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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Guest Author Post with Tessa Dare and Giveaway


Today I would like to welcome to the blog the lovely Tessa Dare. Tessa is stopping by today to celebrate her newest release A Night To Surrender from the Spindle Cove Series. So please give a warm welcome to Tessa Dare. 


Book Blasting, and Other Confessions

I'm a romance author, but I also work as a librarian. I've worked in libraries for most of my life, actually-- when I was a tender 15 years old! And before I got paid to work in libraries, I just happened to hang around them a lot. 

So books are important to me. And the preservation of books is important to me. Libraries exist to collect, organize, and preserve materials for their communities. We train small children to hold them carefully with un-sticky fingers, and turn the pages by the corners. Librarians are the first to jump to a book's defense when book banning, or -heaven forfend!--book burning is suggested.

Imagine my quandary then, when writing a romance heroine who actively and unrepentantly defaces and destroys books! Perfectly good books!

Well, to be fair--Susanna Finch, the heroine of A Night to Surrender, would argue that she does not "destroy" books. She repurposes copies of a particular book. And, she would add, that particular books is not a "perfectly good book"--it is a perfectly dangerous and damaging book. 

The book in question is called Mrs. Worthington's Wisdom for Young Ladies, and it's a literary thorn in Susanna's side.

Here's an excerpt to explain:

        Charlotte reached for the book and opened it, then cleared her throat and read aloud in a dramatic voice. "'Chapter Twelve. The perils of excessive education. A young lady's intellect should be in all ways like her undergarments. Present, pristine, and imperceptible to the casual observer.'"
    
        Mrs. Highwood harrumphed. "Yes. Just so. Hear and believe it, Minerva. Hear and believe every word. As Miss Finch says, you will find that book very useful."

        Susanna took a leisurely sip of tea, swallowing with it a bitter lump of indignation. She wasn't an angry or resentful person, as a matter of course. But once provoked, her passions required formidable effort to conceal. 

        That book provoked her, no end.

        Mrs. Worthington's Wisdom for Young Ladies was the bane of sensible girls the world over, crammed with insipid, damaging advice on every page. Susanna could have gleefully crushed its pages to powder with a mortar and pestle, labeled the vial with a skull and crossbones, and placed it on the highest shelf in her stillroom, right beside the dried foxglove leaves and deadly nightshade berries. 

        Instead she'd made it her mission to remove as many copies as possible from circulation. A sort of quarantine. Former residents of the Queen's Ruby sent the books from all corners of England. One couldn't enter a room in Spindle Cove without finding a copy or three of Mrs. Worthington's Wisdom. And just as Susanna had told Mrs. Highwood, they found the book very useful indeed. It was the perfect size for propping a window open. It also made an excellent doorstop or paperweight. Susanna used her personal copies for pressing herbs. Or, occasionally, for target practice.

Although this all felt very true to Susanna's character, I have to admit - writing it cause my librarian heart to twinge, just a little. 


So, how do you treat books? Do you buy or borrow? Are you the kind to turn each page carefully and read without cracking the spine? Or do you dog-ear the pages with abandon and use them as doorstops? 



Welcome to Spindle Cove, where ladies with delicate constitutions come for the sea air, and men in their prime are...nowhere to be found.

Or are they?

Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: the painfully shy, young wives disenchanted with matrimony, and young girls too enchanted with the wrong men. It is a haven for those who live there.

Victor Bramwell, the new Earl of Rycliff, knows he doesn't belong here. So far as he can tell, there's nothing in this place but spinsters...and sheep. But he has no choice, he has orders to gather a militia. It's a simple mission, made complicated by the spirited, exquisite Susanna Finch--a woman who is determined to save her personal utopia from the invasion of Bram's makeshift army.

Susanna has no use for aggravating men; Bram has sworn off interfering women. The scene is set for an epic battle...but who can be named the winner when both have so much to lose?


Thanks to Tessa Dare for such a wonderful post. Everyone, Tessa Dare and Harper Collins will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So make sure to check out all of Tessa Dare's tour stops and comment to increase your chances of winning.

