Hello! It’s me, Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire! Miss me? I’ve been away on sabbatical. (That’s a fancy way of saying I haven’t been doing any work!).

But I had to return when I heard about Shana’s new book, The Making of a Porcupine. I’m sure she won’t admit it, but she certainly based it on moi. There is no sexier porcupine, and who but moi could give lessons on—

Shana: Jaunty.

Jaunty P.: –how to become a sexy por—

Shana: Jaunty!

Jaunty P.: What? You’re interrupting.

Shana: That’s because you’ve got everything wrong again. The books doesn’t have anything to do with porcupines. It’s titled The Making of a Duchess. Duchess, not porcupine.

Jaunty P.: What? I-I don’t understand.

Shana: Jaunty, the book isn’t about you at all. It’s about a simple English governess forced to spy on Julien Harcourt, the duc de Valére. He’s an émigré from France, forced out by the French Revolution, and the British government thinks he’s a traitor. Sarah, my governess, has to uncover his treachery.

Jaunty P.: Yes, yes, all of this sounds very exciting. But what has it to do with porcupines?

Shana: Nothing. That’s my point. There are no porcupines in the book.

Jaunty P.: I see. You think people would rather read about duchesses than porcupines?

Shana: Um, yes.

Jaunty P.: I see.

Shana: Jaunty, is that a little tear?

Jaunty P.: No. I’m too manly a porcupine to cry, but let me just say I won’t be buying any more of your books until you add a porcupine.

Shana: Jaunty, where are you going? Don’t be like that.

Well, readers it looks like I can either add a porcupine or have Jaunty angry with me forever. While I think about how to add porcupines to a story set in Regency England and Paris, France, let me just say The Making of a Duchess is in stores today. It’s full of adventure, romance, passion, and humor. I think it’s the perfect summer read. I hope you’ll grab a copy (even though there’s no porcupine).

Check out an excerpt of my website, and enter my contest to win a signed copy.