Cara/Andrea here,
Today I’m welcoming back my good friend Christina Brooke, and for all of you who have ever asked an author, “how do you come up with the ideas for your stories,” she has some fun stories to share about her latest book, LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL, which releases next week. Christina, a RITA Finalist last year in the Regency category, writes wickedly witty and passionate stories—and if you haven’t read her, you are in for a treat. So without further ado, I shall pass the pen to her!
Hello, everyone and thank you to the lovely Cara Elliott and all of the Wenches for having me here today.
When I’m among history buffs, I like to share a little inspiration for my novels in the way of some research tidbit that sparked an idea for a story.
However, LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL came about not because a piece of interesting research but because my editor came up with the title and emailed me, telling me I HAD to use it. This would be the beginning of a hero-centric series, a spin off from the Ministry of Marriage books, featuring the male cousins of the Westruther clan.
Those who are familiar with the Ministry of Marriage will know that Beckenham was due to have his story next. In fact, when my editor came up with this great title, I was already half way through the draft with about two months left until my deadline.
The problem was that Beckenham could not ever, by any stretch of the imagination, be termed a scoundrel. So I did something incredibly foolhardy that ended up working very well. I told my editor I would write a completely new book, featuring a fourth cousin I had intended to write further down the track. Jonathon, the Earl of Davenport.
Jonathon is everything the novel’s title implies, though some might say he has ample reason for his recklessness.
Having chosen my hero, I needed a heroine, and I selected one from the rough, ramshackle deVere family, a young lady who was determined to rise above her vulgar origins and reach the pinnacle of success by attaining vouchers Almack’s. Of course, in the end we see that what Hilary truly wants is to belong, but Almack’s becomes a symbol for that longing.
The book was a lot of fun to write even though I had so little time to write it (in the end it was more like four months than two) and I drew on inspiration from a number of sources, including the British television series, COUNTRY HOUSE RESCUE.
If you haven’t seen it before, you should buy, beg borrow or steal it from somewhere. The presenter of the program, Ruth Watson, has experience turning tumbledown country estates into thriving concerns. Each week, she visits a particular family and advises them how they can save their homes and turn them into self-sustaining and even profitable enterprises. There is a new host now and I haven’t seen his programs yet, but I admired Ruth’s ability to drive to the heart of the matter and tell these families some hard truths.
Solutions range from turning great houses into B&Bs to garden displays and tea houses. Every solution is tailored to the strengths and inclinations of the house and the people who live there.
At Riverhill, in Sevenoaks, Kent, an ancestor had been a botanist and brought back many rare plants from the Himalayas. The present owner’s wife was a school teacher and she had the wonderful idea of creating a “Himalayan Adventure” for school children in the woods, complete with Yeti sightings. They were such a delightful, hard-working family, it was such a pleasure to see their hard work and enthusiasm pay off.
Then there was Anselm Guise, whose family had come over with the Conqueror and been granted land at Elmore in Bedfordshire in 1262. As he stood in a rather somber dining hall surrounded by portraits of his ancestors, you could see a distinct resemblance!
Anselm is extremely gregarious and his background is in event and festival planning. He seemed to have a lot of friends who pursued an alternative lifestyle, memorably turning his drawing room into a repository for seedling pots at one stage as they assisted him to bring the estate into order. Ruth returned in one episode to find the kitchens he and his friends were supposed to be cleaning full to brimming with empty bottles from a hedonistic party the night before.
However, Anselm’s energy and passion won through, along with his success in finding an extremely capable (and wealthy?) wife. They aim to return the estate to its former productive self-sufficiency with a kitchen garden and cookery school where students can take produce from the soil to the table.
As death taxes and the dwindling resources of families who own these magnificent houses have taken their toll, many houses have fallen into shocking disrepair. Many had simply closed rooms as they crumbled, living in a very small part of the house so as to keep maintenance and heating costs down.
It was the remark of one such family that brought me to write perhaps the most memorable scene in LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL. They said they were walking past a disused wing of the house one day, looked in the window, and saw that the ceiling was on the dining room table. They wondered how long it had been there.
