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shehanne moore

~ Smexy Historical Romance

shehanne moore

Tag Archives: Splendor

Dark, deep and devastating….

08 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by shehannemoore in blogging, Book review, heroes, heroines, New book, writing

≈ 46 Comments

Tags

Black Wolf Books, Book review, His Judas Bride, Loving Lady Lazuli, Splendor

 

โ€œWhen it comes to being anything, do you seriously think I chose this life? Weโ€™re none of us armored, sweetheart. Not the way we arrive here anyway. We only wish.โ€

His Judas Bride-5*Review @ShehanneMoore

ย 

My Thoughtsโ€ฆ

‘Dark, deep and devastating aptly describes this historical romance, set in the beautiful but often brutal highlands of Scotland.ย 

Kara and Callm are both damaged by life and forced on a path of avenge and revenge, even though it is often at odds with the people they once were before tragedy struck.ย  Their meeting is unconventional and neither want to surrender to their passions, itโ€™s too dangerous.

Kara needs to keep to her plan to save her son, Callm has already lost too much, his people are everything, and he can never put his personal pleasure above their safety. Love becomes a weapon rather than a balm and the resultant passion reflects this with vivid imagery.

If you want to relive history with all the rough edges and raw emotion, this story with its complex, challenged characters will consume you.

I received an ARC of the second edition from the author in return for an honest review.ย 

Threatening to leave in the hope of bringing him to his senses was a bad idea, when heโ€™d no senses to speak of, let alone ones she could blackmail him into.

My Thoughtsโ€ฆ

Lady Splendor was once the lowest of the low, now she needs to find a way to keep her new lifestyle, and that means a chess competition that only men can enter. There is lots of fun in this story as Splendor risks all to achieve everything she desires.ย 

Kendall Winterborne is a dissolute rake, who dislikes being challenged or made a fool of. Splendor does both and with their history, their relationship is never going to be easy going. Passion escapes, but they are at war, and anything more than physical attraction seems both unwanted and unobtainable.

A thoroughlyย  entertaining, romantic tale, which is full of witty dialogue, sizzling scenes and unforgettable characters, perfect holiday reading,

I received an ARC of this book from the author.

Shehanne Moore -Splendor -London Jewel Thieves #2 – 5* Review @ShehanneMoore

He was not a man she could help, any more than she was a woman who ever did such things

My Thoughtsโ€ฆ

Loving Lady Lazuli is a tense, character-driven historical romance which gives the reader a unique perspective on life and love in Regency England. The power of society and its harshness when crossed is implicit from the first chapter. Lord Devorlane Hawley returns to his ancestral ten years after he left in disgrace. Now the unexpected fifth Duke of Chessington he wants revenge for his ten years of exile where severe mistreatment changed him from a naive youth to a cynical man.
The prodigal is thrown into an unexpected homecoming party. Bored a young woman attracts him. Is she the girl who caused his disgrace a decade ago? Cassidy fears her secret is uncovered and leaves the party abruptly. With the threat of the noose for being a jewel thief hanging over her Cassidy (Sapphire) tries to find the documents that prove her claim to Barwych hall.
Their relationship is laced with misunderstanding, humour and poignancy. Both distrust, threaten and cheat each other. Devorlane demands she becomes his mistress for his silence and help. Cassidy (Sapphire) agrees until she discovers his life-threatening secret and reclaims the advantage. The historical attraction between Devorlane and Cassidy (Sapphire) rekindles and ignites despite his hateful behaviour and her scheming. When their passion overwhelms secrets emerge which affect them profoundly and make them face their emotional involvement.
Memorable characters give this unusual historical romance a realistic edge which makes Loving Lady Lazuli a passionate, enthralling read.

https://t.co/FoLB7SPT93

 

Character Interrupted. An interview BY Jean Lee

14 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by shehannemoore in Author Interviews, blogging, book tour, heroes, heroines, Romance, villains, writing

≈ 65 Comments

Tags

Black Wolf Books, Character development, Fallen Princeborn Stolen, Historical romance, interview, Jean Lee, London Jewel thieves, Loving Lady Lazuli, Shehanne Moore, Small Press, Splendor, Starkadder Sisterhood, Ya author

 

#Author #Interviews: #historicalromance #writer @ShehanneMoore discusses #character development, #series #writing, #research, & starting a #smallpress #publisher

Jean Lee – Letโ€™s first begin with what you writeโ€”smart, sexy, historical fiction. You delve into various timeย periods with your books, such as the 9th century in The Viking and the Courtesan and the 19th centuryย in Splendor. What process do you go through when choosing the right century for a storyโ€™s setting?ย That is, if Splendor took place in another century, would it still be the Splendor we know?
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Probably not. The stories are influenced by the time, the characters too, although they donโ€™t alwaysย abide by the constraints of them. Mind you Splendor would be a shopaholic , running up debtsย galore in any time because some things are timeless. Sheโ€™d be having to manage everything too. So I guess a bit of both would be true. I generally stick to the Georgian/Regency periodโ€”itโ€™s a sort ofย genre in own right. BUT I do like to dabble and I do spend time thinking of how I will set a bookย physically within that period, in terms of imagery etc.. Thereโ€™s also things that happen when I write.

I mean there was never meant to be a Viking in The Viking and The Courtesan. That was a straightย Regency. But then halfway through chapter two, the little voice whispered, โ€˜You know that Viking story idea you have, the one youโ€™ve never really got the idea for the heroine โ€˜s goal in? How aboutย you just use it here?โ€™ Much as I want to ignore that little voice, I canโ€™t.

Jean Lee. – Such a question should mean I ask you about research, too. I know youโ€™re very passionate about yourย research to keep the period lifestyle true to history.ย 

the party

Visit my pages on BookFunnel & Instafreebie today!

Jean Lee. Whatโ€™s your process in making the researchย phase as productive as possible?

You know people think I do a lot of research. I donโ€™t . Too much can kill a story and read like aย Wikipedia cut and pastes. At the end of the day I donโ€™t want to know every detail of the time a storyย is set. I can read a history book for that. I want to read of the things that are universal. The things that stand the test of time. But I have always loved history, especially social history, ever since I canย remember. I guess thatโ€™s what I have at my fingertips when I write. And of course, I will check aย historical timeline detail where it is pertinent to a character, or setting, if I want a certain backdrop.

Jean Lee – One thing I love about all your books is that these characters are layered with feeling. They desire,ย they hate, they aspire, they love, they fear. Your books are so, so much more than the โ€œmeet-cuteโ€ย kinds of romances out there populated by characters with little more than a single quirk each. Theseย characters can get downright wicked, like Devorlane Hawley in Loving Lady Lazuli. How do you bringย together both light and dark natures into your characters to keep your stories compelling and un-put-downable?

SHEY – Now Jean, itโ€™s all right, I wonโ€™t set the dudes on you and the check is in the mail. You are way tooย kind. I just love characters. I want to write about the human condition and letโ€™s face it sometimes itโ€™sย downright ugly. Okay, Devorlane Hawley, for example, page one, is not a man you would want toย meet. Heโ€™s plainly gone to hell in a hand cart, is behaving outrageously and now heโ€™s come into theย dukedom because his older, perfect brother is dead, heโ€™s for turfing out his sisters, his late motherโ€™sย ward, installing some floozie heโ€™s scoured London to find and setting up a pleasure palace in theย ancestral home. By page two/three heโ€™s noticing that his home is nothing like he remembered, itโ€™s aย mess, his oldest sister is a drunk and thatโ€™s needling at what humanity he has, because itโ€™s plainย these years have been hard and the family have regrets. The fact is heโ€™s the family black sheep, theย man who made the kind of messes we can all make when weโ€™re young. And that law-abiding, God fearing family let him go down for a crime he never committed, largely forย  the sake of peace. By theย end of chapter one heโ€™s spotted the woman who did commit that crime and his goal instantlyย changes. Now heโ€™s becoming the architect of his own doom in many ways.

