(Note from Amanda: One of the not-so-fun aspects of deadlines is not having enough time to read! I have a TBR mountain growing in my living room. But after RWA I felt the need to read a romance, so I ran to the bookstore and treated myself to a pile of even more new books. One of them was Judith James’s Libertine’s Kiss, which I had read such good things about and which has a Restoration setting–I love the Restoration! I brought it home and devoured it in one weekend. It’s one of those absolutely gorgeous books I want to run around yelling about to all my reader friends. Then I ran to the computer and emailed Judith begging her to visit the blog, and she kindly agreed to do an interview today, despite currently residing in Deadline Hell. Comment for a chance to win a signed copy, and for more information you can check out Judith’s website here…)

“Heartrendingly beautiful…there is really nothing out there quite like this.” –All About Romance, DIK Review

Amanda: Welcome to the blog, Judith! I am so excited you were able to be here today. Tell us about Libertine’s Kiss…

Judith: Thanks so much for inviting me here today, Amanda! Libertine’s Kiss tells the story of two childhood sweethearts, William de Veres and Elizabeth Walters. William, the handsome son of a hard-drinking cavalier and a stern Puritan mother, was abandoned at an early age to a brutal school system and a predatory tutor. He soon discovers the escapes of poetry, literature, sex and alcohol, and the defenses of a sharp sword and a lacerating wit. By the time he graduates he is thoroughly debauched. As a titanic struggle erupts between Parliament and King, William takes up arms in the Royalist cause and pursued by Cromwell’s men, finds himself seeking shelter from a sober young Puritan woman in a cottage deep in the woods.

The Civil War has cost the once high-spirited Elizabeth Walters her best friend and her father, leaving her unprotected and alone. She flees and unwanted marriage, seeking safe haven, but what she finds there is something she never imagined. Despite William’s gratitude and promise to aid her, Elizabeth never expects to see him again, but the Restoration of Charless II to his throne will bring her to the attention of both William and the King. Can a debauched Court poet and notorious libertine convince the wary Elizabeth he is capable of love, and can a promise long forgotten and a friendship forged in the past help two lonely people find themselves and each other? These are the questions asked by Libertine’s Kiss.

Amanda: What was the inspiration for this story?

Judith: While researching my previous book, Highland Rebel, which takes place 2 years after the death of Charles Stuart, I came across the poetry of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, as well as a first edition (1680) of bishop and historian Gilbert Burnett’s account of Rochester’s conversations with him while on his deathbed, which Burnett attended. I started researching the Restoration for a possible story based on that character and I fell madly in love with the time period, which I’ve always been interested in since I read Antonia Stuart’s biography of Charles II several years ago. The neglect of the Restoration puzzles me as there was so much going on with politics, religion, philosophy, and thought. The Restoration Court was filled with a host of colorful characters and was one of the most bawdy, hedonistic and lively courts in history. In terms of literature and science it rivaled the Elizabethan period. Women had more freedom during this period than they would for many years to come and there is so much room to develop characters and so much interesting material. John Wilmot exemplifies the times. Tall, dark, and handsome, a renowned rake, Court poet and wit, he wrote fearless and ferocious satirical verse that was profane, sometimes pornographic, and often very funny. Unfortunately, his lifelong promiscuity and early death make him unsuitable for any kind of happy ending, but his character and the things that shone about him made me ask–what if? That question led to Libertine’s Kiss and the Earl of Rochester was the inspiration for William and speaks through him with his poetry.

Amanda: The setting is so vivid and beautifully drawn, I was totally drawn into the Restoration world! Did you come across any good research sources for this book?

Judith: Thank you! I have a bookshelf full of Restoration sources. The diaries of John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys, and the memoirs of the Compte de Grammont are colorful, entertaining, and full of interesting eye witness accounts. Grammont is very witty, Sam is often unintentionally funny, and Evelyn is fairly serious, but his account of being attacked by highwaymen, Sam’s breathless description of the fire of London and how they escaped, and Grammont’s delightful anecdotes about the courtiers (he knew everyone) give a fascinating firsthand look at the life and times. For a more general view, I found Restoration London by Liza Picard very helpful, as well as Social Life in England from the Restoration to the Revolution by William Sidney and Daily Life in Stuart England by Jeffrey Forgeng. Of course I also read most of Wilmot’s poetry and some biographies of him, Charles II, and Oliver Cromwell.

Amanda: We always have to ask here–what is “risky” about this book??

