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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Interview with Author Sophie Barnes and Giveaway

Author Sophie Barnes is celebrating the upcoming release of her newest book, The Trouble With Being a Duke and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give her a warm welcome.

Born in Denmark, Sophie has spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian.

She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parson’s School of design, but most impressive of all – she’s been married to the same man three times, in three different countries and in three different dresses.

While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion – writing.

When she’s not busy, dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.

Places to find Sophie:
| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Romance authors seem to have an unending love-affair with fairytales. Why do you think that is—and what drew you to this much-loved fairytale?
When it comes to romance, we all long for the hero and heroine to live happily ever after. The greater the obstacles in their way, the greater our tendency to cheer them on, and let’s face it, Cinderella did not have it easy. I think I was drawn to this particular fairy-tale partly because it’s one of my all-time favorites, but also because it centers on something we can all relate to – the wish for a once in a lifetime opportunity to make our dreams come true. Compared to other fairy-tales, it’s probably also the one that’s easiest to adapt to everyday life. We can remove the fairy godmother and her magic wand without compromising the heart of the story. What we’re left with, is a young woman trapped in a difficult situation. When she’s offered the chance of a happily ever after, we want her to succeed, perhaps because inside every one of us there’s a little bit of Cinderella – that wish…what if?

The Kingsborough Ball turns out to be a lively affair, to say the least: gunshots, fireworks, scandals and stolen kisses abound! Where did you come up with the idea to create a whole series revolving around one, glorious evening?
To be honest, it all began with an idea for a short novella with Cinderella as the underlying theme. After submitting my proposal, my lovely editor called, offering me a three book deal instead. I felt like I’d won the lottery, so in a way that was definitely a “Cinderella moment” for me. I no longer had a novella to write, but three full-length novels. While they would all have the Kingsborough Ball as a back drop, I wanted each story to be capable of standing alone without the reader feeling as if they were re-reading the previous story from a different character’s perspective. To achieve this, I gave all the heroes and heroines one event they would all have in common – the Kingsborough Ball shooting. Outside of that, they all have their own separate stories to live, each with their own obstacles and villains.

You’ve had something of a fairytale romance yourself—getting married to the same man three different times in three different dresses is sigh-inducing and swoon-worthy. Do you draw on your own experiences in love and marriage when you write?
Absolutely. It says on my website that my heroes are based on my husband, and that’s definitely true. He has helped me so much by offering me an insight into how a man would react or what he might say in a given situation, and in fact, many of the dialogues between my heroes and heroines are based on conversations that he and I have had. Additionally, we know how wonderful it is to be together and how difficult it is to be apart. When I write, I draw on these emotions. In fact, I believe that being married and knowing what it’s like to care about someone else so deeply, to constantly worry about their welfare, makes me a better writer.

You’re the first historical romance author to migrate from Avon Impulse’s digital-first to Avon’s printed line. What was your publishing journey like?
It truly has been a whirlwind experience - I’ve achieved a lot in a very short time, but I’ve also worked extremely hard at it. Four years ago, I wrote to one of my all-time favorite authors in regards to one of her books. In my email, I mentioned that I was living in Ghana and that I was working on a manuscript (How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back). She responded with something along the lines of, “how interesting – one of the editors at Avon (aka, the fabulous Esi Sogah) is from Ghana.” A year passed and I moved back to the US, upon which I wrote to this wonderful author again, inquiring if there was any chance at all that she might be able to put me in touch with Esi directly. Naturally, I expected a categorical “no”, but as I’ve since come to discover, everyone in the romance book industry is so sweet and helpful. Esi wrote to me shortly after asking to see my manuscript, and in August 2011 I received my first offer.

What’s next for Sophie Barnes and The Kingsborough Ball?
I’m currently working on the third book in the series which will be a friends to lovers story in which the assassin at the ball is revealed. This one will have a few twists and turns as our heroine finds herself in mortal danger and the hero sets out to rescue her. I think readers will be surprised by the villain’s identity – at least I hope they will, because it’s going to be someone completely unexpected. Once that wraps up I’ve a whole bunch of story ideas to work on. I’ll have to decide which one of them to pick for my next proposal.



