The Riskies are pleased to welcome Anna Campbell back to our drawing room! She is celebrating the release of her second book with Avon, UNTOUCHED…

1) It’s wonderful to welcome you back to Risky Regencies. What have you been up to since the last time we chatted?

Amanda and Riskies, thank you so much for asking me back to chat. I had a fabuloso time last time I hung out (I hope you note the authentic Regency language here!). I’m looking forward to another fun day and to giving away a signed copy of the green monster to someone who leaves a comment.

Life since we last chatted has been absolutely nutsoid. Ah, more Jane Austen influence sneaks into my prose! I’ve written my third “Regency noir” for Avon which will come out in October 2008. Just handed that in on 1^st November. I’ve also had a big overseas trip. I had a month in the UK doing research. I soak up landscape and atmosphere and hang around stately homes and drive all the guides wild because I want to know EVERYTHING! I then went on to a week in New York followed by a week in Dallas for RWA Nationals where I got to meet some of my favorite Riskies in person. Although we didn’t get time to chat at length – something we’ll have to remedy in San Francisco next year. I’ve also joined a blog of Golden Heart finalists from 2006. There are 20 of us. When we started six months ago, four of us were published. Now we’re up to 11 which is a fantastic achievement. So generally these days, you can find me hanging out at Romance Bandits www.romancebandits.blogspot.com when I’m not trying to figure out a new way to torment my poor characters.

2) Your first book, Claiming the Courtesan, caused quite a stir! Were you expecting anything like that?

Ah, the famous hoo-ha, not to be confused with Jennifer Crusie’s equally famous glittery hoo-ha! Frankly, the scandal took me by complete surprise. When I wrote CTC, I was unpublished and I just assumed the book would go under the bed with all my other unpublished manuscripts. Then when I sold, I assumed nobody would pay any attention to my debut book at all! The longevity of the controversy astonished me. But then it was a true controversy – CTC divided people radically down the middle into lovers and haters.

3) The new book, Untouched, also has an unusual and intriguing set-up–a new widow kidnapped off the street and told she must seduce the “mad”, reclusive hero under pain of torture and death! Can you tell us more about this story? What was your inspiration?

Honestly, Amanda, I have NO idea where these off the wall ideas come from. Apart from out of my off the wall mind I’m not sure if you’d remember from last time we spoke (wouldn’t blame you if you don’t!) but CLAIMING THE COURTESAN came to me absolutely out of nowhere after I’d decided I was going to try and make a career in Regency romantic comedy. Anyway, I thought I’d never come up with a premise as inherently sexy as CTC again, basically because I never had before. So feeling very sorry for myself, I was lying in the bath and this idea popped into my mind of this woman strapped to a table and told she had to ‘amuse’ a madman or die. Hmm, fairly sexy, I thought. Especially as the ‘madman’ was going to be a gorgeous hero. UNTOUCHED is VERY gothic, even more so than CTC. There were a stack of influences from fairytales like Beauty and the Beast to the 19^th century literary obsession with madness to old Victoria Holts I read as a teenager.

4) You might not think it from this unpromising beginning to True Love, but Grace and Matthew really felt like they “fit” together, they were meant to be. At least I, Amanda, felt like they did! How did you come up with these two?

Thank you, Amanda. That was a lovely compliment. I really try and make sure my hero and heroine have qualities in common that aren’t immediately apparent so there’s a soul connection as well as the immediate physical attraction. Sadly, there’s been a lot of serious illness in my family in recent years and I started thinking about heroism that moves beyond the obvious. You know, the sort of heroism that suffers and endures and requires endless, unspectacular courage. That’s the sort of heroism both Grace and Matthew demonstrate. So even though their outer circumstances are quite different, at a base level, they really have faced similar trials and emerged stronger for their suffering.

5) What are some of your favorite research sources for this 1820s period?

I love this decadent period before Victoria took the throne but after the Regency proper, although obviously for sales reasons, the books are marketed as Regency historicals. I first became interested in these years when I read the marvelous romances Loretta Chase set in the same era, although obviously LC’s books and mine have a completely different feel. The more nonfiction I read about the time, the more interested I became. It’s exactly the background for Regency noirs! For UNTOUCHED, I did a lot of research into the treatment of madness in the 19^th century (and goodness, would some of that curl your hair with horror!). A book I used a lot was Roy Porter’s MADMEN which was published in the UK under the much more evocative title of ‘Mind-Forg’d Manacles’.