Judith: Ah! Of course you do. 🙂 I think I did take a few risks with this book, although I wasn’t thinking of that at the time! So far they seem to have been fairly well-received. An obvious one was making the hero a poet and actually using Rochester’s and other 17th century poetry as part of the story. At times it even serves as dialogue or commentary. The story is also bookended by Spenser’s 16th century Faerie Queen. I really felt I was off the beaten track a few times with that and it made me anxious when I thought about it. My poor editor! To say Rochester’s poetry is satirical is putting it mildly. It is profane, angry, bitingly funny, and achingly jaded, and at times pornographic, every bit as complicated as the man himself.

Another was making the character as true as possible to a 17th century libertine, while still writing a love story. I would like to make a note here! I do peek on the boards now and then when I should be writing, and I see some reviewers making comments about certain behaviors on William’s part that might be off-putting to some romance readers. They are being careful not to reveal plot points, but some who read them have inferred that means William was abusive to Elizabeth. I even saw mention of forced seduction, etc. These are things no hero of mine has ever done or ever will do. William is never deliberately cruel to Elizabeth, they are childhood friends who love and respect each other, but he is true to his nature and honest with her about that.

The last risk was mixing in a fairytale element that carried over from their childhood games. Mixing poetry, fairytale themes, a dedicated libertine who drinks and “swives” along with royal personages and other real historical figures as secondary characters was a little risky I think. Did it work? I guess that’s for readers to decide…

Amanda: And what’s next for you?

Judith: Well, you might guess from my library collection and enthusiasm for the period I’ll be spending much of my time in the 17th century over the next little while! I’m currently working on The King’s Courtesan for late April of 2011. It tells the story of Captain Robert Nichols, a soldier who came to Elizabeth’s aid, and Hope Mathews, a minor courtesan to the king. I have one more book for HQN after that, but I’ve yet to decide what it will be about. If you have any suggestions, I’d be glad to hear them! I’ll be popping in and out throughout the day and look forward to any questions or comments you might have. Thanks again for having me here today!

(Another note from Amanda: If you’re intrigued by the life of John Wilmot after reading this, I’d suggest a look at the Johnny Depp movie Libertine! And don’t forget to comment for the chance to win a copy of Libertine’s Kiss…)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I ate too much (of course) and have already spent my gift cards, but I did get the Eiffel Tower Barbie on my list, as well as some Hello Kitty pajamas and Balenciaga Paris shower gel, so it was a happy time all around.

I also love reading the yearly favorites of the other Riskies, and of our visitors, to see what I missed and what I need to buy from the bookstore immediately! (If I had any bookstore gift cards left, that is…). I’ve already talked about a few of my own favorites this year, like Bill Bryson’s At Home and Katie Whitaker’s A Royal Passion, but there was also a lot I enjoyed as well! Here are just a few. Were any of them on your own list? (I tried to divide them into categories, and I’m sure there are a lot I forgot!)

Fiction
Romance
(I haven’t had time to read nearly as much romance as I would like this year, but there were some fabulous ones!)

–Libertine’s Kiss by Judith James: I got to interview Judith James here at the Riskies earlier this year about this book, and it still stays in my head now! My favorite historical romance in quite a while, it has a wonderful, vivid Restoration setting, a truly rakish hero, a spirited heroine, very richly drawn and sexy.

—Iron Duke by Meljean Brook: This book has quite rightly gotten an enormous amount of buzz online, and I heartily recommend it! I’ve been obsessed with reading steampunk lately, and this is the best of the genre I’ve found, highly imaginative, complex world-building, action-packed–plus a great hero and heroine. And just look at that cover–yum

—In For A Penny by Rose Lerner: a wonderful Regency romance! A typical Regency storyline–rakish lord, marriage of convenience, etc–turned on its head in a deceptively complex story. Great characters and a well-drawn authentic setting!

Mystery

–Her Highness’s First Murder by Peg Herring: It’s 1546, and a serial killer stalks London. Who better to solve the mystery than the young Princess Elizabeth, especially after one of her own ladies is killed? She joins forces with her physician’s son to track down the killer! Very suspenseful and clever, with another well-drawn setting and fascinating characters. I imagine a young Elizabeth I would be quite a bit like the one in this book…

—Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean: the first Regency-set Dido Kent mystery, and I’m already looking forward to the next! Dido is a spinster in 1805, who has to investigate when her niece’s fiance mysteriously disappears during their betrothal ball…

—The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley: Possibly my very favorite work of fiction of the year! I can’t recommend it enough, it was sort of like a more witty Nancy Drew story (with better secondary characters). It’s the 1950s and 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, a budding chemist with a special interest in poisons, has to solve the death of a man in her family’s garden. She is definitely one of the most resourceful characters I have seen! (And the second Flavia book is out soon, yay!)