Sometimes happily ever after…

Anthony Hurst, Duke of Kingsborough knows the time has come for him to produce an heir. But first he must find a bride. When he meets the most exquisite woman at his masquerade ball, he thinks his search is over…until the breathtaking beauty runs off. With few clues other than her figure, her scent, and the memory of her kiss, Anthony must find his mystery lady.

…needs a little bit of help.

Isabella Chilcott can scarcely believe it: she is finally at the Kingsborough Ball. As a child, she dreamed of dancing a waltz here and now, thanks to a gorgeous gown she’s found in the attic, Isabella is living her fairytale fantasy. And she’s waltzing with the Duke of Kingsborough himself! But she must escape before he discovers her secrets…for she is not who she pretends to be, and falling in love with Prince Charming is the last thing she can allow herself to do…

Pre-order: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |


“It’s time, Mama,” Anthony Hurst, the seventh Duke of Kingsborough, said as he strode toward one of the tall windows in his mother’s bedroom and pulled aside the heavy velvet curtains, flooding the space with a bright beam of sunshine. Pausing for a moment, he looked out at the garden. The crocuses were beginning to bloom, adding a cheerful display of yellow and lilac to the dreary winter landscape.

“Why must you disturb me?”

Anthony turned at the sound of his mother’s voice, gritting his teeth at the lifelessness in it. He hated the morose atmosphere that had swamped Kingsborough Hall for the past year, and he hated how difficult it was proving to move past it. “It’s been thirteen months, Mama—that’s long enough.”

His mother, still dressed in her widow’s weeds, sighed from her seat in the corner, her light blue eyes squinting in the brightness as he pulled aside yet another curtain. Black did not suit her—it made her look pallid and brought out the silver streaks of gray in her hair. She had aged dramatically during the final stage of her husband’s life. It was almost five years since the first symptom of illness had surfaced—a lump in the former duke’s armpit. Three physicians had been consulted, all of them advising immediate surgery, and with no desire to meet a speedy end, the Duke of Kingsborough had complied.

Anthony knew it had been a painful procedure, and yet it had only been the first of several. So it had come as no surprise when his father had eventually called him into his study to say that he had refused further treatment—but it had still been bloody hard to hold back the tears in the face of such defeat, knowing without doubt what his father’s decision had meant.

A month later, however, the condition hadn’t worsened, and Anthony had begun to hope that perhaps it never would. But then, as if from one day to the next, his father’s health had declined with startling rapidity. Nothing could have been worse than looking on helplessly while a loved one had withered away and died, his body wracked by pain at every hour of both day and night. Even the memory of it was unbearable.

“Is that all?” His mother’s tiny voice was weak, forcing a wince from Anthony as he went over to her and gently took her delicate hand in his. “It seems like an eternity.”

“Mama,” he whispered, kneeling beside her, his heart aching for the woman who had once been so full of life. “So much more reason for us to end this.”

Her eyes met his with the same degree of hopelessness that he too had felt for so long. His father had always been so strong and healthy—the sort of man that everyone had thought would outlive them all. Suffering through his deterioration, inheriting his title and eventually taking his place as duke had been far from easy for Anthony. It was now more than a year since they had laid him to rest, and Anthony had decided that it was finally time for all of them to start living again. With that in mind, he had an idea that he hoped would capture his mother’s enthusiasm. “We shall host an event,” he announced, in a voice that sounded too old and serious for his own liking.

“An event?” His mother looked as if she’d much rather crawl back into bed and draw the covers over her head than listen to one more word of what he had to say.

“Not just any event, Mama,” he said, determined to make her listen and even more determined to uncover the woman who lay dormant somewhere beneath her beaten-down exterior. He knew she was there—somewhere. “It’s the end of February already, but if we hurry, we can probably manage to arrange a house party in time for Easter.” He saw that his mother was about to protest and quickly added, “It could commence with one of your infamous balls.”

