The Price of Deception Free – The Price of Love Update

This weekend, May 12-14, 2013, The Price of Deception will be free for Amazon Prime Members.  To download your copy follow the link below.

The Price of Deception – Free

Emails asking me about The Price of Love keep flooding in, along with comments on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and blog sites.  My life has been very stress-filled with personal matters these past six months that have prevented me from finishing the book.  I know I keep giving my dear readers excuses and unfilled promises, but I’m hoping by the end of May things will lighten up a bit in my life regarding family issues.

Please hang in there with me.  And once again, I’m very sorry for the delay.

Also, I wanted to invite my fans to my new blog entitled, “Long Ago Love – Historical Romance Books.”  I’m using it to help other authors and also to expand my reach to other readers.  Please feel free to follow and share the link.  We are having guest authors post about their research, other historical romance novels receiving promos, and just some very fun things regarding love in the ages past.

Long Ago Love – Historical Romance Books

Sincerely,

Vicki

I Have Moved! Please Follow!

I have decided that I would rather blog on Blogger for a variety of reasons. Therefore, I’ve moved this entire blog and all posts to that platform.

Please follow the link below.  If you have subscribed here, please follow the subscription link to transfer.  Re-enter your email address to subscribe.  This blog will remain on WordPress, but any further posts will continue on Blogger.

I have some exciting news in my first post, so come on over to my new site! Hope you enjoy.

Vicki Hopkins

FOLLOW ME TO BLOGGER BY CLICKING HERE

The Price of Deception is Free on Kindle from April 16-17, 2013

The Price of Deception is having its first free run on Amazon from April 16-17, 2013.  Another one will be scheduled in a few months.

It’s currently in the top 100 best selling free books for Family Saga and Historical Fiction.  Download or share with your friends.

Click Here to Download Free Copy

 

Researching for The Price of Love

The challenges of writing historical fiction and/or romance can be daunting. I admit that I have procrastinated and run into a huge season of writer’s block with The Price of Love. At the present time, I am beginning to chip away at the wall that has been between me and the finished book. I am so very sorry to my faithful readers who have been more than patient! Please hang in there with me a little while longer.

As I move through the story, I often become boggled down with questions. I can write one scene and end up doing hours of research on the Internet to make sure I’ve got my facts straight. I’m faced with a new era, that brings with it new thinking and fashions. In addition, I’ve placed myself into another geographical location in Austria, where titles and life are somewhere different. Here are a few of the things I’ve had to research so far, just to give you an idea of the challenges that I face.

1. I am now writing in the Edwardian era, after becoming well versed in the Victorian. It’s new territory. Angelique has just turned eighteen. The time is 1905. My first scene included a trip from her residence to the solicitor’s office. An obvious change is that the mode of travel is evolving. Carriages are prevalent, but so are the beginning of “strange motorized brass carriages,” which were the first cars. I had to make sure they were in production in 1905 in Austria, and I was able to confirm some very early models were on the streets.
2. The question arose whether Angelique could obtain the title of Countess as an adopted child. Boy, that took a lot of research. Here is the scoop. If she was adopted into a noble family as a daughter, and her father had no male heirs, special permission from the king (Franz Joseph in this case) could be granted whereby the daughter would be treated as if she were male and could inherit the title and the estates. She could pass the title to her children, even if she did not marry another aristocrat.
3. Forms for addressing Austrian nobility had to be researched. Even though Angelique inherits the title of Countess, she must use the title of Komtesse (Comtesse Fr. version) until she weds. (It’s interesting to note that in 1919 Austria completely abolished nobility and their titles.) Also, how the male population is addressed has changed. In England we have Mister or Sir; in France we have Monsieur; and in Austria we have Herr as the form of male salutation.
4. When was the height of the London social season? Had to research that one too, since I’m bringing Angelique into the scene with other aristocrats. According to research, the season coincided with the sitting of Parliament and began some time after Christmas and ran until roughly late June. It was then that the aristocrats, who lived on their vast estates in the country, would travel to London to stay in their residences for the social and political gatherings. Thank goodness, I picked the right timeline for my heroine’s quest for identity to begin.

These are just a small example of why historical fiction/romance takes so long to write. It’s true that if you don’t get it right, someone will slap your hand. Apparently, an English lady caught my mistakes in The Price of Deception with how the Duke and Duchess were addressed incorrectly by the staff. I should have used “Your Grace,” even though the former form of Duke and Duchess was permissible. Since I’ve been watching Downton Abbey, I think I’m becoming well versed in this area. Here’s a great link on forms of address for English Nobility in Wikipedia.

I’ll keep you updated as I progress. And once again, my SINCERE apologies for the lateness of this book.

Fondly, Vicki
See more at: http://legacyseriesbooks.blogspot.com/

Updated News & Awards!

I know that many of my readers are waiting for The Price of Love, which is still in the works.  It’s been a difficult book coming out of me.  Though I’ve dabbled in it, I still have much to complete. To be honest, the inspiration for the third work has not been there, because I’ve been consumed with other inspirations.

Part of the problem, I think, stems from the mediocre reviews on The Price of Innocence. Though The Price of Deception has done very well in contrast, I think my discouragement over the first volume has been part of my procrastination in finishing the third. I feel a lot of pressure for the third work, and I don’t want to let my readers down by trying to write a story when my heart isn’t there. However, I’m soon to dust it off and try once again shooting for a February 2013 release, because I know for a fact many are waiting for the story’s conclusion.  I won’t let you down.

