This Blog is All About Men in Kilts!

The Great Kilt

Have you ever wondered about the origins of the kilt? Especially how the tartan was folded and worn? I think the demo takes place in the great hall of the Royal Palace, Edinburgh Castle. If you have the time, this is entertaining and informative.

Formal Kilt w/Bow Tie

The kilt ensemble most often seen at weddings or other formal affairs.

Modern Prince Charlie Style Kilt

Another popular look for weddings and formal receptions. Needless to say there are a number of accessories that accompany the wearing of a kilt. The sporran, hose and flash, neckties and sashes, Ghillie Brogues, Spats, and of course the Sgian Dubhs (dagger) which is slipped under the hose cuff.

Formal kilt looks by MacGregor MacDuff

Drummer Kilt

Piper's or Drummer's Doublet Jacket. Check out those epaulettes!

 Modern Informal Kilt

An updated look featuring an open shirt with lace trim.

Street Kilt

This is the everyday kilt look you see on the streets in Edinburgh.

Modern Leather Kilt

No accessorizing required with torso above.

The Military Kilt

No matter what kind of kilt, underwear is optional, if not discouraged! 

Question for Commenters:

Do you have a favorite kilt look? Please share! I'm giving away a signed copy of A Private Duel wit Agent Gunn to a one lucky commenters chosen at random.

Purchase links:

B&N     AMAZON     BAM!     BOOK DEPOSITORY      INDIEBOUND

Jillian's Contact Information:

 Website  Facebook  Twitter

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Character Notes for the Hero and Heroine of A Private Duel with Agent Gunn

A Hero with Soldier’s Heart
A rare glimpse at Finn's smile.

One of the things I get to do as an author is endow my heroes......with personality traits! LOL!  I enjoy giving them quirky mannerisms, expressions, as well as charming lopsided smiles (see above). Every hero has a unique sense of humor–as well as physical traits, like how muscular, how tall, or how long he wears his hair–unkempt mane or neat and well-groomed?

Most importantly, my heroes must have flaws, at the very least, weaknesses. Otherwise, these Gentlemen of Scotland Yard are just not interesting enough, not for me anyway. Beyond the demands of the cases they are working on, I want them to overcome, or at least confront, some personal challenges. 

I dug through some of my early character notes on Agent Gunn and thought I would share some of them with blog readers. Enjoy!

Name: Phineas “Finn” Gunn aka Hugh Curzon (uses Curzon working undercover)

Age: 31

Physical Characteristics: Big Scot 6’2” Thick, waves of dark hair, a bit longish, more of a wild mane. Likes to ride, so is often seen in tall boots and a long, great coat. 

Personality Traits: Can be cool, even aloof, but has reasonably good social skills. He does not suffer fools, prefers the company of his brother and few close friends. At one time Finn was a bit of a rake, but has settled in with a mistress. A risk taker in the field, he is always several moves ahead of his enemies. He is also brave to fault, which is how he gets injured.

Education: Trinity College, University of Oxford

Skills: Marksman (with a name like Gunn, he has be) bruising rider, cunning, intelligent–a top notch criminologist. 

Avocation: A talented writer of crime fiction as well as scholarly works in the field of forensic science. When he is feeling well enough, he accepts uncover assignments from both Scotland Yard and the Admiralty.

Hobbies: Fencing lessons twice a week. He also has an interest in gemology, which has grown into a lucrative appraisal business–more of a side business.

Faults: His is an acute recluse at times, due to a pitiable condition called Soldier’s Heart. Finn was stationed in the Northern Territories of India, and fought in Afghanistan during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. On patrol in Afghanistan he and his men were captured and tortured. 

Notes on Soldier’s Heart: Doctors used to call it shell shock, soldier's heart, or nostalgia. Soldiers would shake uncontrollably, experience heart palpitations, or go blind after witnessing trauma on the battlefield. From as far back as ancient Greece, history reveals the psychological toll of war on soldiers. Today we call the condition post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Greek historian Herodotus describes an Athenian warrior who became blind when a soldier standing next to him was killed during the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.

