Category: Contests

12
Feb
2026

From Acceptance to Exile: A Reluctant Courtship and Give-Away

categories: books, Contests, Podcast - Write of Passage, Recommended Reading

In writing classes, we are taught to make things as bad for our characters as we can. Honore should have been easy. In A Necessary Deception, in which she made her debut into society, and in A Flight of Fancy, where she rusticates in the country with her injured sister, Honore managed to make things terrible enough for herself.

But I wanted to make her situation even worse!

Lord Bainbridge, the father of the three sisters, is an autocratic man, a political animal who wants things the way he wants them. He manipulates his children to his will as much as he can, and he can do a great deal. But Honore is the baby and pretty and lively and a daddy’s girl. She got away with too much. Daddy cleaned up her messes for her.

So I had to take her daddy away from her.

And then we introduce Americus Poole (Meric to his friends) now Lord Ashmoor. Most men fall at Honore’s feet. Ashmoor looks at her like most of us view rattle snakes—the further away the better. He has his own issues, and Honore’s presence in his life will only make them worse. After all, a man under suspicion of treason cannot be involved with a young lady with a questionable reputation.

Beyond the romance and adventure that springs from Honore and Ashmoor’s stories is the theme of exile. Honore has been exiled from her family and from society because of her past mistakes. In turn, this physical exile makes her feel exiled from God. Everything that happens to her seems to indicate that God has rejected her, and this rejection of the heart and spirit drives her decisions and actions until her very life hangs on the edge.

Cliffs_Clovelly_Coast_West — Cliffs in North Devon (Wikipedia image)

As with Cassandra in A Flight of Fancy, I related to Honore’s spiritual struggle. I attended a Christian college and my friends were going off to be doctors and pastors, and the wives of doctors and pastors. I, however, had no calling that I saw. I interpreted this as God rejecting me. The decisions I made over the next several years—most of them terrible—stemmed from this sense of exile from God.

The simple response is that God doesn’t reject us; we reject him. Romans 8:38-39 assures us that nothing separates us from the love of God. Yet what I had to learn, what Honore has to learn, is that we often have to be taken out of our comfort zone of the life we think we want or should have, to circumstances we can’t control, for the Lord to shape us into the people we are intended to be to thus serve him better.

I hope you enjoy Honore’s journey back from exile.

For a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card today, answer the question below in the comment section. Your name will also be entered into our Regency Gift Package Giveaway in honor of the release of A Reluctant Courtship. The giveaway includes another gift card, a tea cup, and chocolate.

What types of things do you like to learn from authors? For example: How they work, their non writing life, their spiritual life…

Originally posted 2013-10-17 10:00:00.

11
Feb
2026

A Reluctant Courtship Contest and Giveaway

categories: Announcements, Book Reviews, books, Contests, Free Book, Regency Romance

I’m excited to introduce a new Regency novel today. It’s entitled A Reluctant Courtship and is written by Regency Reflection’s own Laurie Alice Eakes.

To celebrate the release of A Reluctant Courtship, we’re running a special two week long contest. Starting today through Monday, October 28, we’ll feature thought-provoking questions at the end of each post and giving away a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) to one person who answers that day’s question. Your name will also be entered into our Regency Grand Prize giveaway.

The Grand Prize will include:

A tea cup
A box of tea
A box of chocolates
A $10.00 Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Before we get to today’s question, let me tell you more about A Reluctant Courtship, and why I enjoyed reading it so much.

Honore Bainbridge has been courted by two men, one of whom turned out to be a traitor, the other a murderer. Banished to her family’s country estate, where she will hopefully stay out of trouble, she finally meets the man she is sure is exactly right for her: Lord Ashmoor. Tall, dark, and handsome–what more could a girl ask for? But he too is under suspicion because of his American upbringing and accusations that he has helped French and American prisoners escape from Dartmoor Prison. For his part, Lord Ashmoor needs a wife beyond reproach, which Honore certainly is not. Amid a political climate that is far from friendly, Honore determines to help Ashmoor prove his innocence–if she can do so and stay alive.

