Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Guest Author - Jenna Petersen

Today we are thrilled to have Jenna Petersen (also known as Jess Michaels) as our special guest author! I've been a fan of Jenna since her debut book, Scandalous, hit the shelves. She is one busy lady, let me tell you. Not only does she write under and have a website for both of her pseudonyms, she also runs The Passionate Pen website, a valuable resource for anyone who wants to write and become published. Her latest book, What the Duke Desires, is the start of a new series and one that you don't want to miss! Check out my review here. So without further ado, please help me welcome Jenna Petersen to The Romance Dish!



Hi everyone! And thanks so much for having me today! I’m so excited to be part of The Romance Dish’s launch week!

So if you don’t know me, I’m Jenna Petersen and I write historical and erotic historical romances. Oh… and I also like to break heroes. It’s true. Think of my track record. In SCANDALOUS my hero was a bastard with a terrible mother and an even worse brother who is forced into a marriage. FROM LONDON WITH LOVE, accused of treason. DESIRE NEVER DIES, feels responsible for the terrible injury of his best friend and partner. SEDUCTION IS FOREVER, adrenaline junkie with a death in his past. LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN, another forced marriage and has to keep a terrible secret from his beloved brother. And my last book, HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT, dead twin brother, forced to take on a title he hates.

So, yeah, I like to take my men and twist them in knots. And my latest release, WHAT THE DUKE DESIRES, is no different. However, I do think I’ve reached the peak of my sadism against heroes in this book.

First, let me say that Simon Crathorne, Duke of Billingham is a decent man. He’s not your typical rake (though he’s certainly sexy as all get out) and he’s basically trying to do the right thing. That made breaking him a little harder in some ways. But I managed to do it by dismantling everything he ever believed about his father and ultimately everything he ever thought about his own life.

Twisted, right? And I had so much fun doing it. And even more fun knowing that my heroine had it out for him (at least for some portion of the book) even as he’s falling in love with her.

So you may now be thinking, “Sheesh, lady, why mess with a nice guy?” Well, I have to tell you, I love romances where the couple has to struggle and battle, ones that tie me in knots and make me wonder if it can all really work out. I think it makes the happily ever after all the sweeter. And there was nothing sweeter to me than getting Simon and Lillian there.

Oh yeah, and this book starts a series, The Billingham Bastards. And since the word “bastards” (one of my favorite themes, obviously) is in the title, you can bet I’ll be tying my other two heroes from the series into knots, too. But that’s for a different day…





So do YOU like the battle of a romance to get to the happily ever after?

And I have an extra special treat for you, dear readers! Jenna has graciously allowed me to post the cover for her upcoming Jess Michaels' release NOTHING DENIED!








So, what do you think? I love it and think it fits perfectly with the other books in the series. NOTHING DENIED is the third book in the Albright sisters series and releases February 2, 2010! I can't wait for this one!!













37 comments:

  1. Hi Jenna and congrats *\o/*
    I can't wait to read What a Duke Desires ! It really sounds fantastic.
    An please keep twisting your heroes in knots... we love it ;-)

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  2. Hi Jenna!
    I love those tortured heroes and I love your books!

    And I just wanted to say that I met you at the Chicago Spring Fling last time they had it and you were the nicest author there! So sweet and kind!

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  3. Morning Jenna! Thanks so much for being our guest today.

    I love stories where the hero and heroine have to work for their hea. As you said, it makes it all the sweeter when they finally find it.

    Smokin' cover on that new book. Thanks for letting us preview it!

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  4. Good morning, all! And welcome to The Romance Dish, Jenna! I hope you had a fun and relaxing vacation. :)

    You know how I feel about Simon and what he desires. ;) Hands down, my favorite!

