Elise Rome has never forgiven Margaret Mitchell for making her fall in love with Scarlett and Rhett in Gone with the Wind and then not giving them a happy ending. She likes to think that she makes up for the injustice done to them with each romance novel she writes. When she isn't telling stories about sexy, headstrong heroes and intelligent, independent heroines, Elise stays busy chasing after her two young daughters, semi-attempting to do housework, and hiking in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.
Happy early Valentine’s Day! I’m so thrilled to have been invited to be a part of the Sealed with a Kiss event (thank you, Dani and Rita!), and am also excited to share with you the love letters from the hero and heroine of my upcoming novella, THE SINNING HOUR (which will, incidentally, first be published on Valentine’s Day).
Although the story of THE SINNING HOUR novella takes place after the heroine leaves the hero’s employ, the following love letters—or lust letters, as the case may be—were written during the time she served him as maid.
Simon Astley and Miranda Post are from two different worlds, although they both live in 1851 London. Distantly related to the aristocracy, Simon has made a name and career for himself as not merely a portraitist, but a nude portraitist. In an era when the comparative moral freedom of the Regency has waned, Simon’s work is highly esteemed among some; most, however, view him with the sober, disdainful eye of the overly righteous. Simon, of course, does as he pleases and, as long as he is being paid for his work, cares not what anyone else thinks. Until, that is, Miranda Post comes along…
Though born of the middle class, Miranda is forced by circumstances to find work as a maid in Simon’s small household. She knows her role and duties well and, unlike Simon, safeguards her reputation carefully. He is her employer, she is his maid. She knows there can never be anything between them. And yet…
The Love Letter:
Unread, burned Two weeks before he fires her
Dear Miss Post, Actually, I believe I shall call you Miranda. After all, that is the way I think of you. Miranda, Miranda… And what shall I do with you, I wonder? I have had various thoughts on the matter, none of which you would consider seemly.
Tonight, for example, as you helped me put away my paints—an exercise you have dutifully continued for these last few months, although I know you dislike the camaraderie that has resulted—I imagined kissing you. Perhaps you would expect my fantasies to be filled with much more lurid things, and I assure you that some of them are, and yet to kiss you…I have every confidence it would be one of the most erotic acts I have ever experienced.
For what is a kiss but the portal to that darker, shadowed world of more explicit caresses? I would very much like to taste the sweet, reserved innocence of your kiss, to breathe the same breath you breathe, to feel the hitch in your chest against mine when you realize just how mad I’ve become.
Mad, for wanting you. Mad, for thinking of you when naked, beautiful women are displayed before my eyes day after day. Mad, because the knowledge that I caused the curve of your lips today makes me feel not as a mere man, but rather an immortal, omnipotent king.
Yet if I kissed you, would you look at me the same way you do now—with a wary sort of fascination—or would you despise me? Would you slap me? Run away? Or…would you kiss me in return?
The answer to that question haunts me like a demon, threatens to swallow my soul.
I am not one to— Unfinished, ripped into shreds, and thrown into the fire
###
I hope you enjoyed Simon’s letter to Miranda! Have you ever written a love letter to someone whose feelings you were unsure of? Did you send it or throw it away? What would you rather receive for Valentine’s Day—chocolate or a love letter of your own?
Check out Simon and Miranda's love story in: THE SINNING HOUR Coming Valentine's Day! February 14th, 2012
A man accustomed to having whatever he wishes… A year ago, the last thing portraitist Simon Astley expected was to become fascinated with his new housemaid. Although Miranda Post was no great beauty, he found his attraction for her continuing to grow until—rather than giving in to his wicked inclinations—he sent her away. No man could have regretted this momentary indulgence of conscience more.
A woman whose wishes have never come true… Now a maid at London’s most exclusive gaming hell, Miranda has no time for either bitterness or the soothing of her bruised heart. She works hard and struggles to care for her dependent father, forbidding herself to dwell on either her dreams of the future or her memories of Simon.
At night all they need is one another… Yet both her dreams and memories collide when Simon is commissioned to paint the portraits of the hell’s owners. Determined to right his mistakes, he offers to pay Miranda for the pleasure of painting her, too—but only in the privacy of his studio. She agrees to take his coin, even while knowing that every moment in his presence once again decimates her defenses…and threatens her heart.
Releasing February 14th, 2012 to an ebook retailer near you!
