Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Today's Special - - Cara Elliott

I'm so happy to welcome Cara Elliott to the Romance Dish today.  I had the pleasure of meeting Cara at the RWA national conference in New York City this past summer and was delighted when she agreed to visit with us here at the blog..  Cara's new book, TOO WICKED TO WED, features not only a delicious hero but one of my favorite heroines of the year and a wonderful story that kept me reading late into the night. Please give Cara a warm welcome!






Hi everyone, I’m so delighted to be visiting here at the Romance Dish today. I always love “dishing” about books and the stories behind the stories. My new historical romance trilogy, “The Lords of Midnight” launches this month with the release of TOO WICKED TO WED and it’s all about . . . taking a gamble in life.

Now, betting was not just popular in Regency England—it was a passion! Gentlemen wagered on everything, from card games, horse races and boxing matches to marriage match-ups and how many bottles of port they could drink in one sitting. There is even a story of two club members betting on which rain drop would be the first to slide down to the bottom of a windowpane (after tossing back quite a few glasses of that port, I would guess.)

There were gaming “hells” all over London, from the swanky environs of Mayfair to the seedy streets of the slums. Fortunes were often won and lost in a single evening of play. So as I started planning my “Lord of Midnight” trilogy, which features three dark and dangerous rogues, I decided that such a place would make a perfect setting for some of the action.

Alexa Hendrie, the heroine of TOO WICKED TO WED, is a very smart, sensible, practical young lady. But she’s also a little exasperated over the fact that ladies have so many rules governing their behavior, while gentlemen get to go out and play.

So she throws caution to the wind for just one night, and decides to see if she can beat the men at their own game . . . with unexpected results! She wins—and wins big. When the last card has fallen, she fins that she is now half owner of one of London’s most notorious gambling hells.

And her new partner is the infamous Earl of Killingworth, better known as the “Irish Wolfhound."

Connor has taken a gamble too. He’s trying to rebuild the family fortune squandered by his profligate father, rather than simply marry an heiress. He keeps the fact that he own a business a secret from all but his closest friends . . . so he’s not overjoyed to learn that one of them has lost half-ownership in The Wolf’s Lair in a high-stakes card game. That the winner is a prim country miss makes the news even harder to swallow.

The partnership will never work . . . or will it? When a canny enemy seeks to put The Wolf’s Lair out of business permanently, Alexa and Connor are forced to work together in order to survive . . . and they soon discover they have more in common than they ever imagined. But are they willing to risk everything on love? (Oh, don’t worry—it’s a safe bet to guess that the dice rolls in their favor and they win a HEA!)

Now what about you? Are you a risk-taker—someone who will take a gamble, even if it’s a little dangerous, a little naughty? Or do you err on the side of caution? 

Do share! I’ll be giving away a signed copy of TOO WICKED TO WED to one random commentator. (Sorry but the offer is limited to U.S. addresses) 

Click here to visit Cara's website, here to visit her Facebook page and here to read an excerpt from TOO WICKED TO WED.

45 comments:

  1. Ooh, I get the chook! Or perhaps seeing this is the Dish blog, I get coq au vin!

    Cara, love the sound of the new book. Love opposites flung together and forced to get over their differences (and work through their attraction!). Congratulations on your new release!

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  2. Congrats on the new release, Cara. I'm definitely cautious when making decisions. I do know that sometimes you have to take risks to get what you want and I do hope I'll be able to do it without fear.

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  3. Hi Cara! Welcome to our humble abode! It's such a delight to have you here with us today to celebrate the release of TOO WICKED TO WED (it's out today, folks!), the first book in your new Lords of Midnight historical series.

    I loved this book! Your characters captured me from the very first and kept me reading late,late into the night until I finally reached their happy ending. What a fun ride!

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  4. Ooh, I get the chook! Or perhaps seeing this is the Dish blog, I get coq au vin!

    Snort! Better not let the GR see this comment, Anna or you may not be allowed back into the lair!

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  5. I do know that sometimes you have to take risks to get what you want and I do hope I'll be able to do it without fear.

    I'm a cautious type too, Jane though I've become better at taking some risks in the past few years. I'd call them calculated risks though. I'm still not the "throw caution to the winds" type of girl. ;-)

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  6. congrats on the new release. The book sounds like a fun read - love that the heroine beats the guys at their own game ;)

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  7. Thanks, Anna! The "opposites attract" is a fun theme to work with. I like setting off sparks and seeing what ignites!

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  8. Many thanks, Jane. I tend to be cautious too, but sometimes you do have to force yourself to make a leap of faith.

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  9. Hi Cara,

    Congratulations to you on your new release. "Too Wicked To Wed" which sounds like a very enticing and intriguing read. I have to agree with Anna's comments about opposites being thrown together.

