Guestpost by Author Zoë Archer + giveaway

Filed in Giveaways , Guest Post , The HEA Lover , Zoe Archer Posted on May 3, 2012 @ 7:00 am 18 comments

It’s always with pleasure that we welcome Zoë Archer on Book Lovers Inc!  Demon’s Bride, the second book in Zoë’s Hellraisers series came out earlier  this week.  This book is a mix of genres and the result is explosive! You can read my review later today.  Let’s give a warm welcome to Zoë! And don’t forget, you can enter to win a copy of Demon’s Bride!

One of the reasons why I love writing paranormal historical romance is that I get to do research. That might seem like a funny reason to enjoy something, but, in my case, it’s true. I love digging up interesting facts or learning unusual things about the past, then combining them with the paranormal.

When I researched DEMON’S BRIDE, the second book in my Hellraisers series, I knew that the hero of the book would be a man who actually worked for his fortune. Leo Bailey is a saddler’s son, and the only member of the Hellraisers who isn’t gently born. Unlike his friends who earn their money through their estates, Leo immerses himself in the world of commerce and trade. You can well imagine how the elite of London Society feel about that!

I discovered in my research that, during the 18th century, London’s economic heart was located in a place called Exchange Alley, also known as Change Alley. The financial center of the city could be found at the intersection of three roads: Cornhill, Threadneedle and Lombard. The Royal Exchange was located here, and coffee houses were abundant all around this area. These coffee houses served as meeting places for men of business, investing in shipments of goods from all over the world, and shares and commodities for English goods, too. Lloyd’s of London was actually founded here, beginning as a coffee house before becoming the powerhouse insurance market it is today. Jonathan’s coffee house also contained the new Stock Exchange. There were scores of coffee houses, all serving as the heartbeat that kept the blood of commerce flowing through not just London, but all of Britain—even the world.

When writing DEMON’S BRIDE, I tried to imagine what those bustling narrow streets were like. I pictured Leo purposefully moving through the crowds and securing a table for himself as someplace like the New Jerusalem coffee house. The air would smell of coffee and tobacco, and be thick with the talk of trade. This isn’t a place for women. No respectable lady would ever be seen here. So the sounds of Exchange Alley would be the sounds of men’s voices, the clink of cups and rustle of newspapers. (Most coffee houses provided newspapers for their patrons, so if anyone wanted to know anything about what was going on, they’d head immediately to the coffee house to read about and discuss the news of the day.) There would be an almost palpable energy to the place, as England stretches the boundaries of its empire and continues as one of the world’s greatest financial powers. Leo would feel that energy, and even feed off of it.

 

Of course, it doesn’t hurt Leo’s business dealing that, in exchange for freeing the Devil from his prison, Leo is given the power to see the future. All he has to do is touch a piece of money belonging to someone, and he’s given a vision of the financial disasters that will befall his intended target. With that kind of knowledge, Leo is sure to make the right investments. But even before he was given his power, his sharp and ruthless business sense earned him the name the Demon of the Exchange.

 

On the right hand side of the above image, you can just make out the Devil watching the scene with glee.

So, my question to you is: do you ever have meetings at coffee houses? And what’s your drink of choice? Personally, my favorite is a soy latte with sugar-free vanilla syrup. I’ll pick a winner from the comments to receive a copy of DEMON’S BRIDE. (Print for US/Canada, digital for international.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the book:
DEMON’S BRIDE
The Hellraisers, Book 2

Hell to Pay

Leo Bailey may have been born to poverty, but ruthless business sense and sparkling intelligence have made money worries a thing of his past. It doesn’t hurt that the Devil himself has granted Leo the ability to read the future.

But even infallible predictions are a déclassé commoner’s trick to some members of the ton. They’ll never see Leo as their equal – one good reason to prove himself their better. And a noble marriage is an obvious start.

Bookish Anne Hartfield, daughter of a baron, is hardly the flashiest miss on the marriage market. But her thoughtful reserve complements Leo’s brash boldness in an attraction neither can deny. A whirlwind courtship sweeps Anne and Leo into a smoldering marriage before either can believe their luck. But happiness built on Leo’s dark powers can’t last. Soon, Anne will have to save her husband…or lose her heart.

About the author:

Zoë Archer is an award-winning romance author who thinks there’s nothing sexier than a man in tall boots and a waistcoat. As a child, she never dreamed about being the rescued princess, but wanted to kick butt right beside the hero. She now applies her master’s degrees in Literature and Fiction to creating butt-kicking heroines and heroes in tall boots. She is the author of the acclaimed BLADES OF THE ROSE series and the paranormal historical romance series, THE HELLRAISERS. She and her husband, fellow romance author Nico Rosso, created the steampunk world of THE ETHER CHRONICLES together. Her steampunk romance, SKIES OF FIRE, is now available from Avon Impulse, and Nico’s steampunk Western, NIGHT OF FIRE, will be available in July. Zoë and Nico live in Los Angeles.

