Please
welcome fellow Casa author Jane Ashford,
author of ONCE AGAIN A BRIDE—in
stores this month. We did an interview to keep things lively!
1. This is your first new book in over ten years!
What’s it like to be back?
JA: Lovely! The romance community is such a busy and exciting
place these days, with so much information and conversation on the web and so
many new types of stories.
2. Tell us a little bit about your newest book, Once Again a Bride.
JA: It’s about a young woman, Charlotte, who gets a second
chance at love. The first chance was a miserable failure. Her dying father
pushed her into marriage with an acquaintance of his, wanting her to be safe
when he was gone. But the despicable Henry Wylde only wanted Charlotte’s money
to expand his antiquities collection. He treats Charlotte with contempt, and
lets his servants do the same. When his death sets her free, Charlotte finds
herself nearly penniless and, eventually, suspected of murder.
Henry’s nephew Alec thinks
his life is totally under control, though he feels a bit burdened by his many
responsibilities. The discovery that his reclusive old uncle was married, and
left a lovely young widow, gradually turns his world upside down.
The book also tells the
love story of Charlotte’s maid Lucy Bowman and Ethan Trask, a footman in Alec’s
household.
3. What are some of your favorite things about
writing a historical romance? Anything you love about the Regency time period
in particular?
JA: I love
the language of past periods, particularly the English Regency. I think it
offers opportunities for elegance and wit. That era was a little less buttoned
up than, for example, the Victorians. That said, the strictures of society make
for interesting plot complications.
4. I really liked that in Once Again a Bride, you get to see two love stories—one with Sir
Alec and Charlotte, and another with Ethan, one of Alec’s footmen, and Lucy,
Charlotte’s maid. What inspired this secondary love story?
JA: I think it began with the idea
that Lucy was having almost as hard a time in Henry Wylde’s unhappy household
as Charlotte. She longed to leave, and she could have; she could have gotten
another position. But she’d been with Charlotte so long and was devoted to her
interests. I started to wonder what that would mean for an individual and her
own happiness. And then somebody had to help bathe Lizzie’s fearsome cat, and
Ethan came along. The rest is history!
5. What are some things you like to do in your free
time?
JA: I like getting together with good friends, walking in nature,
movies. I love animals and have volunteered at SPCA shelters.
6. Who are some of your favorite authors? Read
anything good lately?
JA: I’ve been doing some reading for the Rita Awards, which is
always a pleasure. I read lots of different genres, so it’s hard to pick
favorites. I love Charles de Lint’s urban fantasy, Laurie King’s books, Alice
Hoffman.
7. Of course, we all want to know what is coming
next for you and your writing!
JA: My next historical is called A Compliant Husband. You can read a bit about it at
http://www.janeashford.com/wip.html
8. Anything else you’d like to add?
JA: Thanks for having me. I’ll be at the RT Book Lovers
Convention in May. Hope to see everyone there!
Thank
you so much to Jane for visiting with us today! We are so glad she’s back! To
enter to win one of two copies of Once Again
a Bride, please what is your favorite thing about reading historical
romances, or tell us what your favorite romance genre to read is and why! US
and Canada only, please leave an email address so we can reach you. Winners
will be chosen on Friday, February 15.
ONCE AGAIN A BRIDE BY JANE ASHFORD – IN STORES NOW
She
couldn’t be more alone…
Widowhood has freed Charlotte Wylde from a
demoralizing and miserable marriage. But when her husband’s intriguing nephew
and heir arrives to take over the estate, Charlotte discovers she’s unsafe in
her own home… Alec Wylde was shocked by his uncle’s untimely death, and even
more shocked to encounter his uncle’s beautiful young widow. Now clouds of
suspicion are gathering, and charges of murder hover over Charlotte’s head.
He
could be her only hope…or her next victim…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jane
Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school
and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency
England. That delight led her to study English literature and travel widely in
Britain and Europe. Jane’s historical and contemporary romances have been
published all over the world, and she has been nominated for a Career
Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews.
Eighteen of her Regency romances will be published by Sourcebooks in the near
future! Born in Ohio, Jane currently lives in Boston. For more information,
please visit www.janeashford.com.
To Purchase Once
Again a Bride:
My favorite romance genre is science fiction romance, I love the HEA and the creative imaginings of life in space and all of the wonderful possibilities that are explored.
ReplyDeleteI love being able to transport to another time and place. With a historical romance, you get to imagine that you were wearing the fancy gowns and being romanced by a Duke or a Viscount.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Jane! I love that you have the love story featuring the servants too. How fun!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is historical romance!! However, I do read Sci-fi, time travel, biographies, and many others.
ReplyDeleteA great big Tex/Okie welcome, Jane. Your book sounds fascinating. Love the plot and the subplot and the cover is simply awesome!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane. How exciting to have a secondary love plot. Beautiful cover.
ReplyDeleteLove historical romances- I have no love life of my own so I just put myself in the place of the heroine and pretend.
ReplyDeleteHi! !!! I love historical. It's my favorite I love the history in it. :)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! Great to be here.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane! Congrats on the new release! Beautiful cover, too!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane. Your book sounds great. I love the cover. I love historicals because you get to see how they lived, the way they dressed and the social practices of the time.
ReplyDeleteCrystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
I love historicals for the same reason I love Urban Fantasy. The characters populate a world that feels so different from what I experience. But the language and wit of times past is also extremely appealing to me.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
I love it because it is so very different from the life we lead today. Such a slower pace, more appreciation to the smaller details, and of course, the HEA!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite genre is historical or paranormal romance. But I am beginning to become a huge fan of contemporary. I love romance because I hope that everyone get their own happily ever after. Everyone deserves it. I love seeing and hearing someone describe falling in love. I love all the firsts that come with falling in love also.
ReplyDeleteJane is a new author for me. This book sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win.
christinebails at yahoo dot com
This novel sounds utterly lovely! I just think historical romance is the *most* romantic of any genre. It is just so... swoon worthy :-)
ReplyDeletejustforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I've been hearing good things about your book! Historicals are my favorite although I do read a little bit of almost all genres. I enjoy being taken away and into different times and places. I love learning while enjoying a romance.
ReplyDeletecatslady5(at)aol.com
Once again Sourcebooks has hit the jackpot with the cover! And the book sounds like a winner, too. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteAmelia
Amazing interview! Congrats on your new release! I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I love historical romances. Love the time periods in general. The scandals, the dresses, and the way things were back then. It made it all so deliciously to read :D
ReplyDeleteOops forgot my email :) lilypondreads at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I like the HEA.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
The book sounds great, Jane!
ReplyDeleteI love historical romances, especially the Medieval and Regency periods.
Marcy Shuler
bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com
Historical romance is one of my favorites!! I really love the regency period because I like reading about the clothes and the balls and of course the happily ever after. I enjoyed the interview and reading about the book. It looks wonderful! Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletemlawson17 at hotmail dot com
I just love historical romance because it's so fascinating to me to see how people lived in a bygone age. I read quite a number of romance genres, I love them all, but the two I read most are paranormal romance and historical romance. Both because they're so different from my every day world.
ReplyDeleteI do love historicals for their ability to take us to another time and imagine what it would have been like to live during that time (or at least a romanticized view of it). Lately though, I have been reading more paranormal stories. But I read just about every type of romance there is. Congrats on your new release. It sounds wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteJune
manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com
Good Morning--thanks to everyone who commented! Our winners are:
ReplyDeleteAnonymous (Marcy)
Martha Lawson
I'll be contacting you both shortly!
Have a great weekend!
Danielle
Glad you're back to writing Jane!
ReplyDelete