Interview with Shana Galen + Giveaway

Filed in featured , Giveaways , Interview , Shana Galen , The Latin Lover Posted on March 8, 2013 @ 7:00 am 77 comments

We are very happy to welcome to Book Lovers Inc. today historical romance author Shana Galen, who is celebrating the release of If You Give a Rake a Ruby, the 2nd book in her Jewels of the Ton Regency romance series (with Alisha we very much enjoyed the 1st book When You Give a Duke a Diamond, check out our dual review here). Please give Shana a warm welcome and read on, you could even win a copy of her book! 😀 

Stella: Hi Shana, welcome to Book Lovers Inc! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Shana: Thanks for having me. I’m a mom, a wife, and an author. I live in Houston, Texas and drive my red VW Beetle to Starbucks and three-year-old soccer games. If You Give a Rake a Ruby is my thirteenth book.

Stella: Are you a planner or pantser? Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do your novels come to life?

Shana: I’m a total pantser. I pretty much sit down at the computer and start making stuff up. Sometimes I have an idea of how I want to start, which makes the first chapters go a lot faster, but just as often, I have no idea other than the book is due on such and such date and I promised it would be about a courtesan. As I write, I do get to know the characters. I usually have to go back and add layers to the beginning of the book, and even change much of the middle when I realize the character I’ve written wouldn’t have said or done things I had him or her do initially. You would think this is easier if you’re writing a book with characters you’ve already introduced, if only tangentially, in other books. But that often makes it harder because I forget what I said about them in the other books, and I have to go back and re-read.

Stella: Your latest novel, If You Give a Rake a Ruby is the second book in your Jewels of the Ton historical romance trilogy featuring three unique and unusual heroines. How did the idea for the series come to you, what inspired you the three Jewels?

Shana: The idea came when I was reading a biography of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, who was a real life courtesan and spy during the Georgian and Regency periods. I wanted to write about women who were glamorous and fashionable and also independent enough to have some secrets and the freedom to pursue unconventional paths.

Stella: If You Give a Rake a Ruby was released on March 5th, congratulations! Can you tell our readers what they can expect of it? 

Shana: They can expect romance, adventure, and a lot of fun! Here’s a little snippet.

“I found the records room, and if you will hold the candle for me, I’ll pick the lock and we can search the insurance policies.”

Fallon raised her brows. “That sounds tedious.”

He took her hand and led her down the corridor. “One can’t be abducted or involved in a carriage chase every night.” He retrieved his tinderbox, lit the candle, and handed it to her. Then she watched as he opened a small leather case and took out what appeared to be professional lock-picking tools. This was why she loved him. How could she love a man who didn’t have some useful skills?

Stella: Could you introduce Warrick Fitzhugh and Fallon, hero and heroine of If You Give a Rake a Ruby to us? 

Shana: Of course! Here’s how they meet.

“Get the hell out of my bed,” she said in a velvet voice that only made him desire her more.

Warrick didn’t even sit. “I have a few questions for you.”

“Get out or I’ll call my butler and have you thrown out.”

“I don’t think so.” He put his hands behind his head and leaned back on her prodigious pile of pillows. They were satin and velvet, arrayed in every jewel tone he could imagine. The mountain was quite comfortable except for the occasional beaded pillow whose ornamentation dug into one’s skin.

“Oh, really? I’ve already thrown one man out tonight. I can do so again.” She started for the door with a fast, purposeful stride he had not seen before, but before she could reach for the handle he spoke.

“I would not do that, Margaret. Or should I call you Maggie?”

Stella: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read If You Give a Rake a Ruby?

Shana:

1. It’s more fun than doing dishes.
2. Everyone else is reading it.
3. Come on, you don’t need to sleep to function in the morning.

Stella: Could you please summarize If You Give a Rake a Ruby for us Twitter-style (in 140 characters or less)?

Shana: Kick ass courtesan meets her match—a sexy spy with a price on his head. Fast-paced adventurous romance with plenty of humor.

Stella: The three heroines in your Jewels of the Ton series are very different, how would you describe/categorize their three stories?

Shana: Juliette is impulsive and fun. Her story is about redefining yourself. Fallon is much tougher and more cautious. Her story is about learning to forgive. Lily is charming and a fashionista, but her outward façade masks and inner sadness. All three books are about learning to love oneself, no matter who you are or what you’ve done.

Stella: What is your favourite jewel, precious stone?

Shana: I love amethysts. Purple is my favourite colour.