**Giveaway**
Elise is giving away a digital copy of THE SINNING HOUR, to 1 lucky commenter (Open Internationally) So make sure you leave a comment on this post (preferably answering Elise's question(s) below the letter) AND fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win!
And don't forget to head over to Ramblings From This Chick blog, check out Miranda's letter to Simon, and comment/enter that giveaway as well!
So you guys know how I usually invite authors on the blog on their release day for an interview, right? Well, TODAY is Jenn LeBlanc's release day; but instead of ME interviewing HER, SHE will be interviewing someone ELSE! My secret mistress, and amazing authoress Elise Rome! This is part of Jenn's "The Wicked Blog Tour", so sit back at your computer desk, relax, and enjoy the mayhem!!
Getting Down to Business:
Who's Jenn LeBlanc?
"Jenn has several constants in life that define her: Colorado, Canon, CJ, kids and curls.
Born and raised in a household of other people's children in this beautiful state- she never left. She started her own family, got used to the curls, went to college, built a CJ, and started a business, all with a camera in hand. She always had another passion; storytelling born from daydreams and nightmares. Her fingers were never as quick as her mind, and no amount of practice got them there, so it was difficult and frustrating to have this inside. When her second daughter was born her inherent traits kept Jenn pinned-- her only escape the keyboard. Spending her days in parenting chat rooms she got highly adept with one-handed typing and she can still type just about as fast with one hand as she can with two. It's a great talent to have when engrossed in a scene and in need of a hit of caffeine. She recently finished her first novel but quickly realized: she was born a photographer. From the realization that someone ELSE would be shooting the cover of her book her control-freak took over. What started as an easy cover shoot ballooned into this completely new kind of media, designed specifically for digital book readers. Jenn lives and thrives off chaos and the constant flow of the creative process. She wears shorts and flip-flops year-round --much to the chagrin of her friends and family-- and she is currently working on the illustrations for her second novel. Follow the blog or twitter for up to date information!"
TODAY is the official release day of Jenn's latest installment to her six part serial series: The Rake and The Recule: REDUX. Totally remastered and remagnificent-ified and broken up into the six-part serial e-novel it was meant to be. Did I mention it is FULLY ILLUSTRATED. Your eReader will thank you later ;)
A woman out of time. A man stifled by propriety. A nemesis determined to take her away. A brother to the rescue.
How will a powerful Duke deal with a woman who doesn't know her place? How will a woman used to the 21st century survive in time where she is considered property?
THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE Part THREE brings Francine and Gideon closer than they ever imagined possible, until the unimaginable tears them apart. What will Gideon do if he loses her, this time, forever? This is the third installment of the completely revised novel, with all new material.
Francine Larrabee woke up on the wrong side of the century. She was fairly certain she went to sleep in her own comfy bed, but she doesn’t quite seem to be there now. Only adding to her problems is that she has no voice, is constantly being glowered at by a large, stunning man who is obsessed with propriety, and she is apparently betrothed to another horrid little man, determined to ruin her, and any other girls that get in his way. How does she find herself in the past, when she couldn’t even find herself in her present? How does a self sufficient businesswoman survive in a time when women were still considered property for the whole of their lives and what is she going to do with this man who draws her to him so fiercely.
After spending countless hours memorizing both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, perfecting her tones, and practicing her speaking with any Chinese native she could find, Ashley successfully graduated with a degree in Mandarin Chinese. Then she discovered writing romances was as much fun as reading them, and her Chinese capabilities have never been the same. When she isn't writing, Ashley stays busy chasing around her two young daughters, attempting to do housework, and hiking in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.
And it begins...
Chatting Up Elise Rome with Jenn LeBlanc
Hello my lovelies! Welcome back to Not Another Romance Blog. Rita thank you again SO much for hosting myWicked Blog tour! Click on that linky there to find out more and make your way around the world wide web to enter to win a Kindle Fire or Color Nook!
Now! I’m thrilled to be carousing on the internets chatting up lovely bookies like this lady here.
My second victim guest (I really should stop doing that) is the amazing Elise Rome.
Jenn: Elise, first tell these readers a little about yourself, in case they don’t know who you are.
Elise: Thanks, Jenn! I guess the best way to describe me would be to say that I’m the author previously known as Ashley March. After making the decision to leave the traditional world for a bold new journey in self-publishing, I also decided to start out with a brand new name. I will continue writing historical romances—I plan to debut two new series this year, one in the Victorian era and another in the 1920s—and at some point I also plan to dive into writing contemporary romances, which I’m very excited about.
