» Are your books available as ebooks?
Yes, all the books are avaialble in a variety of ebook formats. Visit E-Book Central to see all the books in all available formats.
» Do the Merry Widows books have to be read in order? And if so, what order?
Each book in the trilogy stands alone and you need not read any of the other books beforehand. However, if you enjoy reading stories in chronological order, the books should be read as follows:
In the Thrill of the Night
Just One of Those Flings
Lady be Bad
  
See what other books are connected.
» Are your books available in any foreign languages?
So far my books have been translated into French, German, Russian, Dutch, Polish, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Turkish, and Chinese. Look for some of the foreign covers on the book page for each specific book, ie you can see foreign covers for Lady Be Bad here.
» Do the books in the Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet trilogy need to be read in order? And if so, what order?
Each book in the trilogy stands alone and you need not read any of the other books beforehand. However, if you enjoy reading stories in chronological order, the books should be read as follows:
Once a Dreamer
Once a Scoundrel
Once a Gentleman
  
See what other books are connected.
» Who is MacDougal in A Garden Folly?
 Since this book was first published in 1997 I have continued to receive email asking about MacDougal. I deliberately gave him an air of mystery with some hints that he might be more than he seems. However, everything he does can be logically explained. It is only the context of his actions that sometimes make him seem more mysterious than he actually is. I decided to leave it to the reader's imagination to decide who MacDougal might be. A ghost? An angel? A reincarnation of the heroine's father? Or simply a loyal retainer? He is whoever you want him to be.
» There are several unfamiliar terms and phrases in your books. Dictionaries don't always help. How can I find out what they mean?
Check my Regency Glossary. It lists several words and phrases that are specific to the late 18th and early 19th century. Many are slang expression that you won't find in a dictionary -- unless you happen to have a copy of the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, one of my favorite reference books!
» How do you choose your characters' names?
 Sometimes the name just comes to me. Sometimes I actively search them out. I have several books I use to help me choose names. For first names I use the Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names, as well as Naming Through the Ages, and the Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook (which was written by author Sherrilyn Kenyon). Main characters generally get simple, common first names. An unusual first name can make a bold statement about a character, and I haven't yet found a hero or heroine who needed one. I will, though, use an unusual or quirky Dickensian name for a minor charcater. For last names, the resource I most often use is A Dictionary of English Surnames. I try to pick last names that go well with the first names, and also try not to have too many characters whose names begin with the same letter. If I need to name a new character, I look at my character list and then will decide, for example, that I haven't used a surname beginning with M, so I look up M names and try to find a good one.
For titles (eg Lord SoAndSo), I use place name books, since most titles were/are associated with a place. But I won't use a county or town name that is well known, like Devonshire or Kent or Bath. Occasionally I will simply make up a title based on no particular place. Like Lord Thayne in Just One of Those Flings. I knew he would be called by his title and I wanted a strong, one-syllable title for him. So I just made it up. Lord Rochdale in Lady Be Bad was a special situation. You can read about how I chose his name here.
Naming is a very serious business for me. I usually set aside a full day at the beginning of a project just for naming characters. I will even make a list of potential minor characters, like the hero's friends or the heroine's suitors or the hostesses of balls, etc. That way, when I need a name, I already have a list and just grab one.
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"A young man, for a wager of ten guineas, engaged to hop upon one leg for three quarters of an hour, which he performed, at the beginning of this month in Bridge Street, Blackfriars, with apparent ease. He went a distance of two miles and a quarter in the time."
More are scattered throughout this website. Find the next two somewhere on this page »
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» Is it true that you got published as the result of a writing contest?
Yes, that's true. As soon as I decided to try my hand at writing romance, I joined Romance Writers of America. One of the many benefits they offer unpublished members is the opportunity to enter writing contests that provide valuable feedback from judges — regional contests as well as one important national contest. I won two of the four regional contests I entered, and the winning entries for one of the contests were sent to acquiring editors. Mine was sent to an editor at Berkley/Jove, who wrote me asking for the full manuscript. Minor problem: I didn't have one yet. I only had nine completed chapters. She asked me to send them to her, and she bought the book based on those few chapters. I realize how extremely fortunate I was to sell my first book without a completed manuscript. I will always be grateful to Judy Stern Palais at Berkley for taking a chance on me and publishing A Proper Companion.
