Tag Archives: Rescued by the Rakish Lord

Final book for Mills & Boon : Rescued by the Rakish Lord

Linda has news, both happy and sad…

Rescued by the Rakish Lord by Sarah Mallory her final book for Mills and Boon

This month sees the publication of my latest historical romance, and it’s a cracker!

Sadly, it is also my final book for Harlequin/Mills & Boon

As you may have heard, Harlequin / Mills & Boon are closing their Historicals line next year. I cannot deny it is a very sad moment for those of us who enjoy reading (and writing) these feel-good romances set in the past.

But enough melancholy, more about the final book!

Rescued by the Rakish Lord…

foggy exmoor, riders in mist

foggy exmoor, riders in mist picture SM

…is a sparkling Georgian romance set on the edge of Exmoor in winter. The wild uplands can seem very bleak in the darkest months of the year, as you can see from the pictures in my blog about my West Country Tour. It is a setting that lends itself to a romantic adventure involving a spirited lady, a handsome hero and a dastardly villain!

Selina Wynter is happy living in a small market town on the edge of the moors, where she looks after her ailing father and manages his household and estates. Lord Deveril is a London buck with a fearsome (and unwarranted) reputation as a rake. Sparks fly when he encounters a fiery tavern maid, and he is intrigued when he discovers her real identity – “All the breeding and accomplishments of a lady, but the temper and spirit of a tavern wench!”

If you want a taster –

Continue reading →

Surviving the Dark Days of Winter

cosy winter pub with a fire and a pint of beerPerhaps it’s me, but this winter seems to be particularly dull and drear. The dark days of winter have never particularly bothered me. After all, those shorter days mean I have an excuse to stay indoors more and write. Or catch up with those indoor hobbies that just don’t seem right when the sun is shining outside. It’s also a great time to enjoy a drink in a cosy country pub!

Winter can be a great tool for a writer

dark room with a desk and light on a modern typewriter with one page of a film script coming out of the roller.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Many authors use the seasons to their advantage. Foggy autumn nights, summer thunder storms and April showers can all be utilised. And dark winter nights are especially good for ghost stories and thrillers, aren’t they?

I have just finished reading The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves, featuring her marvellous character,  Jimmy Perez. It is set on Orkney in the run up to Christmas and the short days add an extra layer of tension to the story. I loved it.

Writing historicals, I have to be very aware of the seasons, because in the Georgian period my characters are dependent upon candles, lamps and firelight. I keep a small printout of sunrise and sunset times on my wall to remind me of how much daylight my characters will have at any time of the year.

18th century woman with candle

Bigstock 102417899

That’s one of the reasons I enjoy the change in seasons. I like the different scenarios that can be conjured. So why is it not working for me this year? Continue reading →

Autumn in the West Country. A literary tour (sort of)

Exmoor autumn photo SMEvery year I make the annual pilgrimage south to visit old childhood haunts and enjoy a few days with family on Exmoor. This year, however, our West Country trip started further north, near Bath in fact, and somehow turned into a literary & historical pub crawl.

All in the interests of research, you realise: every day is a school day if you are an author.

First West Country stop

The George Inn Norton St PhilipThe George Inn  This is one place I have long wanted to visit, situated just south of Bath in the pretty village of Norton St Philip and I wasn’t disappointed. It was like stepping back in time. Apparently the inn has had a licence to sell alcohol since 1397, possibly a local licence from Hinton Priory, since the government didn’t start licensing alehouses until the 1550s. And please ignore the “diverted traffic” sign. It is not sending cars through that impressive stone entrance arch!

George Inn Entrance photo SM

The George is a beautiful building dating back to the 14th century with the upper storeys added a hundred years or so later. It began life as a wool store for the nearby Hinton Priory with accommodation for merchants coming to the annual wool fairs. It’s easy to imagine weary travellers arriving here and finding themselves in the galleried courtyard. Continue reading →