Jenn: The Victorian era. The 20s. What about these time periods calls to you?
Elise: My new Victorian series, Unmasked, will take place mid-19th century, and what really appeals to me about this era is the transition that’s taking place throughout English society. Unmasked is a series about a group of four women who try to maintain their independence by owning and profiting from a gaming hell, which is a reflection of the struggle women faced later in the century for equal rights.
To be honest, the thing that most appeals to me about the 20s is that it’s different. I’m really enjoying all the research into a new time period and discovering all the different aspects that made that decade fascinating. Here there is also a struggle of transition between society before WWI and post-WWI, and it’s also a great period to explore the changing perspective in women’s sexuality. My own 1920s series, The Golden Twenties, will feature stories based in London, New York, and Chicago, so readers will get to experience this time in history in several important cities.
With both the Victorian era and the 1920s, there’s such rich history to explore that I don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas. I plan to continue returning to these periods again and again, although I also hope to write in different time periods in the future as well.
Jenn: I think the intrigue that surrounds a nation that has recently come through a major conflict would be an amazing thing to explore so I’m looking forward to seeing what you do there. I’m also excited that you’ll be visiting other countries in the 20s not just USA, I always think of New York and Chicago, of course, when I consider that era, so Paris and London will be great!
Do you have a particular character that haunts you? Is there someone in one of your books who is pounding at the door to your imagination and won’t let up?
Elise: Yes, there is, and he’s been haunting me since early 2010. His name is Frederick, and he’s the hero to Emma Whitlock in the fourth book of my new Unmasked series, titled BEAUTY AND THE VILLAIN. Emma is a writer, and one day a man shows up out of the shadows who looks almost exactly like the current villain she’s writing. To say I’m anxious to write this story would be a great understatement.
Jenn: Oh that sounds incredible!! What about someone else’s books? Are there any characters that have touched you so deeply that they stick in your memory?
Elise: Oh, definitely. Usually the authors who write these kinds of characters become my auto-buy authors. Meredith Duran especially is an author who writes compelling, complex characters who live with you for a while. Nell and Simon, the heroine and hero in her recent A LADY’S LESSON IN SCANDAL, are characters I plan to revisit soon because I loved them so much.
Jenn: Elise thank you SO much for joining me today and giving us a little preview into the new you!! I simply can’t wait for this coming year for you, and by default, for US as readers!! Any closing comments?
Elise: I’d love to hear what you think, dear readers! Who is the most memorable romance hero or heroine you’ve read recently, and why? I’ll be giving away a digital copy of the novella from my Unmasked series, THE SINNING HOUR (as soon as it releases) to one random commenter (open internationally). Thanks for visiting with me today!
Elise Rome has generously offered to giveaway a digital copy of her novella, THE SINNING HOUR to 1 lucky comment who answers herquestion in the comments AND fills out the raffle copter widget below.
I was born and raised in East Texas, moved to Colorado after getting married eight years ago, and have been craving snow-free winters ever since. I have a husband who just keeps getting better and better over time and two beautiful daughters.
Background: This is a book I’m thinking about writing (haven’t decided yet) under my new pen name, Elise Rome. The idea came to me the other morning as I was waking up, and I thought it would be perfect for the scandal theme in the 12 Days of Christmas celebration.
At the beginning of this scene, the heroine, Evangeline, is escaping from a Christmas Eve ball to meet with the man she wishes to marry. She and Viscount Rathdowne were promised to others by their families, but they have set up a rendezvous in the garden where they plan to be caught. The betrothals will be broken as he is “forced” to marry her in order to salvage her reputation, and they will live happily ever after.
Unfortunately...neither of them counted on her close friend, Leo—who has reason to believe Rathdowne is a villain, and knows nothing of their plan—following Evangeline out to the garden to keep her from becoming victim to Rathdowne’s rakish tendencies.
The Winter Garden by Ashley March
Leo wasn’t deceived into believing that he was hidden among the shadows in the corner of the ballroom. With the covert glances he continued receiving from Lady Maddows and her daughter, he was very well aware they could see him.
He flashed the daughter a feral smile, and she rewarded him with her parted mouth and a gasp he imagined he could hear even halfway across the room. As she whirled to scamper off like a frightened kitten, Leo leaned back against the wall.
