Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Our New British Baby






LUCY BURDETTE: No, we're not talking about George Alexander Louis. Our Red Rhys's 31st mystery novel and 7th Royal Spyness book is out today and we couldn't be more thrilled. 





When I asked her how she'd like to celebrate HEIRS AND GRACES, she said: 

"Champagne. Caviar. A few banners across Times Square in NY--maybe a parade. Nothing overboard..."

 






 So here's the champagne...














and the caviar...












 and the parade...












and if one of you readers makes it to Times Square today, check to see if the banner is up please?  

While we're sipping on champagne, we have a few questions for you Rhys!

Heirs and Graces starts out like this: 


"One thing I should have learned about my mother was that I could not count on her. After all, she bolted from the family home, abandoning my father and me when I was two. and by the time she resurfaced again in my life she had worked her way through a global list of men. These included an Argentinian polo player, a French race-car driver and an English mountaineer."

You plunge the reader instantly into the life and mind of Lady Georgie. Tell us a bit about how you get into her skin, especially after spending the last six months with another character?

RHYS BOWEN: I've come to know her through six books now and I think the first person voice really helps me. She and Molly are so different that I start writing in that voice and instantly I'm in the right head and the right world. Both of those women came to me clearly from square one. The moment they opened their mouths to talk I knew who they were.

LUCY BURDETTE: Heirs and Graces is delightfully funny, without making fun of the characters or light of the murder. As you write, are you consciously thinking about how to be funny?

RHYS BOWEN: I'm really not. I don't sit at my computer and think 'what can this person say that might be funny?" Obviously the secondary characters I choose are designed to satirize the British class system so they say things that do poke fun at the aristocracy and the British way of life. Queenie, Fig, granddad are all a little over the top and thus fun to write. But it's the clash of characters that produces the best humor--the wild Australian and the proper duchess in this book, for example. Georgie and Queenie. Georgie and Fig.

LUCY BURDETTE: The grand estate Kingsdowne Place feels so real--real enough that our own Deb Crombie said "The perfect fix between seasons for Downton Abbey addicts." Is your setting based on something that actually exists?

RHYS BOWEN: Kingsdowne Place doesn't exist but its physical setting is somewhere I know well. I grew up about two miles from Eynsford in Kent and used to play in those woods and that valley all the time. The house itself is a mixture of various stately homes I have visited. But this book is the closest I have come to revisiting my childhood. I lived in a big old house nearby, not nearly as grand as Kingsdowne. I looked out on apple orchards as far as the eye could see. Today they have been replaced by houses. So sad.




Hooray for HEIRS AND GRACES! Reds, you can buy the book wherever books are found. And it's also available as an audio book from Audible with a delightful reader who brings it to life.
 And Rhys will of course check in all day to answer your questions and have another glass of champagne!



And we are giving away 2 arcs to lucky, loyal commenters--Rhys's HEIRS AND GRACES and Julia's upcoming THROUGH THE EVIL DAYS!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZZ_KlyqWNI 

42 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Rhys . . . I definitely think you deserve champagne, caviar, banners, and parades . . . .

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  2. Congratulations, Rhys . . . I definitely think you deserve champagne, caviar, banners, and parades . . . .

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  3. The caviar is delicious. Is it too early for champagne? No of course it isn't. Lifting my glass—happy launch.

    Kingsdowne Place may well be my between seasons fix for Downton Abbey. But then Downton Abbey will be my between book fix for Kingsdowne Place.

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  4. I love this series - congratulations Rhys!

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  5. Congratulations Rhys! Champagne and caviar all around ... Can't wait to read it . And wondering what a Brit's take on the hoo haw around the other royal baby?

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  6. I am so delighted for the entire Royal Family at the birth of little Prince George. I truly believe he is blessing for all of the UK.

    I’m looking forward to reading your new novel, Rhys, and hope that I can sneak in line for a glass of champagne and a bite of caviar so I can then sit back and admire the banners and watch the parade!

