| |

The return of the Dartmouth Brides! A guest post by Elizabeth Essex. Plus, a giveaway!

It has been said in literature that you can’t go home again, but in the age of digital publishing you most assuredly can. And I have—I am thrilled to bring you new editions of my first three romance novels: The Pursuit of Pleasure, A Sense of Sin, and RITA Award Nominee The Danger of Desire. These three loosely related stories set on the southern coast of England were first released seven years ago, but I am very happy for the chance to revise them and make them available in affordable e-versions.

One of the primary pleasures in revising these works is that I had the opportunity to revisit the characters that first made me want to write romance—those voices in my head that would not be silenced until I paid proper attention and wrote them down. Strong, sure, quick-witted Lizzie Paxton. Kind, thoughtful, intellectual Celia Burke. Light-fingered, brilliant thief Meggs Evans. Jumping back into their stories was like visiting old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time—the conversations picked right up where we left off, and gave me hours and hours of creative enjoyment.

Another thrill of making new editions was creating the beautiful covers in collaboration with brilliant photographer Jenn LeBlanc and visionary designer Patricia Pickyme Schmitt. With their help, I am able to bring you my personal vision for these novels, which I hope will forge a stronger visual and emotional connection between the covers, the characters and the stories within.

But the most abiding pleasure is that I had the opportunity to correct some rookie mistakes! In fact, when AAR first reviewed these books back in 2011 and 2012, reviewer Dabney Grinnan noted, “Satisfying endings are often the most difficult task a novelist faces and, in this book, Ms. Essex has not mastered that particular challenge. A Sense of Sin, a story with so much passion — “the joy of love… the clarity of hatred… and the ecstasy of grief” — needs a potent finale. I hope in Ms. Essex’s next book (which I will buy without a second’s thought) she writes for her readers an ending as winning as all but the last page of this one.” I knew back then that AAR was right, and I have matured enough as a writer to be able to take that good advice and make the corrections and amendments that will ensure a more enjoyable and satisfying reading experience for one and all.

I hope you enjoy reading these Dartmouth Brides books as much as I have enjoyed writing, and re-writing them! (AAR’s reviews of these are here.)

Elizabeth Essex

Ms. Essex is giving away a set of Dartmouth Brides, either print or ebook, to one lucky reader. Make a comment below to be entered in this drawing.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

33 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments