Friday, October 18, 2013

Today's Special - - Christie Kelley


It's my pleasure to welcome award winning author, Christie Kelley back to the Romance Dish today. I'm really enjoying Christie's new Bewitched series, especially the country setting and unconvenional heroines.  I think it's some of her best work.

Christie was born and raised in upstate New York. After seventeen years working for financial institutions in software development, she started writing her first book. She currently writes regency historicals for Kensington. Christie now lives in Maryland with her two sons. Come visit her on the web at www.christiekelley.com or www.facebook.com/ChristieKelleyAuthor
.
Welcome back, Christie! 


I’m so happy to be back on the Dish! Thank you PJ and Andrea for having me here again.

I can’t believe I’m here announcing the release of my 7th historical romance. I feel as if I was just here announcing my first book. But just yesterday, Enticing the Earl was released in e-book format. Enticing is the second book in my Bewitched series. Both books can be read as standalone stories.

Have you ever overheard gossip about yourself? It’s terribly embarrassing, whether there is any truth to the matter or not. I often wonder how a person would really react when stumbling on a situation like that. 

My heroine Mia is a wise woman or healer on the estate of Simon, the Earl of Hartsfield. As a wise woman, her station in life is undefined. Most people would consider her above a servant, certainly above a tenant farmer, but not at the status of even a governess. Simon has been in love with Mia for years and when the opportunity finally arrives, he proposes marriage to her. Only when his best friend Colin, the Duke of Northrop discovers Simon’s plans, he has plenty to say about it. 

“I proposed to Miss Featherstone this afternoon.” Simon waited for the blast of anger from his friend. He knew proposing to Mia was a foolish idea considering his financial outlook. But he wasn’t about to ask her to become his mistress. She deserved far better than that.
“I can only assume she accepted.” North’s calm demeanor seemed at odds with his stiff jaw.
“Not completely.”
“Not completely? What the bloody hell does that mean?” Finally, the anger had risen to the surface. “A woman like her will not help you with your finances. In fact, she might damage them completely. How do you know she won’t take herself off to London and gamble what little money you have away? How do you know she won’t run off with some man who catches her fancy? My God, man, you found her half-dead from her last lover.”
Hearing a feminine gasp, Simon glanced past North to where Mia stood, holding the stable door for support. Her pale face told him she had heard all of North’s rants. Instead of running away, she stepped into the barn as North turned to face her.
“Your Grace, if you are done impugning my reputation, I will tell you that I am not a gambler. I don’t fancy myself a spendthrift nor am I a harlot. I had no idea the earl was in financial straits and since I do know, my lord, you may rescind your offer of marriage if you would like. I would understand and hold no ill will toward you.”
Simon smiled at the grace she had while bringing North down a peg. “My offer of marriage still stands.”
“Thank you, my lord. If you need any assistance with your books, I am quite good with figures.”
“Miss Featherstone, please accept my apology,” North said stiffly. “I was only—”
“Watching out for a friend. I understand that completely, Your Grace. After all, I questioned Selina’s sanity when she accepted you as her lover and then as her husband. I suppose it’s only fair that you do the same.” She took a long breath in. “I believe the walk out here has tired me. Good day, gentlemen.”

I’m not so sure I would handle the situation with as much grace as Mia mustered. How about you? Have you ever overheard a conversation about yourself that you felt you had to defend your reputation? Did you confront them with anger or grace?



Only His Passion. . .
With his estate near bankruptcy, Simon Blakesworth, Earl of Hartsfield already has a perilous secret to keep. Still, when he finds Mia Featherstone badly beaten, he doesn't hesitate to shelter her in his home. . .and offer marriage to protect the lovely healer from her attacker. But Mia is concealing a danger this honorable earl never imagined--and can't resist. . .

Can Save Her Love. . .
Mia's valuable discovery on Simon's land saved her patients' lives. Now the only way she can help the man she's always loved save his home is to secretly find the rest of a cache of hidden artifacts. But their passion is making it impossible for Mia to ever walk away--even from a love that may not survive the truth. . . 



38 comments:

  1. That is a sticky situation! I cannot say that I have encountered someone talking about me while it’s happening, but I have been told certain things on the Q/T afterward. My position as Office Manager at NASA meant that I had to carry out my boss’s edicts that were not always the most popular. We’ve all heard the saying, “don’t shoot the messenger” and there were many times that I was that messenger. However, I did my best to carry out orders with as much grace as possible. But to respond to your question, had I overheard someone saying something about me, I most certainly would confront the gossipers but as calmly as possible. I can be very nice but I’m also a no-nonsence kind of person.

    I have been looking forward to reading Christie Kelley’s novel, “Enticing the Earl” and have it on my Wish List.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HI Connie! Sorry it took me so long to reply. I could see the comments but the firewalls at work wouldn't let me comment. I'm also a manager so I know how it feels to have to give bad news to my group. Thankfully, I hadn't had to do much of that lately.

      And thank you for having Enticing on your wish list.

      Delete
    2. I've been in that "don't shoot the messenger" position too many times to count. Thankfully, though, that was in the past. Way in the past. ;-)

      Delete
  2. Hi Christie! Welcome back! I'm reading Enticing the Earl right now and really enjoying Simon and Mia's story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, PJ. Again, sorry I couldn't reply earlier. Darn firewalls! I hope you enjoy Enticing. I really loved writing that story.

      Delete
    2. No need to apologize, Christie. Hope you had a good day at work.

      Delete
  3. Only encountered that situation once and it was embarrassing to say the least. I advised the other party to take it up with their supervisor if they had a problem, not whisper it about the office. She didn't share with her super but I did.

