A Parcel o' Rogues

Susan here, with two newly released e-books to tell you about--my Border Rogues trilogy is at last complete (and wait 'til you see these gorgeous covers!) 

Rogues and rakes and romantic tales –- they often go together, though in the technical sense of the term, “rakes” and “rogues” probably shouldn't be the most most appealing of guys. But when these tawdry, rowdy sorts are conjured in the pages of a romance novel and cast as heroes, sometimes magic happens, and dictionary definitions are tossed on their ear. Rogues in the romance sense often can be powerful heroes, handsome, intriguing, compelling guys with dark secrets, with grievances and burdens nobly carried and kept close to the vest. These are men who have something to learn about life and love, and have some character growing yet to do. He's quite likely to be doing something downright illegal, but for good reasons that balance out in the end. A rogue can be a delicious challenge for the author as well as the heroine. If he doesn't come to terms with his own secrets and burdens, he might never change, find himself, find love. 

Books II and III of the "Border Rogues" trilogy is set in the 16th century Scottish Borderlands. The Raven’s Wish, the first book, is set in the Highlands, where its Lowland hero encounters a quirky Highland lass with a whopping case of The Sight. It was released in e-book a couple of years ago, and recently it got a great new cover.

Now the other books in the series, The Raven’s Moon and The Heather Moon, are finally out too. These were bestselling, award-winning historical romances years back, and now they are all finally available in e-book editions -- with stunning new covers. I also had the chance during production (an advantage of the old book to e-book process) to edit the books again. They're freshened up, tightened up, and ready for new readers.  

The Raven’s Moon and The Heather Moon are, like Raven’s Wish, set in Tudor times in Scotland. Wrting these, I dove in with relish to explore the Scottish side of the Tudor thing, and both Raven’s Moon and Heather Moon are set along the Scottish-English Border during the 16th century.

No more rough-and-tumble place existed in 16th c. Britain than the Border region. Mary Stuart, from infancy, was on the throne of Scotland and the Tudors, Henry VIII and Mary Tudor and finally Elizabeth I, ruled England. Scottish and English rogues had free rein and notorious reputations as cattle thieves and rascals, a rowdy bunch who could be pretty nasty—and sometimes very noble. These “naughty men,” as they were often called then, were the Border reivers, the men of the “riding clans”—Scotts and Johnsons, Elliotts, Maxwells and Armstrongs and a host of other Lowland names. They dominated the Borderlands in ways that strongly parallel the American Old West. It was wild time in Scottish history, populated by men who were never, ever tame. And I wanted to know more.

So I conjured up three stories with Border heroes who seemed, for all intents and purposes, to be bad boys and rogues—but were far from it. “The Border ballads and legends have cast a gloss of romance over it,” wrote George MacDonald Fraser in The Steel Bonnets, his study of the Scottish Border reiving society, and “there is a tendency to regard the high midnight of the Border reiver as a stirring, gallant episode in British history.” True, this was not a romantic era—heinous acts and incidents occurred, and men fought and died over territory that was bitterly disputed and could not be sorted out in maps and documents and loyalty to anyone’s satisfaction. But it was yet peopled with strong, fascinating characters who strongly believed in their own right to land and liberty, from their own perspectives.

So bring on that gloss of romance, said I -- I was writing romance, not mainstream historical fiction (I would write that genre a few years later), and so I jumped feet first into the Scottish Borders as a romance writer. Not the easiest writing challenge I've ever taken on, but I'm not a happy writer unless I have a mountain or two to climb. And the Borders of Scotland has become one of my favorite settings to read about and to write. 

Of all my heroes—warriors and knights, lawmen, healers, aristocrats, engineers—my Border reivers hold a special place in my heart. Yeah, I know, we say that a lot, we romance writers. But I really fell in love with Border laird William Scott in The Heather Moon and my Border officer Rowan Scott in The Raven’s Moon. They presented challenges that I had not encountered in my other books. Raised in a rough society, they had rowdy pasts and came from tough riding famililes, and they had made serious mistakes when younger. Yet William and Rowan had real heart, compassion and passion that they were reluctant to expose. And I had to not only rescue and remake them, but find them the perfect heroine and the perfect set of story hurdles.

