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+ Writing

Writing unlikeable heroes

by Unknown's avatar

If there’s one thing that much of the author community cannot agree on, it’s unlikeable heroes.

What makes a hero unlikeable?

How unlikeable is too unlikeable, and they just become the villain?

Why do unlikeable heroes transfix us, as readers?

And honestly, I don’t have 100% of the answers for you! There is something inexplicable about how we are so easily transfixed by unlikeable characters, especially when they are the hero.

Take House, from the TV show House MD. He’s a truly repellent character! He’s cruel, vicious, even to those he likes, and he almost always makes the wrong decision…and yet it is his character that draws us to the TV show again and again.

I find writing unlikeable heroes a challenge, but a fun one. The secret (at least, my secret), is to find something deep within them that doesn’t excuse their bad behaviour, but at least explains it.

For example, past heartbreak, losing a parent young, or having fought in a war. Now, experiencing those things doesn’t mean that a man should be allowed to treat people badly – but it at least explains it.

Not all of my heroes are unlikeable. I write quite a few cinnamon rolls and golden retrievers – but there are a few unlikeable heroes in my canon. If you’re looking for one, try out Always the Bridesmaid, A Fighting Chance, or one of my faves, Catastrophe with a Count.

Enjoy!

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+ new book, regency

PRE-ORDER NOW: In With a Chance

by Unknown's avatar

What happens when a very proper and very dull marquess proposes to you…and then that very afternoon, you meet a gentleman who makes your whole body fizz? Pre-order this book NOW!

Miss Gwendoline Chance is about to announce her engagement to her family: she just doesn’t expect three things.

Firstly, that her newly betrothed, the Marquess of Ravenshurst, was going to propose in such a boring manner.

Secondly, that her family would be so disappointed with her choice.

And thirdly, that her brother would bring home a startling handsome young man who will not stop staring at her.

But Ernest Quintrell, unexpected Baron Frasemere, cannot help himself. Gwen has a fiery temper and bad manners and passion, and is engaged to another man. And his best friend’s sister!

Besides, the only reason Ernest is even in London is to find a wealthy bride to restore his disgraced family’s fortunes.

Which is why he should never even have been in with a chance with the tempestuous woman who is determined to have the rich marquess, even despite these stirrings whenever she looks at Ernest…

When secrets are spilled and arguments becoming kissing, Gwen isn’t exactly in with a chance of saving her reputation.

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: brother’s best friend/best friend’s brother, engaged to another, firecracker heroine, cinnamon roll hero, marriage of convenience, meddling family, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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+ Writing

How do authors get their ideas?

by Unknown's avatar

It’s the question I probably hear most often, especially because I usually have at least 6+ novels out every year.

Where do you get your ideas from?

How do authors like you think of so many ideas?

What do you do to get new ideas?

And so I sat down at my desk to write a blog about it. And discovered that…I don’t really know 😅

That sounds so flippant, but honestly, I have never struggled to think of ideas. In fact, the opposite is true. I have ideas for over ten more series sitting on my computer, just waiting for me to have the time to write them!

But when I thought more about it, I tried to narrow down specifically how those ideas come to me, and I think it happens in one of two ways.

Firstly, I think of a series idea. For example, my Twelve Days of Christmas series came about when I was listening to the Christmas carol and suddenly thought, “What if there were twelve cousins, and their love stories followed the lyrics of the song?” A couple of years later, and the series was launched!

Sometimes this series idea is more thematic. For example, I was reading a lot of ‘governess’ themed Regency books, and I suddenly thought: “What if there was a bureau, or a company or something, that organised governesses…and it kept going wrong?” The Governess Bureau series was born!

And the second way that I think of ideas is when a character walks into my head, and I realise I have to tell their story. They usually become one of the romantic leads in the first book in the series, and they introduce me to all their friends who then demand their own series.

This happened with Richard, Duke of Axwick who became the hero in Always the Bridesmaid, book 1 of my ‘Never the Bride‘ series, and with Julia who is the heroine in Don’t Judge a Duke by His Cover, book 1 in my ‘Dukes in Danger‘ series.

So that’s how I come by my ideas! There’s no magic, and no real cleverness. They kind of happen to me. One day I suppose I might run out of ideas, but it hasn’t happened in a decade so far…

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+ publishing

Follow me on the socials!

by Unknown's avatar

Hello, lovely readers!

I know that many of you love interacting with authors on social media, and I suddenly realised that I haven’t shared all my social links in a little while – so here you go!