    Personally, I always tend to be very cautious when I have to make any decisions. I have to weigh up the pros and cons and inevitably err on the side of caution.

    The front cover artwork of your book is gorgeous, and very enticing.

    Thank you for this opportunity.

    dpdd333 (at) aol dot com

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  10. PJ, I'm so glad you enjoyed TWTW! I really had such fun writing Alexa and Connor, so it's very heartening to hear that readers like them too!

    Thanks so much for having me today!

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  11. Congratulations on the new story Cara! It sounds like a good one. I tend to be cautious but it is appealing to throw caution to the wind.

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  12. Seems like many of us are on the same page about risk, Diane. But I bet we've all been tempted, right?

    So glad you like the cover too. I adore what the art dept. came up with

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  13. Ohhh Cara! Congrats on your new release and it just sounds like a delicious read! I've not read a historical for a while so I will definitely have to keep an eye out for this one!

    I'm not much of a risk taker these days but I can definitely see the appeal ;)

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  14. Congratulations on the release of Too Wicked to Wed, Cara. I love the sound of the new trilogy. I'm such a cautious soul myself that I really enjoy reading about risk-taking characters.

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  15. Too Wicked to Wed sounds great! I'm not a risk taker, I'm a pretty cautious person by nature and while I might want to take a risk...I usually play it safe.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  16. Hmmm, looks like we have a very sensible group here...though we're all intrigued by throwing caution to the wind.(Luckily we can all do that within the pages of a book, right!)

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  17. Diane D said, "Too Wicked To Wed" which sounds like a very enticing and intriguing read. I have to agree with Anna's comments about opposites being thrown together.

    Diane, I highly recommend TOO WICKED TO WED. Any book that keeps me awake three hours past my bedtime is a keeper for me! :)

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  18. Maureen said, I tend to be cautious but it is appealing to throw caution to the wind.

    As I said earlier, I tend to caution but I have to admit that the times I've thrown caution to the wind have turned out pretty well. Maybe I need to do that more often! :)

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  19. Jennifer said, Congrats on your new release and it just sounds like a delicious read!

    Delicious is a good description, Jennifer!

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  20. Janga said, Congratulations on the release of Too Wicked to Wed, Cara. I love the sound of the new trilogy. I'm such a cautious soul myself that I really enjoy reading about risk-taking characters.

    Janga, I think you'd like this one!

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  21. Maria said, Too Wicked to Wed sounds great! I'm not a risk taker, I'm a pretty cautious person by nature and while I might want to take a risk...I usually play it safe.


    I think that's what makes reading about risk-takers in our books so exciting, Maria. Especially when the risk-taker is the heroine! :)

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  22. Oh, PJ, thanks so much for the lovely words! (Can I hire you as my publicist, LOL) Sorry for making you lose sleep, but I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed the characters and story

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  23. Congratulations on the new release. The book sounds interesting.

    I'm usually very cautious by nature. However, I will take a risk if that's the only way to take advantage of an opportunity.

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  24. As I said earlier, I tend to caution but I have to admit that the times I've thrown caution to the wind have turned out pretty well. Maybe I need to do that more often! :)

    So true! Sometimes daring to do something out of our comfort zone is a Good Thing! it keeps the blood thrumming, right?

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  25. I am DEFINITELY a risk taker. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. :)

    rachie2004 AT yah00 d*t c-m

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  26. Cara -
    Thanks for sharing a little bit about Alexa and Connor and their story. I fell in love with your wriitng when I read To Sin With A Scoundrel and ended up loving all three of the books in The Circle of Sin trilogy!

    Congratulations on the release of Too Wicked to Wed! I'm thrilled to know that we won't have long to wait for the release of Too Tempting to Resist.

    As I've gotten older I'm not as much of a risk-taker as I was in my teens and twenties. When I graduated from High School I didn't want to go to the school that my parents had "picked" for me so I moved across the country to Arizona, worked full time and went to college nights. Unlike today that wasn't the usual path for a woman in the mid-1960's!

    Being in my 60's now I can say the biggest risk is not taking a risk at all. In order to succeed you also need to fail in order to learn and grow as an individual. This sometimes doesn't go over well with my husband of 41 years but fortunately he keeps his thoughts to himself - unless it's a new receipe that he doesn't like!

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  27. Cara -
    Thanks for sharing a little bit about Alexa and Connor and their story. I fell in love with your wriitng when I read To Sin With A Scoundrel and ended up loving all three of the books in The Circle of Sin trilogy!

    Congratulations on the release of Too Wicked to Wed! I'm thrilled to know that we won't have long to wait for the release of Too Tempting to Resist.

    As I've gotten older I'm not as much of a risk-taker as I was in my teens and twenties. When I graduated from High School I didn't want to go to the school that my parents had "picked" for me so I moved across the country to Arizona, worked full time and went to college nights. Unlike today that wasn't the usual path for a woman in the mid-1960's!

