Cover Reveal of The Collector of Burned Books

Cover Reveal of The Collector of Burned Books

It’s Time!

For Another Cover Reveal!!

Guys, I am SO EXCITED for this book, and equally excited to share this AMAZING cover with you!! Because for one thing, when you have the word “books” in the very title, you know what’s going to be on the cover, right??

My original title for this story was The Library of Burned Books, and I knew then the “library” was going to HAVE to be visible. Even though we changed the name to avoid confusion with another, very similarly titled book, those “books” were bound to stay!

The Collector of Burned Books is set in Paris of 1940, all about the power of words and what they represent for a free society…and how they’re the first things to be attacked when freedom is subverted. Ready to learn more? Let me introduce you to my characters, and then I’ll share the cover, my thoughts, and the official back cover description!

Let’s meet…

Corinne Bastien

Corinne Bastien may constantly be mistaken for a student, but she is in fact a professor of linguistics and philosophy at the Sorbonne, one of Paris’s most prestigious universities. Having made her home for the last seven years beside the German Library of Burned Books, she has secrets irrevocably yoked to that library, full of every book the Nazis hate…secrets meant to aid the Allies in reclaiming the city she loves…secrets that could get her killed by Paris’s occupiers if anyone discovers them.

A man who isn’t what he appears to be…

Christian Bauer

Christian Bauer has been an enemy of the Nazi Party longer than most of the world knew to fear them. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to “relocate” France’s libraries, he knows refusing would mean being sent to a concentration camp. So he dons the hated Nazi uniform and sets up his headquarters at the Library of Burned Books. Though determined to help all those he can while in Paris, Christian walks a dangerous line. Because if his superiors discover what he’s been hiding and where his loyalties really lie, a concentration camp is the best he can hope for.

An evocative setting

Paris, 1940

The City of Lights suffered only one small bombing during the early days of World War II. When the Nazis marched on the city, the government surrendered and fled, declaring Paris “an open city”–meaning the Nazi army was free to enter. While General de Gaulle called for every French citizen to continue to resist, a puppet government was soon set up in Vichy, urging the French to collaborate with their new occupiers, claiming “German” was the new “European.”

But within weeks, a Resistance began to operate. And individuals went about intelligence gathering and espionage in many quiet ways, even before they knew how to get any information they gathered into Allied hands. While the Nazis began systematically dismantling much of Paris’s culture–its museums, its libraries–many Parisians clung to an idea set out by one of its writers. There was “a France which could not be invaded.” A France that lived in the hearts of the French. And that France was worth defending at any cost.

Roseanna’s first

World War II Romance

This high-stakes, fast-paced story explores the power of words, the heart of society, and what happens when it becomes illegal to live according to your morals.

Ready? Here it is!
The cover of The Collector of Burned Books!

What do you think??

I LOVE this cover! I was actually given a choice between TWO covers, both of them beautiful, but there was no contest between them in my mind, largely because the second, while gorgeous, didn’t look like my heroine, Corinne, LOL. This one absolutely does!

I love that we have the library, framing a window through which we get that hint of the setting. Now, is the Eiffel Tower actually visible from the library in the book? No. But I am 100% in favor of ignoring that fact for the sake of immediate setting-recognition. 😉 I love the fall colors (the book spans June through December of 1940), I love that back-view of Corinne, and I REALLY love that we even have a glimpse of Christian. This is the first time I’ve ever had my hero on the cover!

Early endorsements

from some authors you know and love.

“With her signature blend of page-turning storytelling, fascinating historical details, and enduring themes, Roseanna M. White draws readers into the dark days after Paris falls to Nazi occupation. Corinne and Christian shine in their undaunted determination to preserve books threatened by a regime that seeks to extinguish truth. The Collector of Burned Books is a stirring and inspiring tribute to the powerful bond between literature and freedom.”

