With word reaching Lord Roderick (aka Nate) about The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife being part of the promotion featuring free bestsellers and free series starters in the Australian and New Zealand iBookstores, he has gotten a very swell head.  Here’s the direct link  to the Australian iBookstore and here’s the direct link to the New Zealand iBookstore if interested in checking it out.

The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife is the first book in the Regency Collection.  (I realize some of you know this, but there will be those reading this post who don’t so I just wanted to clarify this to avoid any confusion.)

Anyway, the other characters from the Regency Collection are not delighted by Nate’s sudden ego trip.  In fact, they demanded to come on here to put him in his place.

Nate practices looking “hot” for his adoring fans.

Nate: They’re not delighted because they’re jealous.  I can’t help it if I’m popular.  The public has spoken, and out of the other characters in the Regency Collection, I’m their choice.

Mister Christopher Robinson: Your popularity, as you call it, has nothing at all to do with you.  It all has to do with the fact that you happen to be the hero of the first book in the Regency Collection.

Nate: But I was the hero of the first book because I am the best character.  Every author knows they have to put their best foot forward.  In this case, that means Ruth Ann Nordin had to put the best hero in the first book in the series.

Christopher: I believe the expression is, “Save the best for last.” Every author knows they improve with each book they write.  Therefore, you were the weakest attempt.

Nate: That’s not true.  If it wasn’t for me and how wonderful I turned out, Ruth never would have written another Regency.  She would have gone straight back to her historical westerns and contemporaries and never looked back.

Christopher: You wish that was true, but it’s not.  She already knew she was going to write my book while she was writing yours.

Nate: But she didn’t write your book next, did she?

Christopher: She’s writing it now.  It’s called His Reluctant Lady.

Nate: But she would have written it sooner if you’d been good enough to write about.  Let’s face it, Lady Richfield, the heroine in His Reluctant Lady, is the only reason your book won’t bomb.  I actually feel sorry for her.  You pretty much forced her to marry you.  Marriage that begins with the threat of scandal never work out.

Claire (Lady Roderick): Excuse me?  Nate, our marriage started out because of a scandal.  We were caught in a rather compromising position.

Nate: Ah, but there was no threat of a scandal.

Claire: No, there actually was one.  For all the things you give Christopher grief over, at least he had the sense to get married without embarrassing his bride.

Nate: You think I embarrassed you?

Claire: It was humiliating to be on the ground with you in front of everyone at the ball.  It wasn’t even my fault.  Come to think of it, it was the worst thing that ever happened to me.

Christopher: Besides marrying Nate, right Claire?

Claire: I didn’t say that, Christopher.

Christopher: Come on, Claire.  We all know you were thinking it.  Just think, if it hadn’t been for him, you would have married Perry.

Perry wondering if he’ll ever get his own book.

Perry (Lord Clement): Since you all brought me up, I’d like to know when I’ll get to be the hero in a Regency Collection romance.

Nate: You won’t if Christopher turns his book into a flop.  You really should have been in the book right after mine.  I gave you such a great lead.  Because of me and my book, people want to read your story.

Perry: I can’t control the order Ruth writes the books.

Ruth Ann Nordin: For the record, Perry was almost the hero in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  Claire would have been very happy with him.

Nate: Say it isn’t so!

Ruth: I’m afraid so, Nate.  But if she ended up with him, then there would have been no book.  I needed someone anal enough to create a conflict.

Nate: Anal?

Christopher: Skeptical that Nate is the Best Regency Hero

Christopher: *laughs*

Ruth: Anal might not be the right word.  I needed a hero she couldn’t fall in love with right away, someone she would get into some exciting arguments with.

Christopher: *laughs harder*

Nate: I don’t see what’s so funny about this.  Perry was the first choice?

Ruth: No because there wouldn’t have been a story with him.   Perry got along too well with her.

Christopher: So Nate, you were chosen for this book because you wouldn’t get along with the heroine.

Ruth: Not right away.  It was fun to see the sparks fly because he and Claire didn’t along at first.  It made for some great tension.

Nate: Tension?  Conflict?  Arguments?  Is that all you authors ever care about?

Perry: Apparently since I got tossed out of that book.

Ruth: You were in the book, Perry.

Perry: As a glorified extra.

Christopher: Well, I tried to rescue Claire from her miserable marriage.  If I had succeeded, she might have ended up with you.

Ruth: She’s better off with Nate.

Christopher: I don’t see how.

Ruth: Read the book.

Christopher: I did.  It was a travesty.  I can’t believe you bother showing your face online after writing it.  People aren’t reading it because Nate’s popular.  They’re reading it to find out how bad it is.

Nate: Take that back!

Claire as she wonders why the focus is all on Nate and not her.

Claire: I don’t think it’s fair to say that people want to read this book because of Nate.  I was in the thing too.

Nate: Your part was important.  You were there so I could have a main role.  The title is about me.

Claire: No, it’s about me.  I’m the focus of it.  I’m the wife.

Nate: But I’m the earl you’re married to.

Claire: The only reason I married you was because you bumped into me.

Nate: Bumping into you?  You threw yourself at me.

Ruth: See what I mean, Perry?  That’s why they had to be together.  You never would have given her the difficulty Nate does.  Well, due to the length of this post, I’m going to end it here, but before I go, I will answer some questions some of you might have.  🙂

***

Will Nate’s ego ever get back to its normal size?  I doubt it.  The guy seems pretty smug in the other books.

Will Perry ever get his own book?  Yes, it will be called The Earl’s Scandalous Wife, and I plan to start it before the end of this year.

Is Christopher’s book going to be better than Nate’s?  Only you can make that decision when you read His Reluctant Lady (due out next month).

Is Claire happy with Nate?  Yes, though she doesn’t mind doing a couple of things he might not approve of behind his back.  (You’ll have to keep reading the books in the Regency Collection to find that part out.)

***

Photo credits

Nate (Lord Roderick): © Aleksandar Todorovic | Dreamstime.com

Perry (Lord Clement): © Aleksandar Todorovic | Dreamstime.com

Christopher (Mister Robinson): © Vanessa Van Rensburg | Dreamstime.com

Claire (Lady Roderick): © Mirmoor | Dreamstime.com