She stilled for a moment as she stared back at him, time stretching out between them until he doubted she would ever respond. He was trying to think of something to say to break the silence when he saw her stir, understanding flickering behind her eyes. “We haven’t had one of those in years, Anthony. Do you really suppose . . .” Her words trailed off, but not with defeat this time. Anthony couldn’t help but notice a slight crease upon her brow. She was thinking—quite furiously, judging from the fact that she was now chewing on her lower lip. Her eyes gradually sharpened, and she leaned forward in her seat. “Perhaps it will help bring the family back together.”

Anthony certainly hoped so.

When his father had stopped fighting for his life, it had not taken long before his sister Louise had married and removed herself to her new home. Anthony had not questioned her motives at the time. She had been of a marriageable age (though perhaps a bit young), the Earl of Huntley had clearly been in a position to offer her the standard of living she’d been raised to expect, and Anthony had given the couple his blessing without much thought on the matter.

The truth of it was, compared to everything else he’d been faced with at the time—his father’s imminent demise, the payment of physicians’ bills that kept arriving daily, and his ever-increasing duties in regard to running the estate—his sister’s hasty decision to marry had been more of an inconvenience than anything else.

It was not until after his father had died that he’d wondered if she’d perhaps been looking for a means of escape, some justifiable reason not to face the devastating truth looming over them all on a daily basis. Of course she’d visited a number of times, but she’d given herself a viable excuse to leave whenever she’d had enough. Anthony couldn’t blame her. There had been times when he had longed to flee from it all himself.

His brother, Winston, had been more reliable. He was two years younger than Anthony, had married Sarah the vicar’s daughter at the age of only twenty, and was now the delighted father of twin boys. To support his growing family, he ran a small publishing house that he’d started with the financial support of their father. Of course there had been those who’d disapproved of a gentleman making such a career choice, but Winston’s love for books had prevented him from swaying in his decision, and his father had given his support—a clear sign that he’d considered his son’s happiness more important than seeking the approval of his peers and a perfect example of the sort of man he’d been.

Though based in London, Winston had still managed to make the three-hour journey to Moxley once a week throughout their father’s illness. But with Papa now gone, Winston was busy applying himself to the growth of his business, and he didn’t visit Moxley as often as he had. Anthony understood his brother’s reasoning, of course. He just missed him. That was all.

“I must speak with Mrs. Sterling immediately,” his mother suddenly pronounced, startling Anthony out of his reverie. His eyes focused on her, and he noticed that there was a rather resolute expression about her eyes.

Anthony blinked. A moment earlier, she had looked as though a single puff of air would have overturned her. Now, instead, her back straightened and she gave a firm nod before pulling her hand away from his and rising to her feet.

This was what he had hoped for, but he had never imagined how quickly his mother would rally when faced with a project so large that it would require her immediate attention. To be honest, he had feared she might feel overwhelmed and that it would only serve to cripple her even further.

Clearly this was not the case, for not only had she already rung for her maid but she had also begun pacing about the room, checking off on her fingers all the items that would need addressing, all the while complaining about the limited amount of time Anthony had afforded her to prepare for such a grand event.

“We shall have to send out invitations immediately,” she gushed between mention of a possible ice sculpture and her thoughts regarding the flower arrangements that would have to be ordered.

Anthony’s head began to hurt, but he was pleased with the result of his plan. What he hadn’t mentioned, simply because he’d had no desire to excite his mother any further, was that he intended to use the event as a means to improve his acquaintance with the young ladies his mother undoubtedly meant to invite. His father’s demise had put everything into perspective for him, forcing him to realize just how fragile life could be. He needed an heir, and there was really no better time to start planning for one.

***

“Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow’d night, give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, take him and—”

“Stop that right now,” Isabella’s mother warned as she lifted her gaze from her embroidery—a new set of pillowcases that the butcher’s wife had ordered, with flowering vines trailing along the edges.

Isabella was supposed to have been practicing her cutwork, but she was finding the process incredibly tedious and had paused to read a little instead. She had just gotten started on her favorite passage when her mother had cut her off as usual—at the exact same point. “But it’s the most romantic thing ever written, Mama.” Isabella should have known better than to goad her mother like this, but she could not help it—it was much too easy.

