Sweet Deception : Behind the Story...

In the dark, the greatest lover can become the most dangerous conspirator…

Lord Frederick Aveline, otherwise known as Derick, has successfully kept up appearances as an English nobleman.  What no one knows is that he’s a full-blooded Frenchman—a double-agent for the British against the French.  But there is something else no knows about Derick.  Deciding to leave behind his days of espionage, he’s arrived home to Derbyshire to finish one final order of business: to find and expose a dangerous traitor in the midst. 

But Aveline castle holds its own share of secrets—including murder, and an unexpected lure in Emma Wallingford.  Brilliant and feisty, her loyalty lies with acting as the town’s magistrate, and she doesn’t welcome an unanticipated, though appealing, intrusion like Derick.  As the two of them are drawn closer, the sordid past of Derick’s family comes to light, as does the true nature of his arrival.

But when deception, however sweet, is the name of the game no one can be trusted, and every love—and every life—is at risk.

As promised, today I’m going to share with you one of the movies that inspired SWEET DECEPTION’s theme.

After meeting my Bond meets Bones characters, I’ll bet you’re thinking there is some spy/crime movie that I had in mind while writing Derick and Emma. However, I bet you might be surprised…

When I sat down to write, the log line for this story was this:

Everyone’s been deceived by someone, but it never hurts as much as when you deceive yourself.

For Derick, it is his identity that he deceives himself about. For Emma, however, I wanted her misassumptions to be completely of the heart. And therefore, the movie I thought often of is:

If you haven’t seen it, it’s rather a cute movie centered around a cast of characters. It’s all about the lies we tell ourselves, the excuses we make for why this person or that person does or doesn’t love us. For me, Emma was most like the main character, Gigi. Here are two quotes I kept in mind:

“A girl will never forget the first boy she ever likes.”

and

“Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, Every story we're told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don't, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn't include a guy, maybe... it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is... just... moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope.”

Of course, that quote is as unhistorical as you can get J. However, the sentiment is true. Derick was Emma’s first love, and now that he’s back, her hopes are high. Despite how hard he pushes her away, how much he holds back from her, Emma KNOWS in her heart that they were meant to be together. With Derick by her side, she feels more normal than she ever has.  Emma romanticizes him (and his work as a spy) and begins to imagine the good they could do together. She starts to believe her girlhood dream of a life with him might be within her grasp, only better. But when all of the truth comes spilling out in the end, Emma is stung when Derick points out he’s never deceived her about his intentions. She realizes the bitter truth: she’s the one who’s deceived herself. It’s truly heartbreaking…

Of course, Emma and Derick do find their happily-ever-after. I hope you enjoy discovering how!

Today, I’ll be giving away a copy of my debut, SWEET ENEMY (or, if you’ve already read it, I will substitute another historical romance—many to choose from). You MUST leave your e-mail in the comments section to be eligible…  Here’s a question for you: Do YOU remember the first boy you ever liked?

Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who discovered she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab.  She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two rambunctious boys and one very put upon cat.  Find out more or connect with Heather at:

www.HeatherSnowBooks.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherSnow
Twitter www.twitter.com/HeatherSnowRW

SWEET DECEPTION Available NOW:

Rainy Day Books (my local indie)
Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Amazon (Mass Market Paperback)
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

Books-A-Million
IndieBound
I-Books
Walmart

Meet Miss Emma Wallingford, heroine of SWEET DECEPTION

Lady criminologist, Miss Emma Wallingford, unknowingly finds herself tangled in the dangerous final mission of Lord Derick Aveline, a spy who also happens to be her long lost first love. But when deception, however sweet, is the name of the game, no one can be trusted. And every love—and every life—is at risk. (Second in the Veiled Seduction Series).

Meet Emma Wallingford…

Thank you for coming back to celebrate the release of my second novel, SWEET DECEPTION, which was released yesterday!

Also yesterday, I introduced you to our hero, Derick Aveline. Today, meet his childhood nemesis turned heroine, Miss Emma Wallingford.

The Inspiration:

For me, Emma was a cross between Professor Charlie Epps, from the crime show, NUMB3RS and Professor Temperance Brennan, from the crime show, Bones. (Is it any surprise, then, that throughout most of Sweet Deception, Emma is hunting a killer?)

