Georgia Hill is our newest author. Her first novel Pursued by Love will be coming out soon. In the meantime, she tells us all a bit about the book and her inspiration....

Hi!

My name is Georgia Hill and I’m really excited to tell you about my very first novel Pursued by Love.

A long time ago, when working in the theatre, I saw the star of a hot West End show leave by the Stage Door all alone, having just had three standing ovations. I found the contrast of his lonely exit to the adulation he’d just received on stage very poignant. I’ve been fascinated by the ordinary lives behind the glitter of show biz ever since.

This novel touches on that. It has elements of all my favourite things: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; the world of celebrity; a difficult but charismatic man and my beloved Herefordshire countryside.

It’s been a long time in the making, starting as a short story loosely inspired by Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South. Some of you who know that book really well may still see a few hints remaining!

I’ve enjoyed the company of Perdita, the gorgeous Nick, earthy fun-loving Briony and the rest of the ‘cast’ of Pursued by Love for a while now. I hope you love reading their story as much as I did writing it.

Love, Georgia x

E-Scape Press are proud to announce that Love Engineered by Jenna Dawlish has been shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award 2009.

Hi there,

I’m Elizabeth Hanbury and I’m delighted that E-scape have given me the opportunity to talk about my anthology of Regency love stories, Midsummer Eve at Rookery End. 

Inspiration for these short stories came after reading a book given to me by a friend (thanks, Gilly!) on old English customs and festivals.    Midsummer in England was the highlight of the festival year in medieval times and continued to be celebrated in various ways, including bonfires, processions and parades.  Midsummer Eve and Midsummer Day were also cited as times when particular divinations could be successfully carried out.

Love divinations were the most popular.  Many love divination procedures were chronicled in old texts.  These included girls throwing hemp seed over their shoulder and the baking and eating of a ‘dumb cake’ on Midsummer Eve, both performed in the hope of seeing the form of their future husband appear.  

Given this history, the idea of a midsummer Regency ball to celebrate these ancient customs, and romance in general, seemed a very appropriate one to me.  Lord and Lady Allingham’s country mansion - Rookery End - is an imaginative fusion of my favourite English country houses and gardens.  These great estates with their elegant architecture and beautiful gardens provide the perfect stage for three little tales of midsummer love and passion…   

Siren’s Daughter concerns a lost love re-gained, one of the most appealing romance themes.  There is something particularly poignant about love being given a second chance. 

Blue Figured Silk features the redeeming properties of love and proves that even a rake is not immune from its influence!  The story, which was partly inspired by the Savage Garden song ‘I Knew I Loved You’, also concerns that most potent force, love at first sight.

In the final story, A Scandal at Midnight, misunderstandings and misconceptions abound, but love is still able to conquer all obstacles…

These three Regency love stories feature delectable heroes meeting their match in resourceful, sparkling heroines against a romantic midsummer setting.  I hope you enjoy reading about these characters as much as I enjoyed creating them!    

With love,

Elizabeth   x

To find out more, visit my web site at www.elizabethhanbury.com

Our first free ebook is now available to download: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

A new adaptation will hit our screens later this year starring Tom Hardy as Heathcliff and Charlotte Riley as Cathy.

In the meantime, why not read the book in preparation so you can watch and say things like "That wasn't in the book!" or "They changed that scene a bit..."

To download you need to register an account with us or log in if you already have an account. The ebook will appear in your download section "Free Ebooks".

More free ebooks to follow soon.....