My heroine, Hilary deVere, comes from a family who spends their money on horses and hunting rather than their house. So when Lord Davenport stays over night and his ceiling falls in on top of him as he lies wakeful, plotting how he will seduce our fair heroine, she runs to the rescue:
A sound like the rumble of thunder made Hilary start awake from her drowse. Disoriented, she glanced toward the window. A masculine shout made her realize that the thunder had come from inside the house.
“Oh, no!”
She leaped out of bed and flew into the corridor. The commotion had come from the guest bedchamber.
She hurried toward it and wrenched open the door.
There, stark naked with his back to her, in the midst of a pile of ceiling plaster and debris, stood Lord Davenport.
Hilary’s jaw dropped.
He was covered from head to toe in grayish-white plaster dust. He looked like a statue of a Greek god as he surveyed the wreckage, one hip negligently cocked. A David, a colossus still standing proud and tall through the sacking of Rome…
I had a lot of fun with that scene!
While COUNTRY HOUSE RESCUE is entertainment, it’s also invaluable in picking up snippets of family history, stories of achievements and eccentricities and simply the way one lives in an enormous house with a grand estate. Of course, much has changed over the centuries since the Regency period in which I write, but human nature being what it is, there are a lot of quirks and customs that may be extrapolated to my books.
So, do you enjoy watching period dramas, documentaries, reality shows about your favorite historical eras? What are your favorites?
One lucky reader will be chosen at random from those who leave a comment between now and Thursday evening to win a copy of LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL!
Hello, everyone and thank you to the lovely Cara Elliott and all of the Wenches for having me here today.
However, LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL came about not because a piece of interesting research but because my editor came up with the title and emailed me, telling me I HAD to use it. This would be the beginning of a hero-centric series, a spin off from the Ministry of Marriage books, featuring the male cousins of the Westruther clan.
Those who are familiar with the Ministry of Marriage will know that Beckenham was due to have his story next. In fact, when my editor came up with this great title, I was already half way through the draft with about two months left until my deadline.
The problem was that Beckenham could not ever, by any stretch of the imagination, be termed a scoundrel. So I did something incredibly foolhardy that ended up working very well. I told my editor I would write a completely new book, featuring a fourth cousin I had intended to write further down the track. Jonathon, the Earl of Davenport.
Jonathon is everything the novel’s title implies, though some might say he has ample reason for his recklessness.
The book was a lot of fun to write even though I had so little time to write it (in the end it was more like four months than two) and I drew on inspiration from a number of sources, including the British television series, COUNTRY HOUSE RESCUE.
Solutions range from turning great houses into B&Bs to garden displays and tea houses. Every solution is tailored to the strengths and inclinations of the house and the people who live there.
Anselm is extremely gregarious and his background is in event and festival planning. He seemed to have a lot of friends who pursued an alternative lifestyle, memorably turning his drawing room into a repository for seedling pots at one stage as they assisted him to bring the estate into order. Ruth returned in one episode to find the kitchens he and his friends were supposed to be cleaning full to brimming with empty bottles from a hedonistic party the night before.
As death taxes and the dwindling resources of families who own these magnificent houses have taken their toll, many houses have fallen into shocking disrepair. Many had simply closed rooms as they crumbled, living in a very small part of the house so as to keep maintenance and heating costs down.
My heroine, Hilary deVere, comes from a family who spends their money on horses and hunting rather than their house. So when Lord Davenport stays over night and his ceiling falls in on top of him as he lies wakeful, plotting how he will seduce our fair heroine, she runs to the rescue:
A sound like the rumble of thunder made Hilary start awake from her drowse. Disoriented, she glanced toward the window. A masculine shout made her realize that the thunder had come from inside the house.
“Oh, no!”
She leaped out of bed and flew into the corridor. The commotion had come from the guest bedchamber.
She hurried toward it and wrenched open the door.
There, stark naked with his back to her, in the midst of a pile of ceiling plaster and debris, stood Lord Davenport.
Hilary’s jaw dropped.
He was covered from head to toe in grayish-white plaster dust. He looked like a statue of a Greek god as he surveyed the wreckage, one hip negligently cocked. A David, a colossus still standing proud and tall through the sacking of Rome…
While COUNTRY HOUSE RESCUE is entertainment, it’s also invaluable in picking up snippets of family history, stories of achievements and eccentricities and simply the way one lives in an enormous house with a grand estate. Of course, much has changed over the centuries since the Regency period in which I write, but human nature being what it is, there are a lot of quirks and customs that may be extrapolated to my books.
