About Ten Things I Hate About the Duke

You’ll easily imagine my joy in reporting that Ten Things I Hate About the Duke has entered the (rather lengthy) production process, aimed at December 2020 release.

The Green Man Inn, pictured here from my last trip to England, featured in A Duke in Shining Armor and reappears in Ten Things I Hate About the Duke. Photo © Walter M. Henritze

It beats me why it took three years, but it’s done at last. That is to say, the story is written. It will return to me after copy editing and again for review of page proofs. But these stages deal with technical matters, repairs, and adjustments. The Duke of Ashmont’s story is told, and in Cassandra Pomfret he has found, I hope you’ll agree, the perfect match.

After a short break, I intend to begin the Duke and Duchess of Blackwood’s story.

Meanwhile, I’m celebrating. Then I’ll start tackling the thousands of household chores and obligations that were shoved aside in order to finish Ashmont’s story.

I hope you and all those near and dear to you are well and safe. Books, at least, are safe, and if you’re like me, you’ve doubled (at the very least) your reading quotas. After a day of not-so-good news, it’s a beautiful thing to allow myself to be lost in the pages of a novel.

It makes me deeply grateful and happy to know my books give you a place to be lost, too. A number of you have written to me in appreciation, making me feel doubly thankful for my good fortune in embarking on and being able to sustain this career. I’m proud to be writing books that offer escape and comfort (and a dose of humor, I hope) at any time, but especially during these difficult times.

Thank you for sticking with me. Thank you for your many messages of support. I hope Ten Things I Hate About the Duke lives up to your expectations. I know I did my best for you.

Scandal Wears Satin Has an Audio Problem

I recently learned from a reader that it is currently impossible to download a legitimate Scandal Wears Scandal audiobook.

Let me just step aside for a minute and swear violently.

OK. I’m better now. Somewhat better.

As happened last year with two other of my Dressmakers books, we have a case of an expired sublicense. Thanks to the reader who called my attention to the problem, I’ve alerted my publisher, who’s proceeding forthwith to reissue the audiobook. Unfortunately, in cases like these forthwith proceeds at a slower pace than we’d like, and this audiobook will not be available until 3 November 2020. I’m not sure why we have a longer wait this time than last time. It might have to do with HarperAudio doing the publishing now. If by any chance the audiobook becomes available at an earlier date, I’ll be sure to let you know.

My apologies for the annoyance. Authors should be issued magic wands to take care of these matters instantly. But then, if I had a magic wand, my current WIP would have been finished a year ago.

The Truth About the 2nd Duke

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Proserpine 1882. this is one of several versions of the painting Rossetti painted. You can read more about it here.

I’ve been hearing from readers asking where they can find Book # 2 of the Difficult Dukes series.

Unfortunately, it can’t be found yet, because I’m still working on it. Glancing over some of the blog posts here, you’ll have some idea why. The Duke of Ashmont’s story has proved to be an unusually difficult one, for reasons I’m unable to ascertain. This has happened before, but not, I’m happy to say, for a very long time. I’m a slow writer, but not that slow, usually.

However, some readers are under the impression that Ten Things I Hate About the Duke has actually been published. This is because I failed to meet some deadlines, including one that would have allowed for the book’s release early this year.

My fault. Publishing works on a schedule, and a great deal happens before the author has completed the manuscript. And so the information went into catalogs and somehow ended up in the series listings. While my extremely patient publisher has been so kind as to allow me a delayed publication date, this information didn’t get on the various lists before the earlier information leaked out.

Here is the current reality: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is scheduled for late this year. All I have to do is finish it in time.

The above painting was one of the visual inspirations for the story’s heroine.