The Fallen Angels: Together Again at Last

by Mary Jo

Yippee!  This week, River of Fire is being released in e-book form, which means that all seven books of the Fallen Angel series are available.  (The seventh book, One Perfect Rose, was reissued by Kensington Books and has been available in an e-edition for the last two years.)

This series is the one that draws the most comments and requests for availability, but like most projects, it began in a rather haphazard fashion.  I’d just finished my Silk Trilogy, and while I loved the stories and the characters, the research required for the exotic settings was exhausting. 

Feeling flattened after delivering the third book, Veils of Silk, I decided it was time to return to the familiar fictional terrain of the Regency.  I’d still need to research each specific book, but it would be child’s play compared to digging for information about Central Asia and India in pre-internet days.

I hadn’t actually gotten as far as thinking of what I’d write when my editor called and said that Signet wanted my next book to be the launch lead for the new Topaz imprint, and she needed a basic idea for the story by the next day. SHRIEK! 

But my muse performs best in dire emergencies and overnight she produced the concept for what became Thunder and Roses.  That was also the seed for the Fallen Angels—boys who’d met and bonded at Eton because of their disastrous families, and who had vaguely Biblical names, hence “Fallen Angels,” a charmingly bad boy series title.

Because Signet wanted to build the new imprint, they wanted more books faster than I can really write.  Which led to me revising The Controversial Countess, a long early Signet Regency, into a historical romance titled Petals in the Storm.  It fit into the series structure beautifully, and the trilogy became a quadrology.  <G>

But the Countess had generated a spin-off Regency with one of my favorite heroes, so I revised The Rogue and the Runaway into Angel Rogue.  Dancing on the Wind, a new book, was released between Petals and Angel Rogue. 

Then came Shattered Rainbows, which would have been the last of the original trilogy, but you can guess what happened—the book generated two more spin-offs: River of Fire and One Perfect Rose.  At that point I quit since I felt that 7 books were quite enough for a trilogy. <G>  (You'll have gathered that I get way too attached to my secondary characters.  Especially if they're male and appealing.)

This is probably way too much information, but I do find a certain amazed satisfaction at looking back at how the series evolved.  I also found, over the recent months of proofing and production—that I still like the books just fine.  Though I fixed the typos and a few minor errors of fact (a reader informed me that Persians were not a cat breed in 1815 <g>), the characters and their stories still worked for me.  I hope they continue to work for other readers.

The series is built around the later Napoleonic wars, with many of the characters involved as soldiers or spies, and then the transition to peacetime.  The first book was set in 1814, the last in 1818. 

Which brings me to River of Fire.  I don’t see the book on many lists of favorites, but I love the story.  The hero, Kenneth Wilding, has the broad shoulders and burly strength of a stevedore--and the soul of an artist.  Though he was heir to a viscount, at eighteen he became estranged from his father because of the wicked manipulations of his young stepmother.  With few choices, Kenneth enlisted as a common soldier.

Because he had education and leadership ability, he eventually received a field commission and became an exploring officer, risking his life riding alone across Spain so he could draw maps and gather other information.  By the time Waterloo arrived, he was a captain.

With the war over and his father dead, Kenneth returns to an empty title and ravaged estate.  Then a stranger offers a devil’s bargain: financial salvation in return for Kenneth’s special subversive skills.

Reluctantly Kenneth enters the household of the greatest painter in England to unmask a terrible crime. Instead, he discovers something infinitely more dangerous: a tantalizing, creative way of life and an irresistible woman. Everything he has always wanted—and can never have.

Here’s a brief excerpt.  After proving that he knows and understands painting, Kenneth has just been hired as a secretary by Sir Anthony Seaton.   Sir Anthony’s daughter Rebecca does not approve.

    Rebecca thought wistfully of her father's previous secretaries. All had been pleasant young men of good family. Civilized. Easy to have around the house. Not a pirate in the lot.
    The captain said, "While I don't mind acting as a general factotum, I'm curious about why I'm needed for such work when you are so obviously competent."
    "I don't choose to spend my time as a housekeeper," she said in a clipped voice.
    Responding to her tone rather than her words, he remarked, "You don't like me very much, do you, Miss Seaton?"
    Good God, had the man no discretion? Well, if he preferred bluntness, she would oblige. She halted on the landing and turned to face him. He stopped a step below her, putting their eyes almost level. For some reason, that made her even more aware of his physical power. She repressed the urge to back away. "We've only just met, so how can I either like or dislike you?"
    "Since when is it necessary to know someone to dislike him? It's clear that you wish your father hadn't engaged me."
    "You look more like a marauder than a secretary," she said tartly. "And knowing my father, he didn't bother to ask for references. How did you learn about the position?"
    His gaze became opaque. "A friend of your father's told me."
    "Who?"
    "The gentleman preferred to remain anonymous."
    It was undeniably the sort of thing one of Sir Anthony's eccentric friends might do. "Do you have any letters of reference?" she asked. "Anything to suggest that you're not a fraud or a thief?"
    There was a faint tightening at the corners of his eyes. After a moment, he said, "No, though if you don't mind waiting, I suppose I could get one from the Duke of Wellington. He's known me for years, and I think he considers me respectable."