Twitter: @emilyekmurdoch

Facebook: @emilyekmurdoch

Instagram: @emilyekmurdoch

My newsletter (with free book!): click here

If you love seeing photos of my real life, hearing how the writing process is going, and the random thoughts from the mind of a historical author, social media is the place to find me.

See you there!

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+ new book, regency

READ NOW: A Chance of a Lifetime

by Unknown's avatar

There’s nothing so fun to write as a heroine who knows far more about life and the world than the hero! That’s the dynamic that I’ve worked on for this book which I think you will absolutely love. Read this book NOW – for free in Kindle Unlimited!

Michael Chance, future Viscount Pernrith, was emigrating. Secretly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love his family, but he certainly didn’t love the expectations put upon him, or the boredom of Society, or the dull existence stretching out before him. He craved adventure, excitement, anything but another card party! So: emigrating it is.

Without telling his family. He couldn’t face the tears.

What he didn’t expect was discovering no ships in London were leaving for anywhere exciting for at least two weeks, or to literally run into a sea captain with a bosom to die for and a mouth that could curse better than his own.

Captain Phylis Seaton has known nothing but the sea. Raised by her father on the Dreamer before inheriting the ship, she lives a life on the move, going where the wind—and the work—takes her.

An unlikely friendship. A passion neither of them can deny.

But there’s just one problem: Michael is still determined to emigrate, and Phylis is just as determined to prove to him that the noble landlubber is not prepared for a life at sea.

And if someone was accidentally to get their heart broken in this debate, would it be the nobleman struggling to face his future, or the wild woman of the sea struggling to outsail her past?

Neither Michael nor Phylis are prepared for this chance of a lifetime…

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: found family, grumpy/sunshine, she’s the professional, secrets and lies, teach me (she’s the expert), and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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+ Writing

I have Patreon!

by Unknown's avatar

One of the hardest things about being a writer is that you have to do much of it alone.

Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have some amazing author friends. They encourage me support me, and laugh with me when things go terribly wrong! But most of them live hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from me.

I also have my amazing readers! They get to see a huge amount of me, by reading my books, but I don’t get to chat with them so much.

When you combine that with my dream to spend a bit more time writing, it totally makes sense to create a Patreon.

A Patreon is where people who want to support a person’s creativiity can commit to a certain amount of money a month, usually around $5-10, to encourage them and get cool rewards, bonus content, and behind the scenes.

Now I have one. You can check out my Patreon and see what sort of awesome benefits you can get by supporting me. Of course, you don’t have to, you can always get my books from Amazon.

But if you’d like to see a little more of me, and know you’re supporting me writing more books, then check it out!

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+ new book, regency

Did you miss this?: I’ve written a book for Penguin!

by Unknown's avatar

I have written a contemporary romance for Penguin! It’s a celebrity fake dating romance packed with hilarious joy, found family, and of course, an outrageously hot hero and a heroine who isn’t quite sure what she wants…

What do you get when a celebrity and a fan meet on a dating app?

Meet Jessy and Patrick.

All Jessy wants is to figure out what to do with her life. She hates her job, lives in a crappy London apartment and her love life is non-existent. . .That is until her twin sister begs her to join her newly launched dating app, Butterflies.

Lead singer and front man of These Exiles, Patrick just wants a break after coming off tour. But when he’s mistakenly arrested, his record label insists on doing damage control. Their latest scheme? Getting Patrick on the dating apps and into a relationship.

When Jessy and Patrick match on Butterflies, neither plan to actually meet. . . but then they literally bump into each other and chaos ensues. With their faces plastered all over the internet, and Patrick’s record label jumping on the publicity, the two find themselves unexpectedly ‘dating.’

Can they keep up the farce in front of the whole world, or will they start to believe their own lie?

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+ Writing

Have you read my series ‘Never the Bride’?

by Unknown's avatar

I’ve been looking back at my publishing history and I cannot believe my first historical romance series with Dragonblade came out six years ago! The series follows a number of women who never ever expected to be brides – and the entire series is in Kindle Unlimited, so if you’re a member you can read all twelve books for free…

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, until one scandalous duke refuses to let her go.

Miss Tabitha Chesworth has been down the aisle three times, but only to watch others marry. At twenty-four, she’s had enough of being overlooked. She may be titled and well-mannered, but society still treats her as a permanent supporting role. That is, until a fiery clash with the scandalous Duke of Axwick changes everything.

read now!

Always the chaperone and never the bride, until one battle-worn duke refuses to follow the plan.

Lady Charlotte St Maur has accepted her fate. At over thirty, she’s no longer invited to balls as a guest but as a chaperone,a well-bred, well-mannered spinster who ensures others find love. But behind the composed exterior lies a woman who still yearns for something more…

read now!