The condition called Soldier’s Heart was first described by an American civil war surgeon and was thought to be an actual heart malady, likely because of the rapid, erratic pulse.

A Ballerina Heroine.

Or is she also a jewel thief, as well as a clever spy?

When I imagined the heroine for this tale of romance, espionage and adventure I knew I had to make her every bit as intelligent and talented as Agent Gunn. Here are a few of my notes on Cate:

Name: Cate Willoughby aka Catriona de Dovia (stage name)

Age: 24-ish

Physical Characteristics: Statuesque, with a dancers body which means she is strong and flexible. Raven hair, striking blue eyes, and a well-defined cupid’s bow that drives Finn wild.

Personality Traits: When she is angry she goes off in Spanish (a la Ricky Ricardo) Fiercely independent, Cate can be impulsive at times, and though she claims she not an adventurer, she is often daring. She has a bohemian, artistic streak, as well.

Faults: Major trust issues. Somewhat of a loner. She fears getting close to anyone, especially after recently losing her only brother and her dear departed uncle. She has lost every one she has ever loved.

Avocation: Dance, thievery and spying.

Education: Paris Opera Ballet School

Back Story: Born to a British father and Spanish mother, Cate Willoughby is both a proper young English lady, and a hot tempered Catalan beauty. She also happens to be the inheritor of a near bankrupt estate. And as for Miss Catriona de Dovia? She is a celebrated prima ballerina as well as an anarchist sympathizer. Or might she be an infiltrator? Or scheming operative?

I am not a spoiler, but this is what I can say about A PRIVATE DUEL WITH AGENT GUNN: I have endeavored to write a love story between two clever protagonists, who have constructed false identities and employ a number of devious and cunning skills to solve the case. One of them even manages to fool the other right up to the very last pages of the novel!

Sh-h-h! I can say no more.

Question for Commenters:

Cover model Paul Marron portrays Agent Gunn. I'm told he is just about the hottest cover model going and has a legion of fans. Do you have a favorite romance cover model? If so, please share him!

I’m giving away a signed copy of A PRIVATE DUEL WITH AGENT GUNN to one lucky commenter today.

Purchase links:

B&N     AMAZON     BAM!     BOOK DEPOSITORY      INDIEBOUND

Jillian's Contact Information:

 Website  Facebook  Twitter

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Stuffed in an Armoire with Agent Gunn...in a Kilt...

Cate and Finn's adventure begins with a double cross and crackles with secrets, lies and sexual tension. The crime is clear–breaking and entering each other's hearts–but as the clock ticks down, who will be the first to surrender?

I’m not sure how many readers of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series know this, but nearly all of the Special Branch detectives are Scots. However, not one of them has worn a kilt...until now. 

Those readers who enjoyed An Affair with Mr. Kennedy, might recall a story Mr. Kennedy told at dinner about kilts and bare naked arses, but Zak Kennedy never actually wore a kilt in the novel. And Rafe Lewis, daring-do detective of A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis was a peer of Scotland, and yet the right opportunity to put a kilt on him never presented itself. By the third novel of the series, I was getting inpatient with myself. I was the writer/creator of all these handsome, strapping, Scotsmen and I had yet to write a sexy kilt scene! 

So, I made up my mind that this would be the book. In A Private Duel with Agent Gunn, Phineas Gunn not only wears a kilt, but the heroine gets to do some exploring. Before I share an excerpt of the kilt scene, here’s a blurb about the story:

Prima ballerina Catriona de Dovia lives the glamorous life of a starlet, filled with glittering jewels, sumptuous dinners, and admiring suitors. She’s grown up considerably since losing her heart to Hugh Curzon once upon a time, no longer wasting her emotions on the empty promises of charming gentlemen. On her own since the untimely death of her parents, she will do anything for the only family she has left: her brother, a notorious anarchist.

Scotland Yard Agent, Phineas Gunn–sometimes known as Hugh Curzon–receives his new assignment reluctantly. He’s up for something a little more strenuous than playing nanny to a ballerina, until he sees who his charge is. Then, it’s a completely different story, because he’d been unable to forget the trusting, beautiful Cate since he had to leave her behind in Barcelona. And he suspects Cate is more than a ballet girl–in fact, she just might be a jewel thief, or even more arousing–a clever undercover operative.