Rowan Scott, former outlaw turned reluctant lawman, is bent on revenge despite his better instincts. Yet he soon finds himself with a small child to protect—and that begins to melt emotional walls Rowan has spent years constructing. Enter Mairi Macrae, a Highland girl determined to free her captured brother. She's been raiding the Border highways, and clobbers Rowan Scott, taking him prisoner--but once he turns the tables, she begins to uproot everything Rowan has ever known to be true, including his deep-seated unwillingness to love. Between the little boy thrust into his arms and the frank, wayward Highland girl with secrets of her own, Rowan has to rethink every perception he has. 

William Scott in The Heather Moon has something noble and special to defend, a past to hide and a precious secret to guard which could threaten the very throne of Scotland. He’d rather tend to his lands and steer clear of rogues and rascals—he’s done with that part of his former life, or so he thinks—until he encounters Tamsin Armstrong, the half-gypsy daughter of a notorious Border rascal. An old promise binds William to Tamsin, and he has to take her under his protection. The girl is cut of her rascally father’s cloth, and has grown up as fierce and untamed--and as unrepentant--as the worst of her Border kinsmen. But Tamsin has a secret too, one that makes her deeply vulnerable. She is physically deformed, a flaw that has made her defensive and fiery in order to survive. She’s never felt loved for herself, without pity or rejection. But when she is arrested and placed in the custody of William Scott, he not only accepts her as she is--he enlists her in a scheme to protect the infant Queen of Scots, expecting more from Tamsin than anyone ever has. That trust and responsibility--and that very compelling, sexy man--catches her completely off guard. 

These two Border couples were wild, passionate romance characters in an equally wild setting, unruly and romantic and a real pleasure to write about. These books do hold a very special place in my writer’s heart. I'm truly happy to have them available again as digital books. 

"A wonderfully dark and delectable read. Susan King evokes the Lowlands as few writers have—with all the passion, intrigue, mystery and beauty of the land—and tells a unique, well-crafted romance."  ~Kathe Robin, Romantic Times

"A marvelous Scottish tale. Absolutely wonderful characters, breakneck pacing, and a great setting. I couldn’t put it down." ~Patricia Potter

For excerpts from Raven’s Moon and Heather Moon, please click here.

Some thoughts to ponder --

In Scottish romance, would you rather read about Highland hunks, Lowland lovers, Border rogues, Edinburgh professors -- or will any ol' Scotsman, kilted or not, do nicely for you?

Scottish or not, have you read many romances where a main character is physically flawed, enough to alter their personal story?  

There's a free digital copy waiting for some lucky commenter to this blog!  I'll be giving away an e-book copy of Heather Moon or Raven's Moon to the winner. Thanks for your comments!

Susan

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Shannon]

Edinburgh professors as alpha males sounds so intriguing--not at all the usual fare.

I grew up in Idaho where everyone speaks about the same. Once in a blue moon there'd be a southerner or a Texan who talked real slow. I simply did not understand Scottish accents and couldn't figure out what the characters were saying if the author used a lot of dialect, so I stayed south of Hadrian's wall for my fiction. Once I got to New York state, I heard lots of accents, including that of the Scots. Suddenly, the dialogue seemed so much more interesting; unfortunately, college and a part-time job prevented a lot of recreational reading. More life happened with only a little fun reading. But now that I have free time, bring on the Scots...

As for the flawed characters, I frequently pick up a Beauty and the Beast trope. I especially recall one book (was it written by one of you wenches?) that had a Napoleonic War hero who had lost his arm and thus his artistic career. The heroine pushed him to confront his demons. What I especially loved was that in a later book in the series, he was holding an exhibition.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Susan, I love that these great books now have the great covers they deserve! Of course you're right that in real life, rakes and rogues were a bad lot. I once read a book on real Regency rakes, and it was really depressing as the guys ruined not only themselves but their families and everyone who loved them.

But if romance can make vampires appealing, rakes and rogues are a snap. And they can be so much fun!

[Pam Bustamante]

Headed to Scotland this summer, so any Highland Hunk or Lowland Lover will do. I find reading about the area I am going to (even fictionalized and romantic) will add to the trip. I always save a book set in the area to read on the plane!

