Your Scandalous Ways: The Interview, Part Due

An Interview with Wench Loretta Chase
by Susan/Miranda

Welcome to the second part of our release-celebration-interview for  Your Scandalous Ways by Wench Loretta Chase, NOW in stores!  Today Loretta answers questions about Lord Byron, writing dangerous characters, and the magic of setting a story in Venice.  If this still isn't enough about this marvelous book, check out Loretta's new YouTube clips.  And please look for Your Scandalous Ways in bookstores everywhere.

Also: Loretta will be giving away a signed copy of Your Scandalous Ways to a reader who posts on either half of the interview by noon on Sunday, June 1. 

Susan/Miranda:  There’s a lot of your trademark humor in this book.  Some of the bantering between James and Francesca is laugh-out-loud funny, even as it manages simultaneously to be very sexy.  Yet this is, in many ways, a “dark” story.  How did you decide to use humor the way you did?

Loretta: Completely dark isn’t me.  I can go for only so long with a straight face.  One thing--among so many--that I loved about writing this story was all the risqué jokes and double entendres the women as well as the men could indulge in.  That’s part of my emphasis on giving Francesca tremendous joie de vivre--so that my readers as well as my hero could understand why men throw away fortunes on her.

Susan/Miranda: Lord Byron was another writer who fell in love with Venice, and of course he leaves his mark on YSW. In addition to being an acquaintance of Francesca’s, you’ve chosen to use quotes from his poems as subheads to each chapter.  How did he influence you?  How did you keep him from hijacking your book?

Loretta: Byron is--as he always was--about impossible to keep under control, even though he’s been dead for nearly 200 years.  His voice is so powerful, it comes through even in the dullest biographies, and it simply vibrates in his letters and journals as well as his poetry. So I made him the Narrator, in a way.  The Byron quotations help paint the picture and comment on the action and set the mood.  I didn’t exactly channel him, but I found his work gave me a strong sense of place and time and a certain view of the characters.

Susan/Miranda: Gambling, drinking, masked identities, and general all-around excess in a fairy-tale environment made early 19th century Venice the equivalent of modern-day Vegas.  Or, as Byron notes in one of your many quotations from Don Juan: “What men call gallantry, and gods adultery/Is much more common where the climate’s sultry.” Why are James and Francesca so at home in such a place? 

Loretta: They’re both rebellious souls who prize their personal freedom.  The cities of the Continent tended to be a little more tolerant of these characteristics than was London’s Beau Monde.  Today, except in certain circles, a woman over 21 who’s had a lover or two or three doesn’t raise eyebrows.  A divorced woman is not automatically deemed a ho.  To an extent, this was the case in Continental Europe in Byron’s time. The upper classes there did the same as the English did--but some Europeans tended to be more open about it and more open-minded.  In Venice, the most tolerant of cities, Francesca is simply a divorced woman.  And if she has a lover who showers her with nice jewelry--well, then, so do other respectable women.

Susan/Miranda: Plasterwork putti make an intriguing appearance in YSW.  Would you like to discuss them further here for the WordWenches?

  Loretta: We’ve all seen those children we call Cupids and cherubs.  What I didn’t realize was how much property they covered--literally--in Venice.  My model for certain rooms of Francesca’s house came from the Palazzo Albrizzi, whose plasterwork is famous.  I loved it because, in a city abounding in gorgeous artistic excess, it was so totally over the top.  The ballroom, which I adapted to become Francesca’s Putti Inferno, is described thus in Venetian Palazzi, “The ceiling is completely covered with a closely-folded velarium [basically, this looks like drapery] of stucco supported by twenty-eight winged putti and by four male figures arranged like caryatids at its four corners."  Remember, these are not painted on. These are 3D figures in plaster.  Here among the glittering folk you’ll find some pix of the palazzo, but not, alas, of the ballroom’s putti.  Venetian Palazzi does have beautiful interiors, as do a number of other books on these palaces.  Katherine Shaw's photos will give you an idea of these interiors.

Susan/Miranda: The palazzi in YSW are vividly described.  Are they based on actual buildings in Venice, or a blending of real places with your imagination?

Loretta:  In writing a story, I need a strong sense of place, which meant spending a lot of time looking at pictures of Venetian buildings.  The houses in the book are based on real ones, but I might take a room from one and put it into another, or set it in another part of Venice.  I kept the layout fairly simple, though, sticking to the basic floor plan shown in Lauritzen’s Palaces of Venice.  The Palazzo Albrizzi and the Ca' Rezzonico (more pix here) were the ones I used most frequently but there are bits and pieces of several palazzi throughout the story.  (There's more on this topic on my blog Your Palazzo or Mine.)

Susan/Miranda:  It’s clear you had a lot of fun writing this book.  Will you be returning to Venice any time soon for another?  What are you working on now?

Loretta: I fell totally in love with the setting, the characters, and the language--so much so that I started taking Italian lessons.  My new book, however, is set in England--or so it seems at the moment.  It’s early days yet, and things change.  All I can say for certain is that the heroine is another scandalous woman, and she’s going to make the hero’s life very interesting.

