Sarah Tormey Blog » Rakish Heroes

Win an Advance Copy of Anna Campbell’s Captive of Sin

Sarah Tormey — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:20:11 +0000

Good news! In a follow up to last week’s post, I am thrilled to announce that Delilah Marvelle sold the first book in a new series to Harlequin as part of a three-book deal (details reported on Publisher’s Marketplace). Congratulations Delilah!

In more historical romance news, the acclaimed author of dark, sexy Regency historicals, Anna Campbell, is giving away a signed advance reader copy of her November release, Captive of Sin, to one lucky winner. To enter, email Anna with the names of the hero and heroine of Captive of Sin before August 30th, 2009. Click here to learn more about Anna Campbell’s latest (and for contest hints).

And if you haven’t read Anna Campbell’s Claiming the Courtesan, Untouched or Tempt the Devil, order your copies today! If you are a fan of Anna Campbell’s work, do you have a favorite? Have you already placed your pre-order for Captive of Sin? I have!

On Writing: Revisions, Revisions, Revisions

Sarah Tormey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:30:31 +0000

In light of some recent feedback, I took another look at the prologue to The Virtuous Courtesan. I loved the first few lines and even after dozens of readings, the scene still made me laugh. But still I wondered, could it be stronger? Could I write a more intriguing introduction? And that is when I realized that I’d been holding on to the old prologue like a mother terrified to part with her child on the first day of school.

I had revised the manuscript many times, without hesitating to take out scenes. I saved them all and hope to share some of them one day. Many of those deleted scenes brought me closer to my characters. Yet, changing the prologue was far more challenging. At first, I told myself that I would just test the revised version. Thus when I tried my hand at new drafts, I kept the new prologue in a separate word document. However, after working with the new prologue for a week, I decided I simply had to keep it. It grew on my to the point that I could not wait to share it. And I think that in the end my characters will be quite pleased with the changes!

If you would like to read my revised prologue, please visit my excerpts page.

Have you ever discarded a scene or section that you loved? Do you save your “deleted scenes”? Do you feel that those scenes helped you learn more about your work in progress or your characters?

A Rake, A Rogue, and A Scoundrel

Sarah Tormey — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:00:37 +0000

Rakes, rogues and scoundrels—yes, that pretty much sums up the to-be-read pile threatening to take over my nightstand at the moment. The trouble of course is finding the time (a problem I’m sure many find quite familiar). After hours of typing away, writing the next scene in my current work-in-progress, cooking, and laundry (the dirty clothes were threatening to overtake our apartment), not to mention the dry cleaning—which despite my instructions, refuses to walk itself out the door and down the street to the cleaners—the day seems to end before I’ve had a moment to so much as open the first book.

Although I believe the tides will change soon. The exciting new titles that went on-sale last week are far too tempting to languish on the pile for weeks collecting dust. Which new releases currently grace the top of my nightstand? Nicole Jordan’s To Romance a Charming Rogue, Sophie Nash’s Love with the Perfect Scoundrel and Tracy Anne Warren’s Tempted By His Kiss.

Perhaps tonight will be the night that I finally convince Puma, my Burmese cat, to do the dishes while I read to my heart’s content.

What’s on the top of your TBR pile? Even though my own pile continues to grow at an alarming pace, I am always looking for new additions!

An Overwhelmed Rake

Sarah Tormey — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:18:25 +0000

With the presents wrapped and the cookies baked, I’ve returned to my computer eager to work on my second novel featuring the rakish James Kingston, Duke of Thornhill. When I left the Duke of Thornhill, the poor man was decidedly out of his element. Instead of spending his days at his gentlemen’s club and his nights pursuing London’s leading courtesans, Thornhill was at home and admittedly, quite overwhelmed.

What could possibly overwhelm a wealthy, young rake? Family. To be precise, four teenage sisters and one stubborn aunt.

I find a rakish hero besieged by a gaggle of proper young ladies utterly amusing. How will the Duke of Thornhill return order to his life? Ah, this is where the fun begins! This is where one determined woman enters the scene and turns the rake’s life upside down.

I would love to hear your thoughts on rakes, overwhelmed or otherwise. What are some of your favorite rakish heroes? Is there a particular novel featuring a hero completely out of his element that you simply could not stop reading until the last page?

Rakish Heroes and Other Essential Ingredients

Sarah Tormey — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:10:23 +0000

Romance fans—myself included—often wonder where authors find their ideas. In part, I think this question stems from a desire to ensure their favorite authors will not run out of ideas.

In asking myself this question, I realized that I have always been drawn to the “bad boys” of the Regency period: the rakes, the rogues, and the scoundrels. My initial idea for The Virtuous Courtesan stemmed from my interest in rakish heroes. What would happen if my rakish hero met the one woman who ignited his passions—and possibly his heart—in his own element apart from the ton’s ballrooms, a place such as a courtesan’s home? And what if the woman happened to be an innocent young lady?

From these questions my hero and heroine were born—Nathaniel, the Earl of Abingdon, and Charlotte, the daughter of an earl intent on a love match. One question led to another and then another. Along the way I added a dash of mistaken identities, a pair of instructive courtesans, and a best friend who creates one wild scheme after another—with a mixture of hilarious and sometimes tragic results.

What began as a question about a Regency “bad boy” became a fully realized story. To learn more about Nathaniel and Charlotte’s story, please read the excerpt of The Virtuous Courtesan.

And I would love to hear your thoughts on Regency “bad boys!”