Ah, yes. Run, little one. Run far, far away from the villainous scoundrel.
His gaze shifted, idly observing the antics of the other guests. Odd how the shadows seemed more welcoming, as if he could mold himself into the darkness more easily now than he could the bright light of the chandeliers. He had no desire to step out and mingle; there was only one woman present tonight whom he could even bring himself to tolerate, and he’d already danced with her twice.
As if summoned by memory, Leo’s gaze was caught by the sight of Evangeline on the opposite side of the ballroom. He’d already complimented her on the emerald green hue of her dress to appease her feelings, and while she did look remarkably pretty tonight, his attention was more focused on the man standing at her side.
Viscount Rathdowne.
Leo’s thoughts turned black as he watched the two converse in between the movements of the dancers. They turned murderous when Rathdowne leaned in and—almost accidentally, it appeared—brushed his lips across Evangeline’s ear.
Where was her common sense, the practicality she took such pride in? Leo smiled grimly. He knew she wasn’t like one of the little fools who became such easy victims for Rathdowne’s predatory nature.
A better question—where was her fiancé?
He was the fool, wasn’t he, to return to his family’s estate instead of attending the Fairthorne ball. To allow Rathdowne near. The high and mighty in London might have claimed Leo’s soul was painted black for the things he had done in his past, but at least he didn’t go panting after another man’s betrothed…nor did he do so while his own betrothed stood talking to her mother a few lengths away.
Evangeline’s head was bent close to Rathdowne’s now, and Leo decided to corner her afterward to discover what she found so interesting about the man she should have despised. Then the two parted, Evangeline stepping back against the wall near the terrace, Rathdowne ambling away to plague someone else with his company, and Leo’s mood immediately lightened.
“Bloody hell.”
The curse came swift and low as he saw Evangeline—he assumed she thought her skills at stealth perfect—slip through the terrace door, out into the winter night. He tried to remind himself that his friend was an intelligent woman, capable of marvelous things and possessing a sharper mind than even his own, but the moment he turned his attention to Rathdowne and found the man’s gaze focused on the same terrace door, Leo doubted everything.
He moved quickly, striding around the room from wall to wall, staying among the shadows. He knew the house well enough that he soon escaped the ballroom and found another door to the terrace. He might wish to protect her, but it would do neither of them good if he were caught outside with her instead of Rathdowne.
The cold air bit at his skin as soon as he stepped outside. Even the snow held a layer of frost, glittering with a million stars beneath the moonlight, and he had to duck his head to avoid the threat of icicles hanging from the low eaves above. Leo reconsidered his opinion of Evangeline; perhaps she was a fool, after all. At least he wore an evening jacket, but she only had two scraps of cloth clinging to the edges of her shoulders to serve as sleeves.
His feet crunched in the snow, and she whirled toward him as he approached. He tried not to take offense when her obvious anticipation dimmed to disappointment, but he did.
Rathdowne. Truly?
She clutched her arms with her hands and frowned.
He tried not to notice her shivering. If he offered her his jacket, she would be less inclined to return into the heated house by his side.
As was their way, an entire conversation was exchanged silently—no words needed. She’d never learned the trick of hiding her thoughts from the canvas of her expression, and she was too damned quick, able to guess what he was thinking before he even uttered a syllable.
Of course, he hadn’t made much of an effort to wipe the glower from his face, either. “Rathdowne, Evangeline?”
She scowled in response, but otherwise made no reply.
“What of your betrothal? Your upcoming nuptials?” He slowed his voice, allowing his speech to crawl to such a pace that she couldn’t possibly ignore his emphasis on the last word of each sentence.
She turned her back. A fog of air appeared as she said, “G-go away.” Her teeth had begun to chatter.
“I wish you to come inside with me.”
“I don’t want him to find you here. Please, Leo.”
It wasn’t her plea that swayed him, but the realization that if he had seen her leave the ballroom, anyone might have as well. And if Rathdowne were stupid enough to leave through the same door as she had—and Leo was not an optimistic man concerning the topic of Rathdowne’s intelligence—someone would likely draw the correct conclusion.
“Very well,” he said, then cursed for effect. “Do as you wish.”
He waited a moment, to see if she would change her mind. But she didn’t. She didn’t even look at him. He could only see the white curve of her cheek as she stood facing away, the trembling of her body as she waited for her future lover to appear.
