(AKA: The Story Behind the Royal Scandals: San Rimini Series)
Once
upon a time, I worked as a freelance writer for several magazines. In my off hours, I wrote two
romantic suspense novels and submitted them to publishers. The feedback was
positive overall and the commentary from publishers boiled down to, “we like
your writing, you create believable characters, and the emotions feel real,
but…” There was the same “but” each time. The publishers enjoyed the romance, but weren’t completely sold
on the suspense elements in those two manuscripts.
I
decided to scrap those two stories and go back to the drawing board. I wanted to
write a larger than life story that played to my strengths. I was toying with
ideas one morning in front of the television when a royal wedding aired. I kept
flipping between wedding coverage and a story about families fleeing a war
zone. The contrast between the grandeur of the wedding and the desperation of
the refugees made me wonder what would happen if a member of the royal family
fell for a relief worker.
Could
two people from such different backgrounds make a relationship work? How would
they navigate living a private versus a public life? What could they learn from
each other? What would their friends and families think?
(And
isn’t it interesting to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle negotiate those same
issues today?)
From
that idea, Going to the Castle was born, as was the fictional country of
San Rimini. I’d traveled along the French Riviera and through Italy and knew I
could create a fascinating, realistic kingdom in that part of the world, one with a
rich history.
The manuscript was named a Golden Heart award finalist by the Romance Writers of America. I was offered a contract on its first
submission and it soon became my first published novel. To quote Monty Python, there was much rejoicing. Three more San Rimini books
followed: The Prince’s Tutor, The Knight’s Kiss, and Falling
for Prince Federico. I was thrilled when The Knight’s Kiss won a
number of awards, including the coveted RITA for best short contemporary romance.
(It’s never a bad day when you get to share a stage with Nora Roberts, Kristin
Hannah, and Lisa Kleypas.)
I
had plans for one more San Rimini book, To Kiss a King, but within days
of being offered a contract, my publisher was sold to another company. The usual corporate
upheaval ensued, and I decided to table the project for a time when I knew it would
not become a victim of departmental realignments.
When
I began writing the Royal Scandals series, set in fictional Sarcaccia, I had
the San Rimini stories firmly in mind. The two kingdoms exist in the same world,
and I knew that—due to the aforementioned publisher upheaval—the San Rimini books
would soon revert to my control. So as I wrote about Sarcaccia, I dropped in little
bits about San Rimini. I also started plotting a book that would bring the two kingdoms
together: Fit for a Queen.
When
the San Rimini books officially became mine again, I dove into writing Fit
for a Queen. (Note: As I was writing, my DC/Marvel fan husband kept
referring to the manuscript as The Big Crossover Event in a voice suited
for a TV ad. I kept reminding him that my story stands on its own and that few
comic-inspired crossovers do. Many crossover discussions ensued.)
Then,
rather than simply republish the four original San Rimini books, I gave each
story a full rewrite and expanded them. I knew that for most Royal Scandals
readers, these would be completely new stories. I wanted the reading experience
to feel seamless. I was also able to put the series in audio for the first time. Hollis McCarthy, who narrates the original Royal Scandals series, also narrates Royal Scandals: San Rimini. Her performance blows me away every time I listen.
After
that, I finally had the opportunity to dig into the story I’d been compelled to
set aside, To Kiss a King. There’s something special about writing a
story that isn’t often told. To Kiss a King features the push/pull of
public versus private lives and the struggle of weighing duty against desire, which factors in many of my stories. However, it also follows a later in life romance with a special set of challenges.
Can a man known worldwide as a romantic icon truly fall in love with someone else? Would a woman at the pinnacle of her career risk it all for that relationship?
Going
back to San Rimini has been a joy for me. I love the diTalora family and their
world. I hope you do, too.
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| San Rimini - Original Series |
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| San Rimini - New Series |
