Janette Kenny’s Cowboy Come Home was chosen to be a featured alternate in Doubleday Book Club, Romance Book Club, and Book of the Month Club.

Winston Churchill, that great statesman, once said, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”

Sometimes I feel a little like Churchill, for I write history too. Most readers of historical romance understand that we authors write a romanticized version of history. It’s not that we want to be anachronistic—we avoid that at all costs—it’s more that the lack of flushing toilets and people’s infrequent bathing habits and women not shaving under their arms just isn’t romantic.

So we kind of gloss over those blips in favor of a more romanticized historical world. I am perfectly okay with this because I get the big stuff right. I don’t have women wearing hoop skirts in 1815 or men wearing trousers to Almack’s in 1802. I may not focus on the fact that my hero is wearing pumps at the ball (dear reader, one can only hope they were sexier than they sound), but I certainly won’t have him dancing in Hessians.

Some historical writers are quite obsessed with history. They know everything about a particular era or about fashion or some other topic. I love these writers. I do. I love to read their blogs and learn everything I can because even though I love the time periods I write about (and even a few I don’t write about) I am not obsessed with them.

Research is a necessity for me, not a joy. I’d rather focus on the characters and the story and get them doing something exciting. Who cares if the streets were paved or cobblestone? Okay, I know, you readers care. And that’s why I do my research.

Do you like to read historical romance? Why? What makes it enjoyable? The historical details? The setting? Something else?

This blog is for you historical romance lovers because I’ll randomly choose one person who comments to win a set of 4 historical romances from some of my favorite authors—The Heir by Grace Burrowes, Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter, The Secret Affair by Mary Balogh, and a signed copy of How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling.

Right now I have a digital short story, set in Regency England, available for both Kindle and Nook. For those of you who don’t have e-readers, you can download apps on your phones and I know for at least Kindle you can read them directly on your computer. But I also know for some of you this isn’t your cup of tea and that’s totally fine. I published this story for a few reasons, one, it’s a different time period for me and a nice little change. Also it’s short enough (and cheap enough) that readers who might not be familiar with my full length books might be willing to give me a try. Hopefully they’ll love it and buy the rest of my books.

In any case, here’s a little teaser from Her Gentleman Thief. Oh and I should point out that despite the title, this is not the fourth book in the Ladies’ Amateur Sleuth Society series though I have plans to release that book (also digitally) sometime late this year, early the next. I’ll keep everyone posted as my details firm up.

Excerpt: Her Gentleman Thief by Robyn Dehart

Annalise bravely looked up to meet the highwayman’s gaze and found herself locked in by the most stunningly beautiful green eyes. And were it not for the silk black domino mask tied behind his head, she might have forgotten who he was and what was happening. The lantern-light flickered off his face, of the features she could clearly see — a strong jaw, sculpted lips, a hint of a day’s growth of whiskers — it was quite evident that he was devilishly handsome.

“Take me with you,” she said.

You can buy a copy for only $0.99 for your kindle or for your nook.

Also today I want to show off two of my newer foreign covers because they’re so lovely, they’re worth sharing. Here we have the German cover for Seduce Me

And the German cover for Desire Me. Which is beautiful, but I think kind of looks like the cover for a western historical.

And one last thing to share today, The Professor is guest blogging at Lila DiPasqua’s Midnight Dance Blog Party and you should go check out what he has to say. He’s sharing all kinds of insider details on the DeHart household. And actually all this month you can meet other romance husbands there, it’s sure to be a great time. I’m also giving something away so be sure to check it out.

So how about it, readers, are you interested in hearing from husbands or other family members of your favorite writers? If you could ask them a question, what would it be? And what about foreign covers, do you like to see how the different countries market and package your favorite books? Well, I can’t give away something there and not here, so one commenter here will win a copy of Her Gentleman Thief.

Diana from SF is the winner of A Cowgirl’s Secret by Laura Marie Altom.  Please send your full name and mailing address to JanetteKenny@gmail.com.  I’ll get your book in the mail soon.

