Blog Tour: Saved by a Rake by Em Taylor, spotlight, excerpt, interview and giveaway

Saved by a Rake

Author – Em Taylor

Genre – Regency Romance (Historical)

Publication Date – November 22, 2013

Publisher – Author

Cover Artist – Veronica Fernandez

SYNOPSIS 

When Lady Rebecca Eversley is left ravished by the Earl of Newthorpe and facing ruination, she has the choice to point her pretty little nose in the air and face the gossips of the Ton or scurry off to the country to live out her life as an old maid. When she meets Lord Daniel Ramsey, a notorious rake, she decides on the former course of action.

Daniel has been given an ultimatum, marry before his father dies or lose the majority of his inheritance money. Rebecca seems the perfect candidate, especially once rumours about her start to circulate in the drawing rooms of Mayfair.

When Newthorpe is found dead on the morning of their wedding, the people they care about find themselves suspects in the case. Who murdered Newthorpe and can Rebecca ever get over what he did to her?

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 EXCERPT

Rebecca lay still and waited for the sound of the footsteps to fade and disappear—terrified that he may change his mind and return to the bedchamber for more. Her heart thudded and her laboured breathing caused her throat to ache. 

Her mind refused to take in what had just happened. It could  not be possible. 

When silence had reigned for at least five minutes, she dared to draw in a heaving breath. Unfortunately, only her lungs seemed to function. Her limbs were uncooperative and lax, making her feel like a washed-out old rag doll. 

But she could not simply lie here, waiting for him to come back—or worse still, for some maid to find her. 

Willing herself to be strong—to survive—she summoned every ounce of strength and pulled herself into a sitting position before surveying the room. Thick, red velvet drapes framed the window, while maroon walls made the room look austere and disreputable. More red velvet hung from the frame of the four-poster bed further darkening the bed on which she sat, hidden from view in the dark world into which he had forced her

The shudder that racked her body came from the very centre of her being. If she agreed to his proposal, this would be her bedchamber and she would be countess to the man who had just ravished her. But she would not agree to marry the man—not after what he had done—not after what he had taken from her . But what if she was with child? Then she would have to marry—and marry him. She wanted to vomit at the mere idea.

A memory came to her unbidden. She was dancing at her come out   ball six years previously. A rather dashing young man, Lord John Winchester, had been her partner, and she had flirted and smiled coyly at him as they weaved through the intricate figures   of the dance. Her white satin gown, decorated with tiny jewels and lace around the neckline and cuffs had been her pride and joy—unlike the white muslin day dress she now wore, which would be placed in the fire at the first opportunity .

She had been so full of hope then—excited about what the future held. She could never have imagined it would be this.

Taking a deep breath and swallowing the tears that threatened, she lifted her gown, opened her legs and inspected the damage. A mixture of blood and his white fluid was beginning to dry on her milky skin—stark proof of her ruination. 

The memory of the pain as he thrust into her, bursting through her maidenhead and riding her until he grunted and slumped on top of her with a satisfied grin, made her head spin. If fainting were an option at that moment, Rebecca would have succumbed willingly to the blackness.

She pushed her breasts back inside her chemise, stays and gown, ignoring the pain, the teeth marks and the discomfort of not having her undergarments put on properly by her maid. Thank heavens he had not ripped the gown as he’d man-handled her. 

An image of Betty, her maid, tutting and grumbling as she took another gown below for mending flashed through her head.  If only a ripped dress was her biggest problem now.

She opened her thighs again, grimacing at the stains on her chemise and underskirt and the wetness between her thighs.  Struggling onto wobbly feet, she held fast to the mahogany post of the bed. Wooziness engulfed her. As she closed her eyes, trying to centre herself, she became aware of the offensive moisture running down the inside of her leg, no doubt ruining her stockings too.

