WELCOME TO THE BLOG VICTORIA!!!
Meet Victoria:
A lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria Vane combines these elements to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over the top characters, Robin Schone, Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Ms. Vane also writes romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee.
"Reckless hearts, battling wits, and plenty of steam in a wonderfully well drawn Georgian setting.”- NYT Bestselling author Grace Burrowes
"Victoria Vane ignites the Georgian era with her delightful characters and deliciously wickedsensuality." - AllisonChase, author of Recklessly Yours
Jamie & Kati: Who is Victoria Vane? (author, history buff, mother, international woman of mystery...)
Victoria Vane: Victoria Vane is the romance loving, sex-writing wicked twin of romantic historical author Emery Lee who was unleashed upon the world late December 2011 with her first erotic historical romance, A BREACH OF PROMISE.
J&K: Tell us a little bit about A BREACH OF PROMISE [no copying blurb :)]
VV: A BREACH OF PROMISE was actually a writing experiment for me that came about during a dry spell between writing contracts and agents. While I had sold and finished my second Emery Lee novel, FORTUNE’S SON, and was continuing to write my little heart out, my publisher had taken a “wait and see” stance on my proposed third, fourth and fifth novels, leaving me sitting impotently on my thumbs. To make matters worse, my agent quit the publishing business altogether, leaving me high and dry.
It was during this frustrating period that a wonderful friend and author Diane Gaston suggested I try writing something short to help bridge the gap until I could sell another of my full length novels. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, I decided to give it a go.
I began by reading- devouring actually- works by bestselling erotic romance authors to learn what they do and how they do it. I discovered authors like Robin Schone, Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone, who combine beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua who I much admire for her creative vision in melding real history with eroticism.
Armed with what I had learned from these amazing authors, I went back to work on A BREACH OF PROMISE with the goal of writing an erotic level romance my own way— with a well-drawn and emotionally compelling plot, sympathetic characters, witty dialogue, a touch of humor, and scorching heat without the “kink factor.”
Loosely inspired by The Belle’s Stratagem, one of the most popular of late Georgian era plays, the result of my efforts was a Georgian era novella about a broken engagement. In this hot historical novella, I loosely model the relationship of my characters Lydia and Marcus after Cowley's Leticia Hardy and Doricourt. Similar to Cowley’s play is the premise of an engagement contracted between the hero and heroine’s parents when they were very young. Also similar is that my hero and Cowley’s Doricourt have both been many years abroad and have taken their betrothal and betrothed completely for granted. Each returns to England with a diminished appreciation of their own countrywomen compared to the continental beauties.
Cowley’s Leticia is smitten by her erstwhile finance but dismayed by his apparent indifference to her charms and vows to “win his heart or never be his wife.” Her unusual stratagem to win him over is based on the belief that it is “easier to convert a sentiment into its opposite than to transform indifference into tender passion.” These circumstance and sentiments closely match those of my own heroine, Lydia Trent in A BREACH OF PROMISE.
The elder woman patted her hand. “Then it’s no surprise you would feel as you do. But now you are here, Marcus shall soon make amends.”But while determined to rebuff the arrogant and conceited Marcus at every turn, my heroine Lydia wages a battle royale only to discover she is defenseless against his counter-strategy of seduction. With scorching sensuality combined with a “Heyer-esque” humor, witty dialogue and colorful characters, I promise a fun and engaging read!
“I’m afraid you misapprehend my purpose, Philomena. Though it pains me for your sake to say so, I no longer have any wish to marry Marcus. I have come to London only to request an end to our betrothal.”
“But my dear, you act in such haste!”
“Six years is hardly haste, ma’am,” Lydia remarked wryly.
“You should hear him out before coming to such an irrevocable decision. In truth, I take much blame upon myself for not prodding Marcus. Yet he was so single-minded to establish himself with the diplomatic service that I feared pressuring him to marry would only have caused resentment.”
“No doubt!” Lydia agreed. “He expressed as much the night of our engagement, but I was moonstruck. Marcus has never shown me more than polite indifference. I now realize that is not enough for me. In truth, I would almost rather he despised me than merely tolerated my existence.”
Lady Russell puckered her brow. “You would have a future husband despise you? How extraordinary!”
“Indeed, my lady! For antipathy is at least a form of passion! Even negative emotion can sometimes be turned around, but what can be done when no feeling exists at all? I will not wed a man only to live as indifferently as strangers.”
“My dear, given sufficient time…”
Lydia sighed. “For nearly six years I clung to that foolish hope but time appears to have only been my enemy. He truly doesn’t want me. He never did.”
“But my dear, you do not know men,” Lady Russell consoled. “They are undeniably obtuse. The daft creatures never know what they want until it’s placed under their very noses.” She smiled and clasped the young woman’s hand with a conspiratorial look. “You have now come to town, Lydia. Ergo, he will want you.”
“I fear it is not so simple as that. My feelings toward him are no longer engaged.”
“Is that truly so?” Lady Russell broke into a dubious smile. Although Lydia had spoken with conviction, she failed to meet the elder woman’s astute gaze. “Then my dear, it must be my son’s onus to re-engage them.”
J&K: Do you have any writing rituals? (blasting music, eating cookies, drinking wine...)
VV: I am totally and completely a slave to my muse! I am only productive while listening to 18th century music and do almost all my writing late at night. I often stay up until 2 or 3 AM.
If you could write an anthology with 2 other authors, who would they be and what would it be about?
Can I include dead authors? If so, it would be my dream to write with Georgette Heyer. I adore her wit and style. While she is best known for her Regencies, my favorites are her Georgian era titles. As for living authors, I would love to collaborate with a brilliant fellow Georgian era author Lucinda Brant.
J&K: What do you have next in store for readers?
VV: Thanks so much for asking! I am incredibly excited to share my next erotic historical novella, a racy, rollicking Georgian romp entitled A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE coming in late April from Breathless Press
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| Click on cover for an excerpt |
What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?J&K: Thanks Victoria for hanging out at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance!!
She’s a lonely lady down on her luck: Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.
He’s steadfast and eminently respectable: Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife’s death and avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life … of celibacy.
With the devil in charge — there will surely be hell to pay: Devil in disguise, Viscount Ludovic DeVere, is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of the living. His meddling machinations result in a night of mind-blowing passion after which “dull dog Ned” awakes to find himself in the King of England’s bed!
A BREACH OF PROMISE:
When charm and persuasion fail...only seduction remains...Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | All Romance
On the night of her betrothal, Lydia Trent receives just a taste of what ecstasy will be at the hands of her fiancé…and then he leaves her wanting. After waiting six years, and tired of being neglected by her exceedingly reluctant husband-to-be, Lydia decides to break it off.
When Marcus, Lord Russell, receives Lydia’s letter requesting a release from their contract, he is stunned by her audacity. Confident he’ll have her eating out of his hand with his usual wit and charm, he’s determined to repair the damage. However, the headstrong woman she’s blossomed into is equally determined to thwart his every effort to win her back.
Marcus discovers, in spite of her conviction to end the union, Lydia is more responsive to his touch than he ever imagined. He just needs to get her alone to unleash the promised passion he sees within his wanton virgin. Marcus will use any tool in his arsenal to exploit her weakness—his kisses, his hands, his mouth…her own body. In short, he’ll just have to ruin her!
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
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