Thanks to all who commented!  Stay cool.

Here’s a quick look at my new book, The Tycoon’s Temporary Baby. Out now!

Jonathon Bagdon just wanted his assistant to come home, damn it.
Wendy Leland had left seven days ago to attend a family funeral. In the time she’d been gone. his whole company had started falling apart. A major deal she’d been finessing had fallen through. He’d missed an important deadline because the first temp had erased his online calendar. The second temp had accidentally sent R&D’s latest prototype to Beijing instead of Bangalore. The head of HR had threatened to quit twice. And no fewer than five women had run out of his office in tears.

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough. the fourth temp had deep-fried the coffee maker. So he hadn’t had a decent cup of coffee in three days. All in all. this was not his best moment.

Was it really too much to ask that at this particular time— when both of his business partners were out of town and when he was putting the finishing touches on the proposal for a crucial contract—that his assistant just come home?

Jonathon stared into his mug of instant coffee. contemplating whether he could ask Jeanell—the head of HR—to go out and buy a coffee maker, or if that would send her over the edge. Not that Jeanell was at the office yet. Most of the staff wandered in sometime around nine. It was barely seven.

Yes. he could have just gone out to buy himself a cup o’ joe—or better yet. a new coffee maker—but with one deadline after another piling up. he just didn’t have time for this crap. If Wendy had been here. a new coffee maker would have magically appeared. The same way the deal with Olson Inc. would have gone through without a hitch. When Wendy was here. things just worked. How was it that in the short five years she’d been the executive assistant here she’d become as crucial to the running of the company as he himself was?

Hell. if this past week was any indication. she was actually more important than he was. A sobering thought for a man who’d helped to build an empire out of nothing.

He knew only one thing. when Wendy did get back. he was going to do his damnedest to make sure she never left again.

Wendy Leland crept into the executive office of FMJ headquarters a little after seven. The motion sensor brought the lights up as she entered and she reached down to extend the canopy on the infant car seat she carried. Peyton. the tiny baby inside. frowned but remained asleep. She made a soft gurgling sound as Wendy lowered the car seat to a darkened corner behind her desk.

She rocked the seat gently until Peyton stilled. then Wendy dropped into her own swivel chair. Swallowing past the knot of dread in her throat. Wendy studied the office.

For five years. this had been the seat from which she’d surveyed her domain. She’d served as executive assistant for the three men who ran FMJ: Ford Langley. Matt Ballard and Jonathon Bagdon.

Her five years of Ivy League education made her perhaps a tad over-educated for the job. Or maybe not. since she hadn’t procured an actual degree in any of her seven majors. Her family still thought she was wasting her talents. But the work was challenging and varied. She’d loved every minute of it. Nothing could have convinced her to leave FMJ.

Nothing. except the little bundle of joy asleep in the car seat.

When she’d left Palo Alto for Texas to attend her cousin Bitsy’s funeral. she’d had no idea what awaited her. From the moment her mother called her to tell her that Bitsy had died in a motorcycle crash. the week had been one shock after another. She hadn’t even known that Bitsy had a child. No one in the family had. Yet. now here Wendy was. guardian to an orphaned four-month-old baby. And gearing up for a custody battle of epic proportions. Peyton Morgan might as well have been dipped in gold the way the family was fighting over her. If Wendy wanted any chance of winning. she’d have to do the one thing she’d sworn she’d never do: move back to Texas. And that meant resigning from FMJ.

Only Bitsy could create this many problems from the grave.

Wendy gave a snort of laughter at the thought. Grief welled up in the wake of the humor. Squeezing her eyes shut. she pressed the heels of her hands against her eye sockets. Exhaustion had made her punchy. and if she gave in to her sorrow now. she might not stop crying for a month.

There would be time to grieve later. Right now. she had other things to take care of.

