Tag: Regency Era

Posted in Creekside Cafe, interview

Tea with Regency Author, Kelly Miller

Posted on by Sherri

Regency Author, Kelly Miller Visits the Creekside Café

Author Bio:

Award-winning author Kelly Miller is a native Californian and Anglophile, who made her first visit to England in 2019. When not pondering a plot point or a turn of phrase, she can be found playing the piano, singing, or walking her dogs. Kelly Miller resides in Silicon Valley with her husband, daughter, and their many pets.

http://mybook.to/CHMiller

Welcome Kelly Miller to Creekside Cafe. When you invited me to listen to your audiobook, Captive Hearts, I had just watched Persuasion on Netflix. At first the two were so similar it was difficult to remember what was the original and what was your interpretation. When I reached about the halfway mark I was delighted by your unique version of the story. You brought a little suspense and intrigue to the familiar tale. Do all of your books have intrigue or suspense?

Kelly: Hello, Sherri! Thank you so much for having me! I’m a big fan of suspense in books and movies! I try to add a nail-biting scene or two to all of my books. The most suspenseful of my published books is probably Accusing Mr. Darcy, with Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley, a close second. The least suspenseful of my books is A Consuming Love, mainly because it is a novella, and my publisher gave me a word count limit for it.

Sherri: For anyone who watched Persuasion on Netflix, and then picks up your book Captive Heart, what do you feel they will appreciate most?

Kelly: Well, if they are fans of historical fiction, then they will appreciate my adherence to language and customs appropriate to the Regency timeframe, something the Netflix movie did not do. They will also get a far better understanding of both Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth from my book, vs. the movie. And I think my storyline made for a more compelling tale.

Sherri: I agree. I believe your book gave a richer feeling of immersing us in that world.

As a reader and a lover of historical romance, I have to admit that I enjoyed the addition of suspense, I also really enjoyed your ending. I won’t give anything away but for me, you gave me a more satisfying ending than the movie. I felt all of the ends were tied up. How important is this to you as a reader, as well as a writer?

http://mybook.to/DTaHaP1

Kelly: While I can see the appeal of an ambiguous ending where readers can make their own interpretations, I would much rather read and write an ending that is both happy and satisfying.

Sherri: You describe yourself as an Anglophile, but I would also guess you are an Austenite as well. Are all of your books based on Jane Austen’s works.

Kelly: Yes, I am most definitely a big fan of Jane Austen! So far all of my writing is based on her works.

Sherri: Miss Austen was not as respected during her life as she is now. What is it about Jane Austen that still inspires authors to recreate her works all these years later?

Kelly: It’s amazing; I think her fan base continues to grow! She wrote during a time when it was not generally acceptable for women to have professions. Authors were an exception of sorts, but not really; Jane Austen published anonymously, so few people knew her to be an author. “Pride & Prejudice” is by far her most popular book, and it includes clever quotes, memorable characters, and a plot that is part social commentary and part fairy tale.

Sherri: What is the most difficult thing about recreating a classic versus writing a totally original work? What do the readers expect and what do you as an author hope to convey?

Kelly: It’s a huge responsibility to take these beloved characters and put them in new situations. Jane Austen fans have firm opinions and it is impossible to please them all. So, I write what I want to read and hope for the best. It is doubly difficult to write known characters in the Regency setting. While I write, I am constantly looking up the Etymology of words or phrases or researching customs, inventions, locations, or slang. I hope to provide a story in which Jane Austen’s characters are credibly depicted in a new and compelling plot.

Sherri: With so much happening in the world from our fears over ecology to ethnicity, where does historical fiction fit in the modern world?

Kelly: Historical fiction offers an escape to a world of the past, far away from the complications of today. Yet even back then, people had similar wants, desires, and fears, so we can relate to these characters.

Sherri: As writers, do you feel we have a responsibility to our community to represent the world we want to see or to shine a light to reflect the flaws of the one in which we live?

Kelly: I think my duty as an author is to entertain the reader; I am writing fiction and not history books. However, my MC’s reflect my personal values within the confines of what was acceptable in Regency. So, for instance, I would never have a MC who tolerates or encourages racial prejudice or animal cruelty.

