Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Life Changes, Fresh Goals, and a Grumpy Duke by Christie Carlyle

DUKE GONE ROGUE


When I was asked to create a post around the theme of change for Romancing the Genres, the prospect resonated with me. This year and the last have wrought changes in the lives of everyone I know, and I can only think of a few aspects of my life that haven’t been altered. I’ve changed my relationship status, moved into a new place, changed a plan I had to retrain in a new field, launched a few entrepreneurial ventures, and started a new Victorian historical romance series—my fourth with Avon Books.

 Duke Gone Rogue will always mark a unique time in my life. It’s the book I managed to write after a divorce, during a pandemic, and while trying to create new ways of generating income while working from home. Maybe that’s why the novel has a sense of escape about it. In fact, my whole “Love on Holiday” series was conceived with the idea of focusing on characters who need to get away from their everyday lives and go on holiday, only to find that their travel adventures lead them to love. In a time when it has been hard to travel or “get away from it all,” I enjoyed taking my characters on trips to places that are definitely on my bucket list.

Cornwall

The first book’s setting is Cornwall, and while I’ve never been, I did grow up with a grandma whose father had been born there, and she often told me of our cousins back in Cornwall. Shows like Poldark made me fall more deeply in love with Cornwall’s beauty and history, making it the perfect place to send the grumpy duke hero of Duke Gone Rogue. Like me in the last couple of years, he needs to learn to embrace change and figure out what truly matters to him in life.

 And l like my curmudgeonly duke, I’ve learned that change, while sometimes hard to accept, often creates fertile ground for new opportunities. For me, the challenges of 2020 and 2021 reminded me how much I want to devote more time to my writing. My very first titles were self-published prior to getting my first book contract, and I’ve wanted to add indie publishing back into my writing efforts for years. This year, I realized that a wish without time devoted to it rarely comes to fruition. So, in the first months of 2022, I plan to put my focus there. 

Look for some new stories from me in 2022, perhaps in the mystery genre, which I’ve always loved as a reader and want to explore as a writer. And this winter, if you crave a romantic escape to Cornwall, look for Duke Gone Rogue to hit bookshelves and e-readers on December 28th.

BIO:

Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there's nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.

Website:    www.christycarlyle.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristycarlyle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorchristycarlyle


 

 

 

 

 

 

2 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Christy, you certainly have had a plethora of changes these past two years. I'm looking forward to reading about your curmudgeonly Duke and seeing you back indie publishing. Will your books be set in White Chapel again?

Sarah Raplee said...

Christy, Can't wait to read Duke Gone Rogue! I need pure escapist fiction right now!!!