    Being in my 60's now I can say the biggest risk is not taking a risk at all. In order to succeed you also need to fail in order to learn and grow as an individual. This sometimes doesn't go over well with my husband of 41 years but fortunately he keeps his thoughts to himself - unless it's a new receipe that he doesn't like!

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  28. Oh, I tend to err on the side of caution most of the time....not a big risk taker, sometimes I wish I was though :)
    Congrats on the new release, this one is one I have really been looking forward too :)

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  29. Hi Cara!
    Great to see you here at The Dish! Too Wicked to Wed sounds like a great book, and I'll have to be sure to check it out. I love books where opposites attract and the hero and heroine are thrown into a situation together and forced to muddle through without killing each other, lol

    I tend to err on the side of caution unfortunately, which has its advantages and disadvantages. But I have also come to see the wisdom of nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have realized that I need to take some calculated risks, and push out of my comfort zone to get where I need to be.

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  30. Jeanne, thanks so much for your nice words—and for reminding us of the fact that taking a risk IS important in life. You have to dare to reach for the stars, even if it requires climbing to a precarious perch.

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  31. How Wonderful - Release Day! I'm generally very cautious, but every once in a while, I take a deep breath and do something a bit risky (but sometimes I need a push).

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  32. Hi Cara,
    I am a risk-taker which stems from my impulsive nature. From time to time I like to give in to spontaneity but I am also cautious, taking well-calculated risks. So, I'm a bit of both meaning I like to risks when the stakes aren't too high. When there is a lot to lose I tend to take a step back and let logic and probability rule.

    Congratulations on your release :)

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  33. I used to be a risk-taker. Not so much now, but I sure enjoy reading about them! I'm looking forward to Cara's latest. Thanks for an interesting post.

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  34. Congratulations on your new book. To answer the question: no, I am not particularly risk taking at this point in my life; I prefer to get my thrills vicariously through heroines and heroes like the ones you wrote about in this book. Much safer that way!

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  35. Hi, Cara! It's wonderful to have you dishing with us today. :-)

    Hmmm, I guess depending on the situation I can be either cautious or a risk taker. Over the years, I've definitely learn to trust my intuition. When I do that, things work out beautifully.

    Can't wait to read TOO WICKED TO WED. :-)

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  36. Hi Cara! Congrats on your new release of Connor and Alexa's story, TOO WICKED TO WED. I love the cover and it sounds like a must read.

    I am overly cautious as an adult. That is why I love stories like this. I can escape and be a risk taker. As a child, I would try almost anything, and often got in trouble for doing it.

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  37. Hi Cara, Love the cover of your new book, its beautiful. I would love to read it.

    I will have to say I am not a risk taker at all, more on the cautious side. I always have to think about everything I do and then think again before I do it.

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  38. I wish I was more of a risk taker, but no, I'm much more cautious and just can't bring myself to gamble on anything of any substance. Every once in a while I'll get up the courage to take a risk, but that's certainly not the norm.

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  39. Cara, thank you so much for blogging with us today. I hope you'll consider a return visit when the next book, TOO TEMPTING TO RESIST, makes its bow in 2012. The Lords of Midnight have me hooked! :)

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  40. Sorrry! Chiming in late here as I had to attend a board meeting and scholarship dinner for college students.

    Thanks SO much to everyone for stopping by to chat. I love how we all say we're cautious . . . but then admit we'll take a risk if our heart tells us it's right.

    But like TxDee, I tend to take my risks vicariously through books about daring heroines and their dangerous heroes.

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  41. PJ, many thanks for having me here at The Romance Dish. I would LOVE to come back for Gryff's book in May!

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  42. Hi Cara, your new book looks so good! Pretty cover.

    In answer to the question, sometimes I'm a risk taker, sometimes I'm not--I guess I'm in between! :)

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  43. For the most part I am a cautious person. Never really gamble. When we have stopped in Vegas, I will take the change out of my pocket and play the slots. Any winnings go back in my purse and when I run out of the original coins, I am done. I have always come out with money that way. I usually break even and sometimes even come out ahead.
    Once in a great while I'll take a risk, but never bet more than I can afford or want to loose. It truly isn't worth it.

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  44. Congrats on the recent release Cara! It was a fabulous read. Those Lords of Midnight could give Alexandra Hawkins's Lords of Vice a run for their money. :)

    I like a balance between my risk taking and being cautious. Know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. (Obviously Gryff didn't when he was totally soused playing against Alexa.)

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  45. Hi Cara, this is going to be a must read for me. I love the sound and concept of it.

    I am a little bit of both the conservative as well as the risk taker. I don't like to trust all my eggs to just one basket!

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