Always the courtesan and never the bride, it’s a life she never chose… and one she may never escape.

Lady Honora Lennox hasn’t used her name in years, not since she was abducted at sixteen and forced into a life of shame. Now nineteen, hardened and hidden behind a new identity, she’s long stopped believing in kindness, let alone rescue…

MEET HER!

And there are another nine books in the series – so click here to see them all!

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+ History, new book

Have you read Regina?

by Unknown's avatar

One of my life’s goals was to write and have published a non-fiction historical book – I absolutely love reading them, and I’ve always wanted to write one! Last year my dream was brought to life, and Regina: The Queens Who Could Have Been was born. If you haven’t read it, you absolutely should!

What queens would England have had if firstborn daughters, not firstborn sons, had inherited the throne? We may think of princesses as dutiful, marital conveniences to build alliances, wearing long flowing dresses, but the eldest daughters of our kings have been very different.

Political intriguers. Abducted nuns who demanded divorces. Murderers.

Our princesses have been mothers willing to risk anything for their children, wives who followed their husbands to the very ends of earth, and spinsters who demanded their intellectual and societal freedom.

This book explores what it meant to be royal, how sons came to be valued higher than daughters, and just how England might have looked under a royal matriarchy. The politicians we lost, the masterminds we see negotiating nunneries not armies, the personalities shining brilliantly even hundreds of years later: the Queens who should have been.

Let’s meet them.

Click here to order now!

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+ new book, regency

PRE-ORDER NOW: A Chance of a Lifetime

by Unknown's avatar

There’s nothing so fun to write as a heroine who knows far more about life and the world than the hero! That’s the dynamic that I’ve worked on for this book which I think you will absolutely love. Pre-order this book NOW – for just 0.99!

Michael Chance, future Viscount Pernrith, was emigrating. Secretly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love his family, but he certainly didn’t love the expectations put upon him, or the boredom of Society, or the dull existence stretching out before him. He craved adventure, excitement, anything but another card party! So: emigrating it is.

Without telling his family. He couldn’t face the tears.

What he didn’t expect was discovering no ships in London were leaving for anywhere exciting for at least two weeks, or to literally run into a sea captain with a bosom to die for and a mouth that could curse better than his own.

Captain Phylis Seaton has known nothing but the sea. Raised by her father on the Dreamer before inheriting the ship, she lives a life on the move, going where the wind—and the work—takes her.

An unlikely friendship. A passion neither of them can deny.

But there’s just one problem: Michael is still determined to emigrate, and Phylis is just as determined to prove to him that the noble landlubber is not prepared for a life at sea.

And if someone was accidentally to get their heart broken in this debate, would it be the nobleman struggling to face his future, or the wild woman of the sea struggling to outsail her past?

Neither Michael nor Phylis are prepared for this chance of a lifetime…

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: found family, grumpy/sunshine, she’s the professional, secrets and lies, teach me (she’s the expert), and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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+ publishing

Did you know I teach?

by Unknown's avatar

One of the things I really miss about my old day jobs was the amount of teaching that they included.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I have the utmost respect for the people I would call ‘real’ teachers. The people who teach our children, young people, and adults through educational institutions. You are incredible!

But on a much smaller scale, I adore teaching. I love breaking down something complicated, teaching it to someone else, and seeing them get it – and then apply it themselves!

I used to teach a lot of workshops, speak at events, and mentor, and I’ve spent some time working out how I can bring those elements into my writing career.

First off, I’ve created two writing courses specifically for authors, based on my skills. You can find them here.

Secondly, I teach courses through the RWF throughout the year, based on my historical and craft specialties. You can always seen what courses are coming up here.

And thirdly, I offer developmental and line editing (separately and together!) for authors who want to up their game. Get in touch to talk with me about this, if this sounds interesting.

Thank you for reading!

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+ new book, regency

READ NOW: The Marquess’s Wagered Wife

by Unknown's avatar

An irritation to lovers, Brighton beach Regency romance continues my Unconventional Oliver Sisters series! A marriage gamble…worth the risk?! Make sure to read now!

A high society, enemies to lovers Regency romance

When irritatingly handsome Montague Donovan, Marquess of Laidley, challenges Calliope Oliver to a painting contest, the stakes are high. If he wins, Calliope must marry him, and if Calliope wins, then she will gain the artistic recognition she’s always craved—and knock the arrogant smirk off his face!

Having unexpectedly become guardian to his orphaned nephew, Montague finds himself in need of a convenient wife—fast. As their competition reaches fever pitch, and he and silver-tongued Calliope bicker their way to attraction, it’s more than the wager he stands to lose—but his heart too!

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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