Why Novellas?

The smart-aleck answer is "Why not?" but that isn’t really an answer.

I write Regencies, and I started out writing full length novels. I actually have two in various states of completion, and one finished. I’ve been shopping my finished one around, but no luck so far.

My first published work, Lady of the Stars, is a novella because it started life as a contest entry. In 2007, The Wild Rose Press ran a time travel contest, entries to be between 15,000 to 25,000 words. An editor would provide a free critique for each entry.

I saw two words: EDITOR and FREE. So, I wrote a time travel back to Regency England (natch). I lost, but the editor said she would consider publishing Lady as a stand-alone if I rewrote it. I rewrote it twice before she gave me a contract. My first. If you want all the gory details, they’re here.

Lady of the Stars is about 21,000 words and was a finalist in the 2010 EPIC EBook Competition in Science Fiction Romance. RT Book Reviews gave it 4 stars. Review here (c0ntains spoilers).

BLURB:
A legend spanning time and the man and woman caught in it.

Caroline knows something is wrong the instant she steps from her holiday cottage into that unusual gazebo with two doors. But when a man she knows she will never see again appears outside the gazebo, she flings caution aside and plunges through the back door, crashing into the man--and 1817.

A voyage through time? Impossible. Richard refuses to believe the strange woman's outlandish tale. Still, the lady is lost and alone, and he helps the stranded wayfarer.

But as attraction flares between these two lonely people, Richard's family legend grinds to its ultimate fulfillment--will it bring them together, or tear them apart forever?

Excerpt here and buy link here.

My next novella, Pumpkinnapper, is a Halloween story. I was reading up on holiday legends, and an idea about pumpkin thieves popped into my head. Add a goose, one of my favorite animals, and I have a story about a love triangle: man, woman and goose. Not too many heroes find their rival is the heroine’s pet goose. And geese can bite.

Pumpkinnapper is also about 21,000 words.

BLURB:
Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled and a jealous goose. Oh my!

Last night someone tried to steal the widowed Mrs. Emily Metcalfe's pumpkins. She's certain the culprit is her old childhood nemesis and the secret love of her youth, Henry, nicknamed Hank, whom she hasn't seen in ten years.

Henry, Baron Grey, who's never forgotten the girl he loved but couldn't pursue so long ago, decides to catch Emily's would-be thief. Even after she reveals his childhood nickname--the one he would rather forget. And even after her jealous pet goose bites him in an embarrassing place.

Oh, the things a man does for love.

Excerpt here and buy link here.

The Wild Rose Press will release my third novella, Mistletoe Everywhere, on November 3. Again, I was reading up on holiday legends. We all know about kissing under the mistletoe, but mistletoe is also the plant of peace. Enemies meeting under the mistletoe must declare a truce. So, I thought up a story about a man who sees mistletoe, which may or may not be real, above the lady who jilted him. Trouble is, the lady thinks he jilted her and she doesn’t see mistletoe.

Mistletoe Everywhere is about 26,000 words. My novellas are getting longer!

BLURB:
A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love.

Charles sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But why does no one else see it? And why does it always appear above Penelope, the despised lady who jilted him after their last meeting?

Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, the man who cried off after she accepted his marriage proposal. But he still stirs her heart--and he stares at her all the time. Or rather, he stares at the empty ceiling over her head…What does he see?

According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?

Excerpt here.

I would be happy to give you the buy link, but, alas, I don’t have one yet.

My current opus, almost finished, is a Regency summer story. Right now, the length stands at about 28,000 words. I plan on submitting it next month. Here’s the tag line: The way to a man’s heart is through a book--as long as it’s the right book.

Now, as if you haven't read enough Shameless Promotion, here's some more.

I'm part of the Romance Junkies Summer Contest.

I'm giving away a PDF copy of Lady of the Stars, as well as a bag or box of chocolate candy.

Answer the trivia question on my page http://www.romancejunkies.com/summersplashcontest/LindaBanche.htm

and send an email to Romance Junkies. See my page for all the details.

