Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

Some words just ideally describe your state, and right now, 'befuddled' is mine. My friend, Merriam-Webster, claims that 'befuddle' is an intransitive verb meaning to muddle or stupefy and offers the synonyms 'confuse' and 'perplex'. I nod in agreement. I am confused. I am perplexed. I am muddled and stupefied. I am plotting. To explain; my plotting procedure can best be described with an analogy. Have you ever been out walking and seen a lovely clear field? The temptation to take a walk across it arises in your mind and before you know it, you strike out. At first it's not bad. There are puddles, but you go around them. Then, there is a little muck, but what the hey, you're sturdy! You've been here before, you can do it! And you proceed. But soon, alas, the mud thickens. You look ahead. Looks like a long way across, still, but you look back and it's about as far. Might as well go forward. So you slog on. And the muck thickens, though a f...

When I was first a glowy-eyed new writer (back in cave days, when I did not have my own internet connection - heck, my first novels were written long hand and transcribed on a typewriter by a better typist than I) I didn't really think about research as I sat down to write my first Regency romance. After all, I'd read every Jane Austen book there was... many times over. Also, I'd read hundreds of Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney novels. (Among other fabulous Regency writers) That was enough, right? Well, I rapidly found out it wasn't that easy. When my hero went to light a candle, how did he do it? With a match? When were matches invented? And that lord... is he a marquess, an earl, a viscount? What would others call him? Who would be introduced first, a lady to a lord or vice versa? I made a whopper of a mistake in titling my first book, Lord St. Claire's Angel, as it was kindly pointed out to me by a knowledgeable reviewer (who liked the book anyway) th...

I'm a big fan of writing that gives a strong sense of atmosphere. Some of the best books in the world feature places that seem so real to the reader, whether imagined or a true place, that the readers feel as though they have been there. Who has heard of Jamaica Inn who does not remember Daphne DuMaurier's rendition of it? And what would Wuthering Heights be without Emily Bronte's deft hand at delineating the Yorkshire moors? I suppose it is that kind of writing that influenced me in producing Darkefell Castle, the folly tower, the woods and Staunby Force in Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark . But atmosphere is much more than just describing places; it is also in reproducing the kind of terror we often experience when faced with the unknown and our darkest fears. Consider this piece early in the novel as Lady Anne Addison arrives at the imposing and masterful Marquess of Darkefell's estate late at night: ~ :: ~ As Anne walked, the darkness gradually became more profoun...

The Zodiac & Romance Yesterday's one year anniversary blog post got me to thinking about birthdays and anniversaries, all those signposts that we celebrate annually. And it reminded me that when I wrote my character descriptions for Lady Anne Addison and Lord Anthony Darkefell, I very deliberately chose birthdates for them. I don't know if I believe in astrology or not; I'm on the fence simply because though I am deeply skeptical of all things 'paranormal' (now you see why Lady Anne is the way she is) the traits seem so darn true to form. I am a Gemini (my birthday is coming soon!!), and the description for Gemini includes these traits: "Using their communicative skills, Geminis adapt to any situation they encounter... Geminis have clever tongues and develop an amazing ability to obscure the facts with stimulating and imaginative chatter." In other words, I 'fictionalize' a whole lot! That's me. Gemini's tend toward the writing and publ...

I am a romance writer . I am a mystery writer. The two sides of me have been battling for years and finally had it out, once and for all, when I was planning Lady Anne series. Which would win? Well, oddly enough, they decided to share a series, and the end result was Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark , Book 1 of the Lady Anne series, now available. I wondered from the outset whether I was taking a chance. Would romance readers embrace the mystery elements that are a strong thread in the series? Would mystery readers get impatient with the strong romantic undertones? Would paranormal fans be put off by the rationality of my heroine? Would readers of historical romance be offended by the gothic and paranormal touches that enliven the novels? In other words, was I trying to be too many things to too many people? I threw caution to the wind because ultimately, I came back to the central core of my beliefs about writing. I’m your average reader, in a lot of ways. As long as I write what I...

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is now available! I'm so pleased with the reviews this book, the first in a series, is getting. Publisher's Weekly says: Simpson (Awaiting the Moon) launches her Lady Anne historical mystery series with flair. Read through this blog and then comment to win yourself a copy! A couple of years ago I was happily writing paranormal romances, werewolves mostly, with a fallen angel thrown in for contrast. Paranormal is great stuff; you can make anything happen as long as you offer a good explanation and stay consistent. Who can tell you that your werewolves can’t transform any old time they want, not just at the full moon? But I'm a natural born skeptic. If someone told me there was a werewolf in the next room, I’d say, “Get me a leash and a pupperoni, ‘cause I’ll bet my argyle socks that werewolf is a husky or a malamute!” So… that’s where Lady Anne began, to be honest, with me, and my natural skeptical sarcasm. However… the Lady Anne series ...

Hi, all. First, let me introduce myself: I am a new author to Sourcebooks. My name is Donna Lea Simpson (aka Donna Simpson in my previous life as a Regency author with Zebra), and I write (mostly) historical romance. Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark , set in the Georgian era in England, will be released April First, no fooling! I thought for my first blog entry with the Casa Babes I would introduce the two main characters of the Lady Anne series, Lady Anne Addison and Lord Anthony Darkefell. A few weeks ago I was looking for something on Amazon.com… a review clip from one of my Regencies, maybe? And I came across a newer reader review of one of my older novelettes in an anthology called ‘Untameable’, one of the Zebra Regency themed anthologies. My story was entitled ‘A Rogue’s Rescue’. The heroine was Miss Ariadne Lambert, a spinster of humble appearance, but determination and grit. Jaimey Grant, the Amazon reviewer, said she gave my story five out of five for the heroine, and when ...