Regencies? I thought you wrote Scottish?
I do! This does not mean I’m done writing Scottish historicals. The Unthinkable and Taming the Rake are books I wrote some time ago–before I sold my first book. It’s a little easier to show how they fit in like this (order written):
HIGHLANDER UNTAMED
HIGHLANDER UNMASKED
THE UNTHINKABLE
TAMING THE RAKE
[sold first two books]
HIGHLANDER UNCHAINED
CAMPBELL TRILOGY
THE HIGHLAND GUARD SERIES
In other words, I sold the first two books I’d ever written, but *after* I’d written a total of four books. The fifth book I wrote ended up being my third published book.
One of the opportunities that came about recently when I changed publishers (in addition to working with an editor I have long admired) was the ability to finally put out these books, which had been put aside when I sold my Scottish novels. Due to non-compete clauses in contracts I couldn’t publish them, but now I can! So this is just a chance to read a little vintage Monica.
It was really fun going back to read them to get them ready for publication—I’d forgotten how much I liked them! The Unthinkable and Taming the Rake ARE NOT CONNECTED. I know I’m going to be asked this a lot because readers are used to linked books, but they are stand alone novels and are pretty different in tone. The Unthinkable is a little moodier, with a nod to my fascination with A&E’s Pride and Prejudice. Taming the Rake has more of a humorous set up and is a lighter in tone—at least initially. But they both have some pretty typical Monica moments. As my friend Jami Alden says: these guys are not Alan Alda! The Unthinkable was actually a Golden Heart® finalist in 2005 (the Romance Writers of America’s big contest for unpublished authors).