*Must answers Tessa's question above
*Must leave and email address
*You don't have to be a follower, but it is appreciated
*Open until September 2nd. 

33 comments :

  1. These days I mainly read ebooks, so I don't do much borrowing. Believe me, I treat my Kindle very carefully LOL. When I do read a paperback, though, I'm pretty careful with it. I used to dog-ear, but I never do that anymore. I will admit to the occasional food stain though.

    Loved A Night to Surrender! I'll be looking forward to the next book.

    jen at delux dot com

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  2. Congrats on the release Tessa!!!

    I mostly buy. I read mostly on my Kindle these days.

    I'm a spine cracker. When I get the book (unless it's used), I love to delve my thumbs into the middle of the book and hear the spine crack. The sound of it makes me smile and know that no one else was sitting at the bookstore reading it and put it back on the shelf.

    I have been known to also use a book as a doorstop. Only because it was a hardback. When I was younger I used to press flowers in them.
    _______
    Kati R @Romancing Rakes
    romancingrakes at gmaildotcom

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  3. I like to keep my books looking nice and new, and although I tend to buy used and trade books on paperbackswap, I try to get the nicest-looking copy possible - spine with few cracks, crisp pages, etc. If the book turns out to be a keeper, then I would hunt down a hardcover version if it's available or buy a brand new copy.

    abbydillon16 AT yahoo DOT com

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  4. Books are precious. I buy & borrow & care for them like the good friends that they are.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  5. Congrats on the release, Tessa and thanks for sharing that bit of excerpt!

    I always try my best to keep my books in almost like new conditions. I mostly borrow books due to limited space and funds (and I don't own an e-reader), but I do definitely buy new copies if they are 'keepers' for me. I also absolutely hate spinal creasing, so when I read a book, I would rather only open a new book as minimal as possible and would tilt it left and right to read the text near the middle than to force the book fully open - I may be weird to some people, lol. So I definitely will not crack the spine, dog-ear pages or use books as doorsteps.

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. International?
    Count me in:
    sk_86(at)gmx(dot)de

    Answer: I mostly buy! Love rereading books. My collection is out of control haha. BUT I've also discovered the greatness that is Kindle. Ebooks are fantastic! When it comes to Paperbacks..I did dog-ear the pages for a while...not anymore though. Some books, however, are hard to read without cracking the spine.

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  7. I mostly buy books. I buy both printed and e-books. Depending upon what I am wanting to read I will go to B&N or a used book store to buy books. Occasionally I will borrow from my sister. Usually I will leave books in pretty good shape without breaking the spine too bad, however there are a few of my books that are in pretty bad shape because I have read them so many times. I was told by someone that those books are just well loved. I think I would agree with that because I wouldn't give them up for anything.

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  8. Hi Tessa!

    What a great post! I have to say, reading that excerpt from Mrs. Worthington, I don't blame Susanna for using it as a doorstop or propping open a window.

    I tend to try to be very careful with books. The operative word being TRY. I always have a book with me, and throw one into whatever bag/purse I'm carrying. A couple of books have been destroyed because I had a water bottle in the same bag, the cap wasn't screwed on tightly enough....you can put together the rest. But I am particularly careful if the book is autographed. I have been known to buy a second copy of some books so the signed copy can stay in pristine condition. Is that too OCD? lol

    Then there was the time I lent my sister a book, and she cracked the spine because she had it open and set it down on the table upside down. Have yet to forgive her for that, lol.
    When I first read a new-to-me author, I like to borrow, either from a friend or the library. That way, if I don't end up really liking the book for some reason, no harm no foul. Once I fall in love with the author, they definitely become auto-buys for me. You, Tessa, have been an auto buy for me from the beginning, since you were the guest author at Eloisa and JQ's BB. :)

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  9. I buy most of my top 10 favorite author's books new from Amazon (usually). Others I get used from Paperback Swap. I loke books in new or like new condition and take care not to do damage while in my home. I do not dog ear my books...I always use a book mark. I love book thongs!