Sherri: Do you have much chance to read for pleasure or are you like me, spend more time reading for duty, research or craft?

Kelly: I do a bit of reading each night. Since I have met so many wonderful authors on Twitter, I have expanded my reading so that I read most genres. While it is often pleasurable, I consider all reading to be research, because as I read, I take note of what I admire and what I would have done differently. It’s a fun exercise that helps keep my own writing fresh.

Sherri: It is difficult as an author to turn off that part of our brain and just read.

Who are some of your favorite authors, genres, or books?

http://mybook.to/AConsumingLove1

Kelly: Some of my favorites include Stephen King, Daphne Du Maurier, Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell, Agatha Christie, and Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.

Sherri: If you decided to write in a totally different genre, what would it be?

Kelly: Hmm, maybe horror? I don’t know. Darcy and Elizabeth have not let go of me yet!

Sherri: What is your favorite trope? To read or to write…

Kelly: I don’t have favorite or hated tropes. A good story, well-written is what I always crave.

Sherri: How difficult is it to develop characters from works already well-known, make them your own and still be true to the original?

http://mybook.to/AccusingMrDarcy1

Kelly: I believe it is harder to write a known character vs an original one. Most of my books have a combination of known and original characters. I am free to give the originals whatever tendencies I choose. But if I am writing a scene for Darcy, I strive to make him recognizable to readers who believe they “know” how Darcy would react.

Sherri: How do you start a new project? Are you a plotter, pantser or something in between?

Kelly: I’m an in-betweener; I’ve never written a full outline. Rather, I keep an idea in my head of the main idea or start of the story. I might have later scenes in my head too, but the rest fills in as I write.

Sherri: Your book, A Dutiful Son is due out anytime, tell us a little about your new release. Do you have a cover to share with us?

Kelly: Alas, no cover yet. In A Dutiful Son, my main alteration from the plot of “Pride & Prejudice” is that Darcy’s benevolent father, George Darcy is still alive. (In canon, Darcy’s father had passed away 5 years earlier, when Darcy was 22.) So, Darcy has benefitted from five years with his benevolent father and is a better-behaved person from the beginning. But a former family member’s betrayal induces Darcy’s father to alter his principles. Darcy will be torn between his father’s dictates and his growing sentiment for Elizabeth Bennet.

Sherri: If you enjoyed this interview with regency author, Kelly Miller, then follow her on social media and check out her published works. Her links are listed below. If you are an author and you’d like to visit me at Creekside Café, then email me at suspenseshewrites@sherrilhollister.com

Upcoming book A Dutiful Son or Kelly’s latest Captive Hearts

A Dutiful Son is my next release. I don’t have a release date yet, but it is another Regency variation of “Pride & Prejudice.”

My five published books are: 

Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic sequel with a touch of fantasy, Winner: Royal Dragonfly Book Awards and Indies Today Book Awards; Finalist: International Book Awards and Book Excellence Awards.

mybook.to/DTaHaP1

Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic variation, Recommended Read, Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.

mybook.to/MrDarcysPerfectMatch1

Accusing Mr. Darcy, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic mystery, Winner: Firebird Book Awards and Queer Indie Awards-Ally Division; Recommended Read: Author Shout Reader Ready Awards; Finalist: Wishing Shelf Book Awards and Mystery & Mayhem-Chanticleer International Book Awards.

mybook.to/AccusingMrDarcy1

A Consuming Love, a Pride and Prejudice Regency novella, Winner: Royal Dragonfly Book Awards; Recommended Read: Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.

mybook.to/AConsumingLove1

Captive Hearts, a Persuasion Regency variation, Winner: Author Shout Cover Wars.

mybook.to/CHMiller

My Amazon Author Page: 

author.to/KMiller

Kelly’s blog page is found at www.kellymiller.merytonpress.com, her Twitter handle is @kellyrei007, Instagram: kelly.miller.author, TikTok: @kellymillerauthor, and she is on Facebook: www.facebook.Author.Kelly.Miller

http://mybook.to/MrDarcysPerfectMatch1
Posted in audio books, Book Review

Who Wants to Marry a Duke

Posted on by Sherri

Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries Narrated by Beverley A. Crick

There are very few authors who I pre-order, Sabrina Jeffries is one of them. I love this series and was anxious to read it. It was worth the wait, another fabulous story.