Leo spun on his heel, being sure to make enough noise for her to hear him walking away.
***
When Gabriel finally approached from the ballroom, Evangeline couldn’t feel the tips of her fingers or her nose. It was worth it, though, to be able to marry the man she loved.
He stopped in the shadows a few feet away and opened his arms, and though her legs from her knees downward had turned numb five minutes ago, she ran to him. It seemed a thousand nights had passed since they’d first begun planning this moment.
His arms wrapped around her tightly, drawing her into his warmth, and she buried her face in his chest, wishing she could smell his familiar, beloved scent. But her nose was frozen, and all she could smell was the cold.
His hand touched her nape, urging her face to lift, and—because this was the end of their hopelessness, because this was the beginning of their future—it felt like their first kiss. As his mouth met and slowly parted hers, she clung to his jacket, frantic for the heat of his lips to thaw her own.
In this winter garden time stood still. He had told her he would make it obvious when he left the ballroom to go outside, to be sure he aroused curiosity, but even if they had to wait half an hour or more for one of her siblings to come searching for her, she wouldn’t mind.
He was hers.
Soon, she would be his.
And then she gasped as his tongue touched hers. A first kiss, and better than any yet before. Joy flooded her blood, pounded in her ears along with her heartbeat, heated every inch of skin which had just moments before been stiff and tight with chill.
Perhaps it was this joy that distracted her, that kept her from being prepared for getting caught—for when Gabriel suddenly broke apart from her and she saw her eldest brother and his wife standing a few feet away, she was completely taken by surprise. Dazed from the effects of his passion.
Gabriel must have been surprised, too, for he cursed beneath his breath.
Behind her brother and sister-in-law, more faces began to appear.
“What the hell is going on?” her brother demanded. “I hope to God that kiss was worthy, Evangeline, because now you must marry him. Who is he?”
She smiled and reached forward to take his hand, looking up into his face in the shadows.
And then a voice she knew well, a voice whose echoes she had carried around in her heart for so long, spoke grimly beyond her brother’s shoulder. “I’d like to know as well. Who is he, Evangeline?”
Her heart actually ceased beating at the sound of Gabriel’s voice, and she dropped the man’s hand as if he’d stung her. “No—” she began, then stopped herself. She wouldn’t give into hysterics, no matter how she wished to back away and shake her head violently, to insist that it had all been a mistake.
The man didn’t allow her to do such a thing, regardless. With a heavy breath, his hand took hers again and together they stepped out of the shadows.
This time her heart didn’t stop, but raced as if it meant to explode from her chest.
Leo looked down at her and smiled—that smile she’d understood since they were children, the one that meant he’d rather be anywhere else in the world but here. “Why, it’s me, of course. Who else did you suppose it could be?”
### Want some more of Ashley March's work?
Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, thought he'd married the perfect woman-until a fatal accident revealed her betrayal with his best friend. After their deaths, Sebastian is determined to avoid a scandal for the sake of his son. But his best friend's widow is just as determined to cast her mourning veil aside by hosting a party that will surely destroy both their reputations and expose all of his carefully kept secrets...
Leah George has carried the painful knowledge of her husband's affair for almost a year. All she wants now is to enjoy her independence and make a new life for herself-even if that means being ostracized by the Society whose rules she was raised to obey. Now that the rumors are flying, there's only one thing left for Sebastian to do: silence the scandal by enticing the improper widow into becoming a proper wife. But when it comes to matters of the heart, neither Sebastian nor Leah is prepared for the passion they discover in each other's arms....
Note: Effective 1/1/12, Ashley March will be changing her pen name to Elise Rome. A facebook page and twitter account have already been created. Old and new fans can make their way there for future work, updates, and general musings by this amazing author.
**Giveaway**
Ashley March has generously offered a copy of her sophmore release, Romancing the Countess, to 1 lucky commenter! (Open Internationally) Just make sure to leave a comment and fill out the raffle copter form below!
On behalf of myself, Dani and a whole host of generous and awesome authors, we will be having one BIG Grand Prize given away to 1 lucky winner. The grand prize consists of a mix of books, swag, and lots of other secret goodies. Believe me, you want to enter to win this prize. Just make sure to leave a comment every day on each post on both blogs and fill out that day's grand prize giveaway form on each blog. You can follow THIS link to today's form for this post or fill it out below after you comment. That's it. Super easy!