Finn is determined to find out as the two race across the Continent–by land, by sea, even through the air by zephyr–it becomes uncertain who is keeping tabs on whom, and Finn and Cate must battle the sexual tension that snaps and sizzles between them every step of the way.

Free chapter read

Allow me to set up the kilt scene without being a spoiler. As you know from the blurb, there is a bit of jewel thievery–or jewel “recovery” going on. Finn believes the jewels may be financing a group of Spanish anarchists–Cate assures him they part of her deceased uncle’s estate, and rightfully hers. Suffice it to say, the hero and heroine find themselves in Lady Lucinda Sutherland's boudoir, rummaging in her jewelry safe, until they are interrupted by Lucinda and her lover. A giggle and squeal accompany the groan of bedsprings. Finn opens up a wardrobe, pushes Cate in, and dives inside...

If you'd like to know whether Finn is bare arse naked under that kilt, click the link below and enjoy a caper with Agent Gunn. 

Click for Excerpt Link

QUESTION FOR COMMENTERS:

If you could play Cate for one chapter with Agent Gunn, what kind of scene would you enjoy most? (Besides the obvious one) A. Get stuffed in an armoire with Finn B. Break him out of prison  C. Escape in an airship  D. Teach Finn a ballet lift  E. Dance a waltz. I’m giving away a signed copy of A PRIVATE DUEL WITH AGENT GUNN to one lucky commenter today. 

Purchase links:

B&N     AMAZON     BAM!     BOOK DEPOSITORY      INDIEBOUND

Brief Author Bio:

Jillian Stone is the author of the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series, which includes The Seduction of Phaeton Black, and the just released, The Moonstone and Miss Jones. The third sequel, The Miss Education of Doctor Exeter, is scheduled to release in summer 2013. Jillian is also the author of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series. Watch for A Private Duel with Agent Gunn in late November!

Jillian's Contact Info: 

 Website  Facebook  Twitter

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Little White Lies and Dirty Rotten Villains...what fun!

A Scoundrel drives a hard bargain...

Spirited and determined to protect her young brother at any cost, Lisette Lavigne is desperate to flee New Orleans. There’s only one ship sailing to England, though, and the rakish Captain Daniel Hillary will only allow Lisette’s family aboard for a steep price…

But a lady always gets the upper hand...

Daniel prides himself on running a tight ship, and he knows a lady will be nothing but trouble on a long voyage. Yet he can’t help but break his own ironclad rules when Lisette persuades him that being gentlemanly just this once is his wisest course of action…

Samantha Grace made her debut earlier this year with Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel. Her newest regency romance, Miss Lavigne’s Little White Lie, received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, and she did a happy dance in her kitchen. Samantha lives with her husband, their two tenacious kids, and an endless parade of characters that inhabit her imagination. You can connect with Samantha at: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Lady Scribes | Website

How to Pick Your Dream Villain:

Who doesn’t enjoy a dirty, rotten villain? Whether his actions are chaotic and unpredictable or calculating and callous, there’s no question he’s a real bad boy at heart. But how do you know which villain is right for you? Well, worry no more. I’ve devised a simple quiz that will help you determine which memorable villain will make all your bad dreams come true.

How would you describe your dream villain?
a. Tall, dark and mysterious
b. Hot-tempered hottie
c. A foodie
d. A real clown

Your perfect bad boy’s idea of a romantic evening involves:
a. Stargazing and blowing up a planet or two
b. A night on the town. Just you, him, and his “little friend”
c. An impromptu flight to a tropical island for dinner
d. Staying home and doing each other’s make-up

Your villain wants some sexy time. How does he let you know?
a. He calls you unexpectedly and breathes heavily into the phone
b. He dons an extra shiny gold chain and low cut polyester shirt.
c. He compliments you with “You look scrumptious.”
d. He tells a ribald joke then laughs manically.

If you answered mostly…

A – Your perfect villain is Darth Vader. He tends to be a perfectionist, so beware. Disappoint him and you might find yourself in an invisible chokehold. Yet, despite his hard outer shell, he’s really a softie inside. May the force be with you.

B – You’ve chosen Scarface. This Latin lover can’t properly pronounce cockroach, but don’t let his comical accent and big brown eyes fool you. He’s trouble with a capital T.

C – Hannibal Lector has been known to play mind games on occasion. If you’ve chosen this bad boy, proceed with caution. His bite is much worse than his bark.

D – If you’ve been looking for a villain with an unusual sense of humor, The Joker is your man. His favorite things are bad jokes, cherry red lipstick, and rambling speeches. His obsession with taking over Gotham City may get tedious at times, but all good villains have their foibles. It could be worse.


One of the things that make Darth Vader, Scarface, Hannibal Lector, and The Joker so memorable is how over-the-top they are. They are eerie and frightening, but also a little laughable. I was thrilled to have a chance to create my own version of an over-the-top villain in MISS LAVIGNE’S LITTLE WHITE LIE. Louis Reynaud is Miss Lavigne’s betrothed, and he’s bad news. But aside from being rotten to the core, he has a few quirks that made him incredibly fun to write. One of those is his grandiosity and obsession with predatory animals. His grandfather was “something of a scholar” and studied animals, reptiles, and amphibians. When Louis was a boy, he poured over his grandfather’s logbooks, engrossed in his grandfather’s crude drawings and his own imagination.

Here is an example of how his obsession comes into play in the story:

Reynaud hovered in the darkened street, keeping watch on number 17 Curzon, as stealthily as the king of beasts hunting in the night. The almighty lion possessed brawn, agility, speed, and a nice head of hair. Reynaud swept a hand over his own slicked-back locks and smiled.
Very nice, indeed.
The lion’s prey stood little chance of survival once he set his sights on them. His domination was unavoidable.
The flickering lights from the upstairs windows extinguished. Tonight Lisette and Serafine burrowed under their covers, believing themselves to be safe. On the morrow, they would lose their protector. Captain Hillary hadn’t planned to take the women with him as Reynaud had feared when he’d learned the Cecily was preparing to set sail.
The ladies would be at the lion’s mercy.
A bolt of exhilaration flew through his limbs and left him trembling with agitated anticipation. Another known fact about the lion: he boasted superior sexual prowess, sometimes copulating as many as one hundred times in twenty-four hours. The dominant male got his fill of the females in his pride.
But first, he must seize his letters. After all, the threat of swinging from the gallows tended to interfere with one’s lustful urges.

Despite his tendency toward the ridiculous, he is a real threat to the hero and heroine, and he adds excitement to the story. Today one Get Lost in a Story reader will have a chance to win a print copy of MISS LAVIGNE’S LITTLE WHITE LIE and see how villainous Reynaud can be. (US and Canada only) Just answer this question: What memorable villain sticks out in your mind, and what makes him so dastardly? Remember to include your email address along with your comment.


***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Melissa Cutler's debut release, The Trouble with Cowboys

The Trouble with Cowboys

Melissa Cutler

Cowboys have never been good for Amy Sorentino. First her hard-riding father bankrupted the family farm. Then her all-hat-no-cowboy boyfriend sold her out on national television, ending her promising career as a chef. Now she and her squabbling sisters have partnered up in a final attempt to save their land by starting an inn and local restaurant. So it figures that with everything on the line, Amy’s key supplier is just the kind of Stetson-tipping heartbreaking bad boy she’s sworn to avoid. But Kellan Reed has a few secrets of his own–and cowboy or not, Amy can’t resist his kind of wild ride…

The Trouble with Cowboys hits stores October 2^nd.

Hey everyone, Jillian Stone here. I'd like everyone to welcome Melissa Cutler to Get Lost in a Story. I know Melissa from RWA San Diego and am so excited that she is here at GLIAS to promote her debut release, The Trouble with Cowboys. Melissa sold two manuscripts last year, the other is Seduction Under Fire, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, coming October 16th!