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  5. Emmanuelle, you will LOVE Simon and Lillian's story. Good stuff. *g*

    Good morning, Lori! I couldn't agree with you more--Jenna is one of the nicest and most giving authors I know. :)

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  6. Good morning everyone! Emmanuelle, I really hope you love Simon and Lillian's story! And don't worry, I tie up poor Rhys, the hero of my next book, even more! ;)

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  7. Oops, I meant to post all my responses at once but was distracted by vacation pics. Sigh. Okay, so Lori, thanks so much! I'll be at Spring Fling this coming year, too, presenting about "Write Like You Mean It". I love meeting other authors! :)

    PJ -- Isn't it a beautiful cover? Now I'll let you in on a secret, you can see the ORIGINAL cover still up at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Denied-Novel-Jess-Michaels/dp/0061657727/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258467371&sr=8-6 They haven't updated the new cover yet (though I've been badgering them for months). So what do you think?

    Andrea, it was a great vacation! We had some wonderful hikes and saw our nephew! I'll be posting some pictures on Facebook later!

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  8. Hi Jenna! It was great to meet you here in NC last month. I'm so looking forward to What a Duke Desires!

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  9. Jenna said: Andrea, it was a great vacation! We had some wonderful hikes and saw our nephew! I'll be posting some pictures on Facebook later!

    Sweet! I'll be sure to check them out later!

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  10. So glad to see you as the guest author today! Read What the Duke Desires last week and loved it, very much looking forward to the rest of the series. I've enjoyed all the Jenna books, just branching in to the Jess books :)(picked up the Sin series re-release this past fall on Kindle). Congratulations on another successful release! This was one of my favorites so far, I do love it when the men have their own knotty conflicts to deal with

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  11. I picked up WADD this past weekend and can't wait to open it and read the story, Jenna.
    I like having the hero and heroine "working" for their HEA, but I don't like a plot where they are always duking it out (ooh, good pun, LOL). I want sweet moments intermingled with the battle of wills, too.
    The cover is delish--mmm.

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  12. Hi Deb! I just loved hanging out with your group in NC! :)

    JWZ-- You're so sweet! I'm so glad you enjoyed WTDD!! And I hope you like the Jess books as much!

    Deb -- Hope you enjoy!

    Just published those pictures from our vacation! If you're my friend at http://www.facebook.com/jennapetersen then you can see them. If not, friend me!

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  13. Hi Jenna, What a Duke Desires sounds fantastic. Dark and twisty heroes are my favorite. Also have to say your covers look great.

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  14. *waving* Hey Deb Marlowe! Hope you enjoy WTDD!

    JWZ, wasn't it great?! Which Jess books have you read? I love her Albright sisters books. Have you read any of them? They start with Everything Forbidden. If not, check them out!

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  15. LOL, Deb! Good one! Hope you enjoy Simon. And thanks for stopping by!

    Calila, Jenna has been blessed with gorgeous covers, hasn't she? Jess, too!

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  16. Hi, Jenna! So glad you're here today!

    Andrea has been raving about WADD! Can't wait to read it! And the cover of you new book---WOW! LOVE IT!

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  17. Jenna, your books sound awesome though I tread gingerly when you put "erotic historical" and "tortured hero" together :-)

    I like the idea of Her Notorious Viscount. A twin having to do what he abhors....cool...

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  18. Andrea - Thanks for the suggestion, I haven't read that series of books yet, so I'll check them out! And I just realized that somehow, SOMEHOW, I managed to not read Her Notorious Viscount. I need to remedy that quickly and find time this weekend to get to the bookstore!

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  19. OOPS! I was in my Romance Dish identity! Just count that comment as mine!

    ~Gannon

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  20. Hi Jenna

    I love all of your books they have given hours of pleasure and I always look forward to another Jenna or Jess book.

    I have What The Duke Desires and can't wait to read it I love the way you create the "battle" to the happily ever after always great reading.

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  21. Back! Wow, you guys are so nice! You're all making my week already. LOL

    Calila -- Hope you enjoy WTDD! I have been kissed by the cover gods, for sure!

    Gannon -- I hope you like it when you pick it up! And don't worry about logging in with your other identity, I do it all the time on Facebook. ARG!!!

    Joan -- I loved writing HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT. It was so fun making my hero be something he wasn't and balancing him with a woman who saw him for what he truly was. Sigh....