So, do you enjoy watching period dramas, documentaries, reality shows about your favorite historical eras? What are your favorites?
One lucky reader will be chosen at random from those who leave a comment between now and Thursday evening to win a copy of LONDON’S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL!
Hi Christina - I'm so glad this book is almost out - I've been dying to get my pre-ordered copy since finishing your fabulous Ministry of Marriage series! Much as I'm eagerly awaiting Beckenham's book - this sounds fabulous!
I've always loved period dramas, from the days of Upstairs Downstairs and The Duchess of Duke Street. Of course, we're lucky to have the great drama machines of the BBC and ITV over here, so we're blessed with plenty to choose from. My favourite at the moment (after Downton killed off the lovely Matthew!) is a series about midwives in the East of London in the 50's called - Call the Midwife. It's based on a book by Jennifer Worth.
Posted by: Anna Sugden | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:51 AM
Hi Anna! Thanks for dropping in and thank you for the lovely words about my series. You're so kind:)
I never followed Upstairs Downstairs but I do remember being obsessed with Duchess of Duke Street and of course I love Downton Abbey even though I'll miss dear Matthew. Haven't caught up with Call the Midwife but it's on here in Australia, too, and I've heard it's great.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 04:02 AM
Hi Christine, welcome back to the wenches. And (waving to Anna Sugden) I also loved the Duchess of Duke St, and Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife have been must-not-miss shows for me. I'm not as keen on the "reality" period shows.
Best of luck with the new book.
Posted by: Anne Gracie | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 04:57 AM
Christina, I so wish I got to see Country House Rescue! It would be exactly my kind of show. If I had tons of money I would love to spend it on a big old pile of dilapidated house. :)
I can think of so many, many ways to make money from an old house. I would be sure it was one where people came, toured and left, though. No hanging about for days leaving dirty dishes and demanding clean towels and things in my house. Ha!
I love period dramas like Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey, along with any other period show ever shown on the BBC. That's why my husband gave me a subscription to Acorn TV for Christmas. The last saga I watched was The Far Pavilions, which I really enjoyed. It also made me realize that one of my good friends in college totally copied Amy Irving's eye makeup from that movie. She had terribly exotic coloring (Italian mother, Polish father) with dark skin and hair and gorgeous blue-green eyes. It worked for her!
But I digress. I am impatiently waiting for Acorn TV to show Foyle's War again. I only got to see the pilot before it was off air again. I also still haven't seen Call the Midwife, but I'm sure I will in time!
I am looking forward to this book, Christina. What a great way to back into a plot! :)
Posted by: Caren Crane | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 05:08 AM
Christina, Country House Rescue sounds wonderful. I hope BBC America will pick it up. They used to have a show about rescuing hotels, and I think the presenter was Ruth Something. Wonder if it's the same one.
I've so been looking forward to this book. I've loved the Ministry of Marriage.
It's a shame keeping up these lovely old houses is so difficult. We watched the PBS series about Chatsworth and were impressed by how much everyone involved hustles to keep it going.
Posted by: Nancy Northcott | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 05:31 AM
Thanks for visiting with us, Christina—the new book sounds fabulous (as always!)
I, too, am a huge Downton Abbey fan, but was a little miffed by the way they did away with Matthew. However, it will be interesting to see how they deal with the 20s, and managing the big house.
If I had a zillion, 'd love to renovate an old country estate, though I can well imagine what aHUGE undertaking it would be . . .falling ceilings . . .but hey, if I found a handsome naked lord covered in dust, I wouldn't complain!
Posted by: Andrea Penrose | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 05:43 AM
What a delightful and informative post, Christina! I'm always amazed at the massive project restoring these old estates is!
I do enjoy period pieces, my favorite being Downton Abbey, but I don't seem to get a chance to watch them as often as I'd like. I like analyzing the cultural and social changes that allowed for, and then destroyed, these beautiful old structures.
Posted by: Jo Robertson | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 07:52 AM
Oops, forgot to add that the scene with the hero standing naked amid plaster and dust is delightful!
Can't wait for the release of this book, Christina!
Posted by: Jo Robertson | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 07:54 AM
Anna, you are so lucky to have access to these wonderful period shows.
