Author Cara Elliott Visits

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Cara Elliott back to Thoughts in Progress as the special guest blogger today as she makes a stop on her virtual book tour.

Cara’s latest release is TO TEMPT A RAKE, the third installment in the Circle of Sin series. Thanks to Cara, Anna, and the good folks at Hachette Book Group I have 3 copies of her latest book to giveaway to 3 lucky winners. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway guidelines.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book: “Kate Woodbridge has spent most of her life sailing to exotic ports around the globe, acquiring an expertise in botany, along with a few less ladylike skills. So when a deathbed promise to her parents brings her to London to seek reconciliation with her grandfather, the imperious Duke of Cluyne, she feels like a fish out of water. Her outspoken views and fiery temper tend to set off sparks in Society-especially with the rakish Conte of Como.
 
A devil-may-care rogue, Marco finds the alluring and mysterious Kate a tempting target for his flirtations. But when murder strikes at the duke's country house party he begins to suspect that she's hiding a dark secret. He has his own clandestine reasons for offering to help her prove her innocence . . . And so begins a journey of dangerous deception that leads from England to the glittering ballrooms of Vienna, where Marco and Kate must duel with a deadly villain . . . and their own explosive attraction.”

Cara stopped by today to answer some questions about her writing and her series.

Mason - When writing a story set in this era, what is the most enjoyable part and what is the most difficult?
 
Cara - I’m one of those writers who really enjoy research—not just the primary facts and figures, but the arcane little details that make a time period come alive. I love to read stories about real people who lived in the Regency era, because I always find interesting and unique things about their character that helps me craft my own hero and heroine.
 
Sometimes the hardest thing is to use those discoveries in my books without sounding too modern! Honestly, some of the things I’ve learned, especially about women, show they were as offbeat and adventurous as we are today!
 
Mason - Is there any aspect of this era you wish was still around today - the clothing, the manners, the parties, etc.?
 
Cara - I would love to dress up in a fancy ballgown and waltz with Mr. Darcy. Oh, and have a lady’s maid to bring me hot chocolate in bed every morning!
 
Mason - If you could change places with any of your characters in TO TEMPT A RAKE for a day, who would it be and why?
 
Cara - It would be fun to slide into Kate’s skin for a day. She’s bold, adventurous and a little dangerous . . . while I tend to be a bit quiet and shy.
 
Mason - Your heroine is strong and independent. Which action figure would you compare Kate to?
 
Cara - Oh, she definitely reminds me of Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth character in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Kate knows she should be good . . . but she can’t help being a little bad! Beneath the fancy silks and satins, she’s a swashbuckling, kick-ass kind of girl.
 
Mason - What can your readers expect next from you?

Cara - TOO WICKED TO WED, the first book in my new “Lords of Midnight” trilogy debuts in November! It’s all about three hardbitten rogues who are tamed by love. I’ll be posting an excerpt on my website soon, so please stop by and get a sneak peek! www.caraelliott.com 

Cara, thanks for guest blogging here today. Kate sounds like the kind of character that is a little of both eras round into one intriguing person.

Here’s a bit of background on Cara. She started creating books at the age of five, or so her mother tells her. And she has the proof — a neatly penciled story, the pages lavishly illustrated with full color crayon drawings of horses and bound with staples — to back up her claim. Cara has since moved on from Westerns to writing about Regency England, a time and place that has captured her imagination ever since she opened the covers of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. 
 
Cara has a BA and an MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University and now work as the creative director of a lifestyle sporting magazine, a job which lets her combine her love of the printed word with her love of art.

Cara said, “I’m very fortunate in that my work allows me to travel to interesting destinations around the world — however, my favorite spot is London, where the funky antique markets and used book stores offer a wealth of inspiration for my stories.”

Now for the giveaway guidelines. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com). Your subject line should read, “Win To Tempt A Rake.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. In addition, Hachette is advising winners that they will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along from Hachette). And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at one of the 3 copies of 384-page paperback TO TEMPT A RAKE (ISBN: 9780446541305) will be 8 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Feb. 28.