    JWZ -- Hope you can find HNV! If they don't have it, be sure to ask! sometimes they can order it and have it delivered at no charge!

    Helen -- You're so sweet! I hope you like WTDD!!

    Off to order Christmas presents...

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  22. I like romances where they have to battle to get together, as long as they get really close over the course of the story. Some stories seem like all battle - no relationship. Or stories, the characters seem at odds just to be at odds. Don't like those either. Either way, I do love a good tortured hero.

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  23. YAY, Jenna's here! Welcome to our new home Jenna! Sure did miss seeing you at M&M this year. Andrea had raved and raved and raved some more about WHAT A DUKE DESIRES. It is at the top of my TBB list. And yes, I *do* like the battle for the HEA.

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  24. Hi Jenna,
    I loved "Taboo" and can't wait for "Nothing Denied" to be released. When will an excerpt be posted on your site?

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  25. LOL, Gannon! I wondered if that was you or Buffie!

    Joan, HNV is a really good read. You should check it out. ;-)

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  26. *waving* Hi, Helen!

    ITA, Alice--there must be a relationship to balance out the battle. Otherwise, the reader is just frustrated. Thanks for stopping by!

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  27. Buffie said: Andrea has raved and raved and raved some more about WHAT A DUKE DESIRES.

    I'm not sure if you could tell, but I loved this book. LOL!!

    Wasn't TABOO awesome, Jane?!

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  28. Wow, I'm a little late to the party.
    Hi Jenna!~
    I've heard so many good things about this book. I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet, because for some reason the book stores around here aren't carrying it. I think it has something to do with the fact that we are in the middle of nowhere. But, I could be wrong. :-)
    Hopefully here soon I'll be able to order it online.
    Also I don't think I've read any of your other works, so I will have to look for those too.

    Loved the pics of your vacation. My favorite was the pine tree in the foreground and the cliff in the background. The cutest one was of course you guys burying your nephew.

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  29. Hi Jenna, looking forward to What a Duke Desires.

    I just love the cover to Nothing Denied, and oh so waiting patiently for its release. Yup, I'm a fan of the Albright sisters series.

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  30. Once again, I disappear for a few hours (online Xmas shopping and a loooong talk with my fab literary agent) and I come back to all kinds of happy comments! Thanks all! This makes coming back to reality a little sweeter!

    Alice -- I agree, it can get frustrating when a hero/heroine are fighting and it seems like it's just for the purpose of fighting. If it isn't germaine to the story, it just makes me mad. I think Lillian and Simon have real issues, though and in the end they come out stronger.

    Buffie -- I'm sorry I missed M&M this year too. I'm doing a lot of traveling this coming year so maybe we'll see each other then. Enjoy WTDD! And Andrea, I'll be sending you your check for all this publicity soon! LOL

    Jane -- December! I've been holding on to it to get through the release of WTDD (so as not to confuse people) but on November 30 I intend to update the JennaPetersen.com site with the excerpt. It was so fun writing Beatrice's story. It's the last one of the series, so I hope people who loved the previous stories will feel all happy and satisfied when they're done. :)

    Dorothy -- I'm so bummed to hear you're having so much trouble. Do ask, I guess. Sometimes they'll order if you do so. OTherwise, online may be your best bet. Sorry!

    Armenia -- Yay! I'm so glad you're looking forward to both. I do love my Albrights! :) And their men. Yummy!

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  31. Tortured heroes are some of the best to read about! WTDD sounds fantastic! :)

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  32. No worries, Dorthy, you're just fashionably late. *g* I sure hope you find WTDD soon. You won't be disapponted! Btw, I got your card today. Thank you! (((hugs)))

    Yay, another Albright sisters fan! Thanks for stopping by, Armenia!

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  33. Trisha, you must read WTDD when you come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas break. You will LOVE Simon. Just sayin'.

    ;-)

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  34. Thank you guys so much for having me today! :) It was so much fun!!!

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  35. Thank you so much for joining us during this special week, Jenna! Here's to hoping WTDD goes for a third printing!

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  36. Thanks for spending the day with us Jenna!

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