[Faith Freewoman]

I am SO excited!!! Raven's Moon was one of the first two or three romances I ever read, and a big reason I became hooked on the genre. And this particular book has been hard to find for decades. These days I can only read ebooks, so imagine how my heart is going pitty-pat this morning! Magic, danger and rogues. Yum.

[Susan King]

Faith, thank you - that's great to know. I'm quite pleased that Mairi and Rowan's story helped get you hooked on romance! :)

[Susan King]

Scotland! That's fantastic! Enjoy it, wherever you'll be - and watch out for the summer midges....

[Susan King]

I love these beautiful covers, which were designed by Kim Killion. And you're so right, Mary Jo - rakes and rogues are nothing to rehab, compared to vampires!

[Susan King]

Engineers! In my Victorian trilogy, the heroes were all Scottish engineers - railroad, bridge and lighthouse-and much romance and adventure did ensue. ;) Those books will be available in e-book versions in a few months, but not quite yet!

The artist novel sounds like one of Mary Jo's - River of Fire featured a hero returned from the wars who was a painter. Great book about creativity and lost souls.

[Jan Moutz]

I recently read all three of these novels and must say that I enjoyed all three very much. I found the first on a FB page and thought I would try it. I have been reading historical fiction since I was in the eighth grade, and I am always looking for a great book to read! I have read QUEEN HEREAFTER and LADY MaCBETH and wondered
if Susan King was in fact Susan Fraser King. I am looking forward to new books from you!
I love the posts from The Word Wenches on FB!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Shannon--

My RIVER OF FIRE in the Fallen Angels series has a hero who was an officer in the Napoleonic wars, and he returns home and becomes the artist he's always longed to be, but he hadn't lost an arm. Instead, he was in danger of losing his estate because of his late father's profligacy, so he agrees to enter the household of a famous artist to investigate a possible murder. Kenneth and the heroine, Rebecca, who is his quarry's daughter and also an artist, do exhibit at the Royal Academy, but he retains both arms. *G* Sorry I don't recognixe what book you're remembering.

[Glenda]

I haven't run across many romances where one of the characters has a serious physical deformity... Grace Burrowes' The MacGregor's Lady has a character who has one leg shorter than the other, but in the end it isn't really a game changer. There are a few where the hero has injuries, but not a deformity from birth. At least none I can think of.

As for what type of Scottish hero I prefer, I love 'em all. I do prefer the intelligent ones over the ones who are all brawn and no brain. :-)

[Susan]

Thank you, Jan! I love that you enjoyed the Border Rogues! And yes, Susan King is in fact Susan Fraser King. :)

[Susan]

I so totally agree with you, Glenda. I always try to write an intelligent hero - they're just not that interesting to me otherwise, I'd far rather write brains over brawn, though the combination of the two can be quite intriguing!

Writing a heroine with a birth deformity was a fascinating challenge - she has fused fingers, which she hides for many reasons - and that posed all sorts of things to consider in the story, from altering the way she accomplished simple and complex physical tasks, to her emotional and mental psychology - she certainly doesn't trust easily. Enter the hero, who has to convince her that he can be relied upon and that he won't desert her. ;)

[Dee F.]

Och, ye had me at "Scottish"! I am such a pushover when it comes to the accent. Of course, kilts do their part as well!
Seriously, I haven't read any books with characters from Edinburgh, professors or otherwise, so I would like to do so. Scholars are an underused occupation in romantic heroes and heroines, I think.

[Olivia]

I find I like heroes who have some major obstacle in the way- whether it's a stroke (Laura Kinsale's Flowers of the Storm) or PTSD or childhood abuse (Grace Burrowes The Soldier & Ethan) or an allegiance to something greater than themselves which guides their choices rather than he happy go lucky man who has had little in the way of challenges. In fiction, and in life, I like men wih depth who have been tested and have battle scars on them.

[Linda]

Any will do, as long as it's well written. I've read several stories of scarred heroes. I always love the Beauty & the Beast trope.

[Bona]

I should make a comment more to the point, but the thing is that while I was reading this post I was asking myself what the difference really was between a 'rogue', a 'rake', a 'scoundrel', a 'rascal' and a 'profligate'.
They shouldn't be heroes, but they are in Romance novel because of that strange idea that reformed rakes makes the best husbands. I have my doubts in reality, but in romance novels? The myth works perfectly well.