Thursday, June 28, 2012

Friday Fun: Meet Eileen Dreyer + Giveaway!!!

Please help me welcome mega-talented Eileen Dreyer to the blog today! I'm lucky to call Eileen my RWA chapter mate and so thrilled to have her here:) 
Eileen will be offering a B & N gift card to one lucky commentator, so be sure to leave a note to Eileen.
You can learn all about Eileen and her many, many books at her Website 


Thanks for being here today, Eileen!


How to Do Innocent Sexiness

            So there I was with a historical romance trilogy under my belt, and I realized that there would be an unavoidable lapse before the next one. “I have an idea,” my editor said. “Why don’t you write an e-story to bridge the gap.”
            How did I answer? The way I answer any question put to me by my editor. “Sure. I can do that.”
            Hmmm. What exactly should the story be? I couldn’t just slip one into the ongoing timeline. After all, my series is about a group of gentlemen spies who are in the midst of foiling a plot to overthrow the British throne in 1815. Before I knew what I was doing, I had established a timeline. Ian Ferguson, one of my spies, also called Drake’s Rakes, ended the last book of the first trilogy(Always a Temptress) shot and falling into the English Channel. I couldn’t simply say, “And now for something completely different.” By the time I got back to him, he’d be a mackerel snack.
            Well, I thought, how bout I introduce the next trilogy?
            “Next trilogy?” my editor asked. “You just said you’re doing the Rakes. That’s nine books.”
            “Ah, yes, but if I divide it up by heroines into three, the whole thing would be much more manageable.”(at least for me.)
            Just as with every conversation I have with my editor, this one ended with me saying, “Trust me.”
So I would like to introduce my new Drake’s Rakes trilogy, Last Chance Academy, where the next three heroines—Sarah Clarke, Fiona Ferguson and Pippin Knight—survived school. They think they were sent there because they were incorrigible. And while they are, there is another very good reason. They just don’t know it until they find out in my estory, It Begins With a Kiss.
            Excellent. We have an idea. We have a story that introduces not only the school and how it affects our heroines, it introduces those heroines, and lets us know which heroes they will eventually match wits with. Which brings us to an unexpected problem.
“We’d like it to be…you know…hot,” one of the publishing people said.
            Okay. So in addition to introducing the characters, I  had to actually introduce one of the couples. I settled on Fiona Ferguson and Alex Knight, who is called to the school to stop Fiona from running away. And yes, of course there is chemistry. How can there not be?
            However…
            When Kiss begins, Fiona is only sixteen. Alex is only twenty-three or so, but still, it just seemed a bit…well, felonious. So I’ll admit it right now. There is no full-frontal nudity. There is, however, quite enough action to make their relationship inevitable.
            I really hope you enjoy It Begins With a Kiss. I had such fun writing it(once I figured out that whole PG rating thing). And I do get to introduce three new heroines, whom I know I’m going to love just as much as the Three Graces who made up the first trilogy. Tell me if you agree.
            Stop by my website www.eileendreyer.com or my Drake’s Rakes page on Facebook for giveaways and notifications. Oh, and romance trading cards. I have a brand new one for It Begins With a Kiss, complete with one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen, much less had. And let me know if I got that heat level right. I hope so. I’ve loved my Rakes for a long time. And I’m really falling in love with the girls of Last Chance Academy. 

25 comments:

  1. Eileen,

    I LOVE your trilogy, and I can't wait to read everything else in the series. Write fast! See you at National.

    drdebra@earthlink.net

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  2. I'm back...

    I just bought the story. Eileen, you need to have your editor go and change your tags on Amazon. There are only three and all say the story is too expensive.

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  3. Both your story and process to writing the story are quite interesting. These trading cards intrigue me since I have a romantic suspense series starting in November. Where did you order yours and what info do you put on them?

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  4. I find it quite interesting how you go about planning a series. I'll be sure and pop over to your web and get your short story.

    Lisa Wells

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  5. Thanks for a very interesting blog. How you've worked through your trilogy strategies is very impressive. I can see the benefits of taking on characters into a second and subsequent and have just dipped a toe in the water on my second historical. Best wishes with your books.

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  6. Wow - sounds like a fantastic idea! All the best to you :)

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  7. Oh I love your Drake series. What a delightful group of heroes. I can hardly wait for this one to hit the shelves. I have been waiting,seems so long.Keep up the excellant work. Love historicals and this series will not fail you at all from beginning to end.
    Thanks AprilR
    tarenn98 at yahoo dot com

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  8. I absolutely adore this series! Devoured the first three and I cannot wait for these next three! Your characters are what make this series so addictive! Can't wait to read It Begins With a Kiss !

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  9. Girls do mature (at least mentally) sooner than boys, so the age difference can be a good thing. But I do prefer when the couple is a bit older than 16 & 23 before they commit, so to postpone their relationship is best.
    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  10. Great excerpt. Looks like another great book in the series. Love eileens books. Definately on my must read list. Thanks for the great giveaway.
    Christinebails@yahoo.com

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  11. I'm looking forward to this ebook. It sounds great!

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  12. I love any historical romance that contains danger, intrigue and romance. Drakes Rakes have always lived up to my expectations, and I'm sure that I won't be disappointed in your new book. :-)

    Congratulations on you upcoming release of "It Begins with a Kiss".

    Thank you for this opportunity.

    dpd333 (at) aol dot com

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  13. I love this story - especially when you tell your editor - Trust me.

    Last Chance Academy sounds terrific. Good luck!

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  14. Hello Eileen,
    :::waving madly::: It's Mel. I'm so excited about your new book/series! And I must say I think it's your most beautiful cover yet. I'm also happy because I started your blog tour at the beginning. Usually I dive in around the middle.
    I would love to have some of your romance trading cards! Looking forward to reading KISS.

    Meljprincess AT aol DOT com

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  15. Have loved the Drake's Rakes books, so I don't care what you call the trilogies, just as long as you keep going!! LOL. Plus it'a always fun to see what happens to a group of girlfriends from school, especially as they grow into themselves. Thanks, Eileen!

    Sue P.
    suepete12(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. Congratulations on the book! It sounds good.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  17. Sounds looks a great book. Can't wait to read it.

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  18. Congratulations on your new release it sounds so good I love the cover too, I'm looking forward to reading this new series.
    Happy Summer reading!
    Penney
    luvhistoricalromance at gmail dot com

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  19. Hi Eileen -

    Let me start off by saying THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for convincing your publishing people to let you extend your wonderful Drake's Rakes series! All I can say is YEAH!

    Best of all we finally get to have Ian's story told! I'm still wondering whatever made to decide to have him shot at the end of Always a Temptation? It made me feel like you were taking one of my own sons away from me. As a mother and grandmother while reading the rest of the books I kept wondering why you did it!

    I can't wait to read Ian's and Fiona's story and see Fiona grow up and I'm sure put Ian to a test to get her love!

    All I can say is THANK YOU!

    By the way why not another trilogy about the children of all these wonderful rouge's?

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  20. Oh, you guys, thank you so much! I'm so sorry I didn't answer sooner. I was on vacation with my family to a cabin with no internet. Well, I went into town to the lone internet cafe, and for some reason my computer wouldn't link!! I even had my IT son try and fix it.

    As for my Drake's Rakes, again THANK YOU. I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you enjoy them. And that I get to write the rest of my stories, ending with...you guessed it. Drake himself for the ninth book. I really, really hope you enjoy it and forgive me for leaving a bit of a cliff-hanger....kind of like shooting Ian and dumping him in the ocean(poor heroes. What they go through for me.).

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  21. Love, love, your ebook and all your others. Drake's Rakes were all great. Last Chance Academy is bound to live up to them. No, I'm not biased, just an objective, rational fan. LOL. Can't wait to read the full length ones.

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  22. Penney!!! You are the winner! Congrats!! Eileen will be in touch!

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  23. Eileen -

    Do you have an approximate release date for Drake's book yet? Inquiring minds want to know!

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