    Cheers!

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  7. I woke up to a mail message saying HEIRS AND GRACES was in my audible library! Horray. I'm ready for my Georgie fix. And to think the new Cambridge baby shares a name with our delightful heroine.

    Congratulations, Rhys. I think launch day must be the most exciting day for an author. I think we should add fireworks to the champers, caviar, and parade.

    Thank you for giving us Georgie.

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  8. Looking forward to this one of Georgie's adventures.
    Congrats!

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  9. Looking forward to this one of Georgie's adventures.
    Congrats!

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  10. Another fun book from the Reds. Thanks, Rhys Bowen.
    Count me in for the drawing for both books please.

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  11. No banner yet. But you deserve it! I am looking forward to both books.

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  12. The time between Georgie books seems to defy the physical laws of time; that's the only explanation I have for why it seems like YEARS before the next one comes out!

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  13. Congrats Rhys. I have been a fan of the series from book one and have yet to be disappointed.

    My review of Heirs and Graces on Friday will certainly reflect that notion. So much fun!

    Enjoy your day! If I was in NYC, I would post a banner for you. And by banner, I mean an 8 1/2 x 11piece of paper with the book cover printed on it. ;-)

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  14. Squeeing for the new book, Rhys, and for another Georgie outing. Can't wait to get home from three weeks of vacation so I can get my copy!

    Best of luck. Raising a glass with Reine!

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  15. Congratulations! I am so excited the book is out, I have been counting down the days all summer. I'll put a banner up in my office, will that do?

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  16. Far from Times Square, it's a Banner Day here in Atlanta celebrating with Rhys and looking forward to doing the same with Julia!!

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  17. Whoo hoo! I do love your books, Rhys...and delighted to share the champagne!

    HOw has your life changed since Downton Abbey?

    (Oooh, my captcha is raw slime. Oh, dear.)

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  18. Happy champagne and caviar day, Rhys!

    I have a question about writing series: Do you have an idea of Georgie's larger story arc many books ahead of time? I've wondered how far ahead series authors plan. (I mentioned yesterday that Elizabeth George knew she was going to kill off Deborah years ahead of time...)

    I'm curious about all the Reds' thoughts on this too...

    Cheers, Lisa

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  19. Congratulations Rhys !! Sounds like a great party, can I bring the strawberries and cream ?

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  20. Thank you for all the lovely words, everyone.
    And of course we need strawberries and cream as well as the champagne and caviar (or maybe mimosa. it's not even 8 a.m. here).
    AND fireworks would be lovely.

    Lisa, good question about the greater story arc. Obviously I wanted Georgie and Darcy to get together after a certain amount of time. I've teased with the will they won't they for 7 books now. And I want it to be possible for them to marry. And I have lots of places I'd like to send Georgie.

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  21. Lucy, love the parade!!! A perfect tribute to our own Georgie!

    Rhys, you know how much I love the Georgie books. You manage a perfect balance between humor, creating characters the reader cares about, and writing a cracking good mystery.

    And as for my saying that Heirs and Graces was "a perfect fix between seasons of Downton Abbey"--considering last season, I'd MUCH rather read a Georgie book.

    Raising my tea cup to you!

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  22. Congratulations, Rhys! This is a terrific series.

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  23. I was one of the extremely lucky folks to receive an ARC of Heirs and Graces. It didn't disappoint: Georgie, Darcy, Belinda and, yes, the irrepressible Queenie, too, continue to delight the reader with their escapades.

    Rhys evokes Elizabeth Peters and her Amelia Peabody series in combining history, mystery and humor. And has done it again with Heirs and Graces, her seventh Royal Spyness mystery.

    ~Tricia

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  24. What fun! I hope the wild Australian makes Darcy jealous so he'll spend some quality time wooing Georgie. I'll dedicate a beer to them this evening!