6) So–what about that avocado farm? 🙂

Snort! I grew up on an avocado farm on the south coast of Queensland in Australia. A very beautiful spot, by the way. I can still spot any avocado variety at 20 paces. Strangely, not a skill that has yet earned me any money! Some interesting facts about avocadoes – our collie dog absolutely loved them and used to bump against the branches until the avocadoes dropped off. He’d worked out when they fell, they started to ripen (he was a VERY clever dog). He’d then come back when they were ripe and eat them so delicately that only the thinnest, most perfect skin was left and a completely bare seed. Neat, huh? Foxes like to eat avocadoes too! And we had terrible trouble with crows because they used to peck the fruit on the trees to see if it was ripe and if it wasn’t, they’d just move onto the next fruit. Of course, that damaged fruit was then unsuitable for sending to market. Crows were not popular with the family!

7) We’re starting our “Austen Week” tomorrow, leading up to The Birthday on December 16th. What’s your own favorite Austen novel?

Amanda, what a fantastic question. I adore Jane Austen. Actually I’ve yet to meet a romance writer who doesn’t love Jane and recognize her and the marvelous Brontes as the geniuses who are the source of our wonderful genre. My favorite JA is PERSUASION. There’s so much heart and feeling in that story. Although I waver because I love PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with all it sparkle and wit and has there ever been a better romance hero than Mr. Darcy? I think not! Speaking of the Jane Austen birthday, the Riskies have inspired me to have my own celebration on the 10^th December over at my regular blog Romance Bandits. I’ll celebrate all things Jane and give away an ARC of THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN by Syrie James. Pop by if you get a chance! And I’d love to come and play with you guys during your Austen week too! You can’t have too much Jane, can you?

(Definitely not enough Jane–and Persuasion is my favorite, too! –Amanda)

8) What’s next for you?

I just handed in my third Avon historical romance TEMPT THE DEVIL which at present is scheduled for October, 2008. It’s another dark and sensual story that I’m calling a Regency noir AFFAIR TO REMEMBER. Although I suspect I’m the only person who will get the connection. It’s another courtesan story although the hero and heroine are older and more cynical than Kylemore or Verity. My pitch when I told my editor about it was that these two people have seen everything and done everything and yet felt nothing. Falling in love is the greatest risk they can take. My fourth book will probably be closer to the feeling of UNTOUCHED than TTD. I’m going to start serious work on that after Christmas. I’ve got a great idea for more tortured characters 😉

Comment on the post to win a copy of Untouched (aka The Green Monster)! And to keep track of all the upcoming interviews and giveaways, sign up for the Riskies newsletter at riskies@yahoo.com…

Hello, everyone! Amanda here, sitting in for Megan on this cold, gray Friday. Most of you out there are probably contemplating shopping or baking or decorating, but the next few days hold a variety of interesting anniversaries in History Land (which seems to be where I live most of the time!). Since I’m tired of shopping and baking et al, I thought I’d just share a few…

December 8th is both the birthday of Mary Queen of Scots and the anniversary of the premiere of Beethoven’s Symphony #7 (the birthday of Beethoven is also coming up on December 16–I’m sure everyone has their treble clef-shaped cakes ordered!).

Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace in 1542 to James V of Scotland and Marie of Guise. Her father, who was very ill, heard of the birth and declared “The devil go with it! It came with a lass, it will pass with a lass” (just as with Elizabeth I and her Hatfield oak tree, I’m not sure this is true, but it sounds good all the same. Very dramatic). Mary became queen when she was 6 days old, though of course she didn’t exactly rule for some time–the Earl of Arran and then her mother served as regents.

When she was 6 months old, the Treaties of Greenwich were signed, promising Mary would be married to Henry VIII’s son Edward, but Marie of Guise was strongly opposed to this plan (being French and all) and hid with the baby at Stirling Castle, where plans were made for Mary’s coronation. This took place at the Stirling chapel in September, when she was 9 months old. She was dressed in heavy, miniature crimson velvet robes trimmed with ermine and a jeweled satin gown. She could sit up but not yet walk, and thus was carried to the throne and held there by Lord Livingston. A cardinal put the Coronation Oath to her, to which I presume she replied “Goo gah” and anointed her with holy oil, when she began to cry and fuss. Then, wearing the crown balanced on her tiny head, she accepted the oaths of fealty from various earls and prelates. After years of warfare with the English, she was sent at the age of 5 to France, where she spent more than 13 years.

To skip ahead a few hundred years, in 1811 Beethoven was going through a hard time. His music was popular, but his health was not so good, so he went to the spa city of Teplitz for a break. There he met the writer Goethe, and was inspired to start work on his Seventh Symphony. He conducted the premier in 1813 at a Vienna concert to benefit Austrian and Bavarian soldiers wounded at the Battle of Hanau (on a side note, this concert also was the premier of a short piece titled “Wellington’s Victory,” which I believe is rarely performed now). Beethoven himself called the 7th his “most excellent symphony” (and I doubt he was ironically quoting Bill and Ted…), and one music critic declared it “the richest melodically and the most pleasing and comprehensible of all Beethoven’s symphonies.” On the other hand, Carl Maria Von Weber found in it evidence that Beethoven was “now quite ripe for the madhouse”, and Friedrich Wieck, father of Clara Wieck Schumann, said it could only have been written by someone seriously intoxicated.