~ Amanda Barratt,
Christy Award-winning author of The Warsaw Sisters and Within These Walls of Sorrow

~*~

“Courage, honor, and sacrifice born of great love overflow the pages of The Collector of Burned Books Rarely have I read a book with such perfect tension.  Meticulously researched, intellectually and spiritually stimulating, compelling and beautifully written, Roseanna White has written a book I could not put down, one I will not forget.”

~ Cathy Gohlke,
Christy Hall of Fame author of This Promised Land and Ladies of the Lake

~*~

“The Collector of Burned Books is a heart-pounding historical that kept me riveted from beginning to end. Roseanna White, a brilliant storyteller, weaves together a gripping plot about the many dangers of distributing prohibited books during the Nazi regime. As her cast of heroic characters secretly fight for freedom, they risk their lives to spread the truth and protect those they love. The Collector of Burned Books should be read by every lover of a life-changing book!” 

~ Melanie Dobson,
award-winning author of Chateau of Secrets and The Curator’s Daughter

The Official Description

In this gripping World War II historical about the power of words, two people form an unlikely friendship amid the Nazi occupation in Paris and fight to preserve the truth that enemies of freedom long to destroy.

Paris, 1940. Ever since the Nazi Party began burning books, German writers exiled for their opinions or heritage have been taking up residence in Paris. There they opened a library meant to celebrate the freedom of ideas and gathered every book on the banned list . . . and even incognito versions of the forbidden books that were smuggled back into Germany.

For the last six years, Corinne Bastien has been reading those books and making that library a second home. But when the German army takes possession of Paris, she loses access to the library and all the secrets she’d hidden there. Secrets the Allies will need if they have any hope of liberating the city she calls home.

Christian Bauer may be German, but he never wanted anything to do with the Nazi Party—he is a professor, one who’s done his best to protect his family as well as the books that were a threat to Nazi ideals. But when Goebbels sends him to Paris to handle the “relocation” of France’s libraries, he’s forced into an army uniform and given a rank he doesn’t want. In Paris, he tries to protect whoever and whatever he can from the madness of the Party and preserve the ideas that Germans will need again when that madness is over, and maybe find a lost piece of his heart.

But he hadn’t bargained on meeting a beautiful Parisian scholar who is clearly keeping as many secrets as he is. As Christian and Corinne try to discern each other’s true loyalties, forces beyond their control are making plans that could destroy everything they hold dear.

Awakened Cover Vote

Awakened Cover Vote

Awakened Cover Vote

Where the magic is in the meeting of those who should never be friends…

I’d love for your feedback on cover style and design for the Awakened series! Your title votes helped me decide on simple 1-word titles like Awakened, Aflame, Amazed, and Alight (though those could of course change for the later books!)

Now, I’d LOVE your take on what sort of cover the series should feature! Photographic, to better match my historical romance covers? Illustrated? Vector art? Scroll down for a big view of each, and then vote!

Option 1 – Photographic

Here’s the first option, the photographic one. This is the style of cover I make most often, so obviously what I defaulted to. This design features my heroine, Arden, the tail of a diving mermaid, and a golden hawk. And, of course, a cliff with a raging ocean.

Option 1 – Photographic

Option 2 is an illustration of the Awakening ceremony that takes place multiple times in the book, the thing that brings the magic to life in a person–a drop of blood spilling into water, its flourishes as it hits telling the master of ceremonies whether there is magic present to be Awakened.

Option 1 – Photographic

And finally, option 3 is vector art, featuring the two vying forces in the world of this book–the mer kingdom, who are embroiled in civil war, and the great hawk that is aiding the heroine in her quest to find her sister.

Vote Now!

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It’s Release Day! A Noble Scheme

It’s Release Day! A Noble Scheme

Welcome to the Launch Day Celebration
for A Noble Scheme!

I have been SO encouraged and blessed by the excitement over the Imposters series since A Beautiful Disguise released in August of 2023! And I know we have all been eager for A Noble Scheme to make its way into the world.

