About the Book

Book: Redeeming the Rake

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: August 20, 2024

He’s bent on destroying everything she values, stealing her heart in the process.

As a vicar’s daughter, Emily Thompson has always put her family’s reputation first, even when it meant setting aside her aspirations of joining the Royal Art Academy. But when a notorious London rake is accosted in her sleepy Costwold village and her quick thinking saves the libertine’s blackened soul, that reputation she’s so carefully guarded is left vulnerable to vicious gossip.

Agent Lord Jacob Edward Warren’s silver tongue can’t save him when he’s staring down the barrel of a vengeful husband’s gun. but an enchanting damsel’s skill with a bow and arrow offers him the hope of tomorrow. Intrigued by Miss Thompson’s quiet charm, he commissions the budding artist to paint his portrait, but his intensions change when he discovers this beguiling beauty holds not only his chance at redemption but also the intelligence he’s been assigned to gather.

The time spent in Lord Warren’s company has Emily wondering if he’s hiding more than charm and wit behind his reputation as a rake. But when she’s drawn into Jacob’s noble cause, the web of danger proves more perilous than either of them are prepared to face.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Lorri Dudleyhas been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household.

More from Lorri

Before I started writing books, I used to teach art at a local Christian school for first through fifth grade. Having a main character as an artist was a delight. I wrote Emily’s view of vibrant colors, light and shadows, shapes, and perspective from my personal experience and enjoyed putting an artist’s visual viewpoint into words.

A clash of characters—the Neoclassic vs. Romantic method

The early 1800s ushered in a change from the Neoclassical to the Romantic movement. (They had me at romantic.) Neoclassical art focused on traditional subject matter, often contemporary Lord and Ladies, political figures, or Roman mythological characters. The style used prominent horizontal and vertical renderings in a shallow space with sober colors, and brush strokes weren’t to be seen. Romanticism, on the other hand, focused on imagination, an awe of nature, emotion, and individualism. Romanticists painted with a broader brush—literally and figuratively.

Emily and Jacob’s relationship becomes the merging of the two art movements. Although Emily is artistic, she’s traditional and holds herself in check, afraid to make mistakes or act freely due to a fear of people’s perceptions and being a vicar’s daughter. She sees the world in bright colors and displays a touch of Romanticism in her artwork. When not painting, Emily sees herself and her future in plain and sobering colors. She keeps her world small and shallow to protect her family’s reputation, especially her beloved and impressionable younger brother.

Lord Jacob Warren is the born-to-be-wild, laugh in the face of danger, third-born son, who doesn’t care a wit what others think as long as he accomplishes his mission as a spy. However, his individualistic, romantic side is intrigued by the vicar’s daughter who saves his life, and he’s curious about the woman who’d pound on his chest and scream, “You will live, in Jesus’s name!” His emotions stir when Emily notices details about him that others never bothered to learn and becomes charmed by her natural beauty.

Jacob and Emily may paint with different brushstrokes, but their love, when blended, demonstrates a powerful masterpiece, the kind of love that only God could orchestrate.

Enjoy!

Interview with Lorri

How do you create your main characters?

lakesidelivingsite, September 12

In my opinion, the characters create the story. Usually, my stories start with me picturing an inciting event that brings my protagonists together. I then dig into their psyche, background, and personalities to figure out why they reacted the way they did. For example, in my most recent book, Redeeming the Rake, I imagined Emily walking through the woods and happening upon Jacob near a stream with his hands bound. He’s on his knees, about to be shot in the back of the head by a blackguard. I needed to know why Jacob was about to be executed. What had he done? Eventually, my process led to him being a roguish spy who’d been mistakenly caught in a precarious position with the blackguard’s wife. Although innocent, Jacob walked a fine line with danger because his father’s belittling led him to believe he could never measure up, so why bother? For those who are interested in plotting, some great books that I use to help ask the right questions, digging into a character’s background, hurts, desires, wants, and needs are Susan May Warren’s The Story Equation, Ackerman’s and Puglisi’s “Appendix A: Character Profile Questions” of The Positive Trait Thesaurus, and the writing exercises at the end of each chapter in Alan Watt’s The 90-day Novel.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

I’m challenged around the muddy middle, which got its nickname for a reason. The middle is where I feel like I’m in a boat on the ocean during a foggy day and can no longer see the shore. I start questioning whether the story makes sense and whether the characters and plot are coming together. It’s a struggle to stay motivated and keep my fingers on the keyboard instead of focusing on the other million things that try to distract me from my writing. Two key items help me get through the muddy middle, the first being the main character’s moment of introspection. It’s what James Scott Bell termed the “Mirror Moment” in his book, Write Your Novel from the Middle.Characters realize they must change to reach their goal, or the odds are stacked against them, and they face certain death—psychological, physical, relational, or professional. The second item that pushes me through the muddy middle is knowing I’ve crested the hill of my novel and can focus on pulling all the plot lines and spiritual threads together to reach the black moment where everything falls apart before the happily-ever-after. 