Thank you all,
Linda
Linda Banche
Enter My World of Historical Hilarity
http://www.lindabanche.com

Lady of the Stars is a Finalist in the EPIC 2010 EBook Competition!

My big news!

Lady of the Stars, my Regency time travel, is a finalist in the Science Fiction Romance category in EPIC 's (Electronically Published Internet Connection) 2010 EBook Competition. Complete finalist listing here.

I'm still bouncing around, and I'll probably bounce for a while longer.

I've never finaled in a contest before. While I would love to win, I can be very happy with finaling.

As for reviews, Romantic Times Book Reviews gave Lady of the Stars 4 stars (review here, contains spoilers) and LASR gave it 4 1/2 books (review here, contains spoilers)

All reviews are here:
http://lindabanche.blogspot.com/2009/07/lady-of-stars-reviews.html

And you can buy from here:
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/lady-of-the-stars-p-1111.html

BLURB:
A legend spanning time and the man and woman caught in it.

Caroline knows something is wrong the instant she steps from her holiday cottage into that unusual gazebo with two doors. But when a man she knows she will never see again appears outside the gazebo, she flings caution aside and plunges through the back door, crashing into the man--and 1817.

A voyage through time? Impossible. Richard refuses to believe the strange woman's outlandish tale. Still, the lady is lost and alone, and he helps the stranded wayfarer.

But as attraction flares between these two lonely people, Richard's family legend grinds to its ultimate fulfillment--will it bring them together, or tear them apart forever?

EXCERPT:

Caroline followed him into the room she knew was the kitchen and he stepped up to the banked fire.

Fire? Where were the stove and refrigerator? And all the chrome and stainless steel of the ultramodern kitchen she had seen only this morning? This kitchen contained a scarred wood trestle table with several chairs pushed under it. Pots and pans hung on wall racks and reflected the dim firelight. A cupboard stood against the far wall, next to a sink with a pump. A pump?

With shaking hands, she set the lantern on the table and pulled out one of the chairs. She was in trouble, very deep trouble.

As she sank into the chair, she turned her stunned attention to her host.

Unaware of her gaze, he busied himself at the fireplace. His back to her, he placed the candelabrum on the mantle above the hearth, then drew the fire screen to the side of the grate. Dropping onto his haunches, he pulled several logs from the nearby basket, then arranged the wood in a neat pile on the smoldering embers. Almost at once, the flames blazed to full roaring life.

Silhouetted against the light, he straightened, replaced the screen, then removed his hat and tossed it on the table.

Her jaw dropped. Good heavens, the aggravating man was gorgeous. Tall and slim, his broad shoulders tapered to narrow hips and long legs. But where had he found that outlandish outfit? He wore a top hat, out here in the middle of nowhere. His shirt collar was turned up and he wore a huge white tie. And his waist-length, double-breasted jacket had tails, like the one an orchestra conductor wore. Muddy black boots with the tops turned down came up to his knees. Skintight trousers, or were those breeches--of all things?--emphasized every well-formed muscle.

Now if his face matched his form...

What was she thinking? She hadn't felt anything for any man in a long time. Not since...

He turned, and for the first time that night she fully took in his face. She gasped. Had she seen a ghost through the gazebo's back door? "Richard?"

Puzzlement spread over those chiseled features she now saw only in her memories. "How do you know my name?"

Thanks,
Linda
Linda Banche
Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a paranormal
Lady of the Stars--4 stars from Romantic Times, 2010 EPIC EBook Competition finalist, Regency time travel available from The Wild Rose Press
Pumpkinnapper--Regency Halloween comedy available from The Wild Rose Press
Website Blog Myspace Facebook Twitter

Deceptive Appearances

How deceptive appearances can be. A backyard gazebo is harmless--a pretty little structure in which to relax. So what if the gazebo has two doors? The back way will take you out the other side.

Or will it?

Here's Chapter One of my Regency time travel, Lady of the Stars.


Cheshire, England
Present Day

Now, where did that come from?

Caroline stood inside the gazebo and stared at its open back door.

