Deals this month (and more to come)—This includes you, Australia!

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This month brings a variety of deals and giveaways. Today I’ll cover the ones in effect now. Expect more in another week or so.

For my readers in Australia: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is a Kindle Monthly Deal in the Australia store for the month of July.

For those who subscribe to Kindle Unlimited and/ or the Prime Reading Program: Dukes Prefer Blondes is included in these programs from now through 30 September.

Meanwhile, if you’re not already following me on Instagram, you might want to consider it, because (a) pretty pictures—OK, some are a little strange and many are nerdy history pictures—and (b) giveaways.

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Interrupted Reading c. 1870

Art Institute Chicago

Now, with apologies, I must deal with matters technical and tedious. The demise of Feedburner obliges us to move to another email program. If you’d like to continue receiving my blog posts in your email inbox, please use this link to subscribe. Yes, again. I’m sorry. Not my choice. It was Google’s decision to do away with Feedburner—and I’ve still not forgiven them for killing Picasa.

If for any reason you’d rather not click on the above link, you can always subscribe by going direct to my website, which will offer opportunities on the Home and Blog pages.

As to my once in a lifetime—I mean, once or twice a year (in a good year) newsletter—nothing has changed.

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.

Virtual Q&A & Book Sale & Signing 14 April

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One thing I’ve deeply missed during the year of self-quarantine is the opportunity to get out and talk to readers. That, however, has not stopped me from talking, usually in a small rectangular box on a screen. On the plus side, these virtual events have offered opportunities for us to get together from the comfort of our homes or favorite hangouts.

Coming up is a virtual Q&A at the Cary Memorial Library.

When: Wednesday 14 April at 7PM

How: You can register via this link.

Or, if for any reason the link disobeys you or sulks or otherwise refuses to cooperate, you can click on this link, which will take you the the Cary Memorial Library Calendar, and follow these steps:

1. Click on the program

2. Click on Sign Up

3. Fill in the info

4. Click Submit

5. Look for the email in your inbox or spam folder

You’ll receive an email confirmation with the program link, as well as reminder notices.

The program will be livestreamed via Facebook and recorded and uploaded to the library’s YouTube channel.

Signs of spring

There’s also an opportunity to buy my books, with signed bookplates (while they last) via Bank Square Books, by clicking on this link.

Questions? Please contact the Cary Memorial Library at caryprograms@minilib.net.

I hope you’ll join us. It’ll be fun.