1–What is the title of your latest release? I WANT YOU TO WANT ME 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A grumpy wounded hero makes a marriage of convenience with a sunny heroine in trouble. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The hero is wounded physically and a recluse at his country estate. The heroine lives at a nearby estate, so the characters really dictated the setting. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? The heroine is Amelia, and I would absolutely hang out with her in real life. She’s really fun and likes to have a good time. She’s also a very compassionate person who cares deeply. I think she’d make a great friend. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Grumpy, vulnerable, guarded 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned a lot about Gloucestershire Old Spots, which is a type of pig. The heroine has a pet Gloucestershire Old Spots named Sweetie. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I wait until I’m done, but sometimes I do go back and change or add to something I’ve…

In THE CLAIMING OF THE SHREW, Catarina Neves begged Benedict Draven to marry her years before. She was desperate to escape an arranged marriage, and the brave English soldier seemed her only choice. Now Catarina is in London to ask for an annulment, but Benedict isn’t so sure he wants to give her up… “Senhor. You have come, as you promised.” “I’m a man of my word.” He moved forward, entering the parlor. “You have met my sister?” He looked back at Ines for a moment, but it was Catarina who held his gaze. The younger sister said something in Portuguese. He knew a bit of the language, but he wasn’t paying enough attention to translate. Then the younger sister exited to the bed chamber and he and Catarina were alone. They looked at each other for a long time. Finally, Catarina said, “I will ring for tea.” “There’s no need.” “I know your customs. It is appropriate to serve a caller tea.” “I’m your husband. I think we can dispense with the social customs.” Her dark eyes flashed fire before she quickly lowered her lashes. There was the temper he knew so well. She was attempting to control it…

I’ve written over thirty romances set during the Regency period in England. I love the Regency, but lately, I’ve wanted to explore a different time period—the French Revolution. I get varied reactions to this announcement. Some of my readers are excited. Others are not interested in reading a book set during that time period. I hear, “Guillotines are not sexy” and “I like my British dukes, thank you very much.” You know the great thing about my books? As Marie Antoinette said, “You get your cake and can eat it too!” Okay, she didn’t say that, but she never said “Let them eat cake either.” But you will get everything you love in a Regency in one of my French Revolution-set books, especially To Tempt a Rebel, which releases March 12. 1. Page-turning Suspense The guillotine may not be sexy, but when my hero and heroine face the National Razor if they are caught out after curfew, it certainly makes those midnight rendezvous a little more tense and meaningful. With all the turmoil and unrest during the revolution, Alex and Tristan are always just one step ahead of the guards, and I promise you’ll keep turning pages to see if…

Want to learn a little something about the writers of THE DESIRES OF DUKE Historical Romance Collection? Here are their own favorite fictional dukes. Erica Monroe: Favorite Duke: Roderick Gideon Tremayne, Duke of Wentworth Title of book: FOREVER AND A DAY Author: Delilah Marvelle Why he’s my favorite duke: Roderick and Georgia’s love is truly a story of love defying society’s conventions, and they have to fight hard for their happily ever after. Roderick’s devotion to Georgia made me love him even more. Favorite Duke: Simon Pearson, Duke of Leighton Title of Book: ELEVEN SCANDALS TO START TO WIN A DUKE’S HEART Author: Sarah MacLean Why he’s my favorite duke: This book is probably the reason I have a thing for the rule-following, restrained hero who refuses to admit that passion could ever change his life. I absolutely adored the chemistry between “opposites attract” Simon and Juliana, and this was one of the first books I read where I really got caught up in the story and found myself breathlessly reading the next page. I loved Simon’s dedication to his family, and his struggle between following his logic, or his heart. Shana Galen: Favorite Duke: The Duke of Avendale Title…

Shana Galen gives the background to THIRD SON’S A CHARM As an author, I get rejected more than you might think. Readers only see the published books, not all the proposals that didn’t make the cut. But what I’ve learned is that sometimes rejection is a blessing in disguise. If my original idea for a new book series hadn’t been rejected, Third Son’s a Charm would never have been written. The rejection certainly didn’t feel wonderful at the time, of course. I remember feeling pretty low when I returned to my hotel room at the writing conference where my proposal was turned down. Fortunately, my longtime friend and fellow author Sophie Jordan was rooming with me. When I told her what happened, she said, “What about The Dirty Dozen?” I told her I wasn’t in the mood to watch a movie, but she said, “No, as a premise for a new series!” And that was when the lightbulb went off! I would write a series about twelve former soldiers, men who had returned from the war against Napoleon, and who were trying to fit back into London society. These aren’t the heirs and the spares, but the younger brothers deemed…

What happens when a supporting character in a book gains a following? Lily was always going to get her own book, as she is one of The Three Diamonds, glamorous courtesans and the heroines in my Jewels of the Ton series. What I did not expect was how popular she was going to be with readers before her book, SAPPHIRES ARE AN EARL’S BEST FRIEND was even released. Readers definitely let me know they were ready for Lily’s story in emails, Facebook posts, and tweets. When are you going to write Lily’s book? I can’t wait for Lily’s story! Lily is my favorite character. Andrew is dreamy. What do you mean March of 2013? It’s the third book? I could sense readers’ impatience that Fallon’s book IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY was released before Lily’s. Even my friend emailed me, “I have wanted to read Lily’s book since before it was written.” No pressure! Especially considering it still hadn’t been written! I was really a little perplexed over the Lily-mania. Lily had a handful of scenes in WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND, and Andrew had even fewer. They only had one scene together before SAPPHIRES, and…

The old adage write what you know never made sense to me. I like to write books about Regency England, England in the early nineteenth century. I love to describe ladies dripping with jewels and garbed in satin gowns with embellished slippers, gentlemen in cravats and tail coats, and the sound of a coach and four as it clops and jingles past couples strolling along Picadilly. I’ve never been to Regency England, and even if they invented a time machine, I’m not sure I would go. I do have a fondness for indoor plumbing! I’ve never worn a ball gown or met a man in a cravat and Wellington boots (although I’d like to!). Obviously, I don’t know Regency England, not first-hand anyway. But I do know something about falling in love. I’ve been married for four and a half years to a wonderful man (even if he doesn’t wear a cravat). And I know something about being nervous before entering a party, losing someone I love, and having to start over. My heroine, Felicity Bennett, has all of these experiences. Felicity and I share something else as well—a love of music. I started taking piano lessons in first grade….

Have you ever pretended you were someone you’re not? Have you ever masqueraded as someone famous or gone along when you were mistaken for someone else? I haven’t, but I’ve always loved stories where the heroines were in disguise. Think of Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, TWELFTH NIGHT, or AS YOU LIKE IT. Those are some of my favorites. And the best part? When the ruse is discovered, of course! And maybe reading Shakespeare all those years ago in high school and college was part of the inspiration for Sarah in my next novel, THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS. Sarah is an orphan and a governess for one of the top men in England’s Foreign Office. She’s a quiet, unobtrusive sort of woman who minds her own business until one day her employer tells her he needs her to become a spy. And the man he needs her to spy upon? Julien Harcourt, duc de Valére. Sarah doesn’t know anything about Julien, which is a good thing. If she knew how wealthy he was, how powerful, how intimidating, or how handsome, she would never have accepted the assignment. She’s pretty reluctant to accept anyway, but her employer makes her an…