(Today at Risky Regencies we’ve invited Andrea Pickens to be a guest blogger, and tell us about her newest release The Scarlet Spy! Comment for a chance to win an autographed copy…)

“Deftly blending an expertly realized historical setting and a deliciously subtle sense of wit, Pickens gives the popular espionage-tinged Regency plot a refreshing new twist as she brings the Spy trilogy to a spellbinding conclusion”–Booklist

Hi everyone! Amanda has invited me back to the Riskies to talk about my new book, which hit stores October 1. First of all, it’s so great to be back here among such a fun community of readers. I love stopping by and seeing all the smart, savvy discussions–and I never cease to be amazed by all the great things I learn here. It’s–well, it’s humbling. And inspiring, for I feel a knowledgeable, discerning audience challenges an author to try to create something really special.

Now back to the book! The Scarlet Spy is the third in my Regency-set “Spy” trilogy. The series revolves around the idea of a secret school for female spies. The students are orphans from the rough slums of London, who are trained in the art of swordplay and seduction. They’re tough, courageous, and smart (not to mention sexy!). Yet they also have an inner vulnerability.

For me, this was the foremost challenge–to create strong heroines who had very complex, and at times opposing, facets to their characters and use those conflicts to make them interesting and appealing to present-day readers. And I liked the idea of turning tradition on its ear by making women the kick-ass agents. After all, the Regency was really the beginning of the “modern” world, when so many old assumptions and attitudes were being questioned in art, politics, science, and society in general. The wars raging throughout the Continent reflected this clash of old and new. Women, in particular, were rebelling against the constrictions of the past. Many weren’t content with traditional roles and dared to explore their passions.

I’ve tried to make each of the three heroines very different individuals, and place them in different settings. Siena, from The Spy Wore Silk, is a brooding, introspective agent whose assignment involves attending an art auction at a rambling manor house in the wilds of Dartmoor. Shannon, whose explosive temper gets her in trouble, is the star of Seduced By A Spy. She sees action in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland, where she teams with a rakish Russian spy to defeat a French assassin.

Sofia, who is featured in The Scarlet Spy, is the most ladylike of the three. Unlike her roomates, she has a natural grace and regal bearing. So it seemed right to put her in the heart of London, with a mission that calls for her to be introduced into the ton in order to learn who is running a ring of corruption operating in the highest circles of government. Not only does she spin through the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair, she also must explore the seedier parts of the city, where drugs and high-stakes gambling are just a few of the vices that abound.

I was very careful to base my plot on the realities of the time. For instance, smoking opium attracted a number of rich aristocrats who were drawn to “living on the edge.” One of the things that excites me about writing historical fiction is trying to make history come alive for those who might now know much about a particular era. For some odd reason, I’ve always been fascinated by the past–maybe because there are so many parallels to the present. I love trying to conjure up the taste, the smells, the feel of an era, so that it becomes richly textured, relevant, and real to readers.

That said, some readers have complained that my books aren’t “traditional Regency stories.” In other words, they are Risky! I take that as a huge compliment. Those who think the Regency just a polite world of formal tea parties and balls, governed by rigid rules of decorum that no one ever dared to defy have obviously never read the posts here. As all the Riskies have often pointed out, beneath the silks and satins was a darker side to Regency life. Sex, gambling, drugs, gossip, corruption–these forces were just as much in play in the 19th century as they are now. After all, human nature is human nature! So, while I may push the boundaries a bit, I take pains to be precise with historical details. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction!

I’ve been accused of being far-fetched in making women sword-wielding spies. But I like to point out that my research turned up a number of fascinating facts that show the era was anything but strait-laced. I wonder how many people know that there were actually women fighting onboard British ships at the Battle of the Nile, one of Nelson’s great victories. There are stories of females enlisted in the navy disguised as men, but Naval records confirm that Ann Hopping, who later remarried and was known as Ann Perriam, served as a powder monkey during the Napoleonic Wars.

And there’s the story of the cross-dressing Cound d’Eon, who disguised himself as a woman to spy in Russia–or was ‘he’ a ‘she’ who disguised herself as a man to spy in England? Wagers abound in the betting books of London regarding the true sex of the expert duelist. (An autopsy proved once and for all that d’Eon was indeed a man).

