Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Weeeee, New Historical Author!

I like to joke that Tessa Dare and I were two ships passing in the night. See, Tessa used to work for my current employer as a children's librarian. About a month before I started The Old Job, Tess went off on maternity leave, and eventually decided to make it permanent. Girlfriend had bigger fish to fry. Oh, like signing a three-book contract with Ballantine. In another turn of events, Ballantine then decided, "Hey Tessa, we want to release your trilogy in back to back to back months." And so, here it is....2009 and the first book in Tessa's debut trilogy lands on July 28. Gather round Bat Cave followers and bask in the glow of pretty, pretty covers and the promise of a new historical author for us all to glom with abandon.


Goddess Of The Hunt - July 28, 2009

Description: Ever the bold adventuress, Lucy Waltham has decided to go hunting for a husband. But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, planning to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion—one that could send all her plans up in smoke.

Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past, full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions. But to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart, and claim her for his own?
Surrender of a Siren - August 25, 2009

Description: Desperate to escape a loveless marriage and society’s constraints, pampered heiress Sophia Hathaway jilts her groom, packs up her paints and sketchbook, and assumes a new identity, posing as a governess to secure passage on the Aphrodite. She wants a life of her own: unsheltered, unconventional, uninhibited. But it’s one thing to sketch all her wildest, most wanton fantasies, and quite another to face the dangerously handsome libertine who would steal both her virtue and her gold.

To any well-bred lady, Benedict “Gray” Grayson is trouble in snug-fitting boots. A conscienceless scoundrel who sails the seas for pleasure and profit, Gray lives for conquest—until Sophia’s perception and artistry stir his heart. Suddenly, he’ll brave sharks, fire, storm, and sea just to keep her at his side. She’s beautiful, refined, and ripe for seduction. Could this counterfeit governess be a rogue’s redemption? Or will the runaway heiress’s secrets destroy their only chance at love?

A Lady of Persuasion - September 29, 2009

Description: Only one thing could convince Sir Tobias Aldridge, an incorrigible rake, to profess undying fidelity to a woman he’s just met. Revenge. What better way to get back at his enemy, than by stealing the scoundrel’s sister? Not that Toby finds it a chore, seducing a beguiling, sultry beauty freshly arrived from the West Indies. With Isabel Grayson, vengeance is doubly rewarding.

Isabel is determined to marry a wealthy, powerful lord and become a lady of influence, using her rank and fortune to fight social injustice. Sir Toby, with his paltry title and infamous reputation, is unsuitable husband material—but he makes her blood race, her heart pound, and her long-buried passions come to the surface. If she can reform the charming devil, she’ll get exactly what she craves: society’s respect. But it’s a dangerous gamble. For if Toby wins this battle of persuasion, Isabel could lose her heart.

OK, so they aren't westerns. But they're historicals! And my burn out on English historicals appears to be lifting (the Bat Cave Jury is still in the Cautiously Optimistic Phase on that front). And look kids - not a vampire, werewolf, pixie, faerie, wood nymph or leprechaun to be found. Oh, happy day!

15 comments:

Leslie said...

All three look really good. And the heroines sound like they're strong women - no TSTL heroines here. I'll be looking for these this summer. Thanks for the heads up!

Tessa Dare said...

Wendy, you are the Superest! Thank you so much for the lovely mention.

Actually, there are a whole slew of 2009 debut historical authors for your reading pleasure. (See, the librarian in me can't help making a booklist...)

Miranda Neville's NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION in February (Avon)
Jennifer Haymore's A HINT OF WICKED in May (Grand Central)
Lavinia Kent's A TALENT FOR SIN in May (Avon)
Jackie Barbosa's BEHIND THE RED DOOR (erotic, Kens. Aphrodisia)
Courtney Milan will have a novella in a 2009 Christmas anthology, followed by the amazing PROOF BY SEDUCTION in early 2010 (HQN)
Also in very early 2010, you can look for Sara Lindsey (NAL) and Beverley Kendall (Kensington)...

I know I'm missing some...

Anyway, lots of new voices in Regency/Victorian historicals in the coming year! If I hear of any new westerns, I'll pass them along...

As for the "not a vampire, pixie or werewolf in the bunch"... LOL. Remind me to send you a copy of the novella I have releasing with Samhain this May. :)

Nicole said...

They look good. Can't wait to read them. And I like that the covers are different than what's out there right now. They should stand out. I love finding new authors!!!

sula said...

I love me a good historical. So I'll keep my eyes open for these. merci. :)

Lindsey said...

These books definitely make English historicals feel fresh. Tessa's quite a superheroine of the genre. ;)

Rosie said...

T-E-S-S-A D-A-R-E Got it!

Wendy said...

Ooooh, thanks Tessa! I had no idea about any of those upcoming debuts. I need to add all of those to my Upcoming Historical Romances wiki!

Shauna said...

Thanks so much Wendy for the info!!! You know me, the ever Historical snob! I will definitely be buying these. Love discovering new historical authors and for some reason I just can't get enough of the British historicals.

azteclady said...

Oh wow, wow.

First: great covers, great blurbs.

Second: are the blurbs accurate, or at least semi-accurate? (I have such a hate-HATE relationship with 99.99% of the blurbs...)

Third: me, want. Ms SL strikes again!

Wendy said...

AL: I literally copied and pasted the blurbs directly from the author's web site....

Liza said...

All three look like really good reads. I'll make sure to put a note about these on my release calendar. Thanks for the heads up.

Tessa Dare said...

Hi, Azteclady!

First, I'm so glad you like the blurbs. They're the result of some back-and-forthing between me and the Ballantine copy department. There may be yet more "forthing" on their end, and the blurbs could change before hitting the stores, but I can attest that these are pretty accurate plot-wise. What I'm not so sure they or the covers quite get across is that there's a lot of humor in the books. They're pretty lighthearted, fast-paced romances with a deeply emotional core.

As Wendy mentioned, I'm a librarian, so I'm all about matching the right books with the right readers. If people are considering investing their precious time and emotional energy and $6.99 to read one of my books, I want them to have the best possible understanding of what they're going to get! To that end, I'll be adding a lot of content to my website as the release dates approach. So if your interest is piqued at all, please do come sign up for my e-newsletter and/or check my website every so often (www.tessadare.com). My goal for the coming months is to give readers lots of info, so they'll have the best possible idea of what my books are like and whether they're likely to enjoy them.

Okay, end of shameless plug...

Thanks again, Wendy! I'm going to bookmark your wiki...

Kristie (J) said...

Well, my interest is piqued :) Too cool that you were almost coworkers.

Tabitha C said...

I love the covers! And the blurbs are not bad...I think I may just add this to my list of buys too..

azteclady said...

Ms Dare, thank you for taking the time to explain.

As they are, those are GREAT blurbs (here's hoping they stay) and my interest is definitely piqued.