I am so excited about today's post! I must be living right, because one of my favorite authors, Eileen Dreyer agreed to visit and answer some questions about her work and her new historical romance series, Drake's Rakes! The third title in this series, Always a Temptress, will be available on October 1st! Regular visitors on this blog know that I am absolutely in love with the first two books in the series, Barely A Lady and Never A Gentleman. This series is the best thing I have read in the historical romance genre in years. Ms. Dreyer is not afraid to write a big, meaty, complicated romance and if you haven't read her stuff, then stop now and go and do so. I mean it. You are truly missing out. As you'll see from our conversation, Eileen Dreyer is open, funny, irreverent and truly knows her way around the romance genre. I cannot say how much I appreciated her thoughtful and honest answers to my questions, she didn't shy away from the tough stuff either. Enjoy!
vp: You’ve written some great romantic suspense and paranormal titles,
both as Eileen Dreyer, and as your alter ego, Kathleen Korbel. Why the move into historical romance?
ED: Both practical and selfish reasons. I hit a lull
in the suspenses, and was told to stay away from them for a year or two. I
really had nothing new to say in contemporary at that moment, and I’d been
reading historicals as long as I’d read romance. I love the challenge of
writing what is essentially a modern woman with the constraints of a historical
setting. And I love history, the early 19th century being one of my
favorite periods. The entire world was in upheaval, politically, militarily,
socially, scientifically, monetarily…well, you get it. There is so much
inherent conflict in the day-to-day life then, but you can also write a book
that ignores most of it, if you want. Me? Can’t ignore it at all. It’s like
ignoring the color blue on your artists’ palette.
vp: When you began writing historicals, did the series come to you fully
formed or did you make decisions about how to go on as you completed each
title?
ED: The first three came to me almost fully formed.
In fact, the series was originally called The Three Graces. I knew the women,
each from completely separate backgrounds, bonded at the medical tents in
Brussels during Waterloo. I knew they each had a personal story. But then I
decided to add my very favorite fictional element—suspense—into the mix, and I
knew I was working with something bigger.
Then the heroes showed up—and the nefarious
spies—and the progression of the books was taken completely out of my hands. My
Drake’s Rakes began to make appearances, and I fell in love with every one of
them. (wait til you see Chuffy in Temptress. He has my absolutely favorite line
when he faces off with Lady Kate’s obnoxious brother). I knew that whatever
else I wrote, I needed to at least try and write all of their stories. And then
I realized what Drake’s back story was, and I knew that it was the most
interesting of all---and that it had to be last.
So I had some substance when I started, and have
been building the rest off those bones as I’ve gone on. For instance, I suck at
organization. But I have an overarcing suspense plot that has to do with the
succession to the British throne, and I needed to place each book under that
umbrella. I realized that most of these books overlap timewise(Kate’s book
begins as Diccan goes flying out of the window towards the end of NEVER A
GENTLEMAN, and my next book, ONCE A ROGUE, begins about 3/4ths through ALWAYS A
TEMPTRESS. And yes, I’m driving my editor to distraction). But characters
appear and form as I go along, so I’m still surprised. And now that I’ve done
the basic plotting on the next six books, they are all finding their place.
It’s a stone hoot.
vp: How many titles can we expect from Drake’s Rakes?
ED: My greatest wish is that there will be 9 total. I just signed for books 4 &
5, Ian Ferguson and Alex Knight, so it will depend on sales whether or not I
get to do more. And yes, I know there are 10 Rakes in all, but Chuffy shares a
book. Oh, and wait until you see who he falls in love with(fortunately, that is
book 5, TWICE TEMPTED).
vp: In both Barely a Lady and Never a Gentleman, you have created some
situations that take the characters, as well as the readers, through quite a
bit of angst and turmoil. Considering that the current trend in historical
romances seems to be skewed toward a very light, humorous approach, were you
concerned about reader reaction to a more intense, slightly darker storyline?
ED: The truth? I hoped it would shake things up a
bit. Like most writers I know, I write the stories I want to read. And while I
love good froth, I was dying for a story I could sink my teeth into: the older
Connie Brockways, Jo Goodman, Jo Beverly, Julia London, Liz Carlyle.
I won’t lie. I was terrified. I sent the
proposals around to lots of houses that just weren’t ready to dip their toe in
the deep water again. God bless Amy Pierpont and the people at Grand Central
Forever. I read Elizabeth Hoyt’s THE SERPENT PRINCE and knew that they were
taking on more complex writers. I am honored that they have supported me so
much.
Now, I have no idea how many of the books will be
as intense as the first two. As my good friend and critique partner Karyn
Witmer says, “Each book sings its own song.” But I do know that in my career,
especially at Silhouette, no matter how light I tried to be(I mean, I had a hero kidnapped by a
trio named Huey, Duey and Louie), there were always, as Karyn calls them, ‘bass
notes.’ So I doubt they’ll be missing, even in Chuffy’s story.
vp: Along the same line, did your publisher and/or editor have concerns?
ED: I have to tell you, I expected lots of resistance.
Especially to ‘that scene.’ Nope. Amy loved everything I’ve done. All she has
ever done to my work is to push me to focus more, to write better, and make my
stories stronger.
vp: In Never a Gentleman, I was rolling along, loving the angst and I hit
on a moment when I thought to myself, she will not go there, she wouldn’t go
there…
And then, of course, you went there. I loved it. I
thought that scene was essential in terms of Grace’s development as well as the
growth of Grace and Diccan as a couple.
I felt like you allowed Grace to take control and gain power and respect
in Diccan’s eyes.
ED: I’ve made a career of knocking down fences. When
I started at Sihouette, I was forever asking things like, “Can I have a
suicidal hero?” “Can I have a woman with a handicapped child?” And of course,
back in the mid 80s, they laughed and patted my head. So I said, “When Sandra
Canfield does it, then can I do it?” By my fourth book, they stopped saying no.
Then they said ‘Pull out all the stops.’ I know my audience. I respect my
audience, mostly because I AM that audience, and I want any author to respect
me. But as that audience, I also love to be taken places I didn’t think I could
go.
That group of scenes was in the concept for
Grace’s book from the very beginning. I fell in love with Grace the moment she
stepped on the page of BARELY A LADY. She has such intrinsic courage, wisdom,
compassion and strength. And she doesn’t even realize it, because she grew up
in an atmosphere that took those for granted, and demeaned her for the only
thing she couldn’t control, her looks. I knew it would take something cataclysmic
to break her out of the role she’d been molded into, that of caregiver. She had
to see that her first duty was to herself.
vp: Did you struggle with the decision to include this scene?
ED: Yes, actually, I did, because I wasn’t sure if my
audience would go with me. And it has definitely caused controversy. A lot of people felt she was weak for her decisions.
That the book was torture porn. I actually went back and read the pertinent
areas, just to make sure I hadn’t screwed up the language, because the very
last thing I wanted to do was have a doormat for a heroine. But I truly believe
that the decisions Grace made were the only ones she felt she could caught in
the situation she was during the time she lived. She didn’t stay with Diccan
because she would do anything just to be with him. She did it out of obedience
to her own sense of duty, and she did it for others, like Kate. It was how she
had always made her decisions. But her old instincts are beginning to crumble
halfway through the book. The way I read it, she stood up to everything, and
did her best to hold onto her own self-respect any way she could.
VP: In retrospect, would you change it in any way?
ED: I really have thought of that. And the answer is,
no. Many of the people who object to Grace’s character arc, want her to act as
a modern woman would. How could she, when she has never been raised or trained
to be a modern woman? How can she toss aside a marriage when she committed to
that marriage, not for love, but honor? How can she desert Diccan completely,
when she has spent her life staying the course during far worse situations? I
think it’s obvious that her father thought of her more as a convenience than a
beloved daughter. Her mother deserted him, which obviously hurt him terribly.
