My popular Regency romance,
THE RELUCTANT LANDLORD, first started as a writing exercise. Back in the last
century (!) I belonged to a writers group--published authors and earnest
beginners included. One of the writing exercises assigned was a phrase, sort of
like a “What if” situation, to jumpstart the imagination. Since it was so long
ago, I don’t remember what the exact phrase was except that it had something to
do with something being thrown. What it was, the setting, story genre,
and circumstances were all up to the writer.
It didn’t take long for me
to come up with an idea. Set in Regency times, the short paragraph I wrote was
about an impoverished young miss who flung a pouch filled with guineas back at
the toplofty lord who had thrown it at her. He’d wanted her to remove herself
and her aunt from his newly acquired lodgings. The coins were thrown to
reimburse her for her trouble. The affronted young lady, Katrina Jones, stood
her ground.
And so THE RELUCANT LANDLORD
was born!
A BATTLE OF WILLS
Impoverished Katrina Jones
is determined to earn a living by pursuing a career. Her landlord, the Earl of
Udall, has other ideas for her. Can she set aside her fears about marriage and
learn that trust goes hand in hand with love?
A THORN IN HIS SIDE
Quentin Thornhill, the Earl
of Udall, is used to having his own way. When the delightful Katrina
inadvertently thwarts his plans to install his latest mistress at his newly-won
lodging, he begins to realize that not all females are as devious as the women
he has known. Can he overcome his cynicism and give his heart to this young and
innocent silhouettist?
Artist’s concept cover
THE RELUCTANT LANDLORD has
had a home from the beginning at Wings ePress
where it’s been on the publisher’s best-seller list. This novel has also been
on the Fictionwise.com’s best-seller list and has earned multiple 5 star
reviews on Goodreads.
Lord
Udall plans to install his mistress at his newly won lodging, but impoverished
Katrina wants to live there instead. Who will be the victor?
Another THE RELUCANT
LANDLORD fun fact is that the characters of Katrina and Quentin make a brief appearance
in another Regency at Wings ePress--A CONTINENTAL MARRIAGE. It was
so cool revisiting their personalities, along with a few of the other folks in
the book!
Retrieving her hanky from behind her back, Constance blotted at the moisture seeping from her eyes. "Freddy’s current hero is Wellesley, you know. The dear boy corrects me if I call him Freddy. ‘I’m Viscount Wellington, Grandmama,’ he says. ‘I fight that nasty Bonaparte.’ Lord, Freddy reminds me so much of his father Robert."
Also, Katrina has an unusual hair color. At one time I did
also: blonde and brown. Here’s a passage soon after Quentin has his first
run-in with Katrina.
THE RELUCTANT LANDLORD
starts with a very dark hero who has been deceived by the important women in
his life. The impoverished heroine changes his mind about females and about
love. His transformation from cynic to lover is an interesting journey, and at
the end, the “villainess” comments: “You have become too...domesticated...for
my tastes.” There’s also a surprise twist to a secondary character that even I
didn’t know would happen when I was writing the story! If you love Regency
romance, this book’s for you! I hope you enjoy Katrina and Quentin’s story.
Happy
reading,
Susanne
Marie Knight
Read
outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!
