Joanna Bourne: Passionate Conviction and Burning Idealism... and Sexy Clothes

I'm so glad to be visiting with you, Elisa, and I love the thought that I have Italian readers. Did you know my very first Romance novel, Her Ladyship's Companion, way back in 1983, was translated into Italian as Il Castello di Vinton?

I have kind thoughts for that first book, though I suppose it is terribly out of fashion now. Il Castello di Vinton is very much a 1980s Regency Romance, even a 'Gothic' as we called them at that time. There are no plans to reprint Her Ladyship's Companion and it is long out of print, I'm afraid.

What makes Her Ladyship's Companion interesting is that two of the characters of The Spymaster's Lady make their appearance -- Giles and Adrian. You could say I was 'trying out' Adrian in that first book.

The two books I have out right now -- The Spymaster's Lady and My Lord and Spymaster -- are both set in the early Nineteenth Century during the Napoleonic Wars. The Spymaster's Lady takes place in a brief lull in the hostilities between France and England, and the plot hinges on the possible French Invasion. My Lord and Spymaster deals with a man accused of -- but innocent of -- espionage.

I am proud and pleased to say that both books have been nominated for RITA awards next July -- that's the top prize handed out by the Romance Writers of America. The Spymaster's Lady was also a winner of the 2009 CODES Notable Books Council Awards by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association. That is such an honor for me.

Spymaster's Lady might be of particular interest to Italian readers because my heroine spent part of her youth in Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. My character knows and loves Italy and there are more than a few references to that period of Italian history.

Right now I'm working on Maggie and Doyle's story. It'll be out in 2010, if all goes well. -- Joanna Bourne

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/20419773/

Joanna Bourne: Passionate Conviction and Burning Idealism... and Sexy Clothes

I'm so glad to be visiting with you, Elisa, and I love the thought that I have Italian readers. Did you know my very first Romance novel, Her Ladyship's Companion, way back in 1983, was translated into Italian as Il Castello di Vinton?

I have kind thoughts for that first book, though I suppose it is terribly out of fashion now. Il Castello di Vinton is very much a 1980s Regency Romance, even a 'Gothic' as we called them at that time. There are no plans to reprint Her Ladyship's Companion and it is long out of print, I'm afraid.

What makes Her Ladyship's Companion interesting is that two of the characters of The Spymaster's Lady make their appearance -- Giles and Adrian. You could say I was 'trying out' Adrian in that first book.

The two books I have out right now -- The Spymaster's Lady and My Lord and Spymaster -- are both set in the early Nineteenth Century during the Napoleonic Wars. The Spymaster's Lady takes place in a brief lull in the hostilities between France and England, and the plot hinges on the possible French Invasion. My Lord and Spymaster deals with a man accused of -- but innocent of -- espionage.

I am proud and pleased to say that both books have been nominated for RITA awards next July -- that's the top prize handed out by the Romance Writers of America. The Spymaster's Lady was also a winner of the 2009 CODES Notable Books Council Awards by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association. That is such an honor for me.

Spymaster's Lady might be of particular interest to Italian readers because my heroine spent part of her youth in Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. My character knows and loves Italy and there are more than a few references to that period of Italian history.

Right now I'm working on Maggie and Doyle's story. It'll be out in 2010, if all goes well. -- Joanna Bourne

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/20419773/

The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing by Maia Strong

The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing is a fantasy, since it's setting in a fantasy world and the main characters behave as medieval men never would, but for all other details it's a medieval historical, setting in a rather interesting growing town where bartering is an art and human skills the most valuable goods.

Jimothy Redwing is a wandering minstrel, he walks from town to town gaining his foods with music and songs and delivering letters, both written than spoken. It's quite an idea this one of a minstrel that, other than memorizing songs, memorizes also the letters of who is unable to write... there is some historical expert among my friends who can tell me if this is a fictional detail or is actually a true thing? I have never found it in any other historical romance I read, but it seems to me quite a good idea and it sounds so real.

Anyway Jimothy is travelling from one city to another to bring some important letters, one in particular to the lanmere of the city (something similar to a mistress of the land). During the journey he meets Ricky, a man who, on the contrary of him, travels by horse and who is so kind to offer him a pass. And since Ricky is rather comfortable around the land, they manage to spend the night in a waycabin, one of a series of cabins that the late landmere built all around the country to host wandering travellers (another quite good idea...).

Alone in the cabin Jimothy finds that Ricky and him have something in common, they both prefer the company of men, and they spend a lovely night together; Ricky actually is a very friendly and sexy man, with an easy smile and an easy "behaviour"... I don't want to say that he is a bit of a "butterfly", but yes, he is not shy in matter of sex; our poor minstrel could do very little to go away with his intact virtue, if he even wanted it.

But when the day after they arrive to the city, Jimothy finds that Ricky is not exactly who he told him to be, and an unknown enemy is not so glad to see Ricky gangs up with a common and simple wandering minstrel. Ricky discovers also that he is unable to move on Jimothy like he had with his other passing flings, Jimothy becomes more and more important every day they spend together. But Jimothy is a wandering minstrel, and what would happen to the wandering part of his work if he chooses to stop and love a man?