Research is always a fun part of writing a book. The Scarlet Spy is set in London, one of my favorite cities in the world, and I’ve been lucky enough to visit there a number of times over the years. So I’ve had a chance to walk through the parks and streets, studying the architecture and little details like door handles and window shapes. One of my favorite afternoons was accidentally stumbling upon St. George’s, Hanover Square, where many aristocratic weddings were held!

And of course the museums and galleries offer a wealth of inspiration. The Victoria and Albert is a treasure trove of fashion and everyday items, from keys and dinner plates to tea tables and wallpaper designs. (I think the guards thought I was a little weird getting down on my hands and knees to study a carpet pattern…) The world class art galleries, especially the National Portrait Gallery, also show a fascinating array of people and scenes of everyday life from the era.

Closer to home, I’m very lucky to live near a fabulous resource of original material from the Regency. The Center for British Art at Yale has a wonderful study room, where visitors can peruse the collection of prints and watercolors. I’ve spent hours looking at prints by Rowlandson and Gilray. I’ve also been able to go through boxes of Turner watercolor sketches (yes, actually touch them!). That’s been such an inspiring experience I’ve made the hero of my current WIP a gentleman artist.

In case you’re wondering what’s next after the spies of Mrs. Merlin’s Academy, I’m working on a new trilogy for Grand Central Publishing, which revolved around a small circle of intellectual females. The new trio of heroines are beautiful, brainy ladies with an expertise in science–and each has a dark secret in her past that comes back to haunt her. They’re scheduled for release in 3 consecutive months, but they won’t hit the shelves until early 2010. I hope to be back sometime in the future to tell you more about it! In the meantime, please check out my website for chapter excerpts, arcane trivia, and the chance to win autographed books from me and other GCP authors.

We’re happy to welcome back today Anna Campbell! Comment for a chance to win a copy of Tempt the Devil…

Risky Regencies: It’s been a while since we’ve “seen” you here at RR, Anna! What have you been up to?

Anna Campbell: Hiya, Riskies! Thank you so much for having me back to visit. I love it over here, as you know! But where is Bertie? You know I hang around here mainly to flirt with that a la mode paragon. Don’t tell me he has found another ballroom to grace! I shall weep into my Mechelin lace handkerchief! Although I won’t blow my nose in it. Euch!

2008 did not feature a new Anna Campbell book on the shelves in America, but I’ve definitely been busy in the interim. I wrote my next book, which as yet is without an official title. I’m currently calling it the “Manderley book” because the hero has a lovely old house on the Cornish cliffs. It’s out in November, and features a runaway heiress and a PTSD knight in shining armor here. Standard angst-ridden Anna Campbell fare!

I had my first 2 short stories publisjed in a really big magazine here in Australia. That felt like a huge achievement for someone who didn’t think she could EVER write a short story. You can find them both here–just go to the bottom of the page and click on either title.

I shall control my blushes and say my biggest moment for 2008 was the double-RITA final. That was one of my writing dreams that came true! It was such fun visiting San Francisco and wearing those green ribbons at conference. Actually, it was just fun to visit San Francisco. What a great city! Another special moment was when Claiming the Courtesan was nominated for Romantic Book of the Year here in Australia.

RR: You call Tempt the Devil a “Regency noir Affair to Remember.” Sounds intriguing! Tell us more about that. How did you come up with this idea?

AC: I suspect I’m the only person who will see the connection! An Affair to Remember was my late mother’s favorite film so I watched it a lot! One day I was thinking about those characters in a Regency setting and realized that Terry is a kept woman, i.e. courtesan, and Nicky is a rake, if not a gigolo! For these sophisticated, jaded characters, falling in love is a disaster. They’ve got life pretty well sorted out. Then wham! Love takes them over and they’re stuck doing all sorts of things they wouldn’t have dreamed of doing. I also loved the way both Nicky and Terry used wit as a defense against the world. That part of An Affair to Remember definitely translated to Tempt the Devil.

RR: What are the famous historical women you used as inspiration for Olivia?