From the rocky cliffs of Devonshire, England, comes the exciting conclusion to the lush Daughters of Bainbridge House series. Award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes thrusts her readers into high drama from the very first sentence and keeps them on their toes until the final page.

A Flight of Fancy has generated recommendations from places such as Booklist, which said: “Eakes seamlessly blends romance and intrigue, faith and history.”

I’d have to agree with Booklist about how wonderfully Eakes blended romance, suspense, history, and faith in A Reluctant Courtship. I also loved how Honore struggled as a woman who had made past mistakes and ruined her reputation, but with God’s help, she was able to overcome those mistakes and restore her good name by the end of the novel.

Today’s question: When you hear the words “Regency romance” what comes into your head?

Remember to leave your answer in the comment section below to be eligible for both today’s gift card as well as a chance to win the grand prize. Then come back Thursday for Laurie Alice Eakes’s post on what it’s like to write a Regency novel plus another chance to win.

Originally posted 2013-10-14 10:00:30.

03
Feb
2026

The Long and Longer Versions of Pride and Prejudice and a Chance to Win

categories: Contests, Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice

This week we’ve been looking at a few of the many film adaptations of Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice. If you are in the mood to spend more than a couple of hours delving in to a cinematic version of this intricate story, I have two more versions for you to consider.

The 1995 Miniseries ~ About 5 Hours

Pride and Prejudice 1995 Produced by the BBC in 1995, this adaptation had a great influence on my love for Jane Austen’s story. When I read Pride and Prejudice in high school, we watched the miniseries as we went, bringing life to characters I was already intrigued with. It also started a bit of a fascination with Colin Firth, but I’m not alone in that regard.

Of all the versions I’ve seen, this one stays closest to the actual book. The length alone allows them to go into considerably more detail than a regular length movie. They were able to include all of the characters, scenes, and conversations that other renditions had to leave out.

Colin Firth as Darcy One of the strengths of this version is Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr. Darcy. He doesn’t smile until the very last scene of the movie, but that doesn’t hinder the impression of his softening over the course of the movie.

Elizabeth says that she believes Darcy remains unchanged “in essentials”. I think that means he still maintains a severely proper demeanor and overall seriousness. Firth’s portrayal does that. At no point does he lose his composure or rigidity, yet you see him change just the same.

The Bennet Sisters Jennifer Ehle does a superb job of playing Elizabeth as well. Outwardly, she behaves in all the proper manners. She doesn’t throw off propriety as defined by her society, yet she still finds ways of displaying her displeasure with it through private conversations and pained facial expressions.

One drawback to this version is, of course, the length. You will have to set aside a solid afternoon to watch it if you intend to do it all in one sitting. Originally it aired as five hour-long episodes.

The rigidity and formality of it might make it hard for some people to immerse themselves fully into the movie as well. I also don’t know that Mr. Collins is portrayed correctly. Although I don’t know if any version truly gets Mr. Collins right.

But maybe that version isn’t for you. Maybe you love the story, but just can’t get into the ins and outs of a period piece. Then this next version may be for you…

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries ~ about 10 hours

You read that right. If you want to watch The Lizzie Bennet Diaries in entirety, it will take you at least ten hours. It also just won an Emmy for Interactive Media.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, or The LBD for short, is a modern adaptation of Austen’s story. It aired over the course of a year on YouTube. Lizzie Bennet was a vlogger, meaning she made a video blog. At times, other characters also made videos as well. Each episode ranges in length from three to seven minutes, but that really adds up when you consider at least two videos a week for a year.

The strength of The LBD lies in their determination to stay true to the elements of the story. Today, women don’t have to marry to have a future. It wouldn’t make sense for Charlotte to run off and marry Mr. Collins when no feelings exist there. So the offer of marriage was converted into a job offer. The intent of Austen’s story remains – Charlotte compromising and taking the practical route in order to insure her future – while still being relevant and believable in a modern setting.

