Caroline Linden Romance Book Author of the Month

As you know, Caroline Linden is our Romance Author of the Month for March. I’m delighted that Caroline was able to take some time out to answer some questions for our exclusive interview with her. I’m pleased to present part 3 of our series Caroline where she tells us more about her upcoming book, her favorite authors, and which superhero she’d be, if she had a choice!
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Q. Hi Caroline and welcome to Best Romance Stories! Your new book, Blame It on Bath, will be released on Feb 28, 2012. Could you please tell us more about the book, as well as The Truth About the Duke series?

Well, I wanted to write about a family again, after writing three spy stories in a row. But I couldn’t quite give up all suspense and intrigue, so I started thinking about questions and mysteries that would take more than one book to solve, and that I could approach from different angles. I came up with three brothers getting a rude shock and learning they might lose everything when their father, the Duke of Durham, dies. The only way they would lose everything, of course, was if they weren’t legitimate sons, or not the first legitimate sons, so that’s where their father’s clandestine marriage came from. And all three brothers were very different, with very different ideas about how to solve this problem. The middle brother, Edward, decides he needs the best lawyer around, in One Night in London, but of course the courts take things slowly and the matter is still up in the air at the end of that story.

Gerard, the youngest brother and a rather dashing military man, wants to act more directly and quickly. He’s also got an eye out for his own back, though, and he reaches a private decision that he should snap up a wealthy bride ASAP, so that if he does lose his inheritance, at least he won’t be destitute. He’s planning to set out in search of the man responsible for unearthing the skeletons from his family’s closet, when much to his surprise a woman chases him down and makes a bold offer of marriage. Katherine is a wealthy widow desperately in search of a husband of her own choosing, to avoid being trapped into a dreary marriage with a man she dislikes. When she hears the rumors about Gerard’s family scandal, she jumps on the opportunity, knowing he needs her money as much as she needs his name. After some consideration, Gerard agrees…never knowing Katherine’s had a crush on him for years, even though he barely remembers her.

It’s my salute to the quiet, overlooked girls who finally seize their moments and get the man of their dreams.

OH, and this is also the book where Margaret sprang to life, which led to my novella I Love the Earl.

Q. Your historical romances are set during the Regency Period in England, and your characters include Dukes, Earls, and Viscounts. How do you go about doing research about the period, locale, aristocracy and ton? Have you had to visit London (or Bath!) as part of your research, for example?

The first bunch of research I did was reading a thousand books set in the time period! Once I started writing my own book, of course, I had to do much more, but romance authors are an awesome bunch of people; everyone is happy to recommend a good resource, and answer questions, and give feedback on questions of plausibility or possibility. And yes, I have been lucky enough to go to London a few times recently, including a side trip to Bath. Bath is simply gorgeous. I set Blame It on Bath (there) just because I wanted to justify all the books and research materials I bought while we were there! And also to lobby for a return trip some day…

Q. You have a degree in Mathematics from Harvard, and a background in software programming. How have these skills come in handy in your career as a full-time romance writer, and in your everyday life?

I think math trains one to think logically. My plots tend to be a bit on the complicated side, but to me they are just like constructing a puzzle. There can be dead ends and red herrings and random chance, but in the end it has to hang together and be reasonable, the sort of thing a reader will look back over and say “well now I see it.” Being able to solve problems–either forwards or backwards–is a very handy skill in life!

Q. I read on your website that you first started writing in the middle of a snowy winter, while dealing with regular blackouts, and tetchy kids. Hopefully you don’t need all those things now to write! Do you have any quirky habits, or are there any rituals or routines that you have to go through before you start writing?

Generally I waste some time on the internet, fix a cup of tea, do a few chores around the house… And then I make myself sit down and open up the writing program and stay there until the pages are done. My dog keeps my feet warm; that’s a very important part as well.

Q. Who are some authors who have made an impression on you, and who influence your work? What are some of your favorite books?

Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I was the first Regency historical romance I remember reading and being blown away by. I LOVE that book. Lisa Kleypas is another one whose plots and characters really stuck with me, especially Then Came You. Now of course I have so many favorites, it would be too hard to name them all.

Q. If you could be a superhero, who would you be, and why?

Hmm. Batman, because he’s human, not really possessed of super powers other than a giant bank account and a lot of awesome gadgets. I love gadgets. And then after whipping some villainous butt, he goes home to a butler and a mansion and I would totally love that part.

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There’s just something wonderful about Something About You that will delight and charm readers of contemporary romance. James’ first book in her FBI/US Attorney series is a funny, breezy, and entertaining book that will appeal to those who like a bit of chick lit, and those who like a bit of romantic suspense. In fact, it will please almost everyone though it’s a bit heavier on romance than it is on suspense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde is taking a break by spending a night in a luxury Chicago hotel while her home is being renovated, when she over hears a high-classed call-girl being murdered in the room next door. When the authorities find that the last known person to see the call-girl alive was a U.S. Senator (courtesy of the hidden video camera taping their passionate encounter), things get a bit complicated, and the FBI is called in to protect Cameron. As the only “ear-witness” to the murder, Cameron is also the only one who can vouch that the Senator was not the murderer.