If I were better in photo shop, I would play around and see what kind of face I could come up with from these two, but I think the art department at NAL did a fantastic job, and indeed, I looked at this early rendering of Emma many times while writing.

Now, let’s introduce you…

NAME: Emma Annalise Wallingford (29)

THE OUTER PERSON:

A firecracker. As petite as Derick is tall, she is compact and full of energy.  She is delicate boned, with wide shoulders.  Her eyes have an endearing asymmetrical shape, with the right eye being slightly larger and more almond shaped, her nostril a touch larger, her lip slightly more plump…a fact that the perfectionist in her has always noticed. Her eyes are amber, glowing almost gold against her pale skin and dark hair. Her teeth are tiny, white and straight and her smile is kind, and while given freely to those around her, is rarely used for herself.

She moves quickly, is always moving…on the go, mentally and/or physically.  When she is working mentally, some part of her can’t stand still, she constantly rubs the fingers and thumb of her left hand in  circles against each other.  Maybe to activate both sides of her brain?

She dresses practically, with little use for fripperies and will, indeed, throw on anything available.

THE INNER PERSON:

Miss Emma Annalise Wallingford is…well, peculiar.  Not in a bad way, of course, but everyone in her small northern Derbyshire village has known since she was a child that Emma possessed a mind unlike most, brilliant in a way that escapes their understanding.  And while many consider it wasted on a woman, the villagers and businesses have come to rely on Emma’s sharp mind and logic, as more than once her suggestions have helped the town and its people prosper.   As the sister of the local magistrate, Emma has gradually taken over her brother’s position since the accident several years ago that left him in a rolling chair and that has since deteriorated his faculties.  While Emma enjoys her role, she also feels out of place.  She finds it somewhat difficult to relate to others…her mind works on a different plane, and she can be overly literal, very black and white. She’s perceived as eccentric but she feels socially awkward.

She’s also obsessed with perfection, hence—or perhaps because of— her love for mathematics and its perfect nature, and is therefore hyperaware of her own imperfections.   Still, overall she’s happy, though a desire to do more with her abilities and energy burns within her.  Mostly through correspondence, she has been working on a large scale project aimed at using statistics and cartography/geography to better discern patterns and find a correlation between crime, poverty and education levels to fulfill that need. The realities of her personality and of the life she has chosen, as well as a painful broken engagement have convinced her she’s not destined for love or marriage, but she believes all lives have a purpose, and plans to use her gifts to benefit mankind.

I hope, with these brief introductions, you can see how the logical, practical Emma and Derick, the spy who relies on gut instincts, will clash.

Come back tomorrow to learn one of the movies behind the theme of SWEET DECEPTION…

Leave a comment for me today to be entered into a drawing for a copy of my debut, SWEET ENEMY (or if you've already read it, I will substitute another historical romance...many to choose from!) You MUST leave your e-mail in the comments section to be eligible… Here's a question for you: Who have been some of your favorite female criminologists, past or present, from books, television or movies?

Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who discovered she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab.  She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two rambunctious boys and one very put upon cat.  Find out more or connect with Heather at:

www.HeatherSnowBooks.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherSnow
Twitter www.twitter.com/HeatherSnowRW

SWEET DECEPTION Available NOW:

Rainy Day Books (my local indie)
Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Amazon (Mass Market Paperback)
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

Books-A-Million
IndieBound
I-Books
Walmart

Meet Derick Aveline, hero of SWEET DECEPTION

Lord Derick Aveline has to finish one last mission before leaving his days of espionage behind—but his hunt for a traitor leads him to his childhood friend, Emma Wallingford. When deception, however sweet, is the name of the game, no one can be trusted. And every love—and every life—is at risk. (Second in the Veiled Seduction Series)

Thank you for being here with me to celebrate the release of my second novel, SWEET DECEPTION, which is available wherever books are sold today!

Those of you who have read my debut, SWEET ENEMY, already know a little about our latest hero, Derick Aveline…or do you?

You see, Derick is a wholly different person in his own story than he was in Geoffrey and Liliana’s.  As an agent of the War Department, Derick acted precisely as he needed to in order to complete his mission in SWEET ENEMY. But the Derick you’ll come to know (and hopefully love) in SWEET DECEPTION was an enigma even to me, a character I knew and didn’t know…just as he knew and didn’t know himself. You see, he became a spy at 18, and as he says to our heroine at one point:
          
       “I’ve been pretending to be someone else my entire adult life, Emma,” he murmured, swallowing against the sudden scratching in his throat. “I couldn’t tell you who I truly am anymore.”