In later years, the symphony found a fan in Wagner, who said the music was “the apotheosis of the dance…if anyone plays the Seventh, tables and benches, cans and cups, the grandmother, the blind and the lame, aye, the children of the cradle fall to dancing.” It’s said Wagner himself once danced to the Symphony, played by his father-in-law Liszt at the piano. That is something I would have paid good money to see.

And December 10 is the birthday of Emily Dickinson, born in her family’s home in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she lived almost all her life (and which is now the Emily Dickinson Museum). At last count, she wrote some 1,789 poems, though in her own lifetime they were not widely known at all, except perhaps by her dog Carlo and he wasn’t talking. Despite, or maybe because of, her eccentric style and sometimes strange metaphors (I still can’t figure out that “hope is the thing with feathers” thing!) she is one of my favorite poets (along with Yeats, Keats, and Wallace Stevens, among many others).

Happy Birthday, Mary and Emily, and Happy Symphony Day, Beethoven! Who are some of your favorite poets and musicians (and monarchs, too)? And what would you celebrate today?

Tell us about Seduced by a Spy!

It’s the second book of my trilogy starring the swashbuckling students of Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies, which is sort of a Hogwarts for hellions! Trained as an elite cadre of female spies, they are England’s ultimate secret weapon–dispatched to handle the most difficult, dangerous missions. Shannon, the heroine of SBAS, appeared briefly in The Spy Wore Silk, where she crossed swords with a mysterious Russian as she and her roommate Siena sought to trap a traitor who was passing government secrets to the French.

In SBAS, she meets with Mr. Orlov again, but this time they’re allies on a joint mission for British and Russian Intelligence. Though neither is happy about this assignment, they’re sent to a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands to protect the family of a military ballistics expert from a French assassin.

Sparks fly as they rub together–igniting what I hope readers find is a fun, sexy, action-packed read!

What gave you the idea for this story, and the whole “Hellions” series?

I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy. As a kid, I wanted to be a knight who got to fight the dragons instead of the typical princess who needed to be rescued. I guess this never quite rubbed off (I’m still more comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt than a slinky black dress!), and I’ve always liked strong, unconventional heroines who challenge the status quo and aren’t afraid of breaking rules.

So in thinking of the Regency era, and how I might do something a little unexpected, I got to thinking–what would be the least likely endeavor for a female to be involved in? A ‘secret agent’ came to mind, and as a big fan of the old James Bond movies, I thought it would be a fun idea to pursue. And so the hellions of Mrs. Merlin’s Academy were born!

I’ve had so much fun creating stories for the trio of roommates, and I’ve tried to put each one in a different situation. Seduced by a Spy is very action-oriented, set mostly in Scotland. The final book, Sofia’s story, will hit the shelves in October 2008. It takes place in London, in the glitter and glamor of high Society.

What attracts you to the Regency as a setting?

For me, the Regency is so fascinating because in many ways it’s a mirror of our own times. There were such tremendous upheavals in all aspects of life, from literature, music, and philosophy to politics, science, and social conventions. So many new and exciting things were happening, and I love researching and discovering how people reacted to the challenge of change.

And of course I adore the romance of the era–the gowns, the tailored finery of the gentlemen, the glamorous balls and soirees! It has a fairy-tale aspect that makes it a wonderful setting for richly complex stories. I think all of us who write Regency-set books love the fact that we can have fun with those details while exploring complex themes that are so relevant to modern readers.

Did you come across anything new or interesting in researching this story?

I was lucky enough to travel to Ireland and Scotland during the time I was writing Seduced by a Spy! I discovered a wealth of fascinating facts there. Strangely enough, many of them revolve around–spirits (the alcoholic kind!)

1) There are close to 200 single malt scotches made in small distilleries throughout Scotland (If you have ever experienced the weather in the Highlands, where my fictional McAllister Castle is located, you will understand why!)

2) In both Scotch and Irish Gaelic, the words uisge beatha and usquebaugh mean “water of life.” This eventually translated into “whisky” in English (no doubt after someone consumed more than a few drams of the stuff). Another interesting aside is that it’s spelled “whisky” in Scotland and “whiskey” in Ireland.

