Jo Beverley - [Rogue ] (47 page)

So I did.

By hand in a large notebook and sometimes on a feeble portable typewriter, I wrote the book I then called A Regency Rape. You can see that I wasn't in tune with the romance market! In fact, though I enjoyed Regency romances, I wasn't aware of the business at all.

When I'd finished I did the only thing I could think of and wrote to the publisher of some of my favorite Regencies asking how to go on. I received a terse reply saying they did not accept un-agented submissions. That confirmed my suspicion that novel writing was some sort of closed society that I didn't have access to.

By then I was pregnant and so the next few years were taken up by babies and children, especially as I became a teacher of woman-centered childbirth. By the early 1980s, however, I was becoming twitchy again, so when I saw an announcement of a talk at the local library on how to write a romance, I went. The teacher, Janet Adams, opened that door to the supposed closed society and I began to have a clue.

The classes were on two Saturdays, and after the first one she invited us all to leave a piece of work at the library so that she could critique them in the next class. I hurried home to write the opening of my first published novel,
Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
. This was much more traditional and Janet praised it, which pushed me to finish it and submit it.

It was rejected. I was bruised that the world didn't instantly recognize my brilliance, but I'd joined a local romance writing group and was learning enough to see where I'd gone wrong. I worked on my writing for years and then, in 1988 I sold
Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
to Walker Books. Much had changed, but that short opening chapter had not.

I went on to write six traditional Regencies for Walker and had forgotten Nicholas and Eleanor's book until I came across the notebook and pieces of paper I'd worked on a decade before. I sat to read a bit, expecting to find something hopeless, but I was soon caught up in the story. In my spare moments I pecked away at putting it on the computer.

It needed extensive rewriting, including cutting out a subplot about a couple who were Eleanor's friends, but in the end I judged it ready to go out into the world.

Where in was soundly rejected.

I wasn't entirely surprised, for I knew by then how risky many of the story elements were, but I and my agent persisted and eventually it was bought by Zebra Books. I am very grateful that they were willing to take on something different, and we were both rewarded by the book's success.

An Arranged Marriage
won the Reader's Choice Award for Regency and the Romantic Times Award for Best Regency Novel. It was also a finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA award, Regency, the top award in romance fiction. It was beaten by another of my novels, a traditional Regency called
Emily and the Dark Angel
.

By the time I sold
An Arranged Marriage
I was working on another sexy Regency which would eventually be
An Unwilling Bride
. I realized that if I made the hero of that one a member of Nicholas's Company of Rogues I would have the beginning of a series, and so Lucien joined that first gathering of the Rogues. That turned out to be particularly interesting because Lucien is by far the highest born, but Nicholas is definitely the leader. Sparks fly between them sometimes, as you'll see in
An Unwilling Bride
.

The Company of Rogues series has run through fourteen novels and one novella, all written over thirty years. I've known these guys a long time.

If you've enjoyed
An Arranged Marriage
I'd appreciate it if you'd spread the word by post a review in the online place of your choice, such as Amazon, Goodreads, etc. Thank you!

Happy Reading!

Jo Beverley

Page forward and continue your journey

with an excerpt from

AN UNWILLING BRIDE

The Company of Rogues Series

Book Two

Excerpt from

An Unwilling Bride

The Company of Rogues

Book Two

by

Jo Beverley

New York Times & USA Today

Bestselling Author

AN UNWILLING BRIDE

Awards & Accolades

Romance Writers of America RITA Award, Winner

Best Regency Romance, Romantic Times

Golden Leaf Award, Historical

"Miss Beverley is a storyteller par excellence whose vivid and mesmerizing characters totally engage all of the reader's emotions. Top notch Regency reading pleasure."

~Romantic Times

"Spending time reading about these two intelligent, strong people was such a treat, I'm dreading starting a new book. It can't possibly make me smile, laugh, or root for its characters the way I did for Beth and Lucien."

~All About Romance

Beth stopped before the large mirror hanging over a mahogany half-table and straightened her formal cap, tucking a stray brown curl back under it. To hold her position in the school in which she had recently been a pupil she found it useful to adopt severity.

She stepped back to make sure her gray wool round gown hung smoothly from the high waistband and that no grubby or bloody fingers had marred it. Satisfied that Aunt Emma would have no cause to blush for her, she stepped over to scratch at the parlor door.

When she entered she decided it was a parental matter, though she did not know the man who had risen upon her entrance. He was, she supposed, middle-aged, but had none of the vagueness of that description. He was tall, slim and elegant, with thinning, well-cut hair touched with silver at the sides, and very regular features. He was, however, studying her with more attention than was polite. Beth raised her chin slightly.

"Your grace," said Miss Mallory in an odd voice, "allow me to present Miss Elizabeth Armitage. Miss Armitage, this is the Duke of Belcraven who wishes to speak with you."

Beth dropped a curtsy but did not attempt to conceal her astonishment. She had never heard of the Duke of Belcraven and was sure there had been no daughters of that house in the school in her time.

The duke was still inclined to stare and with something of a disapproving frown in it. Beth returned the look. She did not believe in kow-towing to the aristocracy, particularly if they were not parents of Miss Mallory's pupils.

The man turned to the older woman. "I wish to speak to Miss Armitage alone, Miss Mallory."

"That would be most improper, your grace," said that lady with immense dignity. She too was not one to grovel before the idle rich.

"I have no designs on Miss Armitage's virtue, ma'am," he said dryly. "I merely wish to discuss some private matters. Whether she shares them with you afterwards will be at her discretion." The tone was mild but it was clear the duke was not used to having his wishes questioned.

Miss Mallory gave in. Despite her egalitarian principles she was a businesswoman and it was no light matter to offend a duke. "I will leave the decision to Miss Armitage, then," she said at last.

Under two pairs of eyes, Beth was not about to admit to any qualms about being alone with a quite elderly gentleman. Her principles were based on the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft—author of 'The Rights of Man' and 'The Rights of Woman'. She did not allow her behavior to be circumscribed by useless restrictions on the freedom of women."I have no objection," she said calmly, and waited as her 'aunt' left the room.