The Inspiration:

I envisioned Derick as sort of a Regency-era James Bond, yet one who was through with the “Bond Girls”, as it were. Think Bond, but when he’s done…finished with the life he’s led and longing for something simple and real… Oh, and toss in some pretty dark secrets that he is certain make him unloveable.

NAME: Frederick (Derick) Charles Aveline, Viscount Scarsdale (31)

THE OUTER PERSON:

Derick as I envisioned him as writing (although without the spiky hair...oh, and in a cravat!)

Derick is uncommonly tall, lean and sinewy rather than bulky.  He’s called “dashing”, has a quick flashing smile that he tosses around liberally.  His hair is dark as night, with glittering green eyes with a slant that almost reminds one of a gypsy.  He’s always impeccably dressed.  He hides speculation beneath an easy smile.  His voice is a rich baritone.

THE INNER PERSON:

Lord Frederick (Derick) Charles Aveline, Viscount Scarsdale, is an imposter.  Not by choice, mind you, but by blood.  Even his very English name mocks him, because Derick knows what few others do:  that his French mother brought her lover to England with her and cuckolded his aristocratic “father”, bearing him a full French-blooded heir.  Now that his service to the Crown (as a double agent for the British against the French) is almost complete, Derick has decided that he belongs in neither country.  He cannot go to France, for obvious reasons, yet he can no longer live a lie, pretending to be a British aristocrat while knowing full well not a drop of British blood courses through him.  He was still reeling from learning his entire life had been a lie when he was recruited as a spy at the age of 18 and he’s been playing different roles for so long now, he has no idea who he really is. He knows one thing, though—he can’t find himself while pretending to be the aristocrat that he is not. 

In between finishing his investigations of suspected traitors, he’s spent the last months securing all of his “father’s” estates, making certain they will continue to run efficiently for the sake of the tenants and servants who depend upon them before he puts England behind him forever.  But he has one last estate to deal with:  the far flung Derbyshire manor to which his mother had been banished when Derick’s “father” discovered her deceit.  He hasn’t been there since he was a young man, not even after his mother’s suspicious death—not that he could have come to her funeral, as he was stuck overseas at the time.  And he wouldn’t be going back now if it didn’t figure in his last job for the Crown—to uncover once and for all the identity of a traitor who was suspected of having operated out of upper Derbyshire.  Though it chafes more and more with each passing day, Derek slips on his façade of spoiled aristocrat one last time.

Of course, he’s going to come up against a heroine who is completely different than him, but who just may hold the key to helping him re-discover himself…

Come back tomorrow to meet Miss Emma Wallingford!

Leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of my debut, SWEET ENEMY (or, if you've already read it, I will substitute with another historical romance...many to choose from!). You MUST leave your e-mail in the comments section to be eligible… Here's a question:

Were you a Bond fan? What appealled or didn't appeal to you about him?

Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who discovered she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab.  She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two rambunctious boys and one very put upon cat.  Find out more or connect with Heather at:

www.HeatherSnowBooks.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherSnow

Twitter www.twitter.com/HeatherSnowRW

SWEET DECEPTION Available NOW:

Rainy Day Books (my local indie)
Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Amazon (Mass Market Paperback)
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide)

Books-A-Million
IndieBound
I-books
Walmart

Are romance heroes any good at Valentine's Day? You tell us!

The rose is red, the violet's blue,

The honey's sweet, and so are you.

Thou art my love and I am thine;

I drew thee to my Valentine:

The lot was cast and then I drew,

And Fortune said it shou'd be you

From a collection of English nursery rhymes 

Gammer Gurton's Garland (1784)

Since love is always in the air on Valentine's Day, we're celebrating with a contest and giveaways. Each of us has a signed copy of our latest novel to give to a commenter. There will be seven winners today! We're also going to have some fun speculating about our heroes and what kind of gift they might purchase for our heroines!