Women of strength and substance people Jeffries’ novels, the latest heroine is chemist Miss Olivia Norley. When she offered to clean a stain from the new duke’s waistcoat at a party, Thorn, aka the duke of Thornstock, Marlowe Drake believes she set him up to get caught so they would have to marry. When she refuses his proposal, he misconstrues her reasons.

Years later the pair finds themselves teamed up when Thorn’s half-brother Grey needs a chemist to prove his father was murdered. The attraction is still there but Thorn’s secret could tear them apart.

Raised to believe that every young woman wants to marry a duke and will stop at nothing to catch one, Thorn is twice surprised when Olivia refuses him. What will it take for the beautiful and intelligent chemist to say yes?

Sabrina Jeffries makes the reader believe in possibilities. For a moment we can believe in a world where a young woman of the ton carries the necessary chemicals in her purse to clean wine from a vest. We believe in love at first sight. She even makes us believe in the strength of a young woman’s character that she would refuse a proposal not given with his whole heart. We also believe that love will win in the end, that the truth will come out and the bad guys will be punished.

I impatiently wait for the next story in The Duke Dynasty Series.  

Posted in audio books, Book Review, Uncategorized

The Forbidden Duke, a review

Posted on by Sherri

The Forbidden Duke by Darcy Burke Narrated by Marian Hussey

Second chances at a happy ever after don’t come around every day. For spinster Miss Eleanor Lockhart, suddenly homeless and in need of a situation, it is like a fairy tale come true when her new employer decides to re-launch her into society. Eleanor lost her chance for happiness as a young girl when a rogue ruined her and left her to take the brunt of society’s punishment. Ten years later, the leader of the gang of rakes and rogues, now reformed, has been commissioned by his stepmother to assist Eleanor in becoming the angel of the ton.

Titus St. John, Duke of Kendal, is the Forbidden Duke. After years of debauchery, he changed to become the man his father would be proud of, unfortunately, it was too late for Miss Eleanor’s reputation. What started out as a favor for his beloved stepmother quickly turns to something more. Who is saving whom in this lovely Cinderella story of second chances?

Darcy Burke does an excellent job of showing weakness without making her characters weak. We all have our flaws, but we do not have to be defined by them. This was definitely a story I would listen to over and over again, and a series I want to read in its entirety.  

Posted in Book Review

Review of Project Duchess

Posted on by Sherri

Project Duchess by Sabrina Jeffries, Narrated by Beverley A Crick

Grey, the duke of Greycourt avoids his aunt’s machinations to marry his cousin with the death of his stepfather. His oft widowed mother has summoned him and while reluctant to be around family, it is preferable than to be once again at the mercy of his aunt.

Grey doesn’t trust society, but he has no solace with his family. Estranged for years, he holds everyone at bay with his arrogance. Confronted with a woman who has suffered a similar past, is outspoken and spirited he finds himself attracted despite suspecting her of being involved in his stepfather’s murder.

Beatrice Wolfe embraces Grey’s family as her own. An orphan at the mercy of her lascivious uncle, she finds refuge with Grey’s mother and stepsiblings.

When his brother asks him to help discover who killed his father, Grey agrees to investigate Beatrice under the guise of helping his mother prepare her to make her society debut.

Neither believes themselves capable of receiving love and are reluctant to allow themselves to fall, but they fall hard for each other. Can they overcome the difficulties facing them as others threaten to steal their chance at happiness?

Sabrina Jeffries is one of my favorite authors, even as she deals with some difficult subjects, she brings her readers into the light with hope. This series appears to have an ongoing mystery with each of the duchess’ children finding love while trying to discover what may have happened with their fathers. I look forward to reading or listening to each book. If you like strong characters, especially strong female characters then you will fall in love with Ms Jeffries’ books. This one was one of her bests.

