MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE IS PROUD TO PRESENT….
SARA RAMSEY
MEET SARA RAMSEY….
Sara Ramsey writes fun, feisty Regency historical romances. She won the prestigious 2009 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award with her first book, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (formerly titled An Inconvenient Marriage). The prequel, Heiress Without A Cause (formerly titled One Night to Scandal), was a 2011 Golden Heart finalist.
Sara grew up in a small town in Iowa, and her obsession with fashion, shoes, and all things British is clearly a rebellion against her hopelessly uncool youth. She graduated from Stanford University in 2003 with a degree in Symbolic Systems (also known as cognitive science) and a minor in history. Sara subsequently worked at Google for seven years in a variety of sales, management, and communications roles. She left Google in 2010 to pursue her writing career full time. Read all about her Regency obsessions and upcoming works at www.SaraRamsey.com. Or, follow her slightly ridiculous Twitter feed, @Sara_Ramsey.
————–
WELCOME SARA!!
I’ve been asked a lot about how I came up with the idea for my Muses of Mayfair series, and I can honestly say that there was never a single spark of inspiration. The idea for a group of women who are pursuing secret artistic passions came to me very slowly. The first draft of the book that eventually became SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES always featured Lady Amelia Staunton, a secret Gothic romance novelist, and Malcolm MacCabe, Earl of Carnach, a Scottish laird in need of a bride.
But the women who became the Muses of Mayfair weren’t actually in the first draft. Madeleine, the actress who stars in HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, was a very different character. Ellie, the painter from my upcoming THE MARQUESS WHO LOVED ME, was off screen for the entire book. Prudence, the secret historian who will be featured in my fourth book, didn’t exist at all. It was only as I started writing the first draft of Madeleine’s story that I realized I cared as much for the friendships between these four women as I did for the romances between each hero and heroine.
Don’t get me wrong – the romance between Malcolm and Amelia is absolutely the focus of SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES. But relationships between friends intrigue me, too – not the sweet, uncomplicated ‘friendship’ between a heroine and a secondary character whose only role is to give the heroine someone to talk to about the hero, but the messy, sometimes contentious friendships that we’ve all lived through in some way or another.
What I love about all of the Muses is that they’re willing to risk everything to fulfill their artistic passions. But the risk of pursuing your own passion is that you might hurt other people – and I’m really interested in seeing whether people stay true to themselves or sacrifice their dreams for someone else. And I’m also interested in whether friends support each other regardless of what happens, or try to convince each other to take a different path, or betray each other in the belief that they’re actually helping.
There’s never a “right” way to interact with your friends, and different characters make different choices in these books. But I think all of them realize just how vital relationships (both their relationships with their heroes and with the other Muses) are to feeling fulfilled. And how their friendships evolve when they all start pairing off with their respective heroes fascinates me.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts – and one lucky commenter will win a copy of SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES!
—–
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO SPEND TIME WITH US AND OUR READERS!!
———-
***GIVEAWAY***
(Sponsored by the author)
Please see the above author request for the giveaway!
GOOD LUCK!
———-
HEIRNESS WITHOUT A CAUSE
SARA RAMSEY
Paperback:340 pages
Publisher: Spencerhill Associates Ltd. (February 23, 2012)
Language:English
HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE – Muses of Mayfair #1 – available now!
One title to change his life…
A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William “Ferguson” Avenel is content to live in exile – until his father dies in the scandal of the Season. With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England – and he won’t ruin her, even if he desperately wants the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.
One chance to break the rules…
Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity – even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.
One season to fall in love…
Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?