We just finished watching an interesting show that can be considered "period" now that we're nearly 60 years past the ending of WWII. It's titled "The Blechley Circle," and highlights British woman who worked in secret intelligence gathering during the war.
Posted by: Jo Robertson | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 07:59 AM
Hi Christine -
Loved the naked hero covered in plaster dust! Definitely my kind of book, can't wait to read it.
I hadn't heard of Country House Rescue but I'll definitely be looking for it. I do love period documentaries and series. I have several of them on DVD so I can watch them on my schedule. Loved Downton Abbey until they started killing off everyone. Seriously, you'd think Geroge R.R. Martin took a turn at producing the thing. However, as long as Maggie Smith continues as the dowager countess, I'll continue to watch it.
Posted by: Donna MacMeans | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 08:34 AM
Hi, Christina! I pre-ordered London's Last True Scoundrel and eagerly await its release.
Country House Rescue sounds fascinating. I'm with Nancy in hoping BBC America will pick it up. I like period dramas, but I'm too impatient to watch the weekly shows. I usually wait and do marathon viewing when I can get full seasons on DVD. I'm still catching up with Downton Abbey.
Posted by: Janga | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 09:17 AM
Hi Christina,I only saw snippets of Country House Rescue but as you have used they had trouble maintaining these houses even in their hayday.About a mile away from me there is the remains of what if it had ever been finished 2would have been the largest house in England.Eastbury House what remains were originally the stables and has always fascinated me as there is a tree growing on top of the gateway!The house was built by Bubb Dodington (what a lovely name)who was created Baron Melcombe Regis in 1761 just before he died with the house not quite finished.His heirs couldn't afford to live there so it was mostly demolished and a fair number of the village houses were built of the stone!.
Posted by: Jo Banks | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 09:58 AM
Christina, I am so excited about this book and loved your insight into how you wrote it. I'd think writing to a title would be a great challenge.
Country House Rescue sounds fabulous. I'm fascinated by the beauty and power of houses like that. We don't have nearly the history (or architecture) here in California.
Posted by: Tawny Weber | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Hi Caren! I'm with you on buying a dilapidated house if I had pots of money. It must be like renovating your own house times 1000 because of the specialist craftspeople you need.
LOL on making sure guests left. I'm with you on that! I'd also have to have my own private quarters so I wouldn't feel like people were going through my underwear drawers when my back was turned:)
Wonderful that your dh gave you a subscription to Acorn TV. Over here, we used to get all of the period dramas via the ABC who has an arrangement with the BBC in the U.K. However, the BBC has just done a deal with our cable network, so that's going to be interesting. The great thing about the ABC is no commercials.
Thanks so much for dropping in. Hope you enjoy Scoundrel!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Welcome to the Word Wenche, Christina! I'm glad your hero wasn't concussed when the ceiling fell on him. *G* Now I have to find "Country House Rescue!"
Good luck with your new series. It look off to a fabulous start!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Hi Nancy! Yes it is the same presenter. I think Ruth Watson started out as the Hotel Inspector but I never saw that series. Some people don't like her. She is very bossy and a lot of people bridle and won't do what she wants (sometimes I think they are told to behave that way so there's conflict!) But if they knuckle under they are often surprised at the results. I hope you do get it over there. It's a great show. Also narrated by Hugh Bonneville, the earl in Downton Abbey so that's a nice touch! Chatsworth is like a company with many subsidiaries, really, isn't it? The former duke and duchess were amazing to haul it back from post war doldrums to make it what it is today.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:12 PM
LOL, Cara, I didn't see any naked lords in Country House Rescue. I was too busy drooling over all of the amazing artifacts and family history and lovely gardens, etc. Grand Estate Porn!
Well, I'm sure they wouldn't have killed Matthew if he hadn't wanted to leave the show. They couldn't have him take off to America or something. That wouldn't have been in character. It is a pity as he's one of my favourite characters! Yes, it will be fascinating to see what happens next.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Hey Christina! SO, so excited about this book. Cannot WAIT to read it and I totally adore the excerpt. Grins. Like Janga and Nancy, I'm hoping BBC America starts airing that series on country house rescue as that is right up my allee! Grins.
I love the Brit series pieces from Upstairs Downstairs to Fawlty Towers to Vicar of Dibley to Downton Abbey. Adored North and South, of course, and all of the UK cop shows both historic and modern. Sigh. So many lovely heroes...
Waving at all the Word Wenches!!
Posted by: Jeanne Adams | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Jo, thank you for visiting today. I agree, it is interesting watching the zenith of country house life and then the decay as society changes--for the better, we have to agree. What I love about Country House Rescue is that the families get to keep their beloved homes and the traditions and atmosphere live on. They also find a purpose and a direction which seems lacking in some of their lives to that point.
Thanks for the compliment about the ceiling scene! I had to cut it off fairly quickly or the Wenches might have had to censor me:)
Bletchley Circle has just come to our ABC and I'm going to watch as soon as I have time. Sounds fascinating!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Thanks, Donna! I think Downton had to kill so many people because they left the show. I was disappointed when Sybil died because she seemed to have so much potential that was lost when she married. She was sweet and strong, clever and determined and I love those qualities in a heroine. I cried buckets when she died!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:22 PM
Hi Janga, lovely to see you here. Thank you so much for pre-ordering Scoundrel. I hope you enjoy him!
I'm like you, I buy the DVD set and watch in a marathon. I wish I could make myself stretch it out a bit more but I'm obsessive and I can't stop until I've watched them all. Hope you do get Country House Rescue. It seems to have disappeared from view here for the moment, but I'm looking forward to its return.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:24 PM
Hi Jo! How fascinating about Eastbury House and the tree growing on top of the gateway. Probably not even Ruth Watson could save that one. How sad that the heirs couldn't afford to live there. They probably had to pay huge death taxes, to add insult to injury. Thanks so much for sharing your own experience!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:27 PM
This book is already on my TBR list, can't wait for it to come out. That show sounds so interesting I am going to check right now if I can watch it.
Posted by: Mari | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Actually, Tawny, writing to a title was fun. I know some people would be horrified but I hadn't written an out-and-out rogue before and it kept me very well entertained. I hope readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I know what you mean about not having the history or architecture. Australians go to Europe and spend most of their time marveling at how OLD everything is! LOL Thanks so much for commenting today.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Hi Mary Jo! Thank you so much for the welcome and for having me on Word Wenches. I think you'll enjoy Country House Rescue. Hope you can track it down. And thank you for the good luck.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Jeanne, thanks so much for coming along today. Ruth Watson is quite Bolshy and unimpressed by titles and so forth so I think you would like her. She tells it like it is! And you'd love the gardens, too!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:34 PM
Hi Mari! Thank you for putting Scoundrel on your TBR list:) I hope you enjoy it and Country House Rescue, too, if you can find it.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:35 PM
What fun to read this.Thank you Christina.
Having no talent for writing a book, I am always fascinated in learning about the process -- where ideas come from, how problems are solved, the process of getting the book printed, all of it.
I also loved to hear about Country House Rescue. If I could live my life over again I think I would go into restoring houses. I have a young cousin who just graduated from college and restoring old buildings is what he majored in !! Just the fact that there is a program devoted to that trade amazes, and pleases, me.
I do like period pieces and histories. Maybe I should have been an historian. I loved your Ministry of Marriage books and eagerly look for to your new series.
Posted by: Alison | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Hello Alison! Thank you for visiting today. Well, that is the first time I've started with a title for a book and it was definitely a challenge. I think the fact that my editor was so enthusiastic helped fire me up.
How lovely that you can indulge your interest in restoration through your cousin. I think it's marvelous that we are learning to take care of what we have, rather than knocking old things down to build new. I don't tend to like much modern architecture so I like the idea of preserving historical buildings. Oh, and thank you for saying you loved the Ministry of Marriage books! So lovely to chat with you today.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 01:01 PM
Christina, like others here, I'm dying to find Country House Rescue, too. Maybe Netflix will have it. I'm usually not a big fan of "reality" tv, bt this one sounds fascinating just for the glimpses of the hsitoric interiors and the snipets of family history that must be mentioned. Um, maybe I have to tke a trip to London to watch it on reruns. Research, right? ha, ha, ha.
Posted by: Andrea Penrose | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 01:13 PM
LOL, Cara, you could definitely get a tax deduction for that! I don't like reality television either, but this has a tight format and as you say, it's right up our alley. I've always been fascinated with the concept of actually living in these houses, treating unusual or historical artifacts with everyday carelessness. Rollerskating in the long gallery and so forth. These places are homes, not museum pieces and I think that's how our characters would have treated them, too.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 01:22 PM
Mmmm... Paul Marron's backside....
