Delilah: Thank you for having me Lexi!!
Delilah: Is my personality reflected into my heroines? Is this where I reveal too much about myself? (Lexi nodding enthusiastically) lol. The answer is hell yeah. There is a lot of me in each of the heroines I write. I'm outspoken and am always standing up for things I believe in, which is the core of what I respect in others. It is the roots of a kick ass heroine. I love strong personalities that know when to step up and when to back down (which isn't always easy, lol).
Lexi: The eras you choose to write in were traditionally a time women were rather limited and suppressed. Do you think that women back then felt the same way we do now, or that they were generally happy being kept on a shelf?
Delilah: Regarding women of the era I write in, I think it's a fascinating question about whether or not these women were happy or unhappy. I really
see women as being similar in character to the ones walking around today. Because the women back then loved and hated and felt passionate about things in the same way we do, they just had to do it all within the confines of their society. That, of course, often led to whether they were genuinely happy about their situation or not. Putting it into context, the fact that women even back in 1830 were yelling for rights for women to vote and have more working rights tells you these women were very aware of how unjust things were. 
Delilah: I love that! One piece of advice I feel I could give women in history and the women of today is to stop talking about change and start making it happen. I speak from personal experience and am involved in a lot of community events that help charities that help abused women both here in the States and abroad. I'm all about giving back because I feel I have been genuinely blessed in life.Lexi: I love historicals because it is easy to romanticize everything, gloss over the hard parts of life and believe every man was a gentleman. I love how HR sweeps me away to another time, especially your books which immerse the reader completely. What is it about HR that drew you to the genre?
Delilah: I got drawn into the writing historical when I read my first historical. It was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It sucked me right in and never once let me go. I related to Jane on so many levels. After that, I was hooked. I felt a connection to historicals in a way I didn't with any other books because it is still our world but twisted into something that used to be. I dug through a lot of classics from Charles Dickens and Jane Austen to Mark Twain and Edith Wharton. Edith Wharton and Charles Dickens, in particular, brought out the spark in how I wanted to see my historical world. Because they were writing in the era I am looking to trasport myself and my readers to. Of course, I *really* got hooked on reading historical romances written by Judith McNaught. I haven't looked back since!Lexi: Picking your brain is always fun *evil laugh of glee*. Thank you so much for stopping by for our Historical Romance weekend Delilah! It would have been incomplete with out you!
School of Gallantry #1
by Delilah Marvelle
Mass Market Paperback 352 pages
Published September 1st 2008 by Zebra
ISBN 9781420104486
REAL PLEASURE CAN'T BE TAKEN.Goodreads
Granddaughter of a renowned courtesan, Maybelle de Maitenon has no interest in her grandmother's school in London where gentlemen receive instruction—in the art of seduction. Her only desire in life is to remain independent, free from men and the shackles of marriage. But when Maybelle lays eyes on Edmund Worthington, the Duke of Rutherford, at a soir e, and hears of his scandalous reputation, she decides he's the perfect person for her to have a tryst with no strings attached.
IT MUST BE GIVEN.
Unbridled passion has again muddied Edmund Worthington's family name. After his very public dalliance with the strikingly beautiful and sensual Maybelle, his mother insists he marry her. But much to the Duke's surprise, Maybelle scoffs at his proposal. Never has he encountered such a brazen—and maddeningly irresistible—woman. But when Maybelle's grandmother falls ill, forcing Maybelle to take over the operation of her school, Edmund devises a plan to make her his. He enrolls in the school, where no one other than Maybelle must give him expert lessons in carnal pleasure.
Available for Purchase at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository
School of Gallantry #2
by Delilah Marvelle
Mass Market Paperback 352 pages
Published August 1st 2009 by Zebra
ISBN 9781420104493
DESPERATE TIMES...It's been months since Lady Charlotte Chartwell's philandering husband met his untimely end at the hands of an angry mistress. But as miserable as he made Charlotte in life, his death proves to be an even harsher blow. For not a farthing of his fortune or estate have passed on to her, and as a ruined widow, she is destitute, penniless and utterly without hope.Goodreads
LEAD TO DESPERATE PLEASURES...Then, as Charlotte is considering the worst, a man steps into her carriage. His intentions are quite indecent at first, but the more he learns about her, the more an unfamiliar—and undesirable—emotion creeps over him. Could it be compassion? Never! For this is Alexander Baxendale, third Earl of Hawksford. He is known throughout the ton as the Lord of Pleasure, dedicated to passion, ruthless in his pursuit of sensual gratification. Yet never in all his exploits has he met a woman who could intrigue him as Charlotte does. Can this mysterious beauty make him hang up his title and see to her pleasure alone?