    I have started "Enticing The Earl" can't wait to get back to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianna. I had something similar happen at work one time. She did take it up with my manager who promptly put the woman in her place and supported me. I hope you enjoy Enticing!

      Delete
    2. I never have understood why some people feel the need to whisper their complaints around the office rather than go directly to the person with whom they have the problem. Sorry you had to experience that, Dianna.

      Delete
  4. Hearing people talk about you is just not easy, but if you stand up for yourself, with your head held high, because you know the truth, then you can't let the words hurt you. And if you can make the person who said them squirm, well all the better...

    This sounds like a delightful book to read..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kathleen. I feel like that is exactly what Mia did.

      Delete
    2. I'll second what Christie said. That's exactly what Mia does and does well. Good job, Christie!

      Delete
  5. Hi Christie! Hi PJ! Hi Andrea!

    So excited your book is finally out - love the excerpt. I've become better at dealing with such things with age :) I always used to tbe the kind who wished she could have the perfect response to those situations, only to think of it at 2am a few days later! LOL. Of course, being English, I can do the understated put-down and the polite-but-damning-riposte quite well! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anna! I'm sure you have the polite put-down quite well...LOL. I do think we handle things like this better with age. Probably because we start to realize that it really doesn't matter!

      Delete
    2. Anna, when I was younger I would have been right there with you on the perfect response at 2am a few days later. Why don't those words ever come to us when we need them? ;-)

      Delete
  6. Loved the excerpt. I try really hard to ignore such things. They say it is not your concern what others say of you but of course that's easier said than done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, catslady. It is easier said than done. Having our feelings hurt is no fun.

      Delete
    2. Catslady, somehow I missed your post when I was going through earlier. Thanks for stopping by! And it is always easier said then done. I'm one of those people who will reply the conversation back in her head over and over thinking what I would have done differently if I had the chance.

      Delete
  7. Enticing the Earl is on my Kindle now. I'm on deadline, so my reading time is limited for the next few weeks, but I look forward to reading ETE. I really enjoyed Bewitching the Duke.

    My experience with overhearing negative comments has been limited to situations with students. I limited my comment to "I'm sorry you feel that way, X" and began the day's lesson. In every case but one, some covert glances at the red-faced offender was the end of the episode. Once the student clearly wanted a confrontation. I invited him to leave the classroom and discuss his problem in my office later and reminded him as he left that he had the option of dropping my course. He used his option. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Janga...and LOL to your student dropping the class. I'm sure he would have blamed his grade on you if he'd stayed. And I hope you enjoy Enticing but no peeking until you meet your deadline!!

      Delete
    2. Definitely no peeking, Janga because once you start you won't want to stop. :)

      Delete
  8. Christie, I've never overheard gossip about myself, but it would certainy pose a tough question.

    Congrats on the release of Enticing the Earl! It's on my iPad, and I'm looking forward to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Nancy! I hope you enjoy Enticing!

      Delete
    2. I'm sure this has probably happened at some point in my life, probably in Jr. High or High School but, to be honest, if it did I've long since forgotten about it. I'm very much a forgive (and apparently forget) kind of person. ;-)

      Delete
  9. Christie, congratulations on your 7th release! That is so awesome, and I loved the excerpt. 

    I usually ignore gossip, or try to. But sometimes it's not easy. I will admit, if I hear something rude and know who started it, I tend to hold a grudge. I don't retaliate, but i rarely forget. That's not pretty, is it *g*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tanwy! LOL...it's not pretty but I'm the same way.

      Delete
    2. LOL @ Tawny! At least you own it! *grin*

      Delete
  10. I don't pay much attention to gossip. Gossip just hurts people for no reason. Congrats on your new release, love the cover and sounds really good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Quilt Lady! I love that cover too. It's my favorite so far...except for some of the foreign covers from the Spinster series. There are a couple of gorgeous ones.

      Delete
    2. I agree, Quilt Lady. Both to the gossip and Christie's cover. I really do like the covers for this new series.

      Delete
  11. Loved the excerpt, Christie.

    I can't recall ever hearing gossip about myself so I'm not sure how I'd react. 8/

    Marcy Shuler

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oooooh, Christie, I love the sound of this one! Welcome back! It does seem like it was only yesterday that your debut released. Time sure does fly. :)

    I overheard gossip about myself back in school, but I can't recall any in my adult life (thank goodness).

    It was so good to see you at RWA! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Andrea. And it was great to see you at RWA too!

      Delete
  13. Yes, I have overheard things. My reaction most often is hurt feelings. I don't often confront those involved, but when I do, I try to do it in as even handed a manner as I can.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Christie!

    Congratulations on the release of Enticing the Earl on Thursday! Sorry I'm only checking in today but work kept getting in the way! My husband always tell me that I don't listen to half of what's going on around me so if someone has ever gossiped about me I never heard about it or was so uninterested in what was being said that I just totally ignored it! I think now that I'm in my 60's even if I did hear about it that I'd just ignore it anyway because I'm confident enough about my self and my life that I wouldn't pay any attention to it! I'm also the type of person that if I did hear anyone gossiping about someone I knew that I'm the type of person that would probably confront them and not worry about what they thought about it but then I've always been that way. I was never interested in needing to be in the popular "click" in school when I was young and really could care less now that I'm older. I think you have to know who you are and what's important to you personally and if you do that you just don't pay attention to negative things that are said about yourself or anyone else unless it's to stand up for them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeanne, no problem about checking in late. I couldn't reply to any messages on Friday until I came home from work because of the firewalls. I do think as we age, we just don't care so much what other people say about them.

      Delete