This little round wooden open-air building with the pointed thatched roof was one of dozens of similar structures that dotted the extensive grounds of the famous resort, Thornbell Manor, where she was spending her holiday. For the past two days, she had explored the sizeable property of mere and moors, and visited every gazebo she encountered. Each one displayed its number on a metal tag over the doorless entry, and she made a game of writing down all their numbers to see how many there were.

But all the other gazebos had one entry. This one had two, the normal doorless opening on one side and an actual door on the other. How could she miss a back door in so small a structure, especially one in her own yard?

She settled the straps of her hot pink backpack more firmly over her shoulders and ran a hand over the door's cracked and weathered wood. This side of the gazebo appeared far older than the other side.

Although all the resort buildings looked old from a distance, they were really newly made with the latest materials, then "antiqued" to appear aged. She glanced at the nameplate on the lintel. Her eyebrows lifted. Number 1817? The other door was labeled twenty. The largest number she had seen in two days of gazebo-hopping was fifty-two.

She shook her head to clear her fanciful thoughts. Now was no time for mysteries. For once the English sky was blue and free of rain. Cheerful birdsong sounded and a pleasing odor of growing vegetation and damp earth rose around her. This summer day was too lovely and bright to waste, even if the air was still cool. With a little shiver, she tightened the belt of the long sweater she'd thrown over her jeans and tee shirt. She planned to visit quaint little Siddington, its outermost buildings framed by the gazebo's back door.

As she gazed at the charming scene before her, a tall man walked into her field of view. His face turned toward her and she gasped.

"Richard?" she whispered, her voice quavering. No, he couldn't be, but--"Richard!" Her voice rose to a shout and she hurtled through the back door. Cold air blasted over her and she shuddered, a premonition of dread snaking through her mind.

Lady of the Stars, Regency time travel, available from The Wild Rose Press.
Buy link here.

Thank you all,
Linda

A Nice Guy

I like nice guys.

My hero is decent, intelligent, and reliable. He works hard at something useful. He builds things and people up, and doesn't tear anything down. He's kind, brave and true.

Lest he sound too much like an

overgrown Boy Scout, he can use his fists if necessary, but usually doesn't have to. Why? Because he's so intelligent he can outsmart even the craftiest villain. "Nice guy" does not necessarily translate as "wimp".
My hero is an ordinary man, but the circumstances of his life have dragged him through the fire. This fire, which would have destroyed a lesser man, forged him into a better man, indeed, a hero.
So, here's my hero, Richard of Lady of the Stars, my Regency time travel novella. He's furious with Caroline, who appears out of nowhere one night in 1817 England and literally knocks him over. Then she argues that his cottage is hers. While he plans to hand her over to the authorities come morning, he, decent man that he is, allows her to stay the night. And so, our story begins.

As for intelligent, Richard is a mathematician. He works as a teacher, so he does something useful. He's had his troubles, and he protects the heroine when harm threatens (telling you how would spoil the story).

And last but not least, because all romance is part fantasy, he's young and drop-dead gorgeous. See picture.

But all these qualities can belong to any decent man. What sets Richard apart? In the climax of the story, he faces a choice. His heroism shines through not only by what he does for Caroline's love, but also by what he's willing to give up for it.

What a hero.

Lady of the Stars, available in e-book from The Wild Rose Press

Buy link here.

Thank you all,

Linda

Linda Banche

Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a paranormal

Lady of the Stars--4 stars from Romantic Times--available from The Wild Rose Press

Pumpkinnapper--coming September 30, 2009 from The Wild Rose Press

Website Blog Myspace Facebook Twitter

"Lady of the Stars" - 4 Stars from Romantic Times

Before we do anything else, here's the excerpt from the review:

"This is a quick read and a delightful short romance. The time-travel aspect is well done, and the characters are nicely fleshed out. The ending brings everything to a comfortable and relatively believable conclusion."

And here's the whole review: (Note, contains spoilers)

http://www.romantictimes.com/books_review.php?book=38543

And even more, here's the online version of the June 2009 issue of Romantic Times, with yours truly's book and rating listed. Scroll down to Historical Romance.

http://www.romantictimes.com/ratings/rtbookreviews-ratings-jun09.pdf

Yup, there I am, between Mary Balogh and Nicola Cornick, two of the heavy hitters in Regency romance.