Excerpt

Website, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr

To buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters Indigo, Amazon UK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Zoë has generously offered a copy of Demon’s Bride for 1 lucky commenter!  (Print for US/Canada, digital for international.)

All you have to do is answer one of  Zoë’s questions or leave a meaningful comment about the post.

(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all: (Print for US/Canada, digital for international.)

Giveaway ends on Saturday, May 12th, 2012; we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!

About Caro The HEA Lover


Caroline is a HEA loving, yarn addicted French who's desperately hoping to get a HEA of her own. If she's not reading then she can be found knitting while listening to Audiobooks or watching Tv shows. Her secret addiction is reading websites that make fun at other people's expense (DYAC, Failbook)! Caroline also blogs at the Secret HEA Society with Susi.

Share This Post

Subscribe and stay up-to-date

Via E-Mail:

Follow us via RSS, twitter and facebook:

18 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • Maria pronounced Mariah May 3, 2012 at 11:11 am

    No, no meetings at coffee houses. But if I were to meet at one I would be pretty boring since I don’t drink coffee and order a hot chocolate…the darker the chocolate the better!

    We do have this cute little coffee house called the White Elephant that we go to every now and again…but just for fun!

  • aurian May 3, 2012 at 11:25 am

    Great blogpost! And laughing a bit here, coffeehouse, or rather coffeeshop, has a very different meaning here in Holland! So no, never been to a coffeeshop, the smell alone makes me walk at the other side of the street if possible. And a coffeehouse, we only got Starbucks a few years ago, and had not really something to compare it to.
    I do go visit small restaurants or bistro’s while shopping, and have a cup of tea or hot coco and something to eat. But meeting with a friend in one, nope, cannot recall that. (Okay, only a blind date many many years ago).

    • pattepoilue May 3, 2012 at 11:27 am

      LOL Indeed not the same kind of Coffeeshop bwahahaha

  • Viki S. May 3, 2012 at 11:52 am

    I don’t have meetings at coffee houses but I do meet my girlfriend at a coffee house every Wednesday for an hour :).

  • Mel K. May 3, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    Hi Zoe,
    I don’t drink coffee so no coffee house meetings for me. I had tea in London. I want one of those little cucumber sandwiches now. lol!
    I am an anglophile and I enjoyed your post immensely. It would be a pleasure to read your book, DEMON’S BRIDE. Have a great day!

  • Arianne May 3, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    I think I’ve had at least one meeting at a coffeehouse but I don’t ever buy anything.
    email: cruz042 at cougars.csusm.edu

  • June May 3, 2012 at 2:32 pm

    I have never had any type of meeting in a coffee house. I don’t drink coffee at all, just never developed a taste for it.

  • JenM May 3, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    I do have meetings at coffee houses to network with people, because many people are too busy to do lunch, but they can spare 20 minutes for a coffee break. However, it’s hard sometimes because I don’t drink coffee or tea. If I have to get anything, I usually get hot chocolate.

  • Diane May 3, 2012 at 7:17 pm

    Yes I do meet some friends at a coffee house but I usually have peppermint tea!!! My favorite!

  • Maureen May 4, 2012 at 10:48 am

    I don’t meet for coffee but my daughter will. I prefer tea and I like all types from black tea to herbal teas.

  • Filia Oktarina May 4, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    I never have meetings at coffee houses because i very busy everyday, except monday. But for monday i use to stay in home with family. My favorite ice coffe with vanila latte and whip cream on top…..yummy:)

  • Diane Sallans May 4, 2012 at 2:52 pm

    No, haven’t had a meeting in a coffeehouse. But I do love coffee. In the morning I just want a strong cup of coffee with a French Vanilla creamer. But in the warm weather I love an ice coffee, sometimes with a mocha flavor.

  • Yadira A. May 4, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    Interesting post! I’ve not had a meeting in a coffee house, but I wouldn’t mind holding one there. Even though I don’t drink coffee I do like the smell:)

  • Victoria Zumbrum May 4, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    I don’t have any meetings at coffee houses but I love starbucks peppermint mocha frappuchino.

  • Lisa B May 5, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    No meeting at a coffee house, but I love to sometimes check out local talent and have a chai tea w/bubbles…

  • Tamsyn May 6, 2012 at 4:45 am

    Love the post and thanks for the intro to this series. Its new to me. I’ve never read a marriage of convenience romance with supernatural elements before. This sounds like a good read. I don’t usually hold meetings at a coffee house but coffee is one of my favourite drinks. Thanks for making the giveaway international. :o)

  • bn100 May 12, 2012 at 2:04 am

    Very nice post. I don’t have meetings at coffee houses, but I like their iced tea.

  • Joanne B May 12, 2012 at 9:32 am

    I love marriage of convenience stories. Add the Devil in and we have a winner. This series sounds fantastic. Can’t wait to read it.

Previous Post
«
Next Post
»
Luvo designed by Internet Marketing In conjunction with Template Wordpress , R4 DS , Best SUV.