The way that The LBD was set up will give you a different perspective on Pride and Prejudice. Because the videos, at first, are filmed in Lizzie’s bedroom, we see a lot more interaction between the female characters. Darcy doesn’t make an on screen appearance until episode 61. I know that after watching it, I view Lydia, Charlotte, and even Mr. Collins in a different way. They do make a few character adjustments. Mary is a cousin and Kitty is actually a cat, but the story essence remains.

You can follow the full LBD story from the website including the multiple You Tube channels and Twitter conversations.

Do you like the longer film versions or prefer the shorter versions that have to leave a bit out but maintain a more traditional movie length?

Comment on any post this week for your chance to win a DVD copy of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Winner will be announced Monday, September 2 and must have a US posting address.

Originally posted 2013-08-30 10:00:00.

31
Jan
2026

The Living Legacy of Jane Austen and a Chance to Win

categories: Contests, Free Book, History, Jane Austen

As an author, you never know when a certain book or series will connect with readers in a way that spreads like wildfire. Most authors dream of that breakout book that manages to reach the masses. Few even dare consider the thought that they might leave a legacy behind that would span centuries.

Jane Austen is such an author. With only a handful of completed novels which, at the time, were contemporary romances, Austen wouldn’t be an obvious choice to be impacting the world two hundred years after her most popular novel was published. Yet her works continue to inspire and captivate to this day.

Austen’s legacy can be seen in everything from research books to pop culture to national heritage.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Jane would grace the ten pound note, an extraordinary feat for an author, not to mention a woman. A 12-foot statue of Mr. Darcy was installed in the Serpentine, depicting the iconic “wet shirt” scene from the 1995 BBC adaptation.

There was even a UK Government injunction against the exportation of one of Jane’s rings, sold at auction to US singer Kelly Clarkson last year. In an effort to keep Austen artifacts in the country, they are trying to raise enough money to purchase the ring back from Clarkson.

Jane Austen Knits — A book of knitting pattern inspired by Jane Austen.

But it is not just Austen memorabilia that captivates people today. There are Jane Austen Societies all over the world. People continue to gather for discussion and immersion into Austen’s world. This obsession people have with Jane Austen and particularly Pride and Prejudice, can be seen in the new movie Austenland as well as the 2008 miniseries Lost in Austen (which also commemorates the memorable wet shirt scene in a moment I found so hilarious and unexpected I actually fell off the couch laughing).

People love Jane Austen and what she represents. The world created by her stories sparked the imagination of authors such as Georgette Heyer, who we looked at Monday, as well as, directly or indirectly, a slew of Regency-era authors today.

Even research books bear witness to Austen’s influence. One of my frequently accessed research books in entitled All Things Austen. Since her books were contemporary to the time period, many look to her novels to see how life might have happened and what things may or may not have occurred.

Many writers have used Austen as inspiration. Friday we look at the multitude of spin-offs and sequels written by fans of Jane Austen’s stories. People so caught up in the world she built that they couldn’t bear for those characters to end there.

Do you see impacts of Jane Austen today? What’s your favorite “Austen sighting”?

The love of Regency romance lives on today. Comment on any post this week for a chance to win a book by one of Regency Reflections’ amazing published authors. The winner will be emailed the list of available books to choose from. The winner will be announced Monday, August 26th. Winner’s mailing address must be within the United States to win.

Originally posted 2013-08-21 10:00:00.

31
Jan
2026

Georgette Heyer, an Austen Successor, and Another Chance to Win

categories: Book Reviews, books, Contests, History, Jane Austen, Recommended Reading, Regency Romance, Writing

Congratulations, Susan Heim, on winning the beautiful hardback copy of Pride and Prejudice. Check your email for details on claiming your prize. See the end of this post by Laurie Alice Eakes for another chance to win a fabulous prize.