 What does your family think of your writing?

So… I’m the odd woman out in my male-dominated household. No matter how many action-adventure, science fiction, or mystery novels I read to my three boys when they were younger, my husband’s business-book-reading genes won out. All four only read non-fiction books on leadership, investments, and business. They do not understand romance books or my writing. Often, they’ll come into my office as I’m making a gesture,talking, or acting out a scene, and they’ll look at me like I’ve turned into a space alien. They’ve learned to ask me when they see me crying, “Are you book crying or real crying?” I’ve given up trying to explain to them that book crying is real crying. 

 When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I have always loved creative writing and won my school’s young author’s contest in both 1st and 5th grades, but I’d always struggled with spelling and grammar. I doubted my skills to become a writer until spelling and grammar checks were invented. While those apps don’t catch everything, they were the slight edge to boost my confidence, allowing me to dive into the world of being published, and I’m still growing and learning in these areas (ask any of my editors). When I first decided to write, my kids were young, and to keep my mind occupied while I pushed them on the swings (for what seemed like endless hours), I came up with several book plots. After they went to bed each night, I sat down at my keyboard and wrote. I’m living proof to never give up on a passion God has placed on your heart. It may take some time, but He’ll make a way.

 What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I was a little over a quarter of the way through writing Redeeming the Rake when the main character passed out at the sight of blood. I jumped up from my chair and screamed at my computer, “You can’t do that!” but Jacob did. His fear of blood didn’t fit into my outline. How could I have a spy who faints? How ridiculous. I tried rewriting the scene, but my devil-may-care character was humbled each time by the sight of blood. I rewrote my outline to fit his new flaw, which played nicely into his character arc. Turns out my characters have a will of their own and sometimes know better than I do.

 How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Redeeming the Rake is my ninth book—six in The Leeward Island Series, and there are to be four in the Agents of Espionage Series, of which Redeeming the Rake is book three. All can be read standalone. I’ve also written a Newport, Rhode Island novella titled A Summer on Bellevue Avenue, an American Gilded Age novella from the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series that Wild Heart Books released by various authors. 

 

Each book is like a child. You love them all, but if I had to choose my favorites, I’d say The Sugar Baron’s Ring of the Leeward Island Series and my latest book, Redeeming the Rakebecause the male characters were so much fun to write. Typically, the heroes of my stories tend to run on the brooding side, but Bradley, his best bloke, Colin, and Jacob used sarcasm, wit, and humor to make light of the trouble they’d gotten themselves into. Much of their characterization was based on how my boys talk and treat one another. Brotherly love is its own animal. 

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

My books are on Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and Wildheartbooks.org. Readers can follow me on BookBub, Goodreads, or join my weekly newsletter for inspirational posts and writing updates at LorriDudley.com. 

 Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

Redeeming the Rake released August 20, 2024, and the next book in the series is Relinquishing the Agent where a bookish older sister pretends to be her socialite cousin to sneak an invitation to a house party in the Cotswolds, in hopes of meeting an Oxford professor who might have the cure to save her ailing sister’s life. She never anticipates encountering a body snatching ring nor falling for a marquis spy bent on catching them. 

Here’s the back cover copy of Redeeming the Rake:

He’s bent on destroying everything she values, stealing her heart in the process. 

As a vicar’s daughter, Emily Thompson has always put her family’s reputation first, even when it meant setting aside her aspirations of joining the Royal Art Academy. But when a notorious London rake is accosted in her sleepy Cotswold village, her quick thinking saves the libertine’s blackened soul, leaving her carefully guarded reputation vulnerable to vicious gossip.  
​
Agent Lord Jacob Edward Warren’s silver tongue can’t save him when he’s staring down the barrel of a vengeful husband’s gun, but an enchanting damsel’s skill with a bow and arrow offers him the hope of tomorrow. Intrigued by Miss Thompson’s quiet charm, he commissions the budding artist to paint his portrait. However, his intentions change when he discovers this beguiling beauty holds not only his chance at redemption but also the intelligence he’s been assigned to gather.  
​
The time spent in Lord Warren’s company has Emily wondering if he’s hiding more than charm and wit behind his reputation as a rake. But when she’s drawn into Jacob’s noble cause, the web of danger proves more perilous than either are prepared to face.  

Blog Stops

She Lives To Read, September 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, September 11

Holly’s Book Corner, September 11

Betti Mace, September 13

Stories By Gina, September 14 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 17

Texas Book-aholic, September 17

Cover Lover Book Review, September 18

DevotedToHope, September 19

Book Looks by Lisa, September 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 21

Pause for Tales, September 21

Simple Harvest Reads, September 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, September 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5437