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  25. I am looking forward to reading Rhys' novels. I've got Murphy's Law ready to start, and I plan on reading my way through that series first. I hope to have read at least one book from all you Reds by Bouchercon. I've read all of Julia's and Deborah's, and they are fantastic. The Reds don't disappoint.

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  26. I am really looking forward to the further adventures of the 35th in line to the throne. Marvelous concept, delightfully written.

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  27. I love your Georgie books. I think they'd make a fun TV series. Hope to read this one soon. :)

    Pen M

    pmettert@yahoo.com

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  28. Thanks to the "Royal Spyness" series I have started watching Downton Abbey. I may have things in reverse compared to most people but I'm absolutely loving it! I cannot wait to start Heirs and Graces. My only problem is the inevitable sadness when the book ends. I just don't want to leave Georgie's world. Thank you Rhys for a wonderful journey!

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  29. A new Georgie book is just what I need to read this week. Lifting a glass to Rhys. Here's looking at you, kid.

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  30. A new Georgie book is just what I have been wanting to read this week. Cheers on the launch, Rhys!

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  31. Hank, you asked how Downton Abbey has changed things for me--I think that both Downton and the young royal couple have made readers hungry for what I write.
    Downton has given a glimpse of the world I write about, both upstairs and downstairs and it has that same stellar must see quality that Dallas once had. We can't wait for the next season--although I'm still angry about killing off Matthew! I promise never to kill off Darcy.

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  32. I've anticipated reading about more of Georgie's antics in "Heirs and Graces" for several weeks. I'm an invalid so have lots of time to read and Rhys Bowen's books are the best at helping me ignore aches and pains and lose myself in England. I've been a dedicated Anglophile ever since I was a youngster so have loved the settings and characters in these books. Thank you Rhys for writing them. Now get busy on the next.

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  33. Here's to Heirs and Graces - congratulations Rhys!!! And in anticipation of Through the Evil Days, cheering for November!!!

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  34. "I promise never to kill off Darcy."

    Thank you, thank you, Rhys!!

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  35. Georgie is a wonderful character. She is the kind of person who is more clever than she realizes.

    I am so grateful you have had the wisdom to create her.

    I am too far from Times Square to see the banner, but I feel certain it is there.

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  36. Oh Rhys, I could not be more excited! A new Georgie book is the best news ever after a really miserable summer. My 29 yr old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer and that has pretty much consumed me for the past few months, but now she has had surgery and is recovering nicely and I am ready to get back to unreality and read, read, read. I would love to have a glass of champagne or a mimosa and celebrate with you! Congratulations and best of luck for many sales of Heirs and Graces.

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  37. Thank you for all the lovely wishes. I'm thrilled to report that the Audible audio version of Heirs and Graces has leaped to #1 on Amazon's historical mystery bestseller list.

    And stay tuned to my Facebook page because I'll have some Audible Heirs and Graces to give away!

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  38. Can't wait to read this book! I always look forward to the Georgie books -- funny and delightful. And I've got my fingers crossed for an eventual happy marriage between Georgie and Darcy.

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  39. I'd love to win Heirs and Graces! I don't have the last one but I have the two before that.

    Yeah, I don't like that they killed off Matthew on Downton Abbey, but I guess both him and the actress who played Sybil (I think she's the one who died after childbirth) wanted to leave the show. You'd think they'd be happy to have a job on a successful show. And the British shows don't have as many episodes as American ones.

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  40. I don't drink champagne, I despise caviar, and parades are okay. BUT I CAN LAP UP THIS NEXT INSTALLMENT OF THE BRILLIANT MINDED GEORGIE AND THE DELECTABLE DARCY FASTER THAN GEORGIE'S MUMMMY CAN MOVE TO HER NEXT LOVER!!!

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  41. You said that Georgie's character came to you instantly when you started writing her. I'm not surprised. In conversation, you have some of the same light, graceful way of handling - or pushing away - incoming questions, and a certain sang-froid. I hear you when I read her and as to the age difference, we're all still 20 in our heads! Much success to Georgie and her alter ego!

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