51Bs3PwSXTLNo-oneโ€™s all badโ€”I thinkย itโ€™s important to remember that when you write. But we are all flawed in some way, a bundle of contradictions, the sum and substance of our life experiences. Thatโ€™s what Iโ€™m trying to blend. Ultimately underneath everything Devorlane Hawley isnโ€™t a bad man. In some ways heโ€™s manย interrupted by his earlier experiencesโ€“ and what has shaped his life since has been hardship andย brutality. So the race is on then to see if he can become the man he could be, or are the flaws going to get in the way. I spend a lot of time peering through my fingers goingโ€ฆ I wouldnโ€™t have done that,ย to my characters when I write. AND I let them drive everything. I seriously never have any ideaย where a story is going next.

Jean Lee- Yet another thing I dig (someday Iโ€™ll learn to write questions better), particularly where the ย Londonย Jewel Thieves are concerned, is that the series doesnโ€™t just revolve around one heroine; rather, eachย book focuses on a different character of a group. I love how these different perspectives give us aย richer look into their world, as well as fresh looks at characters weโ€™ve met in the other books. Whichย heroine came to you first? Did she bring all the other thieves with her, or did they start telling youย their own stories later on?

Good question. Actually the heroine of a short story I have yet to turn into a full length, came first.ย The idea was there of the jewel thief gang and being forced into stealing because for one reason orย another theyโ€™ve fallen into the clutches of the man who runs this gang. BUT Cassidy Armstrong akaย Sapphire from Loving Lady Lazuli came first in terms of the writing. Originally it was a standaloneย but as I wrote it, and I was working the background, I thought of that short story and the whole thingย just fell into place. The idea of giving the women the name of a jewel, of the Starkadder Sisterhood,ย and of setting the books after the gang has broken up. So itโ€™s about them having to find their feetย by whatever means and keeping one step ahead when thereโ€™s prices on their heads.

Jean Lee – Lastly, congratulations on beginning your own small press! Iโ€™m so excited to see what Black Wolfย Books will bring to readersโ€”your own books, and the books of other authors. Youโ€™ve been writing forย publishers for a number of years, but now you are both publisher and writer. How would you say yourย earlier experience prepared you for this change? Whatโ€™s been the biggest โ€œculture shock,โ€ as it were,ย with donning the publisher robe?

Shey – Thank you so much Jean and ALSO for having me here today AND congrats on your own forthcomingย release. Sure to be a rip along read. MAY I SAY HERE ONย TO MY FOLLOWERS, JEAN IS WELL WORTH CHEKING OUT.

Shey- I have wanted to set up Black Wolf Books for about four yearsย now but life got in the way. But Iโ€™m there now. I think the writing industry is in a constant state ofย flux. When I first subbed back in 2012, you still went the traddy route. Yes there were self publishedย books but not so many, nor the same amount of tools to do it. I mean Amazon makes it so damnedย easy actually now. I have a lot of experience in the writing business that goes way back before 2012ย and Iโ€™ve been able to use most of it now.

I think the biggest shockโ€ฆwell learning curve wasย formatting for ebooks and for paperback. Amazon does make it easy I just got in a flap till I mastered it. Iย initially paid a formatter for the print version for Splendor. I was too scared to do it, in case I messedย it up. But when it came back like a dogโ€™s dinner, I stood at the foot of the mountain and told myselfย to get up there. That it wasnโ€™t anything like the time I took over the editing and design of a magazineย and didnโ€™t know how to draw a text boxโ€ฆ

Jean Lee. Are you looking for submissions right now? If so, what kind and do you have any guidelines to share?

Shey – Well we are not officially open in that I didnโ€™t want swamped. I wanted to feel my way, get out myย books, and the Mrโ€™s book, before dealing with what could be an avalanche. And often I thinkย publishers can take on way too many authors without concentrating on the ones they have. But weย already have a signing of a YA author who has a trilogy. So I say to folks, contact me through myย blog contact right now. And really so long as itโ€™s good, Iโ€™m not laying down all kinds of conditions.

One of the reasons I wanted to do this is that Iโ€™ve seen a lot of authors get raw deals, not been ableย to get a book out cos itโ€™s not fitting the mold, despite having books out. My aim in setting up BWB is to help authors. Believe me, I know how brutal this biz can be.

Jean Lee – ย Lastly lastly Iโ€™m hoping youโ€™ll allow the little Hamstah Dudes, that precocious batch ofย knowledgeable cuties ย who share amazing author interviews & writing advice on your site, to come on over for a moment and have the last word, as theyโ€™ve been very good and patient all through our chat.the last word, as theyโ€™ve been very good and patient all through our chat.

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Jean Lee – Many thanks to Shey for sharing her experience and stories with us! And donโ€™t worry, Hamstah Dudesโ€“Blondieโ€™s working on a Halloween picture just for you. Hopefully I can stop by Sheyโ€™s site to share it! ๐Ÿ™‚

 

 

Enter Hamster Splendor, or Never Judge a Book…

22 Saturday Sep 2018

Posted by shehannemoore in Author Interviews, blogging, Book review, book tour, heroes, heroines, Reviews, Romance, writing

≈ 67 Comments

Tags

Art Gowns, Black Wolf Books, Book review, Chess, Georgian England, Jewel thieves, London Jewel thieves, Marraige in Georgian England, Resa Mconaghy, Shehanne Moore, Splendor, The Starkadder Sisterhood, Women in Georgian England

 

โ€œNever judge a book by its cover, unless thereโ€™s a gown on it.โ€ – Resa McConaghy.

https://t.co/3cGqQXITlL

Genre: Historical Romance.

Much like a game of chess; this tale has moves, and counter moves. Is it checkmate, or stalemate? Read the book to experience the final play!

Although a woman in days when women were mostly property, Splendor finds a self chosen path. She will marry Gabe, the man of her breastโ€™s heart. He will become a man of the cloth. Together they will help the poor.

Enter: the Earl of Stillmore, a chessboard, two Kings, two Queens, four Bishops, four Rooks, four Knights and sixteen Pawns.

Shehanneโ€™s characters are vivid, interesting and all with purpose. I particularly adore the settings she recreates of time and place.ย Iโ€™m amused by the very appropriate, and humorously creative names Shehanne has given her characters. All throughout the novel her wry sense of humour prevails, but never assails nor assuages.

The thing is, it is romance. Itโ€™s romance with all the ardour lovers find in loveโ€™s wake. The main scene of passion is quite worth the reading and waiting for. It reaches just a tad deliciously beyond cutting to waves crashing on rocks, fireworks or a volcano erupting.

Furthermore, the Art Gown in me feels a hearty prick of the needle at the main peril Splendor puts herself in. Drawn like a moth to the flame of fine silk every time she passesย Madame Renareโ€™sย shop and without means, Splendor finds herself sinking deeper into debt. Tโ€™is dire! The turnkey of the debtorโ€™s prison workhouseย  is upon her doorstep.

โ€œIn italicized quotationsโ€ are excerpts from the book.

