Guest Post & Giveaway: "Penelope" by Anya Wylde

I would like to welcome Anya to Romance Book Junkies. This is her first time on my blog and she has written a guest post about how she researches for her books. She is also giving away 2 ebook copies of "Penelope".

How do I research for my historical romance novels.

I first created a rough outline of the plot for my novel ‘Penelope’. I then made a detailed work sheet on all the characters involved. It was now time for research.

Penelope is set in Regency England. I divided my research into a few stages. The first stage involved reading books written during the Regency era. A lot of authors write books set in the Regency era but I think it is best to read books written during the Regency era to get a good grasp on the language and culture prevalent at the time.

I went on to study the kind of work the upper, middle and lower class English did at the time. I knew roughly what my characters backgrounds were so it was a matter of figuring out details like what a gardener’s daily work involved and what sort of authority did a duke have at the time. I went on to study a little bit of the history of forensic science to understand what sort of tools they had to solve crimes.

Once my basic research was done, I wrote my first draft. My second stage of research started only after the first draft was complete. I then did a more focussed research on Regency architecture, fashion, society and what the upper crust did during the day. I read travelogues, books and browsed the internet.

The Regency era is simply a backdrop for my novel. It is by no means the most important element. It is only crucial for the comic elements and creating an urgency and frustration among the characters involved.

I think one can go on researching forever. The internet is brimming full of facts and material. I reigned in my impulse to over research and keep my focus on the book and only looked for facts that were important for my novel. The important thing is to finish the first draft and tell the story. I was afraid that I would fill the book with useless facts that would clutter up the book and bore the reader.  I kept a time limit in mind while researching and that helped me focus and finish the novel quickly.

Leaving behind the rural charms of Finnshire, Miss Penelope Fairweather arrives in London with hope in her heart and a dream in her eye. The dowager, no less, has invited her for a season in London, where she will attempt to catch a husband.

Thus begins our heroine's tale as she attempts to tackle the London season with all her rustic finesse. Unfortunately, her rustic finesse turns out to be as delicate as a fat bear trying to rip apart a honeycomb infested with buzzing bees.

What follows is a series of misadventures, love affairs, moonlit balls, fancy clothes, fake moustaches, highwaymen, sneering beauties, pickpockets, and the wrath of a devilishly handsome duke.

We have 2 ebook copies of "Penelope" to give away to 2 lucky commenters. Just leave a meaningful comment with your email address and you will be entered to win. All winners are chosen using random.org. This giveaway is International. You must be 18 or over to enter. Thank you and good luck!