Would Grace? Would she do the same to Diccan, when she had lived with the
effects all her life? Grace’s book is about her learning balance. About
allowing herself to put her own needs and wants into the equation in equal
measure to everyone else’s. I truly hope I’ve shown it.
vp: For many romance readers, infidelity of any sort is a deal breaker. (VP note, Although, I have to admit that I don’t
completely understand this viewpoint and I would guess that many other readers
don’t either since the list of books featuring cheating heroes is by far the
longest I’ve ever seen on the Amazon romance forums)
Were you aware of this component of the romance world? Any concerns as to how this might
impact the reception of your first two books?
ED: Infidelity is not one of my favorite plots. I
feel there has to be a damn good reason, and that the reason can be understood
and forgiven by the spouse. I have to admit that I was surprised by the
negative reaction to Jack’s mistress in BARELY A LADY. Jack was divorced when
he took his mistress. She made him happy. It was Minette’s specialty, as
evidenced by the number of men she knew. She was also his most recent
relationship. It shouldn’t be a surprise at all, at least to me, that he would
remember her first. Or think well of her, until he recovered his memory. As
troubled as his relationship had been with Olivia, how could a woman who made
him laugh, not be remembered with fondness? He also thought he had caused Minette’s
death. And as he remembers her, he does beat himself up over the fact that he
remembers her, when he thinks he’s still married to Olivia. But he has never
technically been unfaithful to her.
As for Diccan, I was playing with the Lovelace
quote: “I could not love thee, dear, so much, loved I not honor more.” I know. Infidelity/honor. Doesn’t seem
to compute. But if you believe you have a duty to your country, and you can
prevent an imminent assassination of the greatest man in the country, what
would or wouldn’t you do? Not only that, but he is told in not so many words,
that until the plot is uncovered, his wife is in greater danger from his
attention than from his disavowal. What do you do? What do you do?
I was also interested in its impact in a society
where Grace truly can have no aspiration from her marriage past a comfortable
arrangement. Neither she nor Diccan expect love from the marriage. The worst
crime he really commits in their world is that he isn’t discreet.
It’s one of the reasons I’m fascinated by marriage
of convenience books during historical times. The concept of marriage was
completely different. Which means the couple has a higher obstacle to climb on
the way to true love. And isn’t that what we read romance for? To see them
overcome that very thing?
vp: Readers seemed amazed that you were able to make your make your male
protagonists into romantic heroes that they could pull for, even as they did
some pretty despicable things. Can
you think of any behavior from which a character cannot be redeemed? Beyond the obvious, such as child
abuse, is there anything that would be too much to come back from or do you
think it would depend on the context of the behavior within the narrative?
ED: Ooh, good question. My biggest red flag is rape
and physical abuse. I’ve certainly spoken on it enough. And yes, I have read
books that were written well enough that as a reader I can get past the behavior(but
there has to be an immense amount of groveling involved). But I believe that
rape is a complete antithesis of the message of romance. We empower women to
believe they have an equal role in a relationship. That they deserve not just
love, but respect and honor. Rape
is dehumanizing, demeaning, debasing. It is the objectification of a woman, and
that is the last thing a romance hero would do. Even if a hero repents for the
rest of the book, I can’t ever believe he will grow enough to never resort to
that kind of behavior again.
I’ve heard that with alpha heroes, it’s okay. No.
It is not. According to my paradigm of a romance hero, what makes us realize
that he is a romance hero, even if he does despicable things, is that if no one
else, he intrinsically understands the worth of the heroine and treats her
better. He doesn’t rape her. He doesn’t hit her. He doesn’t justify his actions
with demeaning language. “You don’t deserve any better. You’re nothing. You’re
mine.”
I’ve dealt with a lot of abusive spouses while
working the ER. And that kind of language is a bigger red flag than a black
eye. It is entitlement language. “My wife.
My house. My kids. My rights.” The
spouse is no more than another possession he can use or abuse. And regret and
remorse are only a stage on the abuse wheel. I can’t get past that in romance.
Worse, I can’t tolerate when a heroine not only puts up with it but believes
she deserves it. (please remember, this has nothing to do with erotica and
consensual BDSM behavior. Erotica is a completely different genre, and the
behavior is consensual play).
