Author: Emma

Emma Barry is a teacher, novelist, recovering academic, and former political staffer. She lives with her high school sweetheart and a menagerie of pets and children in Virginia, and she occasionally finds time to read and write.

I’m in a Box!

time after time cover

Today, Crimson Romance’s Time after Time bundle released. It includes my American Civil War-set romance Brave in Heart. And the entire bundle, ten complete books, is only 99 cents!

It’s a good set to get if you like unusual historicals. Four of the titles are set in the US, one in the Caribbean. The other five are Western European–but one of those involves Vikings!

Brave in Heart is part second-chance-at-love story and part searing war memoir, a fast-paced but true-to-period historical romance about change and forgiveness, bravery and loss, and finding the strength to act.

My complete list of reasons to read it is here, but it’s a short, angst-y, unusual historical. Also there are lots of love letters. If that’s not inducement enough, might I remind you that Brave in Heart was a top pick at Romantic Historical Lovers. It made Miss Bates cry. And lots of readers found it too steamy (say it isn’t so!).

If you’re a romance reviewer who didn’t review Brave in Heart last summer–which is to say most reviewers–and you’re interested in the book, let me know.

And if I’ve convinced you to give my book and the entire bundle a try, here are the buy links:

Amazon | B&N | Crimson | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance | Google Play | Goodreads

The publisher’s blurb and links to each of the books are after the fold.

Continue reading “I’m in a Box!” →

Nationalism and Romance

This is a quasi-follow-up to this post–at least the part about the American literary canon. I’ve been thinking about my books’ American-ness and wanted to put that into a historical context. But I’m going to start with a digression about publishing history.

It has always been difficult to make a living as a writer. Prior to the nineteenth-century, it was all but impossible with the notable exception of Shakespeare and a handful of others who managed to obtain patrons. But these guys proved the rule: most writers were wealthy folks, almost exclusively men, who pursued writing as a hobby. They didn’t need to make money and for the most part, they didn’t.

Books themselves were expensive until new printing processes and paper manufacturing developments lowered the price in the late 19th century. The circulation figures for 17th and 18th century texts are generally small. Additionally, difficulty transporting goods meant that book markets were largely regional. But even for a given local printer, it didn’t make sense to invest a lot of money to obtain a manuscript.

Continue reading “Nationalism and Romance” →

Boosting the Signal

I’m so grateful to Angela Korra’ti for hosting me today as part of her Boosting the Signal series so that Parker can send (or not send) a memo. If you’ve read the book, he would have drafted this little extra after the meeting in chapter 3.

If you haven’t, it’s a little insight to the snippy, sexy relationship between an arrogant, cynical congressional aide and an idealistic, vulnerable labor organizer. (ETA: for newbies, Millie and Parker meet, she hits on him, he turns her down, and, then, as tends to happen in Washington, she ends up in his office for a meeting. Sparks fly. The memo extra is an attempt to tamp that down–though of course it won’t work.)

For more information about Special Interests, including the first chapter, look here. And for information about book 2–which features their friends Alyse and Liam and a seedy money-laundering scandal–check out Private Politics.

Baby, You’re So Classic

I’ve been thinking some about the Dear Author essay this week–which tends to be one of the highlights of my Tuesday–which asked what makes a romance endure.

I commented there, but I have a few more random thoughts after the break.

Continue reading “Baby, You’re So Classic” →

Private Politics: Cover Reveal

Less than two weeks ago, I finished writing the final book in The Easy Part series. I’m still promoting Special Interests (and to everyone who has reviewed the book or said nice things and mixed things about it–thank you!). And in less than 3 months, Private Politics will be out.

That’s right: on September 8, the second book in the series can be yours.

Do you want to see the cover?

Private Politics Cover

 

 

I don’t have the final blurb yet–sorry!–but there are some minor spoilers on the book’s Pinterest board. (ETA: here’s the log line: A non-profit fundraiser needs help dealing with a scandal from a political blogger, but as their hearts and ambitions collide, they find out that everything in Washington comes with a price.)