“Romantic?” Her mother frowned, her mouth scrunched in a manner that warned Isabella of the derision that lay ahead. “You are aware that the hero and heroine both die because of some ridiculous misunderstanding, are you not?”

“Of course, but —”

“Not to mention that the passage you’re presently reciting starts not only with Juliet considering her dear heart’s demise but the prospect of having him chopped up and—”

“Cut up, Mama—into little stars, so that—”

“Honestly.” Her mother shook her head as she returned her attention to the rose petal she was stabbing with her needle, as if it had been Shakespeare himself and she meant to make him pay for subjecting her to his play. “I’ve never understood why anyone would think it romantic for a young couple to kill themselves in the name of love.”

Isabella stifled a grin as she set the book aside and reached for her cutwork. “I do believe you’re the only person I know who can criticize the loveliest play ever written as if Mr. Shakespeare had penned it with the sole purpose of offending you. Considering how much you love Papa, I would have thought you’d be more romantically inclined, yet I’m beginning to wonder if you even know what romance is.” She said it in jest, but when she looked up, her mother’s eyes had widened and her jaw had gone slack. “I’m sorry,” Isabella quickly muttered. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Her mother took a deep breath, held it, and then released it very slowly before bowing her head once more to her work. “No,” she said. “I don’t suppose you did.”

Drat it all, Isabella thought as she drew her needle through the piece of white linen she was holding. It had been neat and crisp when she’d started on it, but it had long since taken on the appearance of a crumpled rag. She shook her head at her carelessness—not in regard to the fabric but because of her mother. She’d unintentionally hurt her feelings, and not for the first time. She really ought to have learned her lesson by now. Glancing at the book she’d been reading, she made a mental note not to bring it into her mother’s presence ever again. It only resulted in trouble.

She let out a small sigh. All she wanted was a confidante—someone with whom to share her dreams of true love and a happily ever after. In spite of what she’d said, she knew that her parents were happy. It was obvious from the way they looked at each other and the manner in which they addressed each other with cheerful smiles.

Isabella wished for that, but she also wished for more—she wished for magic. Lord knew she had spent hours on end, dreaming about meeting a gallant stranger—a prince, perhaps—who would declare his undying love for her before carrying her off to his castle on a magnificent white stallion . . . or perhaps in a golden carriage similar to the one she’d imagined Cendrillon riding in the fairy tale she’d loved so dearly as a child.

“Isabella?”

Isabella blinked, realizing her mother must have been telling her something that required her attention. “Sorry, Mama, my thoughts were elsewhere. You were saying?”

Her mother frowned. “I know how fond you are of Romeo and Juliet. I didn’t mean to mock it in any way, it’s just . . . while I do appreciate Shakespeare’s talent, his notion of romance is, in my opinion, lacking—at least in this instance.” Tying off a thread, she folded the pillowcase and placed it in her embroidery basket. “Sacrificing yourself for the sake of love is not romantic, Isabella—it’s rash, thoughtless, and completely meaningless. Real romance comes from small and selfless gestures, from private moments spent in one another’s company or a shared kiss when no one else is looking. It’s showing the person you care about that they’re just as important to you as you are to yourself, if not more so. Most importantly, it’s what tells them that you love them, without the need for words.”

Isabella stared at her mother, suddenly feeling she wasn’t entirely the person Isabella had always thought her to be. There was a more sensitive side to her than Isabella had ever imagined, or perhaps it was just that this was the first time her mother had ever talked openly about her own thoughts on the subject of romance. Of course Isabella knew that her mother wasn’t a cynic when it came to matters of the heart, for her devotion to her husband bordered on the ridiculous. It was just that her mother did not understand why anyone would choose to write poetry rather than tell the person in question how they actually felt about them, and the idea that any lady might enjoy a piece of music written in her honor seemed silly to her—or at least that was what she’d once said.

Isabella was about to question her mother about the most romantic thing her father had ever done, but just as she opened her mouth, her mother rose to her feet and said, “You’d better ready yourself in time for Mr. Roberts’s visit. You know he’s never late.”