Then it will be your turn. Guess where your Mr. Valentine is shopping (or not) this year!

a) Victoria Secret

b) See's Candies/Godivas

c) 1-800 Flowers

d) Valentine card

e) A Hoddie-Footie Pajamagram  

f) Jewelry

g) None of the above

Undercover DEA agent Erren Rhodes was used to working alone. So the very idea of teaming up with Officer Darby O’Malley to ferret out a killer wasn’t exactly how he thought this critical mission would go. But thanks to information only the beautiful cop possessed, finding whoever was responsible for shooting Erren’s friend made Darby a valuable—and irresistible—partner. Digging into the case, though, revealed a far-reaching conspiracy…and angered all the wrong people. Now, trying to bring a killer to justice while keeping Darby safe was making Erren remember why he was better off on his own. Especially when Darby made him long to hole up together in the safe house and never let her out of his sight.   

Just a guess, but Erren has something sweet and delicious for Darby O'Malley.

Sebastian Case relies on his irreplaceable assistant for everything.  But since arriving in Vegas for a conference, mousy Missy has transformed herself.  From ordinary to ravishing.  From modest and reserved to bold and sensual.  And Sebastian, who’d barely noticed she was a woman, finds himself dazzled by her allure.

Now she’s quitting and Sebastian will do anything to keep her.  Including accepting her outrageous bet.  One spin of the wheel–black and she’ll stay…red and Sebastian owes her one night of passion.  What can he lose, except maybe his heart?  

Oh yeah, we know what Mr. Case needs to purchase!

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she’s a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire–slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read! Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is an entirely new type of fairy tale—one that will keep today’s kids guessing and offer them hours of magical fun.

Prince Charming will sweeten his chances with a little pink box full of these:

Fifteen years ago a young Colorado Springs police officer arrested a teen runaway accused of aiding a convenience store robbery and attempted murder. She was innocent, but still served prison time briefly. Her testimony sent the real thief to jail for much longer. Now she’s a young widow raising a son, and the man she put in prison is free and seeking revenge. She moves to a home in a new neighborhood—then learns that her next-door neighbor is the by-the-book officer who arrested her. Now he’s a Colorado Springs P.D. Lieutenant. Like it or not, he may be the only one who can protect her and her son from the past he helped create. 

This is what you get from a man with a Rocky Mountain sized heart:

Sarah Piper's lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis-rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts- has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah's task to confront her in death. Soon Sarah is caught up in a deperate struggle. For Maddy's ghost is real, she's angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair's assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, whereshe came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance-before she destroys them all?

 Matthew Ryder just might give Sarah an old fashioned Valentine.

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates.  His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs.  When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford.  But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

 Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess.  If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge.  However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

Might Geoffrey hide his Valentine gift for a smart heroine like Liliana to find?

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Yard man, Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King’s Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulls him unexpectedly close to the heart of the conspiracy—and into the arms of a most intriguing lady. Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

This Valentine's Day Cassandra receives long stem roses––and Mr. Kennedy. ;) 

Now, where will your Mr. Valentine be shopping (or not) this year?

a) Victoria Secret

b) See's Candies/Godiva Chocolates

c) 1-800 Flowers

d) Valentine card

e) A Hoddie-Footie Pajamagram  

f) Jewelry

g) None of the above

(If none of the above please explain!)

***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.

Heather Snow's secret formula for romance: a brilliant heroine!

Since Jane Austen penned her first novel it has been (universally) understood that an excellent heroine has to be smart–or at least two or three moves ahead of the hero most of the time!

In order to truly appreciate the smartness of a fictional heroine a brief reminder about dumb female characters might be in order. Take horror movie heroines. Women seem to do the dumbest things in horror films. Example: Terrified by the night stalker, heroine hears a noise down in the basement. Why does she always go down there?

Smartest horror movie heroine? Ellen Ripley from Alien! 

The smarter the heroine the more we love her. 

Heather Snow has written a smart, sexy heroine who is more interested in experimenting in the laboratory than marriage. She represents the scientific woman, more of a rarity in her day than today! 

Fact: Women were not admitted to membership of the University of Oxford until 1920, although they had been allowed to sit some University examinations and attend lectures for over forty years by that date. 

In honor of Heather's brilliant and charming heroine, Liliana Claremont lets take a historical look at a few ladies of science. Pick your favorite scientifique féminin from the bios below or share your own personal favorite. Two commenters will win one of the following giveaways:

A signed copy of Sweet Enemy

A $20.00 Philosophy Skin Care Gift Certificate 

Hypatia 
(370-415)

Mathematician and astronomer Hypatia was a Roman woman who, unlike most women during her time, received a good education. Hypatia studied mathematics, astronomy and natural science, and was appointed as the head of the University of Alexandria.

