Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace lives near London
Grace believes intelligent people need romantic fiction in their lives as an antidote to the modern world and as an avid reader of historicals she turned to writing as a release from the emotionally draining side of veterinary work. Her debut novel ‘A Dead Man’s Debt’ is now available from most eBook stores including Amazon, price $2.99.
To find out more visit http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.com/
BUY LINKS.
Amazon.com $2.99
Solstice publishing.
Smashwords.
Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b115169/A-Dead-Mans-Debt/Grace-Elliot/?si=0
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COVER STORY.
‘A Dead Man’s Debt’ by Grace Elliot.
Celeste Armitage has a plan…and that plan doesn’t include marriage.
After deliberately humiliating a suitor, Celeste’s despairing parents exile her to the country. But once there she discovers a sketch book of daring nude studies and is shaken to find the artist is her hostess’s eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing. This darkly cynical lord is exactly the sort of dissipated rogue she despises most…if only her blood didn’t heat at the thought of him…
Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf’s life is a façade. Only he can save the Charing’s from disgrace as a blackmailer seeks to ruin his late brother’s reputation. But just as Ranulf dares to open his heart to Celeste, the fury of his nemesis is unleashed… facing him with the stark choice between true love and family duty. However when Celeste guesses the truth behind his rejection, Ranulf underestimates her resolve to clear his name and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger….
It my distinct pleasure to welcome my guest, Grace Elliot, to my blog today. She has kindly agreed to take over my post for the day. I will now turn things over to her. Grace, thank you so much for stopping by.
A picture is worth a thousand words – Ancient Chinese saying.
From the header of Eva’s blog, I suspect my host is a kindred spirit; Eva’s bookshelves are double stacked with books on top…just like mine!
Books! The weight in the hand, pages under the thumb, even the smell of them…there’s a tangible quality to books that’s addictive. My passion is historical romance which I both read and write…and yet I wonder if some historical romance covers do the genre a disservice and that eBooks grow readership.
Let me explain.
My house is full of books; shelves bursting with them, piled under the bed, a wardrobe full of books rather than clothes and TBR’s stacked against the bedroom wall. But with the closure of Borders in the UK
So what has this to do with book covers?
My first love is historical romance but rightly or wrongly, when reading a book with a ‘lovers’ clinch’ on the cover in public, I get the feeling strangers-on-the-train are judging me. With eReaders the book is anonymous; who’s to know if it’s Dostoyevsky or Rushdie, rather than Laurens or Quinn?
I’ve read historical romance for many years and learnt to ignore the snobbery of the ill-informed (who, usually haven’t read the genre) but with my eReader I find myself reading books I might previously have rejected because the cover was too suggestive to leave around the house for my boys to see.
Just how much cover art previously influenced my purchases, has surprised me. I’m an intelligent woman, I know my own mind…so how is it that I was subconsciously editing my choice of books? Embarrassment, prudery, worry about what others thought of me? I’m honestly not sure…
What is your opinion of romance covers? Do they do the genre a favour or a disservice?
Does a raunchy cover influence your decisions one way or the other?
Leave a comment – I’d love to know.
Grace x
Thank you for hosting me today, Eva!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to be here.
Kind regards,
Grace x
It is definately my pleasure to have you. I have to add my two cents. I personally love the bodice ripper covers. There is this naughty girl inside me that just loves them. I am not sure if the naughty covers get me to buy them or not; but if I don't like a cover, I generally don't buy the book. If the cover doesn't appeal to me, I figure the book probably won't either. May not be a fair assumption, but that is where I am from. As far as others seeing me read them, I really don't care. I figure they will assume what they will and they who shake their heads, wish they had the nerve to read them.
ReplyDeletePS - Is that a library book on your shelf? Hope it made it back in time!
ReplyDeleteG x
My favorites were always the ones from the 7Os and 80s, the Coventry Romances with white covers. I loved the paintings that were featured on the covers, usually in pastels with a woman in a beautiful empire gown and a handsome gentleman hovering about.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Teresa
Thanks Teresa, you obviously have a more extensive history with HR than me! It's a genre I only discovered in the past few years....but I'm making up for lost time now.
ReplyDeleteGrace x
Hi Grace, this is a good question. I do think we should be sensitive to exposing children to a salacious cover, as you have been with your sons. It is not something that preteens are ready for in their development, although I think children today need to be taught about sex in a responsible manner for their own protection, at least in the US. Also, because many people have the same feelings as you do when carrying a book out in public, I think that a book with a cover like A Dead Man's Debt will sell more copies.
ReplyDelete