It was true. Timothy Roberts was the most predictable man Isabella had ever known. Not that this was necessarily a bad thing—after all, Marjorie, their maid-of-all-work, always knew precisely when to put the pie in the oven so it would be ready in time for his visit. And he had been visiting a lot lately. Every Sunday afternoon at precisely three’ o clock, for an entire year.

There was very little doubt about his intentions at this point (though he had yet to propose), and Isabella’s parents were overjoyed. Her father, who’d arranged the whole thing, was quite proud of himself for securing such a fine match for his daughter. He should have been too, for while they were bordering on a state of impoverishment, Mr. Roberts was a wealthy man who’d struck up a business specializing in luxury carriages.

Isabella’s father had worked in his employ for the past five years, test-driving each vehicle before it was delivered to the client, and while Isabella wasn’t entirely sure of what her father might have told Mr. Roberts about her, the man had one day appeared for tea, and had continued to do so since.

With a sigh, Isabella gathered up her things, feeling not the least bit enthusiastic about Mr. Roberts’s impending visit. Not because she didn’t like him (it was difficult to form an opinion due to his reserve), and certainly not because he had done anything to offend or upset her. On the contrary, he was always the perfect gentleman, adhering to etiquette in the most stringent manner possible.

No, the problem was far simpler than that—she just did not love him, and what was worse, she had long since come to realize that she never would.


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57 comments :

  1. Sophie is a new author for me!!! How have I not read her before??? Thank you for the post so now I can start catching up on her works.

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  2. Oh wow!!! This is defiantly going on my must read list!! Well done Sophie!!!

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  3. Thank you so much for hosting me today - it's so great to be here, and thank you, Sheryl & Minders for your encouraging comments =)

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  4. Hi, Sophie! It’s really good to see you here today. I am so glad I discovered your novels and I love to read them. I was really enthralled with the excerpt of “The Trouble with Being a Duke” and I absolutely cannot wait to read it! It’s going at the top of my Wish List. I’m betting this will be a book that I cannot put down. Thanks for much for this generous giveaway. I would so love to be a winner. :-)

    Congratulations on your successes and all the best.

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape@aol.com

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    1. Thank you so much, Connie! It's great seeing you again too =) Wishing you a lovely weekend and hoping that you will enjoy reading The Trouble With Being A Duke as much as you have my previous books.

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  5. Thanks for the great giveaway! I love historical romances!

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  6. I love reading books by 'new to me' authors. A lot of them become my 'favorite authors'. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of your book.

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    1. You're very welcome, Betty. So glad you stopped by. Hope you enjoy the book =)

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  7. Oh wow!!! This is defiantly going on my must read list!! Well done Sophie!!!

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  8. Author to look forward to and Books to add to my TBR Pile. Great to know more about you Sophie! :)

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  9. Congratulations on the making that shift from digital only to digital and print. That is so very exciting for you! I'm looking forward to a chance to read this series. Sometimes I wish for the days when my TBR list consisted of a few books rather than a mountain. Congrats on THE TROUBLE WITH BEING A DUKE. :-)

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    1. I have a massive TBR list myself so I can totally relate. Thank you for adding my book to the pile, Amy =)

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  10. Hi Sophie. Thank you for this great opportunity to win such amazing prizes. I love your books, and would love to be a winner of this.

    Congratulations on your new release.

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    1. Thank you, Diane, I'm so pleased to hear it. Best of luck to you =)

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  11. Hi! Congrats on your release! Looks and sounds awesome! Loving it! Cant wait to check it out! Thanks for sharing! And thank you for the awesome giveaway!

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    1. Thank you, Shadow & you're very welcome. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  12. Thank you Ramblings From This Chick for the historical review. I started out reading the historical genre and my love romance novels grew from there!

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  13. This book is going on my to-read list. As a fellow author, I loved hearing about your journey from being an impulse author to print. How exciting. Thanks go out to Amy Valentini for sharing this blog with me :)

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  14. Hi Sophie! Wow. You've led an interesting life, living in all those different countries. And getting married three times - to the same man - is swoon-worthy romantic. (sigh) I've enjoyed all of your books immensely so far and am sure I'll enjoy whatever you write next. Good luck with your series. It sounds divine.