One of the interactions that sets me off faster
than a Congreve rocket is when a historical hero has been verbally and/or
physically abusive to the heroine, and she finally hauls off and smacks him.
And he threatens physical revenge, or drags her across his knee right there.
Really? The hero has all the power, all the strength, all the social advantage,
leaving the heroine with no other way to defend her honor, and so he punishes
her for trying to defend herself? Bollocks. I think that for no other reason,
it’s why I so loved Loretta Chase’s Prince of Soundrels. Because the heroine,
having been ruined and humiliated, takes the fight to his arena and just shoots
his sorry ass. Brava!!
vp: Your books have generated some of the most passionate and interesting
discussions that I have encountered from romance readers. Is it exciting to find that you have
stirred the hornet’s nest a bit?
ED: I have to admit that I’ve been surprised. I guess
I’ve lived with the stories in my head for so long that they aren’t a surprise
anymore. And the first reviews I got, from people like Eloisa James, were
positive. So when the angry responses started coming in, it took me aback.
I’m thrilled with the discussion. I love it when
people feel strongly enough to argue any point. I was raised on debate, and
think it is the best way to exchange ideas. I am amazed that my books have
generated so much passion, whichever way people read them. And yes, I do admit
that I’d far rather people argue over my books than fall asleep over them. I
truly hope that people take something away from each book.
vp: The Drake’s Rakes series obviously features a very strong
mystery/suspense element, and it certainly provides a great backdrop for the
creation of tension and turmoil. Do
you ever see yourself writing a historical title that does not feature those
elements?
ED: Probably. But suspense is almost a crutch with me
as I move into a new arena. I might not know how to write historicals, the
period might be a task for me to fit into, but I know how to put a bullet
through a window, and I know that will keep things moving along. Besides, it
was such an interesting time in history, even after Waterloo, that it’s the
easiest way for me to address it without it simply being drawing room
conversation. In fact, Prinny’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, makes an
appearance in Book 5 and most probably Book 4. After all, the entire suspense plot
revolves around putting her on the thrown in lieu of her father and
grandfather.
vp: As I’ve said here on the blog, both of your titles put me in mind of
the more complex historical romances that I’ve always loved. I’ve mentioned you along with writers
like Jo Goodman, Patricia Gaffney, Jo Beverley, and Candace Proctor. Who are some of your favorite
historical romance writers?
ED: You’ve named some. I’m still in awe of how Jo
Goodman in her four direction series surprised me and kept surprising me.
That’s hard to do to a veteran author. I have so many favorites, and like I
said, several have been urged to write the lighter romances now. I love Julia
London, Liz Carlyle. Karen Ranney, Eloisa James, Elizabeth Hoyt, Connie
Brockway, Elizabeth Grayson, Ella March Chase….this gives you an idea.
vp: Any favorite titles that you’d like to pass along?
ED: I
just reread Jo Beverly’s Winterfire, and posted about how much I loved it all
over again. LOVE me some alpha hero/alpha heroine(who really is alpha and not a
poseur who crumbles before the hero’s manliness).
Connie
Brockway’s ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, DEAREST ENEMY, DANGEROUS MAN
Julia
London: ROGUES
OF REGENT STREET series.
Elizabeth
Grayson: PAINTED BY THE SUN, MOONLIGHT ON WATER, COLOR OF THE WIND
Elizabeth
Hoyt: THE PRINCES TRILOGY
Among
so many others….
Eileen, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to talk about these extraordinary books! As if that wasn't enough, Eileen has graciously offered one lucky reader a personalized copy of Always a Temptress, along with a super cool set of Drake's Rakes Trading Cards!!! All you have to do is leave a comment and you're entered! When you're commenting, I'd love it if you'd share your favorite controversial read with us. Nothing we love better than a little angst...
Contest Update: Congratulations to Eris, you're the very lucky winner of a personalized copy of Always A Temptress!!! Thanks to everyone for your comments and your excellent controversial titles selections. You guys rock!