โ€œMrs. Ferret set the beribboned hair comb Splendor had found impossible to resist, the robinโ€™s egg blue one with the tiny cream rosettes attached,โ€

A bill is presented:

โ€œShe had spent a little money, it was true. She hadnโ€™t meant to, but now she was back in credit again. Why shouldnโ€™t she have the odd this and that?โ€

Splendor is a Fashionista:

โ€œshe had perhaps gone a little far with the silk parasol and the shoes to match, but if she hadnโ€™t, Topaz would have stolen them and ended up in Newgate. Then there was the matter of just how respectful Madame Renare had been when sheโ€™d seen the address and the name, the new one sheโ€™d furnished herself with. Lady Winterborne, Countess of Stillmore.โ€

Although unrequited, Splendor retains her arrogant impudence:

โ€œAnd that comb, this peignoir, the new day dress with the lace insert in the bodice, were all very nice. Too nice to leave feeling neglected in the shop. And the comb had been reduced by half a guinea. She had saved him half a guinea by buying it.โ€

โฆ โฆ โฆ โฆ โฆ

I needed to ask Shehanne, whose blog runs the tagline โ€œSmexy Historical Romanceโ€,ย  a few questions.

1.ย  What does SMEXY mean?

Aโ€ฆan easy one this. It means smart and sexy which I like to think my heroines are even though they can behave incredibly stupidly at times.

2.ย  Where does the historical location inspiration come fromโ€ฆ the castles and halls near where you live?

I squirrel. I find locations and ideas everywhere.ย Withย Loving Lady Lazuliโ€“ another book in the seriesโ€“it was from visiting Mount Grace Priory, especially the monkโ€™s cell there. Itโ€™s in Yorkshire actually and not what weโ€™d know as a cell either. Catterton House in Splendorย was based on aย Georgian cottageย where I then lived in Newport-On-Tay, except it wasnโ€™t a cottage. It was a mansion build down the cliff face.

ย 3.ย  London Jewel Thieves โ€“ Where will I be able to read the ongoing serial?

As we speak Loving Lady Lazuliย  which features Sapphire as the heroine and Ruby and Pearl as her sidekicks, is being formatted for kindle.. Now I have my rights back to this series I will be giving you the stories of Diamond, Jade and Amber. I may even yet turn Ruby into a heroine. I have an idea there.

Shehanne Moore is an author who writes historical romance novels. If you visit her Home Pageย , you will find out about all of her books.

Click on pic for better view

Take some time to visitย Shehanneโ€™s Blog Page,ย and you will realize that a very cute Pack ofย  Hamsters have hijacked her book reviews, interviews and other relevant endeavours. If you havenโ€™t visited her blog, you should. You will enjoy the Hamsters & get to read a fab post! As crazy as it seems, I was inspired to draw a Hamster in a hamster gown, Hamstor Splendor. I hope Shehanne & all of her Hamster pals enjoy it!

You can pre-order โ€œSplendorโ€ย in ebook format, on Amazon! It comes out October 1, 2018, with a hard copy following soon after.

Click onย โ€œSplendorโ€ย  to pre- order!

 

 

 

 

 

We interrupt abnormal service……

09 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by shehannemoore in book tour, Romance, writing

≈ 71 Comments

Tags

Black Wolf Books, Jewel thieves, Never giving up or in, Newbook, re-released book, Splendor, Starkadder Sisterhood, writing

 

I woke up on with pneumonia and flu on New Year’s Day to discover that, contrary to having six books out, I now only had two, after one of my publishers had removed the books of all us foreign authors, without actually telling us.

The first thing in order for me to have any hope of seeing these books, which represented hours of work, out there again was to get my rights back. Even as I fought that corner I was busy planning onย setting up my own wee publishing house, Black Wolf Books, to publish these books, that of Mr Shey and any other authors I saw getting a raw deal. Oh.. and recovering from pneumonia and flu.

Plans took a step back when these backlist booksย had an invite to a new home–oh and did I mention there was the broken rib and the eye haemorrhage? AND let’s not forget the Mr’s playย which I directed– Anyway, I was dancing on airย to feel wanted, that my books were worth something, ย after New Year’s bombshell NOT to mention the fact that backlist books can be notoriously hard to findย  a new home for unless you DIY them.ย Or you’re some mega huge, rich best seller, in which case, you’d be better off DIY’ing them frankly so you’d be even richer.ย ย And I concentrated instead on usingย that steep learning curve of formatting, cover size, cover designers and the world of Fiverr, you name it, to put out my Mr’s book. Oh and finish my seventh one, O’Roarke’s Destiny.

But feeling nice and wanted and being ableย  to ‘swank’ย  doesn’t sell books. Twoย weeks ago, I made a decision regarding the four backlist or orphaned books and my present unpublished book.ย ย That was to let no more grass growย and revert to my original plan certainly for the four backlist books…

Yep….ย  AND Basically having sworn this

 

 

 

My new cover for Splendor arrived on Friday, after I bought the license half price in a Labor Day sale and gave it to a Fiverr designer at a damned good price, the next.ย A cover I feel represents the actual book. ย Any expected hiccups–delays rather– ย reย me being the copyright owner did not materialize when I uploaded the final formatted book to KDP, later that day. My advice there is to make sure your license and copyright page is correct when a book has been with a publishing house.

I can now announce that as of yesterday Splendor is on ebook preorder for a pretty good price 99p and 1.29c. ย AND she will also be available for the first time in print–October 1st. (Handing that to Fiverr formatter this week…) I’m hoping that Starkadder Sister, Sapphire, will be joining her on the 1st,ย that ย they will be partying together. And that I have very good reason to clear the decks on these four books right now. If I don’t, I don’t. Its certainly made me focus on this decision.

So sorry for interrupting the dudes’ service…

What can I say about this writing business? Mainly? That even when you’re there as I thought I was in 2012 when I landed my first contract and entered the world of websites and twitter,ย signing contracts electronically and burning oil till 4 am to finish edits on time because your publisher is breathing down your neck for them, while writing your next book, you’re not. Once the happy dance dies down you’re on a pretty rickety ride. The important thing? Even when you hit all kinds of obstacles and brick walls, stay on the bike, adapt, change, whatever it takes. Just don’t ever give up. Not if you want to get there. Oh…AND Mr will be here next post I promise.

I even get a blurb that reflects the book….

He hates to lose. Especially to a man whoโ€™s not.

One move to win ten thousand guineas in a chess competition. One move to marry her fiancรฉ.ย  Another to face the most merciless man in London across a pair of duelling pistols.ย  For Splendor, former skivvy to the Londonโ€™s premiere jewel thieves, itโ€™s all in a dayโ€™s work. But when one wrong move leads to another, can she win and keep her heart intact against the one man in London with the potential to bring her down? Especially in a chess game where the new wager is ten thousand guineas against one night with her.

The Endgame to end all Endgames

One move to pay back his ex-mistress. One move to show the world he doesnโ€™t give a damn heโ€™s been beaten in every way. The tonโ€™s most ruthless heartbreaker, bitter, divorcee, Kendall Winterborne, Earl of Stillmoreโ€™s, pet hates are kitchen maids, marriage and losing.ย  Knowing Splendor has entered a male chess competition under false pretences, heโ€™s in the perfect position to extort her help, regardless of the fact sheโ€™s engaged to someone else.ย  He just doesnโ€™t bank on having to face up to his pet hates.ย  Certainly not over the kind of skivvy who ruined his father and set him on this course.

As one move leads to another, one thing’s for certain though. His next move better be fast if he wants to keep the Cinderella heโ€™s fallen for. But the clock is ticking. When it strikes twelve, which man will she choose?

Interview With the Earl. Take 2.

23 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in book tour, heroes, heroines, Romance

≈ 75 Comments

Tags

Chess, Etopia Press, London Jewel thieves, Regency, Shehanne Moore, Splendor, Starkadder Sisterhood

https://thecontentedcrafter.com/

http://bit.ly/2gCShdD

Stillmore. If they cheat I will.

Stillmore. Sorry. I do not know if I was listening there. Didn’t you mean the winner?

