Amy Atwell's Ambersley

AMBERSLEY

Lords of London, Book One

An heiress to a fortune disguised as a gardener’s son. An heir to a dukedom who doubts his own legitimacy. Separated by status and their own well-guarded secrets, can they take their rightful places in Regency society and
find the love they deserve?

Traumatized by a blaze that killed her parents, young Johanna remembers nothing of her privileged past and remains ignorant of the dangers that surround her. She grows up among the servants, where she develops a sense of purpose that helps her survive the betrayal that unmasks her true identity. Once she is forced to take her proper place in Regency society as the highly sought heiress to the Ambersley fortune, she must defy the relatives who would make her a pawn in their struggle for power.

When Derek Vaughan inherits the dukedom, his dubious parentage makes it a sacrilege to accept. But touched by the ravaged estate and its destitute staff, he braves a society that once shunned him while he rebuilds Ambersley and guards it from his stepmother’s bankrupting clutches. He intends to grant the title to his half-brother when the boy comes of age, but Derek’s plans go awry from the moment the gardener’s apprentice—once his trusted young friend—is revealed to be not only an heiress of beauty and spirit, but the one woman who may finally capture his heart.

EXCERPT

ALL ABOUT AMY ATWELL

Award-winning and bestselling author Amy Atwell worked in professional theater for 15 years before turning from the stage to the page to write fiction. She now gives her imagination free rein in both contemporary and historical stories that feature smart women and noble men who find love while managing to mend their meddlesome families. Her manuscripts and books have earned her a Golden Heart® nomination, over 25 other contest finals and her self-published historical romance Ambersley has been featured on the Top 100 Books lists for both Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. An Ohio native, Amy has lived all across the country and now resides on a barrier island in Florida with her husband, two Russian Blues and a demon kitten.

FINDING THE ANSWERS
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?
AMY: As often as I can! All I have to do is open a book, and I'm usually oblivious to anything else around me.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
AMY: The first one I remember reading for myself was big picture book edition of The Night Before Christmas. I crayoned some of the pages. Despite that, I kept that book until a few years ago, when I sent it off to my niece. My other early reading memories were children's classics: Ferdinand the Bull, Make Way for Ducklings and Ping. Hmm, maybe that's why my next Cosmo Fortune book features a duck.

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?
AMY: Maybe not a traditional hero, but one who made a very real impact on me is Kathy Kidd. Kathy was a serious horseback rider and trainer. Working with a horse one day on a "reining pattern", the horse was backing up very quickly, tripped over itself and fell backwards on top of Kathy. Her pelvis was fractured in 5 places and she was in traction for 2+ months. Doctors told her she would never ride again--she would be lucky if she walked again. But Kathy was back on her feet and back in the saddle in about 6 months. She wasn't about to accept anyone telling her she could no longer do something she loved, something that defined her. I try to surround myself with possibilities instead of roadblocks.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
AMY: Beauty and the Beast. I love that the beast has to learn to accept himself and open himself to love.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
AMY: I'm addicted to old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Is that bad?

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?
AMY: My current series, The Lords of London has three very distinct heroes. Derek (from Ambersley) was a soldier who has become a duke. He carries a heavy sense of responsibility and he has to overcome a lot of doubts about whether he deserves the good things he's been granted in life. Harry (from Portman Square) treats life as a lark. He's clever and optimistic, the son of a wealthy tradesman, he's never needed a title. But he finds a darker side to his nature when he falls in love. St. John (from Worthing) is a stickler for tradition and wants no part of any scandal. But that doesn't stop him from helping those in need. I loved introducing all three of these men in Ambersley, and I look forward to more interaction between them in the next two books!

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?
AMY: The purring of cats.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?
AMY: I still have it! It was a short story called The Fate of the Glass Horse, and I wrote it for my high school creative writing class. I sometimes think about putting it up on my website, but I hate the
idea of taking the time to retype it into the computer. (Yes, I went to high school before computers!)

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
AMY: How's this for obscure? THE QUIET MAN featuring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It's my favorite because it sums up exactly the kind of story I like to write--a love story that's set within a family and/or community with a large cast of interesting and interrelated characters. A story with lots of points of view. A story that stirs deep emotions and laughter. The next three runners up would be Casablanca, Roman Holiday and The Bishop's Wife. All classic love stories where the guy doesn't get the girl and the lead characters go on to fulfill their destinies for the greater good. Such sacrifice is beautiful!
ANGI: Not obscure at all! And your reasons are lovely. I love that!

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?
AMY: Drinking wine. Not for breakfast, though. That's what chocolate is for. <g>

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Hello my good buddy! I'm so glad you finally joined us here on GLIAS. You recently took an extended cruise, unplugged (for the most part), and wrote. How was that feeling, did it influence your story and care to share one of your favorite pics?
AMY’S GOTTA ANSWER: It was a fantastic trip, two weeks cruising from Miami to Los Angeles via the Panama Canal. The weather was perfect, we saw dolphins and whales, and if I could have a writing office with a view of the ocean, I'd be all over it. Unplugging definitely helped open up my characters, and I resolved the issues I was having with my villain. I can't say that the trip influenced the story, but it a welcome breather. It reminds me how important it is to unplug the noise (whether it's the Internet or other distractions) and just WRITE.

FIND AMY:

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UP NEXT for AMY: 
PORTMAN SQUARE

A gentleman scorned. A lady compromised. A love that conquers all—even
marriage.

Harry Coatsworth has never wanted for anything. An accomplished diplomat with an engaging with and personal fortune, he's never coveted a title nor pined for a lady. When a chance meeting ensnares his heart, Harry must prove his worth not only to his love but to her powerful family. He never
expects to lose—least of all, his heart.

When Marianne Trevarthan, the youngest sister of the Marquess of Worthing, undertakes her first London season, she knows her family expects her to make an advantageous marriage. And although Harry captures her heart, circumstances push her into defying him and her family in one ill-judged
action that embroils her in scandal. Despite her ruined reputation, Harry offers marriage, but Marianne soon learns that a man, once scorned, can be cold, and it's up to her to reignite the love she knows they share and melt the ice that separates them.

PREVIOUS RELEASE by AMY: 
Lying EyesThe Daughters of Cosmo Fortune, Book 1
Carina Press, 2010
Available as ebook & audio book


AMY IS GIVING AWAY:
a signed print copy of Ambersley to North America Readers and a digital version of Ambersley OR Lying Eyes --winner's choice for her International giveaway.

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

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AMY WANTS TO KNOW:
I dubbed 2013 the Year of Living Dangerously (Again)--it's a year I'm challenging myself to take risks and do things I've always wanted to do or never dreamed I would do. The Panama Canal trip, running a half-marathon, riding a camel, and zip-lining are already crossed off my bucket list.

How about you--what's on YOUR bucket list? Maybe there's a story there…