Posted in Book Review

Rogues Rush In

Posted on by Sherri

Rogues Rush In: A Regency Duet by Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell, narrated by Justine Eyre

His Bride for the Taking: When Sebastian, Lord Byrne begins distancing himself from his childhood friend’s sister, Mary Clayton takes matters into her own hands. After being left at the altar, Mary has no choice but to marry her brother’s best friend. This friends-to-lovers story has a lot of twists and turns. I loved it and found Mary to be a strong and capable female who knows how to manipulate life’s events to make the most of it. She is the type of woman who works to make the world fit her needs. A smart woman is a force of nature.

His Duchess for a Day: Some mistakes are worth repeating. Though Elizabeth Terry isn’t so sure she agrees when her husband finds her at a finishing school for young ladies. When he convinces her to return for a day to put marriage-minded mamas in their place, they are faced with the past and have to decide if they can keep from making the same mistakes twice.

Posted in Book Review

Christmas Revels V

Posted on by Sherri

I have been a fan of the Christmas Revels anthologies since the first one. As a fan of Hannah Meredith’s historical romances, I greedily bought the first book. Shortly afterwards, I discovered Kate Parker’s Victorian Book Sellers’ series. I have become a fan of these writers and especially look forward to their Christmas stories.

Each year I have bought the Revels. This year I was given an ARC for an honest review. That is not difficult to do as I have truly enjoyed seeing what these awesome writers were going to put together. One or two stories would usually stand out as my favorites, but with each new anthology it has become increasingly more difficult to choose which ones gain that title.

In Anna D. Allen’s Mr. Hunt’s Christmas Caller, we have a very unlikely hero. I loved this story because the hero and heroine were not perfect. Mattias Hunt is not the most handsome, nor the strongest personality. He is somewhat blind to the great lady, Constance Blackwell, who has always been kind to him. When terrible weather brings them together it seems they cannot get a break. Fate continues to pull them apart if Mr. Hunt allows it. In order to find love and to be loved, one must be strong enough to fight for it.

The Christmas Gamble by Kate Parker has a bit of mystery to it, no surprise there, Kate loves a great mystery and writes them too. Lizzie Hancock is full of hope as she and her guardian travel to meet her betrothed, the Earl of Stonebrook during the Christmas season. Her future home is beautiful but something isn’t quite right and this time, it isn’t her guardian’s gambling debts. From the curious staff who can’t tell her exactly when her fiancé will be returning, to his leaving so close to her arrival, followed by the surprise return of her intended’s brother, Gabriel Waters. Unraveling this Christmas mystery and staying a few steps ahead of the drunkard, Lord Grambling, Lizzie and Gabriel must depend upon their friends to find their happy ending.

Hannah Meredith’s The Gnome and the Christmas Star is a joyful story of second chances. The Dowager Viscountess Lyndon, Sophia never expected to be caught up in her own machinations. The plan to give her youngest stepson something to do with his life after losing his arm in the war, wasn’t supposed to include her. Second chances are only offered for a limited time, and one must be brave if they are going to accept them. As Sophia learns to live and love, she teaches others that they too can have their happy ending, if only they believe.

 

The final story, A Perfectly Ridiculous Christmas by Louisa Cornell is a bit of a Christmas farce as three good friends seek to find a wealthy bride for their widowed friend. Life rarely happens according to one’s plans, especially if one adds in three precocious little girls and a menagerie of angry kitties, a lie that keeps growing and an attraction that won’t go away. Valerian, Viscount Keynsham has been managing his friends for years but he is about to meet his match in Lady Catherine Chastleton. This is a story of love and friendship that extends to all of the characters. It is love that begins the crazy farce and love that brings about their happy ending.

 

If you love regency romances and Christmas, check out Christmas Revels V, and if you haven’t read their other anthologies, I can recommend them as well.