Now normally, Cameron wouldn’t have any difficulty with the FBI, except that the Special Agent Jack Pallas is in charge of the case. Cameron and Jack have a History (with a capital “H”!). Several years ago, when Cameron had just joined the U.S. Attorney’s office, she and Jack had worked together on a case to put a Chicago Mobster behind bars. When Jack’s cover was blown by another agent, he was tortured for days before he managed to escape. Jack’s confident that he’s got enough evidence to get his man, until Cameron is ordered by her boss (against her better judgment) to drop the case – and take one for the team by telling Jack that it was her decision. Jack’s disgusted and frustrated, and makes a nasty comment about her on national TV that sees him banished to another less high-profile office… naturally Jack blames Cameron for his stalled career. But the two have to put their differences aside and work together to keep Cameron safe and solve the case.

James has created in Cameron and Jack two stunningly witty characters. The wonderful repartee between the two is laugh-out-loud funny, and ramps up the sexual tension simmering between the two. I think it’s especially wonderful that both Cameron and Jack remain professional in their dealings with each other (despite all that chemistry and the Big Misunderstanding). At last, two mature adults! (I say that because I often feel like slapping heroes and heroines in romance novels where there’s a Big Misunderstanding.) Apart from Cameron and Jack, James also populates her book with some wonderful secondary characters, such as Cameron’s two best friends, and Jack’s partner, who also get some scintillating dialogue and witty one-liners.

The suspense and mystery isn’t terribly gripping and you’ll easily guess who the villain is… but don’t hold that against the book! There’s more than enough to keep you engaged, and you’ll still get some enjoyment as Cameron and Jack work the mystery out as they resist their attraction to each other.

Highly recommended – and once you’re done, read the second book in the series, A Lot Like Love.

Movie studios are quickly realizing the appeal of young adult novels, particularly after the success of movies based on the Harry Potter series, as well as the Twilight series. Indeed, these two movie franchises have accounted for a startling percentage of box office receipts over the past decade. Producers and directors know that they are on to a good thing with movie adaptations of young adult books, as can be seen by some of the upcoming projects. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Here are some movie adaptations that you can look forward to in the next few years:

Sure, most author’s able to keep up the sizzling sexual tension, passionate smouldering stares, and unspoken desire for the first, oh, five or so books. But how long can these love triangles be dragged out, before the author has to make the heroine (or more rarely, the hero) choose between Team A or Team B?

Yup, sometimes too much of a good thing is no good. Dragging love triangles out for too long can and will end up frustrating readers… and readers vote with their purchases, hitting authors and publishers where it hurts most. An example of a love triangle that seems to have backfired is Janet Evanovich’s Stepahanie Plum-Morelli-Ranger triangle. That triangle has lasted for forever! We’re now on to the 18^th book (Explosive Eighteen), and here that indecisive woman is still dithering – even if she’s had her wicked way with them both. Readers are exasperated, and they’re very likely taking this out with mediocre ratings for the book, and in a modest number of purchases. Speaking of triangles, Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake on the other hand has taken things one step further. Yes, the series starts out as a triangle, but by now, it’s more like a… what’s bigger than an octagon? But the strategy to keep introducing new characters doesn’t seem to be working out for Hamilton either, and user feedback for later Anita Blake books has slid.

Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer

Another well-known triangle (that may eventually turn out to be a quadrangle or pentagon is Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhousebooks (now even more popular due to the True Blood series). While book readers seem more unanimously in favor of Team Eric (because Bill has been just heinous in the books), followers of True Blood have been a little bit more balanced (for now), with a nice split between Team Bill and Team Eric. (Perhaps it has to do with how much viewers like how Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgard look.)

So how does an author know that readers have had enough? There’s clearly always some groundswell of opinion in the forums. (Romance readers are a vocal lot, and are very invested in their favorite characters.) But even if an author decides to put the triangle to rest, there’ll be other issues to tackle. The difficulty in deciding between Team A and Team B is that there’s always bound to be some portion of the author’s readership that’s going to be pissed off. (I can just imagine it. Team Bill: “Oh no, I can’t believe Sookie went with evil Eric Northman! Bill’s the man for her! I’m never going to read any more of those stupid books.” Team Eric: “Sookie can’t have chosen that arrogant piece of crap Bill! Eric’s the only one for her! I’m never going to read those silly books again.”)

Unfortunately, authors who create love triangles are often the victims of their own success. If done well, both candidates will be likeable and have some wonderful qualities. And that’s the problem. Authors write themselves into a corner because some nice guy’s always going to get the short end of the stick. (Poor bastard.) And the only way after that to solve the problem is to give the poor loser his own book. (In the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, J.R. Ward solves that by letting Butch get Marissa, Vishous get Doc Jane… but Vishous still has Butch. Nice.)

If a book for the loser isn’t possible, the author can always go for a ménage, I suppose!

Where do you stand on love triangles? For them, against them? Can you think of any romance series that you’ve read that’s had a great love triangle, or a really bad one? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!

