Janet Lane's Blog: Crimson Secret Wins International IPPY Award

I just read Library Journal's lovely review of ETTI'S INTENDED:
"Lane does a superb job creating layers to the Gypsy culture... a must-have for fans of the series."
.....This review is special to me because of how much I love Etti's story, and also because of my intensive research of Gypsy history and culture. Gypsies are, indeed, romantic and adventurous, but they're also passionate and loving, with their own class, social, and governmental structures. It's hardly dry history, though - my books have been dubbed, "History, Made Passionate," and I'm honored with that.
.....Etti's Intended, the prequel to my #1 Amazon Bestselling Coin Forest Gypsy series, is now available on Amazon pre-order! Grab your copy and be among the first to read about Etti’s thrilling romance. Read more at http://janetlane.net

I'm delighted to share that my new release, Etti's Intended, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...

Prequel to the #1 Amazon bestselling and award-winning Coin Forest series.
Etti's Intended, a full-length prequel to the series, will release on September 1, 2017.

When her father, chief of the Gypsies died, headstrong Etti lost her status, but none of her spirit. She's the first woman to race her horse in Marseilles. She survives attacks by her drunken brothers, the very men who should have protected her, and she's turned the head of Rafa, a delicious Gitano Gypsy from Spain with a tantalizing sense of adventure and breathtaking passion. She dares to break all the rules to pursue Rafa--and the exciting life she craves.

It will not be an easy journey. The sheltered daughter of an esteemed Gypsy tribal chief, Etti’s prestige crumbles after her parents’ untimely death, and she is left an orphan and outcast. Sprightly and free-spirited, Etti has struggled to meet the behavioral demands and limitations of women in this time of travel and discovery, but failed. The men in her tribe find her habits odd.
As the tribe travels through the pristine Provence countryside for its annual marriage meeting, Etti is the least desired bride. She fears that the all-male council will match her to a man from another tribe.
Then Rafa arrives and sparks a passion in her that surpasses the nightly tribal bonfires. The feeling is mutual. Unwilling to sacrifice his dreams for horse breeding, he has chosen not to wed—until he realizes that, in addition to the heart-stopping passion they share, he and Etti also share the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to horses. Their romance splits the tribe, endangers her life and inspires Etti to fight for her own future in a time of rigid male dominance.

Etti’s Intended is set in fifteenth century England and France during the so-called Gypsy Honeymoon Period, when Gypsies were welcomed, their travels even financed by the nobility in the western European countries in which they traveled.Etti's Intended: Prequel to the Coin Forest Gypsy Series

I just viewed a most insightful message about artists, authors and the inherent fears that plague creative types. It's by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the mega successful novel, Eat, Pray, Love.

Like Margaret Mitchell, J.K. Rowling and a few others, Gilbert faces the daunting task of writing another novel after experiencing dizzying success with her prior novel.

Why do so many artists/authors take their own lives? Is there such a thing as literary genius, and do they own the genius, or borrow it? Fascinating topic, and Gilbert's take on it is equally fascinating.

The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u...

Thanks to Charlene Bell Dietz, who featured the link on her blog at inkydancestudios.com!

Crimson Secret wins the international bronze IPPY award! The results just in this week, and I'm celebrating with an extra scoop of hazelnut in my coffee!! Woot! Woot!

2017 marks the 21st annual IPPY Awards program. It evaluates the best books independently published in the U.S, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. The 2017 competition included over 5,000 entries.

Thanks to my critique friends, my beta readers, editors, and my cover designer and daughter, Jalena Penaligon. And a salute to my readers who enjoy my stories and offer such excellent feedback via reviews. I appreciate you!

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I've started writing my new novel! The working title is Etti's Love. It will eventually be different. I always find the title to be as much of an adventure as the story, and I know there will be many attempts until the perfect title finally comes to me.

Etti's Love is a prequel novella in my Coin Forest series. It's Etti's story, and she is a fascinating character. She has chosen a most unusual pet, and it's causing conflict and ill feelings among her family members.

This is Etti's view when she looks outside her Gypsy wagon. When the story begins, eleven-year-old Etti and her kumpania of fifty relatives and friends are traveling to the horse fair in France. The year is 1401. Photo compliments of pixabay.com

I just unpacked my books and workshop materials from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' 2016 Colorado Gold conference. It was fantastic - hundreds of authors and writers in a grand ballroom, and an unbelievably inspirational keystone speech by Ann Hood, author of The Knitting Circle and the more recent The Book That Matters Most.

Ann is a vivacious, entertaining speaker, and a highly successful writer. What I didn't know was that she lost her little girl to a terrible disease, and that tragedy led her to knitting and ultimately to The Knitting Circle, which spawned a new sub-genre of women's fiction novels.

I remember reading the book years ago, and it holds even more significance to me, now that I know the deep pain and struggle she endured. Thank you, Ann, for sharing your story with us.The Knitting Circle

I was just alerted to a nice review of Crimson Secret by Book Life Prize in Fiction. The complete review reads:

"Lane’s well-researched historical romance could benefit from a tad less history and a smidge more romance. But that’s the biggest flaw in this tension packed story that brings Lucas Bonwyck, Lord Penry face-to-face with Joya Ellington, the woman fated to become the love of his life. It is credibly set in 15th Century England – including realistic dialog -- with Luke and Joya fiercely loyal to opposing sides in the War of the Roses. Chockablock with intrigue and conflict this ought to have strong appeal to fans of the genre."

I love that the reviewer enjoyed my research, and that s/he thought it was a tension packed story with an abundance of intrigue and conflict. This is the first novel I've written that someone wanted more romance. I'm thankful that they only wanted a "smidge" more.

What a morning! Just 24 hours until Crimson Secret releases! This is the fourth novel in my Coin Forest historical romance series set during the War of the Roses! I'm fascinated by Queen Margaret of Anjou and King Henry VI, her long-suffering king. Too mentally addled to rule, he was pushed aside by his queen. Clever Margaret stepped in and took the reins of power, creating chaos, financial disaster and a civil war that lasted over thirty years.

My hero and heroine are polarized--she and her family are deeply devoted to Margaret, and he carries secret plans and provides financial support to the Duke of York, who wants to take the throne and power from King Henry and return order and fiscal responsibility to England.

To their dismay, the hero and heroine meet and experience an electrifying attraction to each other. Nothing is sweeter--or more forbidden for them, but they are smitten and can't control themselves.

I loved exploring the marvelous push and pull of their relationship, and they surprised me at several critical times.

Now, they're poised to go out into the world of readers. The suspense is unbearable!