Interview with Tessa Dare {A NIGHT TO SURRENDER}, Teaser, & Giveaway Entry Stop

I'm excited to say that I have author Tessa Dare here at AtM today for day one of her virtual book tour! She's here talking about her latest release, A NIGHT TO SURRENDER, and what inspired the creation of this sexy new series!

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Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pub. Date: August 30, 2011

Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: the painfully shy, young wives disenchanted with matrimony, and young girls too enchanted with the wrong men. It is a haven for those who live there.

Victor Bramwell, the new Earl of Rycliff, knows he doesn’t belong here. So far as he can tell, there’s nothing in this place but spinsters…and sheep. But he has no choice, he has orders to gather a militia. It’s a simple mission, made complicated by the spirited, exquisite Susanna Finch—a woman who is determined to save her personal utopia from the invasion of Bram’s makeshift army.

Susanna has no use for aggravating men; Bram has sworn off interfering women. The scene is set for an epic battle…but who can be named the winner when both have so much to lose?

Welcome to Among the Muses, Tessa! Please tell us about A NIGHT TO SURRENDER.

In Spindle Cove, Miss Susanna Finch has worked hard to nurture a peaceful community of unconventional women, and she’s none too pleased when Bram, the new Earl of Rycliff, arrives with plans to take the village in hand and raise a local militia. Susanna is a self-taught apothecary and the daughter of a weaponry inventor, so she knows how to hold her own with a wounded warrior. But their explosive chemistry catches them both off-guard. A Night to Surrender is a steamy, funny battle of the sexes--and only one can emerge as the leader of Spindle Cove.

What is the inspiration behind this book?

As is the case with many of my stories, the tiny seed of the idea originated with Jane Austen. I was thinking about Pride and Prejudice, and the way the Bennet sisters and all Meryton were worked into a fervor by the encampment of the militia nearby. Then I had the thought, "What if a hero were charged with raising a militia in a town where there were virtually no men?" I immediately grew excited with all the great possibilities there, for both laughs and sighworthy romance.

Can you tell readers a little bit about the world-building in this book/series? Were there any challenges or obstacles you had to overcome?

Spindle Cove is a fictional village, but it's set on the real East Sussex coast. In 2010, I spent a week or so exploring that area, wandering through crumbling Norman castles, smugglers’ caves, Tudor-era taverns, stately manor houses, medieval cathedrals, and pastures full of sheep. I took all my favorite snippets from reality and squashed them into one tiny fictional village, Spindle Cove. My goal was to create a place that readers would want to re-visit, so I tried to make it an appealing little village. But like any small town, it has plenty of quirks.

Spindle Cove is my own little niche within the larger realm of Regency England, which historical readers know and love so well. Because of its unique origins, some of the usual Regency society rules just don't apply in Spindle Cove -- women are able to get away with a great deal more mischief! Which is just the way I like it. 

Other than writing, what are some of your other passions in life?

I enjoy being out in nature, particularly the forest, and I never seem to get quite enough trees in my life, living as we do in the middle of Southern California's urban sprawl! But I try to steal away for walks in parks and botanical gardens whenever I can.

I love visiting museums and archival libraries. I am not a visual artist at all, but I'm just fascinated by painting and sculpture. As for books--the older, the better. The Huntington Library is one of my favorite places on earth because it combines all of the above: a rare books library, a fine art collection, and amazing gardens. It's such an inspiring place to be.

I'm fascinated by the creative process--which brings me to another, decidedly less highbrow passion: Reality TV. Particularly, I adore shows like Top Chef and Project Runway that show creative people working under pressure. But I also love The Amazing Race, just because. It's great TV!

What can readers expect next from you?

Spindle Cove book two, A Week to be Wicked, will be out next April, and I had too much fun writing that book. It’s a zany, sexy road-trip romance between two people who couldn’t be more dissimilar—a bespectacled bluestocking passionate about fossil-hunting, and a devil-may-care viscount.

I'm also working on a little Christmas-themed Spindle Cove novella that should be available as an e-book, just in time for the holidays! 

Can you leave readers with a little teaser from A NIGHT TO SURRENDER?

“The question is, Miss Finch . . . what are you doing in this village?”

“I’ve been trying to explain it to you. We have a community of ladies here in Spindle Cove, and we support one another with friendship, intellectual stimulation, and healthful living.”

“No, no. I can see how this might appeal to a mousy, awkward chit with no prospects for something better. But what are you doing here?”

Perplexed, she turned her gloved hands palms-up. “Living happily.”

“Really,” he said, giving her a skeptical look. Even his horse snorted in seeming disbelief. “A woman like you.”

She bristled. Just what kind of woman did he think she was?

“If you think yourself content with no man in your life, Miss Finch, that only proves one thing.” In a swift motion, he pulled himself into the saddle. His next words were spoken down at her, making her feel small and patronized. “You’ve been meeting all the wrong men.”

Can you tell me about the KISS and Teal logo on the book cover?

The “K.I.S.S. and Teal” campaign is a partnership between Avon Books and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. The “K.I.S.S.” stands for “Know the Important Signs and Symptoms”, and teal is the designated color for ovarian cancer awareness. There’s no routine test for detecting ovarian cancer, but earlier detection can improve chances of survival. That’s why Avon and OCNA want to encourage readers to learn the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer (bloating, abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty eating, and urinary symptoms) and discuss them with the women in their lives. I’m honored that A Night to Surrender is part of this important effort. See KISSandTeal.com for more information.

Where can readers find you in the virtual world?

Website: TessaDare.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TessaDare
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TessaDare
And on The Ballroom Blog: TheBallroomBlog.com

Giveaway Details:

• Tessa and Harper Collins will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

• Leave a comment with your email addy (please break it up using (at) and (dot) ).

• Contest will run from 8/29 - 9/2 (through the duration of the blog tour).

• Remember: The more stops you comment on, the greater your chances of winning are!! :)

Blog Tour Stops:

Click on the graphic to see all the tour stops, or click on the following:

August 29: Among the Muses

August 30: What Book is That?

August 31: Ramblings from this Chick

September 1: Reading Romances

September 2: Brazen Bookworm


Good luck, and thanks for stopping by to support Tessa and A NIGHT TO SURRENDER!