these questions to have your name in the hat to win a copy of The Wicked Wyckerly:

What story about a single father would you recommend? What story about an older sibling trying to take care of younger ones would you recommend? Which gambler heroes have you enjoyed?

Mystic Winners

We have booty to give away! The winners of one copy (each) of Patricia Rice's Mystic Warrior goes to Blodeuedd and Ms. Hellion!

Please email Patricia directly: price100@aol.com

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who stopped by!

A Mystic Ending

Today award-winning author Patricia Rice returns to the lair. In addition to being a three-time RITA finalist and gracing numerous best-seller lists, she has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement and Lifetime Achievement Awards, and her paranormal historical, Merely Magic, was one of the Romantic Times reviewers' 200 all-time favorite books. Pat joins us today to discuss Mystic Warrior, the final book in her wonderful Mystic Isle series.

Welcome, Pat! For readers new to the series, what's the Mystic Isle, and how do these books fit together?

The Mystic Isle is invisible to the human eye, hidden behind illusion to protect the valuable Chalice of Plenty. The inhabitants have lived there for centuries, developing into a race with physical and psychic powers not found elsewhere on earth. In the first book of the series, MYSTIC GUARDIAN, the Chalice leaves the island in the hands of a half-human, half-mystic mermaid. Without the Chalice, the island begins to deteriorate, so the islanders must seek it out. In each book of the trilogy, one of the most powerful people on the island must set out in search of the elusive Chalice, unaware that the Chalice has a purpose in leaving the island.


How did you come up with this concept?

Hear me laugh! Not easily is the fastest answer. Characters tend to come to me first, in rather vivid images. I knew the heroine of the first book was a form of mermaid desperate to save her home and family in Brittany, a country on the brink of revolution. And the hero needed to be a golden god. Very strange characters lurk in my subconscious! I can’t remember how the invisible island came to be. It sort of emerged from the mists, as it were. From there, a lot of head to desk pounding ensued, accompanied by some extremely creative and often hilarious brainstorming sessions.

The French Revolution is an unusual setting, but you've woven it into the character conflicts in all three books. How does it play into this last one?

You are either very perceptive or an English major, Nancy. In my character-driven mind, people are more important than battles or politics. In romance, one needs “inciting incidents” to drive the protagonists out of their normal world. By the time the trilogy reaches the last book, MYSTIC WARRIOR, my Mystic Isle is mirroring the same sort of class revolution happening in France. My heroine isn’t a “queen” per se, but she’s the next in line of the powerful leading family. And she can’t stop her country from self-destructing. She needs the aid of a man who has been banished from the island years before, a man of essentially peasant extraction who is intent on changing the world, who has joined the revolutionaries on the Continent. Lissandra has never left the island, she’s too valuable, but she must step into the human world for the first time to find the revolutionary renegade she once loved because Murdoch has powers greater than her own that her family failed to recognize. So there’s revolution in a nutshell—the desperate versus the status quo.

You're now selling ebooks of your Magic series, which I loved. Can you tell us a little about those books?

Oh, the Magic books are wicked fun! The Malcolms are descendants of a long line of psychics and metaphysically challenged women . Although, since these are Georgian historicals, the women barely escape being called witches, usually by marrying powerful lords. Their nemeses are the extremely logical, scientific Ives’ men who aren’t about to believe that one can paint the future or smell danger. I had entirely too much fun writing those books and had so many people ask for the earlier books to complete their set, that I asked Belgrave House to issue them as e-books.

If you’re interested, here’s the link.

Could we have a peek inside Mystic Warrior?

As if a fire-breathing dragon lurked in the shadows under the trees, a cloud of smoke engulfed her, and Lissandra coughed harshly. Curse the gods, but this was worse than climbing the volcano’s slope. She could feel the heat through the soles of her shoes.

A rabbit dashed across her foot. She tripped and caught her balance on a tall standing stone. The rock was so hot, she quickly withdrew her palm before it burned.

She dragged her gown up from where it tangled her feet, and held the fabric in her hands, using her Aelynn strength to stride faster. She doubted anyone could see her abnormal speed in this murk, and her lungs would appreciate a hasty departure.

A geyser of fire flamed upward through the layers of decaying vegetation on the side of the road. Startled, she halted. Was Murdoch out there, warning her to leave?

