About Me
- Pamela Clare
- I grew up in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, then lived in Denmark and traveled throughout Europe before coming back to Colorado. I have two adult sons, whom I cherish. I started my writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor of two different papers. Along the way, my team and I won numerous state and several national awards, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, I was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism. Now I write historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense.
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Tuesday, March 05, 2013
For those who love Colonial American romance
For some time now, I’ve been one of a handful of authors writing Colonial American romance. I say “one of a handful,” but in truth, I think I’m hard pressed to think of anyone else who’s writing stories set in this time and place.
BUT that has all changed. Donna Thorland debuts today with THE TURNCOAT, a romance set during the Revolutionary War. The story, published by Penguin NAL, focuses on a romance and conflict between a Colonial woman and a British officer.
Here’s the blurb from the back of the book:
Lovers on opposite sides of a brutal war, with everything at stake and no possibility of retreat.
Major Lord Peter Tremayne is the last man rebel bluestocking Kate Grey should fall in love with, but when the handsome British viscount commandeers her home, Kate throws caution to the wind and responds to his seduction. She is on the verge of surrender when a spy in her own household seizes the opportunity to steal the military dispatches Tremayne carries, ensuring his disgrace—and implicating Kate in high treason. Painfully awakened to the risks of war, Kate determines to put duty ahead of desire, and offers General Washington her services as an undercover agent in the City of Brotherly Love.
Months later, having narrowly escaped court martial and hanging, Tremayne returns to decadent, British-occupied Philadelphia with no stomach for his current assignment—to capture the woman he believes betrayed him. Nor does he relish the glittering entertainments being held for General Howe’s idle officers. Worse, the glamorous woman in the midst of this social whirl, the fiancée of his own dissolute cousin, is none other than Kate Grey herself. And so begins their dangerous dance, between passion and patriotism, between certain death and the promise of a brave new future together.
Sounds exciting to me!
I want to do all I can to help Ms. Thorland launch her story because I know from first-hand experience how hard it is to draw attention to stories set during this period. So many readers want to find something besides Regency romances. Even those for whom Regency romances are the gold standard want to read something different once in a while. But with so many titles released every month, “something different” can be hard to find.
Also, I suspect my readers — those who’ve loved the MacKinnon’s Rangers series or the Kenleigh-Blakewell series will enjoy the story and want to know about it.
Ms. Thorland contacted me about a month ago to tell me that she’d read my books and seen the trailer for DEFIANT and that she’d been inspired to make her own trailer. With a degree in cinema, she did a fantastic job of it.
Here’s what reviewers have said about the book so far:
“A combination of historical espionage and smoldering romance, Thorland’s first novel is a surprising and engrossing tale. Immersing the reader in 1777 Philadelphia, sweeping from decadent high-society balls to the filth of battlefield infirmaries, Thorland exhibits real passion for the time period. Fans of Philippa Gregory and Loretta Chase will find The Turncoat a thrilling read.” –Booklist
“The Turncoat is an exhilarating, intelligent, and superbly intricate spy thriller that keeps its tension vibrating and surprises crackling until the very last page.” –RT Book Reviews
“A stay-up-all-night, swashbuckling, breath-holding adventure of a novel…An extraordinary book about an extraordinary heroine.”—Lauren Willig, National Bestselling Author of the Pink Carnation series
“Fabulous…A world of spies, suspense, skullduggery, and sex. You won’t want to stop reading.”— New York Times Bestselling Author William Martin
“It’s historical romance for those who like military tactics front and center, genealogy gnarled and explicit sex scenes rare (but, uh, pretty darn explicit).” –Philadelphia City Paper
“Very entertaining.”—New York Times bestselling author Margaret George
Not bad praise for a debut, is it?
I haven’t read the story yet, but it’s sitting on my TBR. From the sneak peeks I’ve taken, I think I’m going to love it.
To learn more about Donna Thorland, to check out the fun historical extras on her website, or to read about THE TURNCOAT, go to www.donnathorland.com.
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3 comments:
I love that era and it looks like a thrilling debut! What a great book trailer and I have a feeling it will be a huge success! Congratulations to the author!!!!! (Now let's see if we can talk her into coming on my radio show!!)
Thank you Pamela for bringing Donna to my attention. I love getting to meet new Authors. I also love this time period in History. The Turncoat is now on my TRL. I look forward to reading it. I wish her much success with The Turncoat. A series of books called Free Men and Dreamers starts with the War of 1812 and although Romance is not the core of the story it is definitely there and it's an amazing series by Laurie Lewis.
I don't mean to take away from Donna's book at all. I just thought it was an interesting time period you don't read much about.
Thanks again for bringing The Turncoat to our attention.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
I had no idea colonial American romance was so scarce! It seems like such a perfect setting. I'm revising my colonial American erotic romance this year and having fun doing it.