Stillmore. Oh, what is wrong with you dudes and this unbearable whining? You must know how it does my head in. Obviously cheatingย is the only way to beat me.ย  And if you do that you deserve to be shot. Now then, let’s open shall we?

Stillmore… Hang it all where has that piece gone?

Stillmore. Oh stop sounding like Splendor. The one that was there a moment ago.ย I know I am not mistaken about this. any more than I am mistaken about anything. Ever.

Stillmore- Or should I say two pieces? Well, it matters not. Certainly I am not about to be beaten by a hamsterousย bunch of cretins.

Stillmore- Obviously Shey wanted me to look my best so she used several of the most famous chess games in history as the basis for these bits of the book. For example theย  Splendor /Baxby final, where she offers her queen early, was based on a famous Russian game and ย worked like this….ย  Excuse me, where’s that piece gone?

Stillmore- If YOU are meaning THE first one where Splendor cheated–

Stillmore. Where’s that piece gone?

Stillmore–Let me say to you what I said to her…’You never let me finish.’

Stillmore — Right. Where’s my king?

Stillmore–Believe me… the waste of a bullet that would be. Now, if you don’t mind I have far better things to do with my time than sit here listening to this cretinous chatter.

ย ย Extract.

Drawing his collar up as protection against the chill night air, Stillmore strode to the edge of the curb. โ€œHang it, Chasens, my cane. And find the woman a carriage. She looks like she needs a ride home.โ€ Well, wasnโ€™t this a dilemma. How the bloody blazes could she have lost and that check still be in his pocket?

โ€œThank you, but I shall walk,โ€ Splendor said, her chin held high and her face whiter than if sheโ€™d seen a ghost.

โ€œSuit yourself.โ€

She must want to spend the night with him. How else could he explain her sitting there like a moonstruck mouse messing up every single move she made? How was he meant to reward such imbecility? By making himself look stupid? Heโ€™d tried. Heโ€™d let her have his rook, his bishop, his knight, and half his pawns. But his queen? No. There were things he drew the line at. God knew he had tried every trick he knew to throw the game in her favor without making it glaringly obvious, and she had still lost. She was a damnable woman. Not at all his type. Too tall. Too argumentative. Too vexing. Too much trouble.

He withdrew his watch from his pocket and snapped it open. โ€œAlthough you must know you are being perfectly ridiculous insisting upon walking at this hour. Itโ€™s late. Itโ€™s been a long day. And you donโ€™t exactly live close at hand.โ€

โ€œAnd that is somehow your concern?โ€

โ€œWell, no, now you come to mention it.โ€ Having admired the watchโ€™s pale face glinting in the moonlight for several seconds, he flicked it shut. โ€œI was merely trying to be helpful.โ€

Her widened eyes left him in very little doubt that she didnโ€™t just believe the concept of him being helpful was as far as the stars beyond him, she believed it was going to stay at that distance for some considerable time. Probably forever.

He was just going to have to keep the ten thousand pounds. Anything else would make him look a fool. His gaze flitted over the oval of her face, shadowed by the street lamps. Theyโ€™d had a wager, hadnโ€™t they? He might as well get his wagerโ€™s worth.

โ€œBut I shall pick you up tomorrow evening at seven. Be ready.โ€

‘Lady’ Splendor better not think of bolting either.

 

Interview with the Earl. Take 1.

16 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in blogging, book tour, heroes

≈ 85 Comments

Tags

Etopia Press, Mystery Blogger award, Shehanne Moore, Splendor

 

THE RULES

Place the award logo or image within your blog post. Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog in your post.

ย 

https://aquileana.wordpress.com/

ย Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.

Nominate 10-20 people.

Ask your nominees 5 original questions of your choice.

Share 5 links to your best blog posts.

Notify each of your nominees by commenting on their blog.

 

 

Answer your nominatorโ€™s questions.

 

Extract.

He tightened his finger on the trigger and focused his gaze on the exact spot he was going to hit, the spot he had the right to hit. Damn it all to hell. Never mind facing a murder charge for a boot-wrecking nincompoop, what if this wasnโ€™t a boy?

He tilted his chin. A woman at a manโ€™s chess tournament though? Sheโ€™d be arrested for fraud.

No.

He cocked his eyebrow. He had a clear shot, and he must take it. Now.

This damned jackanapes had made him look a complete fool, and not content with that, had proceeded to almost shoot off his toe. Indeed, the shot could have taken off anything.

A woman might very well fire off a shot like that, though. A complete bamboozler that might take a better shot down by chance. Yesterdayโ€™s visitor and this cousin had the same hair coloring, the same disconcerting habit of talking as if he was an idiot. They required patience to deal with too. Then there was the matter of the scent.

One more sadness at the bottom of a glass.

He had never shot a woman. What kind of man would?

Oh, for Godโ€™s sake, if the shirt outlined soft, swelling breasts, heโ€™d stop, stop right now, stride from this field, and let this go.

It didnโ€™t. What other choice did he have?

He narrowed his gaze, fully cocked the pistol, and taking a deep breath, squeezed the trigger.

Interview with a ferret and a Miranda Sings award

25 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in blogging, book tour, Guest bloggers, Romance

≈ 62 Comments

Tags

A Miranda Sings award, Etopia Press, London Jewel thieves, Regency, Sally G Cronin, Shehanne Moore, Splendor, The Starkadder Sisterhood

 

AWARD: The Miranda Sings Award – A chance to say I Love Me! https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2017/09/24/award-the-miranda-sings-award-a-chance-to-say-i-love-me/

Here are the rules of the award...

  • Announce your win with a post, and link the blogger who nominated you.
  • Include the featured image on your blog post.
  • Nominate 10 bloggers (or as many as you can think of) and link your awardees in the post.
  • List 7 things you love about yourself. (This can be about your appearance, your personality, your achievements, etc.)

Rules

Donโ€™t use negative connotation (i.e. Donโ€™t say things like โ€“ โ€œIโ€™m prettier than an average person.โ€ or โ€œPeople have told me Iโ€™m smart.โ€ You are pretty. You are smart.)

ย 

Mrs Ferret:ย ย  ย Beggin’ your pardon your ย furryship creatures an’ meanin’ to give no affront.ย or that, but I thought it was seven things about me?

ย 

Mrs Ferretย  :ย Well, I must say, again meanin’ no disrespect, ย it’s not whot was agreed.

Mrs Ferretย ย ย ย  :ย  You won’t be doin’ no Cossack dance, nor drinkin’ no vodka here. ย Beggin’ your pardons and meanin’ no affront or that, not unless you wants ter meet with me broom handle and be swept out into the doostbin you won’t.ย  And you won’t be bullyin’ me like you did that artist hero of Shehanne’s whot came here and never got a word in yet. Now then . Three things about me that I like.

  1. Well, contrary to the many words what are spoke about meย 

I’m secretly very soft hearted, soft-hearted as any can be whot has been left ter fend for themselves in a bitter, ย hard, cruel world, one step away from the workhouse at sixteen with a sister and young brothers ter support. You can ask Splendor herself about me soft heart.ย  But I got a good nose for sniffin’ out whot people are inside. I can always recognise another servant and I will look out for them. I just won’t be taken a loan of is all. But if I see someone needin’ a helpin’ hand, well, I think I can be counted on.

2ย  I love that I like people, people whot are interesting. Them that might have secrets. But I aon’t no gossip.ย  The things I could have told Stillmore about his ‘wife’ and her friend–cos, meanin’ no affront but I reads the newspapers and I knows about that Sisterhood lot.ย But I never. As for the goings on of him at Catterton whenever he deigned to visit …..

ย ย I was discreet. As for me figuring out they wasn’t really married, he must have thought I stitched up the back of me mob cap.

