Kicking the week off with me is historical romance author Amanda McCabe to chat about her new Regency, The Earl’s Cinderella Countess.
During her virtual book tour, Amanda will be giving away a prize pack containing a selection of Regency DVDs, teas, and signed copies of her books to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen–a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…)
She’s never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network–even though she doesn’t cook.
Welcome, Amanda. Please tell us about your current release.
The one match
She doesn’t want to make…
The Earl of Fleetwood was Eleanor St. Aubin’s first love, but being a mere vicar’s daughter held her back from admitting her feelings. Now she’s a successful matchmaker, and the prospect of finding Frederick the wealthy wife he needs to settle his inherited debts is a nightmare come true! But returning from war, Frederick’s facing nightmares of his own. Eleanor feels compelled to help him, but could she ever be his Cinderella countess?
What inspired you to write this book?
Two things, that might not seem to go together at first!! First, I read a book called “The Marriage Bureau,” non-fiction about a matchmaking business in WWII London, and second my love of the city of Bath! I loved the tale of two women in the middle of war helping people find some happiness and hope, and wondered how such a thing would work in a different period (Regency England). Second, I adore Bath! The cobbled streets, the honey-colored stone, the feeling of walking through history. (Plus a wonderful sweet shop behind the Abbey! I have a terrible sweet tooth)
Excerpt from The Earl’s Cinderella Countess:
Staring down at the sparkle of the glorious view before her, Eleanor stumbled a bit as she descended the carriage steps. Fred caught her before she could tumble down, lift-ing her high for an instant as she held tight to his shoulders, staring up in wonder at his familiar, unfamiliar, beautiful face.
He slowly, ever so slowly lowered her to the ground, a gentle slide, his gaze never leaving hers. Eleanor didn’t want to let him go, yet the chatter of Penelope and Mary as they made their way up the path, the chirping song of the birds, pulled her back in-to the real world again.
She stepped back, flustered. “Thank you. So clumsy of me.”
“The last thing you could ever be, Ella, is clumsy,” he said hoarsely. She noticed him running his damaged arm, as if he had wrenched it and didn’t want her to notice. She felt so shy and awful that he had to worry about such things now! Her strong, funny old friend.
They walked together behind Penelope and Mary and the footmen, toward a spot where they could spread out their picnic with the glorious view all around them. El-eanor lost herself in the chatter, the wine and laughter, and soon felt easy again, as if she was with the old Fred and she the old Eleanor, reading poetry in the Moulton Magna summerhouse.
But they were not those people still, not really, and there was a new, taut awareness she could not deny. He was at the other end of the blanket, far from her reach, yet Eleanor was achingly aware of him at every moment. As they finished their repast, and grew quiet and drowsy in the sunlight, he glanced toward her and smiled.
“Shall we walk a bit, Ella?” he asked, popping a last strawberry into his mouth. “I fear if I sit here any longer, I’ll quite go to sleep in this delightfully warm sun.”
Eleanor hesitated. She feared what could happen, how her feelings might escape, if she was alone with him again.
“Oh, yes, do,” Penelope urged. “Mary and I shall just chatter on here for a bit, and fin-ish this wine. You two should go look for the ruins.”
She slowly took Fred’s hand as he offered to help her yo her feet, and blinked as the sun behind his bright hair dazzled her. They made their way away from the picnic blanket, into the shade of a narrow pathway that led between trees and flowering shrubs, smelling fresh and sweet in the warm day. They walked in silence, comfortable, comforting, close together, until they reached a cliff that looked down on the town between a break in the greenery. It all glowed and shimmered, just like Fred, just like that moment she had with him.
He seemed to feel it, too, studying the view with a solemn, thoughtful expression on his face. “‘For whatsoever from one place doth fall, if with the tide unto another brought. For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.’”
“Such beautiful words of Spenser’s,” she whispered.
“They always make me think of you,” he said, his gaze so very blue and intense as he studied her. “You are like the fairy queen.”
Eleanor stared up at him, wondering if the sun had dazzled her senses, sent her flying into another realm. He thought of her as fairy queen. She knew this moment be-tween them, very still, sparkling, a time out of time, could not last; it would vanish like all dreams. Yet his compliments, the admiration in his eyes, made her feel so warm and glowing all the way to her toes.
“Me?” she whispered. “A fairy queen?”
What exciting project are you working on next?
I am working on the next Matchmakers in Bath book! Mary St. Aubin’s story will be out in November (“Their Convenient Christmas Betrothal”), and I am also working on an historical mystery which is a secret for now.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Wow, good question!! I am not sure. I always wrote things, ever since I was a kid. (I won a state-wide poetry contest in the 4th grade, for a tale of a teacup that came to life), and have been hooked on the work ever since. I’ve also always been a reader, and it was hard to imagine I could actually write something that could turn into a BOOK. I’m not sure I feel like a Real Writer yet….
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I write mostly full-time. (I also have a part time job a couple days a week at a botanical garden, which I love!). On writing days, I get up, feed the dogs, make some tea, mess about on Instagram (I love historical costuming pages, and cats that talk), then set a timer, put on some classical music, and try to get some writing done without being distracted. I am a terrible procrastinator! Afternoons I do research, answer emails, or just watch some BritBox (procrastinating again…)
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write my rough drafts in long hand. It’s fun to pretend to be a Bronte (though with more efficient pens!), but also somehow my mind just works better that way when crafting a story. I edit as a I type it up. I also have to have a certain kind of tea ready…
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An opera singer! Until I found out I have a terrible singing voice. But I still love opera. Then an archaeologist, or maybe a librarian. I did work in the university library archives as a student, I loved it, and as an announcer on a classical music station
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I am a history junkie, so my books span many different eras! (The 16th century, really my first love; 1920s; Regency and Victorian; I’d love to dip into 18th century France). I’d love to hear more about what readers would love to see more of, what interests them! (and I’m also here to talk about your pets—I never do NOT want to see your pet photos! And clothes. And gardening. And what was your first romance read? Mine was a Johanna Lindsey, I think, but before that I dipped into my grandmother’s Barbara Cartlands and Victoria Holts)
Thanks so much for having me here today!
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon customer reviews: The Earl’s Cinderella Countess (Matchmakers of Bath Book 1)
Thank you so much for hosting today.
Hello, and thanks for hosting me here today!!! I’m so excited to share this book.
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
I think it’s so lovely, too! I like that you can tell it’s set in Bath….
interesting