As much as old country estates are fun to look at on television, I doubt I'd ever want to live in one (unless there are hidden passages!). Think of all that cleaning...
My favorite period show is still Jeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, bringing P. G. Wodehouse's words to life.
Posted by: infinitieh | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 01:24 PM
Haha, Infinitieh. The amount of trouble that man's backside has caused since this cover came out! I never thought I'd ever see so much discussion about a cover model's trousers!
I so agree about the cleaning! The way to own a country house is definitely the way our Regency characters do it--with lots of servants to take care of the place!
I LOVE Jeeves and Wooster and my sons do, too. One of the most memorable scenes was when Wooster is trying to get Jeeves to sing rag-time with him. Thanks for commenting, Infinitieh!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 01:40 PM
Love to watch Rehab Addict. That gal can transform a rundown wreck into something I would love to live in. So I am a sucker for any show that takes something ugly and transforms it into a gem which now I have to find where I can watch Country House Rescue.
Posted by: Cathy | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:36 PM
There's more historical fiction than there are period dramas, so I spend more time reading than watching. I adore both but in different ways.
On restoring old houses, I'm always fascinated by what choices the homeowner makes. About two years ago, I went on a tour of private estates in Virginia for a charity. Some of the owners had gone for as much historical accuracy as they could and still accommodate modern conveniences, other compromised, and some basically gutted the old homes and built a modern house inside of an old ante-bellum mansion. Country House Rescue sounds like a lot of fun and I hope to find it. Does it go into finding furniture? the owners talked a lot about find roughly original furniture, buying reproductions, or mixing and matching.
Thanks for your post. I now have some more titles to add to my want to read list; Ministry of Marriage sounds delightful.
Posted by: Shannon | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:36 PM
Christina, I had never heard of Country House Rescue but now I have to find it. That looks like my kind of show. And I can't wait to read this book!!
I finally just got myself caught up on Downton Abbey. Now I can't wait for the next season.
Posted by: Christie Kelley | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:54 PM
Hi Cathy! Rehab Addict sounds great. I did a renovation not long ago so I have an appreciation of the work involved. Hope you enjoy Country House Rescue if you find it. It doesn't show much of the nitty gritty of actual restoration but it does give you an idea of what the family will have to achieve to make the estate profitable.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:56 PM
Hi Christie, thanks for dropping in and for saying you're looking forward to Scoundrel. Yes, I'm hanging out for next season of DA too! Much as I loved Matthew I thought his romance with Mary had run its course and settled into the HEA realm, which is when it gets less interesting:) *Ducking for cover*
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 03:58 PM
Oh, Christina, your excerpt was so wonderful that I read it out loud to my husband, Steve, as he sat surfing the web just through the doorway.
We have an old house, and he reminded me that we've always LIVED in old houses--something I've never even realized until this moment. Not as old as the ones in your stories of course, but nevertheless, he reminded me that we came home one day to find the ceiling of our 1920s apartment on top of our coffee table, with the requisite plaster dust covering everything in the high-ceilinged living room. I'd completely forgotten that incident.
I am, perhaps, the biggest fan EVER of your Ministry of Marriage series, and it aggravates me that you can't write faster. Not that I don't sympathize, but seriously, if you could write one of these every month I'd still say it wasn't enough. I could just gorge myself on them.
I'm going to the Kindle now, to pre-order this book. Just knowing it's connected to the series is enough. I love every character you've even mentioned in passing. And that's your strength I think. Your characters have such deep point of view I just fall into them. I feel with them, and I want to stay. That and your lovely use of the language make reading your books my secret escape.
As to the question, I don't have television (we have a huge tv, but no cable or antenna, so only use it for movies) so I'm useless for the discussion of any series since The Brady Bunch Except for Sex & The City. I'm just now getting to that, a few decades late. *hangs head in shame*
Anyway, so glad you're about to have a new release. I was serious about the "hurry up!" part. ;0)
I absolutely
Posted by: Cassondra Murray | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 07:23 PM
Hi Cassondra! I'm overwhelmed, thank you so much for your kind words about my books. I really hope you enjoy Scoundrel and I wish I could write faster than I do. Old houses take a lot of care and repair but I think if you like doing it, it's worth it. I love old houses which is part of the reason I like historicals. And clearly you have been doing far more productive things with your time than watch TV!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 07:44 PM
I like watching documentaries of all possible historical eras.
