Thanks for stopping by. Cheers,
Vivian
Regencies, Regencies, can we ever have too many? No, I didn't think so, and so here are a few more for your delectation. First off, this is a new version of an older title from Rachel Van Dyken, Upon a Midnight Dream. On Amazon it has a 4.1 average rating from 98 reviews, and can you believe it, it's FREE! Here's a link. Go ahead and grab it right now; we'll wait for you. This one's been out for about a year, but you know I'm a sucker for a gorgeous cover and this one's outstanding. This is A Tempting Ruin by Kristin Vayden, and it's got a 4.8 average rating on Amazon with 20 reviews. And hey, this one's only $2.99. Here's a link, so check it out. This is Time for a Duke by Ruth J. Hartman, another new-old title with new editing and a new cover. Aren't the colors pretty? It has a 4.6 average rating with five reviews, and it's 99¢ on Amazon. Here's a link. Finally, this is my latest, Whispers on the Hampstead Road, the fourth release in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair. It's got an average 4.7 rating with six reviews on Amazon, and it's 99¢. Here's a link. The baby blanket for little Ezra is finished and the pattern posted in the previous missive. Now I'm crocheting a shawl for my sweet friend Deanna, and I'll post that pattern, too, as soon as it's finished and I can get a few photos. And soon I should have some updates for As the Prince Does, the final book in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair.
Thanks for stopping by. Cheers, Vivian
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So a nice couple at church are expecting their second baby, and you know what that calls for — a crocheted baby blanket. Hey, for a dedicated crocheter, all we need is a valid excuse, right? So here it is, in all its finished glory: Ezra's easy baby blanket. This soft, warm blanket is one big ruffle, formed by adding two double crochet (dc) stitches at each end of each row (sixteen stitches added per round). It’s easy to make, works up quickly, and by adding or subtracting rounds, it can be made larger or smaller. It’s a great pattern for mixing and matching colors, solid and variegated. By making each round a different color, it could be made with scrap yarn or in a ripple from one dark color through consecutively lighter shades to a new lighter color and through that one to its darkest shade. You could also add fringe or a decorative edging, which I chose not to do. The pattern described below uses one color for the main body, worked in dc, and another for trim, which is worked in single crochet (sc) with a 20% increase in each row and round. If you’re making the pattern with scrap yarn or in a color pattern, you might choose to omit the sc rounds and simply continue with the dc to achieve your desired effect. But if you do that, you’ll need to work the 20% increase into four rows to get the same ruffling effect. (For beginning crocheters, that means fitting five stitches into four places in each increase row.) 16 ounces of worsted weight yarn for main color (I used an old Sayelle green-white-blue variegated I had in the stash) 6 ounces of worsted weight for trim (I used Red Heart Super Saver baby yellow) size J crochet hook With main color, chain (ch) 6, join with slip stitch (sl st) into a ring. Ch 3 (counts as first stitch, now and throughout), dc twice into ring, forming a cluster of three dc stitches. Ch 2, dc 3 times into ring, ch 2, dc 3, ch 2, dc 3, ch 2, join to starting ch with sl st. You should have four clusters of three dc stitches each, forming the sides to the square, separated with chain stitches. Do not turn. Ch 3. Dc in each dc stitch to the end of the row. Into the corner ch 2, work dc 2, ch 2, dc 2 (corner turned). Continue around the square, turning corners with dc 2, ch 2, dc 2 into each, until you reach your starting point. Dc up to (but not into) the starting ch, then join with sl st. Do not turn. (PATTERN ROW) Continue in pattern until the blanket is as large as you want it without the trim (the blanket’s main body). Ezra’s blanket has 28 rows of dc. As you work, the starting point of each round moves further to the center of the row, as dc stitches are added before and behind it. This is normal. Two dc stitches are added at each corner, at both the start and end of each row, so 16 stitches are added each round. When the main body is finished, cut the main color and join the trim color. Ch 1, sc in first three dc stitches, then sc twice in the next dc st. The pattern is sc in three dc stitches, then sc twice in the next (this gives the 20% increase). In the corner, sc 1, ch 2, sc 1 (one sc rather than two in the corners keeps them from becoming too pointy). Continue around to the starting point and join with sl st. Do not turn. (TRIM ROW) Repeat trim row. Cut trim color and rejoin main color. Ch 3 and resume dc (main body) pattern. Dc in each sc to the row’s end, then turn the corner with dc 2, ch 2, dc 2. Continue around to the end and join to starting ch with sl st. Do not turn. Repeat the dc main body pattern twice more. Cut main color and rejoin trim color. Work two rows of the sc trim pattern, with the increases every fourth st. Cut trim color and rejoin main color. Work one row of the dc main body pattern. Cut yarn and work in ends. What a gorgeous cover! This isn’t exactly a new release, since it came out in late July, but somehow I missed it. And once I saw those beautiful colors, and the expressions on the models’ faces, I just had to post this. It's A Tempting Ruin, the latest Regency romance by bestselling author Kristin Vayden. Here’s the blurb: He might be a gentleman by title, but he was a rogue at heart... Beatrix Lamont is in hiding. Sequestered at Lady Southridge's country estate, she assumes the identity of a lady's companion: never once expecting her past would catch up with her. It does, however, in the vexing and seductive form of Lord Neville. Determined and far too charming for his own good--after all who simply demands a woman marry him? Not a gentleman. Lucky for Lord Neville, being a gentleman has never been an option, especially when it comes to Beatrix, the woman would try the patient of a saint, and every encounter with her leaves his body yearning for more. Caught between wanting her for himself and needing to protect her from dangers that lurk in the shadows of both their pasts, he must eventually make a choice. Become the gentleman he's never been--or play the seducer she brings out in him, and hope in the end she'll forgive him for using her to catch a killer. (end blurb) It's hard to decide which attracts me more — the wonderful set-up described in the blurb, or the cover itself. And which is more stunning, the single splotch of blue of the man’s coat, or the delicate wash of pink and violet over the woman and the bed? A Tempting Ruin is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and Smashwords. It’s $2.99 and has 19 Amazon reviews with a 4.8 star average rating. Here's Kristin Vayden's website. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Have you noticed the new Regencies with beautiful covers? Here are three of my favorites. This is The Governess’ Debut by Wendy May Andrews, released in late September, and I love those muted greens and blues. The way the artist has interwoven the decoration with the cobblestones on the lower half is pretty neat, too. The Governess’ Debut is available from Amazon, of course, for 99¢. I like muted tones, but I’m also drawn to cooler shades, and the mixture of blues, from the royal at the top left to the icy blue of the lady’s dress, on this cover are just gorgeous. This is Captivated by a Lady’s Charm by Christi Caldwell, and it’s on Amazon for $3.99. This is my latest cover, and it’s got both the pure dark red of the lady’s gown and the muted purple of the evening sky, with the moonlight coming down. I love love love this cover! The book is Whispers on the Hampstead Road, book number four in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair, and it’s at Amazon for 99¢. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Squee! It's release day for my latest Regency novella, Whispers on the Hampstead Road. This is the fourth book in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair, and right now I'm somewhere between thrilled and terrified. That's normal for release day, isn't it? Here's the blurb: When the Honorable Deborah Kringle receives an unsigned love letter, she can’t wait to share the news with her best friend, George Anson. George might not be the most educated of her set — no one would ever ask him to parse Greek or debate politics — but she no longer believes he’s the good-natured buffoon everyone else says he is. Deborah knows he’s the perfect person to help her uncover the mystery of who wrote her delicious letter… if she can just figure out why he’s so reluctant to help. George Anson fell in love with Deborah at last year’s Christmas Eve ball, when she wore a scandalous red gown and let him open the dancing with her as his partner. Now they’re friends and he can’t bear to risk that by trying to court her. Unfortunately, he already knows who wrote that stupid love letter, and if she finds out, with or without his help, everything will change between them… and she might turn her back and walk away. Nothing is as it seems when the Scoundrel of Mayfair, the Duke of Cumberland (and some say a foreign prince) tries a clever matchmaking scheme between the two friends. How can he change their friendship into something more tender… without entangling himself in the process? Thanks to Dingbat Publishing for the gorgeous cover! And thank you, readers! It's so amazing to me that there are real people out there who enjoy reading words I wrote. Yeah, childhood dream and all that, but now… it's real. And I'm so very grateful. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDERS! Whispers on the Hampstead Road, my latest Regency romance, is just now hitting the online stores, and I am so excited. It's the fourth book in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair, and the scandalous Duke of Cumberland is matchmaking again. Problem is, Deborah Kringle and George Anson are good friends and not likely to fall for Cumberland's usual tactic of causing rampant jealousy. How can he move their relationship from the friendly to the romantic? Hint: that sound you hear? That's a well-laid plan backfiring… You can pre-order your copy of Whispers from Amazon, Smashwords, or Kobo today. Not sure what's taking Apple so long. *pouting* Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Cover reveal! This is book #4 in the Regency series The Scoundrel of Mayfair, and it's called Whispers on the Hampstead Road. You can click on the cover for a larger size. Are those not some of the most gorgeous colors you've ever seen? Release day is September 30, from Dingbat Publishing. It should be available for pre-order sometime this week. The other books in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair include: Scandal on Half Moon Street Mischief on Albemarle Shenanigans in Berkeley Square The fifth and final book has the working title As the Prince Does. Yeah, I know, it breaks the pattern. *shrug* It's what the book wants to be called for right now. We'll see if that changes. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Too beautiful not to share! Bestselling author and personal friend Kay Springsteen has a new release coming in September from esKape Press, entitled Watercolors in the Rain. If that line sounds familiar, it's from the Al Stewart song "Year of the Cat." Trust me, readers — this book is special! Here's the blurb: When graphic designer Eve St. Aubin walks into an art exhibit and finds herself in a heated kiss with world renowned artist Kyle Sebastian, her memories whisk her back to the summer they’d shared five years earlier. He’d been her mentor in more ways than one… until he left without a word. Now she has nothing to say to him… or at least that’s what she keeps telling herself. When he met Eve, Kyle’s career had been in the tank. Lighting the fuse on her talent had rekindled his own artistic ability. Loving her, watching her blossom as a woman had inspired him to new heights. He'd had to let her go back then, but he always knew he'd see her again. Now that he has, he's not prepared for the edgy woman she’s become, nor did he expect he'd still be in love with her. When explanations aren’t that simple, and no common ground seems to be had, how will they overcome their past to create a future? Or can they? WARNING: Adult themes and contents. (end blurb) You will not want to miss this release. Remember, Kay's the author of Lifeline Echoes, Heartsight, and The Toymaker. Her Regency, A Lot Like a Lady, co-authored with Kim Bowman, hit the USA Today bestseller list and sold foreign language rights to Japan. Kay's romances are stuffed with fire and emotional honesty, a real treat for dedicated romance readers. This one, you'll love. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Do you like to wait until a sweet Regency has a few reviews, positive and negative, before adding it to your collection? Here's an older release (March of 2014) with a 4.1 star average rating on Amazon from 38 reviews. This is The Matchmakers by bestselling author Ruth J. Hartman. A reasonably long novella (112 pages) rather than a full-length novella, Matchmakers appears to be a standalone title. Here's a more recent release, May 2015, and also a novella at 96 pages. This is Her Impetuous Rakehell by USA Today bestselling author Aileen Fish, and it has a 4.0 average rating with 9 reviews on Amazon. Personally, I love the pink wash the artist gave the cover! It's different and feminine and lovely, all at the same time. Another relatively new release, from May 2015, is Hardly a Gentleman by Caylen McQueen, which has a 4.7 star average rating on 3 Amazon reviews. It's another novella, a short one, at 57 pages. Interesting that the artist chose to concentrate on the hero rather than the heroine or the couple on the cover. It's an unusual choice. Another oldie, this one from May 2013, and second in the series The Scoundrel of Mayfair, my Regency novella Mischief on Albemarle runs 139 pages and has a 4.0 average rating on Amazon with 35 reviews. The most recent review arrived yesterday, 4.0 stars from Amazon reader “DMO Created Equal,” who says, “The duke is a master matchmaker and the true star of this book.” Excuse the yell, but SQUEE! All of these clean Regency novellas are 99¢. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers and happy reading, Vivian Do you like to wait until a Regency has a few reviews, positive and negative, before adding it to your collection? Here's a relatively new release (March of this year) with a 4.3 star rating on Amazon from twelve reviews. This is A Gift for Fiona by S.G. Rogers. She's best known for sweet fantasy romance, but lately she's been releasing some lovely historical romances, too. This one's set in the Victorian era. Here's an oldie that remains a perennial favorite. This is A Lot Like a Lady, by twin-sisters-from-different-mothers Kim Bowman and Kay Springsteen, originally published by Astraea Press (a/k/a Clean Reads) and now with esKape Press. Lady has a 4.2 star rating with 99 reviews, and was re-released in August of last year. Here's another recent release (April of this year), Maid for Romance by Ruth J. Hartman. It has a 4.7 star rating on fifteen reviews, and while the cover's not precisely Regency, it's gorgeous and that counts more. Be sure to watch out for the cat; there's one in every book Ruth writes. Another backlist title (from January of 2013), this is my own Regency sailing ship adventure~romance, A Different Sort of Perfect. It's been a thrill and an honor watching readers award it a 4.4 star rating on 21 reviews. Gives me happy dance feet! Thanks for stopping by. Happy reading!
Vivian |
Vivian Roycroft
Vivian Roycroft is a pseudonym for historical fiction and adventure writer J. Gunnar Grey. And if she’s not careful, her pseudonymous pseudonym will have its own pseudonym soon, too. With its own e-reader, a yarn stash, an old Hermès hunt saddle, and a turtle sundae at Culver‘s. Archives
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A Different Sort of Perfect
Works in progress:
Kissing the Toad: In Berkeley Square, book #1
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