Regan Walker's Best of the Regency with Callie Hutton!

Callie Hutton

Hi, all. Regan here. Welcome to the Best of the Regency! Today my guest is Callie Hutton, USA Today bestselling author of both Western Historical and Regency romances with “historic elements and sensory details” (The Romance Reviews).

Callie lives in Oklahoma with several rescue dogs, two adult children, a daughter-in-law, twin grandsons and her top cheerleader husband (although thankfully not all in the same home!). Living in the Midwest provides plenty of opportunities for Callie to pursue her interests: researching history, meeting readers, spending time with her adorable two year old twin grandsons, and discovering new adventures.

Be sure and comment on Callie’s interview (and leave your email) as she is giving away to three winners their choice of  any of the Marriage Mart Mayhem ebooks.

My interview of Callie:

 

What’s the first book you remember reading?

I know this wasn’t the first book, because I read this one in eighth grade. For some reason it always stuck with me, though. The name of the book was Binnie Latches On. It was about a young girl who didn’t quite fit in. I guess I was feeling the same way at that point in my life, and it spoke to me.

Where do you read and how often?

I ready everywhere. I have my Kindle and phone synced, so wherever I go I can read. I read in line at the supermarket, the bank, anywhere I have to wait. I also read at stop lights if the story has me mesmerized, and I’m bored staring at a red light.

What was the first story you remember writing?

The first thing I remember writing that wasn’t a school assignment was a play I wrote when I was in high school. It was a very funny story of a woman who is expecting to entertain her in-laws for dinner for the first time and she takes a friend’s tranquilizer, and it hits her the wrong way. She does a lot of stupid things. Also, her brother decides to leave home that night and comes to her house, and sits under the kitchen table, playing his guitar. I never did anything with it, buy it was fun to write.

What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

I love my fans. They are the reason I get up in the morning and write my stories. They would not be as much fun to write if no one read them. When I receive an email from a fan, it keeps me happy all day. Thank you so much, each and every one of you.

If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

I would do a lot of volunteer work. There are a lot of places that need help. Schools, soup kitchens, hospitals, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, things like that.

If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and

specifically why?

I would go to the late 1800s. I love London, New York and the Wild West at that time. I think it would be cool to see the way they dressed (much more dignified than today), how they acted, and things like that. I think it would be fun and romantic. Also, I write in that time period in both the American West and Victorian and Regency.

Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to

them, or let them influence your writing?

When I first started writing, I read my reviews, and after about the first five, or so, books, I stopped. I don’t read them now, just check to make sure my overall review rank is at least a 4. Reviews are a way for a reader to let everyone know what they think about an author’s book. If they like it, I feel good, if they don’t, I feel bad. Either way, it’s impossible for everyone who reads you book to like it. Tastes vary.

Why did you decide to write Regency Romances?

I decided to write regencies because I cut my historical romance teeth on Madeline Hunter, Mary Jo Putney, Tessa Dare, Julia Quinn and Stephanie Laurens. I started off my writing career with western historicals, but eventually wrote my first regency, and had a great time researching and writing it. From there I wrote the first in my Marriage Mart Mayhem series, The Elusive Wife, which didn't start out as a series. My publisher loved it so much, my editor asked me to turn it into a series. The Earl's Return is the final book in that series, and I've already started on my next series, Lords and Ladies in Love. The first book in Lords and Ladies in Love is Seducing the Marquess, to be released in October.

And if you have a favorite of your stories, which would it be?

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be The Duke's Quandary. Besides the interesting title, I loved my heroine, Penelope in that book. I had her make an appearance in several books in the series.

The Earl's Return:

 

Four years ago, Darius, the Earl of Redgrave fled London two weeks before his wedding to Lady Mary’s sister and married another woman. Now a widower, he has returned to seek a new wife. One woman catches his eye  . . .

At first, Lady Mary doesn’t recognize the handsome lord as the cad who ran out on her sister. After giving him the cut direct in a London ballroom, she finds herself running into him everywhere she goes, and fighting a forbidden attraction. Not only has Mary sworn off men, Redgrave is so very wrong for her. But she cannot stop thinking of his kisses. Redgrave means to stay away from Mary but it is impossible. Passion between two people who can never be together is a dangerous game

Excerpt:

When he reached Lady Mary, Miss Edgeworth was no longer there.

“I just saw Miss Edgeworth standing here with you. I’ve come to claim my dance with her.”

Lady Mary chewed her lower lip, a habit he’d never noticed before, but found endearing. “Oh, I’m so sorry, my lord, but she spilled champagne on her gown and left for the ladies retiring room to have it cleaned.”

Couples floated past them, swaying and dipping to the lilting strains of a waltz. He held out his hand. “Since my partner is unavailable, may I have the pleasure of this dance, Lady Mary?”

She stared at his palm as if she expected it to speak. Very slowly, she placed her gloved hand in his and raised her eyes to his face.

Callie loves to hear from readers and welcomes the opportunity to become friends, both in person or virtually. Keep up with her on her Website, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon.