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…
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.
