A GREAT Apology!

Elizabeth Camden Ramblings about Romance Leave a Comment

Is there anyone on the planet who is not rooting for Linda to take him back? I have no idea what this guy did to be relegated to the doghouse, but his apology is perfect.

An apology must never involve the word “but”, as in, I’m sorry I threw a temper tantrum and broke your favorite coffee mug, but…..”

A word to the wise. If you are offering an apology, whether in real life or writing a romance novel, avoid the word “but” at all costs. It is poison to an apology.

Gary D. Chapman wrote a great book, The Five Languages of Apology in which he talks about the ways to deliver a perfect apology….which begins with accepting that you did something wrong, accept responsibility, and express genuine regret. I think Dr. Chapman would be proud of our anonymous van-painter.

I hope Linda takes him back.

Photo courtesy of the AP Press

A New Feature on my Website….

Elizabeth Camden The Lady of Bolton Hill Leave a Comment

I thought I’d add a little content to spiff up my website called “Book Extras.”

All books have a ton of behind-the-scenes stories that never make it into print. Sometimes there are entire chapters or alternate endings. There are usually several versions of book covers or titles. Readers are often curious about what triggered an idea, or what details from the novel were based on historical fact and which were pure fabrication.

I will be including some of these details on my website, and have just rolled out the extra content for The Lady of Bolton Hill. You can check it out here.

When I first wrote The Lady of Bolton Hill, I had several chapters at the beginning devoted to Daniel and Clara’s early friendship. For a number of reasons, those chapters had to be cut, but I am thrilled I can now release them to curious readers. There are also some alternate covers for the book and other behind-the-scenes trivia.

I will eventually release Book Extra sections for all my novels, but The Lady of Bolton Hill is up first. I hope you will swing by and check it out!

More on Against the Tide…

Elizabeth Camden Against the Tide 5 Comments

So…. I’ve had a couple of readers ask for more insight into Against the Tide. I don’t have any sneak-peeks from my publisher yet, but I can share a little more about the story.
The “vibe” of this book is similar to The Lady of Bolton Hill, rather than the more restrained Rose of Winslow Street.

This is a turbulent, deeply romantic story. Not roses and chocolate kind of romantic. It is about people who fall wildly in love but have seemingly insurmountable obstacles thrown in their path. What is a romance without a little sturm und drang, yes?

The book is entirely stand-alone. With the exception of the advertisement for The Lady of Bolton Hill on the last page of the book, I don’t think readers will even realize they are reading a continuing story. Aside from Bane, the only character from Bolton Hill to make a reappearance is Bane’s nemesis, Professor Van Bracken. Bane is still on the run, but has been steadily working to topple the Professor’s empire. This is how he meets Lydia, a woman who has the ability to translate half-a-dozen languages and whose cooperation Bane desperately needs to advance his plan.

I loved the two major settings for the book: the historic neighborhoods of Boston, and then a remote estate deep in the Vermont wilderness. Both places were great backdrops for the tempestuous, almost gothic atmosphere I was aiming at.

Look for Against the Tide to hit the shelves by October 1!

Splendid Libraries: The Awful Edition

Elizabeth Camden Splendid Libraries Leave a Comment

Normally I like to use the “Splendid Libraries” category on my blog to showcase a spectacular library. This is a public library in Barton, Vermont certainly has a spectacular problem. Some kids broke in overnight and re-arranged the furniture. At first glance it seems like a harmless prank. The problem is that the kids rearranged the books, too.

As a librarian, I can tell you that this is likely to cost the library days of staff time to get those books back in order. It is tedious, unpleasant work, and patrons can’t find the books they are looking for while it happens.

I feel like one of those grim, joyless librarians, but what were those kids thinking!!

Off my soapbox now…..