Barnes and Noble/Nook: click here to buy
Amazon/Kindle: click here to buy
Amazon/paperback: click here to buy
Kobo: click here to buy
———-
SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES
SARA RAMSEY
Print Length:274 pages
Publisher:Spencerhill Associates, Ltd (April 4, 2012)
Language:English
SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES – Muses of Mayfair #2 – coming early April 2012
She never wanted marriage…
When a friend is forced to consider a marriage of convenience, Lady Amelia Staunton is determined to rescue her. But her plans trap her in an illicit seduction, and Amelia must marry him herself. Malcolm’s all-consuming kisses and devilish humor might make up for her lost freedom, but she believes he will force her to abandon the Gothic romances she yearns to write. Since she can’t escape him, she must distract him from her secret…
He isn’t looking for love…
A powerful autocrat with a well-hidden rebellious streak, Malcolm MacCabe doesn’t need another beautiful mistress – he needs an obedient wife. Obedience is not one of Amelia’s virtues. But he’s too enthralled by her wit and passion to let her go – even if it means risking the political reputation he is building to save his clan.
Their hearts can’t survive the scandal…
Despite their intentions, every wicked embrace binds them together. But as their conflicting desires combust into insatiable hunger and unavoidable ruin, they must decide whether to pursue their personal destinies alone – or fight for the love that could destroy them both.
Barnes and Noble/Nook: click here to buy
Amazon/Kindle: click here to buy
Amazon/paperback: click here to buy
Kobo: click here to buy
———
Please tag,like,Facebook,Twitter,Linked,Pinterest,blog about these wonderful titles!
We hope you have enjoyed your time with Sara Ramsey today!!
———–
Check out our “Thoughts” on both “HERIESS WITHOUT A CAUSE” AND “SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES” by Sara Ramsey!!!
————
As always thank you for spending time out us and our guest. Thank you for your support!!
I like what you are adding to enrich the love story between the hero and heroine. Every girl needs friends, and friends are not always what you want them to be. I know I have and many other women have had disagreements over various things with friends, or tried to help out a friend wither knowing they wouldn't want your help or that they wouldn't want you meddling. So I am intrigued to see what these women go through in their ever changing roles of friendship.
Lexi, thanks so much for the comment! I agree that how friendships evolve over time is really interesting, particularly since even people who love each other don't always get along or agree on things.
Your friends will tell you the truth for your own good. I don't mind if they are blunt or don't spare my feelings. They have given me their advice and it is my responsibility to heed or ignore it. Loyalty is the most important thing.
Hi Stacie – loyalty is the most important thing for me, too. It's sometimes hard to know when to give advice and when to let someone make their own mistakes, but all that really matters is that we still are friends through everything. Thanks for the comment!
Wonderful concept…..Friends stretch your emotions like no others….Disagreements over what is best for someone is usually very high on the list….Cant wait to see how your characters come to a resolution……….Ultimately you have to live with your decisions, but friends + experience helps…..
Lisa, thanks for the comment! You're totally right that disagreements over what's best for someone are difficult – even more so when everyone really cares about each other, and so are convinced that they need to help even if someone doesn't always want help
This has been a really fun series to write – I hope you enjoy it!
I've had some great friends in my life, especially my sister, who is my best friend. Unfortunately, I moved all the way across the country from all of them, so it's hard to keep up relationships from so far away. At least with my sister, we use all the modern technology to keep in touch, so that works for us. I definitely think true friends will tell you what they think and won't think badly of you when you don't meet other's expectations, they'll still like you anyway.
That's great that you're so close to your sister! I've moved a lot, and my friends are all spread out over the country – and I'll be the first to admit I don't do a great job of keeping in touch. But I've also found that my true friends are the ones who it's easy to pick up with whenever we do get in touch
Thank goodness for technology, though! And thanks for the comment!
I cannot wait to read these books! Friendship, to me, is an ever changing thing but when there is that deep love it will survive anything. I want my closest friends to be honest with me. I may not like what I hear, but I know they are coming from their heart, whether I choose to take their advice or not. I have many acquaintances, but very few friends. Those closest to me, I trust.
Hi Leah – thanks for stopping by! The changing nature of friendships always fascinates me, but I agree – the closest/deepest friendships will always survive.
I love books about Scottish men. I just can't get enough of their accent.
Ha, me too
Scottish accents are dreamy!
We all need friends: friends who are supposed to tell us the truth no matter how much it might hurt. Everyone had disagreements but you always do what's best for the other person.
This book sounds amazing. Can't wait to read it.
Hi Joanne – thanks for the lovely comment. I hope you enjoy it!