AC: Olivia was very much her own person, but I did steal a few details form actual women to round out her character. Some of the research I did for TTD was just too good to be ignored!

In appearance, she looks very much like a young Lauren Bacall. I wanted someone who wasn’t a conventional beauty but could still stop traffic. Some of her behavior is borrowed from George Sand, the French novelist, who was such a scandalous and charismatic character in 1830s Paris. My book is set in 1826 so it didn’t seem too much of a leap. Sand was an amazing character–althought I’m not sure I would have liked her very much. These days she’s mainly famous as Chopin’s lover, but she was a strong, dynamic, self-willed woman of genius who supported herself with her pen when that was almost unheard of. She regularly wore men’s clothing and smoked in public, and led an extremely torrid love life!

I borrowed a few minor details from a famous courtesan in the Victorian era called Skittles (apparently because as a child prostitute she plied her trade outside a skittles alley). Her real name was Catherine Walters and she became the mistress of Edward VII as well as a number of the best and brightest of the time. She never kissed and told, and all reports indicated she was a sparkling, joyful, compassionate companion. I think I would have liked her! She was also a famous horsewoman and used to have herself sewn into her riding habit for rides in Hyde Park so her superb figure was shown to best advantage.

RR: And what’s next for you?

AC: I just started my 5th book for Avon. I always like the early stages of a book–anything seems possible! It’s set in London and will have a similar atmosphere to Tempt the Devil. Or at least that’s the idea so far. I find out the stories change drastically from conception to actual writing!

RR: This week we’ve been talking about some of our favorite reads for 2008. What are some of yours?

AC: I actually had a great reading year! Some new authors I discovered are C.S. Harris who writes Regency romantic mysteries featuring a charismatic hero, Viscount St. Cyr. On the complete opposite of the spectrum I discovered a wonderful Harlequin author called Kathleen O’Reilly who writes amazingly textured books full of emotion and sensuality. I’d recommend her stuff to anyone. I discovered the Inspector Lynley mysteries by Elizabeth George late in the year and have since read 7! I read my first J.D. Robb and disovered what all the fuss is about. One of my Bandita friends, Jeanne Adams, wrote a great romantic suspense as her debut book, Dark and Dangerous. I really enjoyed Deanna Rayburn’s Silent in the Grave and Silent in the Sanctuary. As far as old favorites go, I really enjoyed books by Christine Wells, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Madeline Hunter, Annie West, Tawny Weber–too many to mention, really!

You can read more about Anna Campbell and her books at her website!

Over the holiday (no day job for two weeks!) I spent a lot of time watching DVDs (not just Mamma Mia, I swear!). As you may have noticed, I really love movies, and I’m often very inspired by them to find stories of my own. I watched some that were new-to-me and re-watched some favorites. Among the re-watches–Cranford (I would love to do a sort of village-panorama story, if there was a market for such things), Our Mutual Friend, Anna Karenina (with Helen McCrory), and Topsy Turvy (one of my very favorite movies, though this one was an archaic VHS because for some unfathomable reason it is not on DVD). One of the new-to-me DVDs was The Way We Live Now, from the Trollope novel. Matthew McFadyen as a dim-witted cad, pursued by a wild Shirley Henderson! Miranda Otto pretending to be Scarlett O’Hara, threatening to get out her pistols and whips if a jilting Cillian Murphy doesn’t marry her! David Suchet as the ultimate vulgar arriviste! I really liked it, and am not sure how I missed it this long.

I also watched a couple more of those Shakespeare Re-told movies (a few months ago, I saw their genius version of Taming of the Shrew, also with Shirley Henderson and a cross-dressing Rufus Sewall). This time I watched James McAvoy and Keeley Hawes as a celebrity chef and pushy wife version of Macbeth.

Oh, and I also watched Part One of that new version of Tess of the D’urbervilles on PBS. I have never much liked Tess (maybe Hardy is just too fateful and painful for me?), so I’m not much of a judge of how good an adaptation this might be. It sure looks pretty, with all those green rolling hills and picturesque cows, with Gemma Arterton’s pretty hair and Eddie Redmayne’s pretty lips. I do wonder why Hans Matheson seems to think he is playing Chuck Bass, just as he did as a (very whiny and in need of a bath) Essex in that Elizabeth I series with Anne Marie Duff. He was okay in that new Doctor Zhivago, though.

