Shivers Box Set (Shivers [Harlequin E] - Book 1): Darkening Around Me / Legacy of Darkness / The Devil's Eye / Black Rose

 

 

Interview with Jane Godman,
author or Legacy of Darkness

 

Who are your books published with?

My latest books are published with HarlequinE, Harlequin’s digital first imprint. I write Gothic romances which are part of the new Shivers series. The line launched this month with the first Shivers box set of four novels. My fellow authors, Barbara J. Hancock, Dawn Brown and Jenna Ryan have written awesome Gothic novels as part of this launch. I’m delighted to be part of such a talented line up. ‘Four beguiling stories, one great price!’ is our tag-line and our Amazon blurb reads:

‘Lose yourself in four eerie, atmospheric tales of romance…and revenge. In a decaying mansion, a ghostly presence refuses to relinquish the artist she's long haunted to a new lover and muse. In an ancient Cornish castle, an innocent woman may be sacrificed to a family's legacy of madness. On the fringes of a Welsh estate, a vengeful figure targets the long-lost daughter of a cursed clan. In the Louisiana bayou, a serial killer hunts the one woman who can bring his demonic crimes to light. If you love Gothics by Victoria Holt, Daphne du Maurier and Barbara Michaels, and enjoy dark romance, then delve into the new Shivers Collection. Mood, mystery … romance that makes you shiver.’

 
Tell us about your current release.

My current release is ‘Legacy of Darkness’ a Gothic romance with all the features of the traditional gothic—dark secrets, elements of horror and the paranormal and a setting which is gloomy, poetic and atmospheric. Alongside that we have the features of the ‘new gothic’ including high levels of sensuality. The shivers you get from these books don’t just come from the supernatural elements!

Legacy of Darkness—Blurb

1837 Cornwall, England

Orphaned, penniless and reduced to the role of lady’s companion, Lucy Alleyne is relieved when a distant relation spirits her away to Castle Athal. But gratitude soon gives way to fear—and unlooked-for pleasure.

The ancient Cornish castle is a dark monument to family, fortune and infamy. Within its walls, the Jago family keeps its wards close…and its secrets closer. As soon as Lucy arrives at her new home, she is drawn to Tynan, Earl of Athal. Although the young lord is handsome and caring, he is tortured by mental illness, like his father before him. They share a meeting of souls which is completely opposite to her very physical response to Tynan's uncle, Uther: a commanding, seductive presence whose leonine power radiates from his every word and gesture.

These two Jago men have innocent Lucy enthralled: mind, soul and body. But if she remains within the poisonous castle keep, with its history of ill-starred passion and madness, a mere broken heart will seem a mercy.

 
Tell us about your next release.

My next release is ‘Echoes of Darkness’. It is the sequel to ‘Legacy of Darkness’ and is set about thirty years later. The dark secrets of Castle Athal continue to haunt a new generation and the heroine, Dita Varga—a girl with plenty of secrets of her own—is caught up in the web of Jago murder, horror and ghostly intrigue. Echoes of Darkness will be in the April 2014 HarlequinE Shivers box set. 

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

My favourite character from ‘Legacy of Darkness’ has to be Uther Jago. He’s everything a gothic character should be. Handsome, sexy, smouldering…He has dark secrets and innocent Lucy is utterly enthralled by him from the moment they meet. But can she trust him? This excerpt gives a little taste of Uther’s character:

‘Unexpectedly, he grasped my hand and held it against the cold stone. “These walls have memories of their own. Feel them, Lucy,” his voice rippled through my mind. “Lords and ladies in their jewelled velvets…sunshine warming pennants and spears…shouts of the joust…the maiden meeting her forbidden love …”

I obediently closed my eyes and heard the rustle of skirts, the soft clandestine whispers of long-dead lovers, and the strains of a lute signalling reckless dance and wild romance. Uther’s low sound—somewhere between a growl and a purr—roused me from my trance. My eyelids fluttered.

