Tempting Bella
The Accidental Peers Series
Book Two
Diana Quincy
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Date of Publication: 9-9-13
ASIN: B00EMTDMEQ
Number of pages: 197
Book Description:
Mirabella can hardly remember the man she married as a girl. And it’s just as well. She feels nothing but contempt for the man who married her for her fortune and promptly forgot she existed.
Since then, Bella’s had no use for the company of gentlemen — until temptation appears in the form of an olive-skinned stranger with haunting eyes the color of a turbulent sea.
Sebastian has been apart from his child bride since their wedding day, after a teenaged marriage forced upon him to rescue his family from certain ruin. His attempt to honor his vows to his absent wife have earned him the nickname, “The Saint.”
But when he encounters an enchanting impish beauty at the opera, Sebastian cannot resist learning who she is. He is thrilled to find she is none other than his long-ago bride.
Already resentful of his early abandonment, Bella is suspicious of her husband’s unusual activities —mysterious midnight outings and apparent liaisons with pretty servant girls. Then there is the mounting evidence that Sebastian is not who he claims to be.
Guarding the painful secret of his true identity, Sebastian is entranced by Bella. Delighted by his good fortune, he is eager to make her his wife in truth. But he soon realizes the beguiling lady has no intention of coming meekly to the marriage bed!
About the Author:
Although I’ve always loved reading and writing, I’m not one of those people who has always known I want to be an author.
I discovered my love of romantic fiction about four years ago, while picking up summer library books for my two boys. I noticed a historical romance by Shirlee Busbee on the end cap and picked it up to browse through while waiting in line to check out our books.
That’s all it took to hook me.
I spent that summer reading every historical romance I could get my hands on.
A few months later, I was motivated to try writing my own story, which resulted in my first manuscript, Compromising Willa.
Now I cannot imagine not writing.
I guess you could say I’m a late bloomer.
I’m now working on my fifth manuscript, which is my first foray into contemporary fiction.
When not bent over my laptop or trying to keep up with the laundry, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family and dream of traveling much more than my current schedule (and budget) allows.
Online, you can find me on Twitter @Diana_Quincy and over at The Dashing Duchesses, where I blog about history and romance with a talented group of authors.
I am a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), Washington Romance Writers (WRWDC) and the New Jersey Romance Writers (NJRWA).
I am fortunate to be represented by Kevan Lyon at the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Website http://www.dianaquincy.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/Diana_Quincy
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DianaQuincyRomance
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7045151.Diana_Quincy
AW: Please tell us a bit about yourself and back ground?
DQ: I’m a former television reporter who dealt with a lot of bad news throughout my career, so I decided the perfect antidote would be to write stories where I could always guarantee a happy ending.
AW: What inspired you to write this book?
DQ: Tempting Bella was inspired by the true love story of Lady Sara Cadogan and Charles Lennox, the Earl of March, who later became the Duke of Richmond. At the age of 13, Sara was forced to marry the heir to the dukedom in order to settle a gaming debt between their fathers. After the ceremony, the bride and groom go their separate ways. Years later, the groom spies an enchanting beauty at the opera and is thrilled to learn she is his wife. They were happily married and had several children together. I thought their story was incredibly romantic and decided to put my own twist on it.
AW: Is there a message in this novel you want your readers to grasp?
DQ: True love conquers all!
AW: What was the time frame for writing this book?
DQ: It took me about eight months to write the first draft, longer than usual, because I started a new job at the same time. It then took several more rounds of edits after that first draft to tweak it into shape for publication.
AW: How did you came up with the title?
DQ: Tempting Bella is part of a four-book series, The Accidental Peers, about cousins and brothers who stumble into peerages on their way to finding true love. All of the titles are similar in style and reflect what’s happening in the book. In this case, Sebastian, the hero, is trying to tempt Bella, his reluctant wife, to give him a chance to be the husband she deserves. The other books in the series are Seducing Charlotte (April 2013), Compromising Willa (Dec. 2013) and Engaging the Earl (April 2014).
AW: Who created your cover?
DQ: My cover was created by Liz Pelletier. I absolutely love it! I love the contrast between the white, black and pink. And I also like the air of mystery it conveys.
AW: Hardest part for writing this novel?
DQ: Finding time to write while working full time and raising a family!
AW: How did you find your publisher/agent?
DQ: I landed my fantastic agent after the manuscript for my first book, Seducing Charlotte, placed second in Writing With the Stars, an international contest sponsored by RT Book Reviews and Kensington Publishing.
AW: What was your biggest learning experience/surprise throughout your publishing process?
DQ: I learned how critical a good editor is to the publishing process. I am lucky enough to be paired with an exceptional editor who instantly knows how to revise a story to make it its very best.
AW: When did writing become a passion?
DQ: I’ve always loved to write but I would say it became a passion about five years ago when I first started reading romance novels. I absolutely fell in love with the genre and was eventually motivated to try writing my own. I love everything about the process and now I can’t imagine not writing!
AW: Any advice for other writers?
DQ: Never give up, no matter what. We’ve all had our share of rejection. For me, entering contests for unpublished writers not only provided excellent feedback on how to improve my technique, but also motivated me to keep writing and submitting.
AW: Anything you would like to say to your readers?
DQ: I love my readers and interacting with them via my website, Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads, has been one of the unexpected pleasures of becoming a published writer. So my message to readers is that I love to hear from you!
AW: Favorite Authors?
DQ: Too many to count. In historical romance, I enjoy Madeline Hunter, Joanna Bourne, Jo Beverley, Mary Balogh, Loretta Chase, Lorraine Heath, Sherry Thomas and Lisa Kleypas. For contemporaries, I’m really enjoying Rachel Gibson, Shannon Stacey and Ruthie Knox at the moment. The list goes on and on.
AW: Favorite Books?
DQ: I could never pinpoint just a few. There are so many good books out there but the one that comes to mind immediately is Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne.
AW: Website(s) and social media links?
DQ: Website: http://www.dianaquincy.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diana_Quincy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianaQuincyRomance
AW: Where can people buy your novel?
DQ: Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Bella-Entangled-Scandalous-ebook/dp/B00EMTDMEQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377627183&sr=8-1&keywords=tempting+bella
Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempting-bella-diana-quincy/1116528469?ean=9781622662487
iBookstore https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tempting-bella/id689720325?mt=11
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tempting-bella
GooglePlay https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Diana_Quincy_Tempting_Bella?id=fWNwAAAAQBAJ
Tour Wide Giveaway
Hi Adrienne – Thanks for hosting me on the blog today. I had fun answering your questions!
You are so welcome and I’m glad to help out.
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