Conventional wisdom says that books about artists and musicians don’t sell well.  Perhaps not, but I loved writing a book where none of the three major characters know how they feel unless they have a brush or a piece of charcoal in their hands.  <G> 

I’m an art school graduate, and while my major was industrial design and I was always a designer more than an artist, I love writing about creativity. 

I think of River of Fire as my "Creative Process book, historical division."  (The Spiral Path is my "Creative Process book, contemporary division."  It’s about moviemaking, not painting.)  Both books are not unrelated to what I feel about my writing. 

So for all of those readers who’ve asked about the Fallen Angels series over the years, the whole series is now available in e-book mode on numerous platforms.  Enjoy!

Now for a question.  It’s possible to do POD (print on demand) copies of e-books.  It costs money to set up, the prices are higher than mass market (perhaps $12-14), and the authors generally make less money.

Nonetheless, plenty of people don’t have e-readers, so a POD book would make print available.  I have an e-reader, but I prefer print myself.  So how do you feel about POD?  Would you be willing to pay more for a good quality print book that is otherwise available only as an e-file?  When I have the time, should I put the first few Fallen Angels books out in POD form?  I’d really like to know what serious readers think.

To commemorate the end of the long road to Fallen Angel e-books, I’m going to give away—a PRINT copy of River of Fire. <g> It will go to someone who leaves a comment between now and Thursday midnight.

Mary Jo, adding that credit for the great covers goes to Kim Killon of www.hotdamndesigns.com 

Comments

[LilMissMolly]

I've never gotten into the whole e-reader thing (and I've tried), so I'd love to win a print copy. Thanks for the contest!

[Minna]

I love print books. I still don't have an e-reader and reading e-books from a computer screen is a bit of a pain.

[Linda]

I quite like ebooks even tho I don't have an ebook reader; I read them on my computer (oh for an ipad!). My poor bookshelf is most overloaded - bks on top of bks - hence my switch to ebooks whenever they are an option.

Gosh those covers are something else. They are gorgeous!

[Beebs]

I don't think I would pay for an entire series POD, but if I was missing one print book to complete a series, I would probably pay the extra to complete the series.

Pretty covers. :)

[Cynthia Owens]

Lovely covers, Mary Jo!

As for e-books, I haven't bought one yet, and I'm still waffling as to whether I will eventually do so. I much prefer the smell and feel of a "real" (print) book - much easier to curl up with in bed or on a favorite chair. I'd certainly be willing to pay more for a POD from my favorite author!

[Tweedy]

I already have a slightly battered print copy, so please don't put me in the drawing. I just wanted to comment that I've always loved this book.

[Cate S]

Oh wow!! I'd love to read this !! I've shared many of your books... they certainly are popular among my family of readers!! While I love the convenience of my ereader.. I still love 'real' books..[but wow, on vacation.. the ereader is great!]

[Annie]

Print books are my mainstay. I am old school and they are treasures.

[Mary Jo Putney]

LilMissMolly, Minna, Annie--

It's interesting that even in a place for serious readers. like the Word WEnches, THere's not huge enthusiasm for e-readers.

Linda--you're an exception, and for a reason I can totally empathize with--running out of bookshelf space!

Cate, I'm like you--e-readers are FABULOUS on a vacation. But I don't use mine otherwise unless it's an e-only book that I really want to read.

[Dee Feagin]

In answer to your question: definitely yes for a print edition of ebooks. I also have an ereader but find that I still prefer holding a book in my hand, enjoying the cover design and relating it to the story as it unfolds and the feel of the paper pages as I turn them. I like putting books in a series together on my bookshelf of Keepers and as my ereader library grows, I find that I am not liking scrolling through pages of lists to find a title. Hope this helps.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Beebs& Cynthia--

Thanks for the feedback on possible POD editions. I've suspected that the cost of the books would keep the potential audience down, except for books a person particularly wants. But I might do this as a service to readers even if not too many people would be interested.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Tweedy--

I'm so glad you love this book! I really liked the characters, and watching how Kenneth and Rebecca brought out each other's hidden hopes and dreams. "You have a gift. Honor it." *g*

[Pageturner]

I expect an e-reader will feature in my future, but at present I'm strictly paper. I'm also worried that, when I have an e-reader and find a book I simply adore, I'll want to have a print copy just in case...