3 I know I may only be a servant but I am very good at me job, unlike some I could name whot drinks on the job, I see everything runs like clockwork whotever house I am in, Catterton,

or His Grace’s place in London.ย  That’s because I take pride in knowing whot people want. Of course, meanin’ no affront and provided anyone would have had me. it would have been nice to have hadย me family roundabout me and a man to love me, but families require keepin’ and it really isn’t easy for women of my social class that way, as I found out when my husband left me.ย 

Thank you very much for letting me come by and getย  a word in.

ย I am going to giveย  you with the names of some bloggers. It would be more but Sallly has already bestowed the award on many whot come here and might like doing this kind of thing. Not everyone accepts awards. Though if YOU would like doing this, please do feel free. Meaning no disrespect but that you’re not here is probably on account of Shehanne not having time to look all the links up.

.

Catherine Cavendish http://t.co/NekQqtJiEc

Purva Narang.ย  https://t.co/WUn4iLM0b3

Jean Leeย  –

Explore Jean Lee’s World

Sarah Potter http://sarahpotterwrites.wordpress.com/

Annika Perry http://annikaperry.wordpress.com/

Leslie Noyez http://www.nananoyz5forme.com/

Aquileanaย  http://aquileana.wordpress.com/

Christy Birmingham https://whenwomeninspire.com/

Extract…Mrs Ferret first raises her lovely headย ย 

โ€œThis is Mrs. Ferret.โ€

So Splendorโ€™s death hadnโ€™t happened. Instead, the front door had swung open, because there werenโ€™t any rugs on the flagstone floor to stop it. Splendor thought that was why the door didnโ€™t just swing open, it almost removed itself from its hinges and careered across said floor. Before she was anywhere near it, which was not always the case. Penetrating cold blew out, not in. The sun hadnโ€™t just gone behind a cloud on a nice day, Arctic winter had followed.

Ferret was an unfortunate name. The woman herself had the appearance of having dropped a guinea and found a farthing. Some people were so devoid of the desire to better themselves that they dressed in pinched black to match their expressions. Splendorโ€™s desire was to show his majesty how unfazed she was by this rapid and unprovoked downturn in events. London and Babs Langley. She fixed a smile on her face. Her best.

โ€œYou will pardon me, Your Grace, openinโ€™ door in advance of you ringinโ€™.โ€ Mrs. Ferret ignored the smile and her. โ€œBut Bates told me you was here. And had brought company. Young ladies.โ€

Was it a crime to be one? Splendor had never thought so before. But the look Mrs. Ferret failed to cast her said her education was sadly lacking that way.

โ€œYes.โ€ Stillmore strode over the stone threshold into the pale white hall. โ€œMy wife and her friend.โ€

โ€œWife? Wife?โ€ Mrs. Ferretโ€™s voice rose. โ€œMr. Bates never said nothing about no wife.โ€

Stillmore stared at the ceiling. โ€œPerhaps because heโ€™s not married to her. Well. It happened, whether Bates said so or not. If I say she is, it should be good enough.โ€

Splendor swung her gaze around. โ€œYou mean, you take my getting out that cart as assentโ€”?โ€

โ€œOh, sir, I never meantโ€ฆโ€ Mrs. Ferret interrupted. โ€œOh bless me no. I mean, I wouldnโ€™t, beinโ€™ mindful of me position hereโ€™n all, dream of offerinโ€™ an affront. Excuse me, Your Grace.โ€

Mrs. Ferret touched a feeble hand to her breast, as if she wouldnโ€™t take issue with him arriving on the doorstep with a two-headed hamster and saying heโ€™d married it.

โ€œWill I just show her downstairs, same as usual, Your Grace?โ€

โ€œI will do that. Thank you.โ€

As usual? Splendor turned her gaze back, swallowed the hot tide that rose. Thank God in some ways. Remove this old bat from the equation and Catterton House might have her otherwise. From the outside it looked like a two-roomed cottage with a tower that stood like a sentinel. Inside though, it was a completely different fish. A whitewashed palace, with steps leading down to other levels that were set into the steeply dropping cliffside. It would be private here. The kind of place Topaz would be safe. The kind of place they could both hide.

Not if it was home to his women. Not when sheโ€™d thought London.

โ€œBut, of course, Your Lordship Grace.โ€ Mrs. Ferret curtseyed so low it was a miracle she didnโ€™t keel over on the flagstone floor. โ€œAnd what about the otherโ€ฆlady, sir? Will she just be left sitting out there in the cart, while youโ€ฆyou know?โ€

โ€œYes. No. Iโ€ฆ I meanโ€ฆโ€ Splendor burst out before she could stop herself.

โ€œNot at all,โ€ Stillmore said. โ€œShe will be coming in here. But would you have a problem with that, Mrs. Ferret?โ€

โ€œNo, Your Grace. All I were doing was asking.โ€

โ€œWell, donโ€™t.โ€

โ€œFine then I wonโ€™t. Iโ€™ll just go tell Bates to start peeling the vegetables for lunch. A light one will it be, Your Grace? Or do your guests require stuffing?โ€


The only thing he hates more than losing at chess is marriageโ€ฆ

ย For Splendor, former servant to the Londonโ€™s premiere jewel thieves, the Starkadder Sisterhoiod, pretending to be someone else is all in a dayโ€™s work. So when she learns of a chess tournamentโ€”a menโ€™s chess tournamentโ€”with a ten thousand pound prize, pretending to be a man is the obvious move. The money will be enough to set her fiancรฉ up in his own business so they can finally marry, and more importantly, itโ€™ll pay off her bills and keep her out of debtorโ€™s prison. But she doesnโ€™t plan on her opponent, the rakish Kendall Winterborne, Earl Stillmore, being a sore loserโ€”and a drunken one, at that. But before she can collect her prize, she finds herself facing the most merciless man in London across a pair of dueling pistols at dawn. Chess may be Splendorโ€™s game, but sheโ€™s never fired a pistol. And dressed as a man with ill-fitting shoes on the slippery grass and borrowed glasses that make it hard to see, sheโ€™s certain sheโ€™s finally tipped her own king.

ย Bitter divorcee Kendall Winterborne, Earl Stillmore, is the tonโ€™s most ruthless heartbreaker. And heโ€™s got three pet peeves: kitchen maids, marriageโ€ฆand losing. So when he realizes the โ€œmanโ€ opposite him has entered the chess tournament under false pretenses, heโ€™s in the perfect position to extort the little chit. But thatโ€™s before the exasperating woman begins to slip beneath his skin, and soon all he can think about is slipping beneath her skirts. But the confounded woman is engaged to someone else, and worseโ€”sheโ€™s nothing but a former kitchen maid, just like the one that lured his father into the marriage that ruined the family name. And his ex-wife taught him more than he cared to know about why marriage was the worst kind of checkmate of allโ€ฆ

 

Interview with a Kleptomaniac

11 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in blogging, book tour, heroines, Romance

≈ 65 Comments

Tags

Etopia Press, Kleptomania, London Jewel thieves, Shehanne Moore, Splendor, Topaz

 

https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/guest-20-cookingn-books/

Topaz…. Whot me? Why would I do that? I ain’t no bleedin’ thief. I’m aย  kleptomaniac.ย 

Topaz…Someone whot steals pure’n simple, cos they can’t help it, ย see? ย 

Topaz. Sez who? Course it ain’t.ย  I’ve sworn off nickin’. It’s just that nickin’ ain’t sworn off me. See it’s like Splendor’n shoppin’. I getsย a thrill so I does it even when she tells me ter stop cos there’s posters up everywhere and it ain’t exactly her face whot’s on ’em either. I does it no matter whot. Topaz . To my shame, I admits, I even robbed Splen’s squeeze Kenny. Fine gentleman ‘e was an’ so koind, nuffin’ loike she said. Puttin me hand in ‘is pocket was a real thrill I tells yer. Wouldn’t ‘ave ‘alf moinded puttin’ it in more.ย  Then there was the brandy ‘e puts in ‘is mornin’ coffee. Figured I was doin’ ‘im a favour there. Wouldn’t loike ter see ‘im droppin’ down wif some disease cos ‘he stuffs ‘is face wif booze steadah food first thing in the mornin’ now, would yer? She went titz about it, cos he went titz wif her, but given that business of her runnin’ up debts ter keep me out of Newgate, I looked on it as my altruistic duty ter return the compliment. ย 

Topaz. That depends doan’ it?ย I means if I can steal ‘un now, get the ingredients an’ whot not. I might.

