When I was young girl, I had a serious crush on Richard Chamberlain, on television at the time as Dr. Kildare. He was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen—at my tender age of 10 or so. When he left to go "study acting" in England, I was heartbroken. When he returned a couple of years later, to star in Hallmark's Hall of Fame production of Hamlet Prince of Denmark, not only did I sit for four and a half hours absolutely glued to the TV but I found a new passion.
I have been in love with all things English since then. But if you ask me what my favorite time period is, I'd have to admit it's the Tudorian/Elizabethan time frame. The Italian Renaissance spread into England around the time that Henry VIII took the throne and resonated strongly in Elizabeth's reign. The Reformation of the Church, the scientific knowledge that was forming, and the amazing art fascinated me. But it was the comings and goings of the court of Henry, Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth were a never ending source of romantic dreams and plots in my head.
I'd always wanted to write a story set in that era, with the intrigue and danger that existed, not just in the courts but in the country side as well. When I met "Will" and "Stephan" through a mutual friend, I knew they were perfect characters. "Stephan" was the older of the two, tall and gorgeous, very muscular physique. I had a thing for him and it was a crying shame he was already engaged or I'd have done my best to sweep him off his feet. He was quick witted, spontaneous, and didn't hesitate about anything. His younger brother Will was dark, poetic, a scholar, and a romantic. Okay, I had a crush on him too. What can I say, he was also a musician. The fact that they were brothers added spice to the mix. I would take my two friends—who begged me to put them in one of my stories and I was only too happy to oblige—and put them in that setting.
Finding the story was the easiest part—take two brothers and add a romantic interest that both of them want to woo. And then, add another lady who's practically grown up with them, who has a thing for the youngest brother but he seems to be oblivious to that fact. The sparks are set for a romantic quadrangle that sure to light up the pages. But, add a member of the peerage who has something against the brothers—the whole family, in fact—and the clout to do something about it. Add an Irish mercenary who's living in the baron's pocket and paid to do something about the baron's "Cameron problem." And what you get from there is:
Stephan Cameron is impetuous and lusty; William Cameron is measured and romantic. Only one thing can divide the brothers--an attraction to the Lady Jessica Chynoweth, a flirty redhead who seems to have eyes for both--and the baron Joseph Turnbull besides. Only one thing can bring them together again--bringing the murderer of their father to justice. If it doesn't kill them first, they will!
An Opportunity for Resentment is the first book in the trilogy. The second book, A Crooked Rainbow Trail will be out next year, and hopefully the third book, A Wild Heart, will be out soon after.
Thanks for reading along. I hope you enjoy the book and I welcome your feedback.
Author Bio:
Jesse V Coffey, who also writes as J. W. Coffey and Meggie Chase, is the author of short story collection Illusions & Reality (J. W. Coffey) and new release The Brothers Cameron: An Opportunity for Resentment. She write a literary column and a writing column for the Lexington KY affiliate of Examiner.com, as well as a National Indie Romance Novel column. She also is the on air hostess of Edin Road Radio, an internet radio show that introduces new authors reading excerpts from their work. She is a member of ASCAP and the Erotic Authors Association.
Links:
http://www.authorjwcoffey.com
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http://www.edinroad.com/press
http://www.facebook.com/jessevcoffey
http://twitter.com/#!/JesseVCoffey
http://about.me/jessevcoffey
http://www.edinroad.com/radio
http://www.edinroad.com/press
http://www.facebook.com/jessevcoffey
http://twitter.com/#!/JesseVCoffey
http://about.me/jessevcoffey
Thanks for sharing your Richard Chamberlain addiction. I don't see what you saw in him but obviously he is good-looking as that is what Hollywood wants and has always wanted.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I can't explain it. I just know that I found him amazingly beautiful in the face. You're right, it was a Hollywood prerequisite. I had a thing for Gardner McKay too. Same reason, another beautiful man.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the Richard Chamberlain story was that because of my Shakespearean addiction, I went into acting for a time. I worked with a Shakespearean company in Columbus, OH. Unfortunately, I was doing a show at the time when Chamberlain's version of My Fair Lady came through town. A friend of mine worked for the venue and said if I wanted to write a letter to him, she'd personally hand deliver it. So I did, telling him about my childhood crush, about the influence that gave me my love of Shakespeare, English Lit, acting. About my tenure with the Actors Theater Company, the plays I'd done with them. Forgot all about it. Three months later, I got home from work, getting ready to head off to rehearsal, and there was an envelope in the mail. No return address, no nothing, but it had a postmark of Hawaii on it. I opened the envelope to have a lovely letter from the man, thanking me for mine and that I had made his day. I still have it.