    Congratulations on your new release. Can't wait to get my copy!

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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  10. I usually buy them, and am annoyingly careful with my favorites, but if they're not really dear to me I don't mind cracking the spine a bit to read it more comfortably. But not much, because it hurts me inside. LOL. I dog-ear only the pages with very funny quotes or interesting scenes, and NEVER use them as doorstops. *snorts* :P
    thanks!

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  11. I mostly buy. Make use of a used bookstore also. Always very careful of my books, they are very precious to me. Get quite upset with my husband when he abuses books *L* "A Night To Surrender" sounds like a wonderful read.
    Follower
    skpetal (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  12. I'm really careful with my books. Will lend my books to very few people. Must follow my rules of always using a bookmark, which I can always provide. Oldest niece almost lost book borrowing privileges for life when she broke the spine on one of my books.

    I do still borrow books from the library.

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  13. Forgot to post email address and to say awesome post!
    mslizalou(at)comcast(dot)net

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  14. silly me, forgot my e-mail... >.>'
    thanks again!
    kah_cherub at hotmail dot com

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  15. I MOST DEFINITELY buy and am the kind to turn each page carefully and read without cracking the spine! And my books stay like new! NO puppy ears since i use bookmarks these days. DOORSTOPS?? OMG i can't even imagine the thought! How dreadful!

    Congrats on the book too! It sounds really cool and different for a romance novel and I love romance novels! Very interesting!

    reviewsbyabby at gmail dot com

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  16. I dogeared as a child... I even read books in the shower. 8-O Having had to replace so many HTF books made me much more cautious and now I'm very, very gentle and always use bookmarks. I finally got my son to start using bookmarks but he uses anything lying around as a bookmark -- water bottle, comb, sandwich... [sigh]

    Your post reminded me of a friend who worked in obstetrics, who used to buy up any used copies of BabyWise in order to destroy them. My librarian's heart wasn't quite right with that either... not so much because they're books, but because it's a form of censorship.

    --willaful willaful @ baymoon dot com

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  17. I get books anyway I can (buy or borrow from friends or the library). I'm pretty careful with my books, that's how I was taught as a child. Always use a bookmark, never dog-ear the pages!

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  18. Congratulations on the new release.

    I borrow a lot of books from the library, but also purchase many books by my must-read authors. I am very careful with books. I try not to crease the spines and never crease the corners.

    penfield716(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  19. I buy my books and I am careful with them...I would never dog ear any pages..I now have a Kindle but I still buy books...Love them..Thank you and congrats..lprater@modweldco.com

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  20. I buy my books and keep them and love them forever! Haha ;-) I don't dog ear, but the spines end up very well loved :-)

    justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  21. I always treat my books very carefully. I hate cracks in the spines or dog ears but as I'm also swapping books I can't always avoid getting mistreated books. :) But I have to live with that.

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  22. I both buy and borrow books. I treat books carefully and try not to bend the spine.

    lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  23. Hi, everyone! Thanks so much for hosting me here today. I'm so glad to see so many responsible book-owners out there. :)

    JenM - ereaders do make a difference in this equation, don't they? When that much money is on the line, you'd better be careful!

    KatiR, I'm giggling at your confession. Maybe there's a SpineCrackers Anonymous group out there? :) Honestly, a book IS easier to hold and read if the spine's been creased.

    Rosie, yours sounds like a very reasonable system!

    Marybelle, your comment made me smile. "books are friends" indeed. What a great philosophy.

    Winnie - wow, you definitely earn the conscientious reader award! That's dedication, to tilt the book back and forth to avoid creasing it. You're a librarian's dream.
    All this said, I will admit - nothing thrills me more at a book signing than for someone to bring in an obviously well-loved, well-read copy of my book. Spine cracked, pages marked...I know that book's been read, re-read and enjoyed! It's pretty cool.

