A great many readers have asked about the Duke and Duchess of Blackwood’s story.
Alexander Brullov, Young Woman with a Book, 1839 (I’d date this before 1837, going by the dress)
Let me preface this explanation with apologies for the confusion. My imagination rarely proceeds logically. If it did, I’d have written twice as many books by now. At least.
My plan for the Difficult Dukes has always been a trilogy: Three books about the three Difficult Dukes known as Their Dis-Graces: The Dukes of Ashmont, Blackwood, and Ripley, in alphabetical order.
When I began the first book, A Duke in Shining Armor, here’s what was in my head: Ashmont was a hot mess and Blackwood was in a troubled marriage to Ripley’s sister, Alice. But it was Ashmont’s runaway bride who took hold of my imagination first—thus Ripley’s story.
When that was done, I tried to tell the Blackwoods’ story (well, yes, I wanted to know what was going on, too), but my imagination refused to cooperate. Ashmont had to come next, like it or not.
Illustration by Robert Cruikshank
The result:
Book One: A Duke in Shining Armor, Ripley and Olympia’s story, published 2017.
Book Two: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke, Ashmont and Cassandra’s story, published 2020.
Book Three (in process): Title Unknown,* Blackwood and Alice’s story. Planned publishing date is 2022.
Regarding Lord Frederick Beckingham (Uncle Fred) and Lady Charles Ancaster (Aunt Julia): Until Book Three is finished, I won’t know whether I’ve completed their story arc or will need to write a novella, but I do plan to reveal their story.
Regarding other characters: I haven’t decided and probably won’t until Book Three is finished. Not all secondary characters inspire a complete story, but I hope to have most of the loose ends tied up with Book Three.
Robert Cruikshank, “The Arrival, or Western Entrance to Cockney Land” (i.e., Hyde Park Corner, from the English Spy
*Please do feel free to offer title suggestions.