“Your face—” his voice was a whispered caress, warm breath stroking my ear “—has the look a woman usually wears only once. When she first succumbs to orgasm.”

I stepped back in shock, the ready tinge of roses staining my face. He turned and walked away as if the searing words had never been spoken. I wondered if they had. Or had this new, brazen creature—the one I had just discovered within me—merely wished them spoken?’

What are you passionate about these days?

You may have noticed that I’m passionate about bringing back the Gothics! Gothic romance has always been my favourite genre. I like my love stories to have a dash of horror—as my fellow Shivers author Barbara J Hancock says “I love to play in the shadows.”—and I think the Gothics have been neglected in recent years. That’s why I’m delighted that HarlequinE have launched Shivers and I’m loving being part of the launch. Shivers has been really well received so far. The box set has made it into Amazon’s top 100 Gothics. It’s quite something to sit alongside the Brontes and Daphne du Maurier! Reader comments about Legacy of Darkness have been amazing. ‘Sinister and disturbing’ (exactly what I was going for!), ‘can’t get it out of my head’ and ‘a great read’ have been among the first reactions.      

What is the next big thing?

I’m going to say the Gothic revival (of course). I’d love to see lots more Gothic romances (books and films) so that we get to enjoy more of these elements that you can expect from a Shivers:

1.         A dark, gloomy and atmospheric setting.

2.         A feisty heroine who pushes the boundaries.

3.         A hero you fall in love with …

4.         And a villain you fall in love with (for different reasons)

5.         Dark secrets, the past comes back to haunt the present.

6.         Erotic tension that builds alongside the story.

 

What would we find under your bed?

Well I write Shivers, so who knows? It might be an old suitcase containing yellowing letters bound with a faded red ribbon, one of which reveals a long hidden secret. Or an antique porcelain doll whose eyelids flicker slowly open when the lights go out. Or perhaps that discarded pile of musty clothes isn’t really what it seems. Perhaps the sound I hear as I drift off to sleep—the one I think is the wind in the eaves—is really the soft chuckle of the creature that lurks there in the darkness? Just waiting…

 

 

 

 

Lose yourself in four eerie, atmospheric tales of romance…and revenge

 

In a decaying mansion, a ghostly presence refuses to relinquish the artist she's long haunted to a new lover and muse. In an ancient Cornish castle, an innocent woman may be sacrificed to a family's legacy of madness. On the fringes of a Welsh estate, a vengeful figure targets the long-lost daughter of a cursed clan. In the Louisiana bayou, a serial killer hunts the one woman who can bring his demonic crimes to light. If you love Gothics by Victoria Holt, Daphne du Maurier and Barbara Michaels, and enjoy dark romance, then delve into the new Shivers Collection. Four beguiling stories, one great price.

DARKENING AROUND ME by Barbara J. Hancock

LEGACY OF DARKNESS by Jane Godman

DEVIL'S EYE by Dawn Brown

BLACK ROSE by Jenna Ryan

Mood, mystery…romance that makes you shiver. Look for more titles coming in April 2014.

     
Purchase Link

Harlequin Shivers Box Set on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jane Godman

 

I am an avid reader of historical romances, and have always enjoyed writing (I still have a copy of the medieval novel I wrote, in felt tip pen, aged 14!).

I love the darker side of the romance novel and I write Gothic mystery/romances for HarlequinE as part of their ‘Shivers’ line.

My Powder and Patch romances are set in the Georgian era, from the wild passion of the Jacobite rebellion to the charm and formality of the Regency.

I live in England and love to travel to European cities which are steeped in history and romance. Venice, Dubrovnik and Vienna are amongst my favourites. I am a teacher, married to a lovely man, mum to two grown up children and slave to a spoilt-brat cat.

I love to hear from readers and can be contacted at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Godman-Author/

https://twitter.com/JaneGodman

http://www.janegodmanauthor.com/

 

 

 

 

3 ePub (or PDF) copies of Shivers box set.   Comment for a chance to win. Be sure to leave your email addy in the comment so you may be contacted if you win.  Ends Jan 22nd.