Thursday, November 12, 2015

Guest Post w/ Vanessa Kelly--Team Lady Scribes


Hey guys! One of my long-time favorites, Vanessa Kelly, is joining us today to chat about a new anthology she's in with a couple other ladies. Yall give her a bit welcome and don't forget to hit those comments! ~anna

Once upon a time, four lady scribes came together to write a Regency-set anthology. They decreed the tales be set in the charming village of Hemshawe and also at The Friar’s House, a distinguished estate nearby. The lady scribes then turned their considerable wits to the tales themselves, deciding in their collective wisdom to pen a holiday-themed anthology—but one with a delightful twist.

And, thus, A GENTLEMAN FOR ALL SEASONS was born, a collection of glorious romances guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings of readers possessed of sensibility and good taste. Your hearts will swell, your eyes will fill, and…oh, brother. Enough of that purple prose!

Okay, here’s the deal. Kate Noble, Shana Galen, Theresa Romain, and I thought it would be fun to write a holiday anthology of interconnected stories. Four couples who come to know each other over the course of a year, each couple finding his and her HEA, and all played out against a backdrop of seasonal holidays and festivals. GENTLEMAN begins with a spring festival and ends with the Christmas celebrations—in between are four witty, sexy, and very emotional stories we hope you’ll love.

We had a great time working on what was truly a group project. After all, characters were handed from one writer to the next. We had to make sure that heroic Bertie Gage of one story didn’t transform into serial killer Bertie in the next. It was occasionally a challenge, but we enjoyed it. In fact, we worked so well together that we even came up with nicknames for each other. Shana gave Theresa the coolest one: T-Ro. We figure she’s going to be our Regency rapper when we got out on tour. Mine is Vulgarina, from my old college days (don’t ask).

We also enjoyed coming up with silly or sweet elements that carried over from one story to the next—like the character who engages in a great deal of mysterious and alarming knitting. T-Ro really put the gears to me with that one. She came up with so fiendish a knitting idea that I was gnashing my teeth far into the night, pondering how to make it work. Well, not really. I was mostly laughing my Regency arse off as I tried to figure out how to work it into my manuscript. Much to my surprise it did work, and my story was stronger and more emotional for it. That’s the beauty of collaborating with a bunch of fun, smart women.

At the center of our stories, of course, is romance—four couples confronting pretty stiff challenges that stand in the way of true love. Our heroes and heroines have faced difficult times, some even believing they will never find true love and happiness. When they do, it’s fabulous. I cried when I read the stories penned by my fellow lady scribes. They wrote truly wonderful novellas, and I think you’re going to love them.


We’re so happy to be celebrating our new release with Anna and her readers today, and we’d love to share our appreciation with a giveaway. One reader will win a copy from each of our backlists. To enter to win, just tell us if you like to celebrate holidays, and which one is your favorite. One person who comments will win all four books!

~Vanessa Kelly

shana galen, vanessa kelly, kate noble, theresa romain, historical romance
The tiny village of Hemshawe is the sort of place where nothing ever happens...until a handsome ex-soldier and his matchmaking sister let the imposing manor house at the edge of town. The friendly Londoners shake up the staid people of Hemshawe, and villagers see each other in a new and oh-so-appealing light.

Suddenly long-sparring enemies become lovers, a town festival heralds a new start for a fallen woman and a dandy, and a man who has given up on love gets a second chance with the woman he never forgot. And the matchmaker herself? She won't rest until she finds her own happily-ever-after...

A Madness in Spring by Kate Noble

Adam Sturridge has made Belinda Leonard's blood boil since childhood, and the feeling is mutual. But when a would-be matchmaker arrives in the village of Hemshawe, she'd determined to erase the thin line between love and hate. Now, Belinda and Adam are faced with falling for someone they've always considered an enemy -- can they overcome old prejudices and discover how to rub each other the right way?

The Summer of Wine and Scandal by Shana Galen

When viscount's son and dandy Peregrine Lochley is temporarily exiled from London to the country for his misdeeds, the last thing he expects is to encounter an intriguing woman. But Caroline Martin has a secret to hide, and it just might be too scandalous for even this debauched rogue.

Those Autumn Nights by Theresa Romain

Ten years ago, wealthy Eliza Greenleaf broke lowly soldier Bertram Gage's heart--but the last decade brought changes in fortune to them both. Now that he's made his mark on the world, a twist of fate brings the Greenleaf family under his power. Will this war-hardened officer triumph over his former lover...or will Bertie and Eliza give love a second chance?

The Season for Loving by Vanessa Kelly

Miss Georgie Gage, matchmaker extraordinaire, is resigned to life as a spinster--almost. When notoriously aloof bachelor Fergus Haddon arrives from Scotland to spend Christmas with the Gage family, Georgie thinks she's finally found her own perfect match--if, that is, she can get the handsome Highlander to agree!

AmazonGoodreads
Find them Online

Vanessa Kelly: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Theresa Romain: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Shana Galen: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Kate Noble: Website | Facebook | Twitter

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