Topaz . Death.

Topaz. You ain’t pretty enough. Nah, the moon is whot I’m after.

ย 

https://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/the-starkadder-sisterhood-london-jewel-thieves/

https://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/sundries/the-starkadder-sisters-jewel-thief-quiz/

Extract…….a sort or rapid downturn in Splendor’s fortunes extract.

“When allโ€™s said and done, it beats old woman Hanneyโ€™s. Beats sittinโ€™ in this wreck, now Gabeโ€™s gone and left us flat. Unless you want me going back ter stealing? I mean I could, I suppose.โ€

As Topaz studied the rotting fence posts at the sides of the ditch, as if they were next for pocketing, Splendor fought to bite her tongue. Topaz had never stopped.

โ€œI take it when you use that word wreck, yor meaning some other vehicle anโ€™ not ย ย Clitherowโ€™s fine lookinโ€™ trap.โ€ Oโ€™Taggart clicked his tongue.

โ€œLong as I ainโ€™t meaninโ€™ yer damned, bleedinโ€™ trap, what does it bleedinโ€™ matter?โ€

Splendor smothered a shriek as Oโ€™Taggart brought the whip down on the nagโ€™s back as if he wished it were Topazโ€™s. The jolt sent them both flying upward, then down onto the wooden plank, straddling the cart.

โ€œThatโ€™s it. Thatโ€™s it, me old cuddy. Take yor time, me faithful nag, and youโ€™ll soon get there.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s taken three hours to travel two miles,โ€ Stillmore growled, nudging his black gelding closer. โ€œDo you think you could possibly hurry it along? I should like to be at Catterton House sometime this week if thatโ€™s not a trouble to you.โ€

โ€œYou are not the only one, sor. But Clitherow will only do as Clitherow can do. She doesnโ€™t take kindly to complaints.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s a pity when the list is ten yards long.โ€

โ€œAnd Oih must say, Oih donโ€™t either.โ€

โ€œThen that makes two of us. Three if that blasted nag doesnโ€™t fall down dead

first.โ€

โ€œPity โ€™e wouldnโ€™t do the bleedinโ€™ same.โ€ Topaz smoothed her cape shut. โ€œโ€™Ow

rich would that make yer?โ€

โ€œIf I had married him. But I didnโ€™t.โ€

โ€œSo โ€™ow the bleedinโ€™ hell does he think โ€™e can get the divorce courts ter agree ter a divorce then? Commit โ€™igh treason?โ€

Somehow Splendor managed to cinch her lips.

โ€œIf I agree, heโ€™s going to say the parson was not ordained.โ€

โ€œThing is, I donโ€™t know why yer agreed.โ€

She didnโ€™t answer, and Topaz continued. โ€œLook, we got โ€™is watch, we could pawn it. Thereโ€™s plenty more where that come from.โ€

โ€œAnd thatโ€™s the problem. If youโ€™d left it where it came fromโ€ฆโ€ She lowered her voice. Horses had ears. Their masters too.

โ€œBut it were pretty.โ€

โ€œWill you stop it?โ€

Pray God, Stillmore took her screech as one of agony as the cart lurched over another stone, almost catapulting her onto the floor. In truth, she felt like screeching, screeching to the high heavens. What was it Papa always said, especially during these first days in the Marshalsea? Nothing is ever so far beyond your reach, you should worry about it.

โ€œAnd I still donโ€™t see why yer agreed ter it,โ€ Topaz whispered.

โ€œI told you I never agreed straight off. All right?โ€

She was not going to tell Topaz about the business with Lady Kertouche. Sheโ€™d sooner cut off her hand. Papa had said that too. Just tell people as much as they need to hear and will make you feel better. She sighed.

โ€œBut if you must know it was because I didnโ€™t see how the bloody hell else I was to get you out of there with your picture all over the walls.โ€

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

The only thing he hates more than losing at chess is marriageโ€ฆ

ย For Splendor, former servant to the Londonโ€™s premiere jewel thieves, pretending to be someone else is all in a dayโ€™s work. So when she learns of a chess tournamentโ€”a menโ€™s chess tournamentโ€”with a ten thousand pound prize, pretending to be a man is the obvious move. The money will be enough to set her fiancรฉ up in his own business so they can finally marry, and more importantly, itโ€™ll pay off her bills and keep her out of debtorโ€™s prison. But she doesnโ€™t plan on her opponent, the rakish Kendall Winterborne, Earl Stillmore, being a sore loserโ€”and a drunken one, at that. But beforeย she can collect her prize, she finds herself facing the most merciless man in London across a pair of dueling pistols at dawn. Chess may be Splendorโ€™s game, but sheโ€™s never fired a pistol. And dressed as a man with ill-fitting shoes on the slippery grass and borrowed glasses that make it hard to see, sheโ€™s certain sheโ€™s finally tipped her own king.

ย Bitter divorcee Kendall Winterborne, Earl Stillmore, is the tonโ€™s most ruthless heartbreaker. And heโ€™s got three pet peeves: kitchen maids, marriageโ€ฆand losing. So when he realizes the โ€œmanโ€ opposite him has entered the chess tournament under false pretenses, heโ€™s in the perfect position to extort the little chit. But thatโ€™s before the exasperating woman begins to slip beneath his skin, and soon all he can think about is slipping beneath her skirts. But the confounded woman is engaged to someone else, and worseโ€”sheโ€™s nothing but a former kitchen maid, just like the one that lured his father into the marriage that ruined the family name. And his ex-wife taught him more than he cared to know about why marriage was the worst kind of checkmate of allโ€ฆ

 

 

Interview with a Shopaholic.

28 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in blogging, heroines, Romance, writing

≈ 72 Comments

Tags

Character traits in writing, heroes, London jewel theives, Shehanne Moore, Shopaholics, Splendor, The Starkadder Sisterhood, writing

ย Stillmoreย  -Exist? You are looking at one.

 

Splendor. Don’t talk about yourself like that, darling.

Stillmore. I’m not talking about me.

Splendor. Well, I hope you are notย  talking aboutย me. But to answer your question, dear little dudes.

Oh. I never let the question of being able to afford something worry me. No No. And you know Shehanne loosely based part of the story on Cinderella. You would make the most marvelous mice.

How edifying for you all. Well, the thing is there is no such thing as a shopping addiction. It is all quite easily explained. Clothes, fans, stockings, petticoats are things I have a notion of when I am unhappy. Also they are unhappy too. Why should something that nice, that beautiful, be made to feel neglected? Well?

ย 

Splendor. Sorry? Yes. Yes, of course. Well I have toย buy thingsย  because if I hadn’t,ย for example boughtย  a lot of these items I bought ย when I didn’t have the money to buy things,ย  my friend Topaz, who is a member of the Starkadder Sisterhood–thieves, in other words– would have stolen these things for me. She is a kleptomaniac.ย  Keeping her out of Newgate was of the utmost importance to me. It would have cost the state a fortune to hang or transport her. I saved them money.ย  Just think of the service you are doing for others every timeย  you treat yourself to something nice.