Posted by: Minna | Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Coming late to the party here! Hi Christina! It's such a pleasure to see you back here with the Wenches!
Country House Rescue is brilliant, isn't it. I love the way in which you can puck up so many little snippets of history and ideas for scenes from programmes like that.
One of my favourite shows of a similar nature is The Restoration Man, where an architect goes around helping families rebuild old properties. You learn so much about the history of the places in the process - as well as the dynamics of the families themselves. I was lucky enough to act as history consultant on one of the episodes that was filmed locally and it was fascinating.
I can't wait to get my hands on your book and read the ceiling scene - and many others! Belonging is a theme that really interests me and I love the sound of Hilary and Jonathon.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 01:43 AM
I would rather read than watch TV. So I am looking forward to this book. Dee
Posted by: Gram | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 04:14 AM
Hi, Christina! I loved your blog. I would love to be there to see Lord Davenport naked with plaster all over him.
I enjoy period dramas and documentaries.
kscathyATyahooDOTcom
Posted by: Cathy P | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 07:13 AM
Thank goodness for PBS here in the USA.. I've been hard at avoiding any press info so not to spoil the next series. I would love to see Country House Rescue, because I love the history. The 'real estate' shows we get here seems to center on young people out there buying half million dollar homes, which just astounds me..
Posted by: CateS | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 07:43 AM
Country House Rescue would be right up my alley. I think this book sounds like something I would love to read. It was not anything like an old house in England, but at one point in my life we moved into an older redo....it was wonderful and expensive and wonderful and daunting, but basically wonderful. I look forward to reading about your Lord covered in plaster dust.
Posted by: Annette | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 09:39 AM
Congrats on new release! I have two of your books and really enjoyed them. To answer your question, my favorite movies are Jane Austen movies. It's my favorite time period too.
Posted by: lilmissmolly | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Well, I'm a little embarrassed to admit among all of your fans that you are a new to me author. So I am very glad that you visited WW and that I got to read your interview. Loved the book excerpt! And I can relate as I had a kitchen ceiling fall in - luckily only next to me, not on me!
Great title and I'm looking forward to reading the book.
Posted by: Donna | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Hi Minna, obviously you love history of all eras. I think history can be as interesting as the documentary maker makes it.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:06 PM
Shannon, I just realized I missed your comment. I'm so sorry! Became a little muddled there.
Your point about the choices we make when restoring old houses is a great one. It's so expensive to do things authentically and of course there are areas we simply must compromise in--electricity and plumbing, for example. So you can never be entirely accurate but the thing I love about the attitude of the English toward old houses is that every succeeding generation leaves their own mark and that's Ruth Watson's philosophy, too. The house is an evolving organism and I find the idea of estates becoming self-sustaining the way they were before the industrial revolution, but as a business not a fiefdom very exciting. Some people hate all of the modern sculpture they have at Chatsworth, for example, but the idea is to keep adding to the collection the best of every era. I think that's how those houses must be in order to survive. Oops! What a rant! You got me on my soapbox.
To answer your question, no, the show doesn't go into the furniture so much as the estate as a whole. It's not a renovation program, more of a 'let's see what business we can establish here so that the family can thrive and keep the house for generations to come'.
Hope you enjoy my books, Shannon! Lovely to meet you.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:18 PM
Hi Nicola, it's so long since we caught up. Lovely to 'see' you here! Thank you for having me. It's been fun to chat with historical experts and history buffs.
What a wonderful compliment to be asked to be history consultant on The Restoration Man. I will see if it's on cable here. We do tend to get a lot of those kinds of shows here, too. That must have been a fascinating experience.