Melissa Cutler is a Southern California native living in beautiful San Diego. She divides her time between her dual passions for writing sexy, small town contemporaries for Kensington Books and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin. Find out more about Melissa and her books at www.melissacutler.net or write to her at cutlermail@yahoo.com. You can also find Melissa on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MelissaCutlerBooks ) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/m_cutler).

Buy links:

Amazon      Barnes & Noble     Books-a-Million      IndieBound 

The Importance of Annoying Your Siblings

When I told my husband and kids over breakfast that I was writing a blog post called "The Importance of Annoying Your Siblings," my seven-year-old son perked up. "I know how to annoy sissy!" he exclaimed proudly. Sissy would be his nine-year-old sister. "What is it?" she asked him. "I'm not going to tell you" was his answer.

"That's not fair! Tell me what it is right now!"

Son: "No. It's a secret."

Sissy was outraged. A huge fight ensued, ending when Sissy stomped off in a huff.

And all I could think was, Well played, son. Well played.

Besides having two kids, I also have a younger brother (That's us in the photo. Are we cool or what?), and therefore consider myself a bona fide expert on sibling tiffs. So when I sat down to write about the dynamic between Amy, the heroine of The Trouble with Cowboys, and her two sisters, I knew that teasing and bickering would definitely be a factor. Especially between Amy and her older sister, Rachel, whose personalities have always clashed.

You see, as opposed to Amy's free-spiritedness, Rachel is a no-nonsense farmer. When a heifer belonging to the hero (who's in the doghouse for keeping a secret from Amy about his identity) wanders onto the sisters' property, Amy and Rachel have very different ideas on what to do with it. Rachel wants to butcher it and have steaks for dinner—which, in her world, was why the cattle was raised in the first place—but Amy has a different idea. Check it out…

from The Trouble with Cowboys:

Amy heard the creak of the front door opening, followed by Kellan's deep-voiced "Hello?"

"In the kitchen," she called.

He walked up behind her and kissed her neck. "You've got a new member of the welcome committee out front, a real friendly lady."

"I do?"

He grabbed a stalk of celery and straddled a chair backward. "About yay big, brown eyes, brown hair. Flowers in her ear."

Amy glanced sideways at him, smiling, and set her knife aside. "That's Tulip."

Kellan took a bite of celery. "Never seen one of my cows look so fancy before."

"She wandered over last week and I was too mad at you to call you about it."

"And the flowers?"

She scooped celery into a mixing bowl. "Those are to annoy Rachel."

"Did they do the trick?"

"You betcha. Check out the picture in the downstairs bathroom."

He wandered from the room. A minute later, his hoot of laughter shook the walls. Guess he approved of the framed photo hanging over the toilet of Tulip in all her flowery glory.

He took his seat again. "That's a photograph for the ages. I bet Rachel blew her top when she saw it."

"She's taken it down and destroyed it four times. Little does she know that Walmart had a special on picture frames, so I picked up a dozen. She takes one picture down, I put a new one up."

"That's right sisterly of you."

Amy sat next to him. "It is, isn't it?"

I love writing about siblings because despite the way they get on each other's nerves, there's an underlying bond of love that's unbreakable. Well, I mean, I'm never going to forgive my little brother for putting that flying beetle on my back right where I couldn't reach it when I was ten, but I still love him and would do anything for him.

I'd love to hear from you about your experience with sibling annoyance. Do you have siblings? What have they done to annoy you (or vice versa)? What's the most interesting sibling relationship you've ever read about in a book? Please share because I'm always looking for great book recommendations. To thank you for stopping by, I'm giving away a copy of The Trouble with Cowboys to one commentator, either print or digital—your choice. Best of luck!

And if you'd like to stay up-to-date on all my latest book news and release dates, don't forget to sign up for my twice-monthly newsletter (http://www.melissacutler.net/?page_id=255).

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Get Lost in Medieval Naples with a French Tutor named Dante....sizzling!

DANTE’S FLAME

Jannine Corti-Petska

 

Wild Rose Press 

Release date July 11, 2012

Alessandra Podesta writes illicit tales unsuitable for a young lady. Exasperated, her father sends her to visit relatives in Naples to curb her wild imagination. But in her undying need for adventure, she toys with the affections of her tutor and is forced to marry him. When she unknowingly falls into a dangerous game of supremacy between two countries, she trusts the wrong people and endangers her life. 

