Lenora Bell's Blog: A Bell Awakened, page 9

My sweet and supportive mother recommended HOW THE DUKE WAS WON to her entire church choir months ago. I was all, “mom, maybe you should READ it first”

I grew up in a ramshackle house in small-town Alaska that overflowed with books. My siblings and I even played literary card games, matching four-of-a-kind Shakespeare, Stevenson, Hawthorne, and, the only woman in the set, Louisa May Alcott. When I was a child it didn’t even occur to me to wonder about the lack of other female authors in the deck.

Now I’m an author in a genre written and read primarily by women, and I think that’s pretty amazing. Sometimes at parties a woman I’m talking to will get that look in her eyes when we’re chatting, the “oh THOSE books” look, and then I hit play on the romance genre defense tape in my brain, siting all the examples of smart romance out there. Or not. Sometimes I just smile and wax enthusiastic about romance as if I take it for granted that she’s on board. As if I’m talking to a die hard romance fan girl who will squee! with me over the new Sherry Thomas Lady Sherlock series.

Even though the tired dismissal of the genre as “trashy” persists, it’s an exciting time for romance! The very first romance-only bookstore, The Ripped Bodice, opened last month in Los Angeles. I love how sister owners Bea and Leah Koch cheekily proclaim themselves “Purveyors of Fine Smut.” And I’m also excited about other forward progress:  a romance recommendation column in the Book Section of the Washington Post, more coverage by NPR on romance, the Smart Bitches romance podcasts (you can support those here), an increasing number of MFA programs with specializations in writing genre and popular fiction (like this one from Seton Hill University), and the list could go on and on.

The romances I read and write feature strong women possessing tons of agency seeking fulfillment on their own terms from confident, sexy partners. No jerks tolerated. And that makes me happy. When I read a romance I want to get all tingly. I want to laugh. Out loud. With abandon. So the other people on the train look up and wonder what I’m reading. Sometimes I want achingly beautiful prose that makes me cry. And I definitely want to sigh with pleasure when the hard-won happily ever after is finally achieved.

While I’m no expert on the romance genre, I do know that the little girl who played with those literary heavyweight cards is super proud to be a romance writer. So deal me Dickens and Shakespeare, but I’ll be drawing some James as well…Eloisa James. And throw in some Kinsale, Quinn, MacLean, Jenkins, Dare, Ivory, Heath, Dev, and Milan.

I draw love. Love over hate. Hope over fear. Inclusion over exclusion. I read THOSE books. Open those doors. And keep them wide open.

How the Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As Sarah MacLean likes to say, “this reviewer is highly unreliable” This is my debut romance novel and the “book of my heart.” It’s very loosely inspired by the classic tale of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (with a dash of The Bachelor and a sprinkle of Cinderella). If you read closely you’ll catch some subtle nods to the classic tales. For example, my heroine’s name is Charlene Beckett (get it?) and her duke is obsessed with creating the perfect drinking chocolate and he needs an heir to his fortune.

I hope you have as much fun reading this book as I had writing it! I can’t wait to introduce the next books in the series which were inspired by THE WIZARD OF OZ and ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

Cheers!

Lenora

Apologies for the long gap between posts! I was focused on completing a writing project, and guess what? It’s all wrapped up with a shiny bow and delivered to Avon! Woohoo! Huge sighs of relief over here in Lenora Land. And some celebratory wine drinking. OK, LOTS of wine drinking

HOW THE DUKE WAS WON just received a starred review from Kirkus! I hear that’s pretty exciting 

Guess what’s popping up this spring? My debut novel from Avon Books! I’ve been dreaming of this day ever since I read my very first historical romance novel and fell head over heels with these sweeping tales of headstrong heroines, rakes reformed, and the promise of a satisfying happily-ever-after.

I believe that romance novels harness a bit of what Elizabeth Gilbert calls Big Magic. They’re creative expressions and explorations of female desire and sexuality, they acknowledge and celebrate the basic human need for connection, and they trumpet the power of love to overcome all the odds and triumph over doubt and fear.

I’ll be posting tons of exciting news, fun giveaways, and resources for readers and authors in the 9 1/2 weeks (but who’s counting? :)) leading up to my first release, so check back often!

You never know what might pop up…

Hugs!

Lenora

The randomly chosen winner of the inaugural Match that Line! contest is…Kim! You matched all the lines correctly. Woohoo!

Email me to receive your four fabulous new releases. You’re going to love them, I promise!

Hugs,

LB

Today is a celebratory day in Romancelandia! As I delve into the rich, satisfying layers of four new romances, I’d like to share the bliss.

Are you ready to play Match That Line!?

BOOKS

MY AMERICAN DUCHESS by Eloisa James

FORBIDDEN by Beverly Jenkins

A BRAZEN BARGAIN by Laura Trentham

DUKE OF MY HEART by Kelly Bowen

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose one line of snappy dialogue from the LINE category and take a guess at matching it to a strong-willed heroine.

LINE

A) “Couldn’t what? Mete out a spanking or a banishment? Don’t test me. Now get out of my sight.”                                                      

B) “ I have no plan to have an attack of the vapors now, nor shall I in the future.”

C) “I know, and having no money makes it even more of a challenge, but I’m determined.”                                             

D) “Welcome home, Your Grace…Please do come in and cease making so much noise, if you would be so kind.”        

HEROINE

1) Miss Ivory Moore (DUKE OF MY HEART)

2) Miss Eddy Carmichael (FORBIDDEN)

3) Lady Minerva Bellingham (A BRAZEN BARGAIN)

4) Miss Merry Pelford (MY AMERICAN DUCHESS)

HOW TO WIN: Send me your guess via blog comment, twitter, facebook, or use Jedi mind control like Rey.

A random winner will be selected to receive all four books via Kindle download!

xoxo,

LB

Every day I learn something new about social media. I’m not that techie – let’s make that clear. I need Lorelei Gilmore amounts of coffee to wrap my mind around these things.

I’d much rather just do the creative stuff like writing and pinteresting Regency gowns and playing with my fur babies…but I know that self-promotion is part of the job.

One thing I’ve been playing around with is IFTTT (If This, Then That). (https://ifttt.com)

Using this website you connect “channels” (e.g. Twitter, Facebook Page, your email, your phone) and then use “recipes” to automate actions on those channels when certain triggers happen (it has recipes! I like recipes).

For instance you could set an email alert or phone notification to happen when a particular twitter user tweets, or you could automatically post all Instagram pictures with a particular tag to Twitter. Pretty sure this site is going to make my life easier and leave more time for the creative stuff…

Hugs,

LB

Congratulations! The randomly chosen winners of Sarah MacLean’s fabulous The Rogue Not Taken are:

Evelyn Berry and Shelly Alexander!

Evelyn, you said Nine Rules to Break was your favorite SM book so far…and I can confirm that The Rogue has a very similar fun, sexy, romp-y vibe. You’re going to love it!

PM your mailing addresses to lenora AT lenora bell so I can send your books.

Happy New Year to everyone and best wishes for a joyful 2016!

Lenora