Hello Readers and Writers: My story ONCE UPON A DUKE has been ruminating since 2007. It is now published by The Wild Rose Press in digital and print versions.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS from the author to His Grace, Geoffrey:
Interviewer: What is your main fear, Duke?
His Grace: Getting leg shackled by a woman. I fear commitment and what love can do to a man. My interaction with Lady Serena started out as just another notch on my bedpost, but somehow it grew into something profound when she kissed my scar with tenderness and genuine concern. Even as I now speak, I can feel her nurturing lips.
Interviewer: What is the main conflict?
Answer: Serena wants a commitment of marriage. As a child, I did not see love from my mother to my father. I have offered the position of mistress. She refused. I left her asleep without saying goodbye. It was a manly thing to do on my part.
His Grace: What has messed up your life?
Answer: When I arrived in London, my thoughts were consumed with Serena. I did return and visited her surreptitiously one night at the lakeside manor and it was…comfortable. I wondered how along the way I had acquired a family: a woman, a maid and a puppy.
Interviewer: If everything was so good, why didn’t you propose?
His Grace: I thought I had time to consider everything. Ours was a tempestuous relationship. The concept of a future relationship intrigued me. I returned to visit her, but she was gone. Her brother informed me she was engaged to wed another man in three weeks, that she used me to make him jealous, and that she ordered the puppy drowned and my portrait burned.
Interviewer: How did you react?
His Grace: Unfortunately, I believed him. Enraged, I did not care about the portrait she burned, but to order the dog, Adonis, killed—how could I have misjudged her? I drank myself into a stupor with a good friend.
Interviewer: Then what happened?
His Grace: And just when I thought there was no other choice than to forget her, visitors came to my London townhouse who informed me of Serena’s brother’s lies. They returned my portrait she’d painted of me, and the pup unharmed. She reaffirmed her love for me in letters.
Interviewer: Were you now convinced of her love for you?
His Grace: It was then I realized her brother’s duplicity—about everything. Serena’s letter ended with the words that she would love me forever in this world or the next. What else could I do but have the maid tell her I loved her with all my heart, and she would either attend our wedding—or my funeral.
I leave your readers to draw their conclusion as to how my author, you, charted the ending of the novel.
Interviewer: Your Grace, I have created you out of the figment of my imagination. Did I do you justice?
His Grace: It is a difficult question and I can only say that you and I have been in each other’s heart and soul for a long time. You breathed life into a renown rake. I do believe readers should enjoy this fairy tale romance. After all, you showed me what love can do to redeem a man.
COMMENT FROM THE AUTHOR:
Of all the Dukes I’ve created and will create in THE DUKE SERIES, I will always have a fondness for His Grace, Geoffrey Austen, 8th Duke of Sutton and his lovely Serena.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Serena, an artist and widow, has no desire for another husband. When she meets Geoffrey Austen, attraction sizzles to a scorch. Stolen days and nights ignite forbidden passion. Geoffrey asks Serena to be his mistress, but she wants commitment, love and marriage, not an affair with a notorious rake.
Geoffrey realizes Serena might be the one woman who can care for his tortured soul, and maybe release his demons. The magic they shared is shattered when he learns she has been forced into an engagement with another. He vows to save her even at the cost of his own life.
Will Geoffrey’s gallantry prove he truly loves Serena? If he survives, will Serena surrender all to him?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From a humble beginning in Newark, NJ, a short stay at a convent in Morristown, NJ, to the board rooms of NYC, and a fantastic career for a broadcasting company in Carlsbad, California, to the rural foothills of the Sierras of Yosemite National Park, Sandra Masters has always traveled with pen and notebook. It’s been the journey of ten thousand miles with a few steps left to go. She left her corporate world behind and never looked back.
She’s never created a Duke she didn’t fall in love with.
I know all Sandra’s Dukes and if she wants any of them, she’s gonna have to fight me for them!!
When’s the first duel, Cindy. Hope you’re up to it, tough lady.
Thank you, Caroline, for this opportunity. It’s so nice that His Grace, Duke of Austen, has seen the light of publishing day.
Again thank you. This has been a marvelous opportunity. Nice of you to do this.
I loved every minute of Once Upon a Duke. Serena’s and Geoffrey’s characters were exquisitely created and really came to life as this sexy story sizzled across the pages. I can’t wait to read Sandra Masters’ next book!
Me, too. He’s been in my body and soul for more years than I care to remember. MY DIVINELY DECADENT DUKE. And how many times have we critiqued those chapters. A rose by any other name?
Are you kidding? I’M in LOVE with the Duke! I was captivated by the interview and of course my mind will always jump to to “Happily Ever After”…just love the journey as to how they get there.
Sheila, thanks. MY DIVINDELY DECADENT DUKE is the next book and he’s the one with the Lion tattoo. We had fun with him, didn’t we?
Great interview, and an absolutely yummy cover, Sandra. Wish I could see the duke, too. He sounds divine.
Sheri: I’ll just have to find a picture of him. In fact, I just remembered I have one, and I’ll e mail, but he might look slightly familiar to you.
I loved your first book in your Duke Series, looking forward to the release of your second. You encourage me to push on toward that publication goal. Sunny Marie Baker
Thanks, Sunny. It’ll be sooner than we think and perhaps by the end of this year. We all remember them. Seems like a lifetime ago.