Hiya!  It’s Jaunty P. Quills again, back for the second consecutive day. Hmm… I’m thinking maybe we should talk about changing the name of this gig to something like Sisterhood of Adoration for Jaunty P. Quills. Has a nice ring to it, huh? But I suppose that’s another matter for another day. Right now, I’m here with our very own Nancy Robards Thompson, ready to dish about her about her brand new Silhouette Special Edition, Accidental Father. Hey, Nancy! What do ya think about the proposed name change?

Nancy: Jaunty, you know we adore you, but I think the others Quills will agree we should leave the blog’s name alone.

Jaunty: Ah, you’re breaking my heart. Will you at least salve my wounds by sharing the inside scoop on your inspiration for Accidental Father? <nudge, nudge, wink, wink>

Nancy: I’d love to! Thanks for asking. Actually, three separate components led to the inspiration for this story—

Jaunty: What? I thought I was your one and only muse? I’m crushed.

Nancy: You’re a funny guy, J. Now, to answer your question — Julianne and Alex’s story first gelled after my daughter’s flute teacher said, “Hey, why don’t you write a story about a flutist?”   And I said, “Hey! Why not?”  Then, around the same time, I’d stumbled upon a sad news story about a young woman who was killed in the line of duty as she did humanitarian work in war-torn Afghanistan; and another story about an organization that was bringing music education into the lives of inner-city children who couldn’t afford instruments and lessons. The three ideas melded and emerged as Accidental Father, a story about three unlikely people coming together to make a family. But don’t worry, it’s not a sad story. It’s a tale of the redemptive powers of love.

Jaunty: Ahhh, l’amour …

Nancy: I know. That’s why I love writing romance.

Jaunty: So how did you blend those elements into one book? I mean, what’s Accidental Father about?

Nancy: Here’s the back-cover blurb:

All Julianne Waterford knew about Alex Lejardin was that he’d rejected her sister and never claimed their baby, Liam, as his own. But she didn’t know that he was a royal—or that he’d never known the child existed. And from the moment she saw Alex’s unexpected tenderness for his son, Julianne discovered that the not-so-wicked royal posed a passionately tempting danger…to her.

Alex always felt guilty for letting Liam’s mother walk away for good, and vowed to do whatever it took to be a father to the son he hadn’t known he had. But earning Julianne’s trust was a formidable task he’d never expected. And winning her heart was a challenge he couldn’t resist….

Jaunty: Yowsa! That sounds like good read.

Nancy: Well, thank you! I hope so. RT Book Reviews liked it. They gave it 4½ stars (out of five). Reviewer Melanie Bates says:

“When Julianne Waterford confronts French attorney Alex Lejardin, she expects to be in and out of his office within a few hours with a commitment from him to support Liam, his son by her late sister. Instead, her life takes an unexpected turn as she and Liam end up staying with Alex’s family on his home island of St. Michel. Though Alex is the enemy, as his intent is to keep Liam with him, Julianne falls for him. Alex is amazed at the change in his life now that Liam and Julianne are in it and he soon finds he doesn’t want to live without them. This heartwarming story with strong, genuine characters and a strong plot to match is definitely hard to put down.”

Jaunty: So, this is the third book you’ve set in St. Michel, right? Where is this place?

Nancy: I see you’ve been reading my books, Jaunty. I’m impressed! Thank you!

Jaunty: Yep! Do I get a kiss for that? <puckering>

Nancy: No.<giving him the hand> But you do get my undying gratitude. Come on, let’s stay focused. You asked about St. Michel. Accidental Father is the third book (joining Accidental Princess and Accidental Cinderella) set on the fictional island of St. Michel. I’ve imagined it to be right off the coast of France… and very similar to Monaco. Accidental Father is available now, and there will be one more in this series – Accidental Heiress – out in November 2010. There may even be a few surprises after that, but it’s too soon to say.

Jaunty: Thanks for giving us the Accidental scoop, Nancy. Now if you could help me accidentally change the name of this blog -

Nancy: Jaunty, you’re impossible! It’s a good thing we all love you so much. Thanks for interviewing me!

Jaunty: Wait, aren’t you giving away any free stuff?

Nancy: That’s a great idea! How about if I give away the first two books in the Accidental series? One copy each of Accidental Princess and Accidental Cinderella. I’ll draw a name from all who post today and send the books to the winner. You can post about anything – your plans for the 4^th; how your day’s going; or you can just say, ‘Hi!” Whatever you feel like. I’ll post the winner’s name tomorrow.