The suspence part of the story, the unknown enemy, is not very mysterious, and for me it's not the main interest of the story. I like a lot the fiction world the author created, with all the details and the supporting characters. It's a joy to read every single aspect, carefully carved till the single shop sign on the street. Also the two characters are nice, probably I prefer Ricky, I always prefer the bratty ones.

The story is long but not boring. The love is sexy and joyful, there is a lot of sex but it's not too much, probably since the book is long and so it seems not like the two are only and ever in bed. Also the ending is of the right mood of all the story, not quite so granted as you can expected. This is for me a very good start for an author who tried her hands on a new genre. 

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-ballad-of-jimothy-redwing

Amazon Kindle: The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing

Amazon: The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Anne Cain

The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing by Maia Strong

The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing is a fantasy, since it's setting in a fantasy world and the main characters behave as medieval men never would, but for all other details it's a medieval historical, setting in a rather interesting growing town where bartering is an art and human skills the most valuable goods.

Jimothy Redwing is a wandering minstrel, he walks from town to town gaining his foods with music and songs and delivering letters, both written than spoken. It's quite an idea this one of a minstrel that, other than memorizing songs, memorizes also the letters of who is unable to write... there is some historical expert among my friends who can tell me if this is a fictional detail or is actually a true thing? I have never found it in any other historical romance I read, but it seems to me quite a good idea and it sounds so real.

Anyway Jimothy is travelling from one city to another to bring some important letters, one in particular to the lanmere of the city (something similar to a mistress of the land). During the journey he meets Ricky, a man who, on the contrary of him, travels by horse and who is so kind to offer him a pass. And since Ricky is rather comfortable around the land, they manage to spend the night in a waycabin, one of a series of cabins that the late landmere built all around the country to host wandering travellers (another quite good idea...).

Alone in the cabin Jimothy finds that Ricky and him have something in common, they both prefer the company of men, and they spend a lovely night together; Ricky actually is a very friendly and sexy man, with an easy smile and an easy "behaviour"... I don't want to say that he is a bit of a "butterfly", but yes, he is not shy in matter of sex; our poor minstrel could do very little to go away with his intact virtue, if he even wanted it.

But when the day after they arrive to the city, Jimothy finds that Ricky is not exactly who he told him to be, and an unknown enemy is not so glad to see Ricky gangs up with a common and simple wandering minstrel. Ricky discovers also that he is unable to move on Jimothy like he had with his other passing flings, Jimothy becomes more and more important every day they spend together. But Jimothy is a wandering minstrel, and what would happen to the wandering part of his work if he chooses to stop and love a man?

The suspence part of the story, the unknown enemy, is not very mysterious, and for me it's not the main interest of the story. I like a lot the fiction world the author created, with all the details and the supporting characters. It's a joy to read every single aspect, carefully carved till the single shop sign on the street. Also the two characters are nice, probably I prefer Ricky, I always prefer the bratty ones.

The story is long but not boring. The love is sexy and joyful, there is a lot of sex but it's not too much, probably since the book is long and so it seems not like the two are only and ever in bed. Also the ending is of the right mood of all the story, not quite so granted as you can expected. This is for me a very good start for an author who tried her hands on a new genre. 

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-ballad-of-jimothy-redwing

Amazon Kindle: The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing

Amazon: The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by Anne Cain

Behind the Cover: Dan Brown

Dan Brown is a "classical" cover artist. Those artists who painted in oil from sketches, and whose covers sometime were better than the book where they were put on.



( more pics )

Anyway no much info about him, if not a website, where you can see both his works as cover artist than illustrator:

http://www.danbrownstudio.com/

Behind the Cover: Dan Brown

Dan Brown is a "classical" cover artist. Those artists who painted in oil from sketches, and whose covers sometime were better than the book where they were put on.



( more pics )

Anyway no much info about him, if not a website, where you can see both his works as cover artist than illustrator:

http://www.danbrownstudio.com/

A Strong Hand by Catt Ford

First of all I'm shallow, but I was enticed by the cover since the first moment I saw it. It's perfect for the book, a story of a young boy who is starting to discover the BDSM world, but he likes it "vanilla", he mostly likes to be spanked, and what is better than a pretty bum to suggest it?

Nick is a young art student who is working for a famous male erotica photographer, Damian, to make the ends meet. Since the beginning he is a brat, always answering back to Damian even for the smallest things. Truth be told, if not for the turn in their relationship, there were no real reason for Damian to take Nick around, even if he is a pretty boy. But then Ashley, a quite strange fairy godmother of the Doms and subs, and good friend of Damian, asks to the man to shot his next catalogue of sex toys and leathers, and thanks to the fate, Nick finds himself to model the first innocent pieces for Damian.

