An Exclusive Interview with Courtney Milan + Giveaway (Thank you, Authors! Thank you, Fellow Readers!)

Tomorrow, December 17, is a big day for many historical romance readers because Courtney Milan's The Countess Conspiracy, her latest instalment in The Brothers Sinister series, will be released. I've cleared my reading schedule and have no review or blog posts scheduled (except for the two author features and Throwback Thursday) because I know I will be reading this book the minute it downloads into my e-reader.

But, today, December 16, is a big day for Love Saves the World because I have the pleasure of featuring Courtney Milan. I've read Courtney Milan since her debut novel and her stories always strike me as a little bit different, a little bit unusual from the many stories that I read. From her fortune-telling scammer heroine in Proof by Seduction to her Turner Brothers and their amazingly mind-blowing Biblical names and to her current series -- she has created characters and situation that are impressive and impactful to the world of historical romance.

Anyone who has read my blog will know how much I love and admire Courtney Milan as an author -- and today, is truly a major milestone for me and my little blog.

So, welcome, to one of my favourite authors. ^_^

LStW:  Can you tell us the story behind The Countess Conspiracy, the latest book in your The Brothers Sinister series?

Courtney Milan:  My idea for The Countess Conspiracy came from many, many places, but two of the huge influences are this.

First, Jane Austen herself. Even though she was hugely successful, she published her amazing books under the name of "A Lady." And if you read about her life, it's obvious that she felt in some ways that she couldn't let people know about her writing. She used to write her books on scraps that could be hidden if someone came into the room. That, to me, was a very sad story -- that someone who wrote books that have spoken to so many throughout the years felt that her most triumphant achievement needed to be hidden away.

Second, the story of Rosalind Franklin. Rosalind Franklin was an X-Ray Crystallographer in a time when not many women were scientists. Her work on DNA was an absolutely crucial part of the discovery of the structure of DNA by Watson and Crick -- who were shown her work without her permission or knowledge. Her name was not on the seminal paper announcing the structure, and while Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel prize for the discovery, her name is remembered as a footnote in history.

I will say one other thing: I have some books that I feel come from deeper inside me than others. This is, for me, that book. I don't know if that will come through in the execution, but this book means a lot to me.

I can't say anything more about this book without giving out spoilers.

LStW:  (Halloween) If you could dress up as any character, real or fictional, who would it be?

Courtney:  Eowyn from the Lord of the Rings. She is a badass with a sword, and she slew the Witch King of Angmar. It doesn't get any better from that.

LStW:  (Thanksgiving) As a writer, what are three things that you are most thankful for?

Courtney:  First and foremost, I'm thankful for my happiness. These last few months have been very good for a number of reasons. That's not always the case, and I think it's important for me to appreciate that.

I'm thankful for my friends. They're there for me no matter what, and they're the reason I've made it through to these times.

And I'm thankful for my readers. Without you, I wouldn't have a career -- but just as importantly, without you, I wouldn't have anyone to write for. It means so much to have people recommend my books to others.

LStW:  (Christmas) Do you have a favorite thing to gift friends for Christmas?

Courtney:  Honestly? I'm really bad at Christmas gifts. But for the person who has everything, I like making donations to heifer.org on their behalf. Giving a flock of chickens for Christmas is pretty cool.

LStW:  (New Year) What's next for Courtney Milan in 2014?

Courtney:  I'm going to finish off the New Year with the final full-length book in the Brothers Sinister series (the Mistress Rebellion) -- a story of Frederica Marshall, a suffragette, and the Earl who is absolutely opposed to women's rights but can't help falling in love with her anyway. There will also be a novella that I think of as kind of a coda to the series (called Talk Sweetly to Me), about a woman who is a computer -- which in the Victorian era meant that she did complicated calculations for other people.

After that, I'm going to be starting a new series that I'm tentatively calling the Worth Saga. It (loosely) follows a family that has been torn apart by treason. I don't have a better description than that yet.

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The Brothers Sinister series by Courtney Milan

The start of a critically-acclaimed historical romance series by New York Times bestselling author Courtney Milan ...

