Susan Stephens: Excitement in Sheffield

And a wonderful event to celebrate all things romance...

I was honoured to speak at this event. Part of Sheffield’s Festival of The Mind, I sat on a panel alongside editors, academics, and another romance author. It’s only when we talked about what romance means to us and heard readers expressing their thoughts that I truly realised what a wonderful life-enhancing experience we’re all engaged in. Love is a unifying force that brings people together from all across the world, and long may the world of romance prosper.

The general opinion of the academics was that love stories reflect the fashions, manners and politics of their time, and as such are extremely valuable records. Readers talked of how they escaped into the stories, and how those stories helped them, cheered them, warmed them, and left them with an optimistic feeling. It was humbling for me to hear this, though I recognised at the time, that I feel the same. There’s nothing better than a good love story to lift the spirits and put a smile on my face, and I know they do the same for you.

Here are some pictures from that memorable day. The event was held in an antique Spiegal tent, and you can see that the setting for our talk was quite spectacular.

Here’s the interior of the ‘tent’, (which was actually quite a solid structure), before our talk began.

Originally used for burlesque shows, the images depicted on the outside of the Spiegal tent were quite bizarre, but striking and beautiful in their way.

This image is particularly disturbing – note the claws on the little cherub, and those blood-red lips, are actually red with blood.

My next love story tackles a real dilemma for both the hero and heroine. A marriage of convenience—with a difference—as it’s my heroine Rosie Clifton who proposes marriage to proud Spanish grandee, Don Xavier Del Rio.

Rosie will do anything to protect her share of the island she loves and the people who live there. She will even marry this arrogant, heartless man, if she must.

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I’m also very excited about my Christmas book, which heralds the start of a brand new red-hot polo series...

 With a hard Russian hero just for you...

This is book 1 of 4 in my new romantic suspense series, Blood and Thunder.

1. Christmas Tsar

2. Argentinian Billionaire

3. Spanish Gold

4. Cold Cache

Release date for Christmas Tsar is November 8^th but it is available for pre-order now!

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I look forward so much to seeing you there!

Speak soon,

Love Susan x