Posted in Book Review

Christmas Revels IV, another successful anthology

Posted on by Sherri

Christmas Revels IV : Four Regency Novellas

by: Anna D. Allen, Hannah Meredith, Kate Parker, and Louisa Cornell

I have been a fan of all the Christmas Revel Anthologies. Each year I am surprised by the excellence these authors exude.

Anna Allen captured my heart with her story, The Sergeant’s Christmas Bride. Ms. Allen managed to give her readers a heroine who was both strong and vulnerable. Elizabeth FitzWalter is a woman of courage and determination and Sergeant Jacob Burrows is the hero she doesn’t realize she needs.

After her brother dies she inherits the title and all the burdens and responsibilities that come with it. Jacob is surprised by her proposal but he is determined to live up to what his friend, Matthew FitzWalter would want him to be.

This couple should not be together and yet, they are a perfect fit. A truly beautiful love story.

I have enjoyed reading Ms. Allen’s stories but I feel this has been her best so far. I can hardly wait to see what she writes next year.

 

Home For Christmas by Hannah Meredith was a fun story of second chances and hope. Charity Fletcher was doomed to be a spinster dependent upon the largesse of her family until a surprise inheritance gave her the prospect of a different future.

When Colonel Lord Gilbert Narron rented a house in the wilds of Bristol he didn’t expect it to already be occupied. The new owner isn’t willing to give up her independence and he is unwilling to leave this temporary haven.

They manage to find a way to share the old house. While Gil devotes time and money into making the much-needed repairs, Charity searches for clues as to why she was named in a stranger’s will.

Adventure and attraction become too great a temptation. Ms. Meredith has us flipping pages to learn whether they allow themselves to be pulled apart or they give into the desires simmering in the fires of winter.

I’ve been a fan of Hannah Meredith’s for several years and she hasn’t let me down. I look forward to Christmas Revels V and whatever else these ladies write.

 

I was not surprised that Kate Parker’s novella, A Memorable Christmas Season started with a dead body. I was surprised that she had three romances intertwined in this wonderful holiday story.

Like an onion, we peel off another layer to learn the juicy details of this rich romantic mystery. Young love, first love and undying love are all represented. Susanna Dunley is the Dowager Countess but when her first love, Will Marsden the Earl of Keyminster sees her with a dead man in her parlor, she is once again the young girl who loved him.

Will Marsden has spent years as a spy and now he is a master of the art. He knows Susanna is hiding something but he is still willing to risk it all to save her. The story is revealed with seduction and banter as old friends rediscover each other and learn what has led to the murder of a traitor.

A mother’s love, friendship and the power of true love overcome all the evils to bring hope to a new year. Kate Parker is the master of layering plot and character to lead us through the maze to discover the truth of the story. I am a fan of her mysteries, especially her “Deadly Series”.

 

Louisa Cornell makes me laugh and makes me cry and keeps me turning pages well after my bedtime in her novella, A Perfectly Unforgettable Christmas. Ms. Cornell weaves mystery and romance with the added twist of a great supporting cast.

Viscount Debenwood, Lucien Rollinsby’s butler, Redford and his dog are only outshined by the little girl, Lily who steals his heart (and mine) and brings her mother, Lady Caroline McAlasdair into his seclusion.

Lily is precocious and unable to stay away from the grumpy viscount nor his little dog, Bonaparte. Like her mother, she is able to see the good man hiding in a haze of alcohol and guilt.

Love heals and Caroline McAlasdair has the Midas touch turning even the worst situation into a chance for happiness and beauty. Without even trying, she and her daughter give Lucien new hope but she too holds a secret and it might be the very one to send him over the edge.

This ensemble of rich characters makes the story come alive. I can hardly wait to see what Louisa Cornell does next. I am a fan, I hope I don’t have to wait a whole year to read another of her fabulous stories.

