Category Archive

Thanks Bane!

Awards season for the book world has recently wrapped up, and Against the Tide fared very well! I am thrilled to announce it has won the following awards:

* The Rita award from the Romance Writers of America
* The Christy Award for Historical Romance
* The Daphne Du Maurier award for Inspirational Mystery/Suspense

I have no doubt the success of Against the Tide was carried entirely by the character of Bane. I loved writing about the lethally dangerous but charming spy with his cold, angelic good looks.

I was tickled when I noticed some bloggers posting pictures of what they imagined Bane looked like. Here are a handful of pictures I saw on the web that other bloggers posted for their “fantasy casting” of who they think Bane looks like:

All worthy candidates! For the record, the guy in the tux, second from the left, is Alexander Skarsgard…the guy who was MY version of Bane.

One of the hardest things for authors to do is cut out scenes. Sometimes the scenes simply aren’t very good and deserve their banishment….but others cause wailing and gnashing of teeth when I hit the “delete” key. The most common reasons good scenes are cut from a book are:

• The manuscript was getting too long.
• The plot took a different direction and the scene no longer makes sense as written.
• An editor didn’t like it.  This never happens to me…oh my, no. No, no, it would simply never happen.  Just kidding! My editor always give me the chance to tweak things to make the scene fly….sometimes I prefer to simply cut it rather than smooth off the edges.

One of the joys of having a website is that I can give those deleted scenes new life. If you check out the “Book Extras” section of my website, I collect a variety of behind-the-scenes trivia about the development of each book, plus a handful of deleted scenes I think fans of the book might enjoy. I’ve just rolled out my bonus scenes for Against the Tide. Check it out!

It has finally arrived! Against the Tide is now available online and in your favorite bookstores.

I am very proud of this book. I think it is the most romantic book I’ve written, and I had an absolute ball crafting two such dynamic, intelligent leading characters who are so perfect for each other, but with one huge, looming problem that appears to be an insurmountable obstacle in their path.

Here is a blurb:

Boston of 1891 is a city of hope and ambition, where mariners, merchants, and dreamers thrive in the cobblestone streets of America’s most historic city. Within the harbor of Boston’s naval shipyard, Lydia Pallas has become a trusted assistant to an Admiral in the U.S. Navy. Fluent in seven languages, she spends her days translating documents from all over the world.

Lydia’s remarkable language skills bring her to the attention of Alexander Banebridge, a mysterious man on a quest to rid the world of the scourge of opium. Only Lydia has the rare combination of language skills and courage he needs to advance his cause. A man as coolly analytical as he is relentless, Bane never bargained on falling in love with Lydia. As he battles the bittersweet love that grows between them, Bane’s mission will take Lydia away from everything—and everyone—she ever held dear.

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!

The release of Against the Tide is getting closer, and I thought I’d better begin talking about it!

For those of you who read The Lady of Bolton Hill, you will already know the novel’s hero, Bane, but this is a completely stand-alone novel.  You don’t need to have read the prequel to make sense of Against the Tide!

Here is a quick blurb about the book:

Boston of 1891 is a city of hope and ambition, where mariners, merchants, and dreamers thrive in the cobblestone streets of America’s most historic city. Within the harbor of Boston’s naval shipyard, Lydia Pallas has become a trusted assistant to an Admiral in the U.S. Navy.  Fluent in seven languages, she spends her days translating documents from all over the world.

Lydia’s remarkable language skills bring her to the attention of Alexander Banebridge, a mysterious man on a quest to rid the world of the scourge of opium. Only Lydia has the rare combination of language skills and courage he needs to advance his cause.  A man as coolly analytical as he is relentless, Bane never bargained on falling in love with Lydia. As he battles the bittersweet love that grows between them, Bane’s mission will take Lydia away from everything—and everyone—she ever held dear.

With fast-paced intrigue and unforgettable characters, Against the Tide is Elizabeth Camden’s most romantic novel yet.