Stella: What is your favourite part of a romance novel to read or write? The beginning, the first meeting, first kiss, getting to know each other, first love scene, big fight, HEA, or something else?

Shana: The first meeting is always fun. I think it sets the tone of the entire novel. Is it a funny meet? A harrowing meet? A tension-filled meet? There are so many ways to introduce the hero and heroine!

Stella: You write historical romances. I wonder, is it the romance sub-genre you prefer reading as well? What made you choose to write HR?

Shana: I do enjoy reading historical romance. I decided to write it because I enjoyed “living” in that time. When you write a book, you’re in that story in your mind a lot. I don’t want to be somewhere I don’t enjoy. I like to think about balls and carriages and sexy dukes all day. That said, I have written contemporaries and would love to write more. My first love is always historical, though.

Stella: Any interesting/funny/weird tidbit you could share with us you learned while doing research for a story?

Shana: I just don’t think most of my research is all that interesting to anyone but me. I’ve certainly never been raided by the FBI or anything. Recently, though I was looking for a regency term for oral sex. Two of my friends texted me about what they were up to—playing Legos with kids or writing a contract for work. So I texted that I was researching oral sex terms. That was not what they were expecting. And then we proceeded to have a lengthy text discussion as to whether people really did that “back then.” I assured them that we in the twenty-first century, did not invent it.

Stella: LOL, I can so picture the face of the receipient of that text! 😀 Any other sub-genre you’d like to try your hand at some day?

Shana: I like to read YA and taught middle and high school for years. I love to write one. In fact, I have written a few proposals I have yet to sell to a publisher.

Stella: What is next on your schedule? Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

Shana: My next Lord and Lady Spy book, True Spies, is out in September, followed by a Lord and Lady Spy novella in January 2014. And then in March 2014 the last Jewels book, Sapphires Are an Earl’s Best Friend out.

Stella: Could you share with us something, a trivia that not many people know about you?

Shana: I go to fitness boot camp three days a week at 5 a.m. I think having a boot camp instructor yell at me is probably the only way to get me to keep exercising.

Stella: Wow, I am amazed! Don’t think I would be able to get up at 5am three times a week to work out, so RESPECT Shana!

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of fast-paced adventurous Regency historicals, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice Winner The Making of a Gentleman and the RT-nominated When You Give a Duke a Diamond. Her books are published all over the world and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston’s inner city. Now she writes full time. She’s happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making. Shana loves to hear from readers: visit her website or blog, and see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and Twitter.

If You Give a Rake a Ruby by Shana Galen

Book #2 in the Jewels of the Ton series

Her Mysterious Past is the Best Revenge…

Fallon, the Marchioness of Mystery, is a celebrated courtesan with her finger on the pulse of high society. She’s adored by men, hated by their wives. No one knows anything about her past, and she plans to keep it that way.

Only He Can Offer Her a Dazzling Future…

Warrick Fitzhugh will do anything to protect his compatriots in the Foreign Office, including seduce Fallon, who he thinks can lead him to the deadliest crime lord in London. He knows he’s putting his life on the line…

To Warrick’s shock, Fallon is not who he thinks she is, and the secrets she’s keeping are exactly what makes her his heart’s desire…

Buy at B & N | Books-a-Million | Book Depository | Amazon

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

~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Sourcebooks has generously offered a paperback copy of If You Give a Duke a Diamond, Book #1 in the Jewels of the Ton series to one lucky US/CAN commenter, and BLI would like to offer a copy to an international commenter!

All you have to do is tell us: What is your favourite jewel/precious stone?

(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 everyone!

Giveaway ends on 23 March 2013 and we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good Luck!

About Stella


Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn't live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

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77 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 7:37 am

    Thanks for having me, Stella!

  • Cheryl March 8, 2013 at 7:49 am

    My favorite jewel is diamond. It is my birthstone. As a kid I thought it was boring to have a “clear” stone for my birthstone. Then one day I was in the sun and saw how beautiful it gets -every color of the rainbow. It became my little secret. Thanks for having this contest.

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl. Yes, a cut diamond can be breathtaking.

  • Cindy vonHentschel March 8, 2013 at 7:59 am

    My favorite is a diamond! They’re beautiful! The dazzling shine and clear cut and color is breathtaking. It goes with anything you wear and it makes me feel pretty 😉

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Cindy, they are so classic. They never look bad and go with jeans or a ballgown.