Because I got the question of “What is up with Gemma and Graham??” quite a bit, LOL. Did you have a guess? A theory? When I asked the question at book clubs, I got responses like this:

“I don’t know, but I bet he did something crummy.”
“Were they a couple but he cheated on her?”
“It must have been something bad, if she’s so angry with him and he’s groveling.”

To which I replied, “Mwa ha ha ha.” 😉 Because while, yes, Gemma blames Graham for something horrible…it’s not what you think. I have yet to speak to an early reader who guessed what the big mid-point reveal was before it hit them. Of course, in retrospect, all the pieces will be there.

So…are you ready? Ready to dive back into the world of the Imposters? Ready to figure out the secrets of these two investigators? To travel with Gemma in her G.M. Parker persona to a holiday house party? Ready to explore the grounds with Graham? Ready to perform some arcrobatics with Yates? To get a peek into the married life of Marigold and Merritt?

This one is different in tone from the first in some ways, and not set at the Tower, but we’ve got theater tricks, costumes, hidden identities, mistaken identities, healing hearts, and some new friends!

Scroll down to learn more about the fun I’ve plotted up for this release!

Live Event!

Join me for a Facebook Live video tonight, Tuesday March 19, at 7 pm Eastern! (You can watch it afterward too, and I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments!)

  • Behind the scenes
  • Fun facts
  • Short author reading
  • What’s coming next

A Noble Scheme focuses on Gemma and Graham, so here’s a bit more about them!

Gemma Parks is better known by her nom de plume, G. M. Parker. Thanks to her love for the written word, Gemma has made a name for herself as a columnist…and has made a name for Lady Marigold through her writing too. It’s Gemma’s columns that catapulted “Lady M” to a fashion icon, and her columns also provide alibis…just in case the Imposters ever get caught.

Graham Wharton is a distant cousin of the noble Fairfax siblings and was raised at Fairfax Tower alongside his titled cousins as a ward of their father after his parents died. He’s now an architect with a knack for historical documents and a keen eye for features that others miss–features that lead him to hidden passageways, buried-over ruins, and other secrets oh-so-handy for an investigator to know.

When a boy goes missing, kidnapped when he’s mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Gemma and Graham are forced to work together for the first time in a year. And let’s just say the sparks fly.

Launch Team Spotlight

Rachel B.

Launch Team Spotlight

Rachel D.

Launch Team Spotlight

Paula S.

Launch Team Spotlight

Paty H.

Launch Team Spotlight

Marie E.

Launch Team Spotlight

Lucy R.

Launch Team Spotlight

Ileana V.

Launch Team Spotlight

Cathy L.

Launch Team Spotlight

Anna Kelly D.

Launch Team Spotlight

Connie S

Launch Team Spotlight

Faith M

Launch Team Spotlight

MMB

Launch Team Spotlight

Melissa

Launch Team Spotlight

Rachael F

It’s Theater Time!

While circus themes made their way into book 1, A Noble Scheme relies more on theater tricks. But what do YOU know about historical theater? Test your knowledge and learn some fun facts about the history of the theater in the new addition to my Imposters page!

More from the world of the Imposters

There’s So Much to Explore!

Learn more about the Edwardian circus that defined the Imposters’ childhood, get fashion tips from Lady M, explore the theater of the day, meet the team, pet the animals, go behind the Top Secret stamp to learn about intelligence in the early 20th century, train yourself to be a private investigator, and dive into some fun and games!

Shop the Imposters Collection

Lions, sprayed edges, handmade vintage style bags, peacock stationery, and more!
To celebrate this release specifically, Gemma–who never goes ANYWHERE without a notebook of some kind–inspired me to create a series of journals! They have lined pages, hardcover, with Edwardian era watercolors that tie in with each of the books (and cover).

Giveaway

US entrants, enter to win a copy of A Beautiful Disguise
(or another book of your choice) + a $25 gift card to my shop!

