The Truth About the 2nd Duke

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Proserpine 1882. this is one of several versions of the painting Rossetti painted. You can read more about it here.

I’ve been hearing from readers asking where they can find Book # 2 of the Difficult Dukes series.

Unfortunately, it can’t be found yet, because I’m still working on it. Glancing over some of the blog posts here, you’ll have some idea why. The Duke of Ashmont’s story has proved to be an unusually difficult one, for reasons I’m unable to ascertain. This has happened before, but not, I’m happy to say, for a very long time. I’m a slow writer, but not that slow, usually.

However, some readers are under the impression that Ten Things I Hate About the Duke has actually been published. This is because I failed to meet some deadlines, including one that would have allowed for the book’s release early this year.

My fault. Publishing works on a schedule, and a great deal happens before the author has completed the manuscript. And so the information went into catalogs and somehow ended up in the series listings. While my extremely patient publisher has been so kind as to allow me a delayed publication date, this information didn’t get on the various lists before the earlier information leaked out.

Here is the current reality: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is scheduled for late this year. All I have to do is finish it in time.

The above painting was one of the visual inspirations for the story’s heroine.

Love Letter to You

Thanks, Gentle Readers. You made me cry.

And you made me go straight back to work, but so much happier, because of course you understand—I had a strong feeling you would—but there is nothing like your taking the time to put it into actual, heartfelt words and send those to my inbox. Also, the depth and kindness of the understanding was pretty stunning.

Thank you.

I’m sending this instead of replies to each one of you because there’s not the smallest doubt in my mind—really, you made it very clear—that you’d rather have the book, however long it takes—and there were a lump-in-the-throat-causing number of them.

I’m sending hugs, too.

You are the best.

Also, the book will be a good one. It’s definitely improving already, and by the time it’s done, it will be up to our standards.

This book is late, really late

I know some readers are worried about the next Difficult Dukes book because they send me polite, gentle emails asking when Difficult Dukes #2 will be released.

I wish I could release the dratted thing from my brain, but it keeps getting stuck there. And just when I get it unstuck and rolling along, it falls into yet another patch of quicksand and sinks. And then I have to go fishing around for it, and pull it out and clean it off and see if I can breathe some life back into it. Why is this happening? I have no idea. It’s not for lack of trying.

All of which is to say, Difficult Dukes is way behind schedule and is unlikely to be released in early 2020, as we had hoped. After yet another overhaul, I am aiming for sometime not early in 2020.

I’m deeply sorry for being so undependable. It’s provoking to wait so long between books, I know. I’ve experienced this on occasion with other writers’ series—although, so far, I haven’t encountered any who’ve taken quite this long, and really, altogether, I’m extremely envious of those who are able to get their books completed, and done well, on schedule.

Thank you for your patience and your kind good wishes. I’m still working. The book will get done. Eventually.