Thank you, I hope you enjoy LONDON'S LAST TRUE SCOUNDREL!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:21 PM
Dee, I'm with you there! I'd much rather read. Thank you, I hope you enjoy my scoundrel!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:22 PM
Hi Cathy, I had a lot of fun with that scene!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:23 PM
Hi Cate, yes the real estate shows can be a little depressing. I'm not a huge fan of most reality TV but programs like Country House Rescue and Antiques Roadshow are addictive! Living in Australia I've grown up with a lot of wonderful British television. It's wonderful to see the success of shows like Downton in the U.S.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:26 PM
Hi Annette! I so agree with the expensive, daunting and wonderful parts. Our house is not terribly old but it's old for this area and has a lot of character and charm, which I was anxious to hold onto when we renovated. I had so much fun with Scoundrel. I hope readers have fun with it too.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:28 PM
Hi Lilmissmolly! I love the Jane Austen period dramas too. They make up a large percentage of my DVD collection! Glad to hear you've enjoyed my other books. Thank you!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:29 PM
Hi Donna, my editor can take full credit for the title, but thank you! Glad you liked the excerpt. I had a ball writing that scene. The book is a little over the top for me but it's also the funniest I've ever written so I hope readers like that. Oh, poor you with the kitchen ceiling! Very glad you weren't under it (or naked) at the time;)
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:32 PM
I'm so embarrassed! I've just gone over the comments and I seem to have missed some. Anne Gracie, thank you so much for the welcome and for having me on Word Wenches!
I usually hate reality shows, Anne, but Country House Rescue is a must for me. Did you see the more recent adaptation of Upstairs Downstairs? I didn't like it much, even though I'm a fan of Keeley Hawes (sp?)
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 03:36 PM
Love 'em! Thank heavens for PBS! I have access to several PBS stations. Plus my library has a vast number of BBC DVD's available for borrowing. One that I've learned about recently that I need to view is about Candleford? And I'm watching the James Herriot series again that I haven't seen for years.
Posted by: Diane Sallans | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 06:23 PM
I love period dramas. My favorites so far are Upstairs Downstairs (both the original and the recent continuation with Keeley Hawes), Lark Rise to Candleford, Foyle's War, George Gently, Cranford, and Parade's End.
Christina, I did like the recent 30s Upstairs Downstairs and was sorry the story wasn't continued right into WW2. It's interesting to realize that while PG Wodehouse and Georgette Heyer were writing all those romantic comedies, Nazis were openly running around the UK trying to gain adherents, and this is one of the few serials I've seen that dealt with that.
Posted by: Janice | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 07:21 PM
Diane, you're so lucky to have the BBC DVDs available for borrowing. That's a great way to see them--no ads and you don't have to pay so you can try out a lot of new series. I believe Candleford is excellent but haven't seen it myself.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 07:53 PM
Janice, I so agree, it is difficult for a lot of people now to believe that there were many Nazi sympathizers in Britain--mainly because we have the benefit of hindsight, I think. At the time, no one had any idea what a monster Hitler would turn out to be. I've always been fascinated with the Mitford sisters since adoring the television serial LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE from a very young age. One sister was a communist, while another reputedly had an affair with Hitler and shot herself in the head when Germany lost the war. Such a fascinating time.
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 07:56 PM
Just popped back to say thank you to Cara/Andrea, the Word Wenches and all of you lovely readers for such a warm welcome!
Posted by: Christina Brooke | Friday, June 28, 2013 at 02:21 PM
Hi Christina!
Congratulations o the release of London's Last True Scoundrel the beginning of the month.
I'm a reader and not a watcher and fortunately my husband loves to read historical fiction as well as history books so many times we end up reading books set in the same era but in different genres! It comes in hand when we have a question and can just ask each other for th answer instead of having to "google" it!
Many years ago we took a trip to England and Scotland and leaving the "beaten path" to visit places we had read about which ended being the best part of our trip. Instead of just visiting the usual tourist haunts we ended up in some interesting small villages and getting a chance to hear history of the area that isn't taught in books.
I was thrilled to find out on your website that the third book in the series isn't going to be released until next week but at least The Greatest Lover Ever will be available for Christmas! I know that London's Last True Scoundrel has been released in Australia but will it also be released here in the USA?
Posted by: Jeanne Miro | Friday, June 28, 2013 at 08:44 PM
Great post Christina - can't wait to read this book. I love the idea of your hero actually looking like a Greek stature because he's covered in plaster dust! Brilliant!! Those English series are so fascinating and some of the houses are incredible. Thanks so much for sharing.
Posted by: Jennifer Kloester | Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 05:14 PM