Émilie du Châtelet

(1706 –1749)

French mathematician, physicist, and author during the Age of Enlightenment. Her crowning achievement is considered to be her translation and commentary on Issac Newton’s work Principia Mathematica. The translation, published ten years after her death in 1759, is still considered the standard French translation. Voltaire was one of her lovers.

Ada Lovelace 

(1815 – 1852) 

Mathematician Augusta Ada Byron (later Countess of Lovelace) never knew her father, the poet Lord Byron, who left England due to a scandal shortly after her birth. Lovelace wrote what now acknowledged as the world’s first computer program for an analytical engine considered one of the first computers.

Marie Curie

(b. 1867-1934) 

Marie Curie is one of the most famous scientists that ever lived. For her doctorate degree, Marie researched the element Uranium, and she discovered radioactivity.Her contributions such as the discovery of Radium and other key elements help us out every day, especially when getting an x-ray.

Liliana Claremont 

(Heroine of Sweet Enemy)

A brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess.  If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

A brilliant heroine requires a challenging hero

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs.  When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford.  But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Who is your favorite smart heroine? Pick one of the women above or name someone new. Comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Sweet Enemy or a $20 gift certificate to Philosophy skin care!

***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.

THE FORMULA OF LOVE

Formulas. Science. Mathmatics. Chemistry.

Really, not my favorite subjects. In fact, I was told by professors--seriously, not once, but twice--"Here's your 'D', don't come back." Not so with our award-winning, unsinkable sister, Get Lost In A Story crew member, mother of two, complete over-achiever, loveable, Heather Snow, author of SWEET ENEMY.

This romance writer doesn't just HAVE a degree in chemistry--she LOVES it and works her knowledge and magic into her romances. Instead of formulas in the chem-lab, Heather chieves putting the Formula of Romance onto the page, sparking more than just chemistry between her characters.

So, what's the Formula for Love?

the WRITER
Take a gal with a chemistry degree writing about what she knows, add in a love for Happy Endings and you have Heather Snow.

the STORY
A mystery, murder, two people who desire different things, but who also desire each other. And then there's the chemistry...both in the lab and, well, not in the lab.

the HERO
Geoffrey Wentworth, Earl of Stratford is not only a war hero on the battlefield but also in Parliement, fighting for ex-soldier's (doesn't he already claim your heart?).

the HEROINE
Lillian Claremont is a chemist who refuses to be "just a wife." She's investigating her father's death and using science in a world on the brink of discovery but still full of prejudice.

the RESULTS
Throw them carefully together with a supporting cast and you have instant, explosive chemistry in SWEET ENEMY.


the FORMULA for a GIVE-AWAY
Leave a blog comment and be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift-card in honor of Heather's debut week. Be entered a second (and maybe even a third) time when you send a friend to "Like" us on Facebook or Tweet this message: SWEET ENEMY The Formula of Romance #GetLostStories @HeatherSnowRW @Penquin http://bit.ly/eisa4m

Finding Heather
website  Facebook  Twitter

Don't forget to come back the rest of this week for more give-aways and secrets about Heather! LIKE us on Facebook. FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories.
~Angi

today's QUESTION
What are your thoughts on Chemistry...either in the lab or other places >>grin<<  ??

Sweet Enemy debuts!

It's Sweet Enemy week here on Get Lost in a Story!

I am so excited that this book is out. It sounds just sooo good, and it's been getting fantastic reviews.

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father. Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control... If you’d like to read the Prologue and first Chapter of Sweet Enemy, you can find it here.

Without further ado, a peek behind the curtain at the talented Heather Snow:

Simone: What was the first book you read that made you want to be a writer?

Heather: I can’t remember a specific book that made me want to be a writer. In fact, I can’t really remember a definitive moment that I thought “I WANT to be a writer” at all. I was always a voracious reader, at first the typical things girls read (Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Wizard of Oz, Nancy Drew, etc.). Then, I discovered historical romance when I found a stash of “those” books hidden behind my Nana’s recliner on the very bottom shelf. In my late teens and twenties, I gravitated to horror and mystery, but in my later twenties, found my way back to romance. First, I re-read my favorite Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux and Janelle Taylor books. Then I discovered Lisa Kleypas, which opened the door to a whole new world of historical romance authors to me. After reading again for a few years, I decided I wanted to write my own stories.

