The story behind my new Regency series

My new series BRIDES BY CHANCE is ready to roll. Right out of the box comes the first brand new historical romance I’ve written since 2003 when I stopped writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon. You might wonder why.

I’d been writing other genres alongside and had a hankering to do something else. Things had changed over the years at Harlequin. One of the changes was sexier books and I’m more a traditional Regency writer in the footsteps of the late great Georgette Heyer. Harlequin work hard to give readers what they want and I felt I couldn’t deliver. So I drifted out.

For a while I concentrated on my edgy women’s fiction, and then I began writing my Lady Fan mystery series. That fell by the wayside after two books – often happens – and by then Amazon’s DIY program had got going.

I waded into my own slush pile, editing them into shape. Then got some rights back, edited those and put them out. Time-consuming, wow! I didn’t get round to writing new books. Then I got hit with a medical thing, but that’s another story.

Finally I was asked to contribute a Regency story to an anthology – first new writing. A Fateful Connection is published in The Chocolate House anthology. Soon after I was invited to join in an anthology with four other British Regency author friends. These are the Regency Quintet and then Regency Romantics titles. After two of these went out, I got hooked into writing a new historical.

Hallelujah! I enjoyed doing the first so much, I started the next straight away. Lo and behold, I’m suddenly doing a series! By this summer I’d written five, and now I’m on number six. There’s definitely seven to come, and after that, who knows?

Why Brides by Chance? If you care to call them Cinderellas, you won't be far wrong. Think of all the many women of the Regency who could never hope to marry. Orphans, poor relations with no dowry, no social expectations. Existing in genteel poverty, or living on the bounty of others.

Such are my heroines. These are Regencies in the traditional style and all different. We have adventure, scandal, suspense, romps, runaways, mysterious fugitives and vanishing memories. Heroes to die for, bucket loads of romance, and heroines destined far beyond their wildest dreams.

Watch this space for more info on the first in the new series IN HONOUR BOUND, which will be up for pre-order in a few days.