Guest Post & Giveaway – Vonnie Hughes

Today I welcome Regency (both traditional and Historical) and Romantic Suspense author, Vonnie Hughes to my blog as she celebrates the release of her latest novel, MR. MONFORT’S MARRIAGE and her upcoming novella, CAPTIVE with Musa Publishing.

 

 

Available books:

 

COMING HOME, a Regency hardback is available from Robert Hale Ltd and is about a soldier and a nurse, thrown together during the Napoleonic wars, who find more danger on their return to England than they ever did on the Iberian Peninsula. It is also available as an e-book at Amazon.

 

 

In December 16, 2011 Musa Publishing (under the Clio sub-brand) published a traditional Regency called THE SECOND SON as an e-book. THE SECOND SON is the prequel to COMING HOME, where, through the death of his brother, John Trewbridge stands to inherit a marquessate. Struggling to come to terms with unpalatable truths about himself, he receives help from an unlikely quarter. On a freezing winter’s day he meets Marguerite Ninian. Their acrimonious and memorable meeting occurs at a time when the world seems to have deserted them both. When the Trewbridge family implodes, it is the disabled Marguerite whom John turns to for help.

 

 

 

 

A Regency Historical, MR. MONFORT’S MARRIAGE, was published by Musa Publishing on January 27, 2012 as an e-book, this time under their Calliope brand. Musa’s policy is that their Regency Aurora brand is strictly for traditional Regencies. As MMM is slightly warmer than a traditional, it was therefore published as a romance (historical sub-brand). Matthew Monfort is a businessman who is inveigled into marrying an earl’s daughter. With good reason he loathes the ton, so Verity needn’t think she’s going to win him over, even though she’s quite delightful…and intelligent…and sweet…However Verity shows him that not all members of the ton are idle layabouts and that he can do much good with his largesse and with—shock, horror—the unexpected and embarrassing title conferred on him by Prinny.

 

 

 

 

Also in January 2012, The Wild Rose Press published a Romantic Suspense called LETHAL REFUGE. This is available both as a paperback and as an e-book. It is set in New Zealand and is about the fledgling witness protection program.

 

In November 2012 Musa will publish a Regency novella under the Aurora brand. It is titled CAPTIVE. A not-so-well behaved young lady decides that she will capture a husband for her older sister, thereby paving the way for her own entry on the to the marriage mart.

 

 

Time Management Skills:

 

I have none! For the past three months I have spent more time social networking than I have writing. Looking forward to getting back in the groove, which is s.l.o.w.l.y happening. Once I have the Regency novella and romantic suspense that I have almost finished to editing stage, then I can relax again and get on with the writing. Like many writers at the moment I don’t know how much credence to give to social networking.

 

My Latest Release:

 

My latest release was MR. MONFORT’S MARRIAGE a Regency Historical released by Musa. The idea was triggered because I was tired of hearing about endless dukes and earls as heroes (because let’s face it; there were a finite number of nobles during that era). I wanted to write a story with a middle-class hero. It took me about three months to write because I enjoyed myself. Sometimes writing is like pulling teeth, but Mr. Monfort’s Marriage sort of flowed. But then it took about six months to edit it…

 

Matthew is a businessman who, due to his education and expertise, is able to cross the divide between the ton and the fast-developing middle class. Thanks to his father’s misguided machinations, he is inveigled into marrying the daughter of a particularly obnoxious earl. Matthew is not enamoured of the titled classes since acquaintance with them has twice caused heart-rending problems in his life. But his new wife, Verity, is not at all what he expected. She’s delightful…and intelligent…and hard-working…but she needn’t think she’s going to win him over.

 

Got a lot to learn, hasn’t he?

 

 

What comes next?

 

In November, Musa will publish a Regency novella named CAPTIVE, firstly as an e-book. What would you do if the man of your dreams turns out to be your estranged mother’s lover? (See above). Then it’s nose to the grindstone to finish the Regency novella and Romantic Suspense novel already under way.

 

 

Thank you for visiting with me today, Vonnie. And good luck with your upcoming release, may you be blessed with great reviews and lots of sales. You can visit Vonnie at her: Website, Blog, Bookstrand, Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads or Musa Publishing page.

 

 

 

Author Bio: Vonnie is a New Zealander living in Australia. From the age of seven she wrote poetry and short stories for various publications such as Mate and the NZ Herald. She now primarily writes Regency novels and novellas, and contemporary romantic suspense novels. All her Regencies contain intrigue and mystery.

 

 

 

 

A paperback copy of Mr. Monfort’s Marriage will be posted to the first visitor on my blog today who can answer the two following questions about the Regency period: Thank you for the giveaway, Vonnie and Good Luck!!

 

1. What was the type of pistol common in that era?

 

2. What are a couple of differences between the Bow Street Runners and the later Peelers?