Although I have been devoted to the Regency era since the age of fourteen, I never read a book by Jane Austen, nor did I see one of the movie adaptations, for another twenty years. I haven’t even read all of Miss Austen’s books. Instead of this celebrated lady of letters, my attraction to the Regency came through an intermediate step—Georgette Heyer.

For years, I tried to get a copy of A Private Life, a biography of Miss Heyer written by another one of my favorite Regency authors, Jane Aiken Hodge. That tome was never available, so I was thrilled when a new biography by Jennifer Kloester was published. Since I’ve been reading it off and on for the past few weeks (it’s a lengthy book), I thought reviewing it in the month we are celebrating Jane Austen wholly appropriate. My Regency sisters have indulged me, since I am far more fond of Heyer than Austen, as blasphemous as that may be.

Kloester executed a tremendous amount of research for this biography. She must have read a few thousand letters and delved into numerous dusty storage rooms for original documents. The details included are more intriguing—and more edifying—than five minutes of TMZ. This is the book’s greatest strength and greatest weakness. The details about her publishing life, her personality, her friendships and animosities are like juicy gossip, especially to a writer or lover of her books. On the other hand, after a while, as many details as we receive go a little too far. I don’t need endless pages—fortunately scattered—regarding the Rougier (her married name) financial difficulties and mismanagement. Nor do I need the author’s speculation about the couple’s sex life.

KloesterBook_Heyer More important are the details about her ups and downs as a published author. More ups than downs from most writer’s perspective. She sold her first book when she was nineteen. One of her detective novels was banned by the Irish government as being obscene (it’s not) until the 1960s. And although it rather makes me sad, I like the details about her personal habits such as how she smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for most of her life. It just doesn’t fit my image of this educated and talented Englishwoman born right after the turn of the 19^th century. The ways in which she stayed awake when on deadline make me cringe as much as did some of her business decisions.

A business woman she was not unless one counts that she wrote romances, most set in the Regency, for the money, when her heart lay in long historical novels. She did manage to write these, but other than An Infamous Army, these were not the most successful of her books. Readers ate up her Regency and Georgian romances. They also loved her detective novels. To learn that two of her favorite authors were Jane Austen and Raymond Chandler did not at all surprise me.

That others ripped her off didn’t surprise me either. She exchanged letters with publishers and attorneys regarding how closely Barbara Cartland’s books followed Heyer’s, and wasn’t afraid to say the woman needed to do her own research. Cartland wasn’t the only writer who decided to use Miss Heyer’s original research instead of seeking it out for themselves.

Often I have heard that Miss Heyer made up slang terms and even that she inserted false facts to throw off these pretenders to know the time period and write in the same genre Heyer rather developed herself. After reading the biography, I no longer believe these claims to be true. She possessed too much professional integrity to do so.

HeyerBooks

Although Miss Austen wrote during the Regency era that has become a subgenre of romance fiction, the subgenre itself, for which we and dozens of other authors keep blogs, owes its popularity and stronghold to Georgette Heyer.

Originally posted 2013-08-19 10:00:00.

29
Jan
2026

The Publishing of Pride and Prejudice and a Chance to Win

categories: Contests, Female authors Regency period, History, Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, Writing

The below article contains information and excerpts pulled from Kathryn Kane’s article on the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice from her blog, The Regency Redingote.

Wendnesday, Laurie Alice shared about Jane’s long and laborious road to publishing and her subsequent career. Today we look at the publishing of Pride and Prejudice.

Originally titled First Impressions, the story of Elizabeth, Darcy, and their families and friends was originally written as a collection of letters. This epistolary style of novel was familiar to Jane as she had already written one as a teenager and one of her favorite authors wrote in that style as well. Obviously, she adjusted the format as well as the title prior to publication.

Pride and Prejudice was Austen’s second novel and it was instantly popular. The first print run of 1500 copies sold out even before the first run of Sense and Sensibility, which was half the size. Demand was so high that in October of 1813, her publisher, Thomas Egerton, released a second print run of Pride and Prejudice. A third printing was done shortly after her death.

