Friday, December 19, 2014

Historical Romance Guest Author: Gina Danna

I'm so thrilled to have Gina Danna at Romancing the Victorians today! Thank you for visiting, Gina! 

A USAToday Bestselling author, Gina Danna was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and has spent the better part of her life reading. History has always been her love and she spent numerous hours devouring historical romance stories, always dreaming of writing one of her own. After years of writing historical academic papers to achieve her undergraduate and graduate degrees in History, and then for museum programs and exhibits, she has found the time to write her own historical romantic fiction novels.

Now, under the supervision of her three dogs and two cats, she writes amid a library of research books, with her only true break away is to spend time with her other life long dream —her Arabian horse—With him, her muse can play

Web: www.ginadanna.com
FB: www.facebook.com/GinaDannaAuthor
Twitter: @GinaDanna1
Gina's new book, Great and Unfortunate Desires, is set during the Victorian era. I'll move over and let her explain what drew her to the period.

Writing a Victorian-era story....

A couple of years ago, I had finished my novel on the American Civil War – Victorian America. It is an era I’m very familiar with, being a historian and a Civil War reenactor. I’ve done a ton of research in the lifestyles of the era, social mores, societal events and of course, the War itself, especially on the impact it had on the American people. I was pleased with my manuscript and sent it to the agent I had at that time, who promptly told me I should return to writing about lords and ladies.... My first manuscript, which got her attention to represent me, was on Regency England, and with the Civil War not a topic she was thrilled about, she hoped I’d return to the popular era of Jane Austen.

Problem was, I didn’t want to go back there. So I mulled it over and since I was comfortable with America’s Victorian era, I went to England at the same timeframe. The recent movies on Sherlock Holmes had my attention and with a comment made about Dr. Watson and his military service during the Afghanistan. So with doing research, discovered about the Great War with Russia and the beginning of my story took hold.

Writing about the Victorian era is fascinating. A time when the bustle was in, corsets still worn, manners improving, and technology picking up speed. It was the industrial revolution with factories and machines, gas lighting, the beginning of electricity, trains the fastest means of transportation plus many more inventions, modernizations that open the doors to new plots, twists in people’s lives and events, and so much more!
Welcome to the Victorians and Great & Unfortunate Desires!
~ Here's a little more about Gina's delicious novel ~

Great & Unfortunate Desires

Victorian England c. 18701

Operating as a British spy, Tristan St.James, the new Marquis of Wrenworth, barely escapes Afghanistan with his life in the spring of 1869. He plans to seek vengeance against the traitor who exposed him and for the agent he’s forced to kill. Returning to England, as a lord, he must marry. Haunted by guilt from the horrors of war, he avoids love at all costs, but finds himself drawn to the only woman who is disinterested in him.

Lady Evelyn Hurstine has waited over two years for the return of her love, a man who left for war in the East. But during that time, she suffered a brutal assault, resulting in a child and fear of any man touching her except for the man she once knew. The pursuit by the marquis scares her but her excuses against his proposal dwindle.

Their marriage strengthens into love until she discovers her husband isn’t the safety she believed but the one who killed the man she once loved. Caught in a world of intrigue and mayhem, Tristan must prove his love to her before the traitor destroys them both.

Grab your copy at any online ebook retailer!


Comment on this post and let Gina know what you like best about Victorian romance. If you haven't read historical romance set during the era, tell us why. 

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