French tutor Dante Santangelo is secretly aiding the French in maintaining their rule over Naples. When he is manipulated into marrying the visiting cousin of the Valente Family, he seizes upon the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the family, who are under suspicion of helping the Spanish. When Alessandra's life is in jeopardy Dante must choose between love and duty. Will he offer up his life to save Alessandra? Or remain duty-bound to the French?

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press           Amazon

More about Jannine 

Jannine Corti-Petska was born in New York but raised in Southern California. Her parents' first language was Italian, and Jannine was raised in an Old World environment. She began writing romance novels when her three daughters were young and she was a stay-at-home mom. In-between writing and caring for her family, she tutored Italian, Spanish, German, and English as a Second Language at a local college. Although she loves placing her stories in medieval Italy, she has also written romantic tales of the cowboy in the American West. Jannine lives in Southern California with her husband of 40 years and three high-energy Rat Terriers.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love?
Jannine: I love the sight and sound of rain falling outside my window on a cold, dreary day. The warm, fuzzy feeling it gives me releases my energy and my imagination. I do my best writing when it’s raining.

Jillian: What was the first story you remember writing?
Jannine: In contemporary, it was A Dancer’s Dream. I tore it to shreds years ago! In historical, it was Through the Eyes of Fate, which took place during the Crimean War. (I intend to rewrite it someday, although it would probably be romantic elements.) Back then (the 1980s) I had no clue about writing. I didn’t know there were rules. I thought everyone just sat at their typewriter (still have mine—a little blue Smith-Corona) and created. So it will be interesting to reread the story which goes from Louisiana to England to the Crimea.

Jillian: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Jannine: The Sea Hawk starring Errol Flynn. I remember the first time I saw it, the story played out like a romance novel. And I had a huge crush on Errol. <g>

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?
Jannine: Most definitely! I prefer a strong and bigger than life hero. It’s what I like to read and how I write. To be honest, the only first person books I read are autobiographies. Reading “I” and “me” puts me uncomfortably into the story, into the heroine’s shoes. I don’t want that. It’s confusing. I prefer to read about a hero and heroine that have nothing to do with me or my life.

Jillian: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Jannine: I grew up wanting to be an interpreter working at the U.N. So if I couldn’t write, I’d love to speak many languages (Italian, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Dutch). Actually, I always hated not knowing what people around me were saying in their foreign conversations. It drove me nuts. So I began learning other languages. I used to tutor Italian, German and Spanish at the college level years ago. However, I no longer remember the last two except for a word here and there. I’m better at Italian, and I should be—I’m Italian!

Jillian: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Jannine: I put it away for a week. Then I putz around the house, cleaning what I hadn’t when I was writing, focusing on things I didn’t have time to do. In other words, I do everything but think about that book. And I don’t think about other books I plan to write. When I go back to edit, I like to have only the story’s details on my mind.

Jillian: What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on or did pass on to your children?
Jannine: That would be Sunday dinners at my parents’ home. My sisters and their kids (too many to count, lol), friends, other family, and just about anyone off the street joined us. Everyone was welcomed. My mother cooked for an army. And the food was always Italian. We’d eat early afternoon. With today’s complicated lifestyles, the Sunday dinners didn’t pass down to my three daughters. We occasionally do the Sunday dinner, but it’s difficult when our girls are scattered. I miss those days but remember them fondly.

Jillian: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Jannine: Yes, I do read all of them. It’s a boost to my confidence, which can wane quite often, when I get a great review, especially when the reviewer gets “it.” I’m never sure if my subtle humor will come across, or if the story is plausible, or if my h/h are likeable. I have yet to get a bad review. I’ve been bracing myself for the day that happens. But the reviews never influence my writing; however, they do encourage me to continue writing.

Jillian: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Jannine: Coffee, black, one Sweet & Low per cup. I also drink cappuccino and latte, usually decaff, with non-fat milk, and one or two (depends on size of cup) Sweet & Low. Of course, I love espresso with a bunch of Sweet & Low. My father used to pour a little anisette in his cup. Now that is delicious!

