Get Lost in a Victorian Valentine

Be My Valentine 
by Jill Marie Landis

Picture Perfect

Emily Richardson, a female photographer, is the last thing Sam Tucker needs on his California cattle ranch. Emily wants to capture the rugged rancher’s life on film, but before he knows it, she’s stealing his heart. Sam’s determined to keep love out of the picture. Will he succeed? 

Faithful and True 

Michael Shaughnessey hasn’t laid eyes on Beth Waverly-Brown, his one true love, for seven years. Convinced she walked out on him because of his humble Irish heritage, Michael has tracked her to Colorado where she has become a Valentine artist. He is determined to force Beth to tell him the truth, but can he handle the hidden secrets of a heart willing to sacrifice all for love?

Why not start off the weekend by opening a Victorian Valentine with two historical romance novellas tucked inside? 

Be My Valentine reaches back to the Jill's historical romance roots, featuring two new heart-warming love stories with just enough heat to melt chocolate. Yum. So for less than it costs to buy one of those little bags of Ghirardelli Squares, you can give yourself a delicious Valentine’s gift.

Get Lost with a Best-selling Author

JILL MARIE LANDIS writes novels that earn distinguished awards and slots on national bestseller lists, such as USA TODAY's Top 50 and the New York Times Best Sellers Plus. She is a seven-time finalist for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award in Single Title Historical and Contemporary Romance as well as a Golden Heart and RITA Award winner. 

She resides in Hawaii with her husband. When she's not writing or sitting on the beach reading, she enjoys visiting with family and friends, raising orchids, working in her garden, occasionally quilting, but most of all dancing the hula. 

Some of her recent releases include the Irish Angels Series, inspirational historical romance from Zondervan, and MAI TAI ONE ON, TWO TO MANGO, and THREE TO GET LEI’D, the first three titles in her hilarious “Tiki Goddess Mysteries” set in Hawaii from Belle Books. 

Many of her backlist titles, such as her debut historical romance Sunflower, have recently been released as eBooks for a whole new generation to enjoy. 

Q&A

I can’t think of a better way to get lost this Valentine's weekend than in books by bestselling author Jill Marie Landis. She has long been one of my favorites. Fan Girl Moment: one of my IDOLS! I devoured all of her historical romances back in the day (I won’t say when because it would date both of us). Her work has inspired me and influenced my writing. So, thank you Jill Marie! 

E.E.: How often do you get lost in a book?

Jill: That depends on whether or not I’m working toward a writing deadline. If there is no due date looming I get really, really lost. I read on the beach, on the lanai, and sometimes before I fall asleep. If I’m on deadline, I only get to read in the morning while I have my coffee and maybe a few minutes at night. My favorite places to get lost in a book are outside. I have a big lanai outside our bedroom upstairs, which looks out over mountains with waterfalls. I read there and on the beach, which has resulted in quite a few sunburns if I forget about the time and keep reading.

E.E.: How did you come up with the story lines for the novellas in Be My Valentine?

Jill: My characters dictate the story lines, so I try to make my heroines true to life but I give them interests and occupations that would have made them stand out in the time period in which they live. I also choose occupations and interests for my heroes and heroines that I’d like to research as well as settings that I’ve been to or would like to know more about.

Emily, heroine in the novella Picture Perfect, is a female photographer. She travels to a ranch in the San Joaquin Valley in California to document daily life and naturally the hero is the rugged, handsome ranch owner. They butt heads from the moment they lay eyes on each other. I visited a working dude ranch in that area with other authors before this story was written.

In Faithful and True, the heroine Beth is a valentine artist. All of those lovely Victorian valentines were copied from paintings by artists and Faithful and True was a saying that was often included with images of doves, cherubs, hearts and flowers and lace. It was really fun researching the history of Valentines.

E.E.: Where else have your set your novels?

Jill: Actually, most of my early novels were set all over the American West; in Colorado, Wyoming, Texas and California. Others were set in Iowa, Louisiana, Kentucky, and the Caribbean. Though I’ve heard it makes good business sense to keep giving the readers the same setting or time period over and over again, unfortunately I get bored easily. I kept moving time periods and locales to keep myself interested. There came a point in time where I told myself that if I had to hang one more gun on one more cowboy I’d tear my hair out. Most recently I’ve been getting lost while writing a series of cozy mysteries set in the town where I live on the North Shore of Kauai.

Gotta Ask: What do you like best about being a professional writer? Least?

Gotta Answer: I love being able to work at home, choose my own hours and be my own boss. That’s true even though I write for a publisher—my ultimate boss. It all comes down to getting the work done on my own time. Some days I write all day and other days I don’t write at all. Some months I don’t write at all. Those are the times I tell myself I’m busy “filling up the well.” That way I don’t feel guilty for not working 9 to 5. Answering only to myself is the joy of being a writer. I’ve never missed a deadline. I know my limits. I usually write only one book a year.

What I like least about being a professional writer is promoting my work. It’s one thing to write a book—that’s the artistic side. It’s another to promote—that’s the business side and not my forte. Book signings, personal appearances, blogging, Facebook—all add up to time away from actually working—and throws me into a realm where I’ve always been uncomfortable. I don’t think I could sell a starving man bread. But I’ve come to the realization that an author has to get out there and be her own cheerleader if she wants to get her books into readers’ hands. So here I am! I have on my promotion hat today and I’m thrilled to get to chat with you for the next three days. 

Where you can find Jill Marie:

Website: www.jillmarielandis.com

Website: www.thetikigoddess.com

Facebook:www.facebook.com/jill.m.landis

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JillMarieLandisAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/JillMarieLandis

A Special Valentine's Gift from Jill Marie Landis

Comment and enter today's drawing for one of three great prizes from Jill Marie Landis: an autographed historical romance, an autographed cozy mystery or an eBook release of her classic debut novel, Sunflower.

Do you only read romance? If not, what else do you read? If so, do you only read one specific time period or subgenre?    (Examples: Historical, Inspirational, Paranormal, Contemporary, Suspense, Young Adult)

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