She staggered through the door that led into the countess’s dressing room and located the entrance to the bathroom. Finding a towel and lifting her skirts, she scrubbed the soft linen up her legs, between her thighs and to her bruised and painful private area. She wanted to rid herself of his scent, his seed and every hideous memory that he had left with her. But self-preservation was more important.  She must get out of Newthorpe House and back to the safety of her own home and family .

What does Author Em Taylor want us to know about her?

The rules are simple. There are 20 questions but you only have to answer 10-15:

As a writer, what drives you? 

The need to get out of my current job. Sad but true.

As a woman, what drives you?

Common decency and the desire for true equality.

Can you tell us about Save By A Rake?

At the beginning of the book Lady Rebecca Eversley has just suffered one of the worst things a woman can experience. She has be brutally raped. And now she has to face the Ton (the high society in London at the time) and the gossips. She does so with dignity, refusing to run and hide in the country despite the fact she is ruined. Her brother’s best friend Daniel must find a wife quickly or lose his inheritance. Not being phased by Rebecca’s lack of innocence, he woos and marries her. When her rapist is murdered, her friends and family come under suspicion. Who killed him and can Rebecca put the past behind her and become a proper wife to Daniel?

Happy Ever After or Happy For Now? Why? Always Happily ever after. Because that’s what happens in fairy tales.

How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in your books? 

Not much. I’m not as brave as Rebecca nor as honorable as Daniel

Describe yourself in five words… 

Honest, Loyal, Funny, Opinionated, worrier

(In your humble opinion) best and worst book to movie adaptations… 

Best – About a Boy. Worst –Pride and Prejudice  (Keira Knightly one).

Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?

No. I’m a totally pantser and just try to make myself do something every day. I do like to request deadlines but since I am now self-published I tend to ignore my own deadlines. 

If you were a character in your book who you would be… 

Well I wouldn’t want what happened to Rebecca happen to me but I would love to marry Daniel.

Sex And The City…which character would you be? And not be… 

Never watched it *blushes*

When were you first published? How were you discovered?

I was first published under a pen name in April 2012. I sent a short story into a small American publisher for an anthology and it was accepted to my complete surprise. I published 3 short stories and 4 novellas with them under that name. 

Time for over and under… (In your humble opinion) famous overrated/underrated book? 

Overrated has to be Fifty Shades of Grey (Sorry girls). Underrated is Room by Emma Donohue

Overrated/underrated movie? Over-rated is any of the superhero movies. Underrated is Victor Victoria

Time for favourite: song, color, book, TV series, movie, food, drink… 

Song: Eirinn by Runrig, Colour: Purple, Book: Too difficult a question, TV Series: The West Wing, Food: Pepperoni pizza, Drink: Hot chocolate with Peppermint

How (or when) do you decide that you are finished writing a story? 

When I have my happily ever after.

People are always asking me this so I’m paying it forward. Where does your inspiration come from? TV, books, movies, talking to people, news articles. I use anything and everything as inspiration.

What are you working on right now? 

Rebecca’s brother’s story plus a short story for an anthology.

The good guy, the bad boy and the right guy…could they be one and the same? 

They could be, depending on how bad  they really are.

If you could have a power or ability what would it be?  

Time management. How do people do it?

AUTHOR BIO: 

Em was born and brought up in the Central Belt of Scotland and still lives there. She was told as a child she had an over active imagination—as if that is a bad thing. She’s traded her dreams of owning her own island, just like George in the Famous Five to hoping to meet her own Mr Darcy one day. But her imagination remains the same.

Unfortunately, Em was put off reading and writing by school and although she rediscovered her love of reading many years ago, she only tried her hand at writing again in 2011. After a year of writing fan fiction, she wrote an original short story for an anthology. This was followed up with two more shorts and 4 novella length books, all published under a pen name. Having fallen in love with a new sub-genre, courtesy of books by Mary Balogh and Lynsay Sands, she decided to try her hand at her new favourite genre for reading—regency.

Having bitten the bullet, she feels she has found her home in the 19th century, and it does give her an excuse to watch Colin Firth in a pair of buff breeches and riding books ad infinitum.

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