Thank you, Loretta (and an early happy birthday to you, too)!

Please be sure to post a reply to enter for the drawing of an autographed copy of Your Scandalous Ways!

Comments

[Francois]

My pre-order is arriving in a few days! I wish I had a time machine. Firstly to go a few days into the future. And then to keep going into the past and reading it for the first time again. Or do I mean some sort of mindwipe?

[Jane O]

I do love to read books with a strong sense of place, something you always provide. I will be surprised if I ever get to Egypt and it doesn't resemble Daphne's, or Derbyshire and it doesn't resemble Mirabel's. (When I finally got to Paris, I realized my mental picture of it was based on Babar. I didn't really expect and elehant wearing a green suit, but I was surprised at the absence of little old ladies wearing long black dresses.)

[Rebecca]

Ms Chase, I am a huge fan of your books. I bought the book last week and resisted reading it until I could give it the time and attention it deserved. I have just completed it. Sigh. The time went by too fast. :(

This was as witty, delightful, and erudite a book as I have come to expect from La Caccia.

Venice is a beautiful place, and after my recent reading of Sarah Dunant's "In the Company of the Courtesan" - set two hundred years earlier, I was happy to encounter Byron's Venice through James' and Francesca's story.

Francesca was a delight and as I have come to expect from La Ceccia, an intelligent woman who does what she can to do what she wants within the strict confines of the time. She's the type to break molds, she is.

James. Oh, James. Ms. Loretta, I would take any of your heroes and James is an admirable example of your guys.

My favorite scene is early in Chapter 11, when James directs F's ferociously loyal Therese in his flawless - and T responds to it - turns to him and asks in (it is obvious) an incredulous tone, "Who *are* you? A long-lost Bourbon? She won't heed even Magny, yet she heeds you."

I could go on, but I won't. I'm worried about mopping up around my keyboard.

Thank you, Ms Chase for a wonderful reading experience.

[mt]

I have just started reading YSW-- I am forcing myself to read a few pages at a time to make it last longer! Now I am tantalized by the new book.

[Michelle]

I've been waiting for this book - almost breathlessly - for the past year - basically since I finished your last one. I'm going crazy trying to find a copy at my usual bookstores. It looks like they've just not received the Avon books yet. I've one more to try tonight - the Borders on 18th and L in DC (and borders almost never fails in having the latest romances) - before I may have to give in and order online. I just want to read it now! I wish you wrote quicker - though if it takes you a year to write such wonderful stories, I can suck it up and just wait a year - and reread old favorites. I know I'm probably gushing too much and not maintaining the more sophisticated tone of a typical word wenches conversation in the comments, but I can't help myself. I really am just a fangirl at heart.

[Maureen]

Thank you for the links to the pictures. They are amazing. So I'm wondering if the character might behave in any way different because of their amazing setting.

[Jennybrat]

I'm so thrilled to hear you're writing another scandalous heroine! I love how these heroines stir ripples and waves in their heroes' lives. The interiors of the Venetian buildings look absolutely amazing in the photos. I can only imagine how much more stunning they would be in person.

Happy early birthday, Loretta!

[Linda Banche]

I know I'm going to have a good time reading this book. I love a story with a great sense of place--it helps creates the atmosphere of a completely different world from the familiar and everyday. And that's exactly what I want from a novel.

[cyclops8]

Do you have any plans to revisit Egypt in a future book? "Mr. Impossible" is one of my favorites.

[cheryl c.]

Hi, Loretta! I am so excited! I just won "Your Scandalous Ways" over at Vauxhall Vixens. I am listed as Cheri2628 there. So, take me out of the running for the book here. Thank you, Loretta. I cannot wait to read the book!

[LorettaChase]

I'm having to work on an alien computer today, so I may not be as coherent as one could wish. francois, that is a beautiful compliment, and I do hope the book brings pleasure every time.__ Jane O, when I first visited London, I was expecting Dickens's...and my view of Paris may have some Babar in it, too.__Rebecca, I'm "La Caccia"? Hey, I like it! And yet I'm blushing, too. Grazie.__

[LorettaChase]

I'm having to work on an alien computer today, so I may not be as coherent as one could wish. francois, that is a beautiful compliment, and I do hope the book brings pleasure every time.__ Jane O, when I first visited London, I was expecting Dickens's...and my view of Paris may have some Babar in it, too.__Rebecca, I'm "La Caccia"? Hey, I like it! And yet I'm blushing, too. Grazie.__

[LorettaChase]

mt, read really, really slowly and you won't have to wait so long for the next one.*g*___Michelle & anyone else who's having trouble finding the book: I think some shipments were slow because of Memorial Day. My author copies from Avon haven't arrived, yet the ones I bought from a bookstore were delivered a few days ago. __Maureen, Jennybrat: settings definitely have an influence. To me, they're like characters, and the hero and heroine do interact with them.__Linda Banche: I'm with you. My reading takes me to India and Egypt and Venice and ancient Rome--and with Flashman, all over the 19th C world.__Cyclops8: Yes, I hope to return to Egypt at least one more time, maybe in another Carsington story.__CherylC: Congratulations! I hope you enjoy it--and thank you for joining me at Vauxhall Vixens.