Hugo Marshall earned the nickname "the Wolf of Clermont" for his ruthless ambition -- a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner's son to the right hand man of a duke. When he's ordered to get rid of a pestering governess by fair means or foul, it's just another day at work. But after everything Miss Serena Barton has been through at the hands of his employer, she is determined to make him pay. She won't let anyone stop her -- not even the man that all of London fears. They might call Hugo Marshall the Wolf of Clermont, but even wolves can be brought to heel ...

This novella is currently FREE on Amazon

Read my review of The Governess Affair here.

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly -- so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don’t get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention. But that is precisely what she gets. Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he’s up to, he realizes there is more to her than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he’s determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match ...

Read my review of The Duchess War here.

Miss Lydia Charingford is always cheerful, and never more so than at Christmas time. But no matter how hard she smiles, she can't forget the youthful mistake that could have ruined her reputation. Even though the worst of her indiscretion was kept secret, one other person knows the truth of those dark days: the sarcastic Doctor Jonas Grantham. She wants nothing to do with him ... or the butterflies that take flight in her stomach every time he looks her way. Jonas Grantham has a secret, too: He's been in love with Lydia for more than a year. This winter, he's determined to conquer her dislike and win her for his own. It all starts with a wager and a kiss ...

Read my review of A Kiss for Midwinter here.

Miss Jane Fairfield has made a career of social disaster. She wears outrageous gowns and says even more outrageous things. The only reason she's invited anywhere is because of her immense dowry -- which is all part of her plan to avoid marriage and keep the fortune-hunters at bay.

Mr. Oliver Marshall is the illegitimate son of a duke. His acceptance in society is tenuous as it is. If he wants any kind of career at all, he must do everything right. He doesn't need to come to the rescue of the wrong woman. He certainly doesn't need to fall in love with her. But there's something about the lovely, courageous Jane that he can't resist ... even though it could mean the ruin of them both.

Read my review of The Heiress Effect here.

Sebastian Malheur is the most dangerous sort of rake: an educated one. When he’s not scandalizing ladies in the bedchamber, he’s outraging proper society with his scientific theories. He’s desired, reviled, acclaimed, and despised -- and he laughs through it all.

Violet Waterfield, the widowed Countess of Cambury, on the other hand, is entirely respectable, and she’d like to stay that way. But Violet has a secret that is beyond ruinous, one that ties her irrevocably to England’s most infamous scoundrel: Sebastian’s theories aren’t his. They’re hers.

So when Sebastian threatens to dissolve their years-long conspiracy, she’ll do anything to save their partnership ... even if it means opening her vulnerable heart to the rake who could destroy it for good.

The Countess Conspiracy will be released tomorrow, December 17. For more information about this book, click here.

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Meet Courtney Milan --

Courtney Milan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, a marginally-trained dog, and an attack cat.

Before she started writing books, Courtney experimented with numerous occupations. She has trained dogs, written legal briefs, sold newspaper subscriptions, and written computer programs. Having given up on actually being able to do any actual things, she's taken to heart the axiom that "those who can't, teach." When she isn't reading, writing, or sleeping, she can be found in the vicinity of a classroom.

Courtney loves hearing from readers. You can visit her on the web and find out more about her and her newest releases at http://www.courtneymilan.com.

To find out more about Courtney Milan and her books, click below:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

*Author photo is copyright Jovanka Novakovic (bauwerks.com)*

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It's a week from Christmas! This is my way of saying "Thank you" and, hopefully, sharing the good cheer to all the wonderful authors and to all the wonderful romance readers in the world by giving away books!

Image from Freedigitalphotos.net

For this week, as support for the authors, I'm hosting a giveaway for one copy of The Countess Conspiracy, the newest book in Courtney's The Brothers Sinister series, which releases tomorrow (December 17).

*This giveaway is via Rafflecopter and is open to International Readers.
*This giveaway will run until December 23.
*One entry per household per IP.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Drop by on Wednesday for the next author feature!