  • Nicole Laverdure March 8, 2013 at 8:07 am

    I love to create my jewellery for a hobby! I like all kinds of gems, none favourite! But I love pearls because they are universal! Shana’s book covers are so romantic. Thank you for the nice giveaway!
    nlaverdure88@videotron.ca

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Wow, Nicole! That’s a great hobby. It must be really fun to make jewelry.

  • Linda March 8, 2013 at 8:25 am

    I like green stones, i´m not as big on bling as i´m on pretty things, =) and green emeralds are *sigh* pretty.
    Love the interview and snippets, =) thanks for the giveaway & Happy Friday!
    //Linda
    fr_larsson at hotmail dot com (international)

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:12 am

      Green stones are gorgeous. Emerald is my sister’s birthstone, and I have always been jealous.

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:27 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Linda. There is definitely something to be said for understated.

  • LorettaLynn March 8, 2013 at 8:30 am

    I love turquoise and rubies:) this looks really good, thank you for the chance to win a copy!
    elliott2668[at]yahoo[dot]com

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:13 am

      Thanks! I’m wearing turquoise right now 🙂

  • cateS March 8, 2013 at 8:54 am

    I’m partial to sapphires paired with diamonds!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:21 pm

      Cate, one of my favorite necklaces is sapphires with diamonds.

  • cateS March 8, 2013 at 8:54 am

    I’m partial to sapphires paired with diamonds!
    girlygirlhoosier52 at yahoo.com

  • Joy F March 8, 2013 at 8:55 am

    I like red, so ruby is by favorite.

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:15 am

      Well, Joy, do I have a book for you! 🙂

  • Druma Shukla (international) March 8, 2013 at 8:57 am

    Gonna go with diamonds..they say ‘forever’ like nothing else and that’s romatic 😀 Thanks for the give away!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:22 pm

      I agree, Druma. That’s why I chose Diamonds as the nickname for the courtesan–that and the phrase “diamond of the fiurst water.”

  • Deanna March 8, 2013 at 9:12 am

    My favorite stone is my birthstone – a diamond!!!

  • Dian Setyarini March 8, 2013 at 9:28 am

    I like diamond and pearl..

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:15 am

      The classics. You cannot go wrong with those.

  • Christy March 8, 2013 at 10:03 am

    I like them all! 🙂 Diamond is my birthstone

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:23 pm

      Christy, I really don’t complain about receiving any gems. They are all beautiful.

  • laurie g March 8, 2013 at 10:09 am

    I love turquoise and rubies:) this looks really good, thank you for the chance to win a copy!

  • erinf1 March 8, 2013 at 10:12 am

    Congrats Shana on the new release! I love emeralds. Looking forward to starting this series 🙂

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:16 am

      Thank you! Emeralds are so pretty and timeless.

  • may March 8, 2013 at 11:02 am

    i would have to say diamonds… i am traditional that way!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:16 am

      Diamonds are always in style and look good with everything.

  • fifi March 8, 2013 at 11:07 am

    I love rubies because red rocks and it’s all but dazzling 😀

    anyway, thanks for the giveaway 🙂

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 11:16 am

      I agree! I just love the red on the cover of my book. It makes a statement.

      • fifi March 9, 2013 at 10:09 am

        yeah, red’s hard to ignore 😀

  • Jakki L. March 8, 2013 at 11:26 am

    I like amethyst because it is my birthstone and just happens to be purple! 🙂
    Thanks for the giveaway! Can’t wait to read this! 🙂
    jakki36 at yahoo dot com

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:28 pm

      Jakki, purple is my favorite color. I have a lot of amethyst jewelry.

  • Belinda March 8, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    My favorite jewel is garnet and pearl. My bithstone is January’s garnet. I love the rick deep color because it’s my Mom’s too!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:29 pm

      Belinda, garnet isn’t one I see mentioned very often. It’s quite pretty, though.

  • Jessika March 8, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    I love opals. They are usually so colorful & fun. Thanks so much for the interview & the laughs. Looks like a fun series!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:29 pm

      Jessika, opals are so gorgeous. I love the iridescence.

  • CatScott March 8, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    I am a huge fan!! I have all of Shana’s books and can’t wait to read If You Give a Rake a Ruby, and am completely excited about True Spies!! Please keep writing wonderful books, Shana!!

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:30 pm

      Thanks, Cat! I’m waiting for confirmation, but I think I may have a Lord and Lady Spy novella out at the end of the summer.

  • Victoria Zumbrum March 8, 2013 at 2:09 pm

    My birthstone is ruby. I love ruby. Tore923@aol.com

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:30 pm

      Victoria, this is the perfect book for you, then!

  • Olga March 8, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    Ruby 🙂

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      They are eye catching, aren’t they, Olga.

  • Diane Sallans March 8, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    I’m lucky cause I really like my birthstone – a Blue Sapphire. I also love a deep lavender Tanzanite.

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      Oh, Diane! I haven’t seen lavender Tanzanite. I’ll have to google it.

  • Lily B March 8, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    Grats on the new release! The series looks absolutely wonderful and I love the covers. Hum my favorite stone…London Blue Topaz is really beautiful. Of course Diamonds are a girls best friend and sapphire is just gorgeous with the deep blue. Hard to pick 😉

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 8:23 pm

      It IS hard to pick, Lily! I haven’t seen a London blue topaz. I’ll have to look one up.

      • Lily March 10, 2013 at 8:44 pm

        hehe truly is. I only learned about it while looking up jewerly stones one day, I am not 100% sure it’s a natural one, but I absolutely love the color anyway 🙂

  • ki pha March 8, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    AB crystals from Swarovski and Topaz & Amethyst~ They are just beautiful

    • Shana Galen March 8, 2013 at 8:24 pm

      Ki Pha, I love the AB crystals from Swarovski. So beautiful.

  • bn100 March 8, 2013 at 10:09 pm

    diamonds

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Cannot go wrong with diamonds, bn100!

  • Sharlene Wegner March 8, 2013 at 10:44 pm

    Great interview! My favorite stone is sapphire. I love blue!

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Sharlene, you’ll love my next Jewels book. It’s cover is sapphire blue.

  • Arely Z. March 9, 2013 at 12:12 am

    Rubies are one of my favorite stones 🙂 So…if I were to give a rake a ruby… 😉

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:53 am

      LOL! Rubies are always dramatic, Arely.

  • Sheree March 9, 2013 at 12:36 am

    Ooh, is that Emmanuel Fremin AND Serene Aandahl on WHEN YOU GIVE A DUKE A DIAMOND?

    Personally, I like emeralds but rubies are good, too.

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:54 am

      Are those cover models, Sheree? I didn’t know their names. Thanks!

  • Barbara Elness March 9, 2013 at 1:26 am

    My favorite precious stone is a blue topaz, especially when it’s surrounded by diamonds. 😀

    • Barbara Elness March 9, 2013 at 1:26 am

      Barbed1951 at aol dot com

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:54 am

      Blue topaz is gorgeous, Barbara!

  • librarypat March 9, 2013 at 3:48 am

    My birthstone is the garnet. I like the deep burgundy tones. It is a toss-up between it and the ruby. The ruby isn’t quite as dark and you can see the color more clearly. That being said, the garnet is much more affordable.

    Congratulations on the release of IF YOU GIVE A RAKE A RUBY.

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:55 am

      Lilbrarypat, garnets are more affordable, and I think just as pretty.

  • aurian March 9, 2013 at 5:38 am

    My favourite stone is Amethyst, which is not very unique. For a precious stone, I would chose a Sapphire. Because I enjoy the color range 🙂

    • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:56 am

      Aurian, purple is my favorite color, so i have a lot of amethysts.

  • lori meehan March 9, 2013 at 7:56 am

    Tanzinite is my favorite. It’s just such a pretty purple color which is also my favorite color, Shana. The books look great. Thank you for the giveaway.
    Lorimeehan1@aol.com

  • Shana Galen March 9, 2013 at 9:57 am

    Lori, my BFF has a tanzinite wedding ring. It’s gorgeous.

  • June M. March 10, 2013 at 1:18 am

    I am stuck between amethyst & tanzinite. I love purple too so both of these are high on my favorite list!

  • Lori H March 10, 2013 at 8:15 am

    I like onyx. I think the black stone with silver is really pretty. However I can enjoy the beauty of all the stones.
    Thanks 🙂
    lorih824 at yahoo dot com

  • lilian s March 10, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    I love sapphire it’s have my favorite colour and my birth stone

  • Ren March 11, 2013 at 4:20 am

    Diamond. Like the old saying said, diamond is the girl’s best friend, lol!

  • kv2013 March 15, 2013 at 1:57 am

    Rubies are my favorite because they remind me of the color of love 🙂 cheesy, I know

  • Jillian DeMarco March 21, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    I love the ruby. It’s my birth stone, too!!

  • Chelsea B. March 21, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    Diamonds. Classy like that 8)

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