International entrants, enter to win a copy of any of my books, shipped from your usual online retailer.

Cover Reveal of The Collector of Burned Books

Cover Reveal of Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor

It’s Time!

For Another Cover Reveal!!

Last week I revealed the cover for An Honorable Deception and also shared pre-order links for both it AND this one…which actually releases first. 😉 

I know, I know, I’m so out of order! LOL. But it made sense in my little head to first finish out the covers in the on-going series and THEN jump to the holiday book! This one is a stand-alone.

Now, I know we’re not in the Christmas season now…but we also know how eager we all are to dive back into it when it rolls around again, and wouldn’t you love to have a head start on what holiday reads to put on your list in 2024?

Let’s meet…

Lady Mariah Lyons

Mariah loves the Christmas season, when she gets to help transform her stepfather’s estate, Plumford Manor, into a winter fairyland that she has dubbed Sugar Plum Manor. This year, however, it seems like the whole world is out to steal her Christmas cheer. All she wants to do is show her family who she really is…and, hopefully, how approaching life with whimsy and imagination isn’t foolish. It is, in fact, what faith is made of.

She doesn’t know what to think about the fact that Cyril, her stepfather’s heir, will be joining them again. Once, they were friends. Once, she’d dreamed they’d be more. But anyone fool enough to pay court to the duplicitous Lady Pearl isn’t worth her consideration…and gossip says Cyril and the lady are all but engaged.

An old friend…and the heir

Cyril Lightbourne

Cyril hasn’t returned to Plumford in years, not since he was a child, brought in to be introduced to the distant cousin whose heir he apparently was. But knowing that Lord Castleton doesn’t want him for an heir has made him neglect coming back…especially after he and Mariah, who had become fast friends during that enchanted visit as children, eventually stopped writing to each other. The girl, he had adored. But her letters had changed over the years, and he’s convinced she’s no longer the bright-hearted person he’d once counted as his dearest friend. Was it any wonder, then, that he’d let himself think he could fall in love with the beautiful Lady Pearl when fate threw them together in a way that allowed him to save her life? Yet she’d scorned him and sent him packing, all because he’d shown up bruised after defending her honor.

A Cold-hearted Rival

Lord Søren Gyldenkrone

Cousin to the Danish king, Søren is in England for one purpose: to find an English bride whose family is close to the royals, thereby solidifying relations between Denmark and England. He’d at first thought Lady Pearl to be the best contendor…but her recent behavior has left him apalled. And worse, the scrum over her resulted in the upstart Lightbourne tarnishing his family name. But when he realizes that the next young lady on his list of potential brides–the pretty Lady Mariah with her head full of fluff and nonsense–is special to Lightbourne, he knows the fates are in his favor.

He can get his bride and his revenge in one fell swoop.

Inspired by

The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman

this Edwardian-era historical romance is a tale of holiday spirit, love, and the power of family and friendship.

Ready? Here it is!
The cover of Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor!

What do you think??

I admit my first imaginings had an outdoor scene, with snow falling and beautiful plum-purples and golds…but I do admit it would have been tough to get the Nutcracker doll in that concept…and really, can you possibly go wrong with a gorgeous Edwardian ballroom, complete with Christmas tree, Nutcracker, and a stunning dress in holiday red?

Nope. You really can’t. The moment I saw this, I was over the moon. Such a perfect image of the high-society Christmas story that this is!

Now, I know Christmas and release day is still a while off, but you know me. I can’t resist putting it up for you now!

An early endorsement

From Christmas-book fanatic (and my amazing assistant) Rachel Dixon:

“This, THIS is what us Christmas book reading fanatics WANT and drool over every Christmas. You’ve fully captured the magic of Christmas and the Nutcracker, and balanced it beautifully with the hope of Jesus.” ~ Rachel Dixon, aka BookwormMama

Cover Reveal of The Collector of Burned Books

Cover Reveal of An Honorable Deception

It’s Time!

For TWO Cover Reveals!!