Historical Fiction

–Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin: an engrossing look at the life of the “real Alice in Wonderland” Alice Liddell (who I did not know had a royal romance with Queen Victoria’s son Prince Leopold as a young lady!)

—Charlotte and Emily by Jude Morgan: Like Janet, I’m a huge fan of Jude Morgan’s book, and this was no exception. I read it straight through–definitely the best Bronte historical fiction I have come across. It’s so beautifully written and feels very “real”

Non-Fiction

—Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes: An account of the building of the Tower and the 1889 Exposition, and all the colorful characters involved in this enormous undertaking (Eiffel himself, of course, as well as Edison, Annie Oakley, an Indian maharajh, Balinese dancers, etc etc). It reminded me of Brunelleschi’s Dome, another account of the times and characters surrounding a phenomenal architectural undertaking

–And along those same lines, Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb: a collection of stories about famous and not-so-famous Parisians in various historical periods. I never knew what I would find when I turned the page, and I loved that! I find books like this to be enormous inspiration when coming up with my own plots and characters

—Mrs. Adams in Winter: A Journey in the Last Days of Napoleon by Michael O’Brien: An account of a journey undertaken by Louisa Adams from St. Petersburg to Paris in the middle of winter in 1815, across war-torn Europe just as Napoleon arrives back from Elba. A wonderful portrait of a strong and fascinating woman (usually overshadowed by her in-laws), her difficult marriage, and the culture of the times against the backdrop of an extraordinary voyage

—Fifth Avenue, 5 AM: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson: I was recently reading a film blog about the best movie scenes of the year that mentioned Howard Hawks’ old dictum that a film only needs 3 or 4 scenes to be a good film. In the case of one of my favorite movies ever, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, it really only takes one scene to make me ignore the film’s (many) flaws and love it. Well, really there are several bits I love, but the ending is gorgeous. It’s Audrey Hepburn in a trench coat! She can’t find the cat! And it’s raining! And “Moon River” plays and they kiss–okay, now I’m crying. But this book is a great “behind the scenes” look at the making of the movie, and how revolutionary it really was
—Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff: An attempt to strip away the myths and encrusted conceptions of Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor, etc) and find the real woman, who wielded unprecedented power in a brutal world

—Apollo’s Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans: A tremendous undertaking, a history of nothing less than ballet. Of course I loved it! A must-have for anyone who loves the art, it traces the evolution of technique, choreography, and performance. Very beautifully written, and engrossing.

—Wait For Me! by Deborah Mitford, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire: A memoir by the 90-year-old duchess (and last surviving Mitford sister), it was funny and charming, though some parts were definitely more interesting than others! (All the Jeeves-and-Woosterish nicknames were hilarious, though I thought she was little too hard on her sister Nancy and too easy on her Nazi-sympathizing sisters Diana and Unity…). I found some of her earlier books very helpful in researching my “duchess” books, Duchess of Sin and The Shy Duchess, and this one was no different.

My favorite “comfort read,” especially when holiday craziness gets to be too much, is Harlequin Presents! This Christmas I read two I especially devoured:

The Twelve Nights of Christmas by Sarah Morgan

And Caught on Camera With the CEO by Natalie Anderson (who is fast becoming my favorite Presents author!)

They saved my sanity this December! But now I’d like to know–where are all these Italian tycoons and Argentinian polo players who are young and gorgeous and like “ordinary” women??? Send them my way asap…

As for movies–it hasn’t been the best of movie years, but I have found some I really loved! (But there are still a few I haven’t seen yet that I am really looking forward to, like The King’s Speech, The Tempest, All Good Things, and Somewhere). A few I enjoyed are: the crazy-over-the-top Black Swan; the gorgeous, operatic I Am Love (I’m amazed Tilda Swinton is not getting more awards buzz for this!); the “the way we live now” The Social Network; the hilarious but also strangely sad Get Him To The Greek; and The Kids Are All Right.

Over at my own blog, I have a look at some of my favorite fashion looks of the year as well! I can’t believe 2010 is almost over.

What did you enjoy this year–and what are you looking forward to in 2011???

I can’t believe Christmas is only a few days away! I still have to finish some shopping and buy ingredients for holiday cupcakes, but the dance recital is behind me (aside from one child’s eating-confetti incident, all went well and the little sugarplums were all adorable!) and writing work is waiting for me. It’s time to make a few Christmas lists.