 

 

Posted in Book Review

Again, My Lord (Book Review)

Posted on by Sherri

Again, My Lord
A Twist Series Novel
By: Katherine Ashe

Inspired by the movie Groundhog’s Day, Ms. Ashe turned this story on its head and sent it back in time to the Regency Era. I found myself laughing, crying and falling in love. I screamed at the characters trying to get their attention and tell them what they needed to know to find each other.
Imagine miscommunication at its finest. Societies’ moors, personality differences and insecurities rip two people apart only to thrust them back together again during a terrible storm. A statue of Aphrodite comes to life and her perverse attempts at matchmaking and enlightenment, twist and turn this hapless meeting into a trial of self-discovery and growth.
As Calista relives the same day over and over and over again, she must find a way to survive mentally, emotionally and spiritually. What would you do if you had only one day to make a difference? Faced with being trapped in this small town, with the one man she’s always loved, away from her family, Calista must discover the key to tomorrow.
Can Calista and Tacitus overcome all the obstacles set before them to find their happily ever after. Ms. Ashe believes in happy endings but beware the ride is filled with many curves, bumps and a crazy Greek Goddess is at the reigns.
Read Again, My Lord, you won’t regret it but be warned, you may have a few sleepless nights until you finish it!

Posted in Book Review

Christmas Revels: A Regency Christmas Anthology

Posted on by Sherri

Christmas Revels: A Regency Anthology
Christmas Revels is an anthology of four Christmas novellas set in Regency England. It is the Christmas gift you give yourself. It is a wonderful, eclectic collection of holiday inspired stories that would even fill Scrooge with the Christmas spirit. Anna D. Allen, Hannah Meredith, Kate Parker and Louise Cornell made the Regency a fresh and exciting adventure.
Anna D. Allen’s “A Light in Winter or The Wicked Will” is a lovely, heartwarming story of second chances and the power of one little light in the darkness. Romance comes in different styles, this gentle, insightful story is filled with honor, strength and hope. When Connor Grayson becomes the new Viscount Roxbury he never expected to have all of his dreams come true. When his uncle provides one more obstacle as simple letter can make the difference between happiness and betrayal. Convincing Katherine Woodbridge to be his bride will take more than the promise of riches and finally having a home of her own, it will take an act of faith. This story wraps you in a warm blanket and reminds you of all the things that make this time of year so magical. You’re never too old for romance, never too old to hope.
As a fan of Hannah Meredith the person and the author I saved this story for last and she did not disappoint. “The Lord of Misrule” is a funny, poignant story of true love. Best friends compete for the love of the same woman, one has been expected to marry her since childhood and has yet to ask for her hand, the other left home when he was denied the chance to win her. Viscount Hayhurst, Martin Tate returns to England and allows his friend to convince him to be the ‘First Foot’, the first visitor after the stroke of Midnight on New Year’s, a tall man is believed to bring good luck but when Martin arrives all hell breaks loose and he is blamed. He is then given the task of being the Lord of Misrule for Twelfth Night. Unrequited love, parental expectation, honor and friendship dance through this house party filled with a kaleidoscope of personalities as in character Martin turns the house party on its head and valiantly attempts to win the heart of the fair Alice.
“A Perfectly Dreadful Christmas” by Louisa Cornell is anything but dreadful. Love expressed in so many ways, when her brother’s friends attempt to fulfill his dying wishes and protect his sister, Lizzie, she finds that the ordinary Christmas she has planned is anything but. From wounded servants to the woman heavy with child who arrives on a donkey, impassable roads and painful truths this Christmas is quickly turning into perfectly dreadful.
Can love find its way through the darkness and pain of loss? True love and the spirit of Christmas makes this the most amazing story of soul wrenching agony to heart soaring joy. Friendship, honor, grace and faith make this first published work by Louisa Cornell so amazing and definitely the first of many.
“God Rest You Murdered Gentlemen” by Kate Parker is a fun, house party mystery full of entertaining guests with a lot of reason to commit murder. Newly weds Count and Countess Hunter have little time to explore the joys of marriage with the holidays and their many obligations, add in a murder and they barely have time to sleep. This young couple makes a great sleuthing team as they use their strengths to conduct an investigation to protect their guests and the family name.
If you’re looking for a fun read during the holidays. Something to get you in the mood or give you a break from the chaos then you need to read Christmas Revels. The best gift you can give yourself.