Available for Purchase at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository
Lady of Pleasure
School of Gallantry #3
by Delilah Marvelle
ebook
Published March 15th 2013 by Delilah Marvelle Productions
ISBN 9781939912008
Educating one's self in the art of love takes time...
Lady Caroline Arabella Starling has been in love with her older brother's best friend, Caldwell, since she was thirteen. Unfortunately, too many things keep getting in the way of proving her love. Her four younger sisters, her mother, her brother, all of society and the man she loves himself. But where there is a will, there is a way, and Caroline is about to redefine not only respectability but true love.Ronan Henry Dearborn, the fourth Marquess of Caldwell, lives to see himself through Caroline's eyes but knows he is leading a life unworthy of her or her dreams. He will do anything to keep her from learning the truth about himself and his past, including keeping her at a distance. But when he and Caroline get tangled in a situation neither of them can get out of, the only way to create a happily-ever-after between them is to take up the advice of a French courtesan who re-educates them both in the art of love.
Available for Purchase at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
~*GIVEAWAY*~
Because it's our last day of the Historical Romance Weekend (wasn't it great!) and because Delilah is such an awesome person....there are TWO digital copies of Lady of Pleasure up for grabs today! To enter leave a comment for Delilah. What do you think of women in history compared to women of today? Or what is your favorite thing about reading historicals? Then fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck! And thanks for joining in our Historical Romance Weekend!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Historical romance is always my favorite. Delilah writes some of the best.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
I love the era - the women the way they dressed. The men for most were gentlemen.I love a good historical romance. The settings are always wonderfully vivid.
ReplyDeletekittee_cat@bigpond.com
love historical romances <3
ReplyDeleteSharonda
I just love a good historical romance! Its definitely my favorite genre of romance to read at any time. I actually haven't read from this author...but I really need to...all of her books are on my wishlist already. I just love that you are focusing on Historical Romance lately!!! :) Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteHey Delilah -- great to see you here! Don't enter me in the contest I already have the book on my Nook ;-) I just wanted everyone to know Delilah is a blast to be with. We met at an author signing and it ended up just me and her and the bookstore owner. We talked the whole time and it was such fun to get to know her. She has a fabulous family and her hubby definitely can inspire the heroes she writes about =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining in our fun Delilah! As always, a fun interview with you :)
ReplyDeleteThese are on my tbr list, will have to move them up.
ReplyDeleteThe women in historicals are truly ladies but behind closed doors, they leave the lady behind. I like that aspect in a story. These days it's just "out there" for everyone to see. There's no mystery.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway!
I find that I am reading more historicals lately. I love how the women are "ladies" and they have nothing better to do than go to balls and get married to titled men. I find it all to be a lot of fun to read.
ReplyDeleteI love HR b/c it's a complete escape into a different world. I love reading about the glam and social intricacies.
ReplyDeletei think women had to be stronger to survive without running water, toilets, traveling by buggy, marrying well, and so on. we definitely have it a lot easier with all our niceties. can you imagine the torture of having to wear a corsette? thank god that's a thing of the past. now we wear them to be sexy. :)
ReplyDeletejukyjoauka at aol dot com
Just to survive I do think that the women of the past had to be strong & resilient.
ReplyDeleteLove reading historicals, meeting strong women dealing with that times hardships and restrictions, and seeing them give in to temptation =) And there´s just something about men taking care of you *sigh* not that common nowadays..
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway & Happy Monday!
//Linda
My favorite thing about historicals is being about to experience the fun of another era without having to deal with the not-so-fun parts (like no plumbing.)
ReplyDeleteI love reading historicals to learn about history, about the different jobs women had, learning about the dress and language variations.
ReplyDeleteI love to read historicals because they take me back in time. When things weren't rushed & life was just simple.
ReplyDeleteNote to RBTWBC....it was hard for me to read & enter the rafflecopter. For some reason, the book covers & comments ran over the left section of the rafflecopter block. Does this happen to anyone else?
My favorite thing about reading historicals is getting to read about the past.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!