The devil she would.

Determined, she marched on, coughing harder in the thickening smoke. She would have this confrontation done with. The setting might be ominous, but it was certainly fitting—

A demon shot through the smoke at inhuman speed. Lissandra glimpsed only a blur of broad, filthy bare chest before iron arms tackled her waist. She shrieked as the creature tore her heels from the ground and tumbled with her into the ashes on the far side of the lane.

Another fiery geyser spewed into the air on the spot where she’d just been standing.

Muttered curses assaulted her ears. With bare arms propped on either side of her head and muscular thighs pinning her legs, the demon prevented her escape. In shock, Lissandra closed her eyes and screamed at this smothering male proximity. Her attacker covered her mouth with his hand.

Refusing to surrender, she locked her mental shields against any emotional assault and shoved at broad—naked—shoulders, with the intent of flinging her assailant into the air with her superior strength. Beneath her palms she encountered the grit of soot and ash and the powerful play of muscles, but no matter how much strength she applied, her attacker merely beat the ground with his fist.

The ground trembled. She opened her eyes in terror.

And watched the geyser of fire die.

Cursing tonelessly in several languages with phrases so vivid they scorched her ears, her attacker trapped her between his bulging arms, glared down at her through the smoke, and, after only a moment’s hesitation, covered her mouth with his.

Stunned by this invasion of her sacred person, Lissandra grabbed the monster’s arms and tried to pry him away. She kicked and struggled, but her screams were smothered by lips so commanding she almost forgot to fight.

She did forget to fight. Senselessly, she clung to the strong support of his arms and kissed him back. Or maybe not so senselessly. This kiss lived inside her heart …

…… and her memories. She had dreamed of this kiss so long… …

His mouth tasted of strong wine, his beard bristles chafed her skin, and the heavy desire consuming them erased rational thought. She parted her lips at her assailant’s insistence, drank his breath into her lungs, mated her tongue with his, and almost burst into flames .

Wow! I love that. And I love what comes after it, too.

You've had a long and varied career. Have you ever seen the market go through a cycle like this one? Do you have any advice for weathering it?

Oh wow, my crystal ball cracked with this cycle! Yes, I have seen “down” cycles caused by events over which we had little control. The worst one was when all the independent distributors were bought out, collapsed, or went bankrupt in a single summer back in the 90s. It took a year or more for the market to stagger back to recovery, and we lost a lot of wonderful authors in the process. Oddly enough, writers must eat, too, and if they can’t get contracts, they have to move into the salary-paying world.

This cycle is different, driven by the world economy more than anything in publishing. Before, the publishers survived. This time, I’m not sure they will, not as we’ve known them in the past. Yes, we’ll have big NYC publishing houses for a long time to come, because print books aren’t going out of favor in my lifetime. But I suspect the bigger publishers will eventually be spun off from the conglomerates that own them and will survive on “brand name” authors and niche markets. It will be the smaller publishers who provide us with our mass market reading “fix.” They’re more flexible and their overheads aren’t as high, so they may be able to weather the storm.

That said, I don’t see the big money for midlist authors that was once there. Not until this newly emerging market settles. The new platform should allow for tons of wonderfully inventive books, but they will have to be on the market for years before they become profitable. It should be very interesting.

Where do you see the market going? Have you read other books about the French Revolution? Would you rather visit Paris (without a revolution) or a tropical refuge, and what influences your choice?

Pat's giving away a couple of copies of Mystic Warrior to commenters today.

Bounteous Booty

We have a Bounteous Boatload of Booty tonight!

Going from newest to oldest, the winners on deck are:


Each fishing one of Jessica Andersen's books (either Nightkeepers or Dawnkeepers, awarded at random by Jessica) out of the treasure chest are Louisa Cornell and Leslie;

Taking home a copy of Kathleen O'Reilly's Hot Under Pressure is Angie, who should email her contact information directly to Kathleen, kathleenoreillyATearthlink.net;

Thanks to my getting caught up with National, I didn't post Jennifer St. Giles's winners. Apologies all around for that! The winner of one of Jennifer's Shadowmen books is Margay, and the winner of one of the graphic novels is Estella;

And finally, the long-overdue winner from my "All for One" post, taking home a copy of Patricia Rice's Much Ado About Magic, is Keira Soleore.