Wendy flicked on the desktop computer. Last night. she’d drafted the letter of resignation and then emailed it to herself. Of course. she could have sent it straight to Ford. Matt and Jonathon. She’d even spoken to Ford last night on the phone when he called to offer his condolences. Physically handing in the letter was a formality. but she wanted the closure that would come with printing it out. signing it and hand delivering it to Jonathon.

She owed him—or rather FMJ—that much at least. Before her life became chaotic. she wanted to take this one moment to say goodbye to the Wendy she had been and to the life she’d lived in Palo Alto.

Beside her. the computer hummed to life with a familiarity that soothed her nerves. A few clicks later. she’d opened the letter and routed it to the printer. The buzz of the printer seemed to echo through the otherwise quiet office. No one else was here this early. No one but Jonathon. who worked a grueling schedule.

After signing the letter. she left it on her desk and crossed to the closed door that separated her office from theirs. A wave of regret washed over her. She pressed her palm flat to the door. and then with a sigh. dropped her forehead onto the wood just above her hand. The door was solid beneath her head. Sturdy. Dependable. And she felt herself leaning against it. needing all the strength she could borrow.

“You can hardly blame Wendy.” Matt Ballard pointed out. a note of censure in his voice. At the moment. Matt was in the Caribbean. on his honeymoon. It was why they’d scheduled this conference call for so early. Matt’s new wife. Claire. allowed him exactly one business call a day. “It’s the first time in five years she’s taken personal leave.”

“I didn’t say I blamed her—” Jonathon said into the phone. now sorry he’d called Matt at all. He’d had a legitimate reason for calling. but now it sounded as though he was just whining.

“When is she supposed to be back?” Matt asked.

“She was supposed to be back four days ago.” She’d said she’d be in Texas two to three days. tops. After the funeral. she’d called from Texas to say she’d have to stay “a little longer.” The lack of specificity made him nervous.

“Stop worrying.” Matt told him. “We’ll have plenty of time after Ford and I get back.” As if it wasn’t bad enough that Matt was on his honeymoon during this crisis. Ford and his family were also away. at their second home in New York City. “The proposal isn’t due for nearly a month.”

Yes. That was what bothered him. “Nearly a month” and “plenty of time” were about as imprecise as “a little longer.” Jonathon was a man who liked precise numbers. If he was putting together an offer for a company worth millions. it mattered if the company was worth ten million or a hundred million. And even if he had nearly a month to work on the proposal. he wanted to know how long a little longer was.

Rather than take out his frustrations on his partner. Jonathon ended the phone call. This government contract was driving him crazy. Worse still was the fact that no one else seemed to be worried about it. For the past several years. research and development at FMJ had been perfecting smart grid meters. devices that could monitor and regulate a building’s energy use. FMJ’s system was more efficient and better designed than anything else on the market. Since they’d been using them at headquarters. they’d cut their electricity bills by thirty percent. This government contract would put FMJ’s smart grid meters in every federal building in the country. The private sector would follow. Plus the meters would boost sales of other FMJ products. How could he not be excited about something that was going to cut energy consumption and make FMJ so much money?

Everything he’d been working for and planning for the past decade hinged on this one deal. It was the stepping-stone to FMJ’s future. But first they had to actually get the contract.

Once he snapped his laptop closed. he heard a faint thump at the door. He wasn’t optimistic enough to imagine the temp might come in this early. But did he even dare hope that Wendy had finally returned?

He pushed back his chair and strode across the oversize office he normally shared with Matt and Ford. When he opened the door. Wendy fell right into his arms.

Summer is here.  Wow, is it ever here!

On the heels of our Midwest flooding, we’re now getting lambasted with high double and low triple digit temperatures with humidity so high that the thermometers are sweating.  The hum of air conditioners drowns out the songbirds.  

Hydrate and stay out of the sun is the mantra on the news.  If you’re in the sun, even in a pool, drink plenty of water.  Oh, and use gobs of sunscreen.  Sitting out on the patio is no longer enjoyable.  Even in the evening, the temperature doesn’t dip below 85. 