And speaking of Chuck Bass, I’ve also been watching a few season 1 episodes of Gossip Girl and have to say–season 2 has been much stronger. Now if they would just forget the totally wishy-washy Serena and Dan and make it “The All Chuck and Blair All The Time” show, I will be entirely happy.

Oh, but this is a book blog, yes? Okay, here is what my 2008 reading life looked like (from what I can remember):

I am far behind on romance reading. For one thing, much like Elena I can only hold one couple in my mind at the same time, and I have been on a constant deadline this year. I also don’t like to feel inadequate when trying to finish writing a book, which a really, really good read can easily do. So I buy them and save them as vacation and “finish the book” treats! I think I read 4, and one was Diane’s Scandalizing the Ton. I also totally recommend Nicola Cornick’s Unmasked (dark and dramatic, with complex characters and great writing).

In fiction, I really enjoyed With Violets by Elizabeth Robards, a story of the Impressionist artist Bertha Morisot (this was especially good after my France trip and a visit to the Musee d’Orsay). And What Happened to Anna K by Irina Reyn, a re-telling of Anna Karenina in modern-day New York.

I read a lot more non-fiction. One I loved was Read My Heart: A Love Story in England’s Age of Revolution by Jane Dunn, the tale of Sir William Temple and Dorothy Osborne. The couple fell deeply in love on first meeting, but faced strenuous family objections (the Osbornes were committed Royalists and the Temples sorta Parliamentarians, but the main objection was that neither had money). They wrote passionate letters for 7 years before marrying, and then had a long and loving marriage, despite money challenges, a complex Court career, and the loss of their children. A terrific and inspiring story. (Dunn also wrote some other good non-fiction in years past, like Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens and Moon in Eclipse: A Life of Mary Shelley)

There was Champlain’s Dream by David Hackett Fisher, about the French explorer, soldier, spy, mariner, etc. I actually did not know much about him except his name when I picked up this book, but as I wrote about last week I’m fascinated by 16th century exploration. Champlain fought for King Henri IV, and over 30 years traveled over 6 Canadian provinces and 5 states, founding and administering French settlements in North America. He also faced intrigue and warfare among native tribes and (worse!) court intrigue in Paris.

I received several books about France for Christmas, like the beautiful Marie Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles and A Revolution in Taste: The Rise of French Cuisine. I loved Tony Spawforth’s Versailles: The Biography of a Palace, though it was not long enough! I wanted to know more, he had such a great style and way of making life at Versailles (the good, the bad, the ugly) come vividly to life.

So, happy 2009! May it bring us many good reads…

The winner of a signed copy of High Seas Stowaway is…Greta! Send your address to us at riskies@yahoo.com

(Tomorrow, I’ll be at eharlequin with a “talk like a pirate” forum where I’ll share more about the characters and history of this book. Please pop in, so I won’t be alone! To find it, go to eharlequin, then to Forums, Simply Series, and Ahoy Landlubbers! High Seas Stowaway with Amanda McCabe)

In the comments on yesterday’s post, Keira asked if setting inspires story or vice versa. I guess the answer is–both! For High Seas Stowaway, it was two characters in need of the proper place to play out their tale. Bianca and Balthazar both gave up the riches of Venice to follow their own natures, to search out adventure and new, dangerous lands where they could find themselves and the chance for true love. They were both too stubborn and wild-hearted to be contained, even by a place as gorgeous as Venice! They needed the open sea and wild, lush islands–even if they do settle down eventually.

And I could follow my interest in sixteenth century exploration. I would never have wanted such an adventure for myself–I like hot water and knowing exactly where I am, not to mention knowing where my next meal is coming from (and having that meal NOT be weevil-infested hardtack)! But I love reading about it in tales of voyages like those of Magellan, Drake, and (later) Cook. I recently read the new book Champlain’s Dream (which will be on an upcoming post of favorite books of 2008), and loved it. I’ve often wondered what kind of person would pack themselves into a tiny wooden ship, with no completely reliable means of navigation, and launch themselves out into the vast ocean. What would drive them? I found that person in Balthazar.