Despite the popularity of the novel, Jane made only £110. Far less than the more than £450 her publisher made. Due to the slow sales of Sense and Sensibility at the time, she sold the rights to Pride and Prejudice for a lump sum.

Even though Pride and Prejudice was well loved by the public, Jane felt a little differently. Shortly after Pride and Prejudice was published, Jane wrote to her sister, Cassandra:

Upon the whole … I am well satisfied enough. The work is rather too light, and bright, and sparkling; it wants shade; it wants to be stretched out here and there with a long chapter of sense, if it could be had; if not, of solemn specious nonsense, about something unconnected with the story: an essay on writing, a critique on Walter Scott, or the history of Buonaparté, or anything that would form a contrast and bring the reader with increased delight to the playfulness and general epigrammatism of the general style.

It may very well be the fact that it was ” … light, and bright, and sparkling … ” which made it so popular.

In 1813, England was involved in wars on two fronts, for both the Peninsular War and the War of 1812 were ongoing. People were weary of war and the privations which it brought. Pride and Prejudice gave them an amusing respite in the peaceful and traditional English countryside, which many valued highly as the epitome of the English way of life. A countryside and way of life which many realized was already under threat from the relentless progress of the Industrial Revolution.

Jane’s fictional village of Meryton was populated by a host of amusing characters involved in the activities of everyday life and her witty tale included a pair of love stories that ended happily ever after.

To read more about the writing and publication of Pride and Prejudice, see Kathryn Kane’s original article.

This week we’re giving away a lovely set of Jane Austen notecards. For a chance to win, please leave a comment on any of the posts this week. winner will be drawn Monday, August 12. Winner must have a mailing address within the United States.

Originally posted 2013-08-09 10:00:00.

07
Jan
2026

Contest Winner for Madeline’s Protector

categories: Announcements, Contests, Recommended Reading, Regency Romance, Uncategorized

As many of you know, we’ve spent the past week celebrating the debut release of
Madeline’s Protector by Regency Reflections’s own Vanessa Riley. To help celebrate this new novel, we’ve included giveaways with every post over the past week and held one giant, week-long contest for a Nook ereader. Well, we have winners! And I’m very excited to share them with everyone.

The winner of a brand new Nook is . . .

Michelle Griep!

Michelle visited our Regency Reflections on the very first day of the contest and answered the question of what suitor you would pick for your daughter if you were a Regency mother. Congratulations, Michelle! We wish you lots of enjoyable hours of reading time on your new Nook!

Our other daily winners are as follows:

$10 Starbuck’s gift card – Nancy
iTune card – Teela
$10 Amazon gift certificate – Piper
Paperback copy of Madeline’s Protector – Jackie Layton

Congratulations to all our winners, and a special thanks to everyone who stopped by to help us celebrate the release of Madeline’s Protector!

And now, in case you’re wondering about the thought-provoking questions we asked at the end of each post. Here’s a list of the questions and the most popular answers.

Friday, April 26: If you were a Regency Mama, which suitor would you pick for your marriageable daughter and why:The son of a family friend, a titled reformed rake, a wealthy gentleman looking for a 2nd wife?

The most popular answer was: The son of a family friend. Most of the commentors liked being familiar with the suitors family and background before giving their daughters over in marriage to our imaginary man.

*****

Monday, April 29: If you lived during the Regency and found yourself in a dire circumstance would you:

A. Do everything possible to save yourself, not caring of any possible ramifications.

B. Do everything possible, but you would worry about potential scandals or compromise.

C. Risk everything to a point. Your family name and position could not be threatened.

The most popular answer was B. Most commentors would do everything possible, but still be conscientious about scandals.

*****

Wednesday, May 1: What got you interested in the Regency time period?

The most popular answer was: Pride and Prejudice, either one of the movies or the book or a combination of the two.

*****

Friday, May 3: Have you ever had your purse snatched? And if so, did you give chase?