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    1. Thank you, Lena! Wish we'd had more time to chat in Atlanta - we'll have to make up for it next time =) Good luck to you too. Your books are doing wonderfully well!

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  15. Sophie is a new author to me and I have added this one to my tbr pile. It sounds amazing and I look forward to reading it.

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend =)

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  16. Hi Sophie! I am looking forward to reading this one--another awesome read to add to my tbr pile! I love the "Cinderella story" that is so often the basis of romance stories, but I also like the "friends to lovers" concept as well. I can't wait to read your works!

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    1. Thank you, Sandra. I'll never tire of Cinderella either =)

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  17. Love the book cover and love the description of this story.

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    1. Thank you, Olga. Yes, the cover is fabulous isn't it? The artists name is Jon Paul and you can check out his website here: http://www.jonpaulstudios.com/

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  18. Loved this book, Sophie! Looking forward to the rest of the series!

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    1. Thank you, Sharlene =) I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  19. I really enjoyed the excerpt. Sophie Barnes' books sound wonderful and I can't believe I haven't read any yet. I'm going to have to rectify that very soon.

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  20. Sophie Barnes is a new author to me, how exciting!

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  21. Looks promising, lookimg forwarrd to reading it :)

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  22. Looks promising, lookimg forwarrd to reading it :)

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  23. Sophie is a new author for me but the book looks like one I'd enjoy reading.

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  24. Hi Sophie!

    I loved reading all three books in the Summerby's series as well as your story in Five Golden Rings! It was so much fun reading your story along with stories by Karen, Sandra, Rena, and Vivenne! It was the perfect set of stories to read before Christmas while we were driving to see our son and his family for Christmas!

    I was so excited when I heard about your new series The Kingsborough Ball and since then until I found out it was being released on the 27th I've been going into withdrawal! I can't wait to read Isobella and Anthony's story!

    Do you have a release date yet for the release of the next book, The Scandal in Kissing an Heir yet and how many more books are you planning in the series? I hope there are many more to come!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jeanne! I'm so happy to hear that you've been enjoying my books. The Scandal In Kissing An Heir goes on sale December 31st. There will be three books in the series & I'm working on the third right now: The Danger In Tempting An Earl.
      Have a wonderful Sunday!

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  25. Hello Sophie. I'll bet all your world travels gave you so many memories that you were bursting at the seams to write and put your imagination to work. And how marvelous you have all those languages under your belt. Should you decide to travel to any of those countries in the future you will be right at home. In any event, whatever memories you have that assist you in your creative writing--keep at it! Your stories are a joy to read and I, for one, want you to continue. :-) jdh2690@gmail.com

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  26. Thank you for the great interview. Your book sounds really great and I'd love to read it. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Wanda Barefoot
    flghtlss1(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  27. oooh - this looks good! so romantic! There's something about a Duke that always catches my eye.

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  28. I am looking forward to reading this book. The cover is awesome. I've read some of your other work and have really enjoyed it. Thanks for the excerpt :-D
    Lori

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  29. I can't wait to read this one!!
    Thanks for the excerpt and the chance to win!

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  30. love, love Sophie's books! Thanks for sharing!

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  31. Oh, I must know her secret! I love the whole Cinderella take and I am a huge fan of the reworking of classic fairy tales.

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  32. I love fairy tales! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie! I just love everything about it!

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  33. I'm very glad this grew from a novella! I love learning the stories behind books...it's so interesting to see how the author's original plan may have changed.

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  34. i would love to read this book sounds really good

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  35. i would love to read this book sounds really good

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  36. Wow this looks good! Thanks for the amazing giveaway!

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  37. Hi, Sophie! I love historical books and this one sounds like another winner for you. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  38. Beautiful cover!! Can't wait to read it.

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  39. It looks like a story I would really enjoy.

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  40. Sounds great! I love the sound of this one.

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