That concludes the offerings from the treasure chest for tonight. If the winners (except Angie) will email me contact information via the link on the Romance Bandits page, with the name of the author whose prize you won in the subject line, I'll send the information to the authors.

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone for stopping by!

Late Booty Call

Those of you who commented during Karen Kendall's and Patricia Rice's visits may be wondering who won the booty. The month has flown by, and I forgot to post either of them. Apologies to all concerned! Drum roll, please . . .

The winner of Karen Kendall's Take Me If You Can is Natalie Hatch. Natalie, please email Karen via her website: Karen AT KarenKendall DOT com.

The winner of Patricia Rice's Mystic Guardian is Buffie! Buffie, please mail Pat through her website, readers2 AT patriciarice DOT com.

They're both at RWA and may or may not have computer access, so don't worry if you don't hear back right away.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, both for your comments and for your patience. Have a great week, everyone!

Patricia Rice's Mystic Isle

by Nancy

Today we welcome award-winning author Patricia Rice to the lair. In addition to being a three-time RITA finalist and gracing numerous best-seller lists, she has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement and Lifetime Achievement Awards, and her paranormal historical, Merely Magic, was one of the Romantic Times reviewers' 200 all-time favorite books. This month marks the release of Pat's 45th book, Mystic Rider.

Congratulations on the release of Mystic Rider. Please tell us a little about it and the related books.

The Mystic Isle series is based around an invisible island in the English channel in the turbulent 1790’s. As aristocracy crumbles in France, so does the supernatural house of Olympus on the Mystic Isle. In MYSTIC RIDER, the last male Olympus—Ian—is forced to leave the island to find the missing Chalice of Plenty and the woman whose life he Sees as entwined with that of the chalice.

Mystic Rider uses music in an intriguing way. What inspired you to do that?

Chantal, the woman Ian “sees” in his vision, can cause riots, laughter, or tears with her music, even with her voice. I’m not at all certain where the inspiration came from, but I had this image of a woman riding beside a man in a cart, playing a flute, and creating chaos all around her. I never got to actually use that exact image, but she creates plenty of chaos before the story is done!

You've coined a new term for this series, amacara. What is it, and how did you come up with it?

I had fun playing with language in these books, coming up with their names from Celtic, Greek, and Roman lore. An amacara is the mystical love bond granted a favored few, a bond that draws two unlikely people together and bonds them to eternity. My heroines have a habit of calling it sexual slavery. *G* But I have to be very careful in choosing weird names because readers like me have a tendency to skim across unknown words or phrases, dismissing them entirely. And this bond was too important to the first book in the series to be dismissed. So I chose two Latin-based words that most people will recognize as referring to love or endearment "ama" and "cara" and hoped for the best!

This is the second book in the Mystic Isle series. What was the first one, Mystic Guardian, (which you're generously giving away) about?

Trystan l’Enforcer is the guardian of Aelynn, an invisible island in the English channel. Trystan intends to marry a woman whose family will help him guarantee the isle’s isolation. But when a sultry beauty washes up on shore, his plans take a confounding turn. She not only stirs a carnal hunger that risks everything he is but she steals Aelynn’s most sacred object— unleashing chaotic forces that can lead to devastating destruction.


The island of Aelynn seems sort of like a combination of Avalon, Shangri-La, and every tropical paradise. What inspired it?


And a touch of Brigadoon, don't forget! *g* Although I can name any number of legends that lend background to an invisible island, it was pure story logic that created it. I wanted an isolated island of superheroes guarding a sacred treasure, and I wanted it threatened by war between England and France. Given the number of ships sailing through the English Channel, it would be just a trifle preposterous to expect no one to have seen this island over a few gazillion years. So I invented a rocky barrier shrouded in a magical fog. Now fog in the Channel, that I can believe. And should anyone dare the rocks and the fog and hit upon the mystical shield that prevented entrance, they would assume they hit an unseen rock. Besides, they'd drown and no one would know anyway. I'm into grounding my fantasies with nasty realities!

Prior to creating Aelynn, you did a wonderful Georgian-set paranormal series about a family of witches. Could you tell us about the Malcolms and the Iveses?

