Victoria Vane | How A History Geek Found Her Happily Ever After
February 9, 2013
As a true blue history geek who began my writing career with historical fiction,
I faced a huge dilemma when I turned my hand to writing steamy romance. Was
there any way I could incorporate my geeky obsession with history into
passionate romance stories? At first look, it seemed unlikely, but after a
frenetic 18 months of writing, followed by five award-winning titles, the answer
is a resounding yes! Since A BREACH OF
PROMISE, my erotic romance debut inspired by Georgian era play,
The Belle's Stratagem, I have consistently sought my inspiration in real
historical events and people. In the belief that this added element of reality
gives greater depth and dimension to my stories, I have endeavored as much as
feasible to incorporate real history into ALL of my steamy romances. The result
has surprised and delighted readers— and has become my author trademark. In my award-winning Devil DeVere series I use a number of real events
(such as the Otaheitian Feast of Venus at King's Place Brothel) and many
real people as my secondary characters. My heroine Phoebe in A WILD NIGHT'S
BRIDE was closely modeled after Georgian actress Mary Robinson and
her ill-fated affair with a young George IV (then the Prince of Wales). DeVere's
character closely follows the rakish exploits of Frederick Calvert, who I
privately nicknamed "the Bad Baron Baltimore." TREACHEROUS
TEMPTATIONS, my newest release from Entangled Publishing's new
Scandalous imprint, was largely inspired by several popular novels of the
18th century which
share a common theme of virtue v. vice, and feature the planned seduction of a
virgin as the primary trope. Treacherous Temptations is also such
a story— darkly erotic with similar element of deception and intrigue. It begins on the heels of the South Sea Scandal, an event every bit as
catastrophic as the Wall Street crash of 1929. My characters Hadley and Mary are
both closely linked to this event, as Mary's father, a commoner and clerk for
the company reaped a massive fortune, while Hadley's father, the Earl of
Blanchard, a company director was ruined beyond redemption. To pour salt in the
wound, the Earl, (who commits suicide) is used as a company scapegoat and
posthumously impeached for fraud. Rather than living with the disgrace of a lost
fortune and ruined name, Lord Hadley goes abroad where he sinks
deeply into debauchery and dissipation and eventually becomes a spy. While Hadley and Mary are both fictional characters, I modeled Hadley Blanchard
after Philip, Duke of Wharton, a brilliant young nobleman who also lost his
fortune with the South Sea company. Disillusioned and on the verge of complete
ruin, he went abroad and dabbled in Jacobite intrigue, but died early after an
infamous (and short) life of dissipation. Mary Edwardes was also modeled after a real person, a commoner by the same name,
who became one of the greatest heiresses of her time, and who made an ill-fated
match with Lord Anne Hamilton (Yes, he was really named Anne, after his
godmother the queen!) When Mary realized her profligate husband would likely
squander her fortune, she took the drastic measure of destroying her marriage
records and baptizing their infant son under her maiden name— choosing the
stigma of bastardy over marriage to a noble rake! The real Mary Edwardes never
rewed. In TREACHEROUS
TEMPTATIONS, Mary and Hadley, whose lives are fated to intersect, are
both pawns of unsavory characters— Hadley's wickedly wanton step-mother
Barbara, who is mistress to Mary's equally unscrupulous guardian, Sir Richard
– the man responsible for Hadley's ruin. My Mary is faced with a similar
dilemma of a marriage she doesn't want when her guardian seeks to wed her off to
nobleman in exchange for political favors. Hadley on the other hand, is tired of
his life of deception and seeks to reclaim his lands and titles, as well as
revenge on the man who ruined him. When Hadley perceives Mary is the answer to
both, he sets out to seduce her— only to risk his own treacherous heart. About the Book
A reluctant heiress is embroiled in a treacherous game of jealousy,
seduction, and intrigue...but sometimes a clever pawn can become a
queen. Excerpt linkABOUT THE AUTHORA lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria combines these elements
to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience.
Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over
the top characters, Robin Schone , Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for
beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for
creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Learn more at her
website One commenter will win an e-book copy of TREACHEROUS TEMPTATIONS
Comments
28 comments posted.
Re: Victoria Vane | How A History Geek Found Her Happily Ever After
What a great excerpt...I look forward to reading the rest of this book really soon!
Thanks so much! (Maria Smith 12:47pm February 9, 2013)
Congratulations on being able to incorporate your passion - for history - into your writing. We should all be so lucky to have our passions forming part of our working lives and jobs. (Chris Coulson 5:27am February 9, 2013)
Many history students have gone on to write about the period that interested them, in novel form... I've read many great historical mysteries. So why not romance? (Clare O'Beara 6:01am February 9, 2013)
I do love it when real events or people are incorporated. (Mary Preston 6:20am February 9, 2013)
Sounds really great and love historical mysteries. Sound great. (Diane Castiglione 6:33am February 9, 2013)
Steamy history, sounds fabulous! Blessings, Marajorie (Marjorie Carmony 7:02am February 9, 2013)
This books sounds wonderful and one that I'd love to read!! (Bonnie Capuano 7:46am February 9, 2013)
Hi, Victoria! TREACHEROUS TEMPTATIONS sounds like a must read. Love your books! (Cathy Phillips 10:08am February 9, 2013)
Congrats on your book. Thanks for the contest. (Mary Hay 10:40am February 9, 2013)
The book sounds great congrats. (Pam Howell 12:05pm February 9, 2013)
Love to win (Ava Curtis 12:41pm February 9, 2013)
Real events are nice little additions to the book... as long as it still focuses on the main characters journey. (Colleen Conklin 12:58pm February 9, 2013)
I too have a geeky obsession with history. More power to you. This sounds like a great book. (Kathleen Yohanna 1:23pm February 9, 2013)
I love when history is combined with romance. It makes it come alive. (Debra Guyette 2:02pm February 9, 2013)
Score 1 for the Geeks. I have been a geek back in Junior High and High School. It's wonderful to have a book about Geeks. (Kai Wong 2:47pm February 9, 2013)
Injoyed reading your blog. I feel I learn more history from the novels I read than in history books. (Sheila True 2:48pm February 9, 2013)
EXCELLENT GIVEAWAY LOVE TO WIN LOVE YOUR BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Shelly Caggiano 4:21pm February 9, 2013)
Thanks for the chance to win. (Sue Galuska 4:28pm February 9, 2013)
I love when a historical novel is true to the time period. Treacherous Temptations sound like a great book. (Ann Sheiring 4:28pm February 9, 2013)
I am also a history lover! (Shirley Younger 6:13pm February 9, 2013)
Your book sounds great. Would love to winn it and read it. (Carol Woodruff 6:24pm February 9, 2013)
Love historical romance! It was very interesting to hear how you modeled some of your characters on real life historical figures. Congratulations on the new book. Thanks for the giveaway. (Bonnie H 6:48pm February 9, 2013)
I really enjoyed reading the excerpt. Thank you. This is going on my to-read list. I am always curious to know which parts of the story are closely related to real events and I strive to find out when something really interests me. Congrats on this wonderful book and please bring us some more. :) (Patti Paonessa 8:20pm February 9, 2013)
This sounds very interesting. The real person you used for inspiration was one determined woman! (Elaine Carlini-Davis 8:43pm February 9, 2013)
SOUNDS so good, thanks (Debbi Shaw 9:06pm February 9, 2013)
It would be impossible to believe that romance has not existed in each historical era, so I love it when a writer/author can manage a seamless incorporation done in such a balanced way that you can truly imagine that the write is writing about a true person's experience. Way to go... I'd love to read this book. (Donna Holmberg 9:48pm February 9, 2013)
The book sounds wonderful! (Marcy Shuler 10:15pm February 9, 2013)
Thank you all for your comments! I'm glad to hear I am not alone in my geekiness! LOL! Warmest regards, Victoria (Victoria Vane 11:24pm February 10, 2013)
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