Splendor . Well, I did sayย  she’s a kleptomaniac and as you can see Stillmore wasn’t too troubled. Sort of not anyway. Unlike her,ย you need to think of what you resist. The three pairs of cherry-patterned stockings I bought on one occasion might seem excessive. But not when set against the fact I never bought the silk chemise. I wanted to but I didn’t.ย  It made me feel so much better that I had bought the stockings.

Splendor – and did I say it’s less to carry especially when you may feel you have over spent and your palms are sweating?

‘The white silk had been a necessity when he wanted her to accompany him to that supper party, the small, simple event given by some dear friend of Lady Kertoucheโ€™s.

Why he had insisted on attending when he never ate anything had not only been beyond her comprehension, it had been so far beyond her pocket that buckets of sweat glazed her palms just thinking about it.’

Splendor – Goodness yes. How many did we say? Well, I suppose Stillmore got a little excited about it on more than one occasion. My going out shopping that was.

Largely because HE didn’t understand that I was saving him money.

It is a principle I am sure many are familiar with.

Splendor . Well, not if he’s anything like Stillmore, although people will see you are trying to do something about it. You can also try buying things that are reduced because people don’t like the design, so these things you get for a snip. I got a very nice day dress that way once. ย Again, what was I doing but giving a good home to something unloved?ย 

Now lastly?ย Lastly let’s say you have found yourself in the situation of spending over the odds, perhaps for three, of one thing. I mean serious odds here. Well you just go out and you buy another three of a far cheaper version. That way although your round total may be more……… per item it is less if you do the division and see the logic. So three hamsters at 30 pounds a piece would be 90 pounds. But if I then bought another three at 2 pounds each, bringing the total to 96–pounds, not hamsters– then divided the totalย  by 6, ย well, that is only 16 pounds each, which is sure to be acceptable to everyone. And that is only 3 at two pounds, if you buy more at two pounds, you will bring the individual total down even more.

Now then hammies while it’s been very nice chewing the fat with you all. I really much dash. Madame Renare’s shuts at five you know and she has the most divine silk gloves in her window it would be a terrible crime to leave them there.

Extractย ..after a certain night in a certain barn in a certain thunderstorm …..

Lady Kertoucheโ€™s velvet-gloved hand wavered in the direction of the he, looking even more diabolical than usual if that were possible, dark stubble dusting his jaw and upper lip, his eyes sunk so far beneath his brows she would need a team with pickaxes to excavate them. And she had thought he quite liked Lady Kertouche.

โ€œIf you mean the cat, do say so, Violetta,โ€ he said.

โ€œOh, not at all, Kendall. I merelyโ€ฆwellโ€ฆโ€

Or was it because Babs Langley stood there? Babs Langley, who she would die rather than look stupid before. And he would too. It must be. Suddenly she saw it. He didnโ€™t know what to do.

โ€œOh, it is not what it looks.โ€ ย In that second Splendor’s voice came to her. In fact, more than her voice came to her, breaking the awful morass holding her in slimy paws. โ€œNo, I do not know how you can think anything amiss.โ€

โ€œOh, my dear, I was not thinkingโ€”โ€œ

โ€œHis Grace and I eloped.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

Lady Kertoucheโ€™s exclamation was arrested by the tray dropping from the earlโ€™s hand and clanging off the ground, along with Lady Kertoucheโ€™s dropping jaw.

โ€œYes.โ€ Splendor could see what a mistake it was to continue, but there was also the matter of the parties, the balls and the outings. So she did it anyway. These would grind to an immediate halt if it was known she had spent the night with a man in a barn. Besides, he could thank her for her genius later, just as she had him to thank for the ten thousand pounds that would make her continuance in that glittering world possible. โ€œWeโ€ฆwell, you know how it is, I am sure. We just decided to avoid all the fuss and thenโ€ฆ Then there was the storm. It was so awful, it forced us to stop for the night.โ€

If the expression darkening his features was anything to go by, being forced to stop wasnโ€™t the only thing that was awful. The idea to take her by the throat and put a stop to her was plainly running through his disordered head. When she had dug him out of a hole? What was wrong with it for goodness’ sake? Give him a second or so, and he would surely see the value of her claim. How it would inflame Babs Langley.

Besides, they could deny it, couldnโ€™t they, when all the fuss had died down, and they were all back in London? A joke, whatever. So there really was no need for him to appear quite so mummified.

โ€œEloped?โ€ Lady Kertouche was so beside herself her eyes matched her mouth in the soup bowl stakes. โ€œMy stars. Kendallโ€ฆ You?โ€

He tilted his jaw. Sparks glinted in his eyes.

โ€œBut Kendall, you donโ€™t likeโ€ฆ I mean, since Marietta you have been a confirmed bachelor.โ€

โ€œWell.โ€ His smile was so saturnine, it would have skinned lemons at forty paces had there been any on that tray. โ€œThere is a first time for everything. Or so it seems.โ€

——————————————————————————————-

 

 

 

Interview with the Earl

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by shehannemoore in Author Interviews, blogging, Book review, book tour, Guest bloggers, heroines, time travel, writing

≈ 62 Comments

Tags

Ariellla's Escape, Book review, Carol Balawyder, Carolee Croft, Getting to mr Right, Jewel thieves, London Jewel thieves, Shehanne Moore, Splendor, The Starkadder Sisterhood, The Writer and the Rake

 

I have a very special post today in collaboration with Shehanne Moore about her latest novel, Splendor. It includes a review and an interview with Ms. Moore and her hamster friends and even the Earl of Stillmore himself.

ย 

 

 

Carolee Croft/ First, the review:

 

splendor-byshehannemoore-5opct-1.jpgI just love Ms. Mooreโ€™s cheeky heroines, and Splendor is no exception. How can you not like a woman whose name is Dora and she therefore decides to name herself Lady Splendora?

Sheโ€™s an honorary member in the London jewel thievesโ€™ guild known as the Starkadder Sisterhood, but not a thief herself. In fact, she wants to help the poor, marry her sweetheart Gabriel and buy him a ministry.

Gabriel, as it turns out, is no sweetheart at all. But then neither is the Earl of Stillmore, aย man who calls his servant an โ€œoverstuffed sealโ€. He reserves even better names for Splendor. Mostly he calls her names in his head, but sometimes he does so to her faceโ€ฆ usually when sheโ€™s being a brat, which is quite often.

While Gabe shows his cowardly and whiny nature, the earl drives Splendor up the wall by โ€œtrainingโ€ her to win a chess tournament even though she is obviously better than him at the game.

With shades of Shakesperean cross-dressing comedy and scenes that reminded me of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady ย and Confessions of a Shopaholic as Splendor by turns participates in a menโ€™s chess tournament and then tries to pose as an aristocrat at high society balls, this novel had me laughing out loud throughout. It was also extremely touching when I realized how much these two have suffered for love (and their own stubbornness).

I would highly recommend Splendor as a fast-paced, funny and romantic read!

Now I have some questions for Shehanne Moore (and hamsters):

ย Carolee.ย  How did you come up with the idea for this novel?

dude 1

 

dude 2

 

 

 

 

 

dude 3

Shey. Okay dudes can we stop this and leave Hamster Dickens out of this.

dude 4

Shey. What I meant to say. Now then Carolee, first of all let me thank you for asking me to your fabulous blog. I hope all your own writing is doing well. So looking forward to reading your next book. I have had the basic first scene of this novel a long time. Before I had anything published in fact.ย ย I donโ€™t play chess myself but in Regency times it was so popular there were clubs in most of the cities and matches between them too. Obviously the period was very constraining for women. So I had this idea of a woman cross dressing to enter a competition but running into trouble straight off and being challenged to a duel by the best shot in London. That was it. At that time I was trying to break into romance writing and sticking to the โ€˜sort ofโ€™ formula. The characters were pretty limp wristed. The heroine was a lady who had fallen on hard times. Her fiancรฉ was a clergyman. The hero was a very decent sort really. No wonder the first chapter yawned on the shelf for years while I wrote four other books.