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Popular author Gena Showalter kicks off her Alien Huntress series with Awaken Me Darkly. In a possible future for Earth, aliens live among us – and not all of them are benign. Our kick-ass heroine Mia Snow is the head of the Alien Investigation and Removal Agency in the New Chicago Police Department, pursuing aliens who break the law. She’s in the midst of investigating a series of murders in which the victims are all good-looking young men with dark hair and eyes. Mia is convinced that an Arcadian is to blame – and the mysterious and handsome Kyrin en Arr is her prime suspect. The Arcadians are a dangerous lot, deadly and cunning, but imbued with significant powers. When Mia’s best friend and colleague Dallas Gutierrez is seriously injured, Mia finds out that Kyrin is the only hope for Dallas’ survival, and she has to juggle her friend’s life, her duties as a cop, and her forbidden attraction to Kyrin.

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I’m a big fan of Pamela Clare’s I-Team romantic suspense series and was surprised to find out that she had also written a bevy of historical romances, and in fact started out with that genre. Surrender, which came out just a few months ago, is a re-release of the book that was originally published in 2007, with extended scenes and new edits. I read this book in one night, and haven’t been able to stop gushing about it to my friends. As a historian, I appreciated the details and historical accuracy. As a romance book lover, I completely swooned over the wonderful hero and heroine, as well as the passion and emotion in the book.

In Surrender, Clare introduces her MacKinnon’s Rangers series and takes readers to New York in the 1750s, at the height of the war French and Indian War. Iain MacKinnon is the exiled Laird of the Clan MacKinnon. His family was forced to flee to the Colonies after the failed Jacobite uprising to free Scotland from British rule in 1745. In their years in the Colonies, Iain and his brothers Morgan and Connor have grown up to be brave strapping warriors, trained not only in the Highland ways, but also in Native American warfighting. Their formidable fighting skills make them the target of an ambitious British officer, who is convinced that with the MacKinnons’ fighting skills, Britain will prevail over France. The British officer arranges for the three brothers to be falsely accused of murder; they will all three hang if they don’t agree to fight for the Protestant British against the Highlanders’ long-time allies, the Catholic French. Left with no choice, Iain raises MacKinnon’s Rangers, a formidable force of fighting men, who (reluctantly) carry the banner of King George.

Lady Anne Campbell has been falsely accused of theft by her scheming uncle, arrested, branded as a thief, then deported to the Colonies as a bond slave. When her Master and Mistress are killed in French and Indian raid, Iain risks his own life, as well as that of his troops, to rescue Anne. Annie merely tells Iain that she’s Annie Burns, but hides her noble birth, her Protestant and Loyalist Campbell roots, as well as her conviction for theft. The two flee across the forests, eventually reaching the Rangers’ home base, where Iain is punished by the British for disobeying orders and rescuing Annie. As Annie nurses Iain after his brutal lashing, the two slowly fall in love, and look for ways to surmount their many differences.

Surrender is a wonderful love story that’s full of rich historical detail, passion, action, and intrigue. I especially loved Iain, who is an honorable, noble hero who is by turns protective of Annie, and a wonderful leader to his ragtag band of men. A wonderful book that I’ll be re-reading many times!

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Locked and Loaded is the second book in Grant’s The Men of Delta Force series. (Alexis Grant is the nom de plume of late author L.A. Banks.) I’m usually a sucker for military romances. I was captivated by the blurb, and and had this book on my Wishlist for a few months. When I finally read it though, I was a tad disappointed.

Sage Warner is a plucky DEA agent who’s gone deep undercover as the mistress of Roberto Salazar, a major Miami drug lord. She’s got a personal vendetta against Salazar, and she’s willing to do just about anything to bring him down. But there’s an inter-agency mix-up, and a team of soldiers from Delta led by Captain Anthony Davis raid Salazar’s home, jeopardizing Sage’s mission. Sage is incensed at Davis, and at having to work with other agencies, but finds herself attracted to the military officer. Davis, who initially has no idea that Sage is an undercover officer, also finds himself drawn to his erstwhile partner. The two work together to come up with a plan that allows Sage to retain her cover, while also allowing Davis to get into the Salazar organization.

Perhaps one of the difficulties with the book is that I found it very difficult to relate to either Sage or Davis, and I really didn’t feel convinced that they made a good couple. Both seem to be very closed off – possibly because of the nature of their jobs – and both seem always to be running around trying to do their jobs. That’s probably more realistic than having them run around with each other, but hey, this is a romance right? As it was, there were are really very few scenes in which the two of them interact, and those are mostly steamy physical encounters.

Without much in terms of relationship development, most of the book had to be carried by the suspense plot, which I found overly convoluted involving two drug dealers, some terrorists, a Russian arms dealer, possible nuclear weapons. I got lost along the way, and didn’t care enough to go back and re-read sections to see if I got it right.I wanted to like this book. I really did. But for some strange reason, this book just didn’t work for me, and I found my interest flagging a few chapters into the book. I made it to the end because I was stuck on a plane and I’d read all the other books on my Kindle, but it was a long hard slog.