    Greetings, _yay_, from your undisclosed international location! Lately, I've become more inclined to buy my own copies of books as well - especially if I'm going to take them on a trip or may want to lend them out. Plus, so many are by friends and I want to support them - my collection is out of control, too!

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  24. Ora - you sound a lot like me in your habits. I try to keep books looking nice, but occasionally they show the marks of my love for them!

    Lisa - I hear you on the "try"! I'm a librarian, and I've had to buy at least three books from the library because my child ripped it or the dog chewed it! Thanks so much for making me an autobuy - what an honor!

    Karen H - I don't know many voracious readers who can possibly afford to buy everything they'd like to read - a mix of buy and borrow is what most of us end up doing. But it's so nice that you're so conscientious about keeping your borrowed books in good shape.

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  25. Kah_cherub - I love your comment that "it hurts you inside" when the book gets hurt. I sometimes feel that way, too!

    Jean P - our husbands could form a club. He is not especially careful with his. Fortunately (for the books, not our budget), his tastes run to hardbacks and they're a little more durable.

    Abby, you get a big gold star from this librarian! Thanks for your kind words on the book. I hope you enjoy it if you read it.

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  26. Kah_cherub - I love your comment that "it hurts you inside" when the book gets hurt. I sometimes feel that way, too!

    Jean P - our husbands could form a club. He is not especially careful with his. Fortunately (for the books, not our budget), his tastes run to hardbacks and they're a little more durable.

    Abby, you get a big gold star from this librarian! Thanks for your kind words on the book. I hope you enjoy it if you read it.

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  27. Willaful, I hear you about the censorship. Believe it or not, I kind of had internal arguments with Susanna about this strategy of hers. It was definitely a thing SHE would do, but not me. But at least she wasn't bent on destroying them - only keeping them in a place with plenty of empowering messages to balance out the closedmindedness. :)

    Di, someone brought you up right!

    Kim, thanks for the congrats!

    Leisa, I'm like you - I have an ereader, but I still buy lots of print, too.

    Claudia: It is true that when borrowing or swapping, we can't control the condition they arrive in!

    Chelsea and Jeanette: Thanks so much for weighing in!

    Thank you so much to all for dropping by!

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  28. I buy books, I still like print and don't have an e-reader yet. I also trade on Paperback Swap. I treat my books with care - when I'm done you can barely tell they've been read. I hate seeing books with a cracked spine and all wrinkled up, I get some books in trade that way sometimes, but they still read fine. :D

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com

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  29. Congratulations on the release Tessa! I mostly buy books now..I used to get them from the library but I hated waiting and I also have an eReader so it's easy to get ebooks and not have to leave the house..lol...but I do treat my print books really well- I don't bend pages or write in them (sacriligious to do so..lol)

    junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com

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  30. I have a paperback book addiction even with my KINDLE. I just can't seem to give em up. I treat them very well I have them all organized by author, and series. I have a organized TBR pile too. I have quite a few hard backs that I keep orderly as well. I admit that when I was younger I would dog ear my books but I have learned the beauty of a nice bookmark! LOL! especially if it has a smokin' hot hero on it! I even have a shelf for gently used books that I am going to trade or donate. The books that just did not quite make the grade. Which is actually not many! Thanks for sharing today!

    evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com

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  31. I am protective of my print books. I treat them with care and as good as new. Sometimes I will find a deal on used books so I won't mind if they come to buy well-read and loved, especially if the print version is rare and hard to find.

    Cambonified (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  32. Congrats on the new book Tessa!

    I am all of the above. I have a nook and kindle so I like e-books. I borrow from my local library a lot to save on books but I still buy the authors I love. I dog-ear pages the most but I try to use a book mark when I remember. No matter how hard I try I still crack the spine! I am just bad all the way around!

    sheriemd12 at yahoo dot com

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  33. I have never dog-eared the pages! I just think it's wrong to purposelly ruin the pages. I treat my books very carefully and I make sure everyone who borrows them does the same. I don't know why but I'm very picky about it.

    ruby95660[at]yahoo[dot]com

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