Thank you for having me! I’m very excited to have The Short and Fascinating Tale of Angelina out in the world. It’s a fun little Regency story in which a mother hires a mistress for her war-scarred son.
The official blurb is:
Wanted:
A beautiful young woman—preferably one with no connections, who won’t ask too many questions—to spend two weeks in the North of England with an obstinate, aloof, and utterly handsome man.
Must love dogs, fixing up crumbling castles, and gorgeous and complicated war heroes who may or may not be hiding hearts of gold under their gruff exteriors.
Must not, under any circumstances, fall in love . . .
Simpering misses need not apply
Read an Excerpt: HERE
If you notice, there’s a crumbling castle mentioned in this story, which meant I had to do a little research on castles. And, more importantly, on the construction and deconstruction of them.
As much as I love castles that look like
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bolton_Castle.JPG
this one was far too large for my purposes.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hellifield_Peel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_640957.jpg
This one was far more manageable but still not quite right.
What I really wanted was a great hall and a tower, but I couldn’t find the right castle on which to base my hero’s, and so I decided that his castle was built in stages and slowly improved upon by successive generations. At least, before war destroyed it and peace sent its ruins into disuse. It’s a modest little castle, but absolutely perfect for my use.
However, if I were ordering a castle for my own habitation, it would be a bit larger with many secret passages!
What about everyone else? If you were to build a castle from scratch, what are some must have features? And do you have a favorite real castle?
Bio:
Sabrina Darby has been reading romance since the age of seven and learned her best vocabulary (dulcet, diaphanous, and turgid) from them. Her debut book with Avon Red, On These Silken Sheets, was a Favourite Erotic Romance finalist in the Australian Romance Readers Awards and a Best First Book finalist in the National Readers’ Choice Awards. Her new Regency novella, The Short and Fascinating Tale of Angelina Whitcombe, released July 31st from Avon Impulse. She can be found online at TheBallroomBlog.com, SabrinaDarby.com and Twitter.com/SabrinaDarby.
Want a chance to win an e-copy of The Short & Fascinating Tale of Angelina Whitcombe?
I think this one looks wonderful. Besides having an absolute gorgeous cover, the story sounds so awesome 🙂
Count me in!
Check out what I’m Reading and enter for a gift card giveaway 🙂
I love the synopsis for this book. I always love to read about gruff and grumpy characters. I would love a chance to win.
danni0113@gmail.com
I would want winding staircases and fireplaces. I love Chambord Castle in France. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks so much for having me today!
@Jane, I definitely agree. Winding staircases are so much fun!
Here’s a really pretty one in Romania; it’s so picturesque. I like the warm, country look rather than the austere, stone castles. Towers are a must! My castle would have a stunning view from all windows too.
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/files/images/Peles%20Castle.JPG
In my castle there must be a watch-tower and a draw bridge… ocean view would be great too:) Thanks for the giveaway!
yadkny@hotmail.com
Hi Sabrina!
I loved On These Silken Sheets and am thrilled that your new novella is now available!
The wonderful thing is if I wanted to have a castle built I already have my “hero” to build it! My handsome husband is a Master Stone Mason and he also taught our first son the trade as well!
Besides that they both joined the Masonic Lodge so they’re also Knights Templar as well!
I wish you could have been with us when we finally were able to take a trip to Scotland. I can’t tell you the castles he walked around mumbling what he’d do to fit them! When we were there they were working on Edinburgh Castle and he ended mumbling about the “workers” carrying one stone at a time! That never would have happened with his own crew!
The one place I enjoyed the most was Linlithgow Place (Queen Mary’s birth place) which is just a short drive from Edinburgh. As the only visitors at the time we were able to roam to our hearts content. The view was haunting as well as breathtaking. They were doing some repair to the fountain while we were there but even in disrepair it was stunning. There are still more repairs needed but what a joy it would be able to call it “home”!
Next time your castle needs repair just give me a call! As they would say here in Rhode Island “I know a guy!”.
I
Fun post! I think if I was going to build a castle that it would have to have all of the modern conveniences, several large fireplaces, a large and luxuriously decorated library, a big modern kitchen with new appliances and a beautiful garden. Thanks for the giveaway!
thanks for a fun post and giveaway! I love castles! If I could afford it, I’d move into one in a heartbeat! I’d want it all 🙂 Secret passages, a moat, turrets.. the works… but it’d also have to have modern conveniences like electricity, plumbing and not drafty!
I would love to have secret passages, because that would be so much fun to sneak around the castle. A large dinning room, so I could have dinner parties. I need to have a couple of towers, so I look out to see what I can see.
im so lucky i come from wales and i lived near caerphilly castle. and castle coch. id be so excited to see my coat of arms on my castle, which would have wider stairs than usual. thanks for the fun interview and giveaway, i really like the cover and the books looks like a good read
I think this sounds like a charming story one that I would love to read. I enjoyed the blog very much. I love reading about castles and see myself rummaging around in them.
What an intriguing book! Love everything about it: the cover artwork, the plot (a mother hiring a mistress for his son? Way to go mom!!!!!), the excerpts I am reading on line. Can’t wait to read it!
minadecaro@hotmail.com
If I were to build a castle, it would definitely need numerous secret rooms and passages, as well as lots of bathrooms, and a grand two level library with a library ladders and a spiral staircase to the second level. I’d choose Edinburgh castle as my favorite.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
The book sound great. I love castle! Sadly I never get chance to visit one. I would love to have a secret passage and unique library also amazing garden in my castle..
Secret passages and hidden rooms! A castle has top have those!
That’s “has to have”. *sigh*
This book sounds like a fun read! One of those I sit down with and don’t want to get up until I am done!
Thanks so much!
Nice post. I’d want a big castle with a huge library.
Love this, =) Def. going up on my TBR list!
Happy Tuesday!
//Linda
I love castle in viking era but i love see beautiful building even in old or new era, just hope one day i can be visit to everyone home to aventure their home *grin
thanks for the giveaway, love the cover book and sypnosis 🙂