[Michelle]

I was able to find a copy of Loretta's novel at lunch today - and it looks like all the Avon novels had finally arrived - at my usual (aka most convenient) bookstore in Union Station. Yay! I hadn't thought about Memorial Day slowing down shipping, but it makes sense.

[Rebecca]

Ms Chase, So glad you like the title!

Also, folks, I left out an important word in the following graph:

My favorite scene is early in Chapter 11, when James directs F's ferociously loyal Therese in his flawless - and T responds to it - turns to him and asks in (it is obvious) an incredulous tone, "Who *are* you? A long-lost Bourbon? She won't heed even Magny, yet she heeds you."

The third sentence should read thusly:

"...when James directs F's ferociously loyal Therese in his flawless *french* - and T responds to it..."

I had dropped the word french in my earlier editing of the entry.

A note: I, too, am in DC and I saw YSW at the Borders at 14th and F Streets, NW. There were only two left in the section and none left on the mass market pb "just published" showcase.

[Jennybrat]

Congrats, Cherie! I so want an autographed copy for my keeper shelf.

[Ranurgis]

This is another of your books that I'm sure to enjoy. I'm a little behind on reading them. I like to read each series in order and right now some from the last are missing since I moved. If this is a new series, I'm making sure I get into it on the ground floor.

I love historicals especially if they give me a pretty firm placing in time and place. This book certainly sounds as if it does.

Ah, our thunderstorms are beginning. Maybe I'd better get off the computer.

[arianna]

It's so hard to sit in front of my computer reading all these awesome reviews for YSW when my copy of the book won't be arriving soon enough!

But I have a semi-random question I've been meaning to ask. Many of your female characters have a love for something which plays a central role to the story (ie/ Jessica with her wonderful sense of style, Daphne and Egypt, and Francesca with jewelry). Being a food junkie and all, I was wondering if you have ever consider making food a central theme in one of your books? *hopeful*

[buggalugs]

Hi, This is such a great blogsite!

Thank you for telling us about the setting and giving some insight into the Characters...
I'm deliberatly Not reading any posts that will tell me too much about book...don't want to spoil it! (like the last Harry Potter book)
Cheers Carol

[JOYE]

I like to read stories where I can "see" where the stories take place and feel as if I am looking at that area. I also like stories with humor in them so I enjoyed reading all of the comments.

[Michelle]

Rebecca - how funny. I know there are other D.C. area residents who read this blog regularly. It sounds like we can trace the arrival of all the wenches' books (3 - Loretta, Mary Jo, Edith, right? in the area between us.

The Union Station store had not even shelved them yet. I took it off their cart, and there were several copies waiting to be shelved. :)

[Maya]

First, I'd like to commend whoever searches out the graphics for the posts on this site. They are always beautiful, apropos, and plentiful. I love them, not least because I'm such a techno-doof that I haven't figured out how to post images on my own blog

Second, the title of this post reminded me of a funny anecdote. When I first saw 'Part Due', I didn't immediately get that it was the italian for 'Two', my brain automatically went to the French 'Deux' instead. Years ago, my husband and I were in Madrid, trying to buy train tickets to Toledo, and under the influence of the six months he spent in Italy my husband asked for 'due bigletti' (thinking it meant two tickets). The clerk asked 'Dos?' (the Spanish for 2) and my husband insisted 'No! Due!' The clerk was evidently used to confused tourists and held up 2 fingers so all was well.

[Beth]

Got the book--zipped through it--now am carefully rereading so I can "see" Venice and enjoy it. Ironically since the characters are both so jaded, this is one of the more touchingly romantic, IMO! Just in time for that start of summer. I love it.

[MYL]

Can't wait the next one already!

[Suzy Stutz]

I love your books, Loretta, and have even the old regencies on my keeper shelves (I think that I need to invest in a new bookcase for all of my favorites).
I am looking forward to my pre-vacation trip to Barnes and Noble for reading material for the long airport waits. I will hold off reading YSW until then just to make that tedious time more special.
I also loved the Carsington novels because of the way the characters complimented each other just by being themselves...sure enough of who they are that they aren't threatened by a man/woman whose world view is so different.
It has been really fun to interact with the Word Wench blog...I have read Jo's semi-regular letters for years, by mail before the internet but I have not gotten on this site and it has been a treat.
Thanks for feeding our minds.

[RfP]

"giving Francesca tremendous joie de vivre--so that my readers as well as my hero could understand why men throw away fortunes on her."

That sounds like a lot of fun. Guess it's time I read another Chase!

[Jennifer]

I would love to get an autographed copy! I am reading it right now, and I have to say- I love any book that starts out with penises (peni?) Beautiful

[Jennybrat]

Hi, I'm dying to know who won the book. Have you drawn the winner yet?