A big thank you to Zelda Benjamin, who has invited me to participate in this fun Meet My Character blog tour. Zelda writes sweet but sensual romances that are full of the passion and emotions we all experience. Her happily-ever-after stories include heroes who are men who you can’t help falling in love with and heroines who are sweet and sassy, independent women who know what they want out of life. Her novella Chocolate & Sensibility, from the Love by Chocolate Romance series, is next up on my Kindle reading list.
To find out more about Zelda, visit her website at www.zeldabenjamin.com.
And now I’d like to introduce you to the heroine of my next novel. Although it is a spinoff from my debut novel, Me & Georgette, it is a traditional Regency romance and does not include time-slip or cross-cultural elements.
1. What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or historical?
Frances Katherine Elizabeth Theodosia “Frankie” Chilvers is a fictional character. She is the cousin of Anne Chilvers, who marries the Duke of Ravenscroft, one of the main characters in Me & Georgette. Frankie is not based on anyone I know and is purely a figment of my imagination, but she is so real to me and so fun to write about that I feel I know her personally.
2. When and where is the story set?
The story is set in Regency England in 1815, around the time of the Battle of Waterloo. It starts in London during the season and includes the mandatory visit to Almack’s Assembly Rooms. However, the majority of the action takes place at Ravenscourt, the Duke of Ravenscroft’s family seat, to which Frankie flees to avoid being pressured into a distasteful marriage.
3. What should we know about your character?
Like many Regency heroines, Frankie is wealthy and personable—and determined. But she is also plump and has what are delicately called “spots” on her face. No one would ever call her a sylph or a nonpareil! Even so, she decides to set her cap at the current prize of the marriage mart, Lord Ambersley, much to the dismay of her friends and family.
4. What is their main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
There’s lots of conflict. Lord Ambersley is laying siege to Georgiana Lockwood, who is secretly betrothed to Frankie’s brother, Edmund. The notorious Sir Jasper Malmesbury is actively courting Frankie, but he appears to be interested mainly in her fortune and she does not want to marry him. Frankie’s father is worried that she will end up a spinster and will haunt his household forever. The Duke’s brother, Robert, thinks that Frankie is a great girl, albeit totally misguided when it comes to her taste in men. And that’s just the beginning! (No spoilers.) Somehow, Frankie must sort out all these conflicting circumstances.
5. What is the personal goal of your character?
Frankie decides to make herself over into the woman of Lord Ambersley’s dreams, and embarks on a physical self-improvement campaign. But, as one of her true admirers counsels her, she must learn the difference between inner and outer beauty and find her own self worth.
6. Is there a working title for this novel, can we read more about it?
My working title is Remaking Cousin Frankie. But that’s a mouthful, so I am open to suggestions.
7. When can we expect the book to be published?
I have not set a publication date, as it is still very much a work in progress.
Next stop on the Tour: September 8
Here are more wonderful writers you will enjoy getting to know. They will be posting their Meet My Character blog posts on September 8. Thank you, ladies, for joining me on this tour.
Francine Howarth
A portrait, a landscape, wind whispering through trees, a droplet of rain or snowflake on eyelashes: all can stir Francine’s imagination and result in either a modern contemporary romance, or that of a steamy historical. Francine is not only a former mainstream-published author and former publisher, she’s now the self-published author of 17th century swashbuckling romances, lavish Georgian novellas and romantic Regency murder mysteries. Years back she was a professional reviewer for a well-known magazine supplement, and she still writes reviews for several romance review websites.
To learn more about Francine, go to:
http://francinehowarth.blogspot.co.uk/
Mari Christie
Mari Christie has been a professional writer, editor, and graphic designer for more than twenty years, working in marketing and advertising, corporate and technical communications, and academia, to create compelling print and web publications. She also works with other authors as a copyeditor, e-book designer, and web marketer.
Outside her day-to-day vocation, she authors mainstream historical fiction and poetry, and writes Regency romance under the name Mariana Gabrielle. Her first novel, Royal Regard, will be released November 26, and will be available for pre-order October 1.
You can access Mari’s current work on Amazon.com at:
Saqil pa Q’equ’mal: Light in Darkness: Poetry of the Mayan Underworld
To learn more about Mari, go to:
Facebook | Twitter | WordPress | Pinterest | Amazon
Jolie Beaumont
Jolie Beaumont is the author of Jericho’s Child: A Cozy Regency Mystery, as well as the Regency mysteries Ode to a Dead Lord and What the Silk Mercer Daughter’s Saw, the first two volumes in the popular Theo Bryght, Runner Mystery Series. You can learn more about Jolie’s work at:
www.joliebeaumont.weebly.com | Twitter
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