I already bought some of my own presents, like a Kindle 3, a cute new purple bike (to encourage myself to exercise more in the new year–now that I’ve said it here I have to do it), and a ballgown that I guess will have to wait for RWA next summer since I can’t really wear it to Target or the dog park. I have a few things on my wish list I am pretty sure I won’t be getting. Like a villa in Provence:

Or Ian Somerhalder:
Or a tiara to go with my new dress:

But I do have a few things that are a little more feasible! And if you have another TV watching history geek on your list, they might like one of these too…

Big Ben and Eiffel Tower Barbies!

This Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire doll from Madame Alexander! (They also have a fab Anne Boleyn doll…)

The Mad Men box set

Anything Hello Kitty (of course!)

This ring from Tartx (or any numbers of things from there, they have so many gorgeous items…)

Balenciaga Paris shower gel (this has become my new perfume obsession this year!)

And books, CDs, and DVDs of costume dramas are always welcome under my tree! 🙂 (Books and movies are waiting to be wrapped for everyone on my own list–but shh! Don’t tell them)

Have a wonderful holiday, and thanks so much to all our readers for visiting the Riskies and making this so much fun for me! What is on your wish list this Christmas?? What have you bought for everyone else?

Margay, you’ve won a copy of Jane Austen: An Illustrated Anthology! Congrats! Please email your snail mail address to Amanda at Amccabe7551 AT yahoo.com

And everyone keep commenting! There’s prizes all week

Austen Week, yay!

Happy Jane Austen Week, everyone! I’m so excited to see our annual tribute to everything Jane on the blog. But first things first–I have a new cover! The Shy Duchess will be out in March 2011, and is a spin-off from the Diamonds of Welbourne Manor anthology. (I think this looks exactly like Lady Emily–and I seriously want to steal her tiara…). The Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar contest Diane mentioned yesterday is still going strong (my day is the 16th–you can go to my website to see details! You can win a grand prize of a Kindle, or any number of daily prizes). And I’ll be at the Borders True Romance blog tomorrow!

And Christmas is flying at us! It’s busy around here, making Christmas candy, finishing the shopping, getting over a throat infection (yuck!). I’ve also been working at the part-time job, teaching a children’s ballet class, as I get them ready for their winter recital this weekend, a smaller version of The Nutcracker. It’s pink tulle, snowflakes, and craziness! And then I had to find something to write about for Jane Austen Birthday week (which is also my mom’s birthday week), and couldn’t think of anything. I’ve already talked about my favorite Austen novel (Persuasion) and my first Austen novel (Emma), and great Austen gifts (you can never go wrong with the Jane action figure!). But what to write about this year???

Since I’m buried in The Nutcracker, I started to wonder–what would it be like if Austen (or one of her contemporaries?) wrote the story? For one thing, there would be lots of opportunity for some great Regency-style costumes!

Let’s say Lady Whatsit is having her annual Christmas Ball at her grand estate of Whatsit Park, an invitation much sought after by every member of the ton. She has a claret punch, a roast goose, and fruit cakes, and copious decorations of holly and ivy with red bows. (No tree of course–they’re Regency, not Victorian! Maybe a giant stalk of ivy will have to grow out of the ballroom floor when the scene changes). There’s waltzing and flirting in the conservatory. Lady Whatsit’s two adorable children, Lady Clara and Lord Bratley, attend the party, and their godfather, the eccentric Lord Lotsamoney, gives them gifts. Clara’s is a nutcracker doll (were there such things in the Regency? I don’t know…), in the shape of–let’s say Wellington. Lord Bratley (who lives up to his name) snatches it from his sister and breaks it!

Lady Clara is heartbroken. She sneaks down after the party, bandages up poor Wellington, and falls asleep. But she’s not alone for long. Along come the French army of nefarious mice! Wellington battles them valiantly, and Clara helps out by tossing her shoe at Napoleon Mouse’s head. The French are run out of the drawing room!

In gratitude, Wellington takes Lady Clara to a grand campaign tent where the Sugar Plum Fairy (who is emphatically not Harriette Wilson) introduces her to all the grateful nations of Europe, who dance for her. Spain, Russia, China (don’t know how they got in there), etcetera. They shower her with sweets, tiaras, and gowns before she dances once more with Wellington and is then whisked back home again!

What is your favorite part of The Nutcracker? If they made an Austen novel into a ballet, which should it be? (I’d love to see a Pride & Prejudice ballet!) To one commenter on today’s post, I have a copy of Jane Austen: An Illustrated Anthology!