3) The local brew of Dornoch (the seaside town where Shannon and Orlov first land to begin their trip to the hills) is Glenmorangie, which means “glen of tranquility” in Gaelic. It was founded in 1848, but illicit distilling in the area dates back to the 1700s.

4) Kenmare, the charming town of the Ring of Kerry where Shannon helps the wounded Orlov to the safety of a British naval cutter, has been renowned for its healing waters since the 1600s. Today, it’s also known as the home of Sheen Falls Lodge, a wonderful country manor hotel that has the largest wine cellar in Ireland. (Trust me on this!)

5) Saltpeter, one of the 3 essential ingredients in gunpowder, is found in nitrates, so during the Napoleonic Wars, the British government considered requiring tavernkeepers to save the urine of their patrons in vats. (Brandy was said to create an especially desirable end product)

LOL! What is “risky” about this story?

Well, I think I may have pushed my heroines to the edge with their swordplay and seduction! I wanted them to dare to shake things up–like many of the real-life Regency women, who weren’t afraid of breaking out of their traditional roles.

One online reviewer got all huffy about the first book in the series, saying “This isn’t how a Regency romance should be written!” I’m actually sort of proud of that. Obviously she believes that the era entirely revolved around drawing room calls and formal house parties. But we can’t forget there was so much more to the times, much of which was “down and dirty.” It was a time of war and intrigue, with actual characters like the cross-dressing Comte d’Eon, a double agent who changed his allegiances as often as he changed his sexual persona. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!

What’s next for you?

I’m very excited about a new trilogy that I’m doing for Grand Central Publishing, about a trip of unconventional female scholars who formed a bond of friendship through the weekly meetings of their Scientific Society. Each has an expertise in a certain field of science–and each has a slightly shady past that comes back to haunt them. The books are scheduled for a 1-2-3 release starting in January 2010.

As for other projects, I’m trying to convince my new editor to let me do a book starring lord Lynsley, the head of the Merlins. And I’m fooling with a Regency-set YA book that has some paranormal elements to it. So I should be keeping busy for the next little while!

Not too busy to visit the Riskies, we hope!!

Be sure and comment on the post to win a signed ARC of Seduced by a Spy. And don’t miss any of our upcoming visitors and special events–sign up for our newsletter at riskies@yahoo.com!

Warning: Completely frivolous, totally useless, and pictures-heavy post ahead! As you know, last week was the annual Oscars telecast. As usual, the program was long and snoozy, the winners (mostly) predictable (except for Marion Cotillard, Best Documentary, and Best Costumes), and more montages than one person should sit through. But there were gowns. Good ones, bad ones, in-between ones. Lots of black, red, and strapless. And, as usual, I have opinions on them all!

Some of my Likes:

Anne Hathaway (I didn’t like that big black bow she did last year at all, but she made up for it this year! This Marchesa gown was stunning, probably my favorite look of the evening)

Marion Cotillard (I was on the fence about this one for a while, but decided I do like it! It’s grown on me. Maybe I expected too much from her in the beginning, since she’s French…)

Other likes include Penelope Cruz’s black strapless gown (of all the black strapless gowns there, hers was the best!); Amy Adams’s dark green Proenza Schouler; and Helen Mirren (second best red gown of the night–the sleeves really sparkled under the stage lights)

Some of my Dislikes:

Jennifer Hudson (I’ve seen pics of her at other events where she looks great, yet she can’t seem to dress for the Oscars! It’s better than last year’s, I guess)

Julie Christie (the sheer sleeves and frumpy length–ugh!)
Also disliked Diablo Cody’s “Tarzan and Jane dress up” thing; Ellen Page (not so much dislike as think “meh”–she is so young and pretty, yet the dress was shapeless and dull. Miley Cyrus actually looked much like I hoped EP would); and Daniel Day-Lewis’s wife (he wasn’t all that great, either).

Now let’s talk about Tilda Swinton (because you knew I would!) I like it. Now let’s be clear–I do not like the dress. It’s undeniable that it resembles nothing so much as a big Hefty bag, and I’ve never been fond of the one-big-sleeve thing. But I love Tilda Swinton. She is gorgeous, she’s a great actress (I can’t think of anyone else who could have pulled off Orlando!), and she’s just the essence of Eccentric British Aristocrat for the 21st century. She just lives on a different planet than the rest of us, The Planet of Extreme Coolness, and I would have been disappointed if she showed up styled to the gills by Rachel Zoe.

I was also very happy that Elizabeth: The Golden Age won for Best Costume Design (though I did not predict it! I thought The Green Dress would prevail). Much deserved.

And, for your consideration, a few looks for the Oscars of 200+ years ago:

What would you wear to the Oscars? And what were some of your own likes/dislikes this year??

Happy Saturday!