I can't say I've arrived, because it's only one story, but seeing that rating makes me feel very good.

RT mainly reviews books from the big NY pubs. How did an e-book get an RT review? I paid to take part in an advertisement The Wild Rose Press (TWRP) was putting into the June 2009 issue of Romantic Times. TWRP Marketing told the participants to send a copy of our books to RT. Because we paid for an ad, we MIGHT (note the word might) receive a review.

Why did they review me? I don't know, but Lady of the Stars is short (86 pages), so a reviewer could read the entire story in about an hour. In any event, I'm grateful. I still haven't picked myself up off the floor.

As an aside, I read the Word Wenches blog all the time. Last Friday, we had a game of putting up loglines. Well, I put mine up and I convinced another commenter to buy Lady of the Stars. She loves it, especially the last line. Then she asked if I had any more. I told her about Pumpkinnapper.

Now, here's the Lady of the Stars blurb and excerpt:

Blurb:

A legend spanning time and the man and woman caught in it.

Caroline knows something is wrong the instant she steps from her holiday cottage into that unusual gazebo with two doors. But when a man she knows she will never see again appears outside the gazebo, she flings caution aside and plunges through the back door, crashing into the man--and 1817.

A voyage through time? Impossible. Richard refuses to believe the strange woman's outlandish tale. Still, the lady is lost and alone, and he helps the stranded wayfarer.

But as attraction flares between these two lonely people, Richard's family legend grinds to its ultimate fulfillment--will it bring them together, or tear them apart forever?

Excerpt:

Caroline followed him into the room she knew was the kitchen and he stepped up to the banked fire.

Fire? Where were the stove and refrigerator? And all the chrome and stainless steel of the ultramodern kitchen she had seen only this morning? This kitchen contained a scarred wood trestle table with several chairs pushed under it. Pots and pans hung on wall racks and reflected the dim firelight. A cupboard stood against the far wall, next to a sink with a pump. A pump?

With shaking hands, she set the lantern on the table and pulled out one of the chairs. She was in trouble, very deep trouble.

As she sank into the chair, she turned her stunned attention to her host.

Unaware of her gaze, he busied himself at the fireplace. His back to her, he placed the candelabrum on the mantle above the hearth, then drew the fire screen to the side of the grate. Dropping onto his haunches, he pulled several logs from the nearby basket, then arranged the wood in a neat pile on the smoldering embers. Almost at once, the flames blazed to full roaring life.

Silhouetted against the light, he straightened, replaced the screen, then removed his hat and tossed it on the table.

Her jaw dropped. Good heavens, the aggravating man was gorgeous. Tall and slim, his broad shoulders tapered to narrow hips and long legs. But where had he found that outlandish outfit? He wore a top hat, out here in the middle of nowhere. His shirt collar was turned up and he wore a huge white tie. And his waist-length, double-breasted jacket had tails, like the one an orchestra conductor wore. Muddy black boots with the tops turned down came up to his knees. Skintight trousers, or were those breeches--of all things?--emphasized every well-formed muscle.

Now if his face matched his form...

What was she thinking? She hadn't felt anything for any man in a long time. Not since...

He turned, and for the first time that night she fully took in his face. She gasped. Had she seen a ghost through the gazebo's back door? "Richard?"

Puzzlement spread over those chiseled features she now saw only in her memories. "How do you know my name?"

Thank you all,

Linda

Linda Banche

Regency romance--most with humor, some with fantasy, and occasionally a paranormal

Lady of the Stars--A legend spanning time and the man and woman caught in it--Regency time travel, available from The Wild Rose Press

Pumpkinnapper--Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled, and a jealous goose. Oh my--Regency Halloween comedy, coming September 30, 2009 from The Wild Rose Press

www.lindabanche.com

http://www.lindabanche.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/LindaBanche

http://twitter.com/LindaBanche

(And Lindsay, I hope I haven't turned your pink blog blue again).