As you all know, this August I released Dark Persuasion, my latest historical romance. Yesterday, I was informed that Dark Persuasion came in as a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards for 2012. The official “award statement” is as follows:

Award-Winning Finalist in the ‘Fiction: Romance’ category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News 

The list of winners/finalists can be found at USA Best Book Awards.

To be recognized as an independent publisher is wonderful, especially when I competed against authors from big-named traditional publishing houses.  Over 1500 entries were received from mainstream and independent publishers, which were then narrowed down to over 400 winners and finalists. Entries were judged by a panel of industry judges with extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.Needless to say, I’m stoked!

Of course, every book I write contains the help of many friends and professionals. My beta readers who give me feedback are invaluable, as well as my two main editors, and Robin Ludwig, my graphic artist who did the stunning cover design.  Also, I must thank Jimmy Thomas, the male model on the cover, from RomanceNovelCovers.com for the stunning pose of Patrick and Charlotte.

On another note, in October my muses showed up on the door and incited me to write my first contemporary romance. I chose the pen name of J.D. Burrows (my great grandmother’s maiden name). The work is a very personal one, about two lovers, with different desires, who collide in a tale of one woman’s struggle to overcome the effects of childhood sexual abuse. It is for 18+ mature audiences only.It’s already receiving extremely positive feedback from my readers, and I hope to have a hit on my hands with this work.  You can find out more about the book at Conflicting Hearts website, including my Twitter and Facebook accounts for J.D. Burrows. 

The book is currently for sale on Amazon in Kindle and Amazon print, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Kobo.  Soon it will be else worldwide as distribution completes.

Once again, thank you to my Legacy Series readers for your patience and support.

Cheerfully yours!

Vicki Hopkins

New Video

Preview of The Price of Love

As I launch upon The Price of Love, while also being drawn to work on Radcliffe, I thought that I would throw out morsels of what is to come. I’ve been inundated with emails, comments, and even people plugging in search terms in Google wanting to know when The Price of Love is due for release. Patience . . . it’s the only word I can think of to answer that question. I will make a promise that by December 21st, should the world not end according to the Mayan calendar, that The Price of Love will conclude the Holland saga.

Once again, as I stand at the threshold of writing my fifth fiction novel, I shake my head. Where do I come up with this stuff? Frankly, I have three strong stories mulling about my brain at the moment, all of which are crying for release. It’s daunting.

Nevertheless, what’s in store for The Price of Love? Who are the characters? How will it all unfold? Well, I can’t spill all the beans, but I thought what I would do is refer you to text buried in The Price of Deception. Don’t forget these scenes, as they will all have significance in the future. Like the first two volumes, my characters will pay a price. Innocence and deception came with hefty price tags for my characters. You can be assured that there will be a price to pay for love, as well.

Who will you see again? Well, the story starts in 1902. Robert will be 23, and Angelique will be 18. The story will contain flashbacks of the years between the end of The Price of Deception and the beginning of The Price of Love. How does it start? A deathbed confession.

In the meantime, remember these former scenes and see if you can guess what comes next:

• “I’m destined to produce no heir,” he said, emphatically, convinced of his future. “I shall be without a son of my own. This blasted estate of mine and its fortune will pass to my cousin, Roger Dawson, the black sheep of the family. The man is a total ass and unworthy of a Shilling of my family’s inheritance.”
• For a moment, Jacquelyn stood thinking of the wealth of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires that had been given to her as family heirlooms.Thoughtfully, she walked over to the box filled with riches and began picking out the most expensive items. “One never knows when I might need some cash,” she mused aloud. While her mind mulled over various ways to punish Robert Holland, a wicked smile spread across her face.
• Dorcas had been somewhat skittish over the entire matter of her mistress committing a crime, but promised her loyalty regardless. Her sympathies toward her employer remained strong after all the heartbreak she had seen her suffer.
• Whatever possessed you to push over that bassinet? I want to know, and I want an answer now!” Robert narrowed his eyes at her in defiance. He flaunted a smug, rebellious look upon his face. “Because I hate her!”
• If that were not enough, his investment of funds in the Moreau Shipping business were a total loss. Philippe ran it into the ground, and the company closed in bankruptcy.
• Jacquelyn, of course, had contributed detrimentally to Philippe’s mental state having stolen his one remaining joy. The man’s brokenness had not been entirely Robert’s fault, for which he took some unusual sense of consolation.
• However, a husband would provide for her needs long term, as well as the fine education she planned to give her daughter. Jacquelyn daydreamed that one day Angelique would be the belle of society in Vienna, and she would marry her off to a prosperous and rich man who would love and respect her.

All right, I’ve teased you enough. While you’re waiting, go read Dark Persuasion, my latest work. I had a great time writing that story. If you like something a bit more lighthearted, truly romance, an antagonist you’d like to slap, and the tortured hero scenario pining over a woman, you might like this one. Visit the official website and enjoy the forest and the butterflies.

That’s it for now! As always, thank you for supporting my work. I value you all!

The plotter,
Vicki

PS:  PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE LAST POST ON WORDPRESS.  IF YOU WISH TO FOLLOW FURTHER UPDATES ON THE PRICE OF LOVE, SUBSCRIBE ON GOOGLE BLOGGER AT LEGACY SERIES BOOKS.