A Quick Q&A with Author Callie Hutton:
If you could sit and write in a different country, where would it be?
The South of France. As much as I would love to visit London (and plan to one day soon), the idea of sitting on the balcony of a house/apartment/flat with French coffee and a croissant at my side, while gazing out at the diamond-studded water, and the sun at my back, would be wonderful. I would be so inspired. Or—I would be so distracted, nothing would get written. Maybe I need to re-consider this.
What has been your toughest scene or book to write?
The hero in my book The Baron’s Betrayal was blind. It was difficult to write scenes in his POV where he couldn’t see anything. I also spent time wandering around my house blindfolded, bumping into walls. It was a challenge. And painful.
Tell us a little about your book.
I’m excited about Denying the Duke, the third book in my Lords and Ladies in Love series. This is a lovers re-united story, one I haven’t written before. Here is the blurb:
Four years ago, Alex, a second son, had planned a life together with Lady Patience. However, when Patience was betrothed to his brother, the heir, Alex left his family’s estate and joined the military.
Alex returns to assume the title Duke of Bedford when his brother unexpectedly dies. He is unprepared for both his new responsibilities and the reunion with Patience. The horrors of war are a heavy burden, and when he learns that Patience never married his brother, he is stunned.
Patience withstood the bullying of her fiancé and her father for four long years. She refuses to marry Alex just because he’s the duke, especially if he no longer loves her. How would that be better than what she has already endured? Promises made in their youth are not enough to overcome the changes life has wrought for them but love can grow and transform, if only Patience could believe that.
I’m also excited about Denying the Duke because I introduce three new characters who will have their stories in 2018.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I loved writing characters who had been apart for four years, and the resulting changes that makes it necessary for them to work to find their love again. If that is possible.
Á la Twitter style, please describe your book in 140 characters or less.
Bedford is no longer the man who made promises to Lady Patience 4 yrs ago. She loved him once but won’t marry him because she’s convenient.
What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
Humorous scenes. If I’m laughing out loud when it’s finished, I know my readers will be. I try to include at least one funny scene in each book.
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Yes. Thank you so very much for reading my books. Seeing readers enjoy the stories I’ve created from my own mind is very rewarding.
Four years ago, Alex, a second son, had planned a life together with Lady Patience. However, when Patience was betrothed to his brother, the heir, Alex left his family’s estate and joined the military.Alex returns to assume the title Duke of Bedford when his brother unexpectedly dies. He is unprepared for both his new responsibilities and the reunion with Patience. The horrors of war are a heavy burden, and when he learns that Patience never married his brother, he is stunned.
Patience withstood the bullying of her fiancé and her father for four long years. She refuses to marry Alex just because he’s the duke, especially if he no longer loves her. How would that be better than what she has already endured? Promises made in their youth are not enough to overcome the changes life has wrought for them but love can grow and transform, if only Patience could believe that.
Dragging his thoughts back to the present, he walked from the church graveyard where all the Dukes of Bedford were buried in the family mausoleum, to the Abbey, his boots making a sucking sound in the mud.
He stopped on the stone pathway and studied the building. It looked exactly as it had all his life, and for generations before that. He, however, had changed significantly from the angry, brokenhearted young man who had left. War had carved him into a bitter, bedeviled-by-ghosts man. No softness remained from that addlepated young man in love.
Precisely how he liked it.
Patience, otherwise known as the Duchess of Bedford, would be holding court for the mourners who had come to comfort her on the death of her husband. Since he’d had no contact with his family in the four years he’d been gone, he had no idea if she and Cyrus had children. Of course, there wasn’t a son, or Alex would not have been summoned home to take up his duties as the new Duke of Bedford.
He snorted. One could only hope the pater was spinning in his grave as the prodigal son returned to assume the title he’d held so dear. He no more desired to be the duke than his father would have wanted him to be.
His thoughts returned to the Duchess of Bedford. It seemed nothing had changed since he left. Under the law, as his brother’s widow, Patience was just as off-limits to him as she had been as Cyrus’s betrothed. Of course, he had no reason to believe he still felt the same about her as he had four years ago. That Alex was dead, and he had the vile memories and dark dreams to prove it.
Before he could reach for the front door latch, the door opened. A new butler, unknown to him, stood there, stiff as a board. “Welcome home, Your Grace.”
Your Grace.
Thank you for hosting!
My pleasure 🙂