By 1535, when our story begins, the Spanish were just becoming well-established in the New World, and Santo Domingo on the island of Hispaniola (now shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic) was its administrative capital. Though it had no gold or silver itself, it was located on the island’s northwest coast between the Windward and the Mona passages, and thus was perfectly placed on the route between Mexico and Panama to Seville. Its port, at the mouth of the Ozama river, formed a natural protective harbor, with anchorage for dozens of ships. It became the main “staging area” for the flotas of treasure ships headed back to Spain, loaded with purloined silver, gold, emeralds, and pearls.

The gallows, where pirates hung rotting for all to see, held a prominent place above the harbor. And the lush, thickly vegetated central valleys of the island made the perfect hiding place for luckier pirates and runaway slaves! Buccans, or wild frontiersman (mostly of French extraction), lived there as well, hunting the wild pigs. Even though Hispaniola had no treasure, it did export sugar and hardwoods from those forests, and housed prosperous cattle ranches and rum distilleries.

And Santo Domingo was not just some rough “frontier town” (though it probably looked like one for someone fresh from Seville!). The governor at the time, Alonso de Feuonmayor, wanted to make his town as “Spanish” as possible. Between 1533 and 1536, he oversaw the building of a great cathedral (which can still be seen today), a fortress, and thick defebsive walls. The town was built atop an easily-defended hill, and given a very European look with houses and ramparts made of yellow stone and reddish-orange brick, with red-tiled roofs. Streets were cobbled, there was a central square, and church bells rang out every hour. A great place for an industrious and intelligent tavern owner like Bianca to prosper!

Another aspect I loved researching was ships and the life of the sea in the 16th century. It was rough, and sorta romantic (to read about anyway), full of a bold adventurous spirit that exactly suited Balthazar. (Though I did tend to gloss over some of the, shall we say, less pleasant aspects! No body odor and scurvy…)

Balthazar and his brother Marc (the hero of A Notorious Woman) are not pirates, though they battle them at times. They are merchants with a booming business and a license to trade in the New World. Balthazar’s ship, the Calypso, is a caravel (like Columbus’s Nina and Pinta). Caravels were smallish and lightly built, fast, responsive, and comparatively stable. Between 60 and 72 feet in length, with a raised quarterdeck and stern and 3 masts, 2 for square-rigged sails and 1 smaller for a lateen rig at stern, it could sail easily in crosswinds. It was nimble and versatile, cost-effective (with a relatively small crew), but also a bit cramped for space. This, of course, provided particular challenges for a romance writer…

When I visited those reproduction ships at Jamestown, I realized something. It would be difficult for Balthazar (who is quite tall) and Bianca (who is not petite) to be sufficiently passionate in that little cabin with its low ceilings and teensy berth. (Visiting research-relevant sites can be immensely helpful, but also can shatter some illusions!) And there would be no privacy at all. This was a challenge, yes, but not impossible. Not for those who are determined!

I learned so much from this book. What rough weather would feel like (I made myself feel a bit queasy thinking about storms), the diet and routine aboard ship, navigation (the use of objects like quadrants, compasses, the cross-staff and “dead reckoning”), careening, mapmaking. I also had to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies a few times, which is a tough job but I did it for the book…

A few sources I liked were:
Marcus Rediker, Villains of All Nations
Angus Konstam, The History of Pirates
Wayne Curtis, And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails (yes, this was really research!!!)
Kenneth Andrews, The Spanish Caravel: Trade and Plunder
Carl Sauer, The Early Spanish Main
C.H. Haring, The Spanish Empire in America
Jan Rogozinski, A Brief History of the Caravel (a lucky $.50 library sale find!)
Mendel Peterson, The Funnel of Gold
Albert Marrin, The Sea King: Sir Francis Drake and His Times (much later than the time period of my book, but it was very useful for its descriptions of shipboard life and the calling to adventure and discovery)

The history of Spain (and France and England) in the New World is, of course, an extremely complex one, and mostly beyond the scope of my lighthearted story. I would love to revisit it one day, possibly for a work of historical fiction!