I adore Millie and Parker from Special Interests. Their story, and the experience of writing that book, were so important to me. But Alyse and Liam are delightful. I love them and I hope you will too.

You can pre-order Private Politics on Amazon and Kobo and add it to your Goodreads shelves. In the meantime, I’ll be here. Staring.

Random Thought

I’ve seen several charity anthologies or boxed set recently, such as this one benefitting RAINN and this one raising money for juvenile diabetes research. These are lovely projects and reflect incredible generosity and hard work from everyone involved.

But I have a suggestion: the organizers for the next charity anthology should recruit a bunch of very famous authors, put their names on the cover but publish the stories (or novellas or whatever) unsigned.

The speculation about who wrote what would be intense. Additionally, the pseudo-anonymity might push the authors involved to write outside of their usual style, which might be interesting for everyone involved. It would only work if the authors were all very high-profile and had very distinct voices, but the hook might lead the project to be super successful.

Just a thought.

Odds and Ends, Part II

First things first, the Sizzling Summer Reads Event is under way at The Romance Reviews! Literally dozens of prizes are up for grabs including books and gift cards–and this week, one of those prizes is an e-copy of Special Interests. One of the questions for the game today is related to Special Interests and if you read my blog, I’m certain you know the answer. So go forth and enter!

Next, I will soon be available in a box. Specifically this box.

time after time cover

My American Civil War-set historical romance Brave in Heart is one of ten (10!) books in this bundle from Crimson Romance. It will be available starting on July 7 for the amazing cost of 99 cents. Brave in Heart has never been available at that price, let alone with nine other books. If you’ve been waiting to buy it, that would be time.

I don’t have any pre-order links yet, but I will post them when I have ’em. (ETA: you can add the collection on Goodreads.)

Things That Make Me Happy…

…include finishing books.

Party Lines The End

Last week, I typed the words “the end” on the third book in The Easy Part series. Last night, I connected the dots and truly tied all the pieces of the manuscript together. It (Party Lines) still needs a massive amount of work, but there is a finished first draft. (ETA: for tiny spoilers, here’s the Pinterest board for the book.)

It’s the fifth book I’ve completed but the first time I’ve finished a series. There was a moment in the spring when I was promoting Special Interests, editing Private Politics, and writing Party Lines, and for the first time, I felt like an author and not merely someone who dabbles with words.

I have more thoughts about that, and about how I write, but, given the number of words I produced in the last week, I’m going to retreat to my cave and catch up on some sleep before my next deadline.

 

Writerly Ethos

I am a heroine-centric reader and writer. My heroines tend to be a bit of a mess, but they are all finding their way out of the mess. I tend to catch them on the journey down into the valley, so to speak. While my heroines may be in the process of becoming, regardless of what stage of life they’re at, they all have agency. I feel more sympathy and understanding for them, which may lead me to paint them in watercolor.

I write heroes who are really into their heroines, often from quite early on in the narrative. I’m not interested in aloof, mysterious heroes who may or may not be open to love. Sometimes my heroes pretend to be that guy, but they are desperate for her. I write heroes who in the process of falling love, learn about their vulnerability and how to share with at least one other person their exposed heart.

I write settings that feel like characters, because I think people are shaped by place and history. I am more interested in how, why and where than what; plot doesn’t drive my stories.

I like books, music, art and politics and my characters do too. I’m not writing autobiography, but if two characters fight about Dickens, that’s shorthand for the differences between them.

If I am writing it, there will almost always be a scene where two people walk around in the dark and say things they wouldn’t during the day. There will almost always be exchanged written words: letters, texts, emails. There will always be kissing.

For my characters, love is hope. Love is optimism. Love is a talisman against all the bad they see in the world.

Sometimes writing romance in our world feels added on. Unnecessary. But when I remember why I write, I know there is nothing extra about it.