Those were delightful fun to write—the magical Malcolm women with their various psychic powers, and the scientific logical Ives men who loved them, after quite a struggle, of course. As it happens, I do believe our brains are capable of a great deal more than we use them for, so I had great fun playing with Georgian women who could do mysterious things, especially since science as we know it today was just developing at that time. Any man in his right mind would want to study them!

Forty-five books is an impressive streak. What do you think helps a writer’s career longevity?

Pure ornery-mindedness helps! This business is cylical with wild swings and ups and downs. A writer has to be truly creative to surf the rapidly changing markets and stay abreast of the latest industry news. Great agents and editors help, but a writer has to be provide the right material at the right time, which means having a lot of stories rampaging around in one’s head.

You do a very astute program on the changing market. Could you share some of your insights with us?

Probably not in a paragraph or two. As I said above, the market constantly changes. Right now, I’m seeing mass market divide out even more than it was before, with bestsellers filling most of the wholesale stores (Wal-mart, groceries, etc) and a thin layer of newcomers and midlist on the bottom. Retailers are starting to clear their shelves of inventory, which means more of the recent releases and fewer of the older titles are available in the stores. On-line sales and store orders are probably growing for those older titles. I imagine on-line sales are growing, period. There seem to be far more hardcover and trade than a few years ago, possibly because it takes less inventory to make more profit, and until this year, people were feeling wealthy enough to pay for the bigger books. Don’t know what will happen as the economy goes into a downswing. Wish I had a magic genie!

What was your first sale?

To Zebra Books, LOVE’S FIRST SURRENDER, in the age of appalling titles, the early ‘80s. It was reissued over a decade later as just SURRENDER. About time for it to come out again, maybe as RENDER. They could put a werewolf on the cover. No, I’m kidding. It was straight historical romance.

What’s next for you?

We’re working on another contract with Penguin, probably going back to straight historical romance again. The world turns and I keep turning with it…

Pat is giving a copy of the first Mystic Isle book, Mystic Guardian, to one lucky commenter today. For more about Pat and her books, visit her website.

Do you have a favorite of Pat's books? What would your ideal secret island hideaway be like? What kinds of conflict do you like? What changes have you seen in the romance market?

Coming Attractions: July

Welcome to another month of the Romance Bandits' usual works of staggering genius! In addition to our usual lineup of vastly amusing & edifying blogs, we've also scheduled scads of fabulous interviews & guest bloggers this month. Please join us in welcoming the following folks to the Lair!

July 2: Cassondra Murray reports on her chat with the amazing Sherrilyn Kenyon! And it's rumored that Dianna Love Snell may swing by the Lair as well...

July 7: Terri Garey is in the Lairy (sorry, couldn't help it. It rhymed.) Courtesy of Beth Andrews! Terri, a double RITA finalist, takes a lighthearted look at the dark side with her fabulous series about Nicki Styx, a former Goth girlwho becomes an unwilling ghoulfriend to the dead. Her most recent release, A Match Made In Hell is currently available.

July 16: Nancy Northcott brings us Patricia Rice. They'll chat about her 45th (!) book, a paranormal historical called Mystic Rider. Patricia's a bestseller, a multiple RT award winner (as well as other awards) and a 3-time RITA nominee.

July 17th: Aunt Cindy (aka Loucinda McGary) will chat with Deb Werksman, her fabulous editor at Sourcebooks!

July 21: Suzanne Welsh hosts the fiery Jo Davis!

July 22nd: Caren Crane chats with the elusive Liz Carlyle! Those of you who are fans of Ms. Carlyle's NYT-bestselling dark, steamy historical romances may realize she is rather a hermit and creeps out only under duress. Caren, it is reported, jumped her as she left Whole Foods and sat on her organic kumquats until she agreed to appear in the Lair. In addition to being, you know, HERE, she may also talk about her much-anticipated July release Never Romance a Rake. Oh, my!

Now as many of you know, RWA is hosting its annual conference in San Francisco this year, July 30 - August 2. Many of the Romance Bandits will be there, which means you in the Lair will have a front row seat as we stalk editors, agents & our favorite authors in their natural habitats. During this time, we may find ourselves temporarily unable to create your traditional, well-thought-out & properly punctuated blogs, complete with lovely photos. In its place, however, we'll do our absolute best to supply you all with breaking news, delicious gossip & incriminating photos. Bookmark this page & stay tuned...

Happy July!