The most popular answer was: No, most people have not had their purses taken (though a few have). And no, most people did not think they would give chase, even if their purses were stolen.

*****

Thanks again for stopping by and enjoying our week-long celebration of Madeline’s Protector. We hope to see each and every one of you back again sometime over the coming weeks!

Originally posted 2013-05-06 10:00:00.

06
Jan
2026

Madeline’s Protector ~ Spiritual Themes, review by Susan Karsten

categories: Book Reviews, Contests, New Release, Regency Romance, Uncategorized

Note from Management: 🙂

Our Daily Post Winners:

Fri, April 26—$10 starbuck’s gift card – Nancy
Mon, April 29–iTune card – Teela
Wed, May 1–$10 Amazon Gift certificate – Piper
Fri, May 3—A paperback of Madeline’s Protector. – Maybe you?

Add a comment and you will be entered into the daily contest as well as the Grand Prize: Color Nook ereader. You can also enter here for an extra chance: http://wp.me/p2854H-Jj

———–

When searching for spiritual themes in Vanessa Riley’s new book, Madeline’s Protector, one doesn’t search long before coming upon several worthwhile strands of Christian truth.

Riley weaves a tale wherein our beloved faith emerges deeply embedded within her rollicking, action-packed tale of love’s trials. What begins as a deceptively simple conflict, spirals into a web of difficulty for the young aristocrats.

Madeline St. James and Justain Delveux meet under highly stressful circumstances. Robbery, murder, peril, and compromised reputation mesh in a riveting tale dappled with otherwordly beauty.

Madeline’s confidence in Providence wars against Justain’s uncertainties, as all the while Justain battles to protect her from forces just beyond sight.

Misunderstandings, violence, subterfuge, and distrust forge a gauntlet which must be braved for their love to triumph.

Our heroine trusts the Lord to deliver her from those who would spitefully use her, and He uses a weak mortal man, Justain to protect her virtue. As the plot unfolds, Justain’s need for a savior becomes evident to him and he joins his bride in the fold.

A thoroughly satisfying read, in which Riley has a deft touch with spiritual matters.

Question: Have you ever had your purse snatched, and if yes, did you give chase? (Yes, this reveals a plot twist 🙂

Originally posted 2013-05-03 10:00:00.

06
Jan
2026

Madeline’s Protector Author Interview

categories: Author Interview, Contests, Uncategorized

Play our new release contest game, the first post: http://wp.me/p2854H-Jj

To celebrate Madeline’s Protector, we’re running a special week-long contest. Starting today through next Friday, May 3, we’ll feature thought-provoking questions at the end of each post. To enter the contest, you’ll need to supply a thoughtful answer to the question. The grand prize winner at the end of the week will receive a brand new Nook.

But the contest doesn’t stop there. Each day a new post goes up (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) we’ll be giving away mini-prizes for that day only. Here’s a list of the prizes:

Fri, April 26—$10 starbuck’s gift card
Mon, April 29–iTune card
Wed, May 1–$10 Amazon Gift certificate
Fri, May 3—A paperback of Madeline’s Protector.

And that’s not all. If you want to be eligible for a second chance to win the Nook tablet, you need to refer someone else to Regency Reflections. (Note: if you bring someone on over, make sure the other person’s comment mentions that you referred them).

If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment to enter the giveaway, or if you want yet a third chance to enter, you can follow this link and enter the contest once on this site: https://contest.io/c/8jhitnpz

As part of the launch for Madeline’s Protector, Laurie Alice Eakes interviews the author, Vanessa Riley, for Regency Reflections. At the end, please answer a question to participate in the drawing.

RR: What other question to ask a Regency author, but: Why the Regency and not some other time period?