Say what? Yes, that’s right, I have TWO new covers to show you.

First is the one you might be expecting…book 3 in The Imposters, An Honorable Deception. With book 2 releasing in a few short weeks, it’s no surprise that the cover for the final book in the series is ready for you!

But I also have the cover for my Christmas novel to show you, which will actually be releasing before this!

Today, though…Imposters. Unleeeesssssss you REALLY want to see the cover for Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor too. In which case, read on! 😉 There’s info at the bottom on how you can see that one a week early too!

But First…

Our Hero, Yates

First we have Yates. Technically Lord Fairfax, an earl…but if you’ve read his sister’s story in A Beautiful Disguise, you know he’s far more interested in running their P.I. firm and playing with the retired circus animals that live at their estate than attending the Sessions.

I don’t often write muscle-bound heroes, but Yates HAS to be…so that he can toss and catch his sister on the trapeze. And building ledges. And wherever else they need to get into and out of for their clandestine work. But in addition to all the muscles, Yates has a heart of gold and will do absolutely anything to protect the people he loves.

A New Acquaintance

Lady Alethia Barremore

Lady Alethia hires the Imposters to help her find her dearest friend–her Indian ayah (nanny) who has gone missing. As the daughter of a former viceroy of India, Alethia has made a splash in her first season by wearing Indian finery. But she’s also apparently made enemies, because she’s shot three times leaving her meeting with Mr. A of the Imposters. What have she and her former ayah, Samira, stumbled into?

And an old friend…

Lady Lavinia Hemming

Lavinia is still reeling from the family secrets that nearly undid them all in A Beautiful Disguise, and she’s still regaining her strength from the bout of Scarlet Fever that weakened her heart and nearly killed her. She doesn’t knew who in the world she can trust when her own family would betray her–but when she discovers her dearest friends are the Imposters, she’s relieved to find that their secrets are noble…and she promptly recruits herself, so that she can help them find Lavinia’s friend.

But…

as clues lead them deeper into the darkest of society’s secrets…

Alethia, Yates, and Lavinia soon learn anew that the gentry isn’t always noble…and truth isn’t always honorable. Amidst burgeoning love and old betrayal, scandalous secrets will test the bounds of redemption in this exhilarating series finale.

Ready? Here it is!
The cover of An Honorable Deception!

Isn’t it beautiful??

I love the autumn colors and how they work so well with the beautiful rose of the dress.

Now…you may be wondering which of the ladies this is. Alethia? Lavinia? From the character images I shared above, you may even notice that they bear a passing resemblance to each other.

That’s no accident, friends!

So to discover which one is the “heroine”…which one steals Yates’s heart…you’re just going to have to wait and read the book! 😉

Lucky for you, you can:

NOW

What about that second cover??

Well, you can come back next week and see it here on the blog or in the newsletter, no problem. There will be a post much like this one, with some character images and a bit about my Nutcracker-inspired story.

But if you want to be the FIRST to get a peek, you can do so by ORDERING either of these two books! Pre-order from my shop, and you’ll get an email within minutes with the second cover!

(Of course, you’ll still want to come back next week for the full info! LOL)

Awakened Series Title Vote

Awakened Series Title Vote

Welcome to the world of the Awakened, where magic has been gifted from heaven and combined with nanotechnology to create a world where amazing things can happen…but only where enemies meet and find love. There is magic in the meeting, and many adventures await as new forms of it are gifted to humanity. But…what in the world am I going to call these books?? 😉 They will all fall in the clean romantasy (fantasy romance) genre. Want to learn more about the first book before you vote? Check out my post here.

Keep up to date on all the goings-on in my fantasy world on my new Fantasy page. =) (And here are a few AI-generated images of how I imagine the characters and settings in book 1)

Want to learn more about my fantasy books as they develop? I’d love it if you’d join my Fantasy Readers email list–I’ll be sending out more polls on cover options, special edition experiments I’m doing, and more.

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