Jannine's question for commenter's: If you could explore any medieval Italian city, which would it be and why? Jannine has an e-book of DANTE’S FLAME to a commenter picked at random.

Where to find Jannine:
www.jcortipetska.com
https://twitter.com/#!/jcortipetska
http://www.facebook.com/JannineCortiPetska

***Note: Commenters please leave an email for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Play casting director for the day and cast the roles of Rafe and Fanny.

Okay, so you're not a casting director in real life, but today you get to play one on Get Lost in a Story!

Whenever I am preparing to start a new manuscript, I always begin the process with a number of pictures in my mind, and even more importantly, a voice in my head. It's really weird, but I can't write dialogue unless I can hear the character's voice in my head.

So I'm going to play producer here, and give you some background on each character that I need to caste in my story and then you can then pick and choose from the actor's headshots below.

For the role of Detective Rafe Lewis:

His backstory:  The honorable Raphael Lewis, St. Aldwyn is the estranged second son of an earl whose family is land rich and cash poor. He jilted his childhood sweetheart and fiancée, Miss Fanny Greyville-Nugent and his own mother hasn’t spoken to him in five years. Readers first meet Rafe in An Affair with Mr. Kenned,

His personality: Detective Lewis comes off as a rake, but he uses these roguey traits to help him hide from his past. He is handsome in a princely way. He is athletic, extremely fit, and carries himself in a princely manner. He is also a brave and cunning fighter. Rafe has an uncanny ability to sense danger and a natural talent for sleuthing. He rarely lets anyone see his more vulnerable side, but it's there––big time. I just can't share much about it because I don't want to be a spoiler! 

Henry Cavill

The Tudors, Immortals, Superman...oh yeah, Rafe is all that.

Wentworth Miller

An interesting choice. Edgy, soft spoken, cunning...with an unexpected sweet side. 

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant'a take on the character of Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral is so Rafe. Princely, with a self-effacing charm.

Chris Evans

There is this scene I'm thinking of...it's a hot sweltering day. Rafe and Fanny

take turns having a swim in the loch:  

Rafe rose out of the water and waded ashore. This time she balked but did not turn away. Rivulets of water ran through the hair on his chest, down a sinewy torso...

Prince William

Does Prince William carry himself like Detective Lewis. Or does Rafe carry himself like a prince?

Casting a real prince would be a splendid choice, indeed!

For the role of Fanny Greyville-Nugent:

Her backstory: Francine Greyville-Nugent was raised by her widowed father, a brilliant inventor and busy industrialist. When he bought the estate next to the St. Aldwyn's, Fanny became friendly with both two boys next door––particularly Rafe, the youngest son of the Earl. Years later, when rumors of an engagement between Fanny ad Rafe surfaced, no one was surprised, in fact, it was expected.

Her personality: As the story opens her father is dead, killed in a grisly accident involving new  threshing machine. Heartbroken and still in mourning, Fanny is nevertheless determined to carry on with Greyville-Nugent Enterprises. She is a progressive suffragist as well as an engineer in her own right. She is darling to look at, quick tempered, and somewhat protective of a vulnerable, generous heart.

Helen Bonham-Carter

Helen is too mature to play Fanny, but her character Lucy Honeychurch is perfect for the role.

She's the spitting image of Fanny and has a feisty, tomboyish quality.

Keira Knightly

Keira would bring beauty and wit to the role and she could definitely go toe to toe with Detective Lewis.

Kate Winslet

Kate's character of Rose from Titanic would be a vulnerable, softer Fanny with an underlying strength, and resilience.

Carey Mulligan

She's fascinating in every role she plays. I would love to see her take on Fanny. 

Emma Watson

Emma is a fresh, young choice. And she is so Fanny in every way! 

So now its up to commenters, I mean casting directors! Please share your thoughts on casting the lead roles in A DANGEROUS LIAISON WITH DETECTIVE LEWIS. Your casting choices are not limited to the photos here, if you have other ideas––please share! I love to have readers participate in these casting blogs. I have a signed copy one lucky casting director, chosen at random.

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***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.