Carolee… What is it about Georgian England that appeals to you?

dude 5

 

dude 6

 

dude 4

 

dude 7

Shey. Right dudes, can we stop it. I suppose that itโ€™s where a lot of books are set. I have to say though there is nothing that appeals to me. It was a very different world from this one so I might say I set books there because I want to be bad to my heroines. Oh, ok, it is quite nice to set a book there and try and create characters who will flout convention in an acceptable way. I know that sounds sort of contrary but I mean I hope I make them tough enough to break the rules, to mold their world, as far as that is possible because of the kind of characters they are.

Carolee. Do you have an actor in mind to play Earl Stillmore or Lady Splendor?

Shey. We always have muses donโ€™t we? I do anyway even for the smallest character. So yes. Aidan Turner for Stillmore. He has the right glowering impatience. And Drew Barrymore for Splendor.

aiden-turner

ย Carolee. Good choice! He was great in Poldark.

The Starkadder Sisterhood series has many fine ladies in it, Ruby being one of my favorites just because I think of her as a very unlikely romance heroine. How many more novels are you planning in the series, and will Ruby get her own love story?

carolee-1Shey. You know she is so unlikely as you can see from this extract from Loving Lady Lazuli…..

‘โ€œGet โ€™im, Pearl!โ€

Dear God, while that would be very nice, if Cass didnโ€™t do something, blood would be spilled. His. Of course it would be his own fault. But it would also be hers if she had to bury him in her herb garden. Besides she was unsure about Barron. Where he would stand on the matter of assistance. A broom handle may have been sawing his windpipe, but it did not mean he was one of them. What might be around the county tomorrow about her?

โ€œKill โ€™im! Toffee-nosed snout.โ€

Ruby sprung and Devorlane Hawley did not hit her back. Cassโ€™s throat constricted, the noise that came from the back of it not one she would usually make. Men, certainly those of her acquaintance, would never do such a thing. Did or did her own back not bear witness to that fact? What Starkadder had done to her that day. And not just that day. Every day sheโ€™d refused to steal.

Of course, a corpse would make things inconvenient for her. Who would have thought heโ€™d have retaliated like this, a powerful man like him, who had no fear of arrest, though? Plainly not herself or sheโ€™d never have opened her mouth. Let alone row with him over a kiss, a kiss she gave him so she could worm off the hook, a kiss which would be a complete waste if she didnโ€™t stop this unraveling further, if they had to flee the county.

โ€œRuby. Rubyโ€”no. No.โ€

โ€œGet orf of me, Cass.โ€ Ruby tried wrenching the handle freeโ€”no doubt because her fists werenโ€™t good enough. โ€œI knows whot Iโ€™m doinโ€™. Stickinโ€™ it โ€˜round โ€˜ere like โ€˜e owns the bleedinโ€™ place. Smarmyโ€”โ€

โ€œNo, Ruby!โ€

โ€œโ€™E thinks โ€˜e knows. โ€˜E donโ€™t know jack-shit. โ€˜Eโ€”โ€

โ€œRuby!โ€ ‘

 

Pearl who was her sidekick in Lazuli is quite unlikely too, I quite fancy having a go and giving each their own story. I have ideas for Diamond, Jade and Amber. So thatโ€™s definitely another three.ย ย But I am playing with one for Pearl and it would be an awful shame to leave her out.ย ย In fact, an idea I have been keeping for Emerald might well work better with Ruby. As you say she is so unlikelyโ€ฆ..

Carolee. And for the hamstersโ€ฆ who was your favourite character in Splendor?

dude 9

 

dude 10

 

dude 11

dude 12.png

Carolee. I also have some questions for the hero of this novel, the Earl of Stillmore:

aiden turner glowering.jpg

Carolee . Your first wife broke your heart. Why couldnโ€™t you just get over it?

Stillmoreย ย :

Splendor: Because he doesnโ€™t like to lose. Not even a dud farthing.

Stillmore: I did get over it. I shot lots of people I challenged to duels. I drank. I went with women. What was that if not getting over it? Well?

Splendor : Being afraid of falling again, Your Grace.

Carolee : Do you actually enjoy playing chess, or did you join the chess tournament just to foil your former mistress and her fiance?

Stillmore. Me? Do that? Me? That is the kind of thing someone else would do. It is the kind of thing you would never see me doing. If you were not a woman, I would call you out for that but I would never call out a woman.

Splendor: Dearest, arenโ€™t you forgetting something? You know….pistols at dawn.

Stillmore:ย ย Well, what I mean isโ€ฆย ย YOU were dressed as a man. How was I to know you were a woman?

Splendor : Well….

Stillmore : Oh very well, the answer is no. Obviously I am an excellent chess player. Indeed if Splendor had taken my advice, freely offered she would never have lost that ten thousand pounds. As for Babs Langley, had she not put me off my game, snapping the lid onย that bracelet I bought herย  before the chess tournament, Iโ€™d have won it. I canโ€™t think what else she was expecting when I presented her with that trinket box.

Carolee You famously hate marriage, indeed you said-

Stillmore: Not me.

Splendor: Ahem..

Stillmoreย :ย I see. Well.ย It is a loathsome, hackneyed institution.ย ย Suitable only for those whose picnic is several sandwiches short. I just didnโ€™t know I was famous about it.

Carolee. But maybe with the right partner it wouldnโ€™t be so bad. Do you think you would like to marry Carolee Croft? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Stillmore: Me?

Splendor : Dearest, do be polite. In fact…..

Stillmore : Well, I might. Yes. I wouldnโ€™t like you to think that is why my cravat has just got tight and I am sweating beneath it. But the thing is I havenโ€™t married Splendor. I mean officially and I donโ€™t know sheโ€™d be pleased. She might rip this blog up as she did that cheque for ten thousand poundsย  if I said, โ€˜But of course.โ€™ So really, truly, although I could, whether I should is another matter. Because of her you understand.ย Nothing else.

Carolee :Thank you so much, Shey, for joining me with your hamsters and your characters, even if some of them refuse to get married (ahem).

https://caroleecroft.wordpress.com/

https://t.co/uTOVnxB2Tl

 

Moore Delivers Smexy

 

Brittany Carter must choose either to live in the present or in 1765. She cannot have both. In her present, she is finally starting to reach her goals of fame, success and money. Her romance novels are bestsellers! But success does come at a price. And that price is Mitchell Killgower.

Drop dead gorgeous and with a heart to boot. The man of her dreams, the love of her life, THE ONE sheโ€™s been waiting for her entire life.

But can she trust him?

Does she want to live in 1765 with all its inconveniences which she takes for granted in the present?

Is she willing to give up fame, success and money?

Moore is delightfully good at historical romances. With wit and intelligence she takes the reader back to Georgian England where bad-boy Mitchell is in the midst of an inheritance row when Brittany Carter literally drops into his life.

With the romance between Brittany and Mitchell as veneer, Shehanne Moore smoothly makes her way through the power struggles between men and women โ€“ using as backdrop a feisty, strong protagonist with present day relationship values trying to apply them to the relationship values of a man living in 1765.

One of Buddhaโ€™s famous quotes is

Happiness is a journey not a destination.

The journey to arrive at the ending of The Writer and The Rake is complex, entertaining, amusing, reflective, smexy and made me happy as well.

The Writer and the Rake is the latest in Shehanne Mooreโ€™s Time Mutant series.

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