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Money can buy her marriage
But will it lead to love?
Miss Lily Wilkins hopes her American money will compensate for her lack of etiquette, as she needs a prestigious marriage to save her sisters’ prospects. Raised to believe wealth was her greatest attribute, she’s stunned when her unconventional ways catch the eye of the notorious Duke of Lennox. He’s far from the safe, sensible match she’d planned on—but Lily might just discover he’s the one she needs!
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Q&A
– When and where do you prefer to write?
I love to write first thing in the morning, before I get too distracted! (I am easily distracted…) This has been a weird year for me, as well as for, well, pretty much everyone else, with my husband WFH as well, so I have a new little desk set up by the window in my bedroom where I can get some sunlight. My dog has bed next to my chair, and there’s always tea and music
– Do you have a certain ritual?
I’m not sure it’s a ritual, but I make a pot of tea and read my email before I dive into the story (since I tend to be a bit grumpy first thing in the morning!). I also like to have certain things on my desk, like a little figurine that was a present from a good friend, research books I might need, my favorite pen….
– Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?
Lots and lots of tea!!! I start with something strong, and then have green tea after. A glass of wine after five
– What is your favourite book?
Ooohhh, that’s a tough one! I have so many. “Persuasion” maybe, or “Middlemarch,” but the one that first made me want to be a writer was “Jane Eyre.” I came across a copy at my grandmother’s house when I was about 10 (she was a big reader, and would always have boxes and boxes full of books she would buy at library sales and secondhand bookstores, and I would read them when we visited her in the summer. That’s where I discovered Gothic romances, Austen, Barbara Cartland, Dickens, Georgette Heyer—like I said, she read EVERYTHING!). I had no idea what JE was about, and stayed up all night reading it. I was shocked (shocked!) by the plot twists, and wanted to tell stories just like that.
– Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?
I’m not sure I would be very good at writing contemporary settings, though I would love to try one someday! For now, I am sticking to historicals, though I do both romances and mysteries
– Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?
Not really in a wholesale “this character is totally like my friend Katherine!” way, but I definitely love to use traits I see in friends or family to make characters lifelike and fun. And my pets sometimes make appearances!
– Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?
I do! I have the most crowded purse ever. Notebooks, pens, lip balm (two sorts!), dog biscuits, as well as the usual 2020 hand sanitizer and wipes. I get lots of ideas on walks or waiting in lines
– Which genre do you not like at all?
I don’t read a lot of fantasy epics, which is too bad because it’s all my husband reads! Not really because I don’t like them, but because they often confuse me. But I will try anything that looks interesting
– If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?
Another tough one! I have done a couple of collaborations with some friends I used to do a Friday hour with, based on our favorite place (The Martini Lounge 4 series), and it was challenging but a lot of fun. Can I write something with the Brontes??? I’ve often daydreamed about sitting around their Haworth dining room working on those tiny books they would make
– If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?
Travel feels like a distant dream right now! But I love to visit places for settings (like England), and my very favorite place is Paris, which I hope I can visit again soon, and maybe plot out a Versailles story. Right now, I am fining lots of inspiration in my home, which is gorgeous Santa Fe, New Mexico
Thank you, Amanda McCabe and Rachel’s Random Resources
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About the author
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen–a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…)
She’s never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network–even though she doesn’t cook.
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Author Links
https://www.facebook.com/amandamccabebooks/
https://www.instagram.com/amandamccabeauthor/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/amandamccabe/_saved/
https://twitter.com/AmandaMcCabe01
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Book Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlikely-Duchess-Historical-Dollar-Duchesses-ebook/dp/B08Q7MS4H4/
US – https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Duchess-Dollar-Duchesses-Book-ebook/dp/B089YTPXSW/
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