I don’t remember all these warnings when I was a kid.  But maybe that’s the resiliency of children or I just didn’t pay attention.  Maybe we’re just in more enlightened times, and the sun is simply more intense.   

The local news also ran a survey and asked which would you rather have:

6″ of snow, or 5 days of sweltering weather?  I was surprised more people picked the snow, but then I typically don’t fully thaw from the winter until mid-May.  And shoveling snow?  Forget it!  I’m betting the people who love winter are closed up in their houses with the air conditioners set on 65 or 70.  (Can you hear my teeth chattering?)

What about you?  Tell me what summer is like in your neck of the woods.  What would you prefer, the snow or scorching temps.  I brought a signed copy of A Cowboy’s Secret by Laura Marie Altom back from conference in NYC and I’ll give it away to one commenter.

For a long time I resisted becoming involved with social media. Working full time at a day job and writing full time left me little additional time. For me social media = time suck

Then, certain writer friends were told, not asked, told by their publisher that they needed to have a presence and start posting on Facebook. I wasn’t in their position but I started to notice that friends knew what was going on with other friends before I did. How? They read it on FB!

That’s when I decided to have a FB page and start posting. To my surprise, I really enjoy it. I haven’t kept track how much time I’m spending on FB but it isn’t a whole lot. Although Harlequin offered a course in utilizing Twitter, I haven’t tweeted yet. But eventually I probably will. Just like FB, I’m always just a little behind the curve.

What about you? What has been your experience with social media? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Also, if you haven’t “friended” me yet, what are you waiting for??

Regular readers of this blog are probably tired of hearing me wax poetic about how much I love Harry Potter. Bear with me one my time please. But surely I’m not the only person who is freakin’ excited about the movie opening today. And okay, I’m not just freakin’ excited. I’m over the moon, freakin’ excited. I can’t wait to plant my butt in that theater seat, freakin’ excited. As I write this post (on Thursday evening), I’m rewatching the Deathly Hallows: Part I. The past spring, I reread the book. And listened to it on tape. And then went back and reread some of my favorite parts. Yeah. I’m a little excited.

Raise your hand if you, too, are excited about the movie? Now, raise your hand if you were excited enough you went to one of those cool midnight showings and have already seen it. <g>

I trust the director and production crew enough to know I won’t be disappointed by the movie, but still, the books are long and there are story threads that might not make it in. (Btw, I’m going to try to keep this vague and not include spoilers, in case you haven’t read the books. But, if you haven’t read the books … then shame on you! Go read them!)  Here are the elements I most hope make it into the movie:

• Severus Snape – He’s one of my favorite characters. Sure, we know he’ll be in the movie, but I’m very eager to see how the movie handles his story line. I really hope he just his just due.
• Neville Longbottom – He’s another character I just love from the books who sometimes gets over looked in the movies. His storyline in the last book isn’t long, but it’s important and so heroic. Go, Neville!
• The battle for Hogwarts – Hey, this is the big spectacle that we’ve all been waiting for, right? It will be heart-wrenching and dramatic. I will cry. Possibly sob. But we know it’s going to fantastic.

Today is Bastille Day, French Independence Day. In France, it’s known as La Fête Nationale, and celebrates the 1789 storming of the Bastille fortress-prison. Festivities and official ceremonies are going on all over France, including the oldest and largest military parade in Europe, which happens this morning in Paris down the Champs-Elysees.  In the spirit of the day, let’s have our own Bastille Day party. I’ll provide champagne, lemonade and apricot baked brie with French bread.  What would you like to bringing? Each person who posts will have a chance to win a signed copy of my book, “What Happens in Paris.” Enchanté!

Laura G and Deborah R, congratulations! Send your snail mail addies to k.higgins@snet.net and I’ll pop a lovely romance novel in the mail for you.