Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A visit with Sophie Barnes, author of The Danger in Tempting An Earl

Hello there! I hope you all join me in welcoming the fabulous Sophie Barnes, whose newest book, The Danger in Tempting An Earl, releases today! Sophie is here to discuss dissecting the novel.

Take it away, Sophie!


Before any of my books were published I used to walk into a book store, pick up a book, and pay for it without once considering how it arrived on the bookshelf, other than that the author put a lot of time into writing it. Even after my manuscript for How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back was accepted, it took a while for me to figure out all that was involved in getting a book to the stores. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

First of all, there’s the manuscript of roughly 95,000 words to consider. That’s quite a chunk to write when you have to keep a deadline in mind. Especially when you consider that many authors out there have day jobs as well. But once the manuscript has been completed, a moment of elation follows, along with a fair amount of relief and perhaps a little apprehension about sending the story and the characters you’ve grown to love out into the world. I always do about three rounds of edits during which I also have beta readers offer their opinion so I can correct the most glaring mistakes before my editor sees them =) Once my editor receives the manuscript I sit back and wait for her notes. This doesn’t mean I’m off to the spa for a massage. On the contrary, I’ll probably start on character development and research for the next manuscript, update my website, put together a book trailer or brainstorm other ways to spread awareness and boost sales. There’s always work to be done.

A month or so after submitting my manuscript to my editor, I’ll receive her notes, both in letter format and as comments in the margins. I’ll then have about two weeks in which to revise and make the necessary plot changes. After that it goes to a copy editor who checks facts, dates, names etc, then back to me again for further revisions. Meanwhile, decisions are made on the cover and the title. An artist is presented with a paragraph about the plot along with a general description of the characters. I always include celebrity photos that I feel match my vision of the hero and heroine as closely as possible. A couple of months then go by before I receive the final page proofs of my book – a complete print out of what the final book will look like. This is my last chance to catch any mistakes before it’s out of my hands forever (no pressure-LOL). If there are errors, I mark them in the margin using a red pen and mail those pages back to my editor who sends the manuscript off to print where all corrections are checked and approved and the final touches added before the book is finally ready. Stores place their orders, the book is added to websites (I update my own), and my publicist and I start planning the marketing campaign.

On release day I always try to visit a couple of bookstores because after all the hard work, seeing my book on the shelf is the ultimate reward. But next time you walk into a book store and pick up a book, please consider that it’s not just one person’s hard work and dedication that brought it there, but a whole team of people who are all equally invested in making it a success.




The Danger In Tempting An Earl
At the Kingsborough Ball #3
By Sophie Barnes
Avon Books
July 29, 2014

Purchase Links: Amazon - Barnes & Noble
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Lucien Marvaine never thought he was good enough for Katherine. As the younger son of an earl, he didn’t have a title or prospects. Then fate steps in and gives him a second chance, and this new Earl of Roxbury is determined to make the beautiful Kate his own . . . one touch . . . one kiss at a time.

Katherine never thought of herself as a temptress, certainly not with Lucien. Why, she’s known him almost all her life! Yet as she waltzes in Lucien’s arms at the Kingsborough Ball, she can’t help but be drawn to him. Has he always been this hard and masculine? And where did those dimples come from? Kate is not looking for a husband . . . but how can she not surrender to Lucien’s charms when love is at stake?






Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She's lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she's been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she's not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

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