Nick is not gay, or at least he thinks so, and he was never interested in the kinky aspects of love, but seeing around all the things and having the chance to be the center of attention for Damian let him eager of more. To Nick, so young and naive, it seems impossible to satisfy Damian, so hard and precise in his work, and maybe, even before this catalogue work comes around, Nick was trying to find a way to impress his boss. Even if he doesn't realize it, Nick is a top from the bottom, he likes to be in center stage and he likes when all Damian's attention is turned toward him. He wants to be the only man in Damian's life, and if this means being a sub, well, he will try. But truth be told, Nick is a real vanilla sub, he likes to dress like a little girl with her mother dress, and he likes to be spanked, but better if possible with bared hands, or at least with nothing that leaves permanent bruises. More than the pain, what Nick likes, and excites him, is being the focal point of their sexual plays. Nick is a bit of an hedonist, and maybe he also needs a strong hand to control and direct him.

Damian on the other hand, has tried all and now is more or less tired of all. He is not searching for a sub, he is quite content with his work and his life, and probably he doesn't want the burden of an untrained sub, on top of than also so much younger than him. So he really doesn't miss anything when he realizes that with Nick he will have to respect some limits, things that a real Dom will never accept. Actually between the two, the one who always risk their relationship is Damian, he is always questioning if he is doing right, and sometime he is so blinded by his own insecurities that he doesn't realize that he is neglecting his sub. Where Nick is not exactly the role model for a sub, Damian is not at all the strong and steady Dom, even if people around him praise his mastery... I have the feeling that Damian is more an artist of the BDSM world more than a real player. Probably if not for the fairy godmother Ashley, they will never get together for good (and Ashley is a very nice supporting character, I like that also him has his personal love story inside the book).

So in the end I have the feeling that both Nick than Damian are more playing to be Dom and sub, than being the real thing. This also allow to the book to be light and funny, and accessible to all type of readers, even those who have some boundaries on BDSM, as I said, the most you will find in this book is a cute spanked pink bum.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/stronghand/stronghandbuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: A Strong Hand

Amazon: A Strong Hand

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

A Strong Hand by Catt Ford

First of all I'm shallow, but I was enticed by the cover since the first moment I saw it. It's perfect for the book, a story of a young boy who is starting to discover the BDSM world, but he likes it "vanilla", he mostly likes to be spanked, and what is better than a pretty bum to suggest it?

Nick is a young art student who is working for a famous male erotica photographer, Damian, to make the ends meet. Since the beginning he is a brat, always answering back to Damian even for the smallest things. Truth be told, if not for the turn in their relationship, there were no real reason for Damian to take Nick around, even if he is a pretty boy. But then Ashley, a quite strange fairy godmother of the Doms and subs, and good friend of Damian, asks to the man to shot his next catalogue of sex toys and leathers, and thanks to the fate, Nick finds himself to model the first innocent pieces for Damian.

Nick is not gay, or at least he thinks so, and he was never interested in the kinky aspects of love, but seeing around all the things and having the chance to be the center of attention for Damian let him eager of more. To Nick, so young and naive, it seems impossible to satisfy Damian, so hard and precise in his work, and maybe, even before this catalogue work comes around, Nick was trying to find a way to impress his boss. Even if he doesn't realize it, Nick is a top from the bottom, he likes to be in center stage and he likes when all Damian's attention is turned toward him. He wants to be the only man in Damian's life, and if this means being a sub, well, he will try. But truth be told, Nick is a real vanilla sub, he likes to dress like a little girl with her mother dress, and he likes to be spanked, but better if possible with bared hands, or at least with nothing that leaves permanent bruises. More than the pain, what Nick likes, and excites him, is being the focal point of their sexual plays. Nick is a bit of an hedonist, and maybe he also needs a strong hand to control and direct him.

Damian on the other hand, has tried all and now is more or less tired of all. He is not searching for a sub, he is quite content with his work and his life, and probably he doesn't want the burden of an untrained sub, on top of than also so much younger than him. So he really doesn't miss anything when he realizes that with Nick he will have to respect some limits, things that a real Dom will never accept. Actually between the two, the one who always risk their relationship is Damian, he is always questioning if he is doing right, and sometime he is so blinded by his own insecurities that he doesn't realize that he is neglecting his sub. Where Nick is not exactly the role model for a sub, Damian is not at all the strong and steady Dom, even if people around him praise his mastery... I have the feeling that Damian is more an artist of the BDSM world more than a real player. Probably if not for the fairy godmother Ashley, they will never get together for good (and Ashley is a very nice supporting character, I like that also him has his personal love story inside the book).

So in the end I have the feeling that both Nick than Damian are more playing to be Dom and sub, than being the real thing. This also allow to the book to be light and funny, and accessible to all type of readers, even those who have some boundaries on BDSM, as I said, the most you will find in this book is a cute spanked pink bum.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/stronghand/stronghandbuynow.htm

Amazon Kindle: A Strong Hand

Amazon: A Strong Hand

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle