Contest & Conversation with New York Times Bestselling Author Laura Lee Guhrke About Her Latest, TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING

Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780061963179
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 12/27/2011
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 384
Sales rank: 31,369
Series: Abandoned at the Altar Series, #3
Product dimensions: 4.10 (w) x 6.70 (h) x 1.20 (d)
Read an Excerpt

Book Heat: HOT
Reviewed by ChristineRCJR
Order: Barnes & Noble


Overview
Annabel is about to marry the perfect man . . .

The last thing Miss Annabel Wheaton desires is true love. She learned the hard way that love makes a woman foolish and leads only to heartache. That’s why she agreed to marry an earl who needs her money. He’s got a pedigree and a country estate, and he won’t ever break her heart. There’s only one problem . . .


Christian isn’t about to let her marry that pompous prig . . .

Christian Du Quesne, Duke of Scarborough, thinks the stubborn heiress is about to make the biggest mistake of her life, and he’s determined to stop her. Tempting beautiful women is Christian’s forte, after all. When her family offers him a nice sum of money to stop the wedding, he’s happy to accept.

Falling in love with Annabel was never supposed to be part of the bargain . . .

Meet the Author

Laura Lee Guhrke spent seven years in advertising, had a successful catering business, and managed a construction company before she decided writing novels was more fun. The New York Times bestselling author of sixteen historical romances, Laura has received many literary awards, including romance fiction's highest honor, the RITA® Award, and her books routinely appear on the USA Today Bestseller list. When she's not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura spends her time relearning how to ski, mastering the wakeboard grab, and trying to actually hit a golf ball, much to the amusement of her friends. Please visit her site at www.lauraleeguhrke.com

A Conversation with the Holy Trinity of the Fantastic TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING: New York Times bestselling Author Laura Lee Guhrke, Miss Annabel Wheaton and Christian Du Quense, Duke of Scarborough

Readers, please give a warm welcome to New York Times bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke. She has brought along a pair of friends to chat about her fabulous Avon romance December 2011 release TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING which is the third book of her ABANDONED AT THE ALTAR series and features American heiress, Miss Annabel Wheaton and devilishly seductive, Christian Du Quesne, Duke of Scarborough. Say hi every one.

Laura, I would like to start with you, if you do not mind. I love your series, ABANDONED AT THE ALTER. How did you come up with the premise?

L: We all know that line from the wedding ceremony that goes, “If any man can show just cause why these two people may not be joined in matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.” Well, I wondered what would happen if a hero did that at the heroine’s wedding, so I wrote a book about it.

I noticed that the series is set in the late 19th century early 20th? What was it about that time period that peaked your curiosity to set your series in?

L: The year the book is set is 1904. I love writing books set around the turn of the century. That sliver of time from the 1890’s to the 1920’s was a point where the whole world changed irrevocably. The landed aristocracy was in lush, full flower and no one in it could admit it was dying. Issues like women’s rights were coming to the forefront. Inventions that would change everything about our lives—telephones, airplanes, radio, electricity—were coming so fast, no one could catch a breath. And, of course, war loomed on the horizon. Yet, the Edwardian era was more lush and lavish than any that preceded it. As the Countess of Fingall put it, “We danced on the edge of an abyss.” That is the stuff of great stories.

Name ten (10) fascinating thing you learned about that time period.

L: Ten? Okay, here goes.

1.      Women wore rings around their nipples for the titillation.

2.      Newspapers were ironed to set the ink.

3.      Gay men were quite often hired as footmen because they wouldn’t mess with the maids.

4.      English people were eating corn flakes (Post Toasties) for breakfast right along with kidneys and bacon.

5.      Thank-you notes were meant to ooze flattery and were called “Collinses” because of that slimy king of flattery, Mr. Collins from Austen’s P&P a century earlier.

6.      The flight of the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk in 1903 was not widely reported at the time and most did not take it seriously. Until well into 1906, many thought the event a fraud.

7.      The “loo” was so-called because of Lady Louisa Anson. She was so rude that children played a prank on her by putting the name card from her door at a country house party on the door of the water closet, and the maid (obviously in on the joke or not very bright) kept delivering her tea there. The story spread and the water-closet became known as the loo.

8.      Butlers were required to be tall, at least five foot ten, and the taller you were, the more you were paid.

9.      One of the reasons bicycling was so popular with young ladies was that it enabled them to escape from their chaperones.

10.  The most popular treatment for burns was to put hot wax on them. Don’t ask me who thought THAT was a good idea. Ouch.

Okay, I want to give a warm welcome to Miss Annabel Wheaton and Christian Du Quesne, the Duke of Scarborough. (Waving franticly trying to get the besotted couple attention). I know you two have gone through a lot to get to your happily ever after so I will try to be brief. (Blushes scarlet as she catches the intimate glance between the honeymooners), clears her throat...Okay, so you two are still in the honeymoon stage, I see. I would like to know what each of you thought when you first laid eyes on the other. Was it love at first sight?

A: Lord, no!

C: Definitely not.

L: They are so deluded.

Annabel, I understand that when you met you were actually engaged to another man, is that right?

A: Yes, the Earl of Rumsford.

I also, heard a rumor that the wedding was taking place on aboard the ship Atlantic on your way to England. What made you decide to throw a society wedding on a ship?

L: Annabel is too embarrassed to admit the reason, so I’ll explain for her. Rumsford (being a shallow, smarmy jerk) didn’t want to be seen by all of London society marrying a New Money Nobody from Mississippi. Annabel didn’t want to have the wedding in New York because she was afraid no one would come (an irrational fear, given she was marrying an earl, but understandable given that no one had shown up for her debutante ball). So, having the wedding on an ocean liner taking the engaged couple to England was a compromise.

Annabel, did you have any doubts about the man you were marrying?

A: Not a one.

Were you completely and totally filled with excitement to be moving to England?

A: I was ecstatic. I was all set to be an English countess, and happy as a girl could be. I was looking forward to living on a beautiful country estate and to be accepted by society at last. But Christian ruined everything.

C: I did. It was smashing good fun.

Your Grace, I believe you knew Annabel’s intended. You were school chums, if I’m not mistaken?

C: Calling us chums is a bit of a stretch, darling. Suffice it to say we were acquainted.

Why were you on the Atlantic? I thought I heard you were staying in New York for a while, something to do with finding investors, is that true?

C: Quite so, but when the uncle of an American heiress offers a man half a million dollars to stop a gorgeous woman from marrying an idiot, how can he refuse?

Now, after you stormed into the wedding, pronounced that you and Annabel had an indiscretion, (clearing the throat and feeling a bit flushed) I have always wondered what your true intent was when you barreled through the doors and promptly set Annabel’s world upside down?

C: Forgive me, but I fear you’ve been misinformed. I didn’t storm in.

A: How would you know what you did? You were drunk.

C: Well, yes. Sodding. But the point is that I didn’t barrel through the doors. That’s far too scandalous, even for me. And I didn’t imply anything untoward about Annabel.

A: Oh, yes you did.

C: Let’s not argue in front of the press, darling. You know how they are, ready to print the most outrageous gossip at the drop of a hat. The important thing is that I certainly didn’t intend to turn Annabel’s world upside down. But the idea of her married to that pompous ass, Rummy, for the rest of her days was too much for me to bear, I’m afraid.

When you met, did you believe in true love? You can all answer. I’m quite curious to know all of your opinions.

A: I believed in true love for other people, but not for me. And I didn’t want anything to do with it..

C: But she couldn’t resist me.

A: (snort)

C: I never believed in true love. I was a cynical bastard, I’m sorry to say.

Annabel and Christian if you could turn back time to change one thing about what happened, would you and what would you change?

A: I wouldn’t change a thing.

C: Neither would I.

L: I would, but I say that with every book.

Annabel, name the one thing about Christian that you believe won your heart.

A: That bad boy look of his. Gets me all weak-kneed every time.

Your Grace, name one thing about Annabel that you believe changed your outlook on love.

C: That a girl like her would think of marrying beneath her to wed a man like me is astonishing. And because she loves me? I never cease to be amazed by it.

Laura, while you were writing Annabel and Christian’s story was there a scene that popped out the most?

L: As I said, I always wanted to do a man standing up and objecting at a woman’s wedding. Aside from that though, the scene I personally like the most is when they’re in the Ford Model A. And in the Turkish bath.

C: I like that scene, too.

A: You would.

Laura, what is more difficult to write: a intense sexual scene or a heart-wrenching emotional scene?  Why?

L: You have my Edwardian characters blushing. I think a sexual scene is harder. An emotional scene is actually easy, IF I’ve done the proper characterization. Given that, an emotionally charged scene is quite fun to write. Sexual scenes are tough because there’s a lot going on—physically and emotionally—and you want the point of view of each character during the scene. And you’re describing something you’ve described dozens of times before, an act that is basically the same each time. And there’s very little dialogue. All that makes a love scene much harder.

What is the best part of being a writer? What is the worst?

L: Creating stories is a magical job. But it’s also very hard work. The words don’t just flow onto the page. At least, they don’t for me. I’m rather a slow writer. And the process of creation can be agony.

What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

I love to fly fish. I hate sushi. I learned to wakeboard a few years ago. And I go on marathon gloms of television shows. I once watched 12 episodes of House in one day.

C: What is television? What is sushi? And what the devil is a glom?

When you were writing “TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING” did you have music playing in the background?  If yes, what type?  Does music play an intricate part in your writing? 

L: I don’t usually listen to music when I write. I know other authors who do that, but I can’t. It distracts me from hearing my characters voices, and I have to hear them to write them. The only exception to this is classical music. That I can listen to, although I usually don’t.

Laura, for desperate readers who have to know every bit about you please share where we can connect with you in cyber world. =)

L: I’m on Facebook, and you can interact with me on my Author page there. You can also follow me on Twitter. And I have a website: www.lauraleeguhrke.com

I know this is a difficult question with so many amazing authors out there to choose from but who are some of the GOT-TO-HAVE authors in your TBR pile?

L: I have some favorites: Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Boyle, Lisa Kleypas, and Gayle Callen, to name a few. I also love Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ contemporaries. And I’ve picked up some new-to-me authors lately that I think are amazing: Sherry Thomas, Caroline Linden, and Joanna Bourne.

What’s next in the works for you? When can readers expect to see it out on shelves?

L: I am working on a brand new Edwardian series. Too soon to give a lot of details, but the heroine has a secret that when it’s revealed, will rock the hero’s whole world. The book is scheduled for December. It doesn’t have a title yet, but anyone can check my website for the details. Or better yet, sign up for my newsletter. It’s spam-free and always has the latest info.

Laura, you and your writing ROCK, girl! Killer romances that grabs a reader by the collar and shakes her up a bit only to give her an incredibly die-hard and sigh worthy happily ever after. Thank you for stopping by to share TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING. Oh, and thanks to Annabel and Scarborough for stopping by with Laura. Hope to see you both again real soon.

L: Thank you so much. We really appreciate the chance to be here and to share some details about Annabel and Christian’s love story.

~ CONTEST~

RCJR is proud to present New York Times bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke. She is visiting, chatting with readers about her December 2011t Avon Romance release, TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING the latest in her wonderful Abandoned At The Alter series. 


THE PRIZE:  Two lucky readers will each win a copy of TROUBLE AT THE WEDDING.  Here is how to enter.

Please leave a comment for Laura Lee Guhrke including your email address.

*Connect with RCJR eZine at:

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Contest is open to ALL

It will runs until February 1, 2012

I will contact the winners directly on February 2, 2012

HAPPY READING! =)