[email protected]

[Sherri F.]

I have a Kindle, and enjoy the ebook experience BUT I feel they should be cheaper than the print books! No trees to chop down, no paper to print, no person to stock and ship the book etc etc. So if the price is the same for ebook or paperback, I buy the paperback! Old paperbacks never die, I pass them on the friends and relatives to read (which you can't do on the ebook!)

[Quilt Lady]

I read both kindle books and print books and like Sherri, I think ebooks should run a little cheaper. And like Sherri if the price of the paper book is the same as ebook I will buy the paper book, so I can loan them to friends.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Dee--

Thanks for the feedback. Print has major pluses, and if does sound like there would be some interest in POD editions.

THanks--

[Mary Jo Putney]

Sherri and QuiltLady--

E-book pricing is one of those Complicated Issues. It seems intuitively wrong that a new e-book might have the same price as the new mass market. Acquisition, editing, and marketing costs are the same for either format, but there are certainly fewer printing and distribution costs.

I believe one reason publishers maintain the price parity is to protect brick and mortar bookstores, and I admit that's a good cause--I'd hate to see bookstores vanish forever! Psychologically, I think it would be a plus if the e-book price was even a little bit lower.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Pageturner--

I'm with you. If I have a book I love and will reread, I want HARD COPY! It's much harder to read an e-reader in the tub. *G*

[Diana Quincy]

I love the concept of "River of Fire" and look forward to reading it. I discovered you when "One Perfect Rose" was reissued and have since devoured all of your books - that I've been able to find. I'm so glad more of your backlist is now available!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Diana--

I'm glad you're enjoying my reissues! My goal is to eventually have everything I've written available in case there's anyone who is a completist and wants to read EVERYTHING! *g*

[chey]

I doubt that I'd buy POD books. I already have more books than I have space to put them in so I try to get pdf ebooks that I can listen to on the computer.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Thanks for the input, Chey. Storing print books is the one big drawback. I'd like some kind of science fiction book room that tucked itself into another dimension until I want to browse my books. *G* Until then, book space is a real issue.

[LouisaCornell]

I received a Kindle for Christmas from a very dear friend who is trying her best to drag me into the 21st century! So far I have used it for books I can only get in e-form and really want to read and I have some great research books and dictionaries on it as well. I enjoy the convenience of it and I fully expect to load some of my "comfort" reads (books I already have in print copies) on it for reading emergencies! People laugh at me because I always have my Kindle AND at least one print book in my purse at all times.

I think POD would be an excellent way for me to first read a book on my Kindle and then, should I decide it is a keeper I would definitely want a print copy as well. A couple of the books I've read on my Kindle so far I would definitely pay to have a print copy.

And, yes, storage is definitely an issue, but I love having bookshelves in every room in my house and I love seeing those books there like old friends I can visit whenever I want.

[Andrea Penrose]

LOVE this series, and love hearing the background story as to how it came about. How wonderful that it's now readily available to readers again!

[Darla Vincent]

I loved all of the books in your Fallen Angel series. I just reread Dancing on the Wind and am now rereading Petals in the Storm. I think that Shattered Rainbows is my favorite of that series. I cannot tell you how many times I have read it. Looking foreward to your new release in April.

[Liz]

My answer to e-readers: John Dunning's The Bookman's Wake.

[Margot]

I have yet to get a dedicated e-reader, since I've always preferred actual books. I have an iPod touch, which is really too small to be comfortable reading on, but it's okay for if I need to look something up. I don't particularly like reading on the computer, either (and I'm always getting distracted by all those shiny websites...) I do hope to get an e-reader eventually, but I have no idea when "eventually" will be.

As to print on demand, I'm poor, so I tend to buy books sparingly, and then I find cheaper versions if at all possible. So if I (by some chance) read an ebook and absolutely love it, and it's only available in print as POD, I'd probably go for it, but otherwise, I'd probably just pass on reading it.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Cara/Andrea--

Isn't it GREAT that we can now make all our reverted backlist available? I was so happy to see your Andrea Pickens Signet Regencies become available. A feast for lovers of traditional Regencies.

[Mary Jo Putney]

***My answer to e-readers: John Dunning's The Bookman's Wake. **

Okay, Liz. I looked that up, and it definitely looks worth reading! E-books will not be the same when it comes to rare book hunting. *g*

[Mary Jo Putney]

Margot, the POD price is definitely enough to give one pause. One thing I need to investigate is whether libraries might buy POD for some books, which would make them more widely available. So many open questions in the business at this point in time!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Darla--I think that SHATTERED RAINBOWS is one of my strongest books. So much honor! So much healing needed! Waterloo! I loved rereading it to proof the scan. *G*