new novel | Novels Now

Really exciting news this month because I can also tell you about a new book in the production process. You’ll have to check back for the cover Reveal and publication date, but meantime, TA RA………………………………………………………….

COURTING THE COUNTESS will be my 4th published full-length romance when it comes out from Endeavour. It’s the story of a young woman whose beauty has been lost in a fire. As such, Courting the Countess, is a most appropriate study for this month’s round robin feature: What mental, physical or spiritual wounds or scars have you used in your stories?

Courting the Countess began life as an entry for the Elizabeth Goudge Award competition when the then RNA Chair, Christina Courtney, asked for a novel opening based on a fairy-tale.

WHAT IF, I thought, the Beauty was the man and the Beast was the girl?

Easy enough to create a physical illness or disability for one of the characters, but what implications does the loss of beauty have for a person? Lots, I would say and thereby was my story found.

Injuries and pain bring with them a loss of confidence and zest for life. Can my hero restore her? What spiritual wounds might he be living with that help or hinder him in this task? There have to be some, I think, in a well-rounded novel or the light and shade is compromised.

Courting the Countess, like my other books also has a lot of fun, dry wit and period detail – 1819, Scottish Regency, Edinburgh. As a writer I don’t believe in whacking the reader with mental, physical or spiritual burden all the way through. Life is a kaleidoscope, but the heroines of any romance need a fair bit of angst to work through and show their characters to best advantage.

If this subject interests you, then please head along to one of my blogging friends, below:

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/the-wounded-healer
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Anne Stenhouse https://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com

Anne’s on twitter @anne_stenhouse

Facebook www.facebook.com/annestenhouseauthor

Buy my books here: Amazon Author Page

Main course – The Green Tangerine, Han Noi

Freezer now de-frosted, washed and rinsed. Allowed to dry overnight and switched on again yesterday. Once had an old one go on fire at that stage so it’s always a nail-biting moment. Now well into turning the marmalade oranges into pulp as they’ll be the first food installed.

Keeping the writer fitter than she would be if left to herself, the DH has instituted a weekly walk. When I say ‘weekly’ there’s a fair bit of lee-way here. Other things get in the way. Nonetheless we’re covering a lot of hidden Edinburgh and meeting all-sorts. Mostly visitors yesterday as we walked across the shoulder of the Salisbury Crags to the bottom of London Road and came home on the bus. Equally interesting is the variety of dogs being walked. You don’t see a Dalmatian for years and then two coming romping towards you.

Words were added to the wip which is a short novel.

I don’t have anything suitable for the opportunity coming up from Harlequin in APRIL, but if you do go here:

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/2016/03/announcing-the-harlequin-heartwarming-blitz/

The line is Heartwarming. Its senior editor is Linda Fildew and it requires 70,000 words with NO sex scenes.

Rounded off yesterday by hosting my Book Group. I chose Kate Mosse’s The Taxidermist’s Daughter which I had bought as an emergency supply for the King’s Cross to Edinburgh train trip. I enjoyed it a lot, although some of it isn’t for the squeamish.

Sticking close to base for the moment as Home Fresh will be delivering my first batch. Ingredients for three main courses with menus. Am hoping to add a bit of variety to my cooking. Will let you know how it pans out.