Author Q & A with Eloisa James and a Signed Book Giveaway!

When it comes to historical romance, nobody does it better than Eloisa James. Her heroines are sassy and independent, her men are divine, and the writing is always brilliant. So you can imagine I get pretty excited every time I see a new novel is about to come from her…
And now today marks the release of her latest book ‘The Duke is Mine’ – and to celebrate Eloisa was lovely enough (despite her incredibly hectic schedule) to answer a couple of questions for me about the book, her writing, what we can look forward to next, and even a giveaway…

“Your latest novel 'The Duke is Mine' is due for release shortly, can you tell us a little bit about it?”

The Duke is Mine is the third in my series of fairy tales; this one rewrites The Princess and the Pea, the story of a princess who arrives in the middle of the rainy night and is put through a series of tests to see whether she is a “real” princess—the most famous of which involved a pile of mattresses on top of a pea.  That pea gave me so much trouble!  I had a lot of fun writing Duke because I enjoy working within strict parameters.  It forces me to be more creative to know that I am not only required to write a happy ending, but I also need to trace the plot of a fairy tale.

 In The Princess and the Pea, the girl who arrives in the middle of a rainstorm turns out to be a “perfect” princess.  Olivia, my heroine fromThe Duke is Mine, by contrast, is no perfect heroine; she’s impudent, bawdy, and plump. Her sister Georgiana, by contrast, is “perfect.”  In a deep sense, The Duke is Mine is about perfection, and what that means.  Olivia is torn between a duke with an Aspergers-like inability to express emotion, who relies on logic, and her fiancé Rupert, who is all emotion with almost no logic.  This is the first book of mine that actually has two heroes… I can’t wait to see what readers think! 

“Do you have a favourite part of a romance book to write? Does it vary between books or is there always a same moment that you love?”

I like writing dialogue, particularly between the hero and heroine.  My happiest moments are when I manage to shape a conversation that has a deep swell of emotion in it.  Here’s an example from The Duke is Mine, from a scene when the Duke of Sconce is trying to convince the heroine, Olivia, to marry him:

Quin jerked Olivia a touch closer, so that her body was flattened against his. “You don’t know what I mean because you have never lost someone. There is nothing that matters more, not science nor mathematical propositions, not my title and my lands… Nothing.”

            “There’s honor,” she said, feeling pain arrow into her heart. “My honor. I can’t betray my sister or Rupert.”

“Is there anything in particular that draws you to writing romance?”

The simple answer is that I love a happy ending.  I’ve always loved the romance genre best, even when I was just a girl.  But a more complicated answer is that romance has a rhythm and a promise to it that appeals to me.  I know the world is a tough and cold place; I’ve lost my mother and I have a child with a chronic illness.  But—and this is a big but—I also know that love and joy make all the difference. Romance reminds me that if there’s a pattern to the universe, it’s one shaped around and by love.  We can all use that reminder now and then.

“What can we look forward to you writing next?”

A couple of years ago, my husband and I moved to Paris for a year.  We sold our house, our cars, uprooted the children, rented an apartment on the internet, and just flew away.  It was a transformative year – but it was also a lot of fun.  So my next book is Paris in Love, which comes out April 17.  It’s the story of that year, along with lots of tidbits for anyone who loves Paris: museums that are off the beaten track, things to do with children, where to buy a bra… The website is up, if anyone would like to see an excerpt:  www.parisinlovebook.com.  

This giveaway is now closed!
And now for the giveaway! If you’re an Eloisa James fan and would like to win a signed copy of her book ‘Desperate Duchesses’ simply comment below and tell me why you want to win it.
The giveaway is open internationally and is open until midnight UK time on New Year’s!
If you’re a follower of this blog that’s always helpful, I will be announcing the winner on New Year’s Day! Good Luck!

The Duke is Mine
released today in the USA and in the UK through Amazon. The Kindle UK version is released on December 29th

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can’t he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes herunsuitability all the more clear. 

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Tarquin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love. 

 To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

 Unless it’s already too late.