» Where do you get your ideas for stories?
 Anywhere and everywhere. The most common source of inspiration is the historical research I do for each book. I am always finding some little tidbit that triggers a new idea. For example, an article in an old newspaper led me to create The Bride Sale. I also find inspiration in the screwball comedy movies of the 1930s. Check out the Behind the Scenes section for each individual book for more specific details about what inspired the story (for example, click here to learn about the article that inspired The Bride Sale). Coming up with a premise, however, is just the beginning. Somehow there has to be an actual plot to support the overall concept. Plotting is the most difficult part of the writing process for me. I am much more interested in character than plot, so I seek help in developing a story line. I have a terrific group of writing buddies. When I lived in San Francisco, we got together frequently to help one another brainstorm -- anything from a complete plot to a specific scene. Since I've moved ti Minneaplois, we do it via email. These ladies are invaluable to me and I sincerely hope they never get tired of the question, "And then what happens?"
» Do you create outlines for your books, or make it up as you go?
I have discovered there are two basic types of writers: those who outline, and those who fly by the seats of their pants. I'm an outliner. I can't move forward until I know where I'm going. I usually write the first chapter, just to get a feel for the story and the characters. But then I stop and write a very detailed, scene by scene outline. I generally stick fairly close to the outline as I write. Occasionally bits here and there are added or deleted, but for the most part I keep on the path I've built in the outline without much variation.
» How much research do you do, and how do you do it?
 I do lots and lots of research, but more because it's fun than because it's required for the story. I love history and I tend to over-research some things just because I can't seem to stop once I get started. I don't spend a lot of time in libraries, though. Acquisitive by nature, I would rather buy books than borrow them. So I have a very extensive library at home. I do not rely much on general histories. Instead, I stock my shelves with books on specific subjects, eg fashion, architecture, carriages, medicine, flora and fauna, etc. And maps. I love maps. For the journey in Once a Dreamer I kept a coaching map from 1799 on my desk. For interesting historical detail, my favorite sources are magazines of the period. You can learn so much about what was important or popular by reading magazines, and I have a small library of magazines from 1794 to 1817. My fascination with magazines led me to create the Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet trilogy.
» Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No. It never occurred to me to write fiction until I was in my 40s. I had only recently discovered the wonderful genre of the Regency Romance. I felt such an affinity for the period (through my collections and through years of reading non-fiction about the period) that I soon began spinning stories in my head. It was only a short leap to capturing them on the page, and I discovered a passion for writing I never knew I harbored.
» I am intrigued by the lover's eyes in your collection. Where can I buy one?
 Of all the collections on this site, the lover's eyes seem to fascinate people the most. I receive at least one email per week asking where to buy one. The only thing I can recommend is when buying expensive antiques of any kind, always work with reputable, trustworthy dealers. Lover's eyes, in particular, are very expensive items. Genuine ones — and there are MANY fakes out there — seldom cost under $2500, and generally are much more than that. Be very cautious when buying one. I would not recommend buying one on eBay unless the seller offers a solid money-back guarantee. In general, a lover's eye is something best purchased after closely examining it in person. I was at a large antique show recently where three very reputable dealers had eye brooches and lockets and rings available, ranging from $3000 to $10,000. So, even though they are fairly rare, they can still be found — for a price. If anyone wants specific dealer recommendations, please email me privately.
 » Where did you find all the Regency images used throughout your website?
The images at the top and bottom of each page as well as the little cropped heads used throughout the site are all details from Regency period fashion plates from my private collection. I currently own over 500 fashion prints from 1798 through 1820.
» Are all the items shown in the "collections" yours?
Yes, the items are all from my private collections unless otherwise stated, e.g. the paintings shown in the article on shoe buckles.
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