VR: I am a certifiable Regency nut. I’m not sure whether it began from reading Heyer or Austen, or buying tons of Kensingtons. I can’t remember a month going by without reading of a ball or the Ton, or some wonderfully hilarious scandal. For me, no other time period has as much conflict and romance as the Regency: the battle between the classes, the rigor and duty of birthright, the role of honor versus personal choice. All set in the background of war, an industrial revolution, and changes in the role of religion. The Regency is a canvas of bright colors.

RR: What inspired Madeleine’s Protector?

VR: Madeline’s Protector was a dream I had in high school. I remember having Regency overload. I had just watched Lawrence Olivier’s and Greer Garson’s black and white movie version of Pride and Prejudice, wrote a paper on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and read some new marriage of convenience novel. The dream was vivid, and I wrote it as a short story. Years and years later, I picked up one of my old writing diaries, found the story, and started rewriting it.

RR: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

VR: Writing has always been an escape. I used to love putting pen to paper. Now it’s keys to bang. I won a few writing awards in high school, and served as an editor to my high school paper. I also served as editor-in-chief to my college magazine.

RR: Is Madeleine’s Protector your first publication including articles, short stories, academic work?

VR: I have a few technical publications about martensitic transformations of metals and rapid prototyping for metallic die-casting. (Laurie Alice, are you still awake? I think I dozed off on that one.) I won writing awards (poems and essays) in high school, but Madeline’s Protector is my first widely-available public fiction work.

RR: You have a rather impressive curriculum vitae. Tell us about your career outside of writing, and what led you in that direction.

VR: My day job is all about software. My company designs portal software, the kind of software you use when you login in to a member-oriented site or e-Learning. In college, I wrote a number of programs to analyze data or to my organize files. It seems a natural fit to keep writing programs that help make people’s lives better or more organized.

Photo of office for day job — Vanessa’s Day Job Office

RR: Does your more logical career and your more heart-felt writing career mesh or do they conflict?

photo of Vanessa's writing office porch — Vanessa’s Fav Writing Office

VR: I think they mesh well. It’s left brain, right brain activity. The right side is the technical side, structuring code, building programming modules. I also think the technical side helps structure the plot, scene orientation, and writing about mechanical actions like working a flintlock. The left side is meant for escapism. It is the softer side that loves poetry, gourmet cooking, and lots of chocolate. Maybe chocolate goes to both sides. The anti-oxidants in the candy must benefit the technical side

RR: What does your family feel about your writing?

Vanessa Rile and hubby — Vanessa Riley and hubby

VR: My mother is very supportive. She’s always been my first editor. I was a little nervous about letting her read the romantic scenes in Madeline’s Protector. Let’s just say, she didn’t put her red pen on those sections. My husband has given me the freedom to do the things that bring me joy. He’s very supportive but still doesn’t understand why Lord Devonshire has two names. My daughter sits at a little computer next to me trying to write a book like ‘Mommy’.

RR: What’s your favorite part of the writer’s journey?

VR: Other than typing ‘the end’ or getting the acceptance letters in the mail, my favorite part is interacting with readers. It’s very humbling listening to how someone is moved by what you wrote or even as she/he asks questions like ‘why did Madeline….’ It shows they are getting into the story, and it lets me know in a small way I’ve advance His story.

RR: As a final note, I wish to add that Vanessa, in her other life, has a Ph.D. from one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

RR Question for the audience: Since you’re visiting here, we will presume that you are interested in the Regency; therefore, please share with us: What got you interested in the Regency time period?

Originally posted 2013-05-01 05:00:00.

01
Jan
2026

Coffee Talk with Author Sarah E. Ladd – Part Two

categories: Announcements, Author Interview, Contests, Free Book

Welcome back to Part Two of our coffee talk with debut author Sarah E. Ladd.

I am delighted to host Regency Reflections’ newest author, friend Sarah E. Ladd, in a virtual coffee chat. She’s monitoring the comments to our post today, so please stop by and join the conversation.

