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Monday, February 22, 2010

Cabin Fever - Lynn Raye Harris



If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you live anywhere north of, say, Miami, you might have been experiencing a lot of cold and icy weather. The kind of cold, icky, grey weather that confines you to the house and makes you long for the hot days of summer (even if you usually complain about the heat and/or humidity).

I live in a Southern state not normally known for winter weather, and yet we seem to have had our share this year. Winter usually takes place in January, and then it’s balmier temps for the rest of the season. We do get cold snaps, and we do get freezes, but they don’t usually last more than a week.

Until this year.

I’ve been confined to the house a lot, mostly because I don’t want to freeze my posterior off (and there have been a few icy days when the streets weren’t safe), and I’m beginning to hate it. The first sunny day that comes along, I’m out of here!

The hero and heroine of my next release, THE PRINCE’S ROYAL CONCUBINE (March 2010 in the UK, June 2010 in North America), know quite a bit about cabin fever. Prince Cristiano di Savaré and Princess Antonella Romanelli spend several days sheltering from a hurricane on a Caribbean island. I didn’t consciously set out to write a “cabin romance,” but once I finished the story, I realized that’s what I’d done.

I love it when two characters who seem not to like each other much, or who are desperately pretending not to like each other, are confined together. Neither of them can walk away, nor can they ignore the other person for any real length of time. Toss in a struggle for survival on top of that, and they have to work together if they want to live.

As much as I love this kind of romance, it was also harder to write. My characters spend three-quarters of the book alone together – and some of that time is spent in a closet. There was no way they could ignore each other in such close quarters! I had a lot of fun with Cristiano and Antonella, and I hope you will too.

In the US and Canada, you’ll still have to wait until June. But readers in the UK and India can buy the book in stores in March (if you’re in Australia, it’s available in April).

Two glittering royal houses…

Prince Cristiano di Savaré hunts his prey by ruthless means. Tonight’s pickings…Antonella Romanelli, crown princess of a rival country and part of a dynasty he has every reason to despise…

…one majestic seduction

Antonella is rocked by Cristiano’s unexpected magnetism. But there’s ice in his wolfish smile… She’s far from the promiscuous, spoiled socialite he believes her to be, but Cristiano is here to persuade her into compliance. If bedding her is what it takes, then it will make his mission all the more pleasurable…

Tell me, have you been experiencing cabin fever this winter? Or, if you’re having great weather, do you remember a time when you were stuck in the house for several days? As for cabin romances, do you have any favorites?

Visit me at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/ for more info on upcoming releases, random blog posts, and the occasional contest.

Best Wishes,
Lynn

12 comments:

Mary Kirkland said...

I live in Las Vegas so we haven't really had any days where we were stuck inside unless it was raining. The last time I was actually stuck inside was when I lived in West Virginia and we got 2 feet of snow in a couple of days. School was called off and we had to stay inside.

Pat Cochran said...

How about 10 days out of 13 during
Hurricane Ike two years ago! Most
stores and service stations were closed, with supplies few if they
were open, so we couldn't shop!
I stayed in and Honey went out to
look for places where he could pick up anything we needed.

Pat Cochran

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Sorry I haven't answered before now, but I've been out all day. I had an appointment in a neighboring city and couldn't miss it.

Hi, Mary! Well, Vegas would certainly be nice right about now! We're expecting more cold and more snow, though it never sticks thankfully. That 2 feet of snow in WV makes me glad we only get a dusting. :)

Hi, Pat! Yikes, that hurricane sounds like it wasn't fun at all. I was living in Hawaii when we had a state wide power outage due to an earthquake -- even the traffic lights didn't work! And you couldn't cook your food, or even go to a restaurant to buy anything. All you could do was stay home and hope the power came back on soon. But that was only a day! I can't imagine 10....

runner10 said...

I survived Winter Ice Storm 09. We were without electricity for 14 days. I feel like I am scarred for life.
We had a beautiful weekend here--just a hint of spring in the air. Now--back to cold winter temps.
I am so ready for Spring.
I am looking forward to your book.
Have a great week.

Anonymous said...

We've had nothing but cold in Dallas this season ... very rare for us! I used to miss my northern upbringing and childhood filled with snow, but can honestly say not so much anymore. I'm ready for some heat. And speaking of hot things, love the cover on your new book and can't wait to read it!

Take care,

Barb

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Hi, Denise! OMG, no electricity for 14 days? In winter?! Yikes!

Glad this winter isn't quite as bad. We had some spring temps too this weekend, but it's cold again. :(

Glad you're looking forward to the book! :)

Stephanie Jones AKA Alicia Hunter Pace said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lynn Raye Harris said...

Barb, isn't it so odd to have cold weather in a place where temps don't normally dip so much? You're a little farther south than I am, but it's been insane all winter. Not surprised Dallas is cold too! Where was this snow at Christmas? That's about the only time I like it!

Thanks for the comments on the cover! I love it too. Harlequin really outdid themselves with this one. :)

Stephanie Jones AKA Alicia Hunter Pace said...

Lynn,
I am with you on the Cabin Fever. I live in Central Alabama and have been hating on the cold, dreary, rainy weather. I have even had to miss my local RWA chapter meeting. I hadn't missed a meeting since I joined and now my perfect attendance is spoiled!! Unfortunately, this also meant that I didn't get to visit with the fabulous Lynn Raye Harris.

Athough it isn't exactly a "cabin romance" I always think of one of my favorite winter snow scenes it is in Linda Howard's book MacKenzie's Mountain. It starts out in a snow storm and she is rescued by a hunk of a man in a big ol' truck!

Stephanie

Lynn Raye Harris said...

We missed you, Stephanie! I didn't realize you were snowed in. :( Must have missed that fact somehow. Boo.

Yes, yes, yes on MacKenzie's Mountain! That is a great snow scene! It's not a cabin romance, but I love SEP's Heaven, Texas, where the hero and heroine spend a lot of time on a car trip together. Not a true cabin romance, but cabin elements. :) SEP does that a lot.

Linda Henderson said...

I was stuck in my apartment for weeks after Christmas because we had ice and snow and I use a walker. Not fun in the ice and snow. I'm looking forward to warmer weather.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

You and me both, Linda! I hope we get warmer weather very soon. Hugs on being stuck for so long. :(