Simone: How long were you writing before you sold SWEET ENEMY?

Heather: About 3 years. SWEET ENEMY was my first manuscript (and until just recently, ONLY, before I turned in the second book of the series), but I’d taken a break from it when our eldest son was born—too caught up in new motherhood, baby cuteness, and sleep deprivation to even think about writing there for a long period of time! I’d say, cumulatively, SWEET ENEMY took me about a year and a half to write.

Simone: Who are some of your favorite writers whose books you ALWAYS read?

Heather: I’m going to limit this to my romance reading life. Did I say Julie Garwood and Lisa Kleypas? :) Let’s add Sabrina Jeffries to that, as well as Julia Quinn and Elizabeth Hoyt. I’ve really enjoyed Sarah MacLean and Katy Madison, and have recently discovered Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, Lila DiPasqua, Delilah Marvelle, and Katharine Ashe. I just picked up some debuts I’m pretty excited about, too, from Anna Randol, Manda Collins, our own Jillian Stone, Kristen Callihan and Samantha Grace.

Simone: Do you research before you begin writing, or do you research as you go along?

Heather: Both. I do a huge chunk of research ahead of time. Since my books have a mystery element, I have to sketch that out and do some research to make sure what I’m thinking will work. Also, my heroines are all science-savvy (Liliana from SWEET ENEMY is a chemist, for example), so I research what their worlds would have been like to inform me as to their character. But there is usually a ton of research to do as I’m writing, too. I must admit, sometimes I use it as an excuse to procrastinate!

Simone: What does your writing space look like?

Heather: I LOVE my office. When SWEET ENEMY sold, my husband gifted me with a budget and a directive to create a historical writing space that would fuel my creativity and make me comfortable. I’m happy to say that I found perfect, perfect antique pieces, some reproductions and an 80% off clearance sale for a lot of the knick-knacks and came in at about half of what I had allotted, to create this:


(**Simone dies of jealousy**)

Heather: First the first few weeks, I didn’t get much writing done…I spent too much time staring at everything I loved in the room. But then deadline approached, and I had to get back to work!

Simone: What is your favorite time of day to write?

Heather: I really can’t answer that, right now. I don’t even know what my best time of day is. Since I have two boys at home, a 3 ½ year old and a 6 month old, my favorite time to write is whenever I can find some! It’s not ideal, but it is my life right now…and I wouldn’t trade it.

Simone: What's the first thing you did to celebrate when you heard your book was going to be published?

Heather: Well, I was actually in the process of getting a pedicure when my agent called…a rarity when you’ve got a toddler at home! I’d gotten a babysitter that day so that I could go…I was anxious then, being out on submission. So, the very first thing I did was dance around the salon in bare feet with wet toes. Then, I had the technician paint a lovely little flower on my toe to celebrate! In fact, this flower right here…



Then, after calling my husband and mom, I called my critique group, who were able to meet me out for lunch on short notice to celebrate! I’ll be taking them to dinner release night to celebrate this new milestone, complete with cake decorated to look like the cover of SWEET ENEMY. Hey! I only get to be a debut author once…


Sweet Enemy...
A Veiled Seduction Novel ~ Book One
"Historical intrigue and heart-pounding passion make Sweet Enemy a great read. Romance fans will love it." ~#1NYT Bestselling Author JULIE GARWOOD



Heather Snow is a historical romance author with a degree in Chemistry who discovered she much preferred creating chemistry on the page, rather than in the lab. She is forever trying to wrangle her left and right brain to work together (some days with more success than others!), but if her two sides had to duke it out, left would win every time—which can be a creative challenge. Luckily, she loves challenges…she just goes about solving them analytically.
Heather lives in the Midwest with her husband, two rambunctious boys and one very put upon cat. She sincerely hopes you find her stories have just the right chemistry…

Please visit her at www.HeatherSnowBooks.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/authorheathersnow or on Twitter www.twitter.com/HeatherSnowRW

Thanks, Heather! Today's question for our readers: If you could concoct one magical, chemical potion, what would it be?