Update on Difficult Dukes #3, the Blackwoods' story

René Théodore Berthon, Portrait of Lady Morgan (Sydney Owenson) (1776-1859), Writer, circa 1818. National Gallery of Ireland

I’ve received a great many enquiries about the third Difficult Dukes book. With good reason. It’s been more than two years since the second book, Ten Things I Hate About the Duke, was released.

Simply put, the problem was writer's block. I continued to write, but nothing I wrote made sense or went anywhere. Scenes that didn’t work or lead to anything. Scenes that didn’t fit the characters. Ghastly prose. Boring dialogue. I couldn’t make a plot. The characters refused to talk to each other, and as for me, the Author—I was persona non grata as far as they were concerned. No cooperation from Alice and Blackwood. None whatsoever.

I took some time off. That didn’t work. So I simply kept writing, believing that eventually, the block would start to break down. And finally, late last year, I began to see cracks in the wall. But please be aware that the block hasn’t completely disintegrated. No miraculous cure, after which the story came pouring out. Oh, I wish. But it is coming, and the characters don’t hate me quite so much as they did, and writing is no longer the frustrating, deeply unpleasant experience it was for a long time.

Mary Vaux Walcott, Moss Forget-me-not (Eritichum elongatum), 1915, watercolor on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum

I can’t predict when it will be done. My deadline flew by ages ago. There is some small comfort in knowing I’m not the only author who encountered difficulties during the pandemic. On the other hand, I’m sorry that anybody else went through this. But we are recovering. I am recovering. The book will get done, this year, I truly hope.

Again, I thank you for your patience and understanding.

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The Blackwoods & I are not getting along

—Dorothy Parker.

With thanks to LettersOfNote, where I first encountered this perfect account of my own situation.

Let’s just get the painful part over with.

The third Difficult Dukes book is not going to be released in 2022.

I’m deeply sorry to disappoint the many readers who’ve asked about the Blackwoods’ story. It’s turned into an even greater struggle than the last book, and I honestly can’t say why. It’s not for want of trying. Hundreds of false starts and abrupt, screeching stops.

And so I’ve told Alice and Blackwood to go off and think about their many crimes against me, and to come back when they are ready to cooperate. I’m giving them two weeks. After things settle down post-holiday season, it’s back to work—and they’d better be ready.

This book will get written. At some point, the mental obstacles, whatever they are, will give way. Meanwhile, I can only ask, once again, for your patience. I promise to continue to work hard, and aim for 2023 release, as early as possible.

The Blackwoods & the Difficult Dukes series

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.