Without further delay – grab a fresh cup of tea and your breakfast scone. We’re jumping back in to our chat about our main characters, Amelia and Graham, and their amazing love journey…

K: Welcome back! So Sarah, we’ve talked the growth your main characters had to take to in order to be ready to love. How important was it to set Amelia and Graham’s love story against the foundation of faith in Christ?

Oh very important. Both Amelia and Graham had deep-seeded issues that they needed to deal with before their hearts were really free to love one another. The first step to finding that peace and freedom was accepting God’s love and forgiveness. They both needed to accept God’s plans for their lives before they could really grasp the gifts that God was giving them.

K: Let’s talk about Graham. He’s quite a noble character. What is your favorite “Graham moment” in the book?

Without giving too much away, there is one scene in the book where Graham finally says goodbye to his wife, who passed away in the opening scene of the book. When I was writing the first draft of the book, this was the scene where I really understood Graham’s struggle. The act of saying goodbye and mourning his loss was a major step in his journey to being able to love someone else.

K: Your publication journey began with a big contest win. Care to tell us more about the experience?

I think that writing contests are a great way for writers to not only grow in the craft, but to learn more about the industry as well. In 2011, The Heiress of Winterwood won the Historical Romance category of the Genesis contest, which is a contest for unpublished authors held by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). It gave me the opportunity to share my story with others!

K: So with the win for Historical Romance, our readers are probably wondering, “How difficult is it really, to write a historical novel?” What are the challenges? The joys?

For a writer, I think the answer to this question probably ties back to the idea of “you write what you enjoy reading”. This is definitely the case for me! I have read inspirational historical romances for as long as I can remember, and I can’t imagine writing a novel in anything but a historical setting.

I would have to say that one of the challenges of writing a historical romance is making sure that the details of your novel are historically accurate. When transporting yourself to another time and culture, you really have to do your homework to understand the environment you are entering. But therein also lies the joy. The more you learn about another period of time, the more you want to know. And that what makes it exciting … there is always something new to learn and a fresh ideas from which to draw inspiration.

K: I simply must ask the following two questions of each author I interview. Ready? What is your go-to verse – that Bible verse that has been the foundation of your journey as a wife, mother, and now, an author of Christian fiction?

Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And second… Authors are more often than not prolific readers themselves. What books are currently stacked on your nightstand?

Right now I am rereading The Tennant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. (As Sarah’s interviewer hurriedly looks for a pencil and paper so she can write the title on her “To Read” list…)

Indy — From left: Authors Sarah E. Ladd, Kristy L. Cambron, Dawn Crandall. Authors’ lunch, summer 2012.

Absolutely!

Favorite Regency food: Wassail. In my family, we drink this every holiday season, and it is one of my favorites! (You can find the recipe here. Trust me … you’ll enjoy it!)

Favorite color: Probably pink : )

Favorite Regency movie: ‘Sense and Sensibility’ (1995 version). I love the soundtrack of this movie!

Your signature quote: This is my favorite Jane Austen quote:

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart. (Emma)

Where you write: My office

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Scone or biscuit? Scone

Graham or Mr. Darcy? (I’m sorry, Sarah! I couldn’t help myself with this question…)Totally Graham! : )

Favorite travel destination – London or the English countryside? English countryside

Favorite moment of the book (Please leave us wanting more…): The “Happy Ever After” scene, which is what I call the l

K: Where can we find you out on social media?
Please join me! Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

~ GIVEAWAY ~

Okay, Regency readers. Now it’s your turn.

Sarah’s giving away a signed copy of her book for one lucky reader. Click the GIVEAWAY link below and follow the instructions to enter.

GIVEAWAY entry link: http://bit.ly/V90WSh

Stay tuned to find out who wins a book signed by our debut author! We’ll announce the winner next week.

Our coffee cups may be empty, but our hearts have been happy for this opportunity to chat with you. It’s been a delight to spend time with you today, Sarah. And after all of this wonderful Regency conversation we now, more than ever, eagerly await the release of The Heiress of Winterwood!

In His Love,

Kristy

Originally posted 2013-04-12 10:00:50.