Announcing the Ladies of the Manor Series
Wow, it feels like forever since I did a Remember When Wednesday post! Of course, last week we were celebrating the release of Circle of Spies. Which reminds me that we have some winners–but you’ll have to scroll down to find them. 😉
First, I can finally share the news I’ve been sitting on for a month and a half! Yay! We all know that my next book out is my biblical from WhiteFire, A Soft Breath of Wind, coming November of 2014. Well now I can finally talk about the next historical romance, coming summer 2015. Drum roll please…
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| This is nothing resembling official artwork. This is Roseanna wanting a graphic for her blog, LOL. Photo of Burton Agnes Hall by Richard Needham |
Coming from Bethany House, The Lost Heiress is, to put it mildly, very special to me. I know, I know, I say that a lot. But seriously, LOL. Here’s why.
When I was 12, I decided to write a novel. I solemnly swore to the New Years Resolutions in my journal that I would finish it, too–and I did, at age 13. It was called Golden Sunset, Silver Tear, and it was a historical romance about a girl raised as a princess but who discovers she’s actually a British nobelwoman…with the help of her best friend, heir to a dukedom. And once back in England, she finds herself unwittingly involved in the ongoing mystery of her parents’ deaths…and hidden jewels.
Brook and Justin underwent a lot of revision over the years…and a few different titles. I decided to totally rewrite it before my first writers conference, at which point I named it Fire Eyes and pitched it in 2007. It landed me an agent and got me a bit of interest from Bethany House (whose editor I pitched to), but alas…the time wasn’t right. And I’m pretty glad. 😉
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| A young Diane Kruger is how I picture Brook Eden- though with curly hair |
A while back, my current agent asked if I had anything that would work as an Edwardian, and Brook sprang to mind. She is so the kind of young woman who came into her own in the 1910s!! It was one of those “Why didn’t I set it here to begin with? This so works!” things. =) So I started yet another rewrite, gave it yet another title, and turned it in to Karen. Well, when the Culper Ring Series drew to a close and it was time to pitch again, this is what she sent out–and you can imagine my glee when Bethany House expressed interest! Not only are they the first ones I pitched to in 2007, they’re also the first house I sent out a query to at age 14. Third time, apparently, is a charm. 😉
I describe this one as Downton Abbey meets Anastasia. We’ve got priceless red diamonds, Grimaldi princesses, dukes, danger, romance, and a girl finding her father after 18 years apart. We’ve got mystery and adventure, kidnapping and love, half-wild stallions and brand-new automobiles.
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| William Mosley, of Narnia fame, is the closest I’ve seen to Justin Wildon, heir to the fictional Duke of Stafford |
This is the book I was working on over the weekend at my retreat (I wrote 40,000 words between Thursday and Monday!!!!!), which means it’s now well on its way to completion, and I’m so in love, yet again, with Brook and Justin. (Their names are the only ones that haven’t changed from the original, LOL.)
I’ll be talking about this one more as I write it, I’m sure, and as its time grows nearer. But I had to share the excitement of my FIRST FINISHED NOVEL being published! Nineteen years after I penned “Chapter One” (literally penned, in a notebook, in Health class my 7th grade year). Four title changes later. Draft number 1,239,875, I think. With 9 other books out in the meantime. But it’s finally happening.
So, yep, I’m very excited. It’s been an amazing week–Circle of Spies releasing, a writing retreat with my best friend, and now getting to share this. So to celebrate, I guess I’ll actually pick winners for that pearl necklace and set of the Culper Ring Series!
First, the Culper Pearls!
The winner is…
Rebecca Tracy-Williams!
Next we have the complete Culper Ring Series
Which goes to…
Sarah Holman!
Congrats, you two! You’ve likely already gotten emails from me requesting your info. 😉
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. Having successfully launched two homeschool grads, she now spends her time writing fiction, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, as well as a fantasy series and contemporary mysteries and romances. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.