Emily E K Murdoch

I know, I have been busy! As well as O Night Divine, this year I am a part of another Christmas anthology – this one is called Have Yourself a Merry Little Secret!

Some of my favourite historical romance authors to read are in this set, and so you’ve got to dive in and explore how secrets and scandals can bring people together at Christmas time…

From the seductive boudoirs and elite salons of London to the ancient castles of the snowy Scottish Highlands, our fearless heroines enter the Christmas season in pursuit of their heart’s desire.

But, the course of true love never did run smooth… especially when SECRETS abound.

Settle in to enjoy these tales of intrigue, romantic adventure, sizzling passion, and heartwarming holiday romance.

This collection of never-before-published Yuletide historical romances from your favorite authors is available for just three months, so don’t miss out.

Unwrap the pleasure…

Wedding Her Christmas Duke – by Collette Cameron
He’s not who he says he is…but then again, neither is she. Their secrets are revealed at a Christmastide house party, resulting in scandal and scorching romance.

The Knot of a Knight – by Linda Rae Sande
Sir Randolph’s daytime occupation collides with his nocturnal avocation of service to the Crown when he discovers Lady X’s hidden stash of bank notes. They might be counterfeit—but are his feelings for her?

The Marquess is Mine – by Tamara Gill
Is a Christmas ball at St. Albans Abbey the perfect setting for Sarah to regain her trust in love–and in Giles? Or is their second chance at happily ever after doomed to end as badly as their first?

A Yuletide Miracle – by Laurel O’Donnell
The one knight who didn’t believe her was the only man who could keep her secret and save the Yule.

The Lady Who Stole Christmas – by Sydney Jane Baily
Amid mistletoe and missing jewels, a wealthy widow and a sexy sleuth play a game of cat and mouse.

Christmas with a Czar – by Emily E.K. Murdoch
This Christmas at St. James’ Court, a gentleman claiming to be a Czar is not all that he seems…

A Scot Most Wanted – by Angelique Armae
When highwaywoman Catrina Lennox’s secret is unmasked during a Christmas Eve snowstorm, she learns just how deliciously scandalous the laird she once walked out on, truly is.

Secretly Marvellous – by Virginia Taylor
Lady Mary doesn’t expect Lord Westerham to ask for her hand in marriage but she has a secret reason to say ‘yes’ and mean ‘no.’

Yuletide Secrets – by S. Cinders
He promised to never love again—until she quite literally fell at his feet. Now he’s ruined for anyone else but her.

One Scandalous Christmas – by J. Burrelli
Robert Vaughn, never expected to lay eyes on Kitty Thorpe again. Her misplaced anger confounds him, but the fire in her eyes tempts him to pure folly, of falling in love with her all over again.

The Rogue’s Secret – by Stacy Reid and Giselle Marks
Bachelor, Lord Rupert Rogers, is searching for the treasure his great uncle suggests he has left him but finds an enemy and a bride he must convince with one kiss at a time they are perfect for each other…

The Secrets He Keeps – by Amy Sandas
She’s the madam of an elite London brothel. He’s a master in the art of seduction. Enticing her to his bed will be a pleasure. Convincing her love is real might prove to be impossible.

Grab this amazing boxset now!

September 26, 2020 + Writing

What do you eat and drink while writing?

by Emily

Whenever I was studying for my exams when I was young, I would always need to have chocolate chip cookies. For me, that’s what revision tastes like! I would use them for motivation; all I had to do was get through revising another few pages, and I would have a cookie.

As I’ve got older, I really haven’t changed that much! Some days I am completely in the zone, the Muse is with me, and I can’t imagine struggling to write another chapter – and another chapter – and another chapter…

But sometimes, writing is hard. Writing is hard! Every word seems to be a real challenge and although I know I need to write more, I struggle.

That’s when the cookies come in.

There’s nothing quite like incentives like cookies! I line them up and make sure I promise myself not to have one until I finish the chapter. All of a sudden, the chapter is written, and I’m stuffing a cookie into my face!

But that’s what works for me. What works for you? What food or drink do you use to motivate yourself – or do you use something else?

September 19, 2020 + Writing

Think bluestockings are a thing of the past?

by Emily

My latest release in my Never the Bride series, Always the Bluestocking, has Mariah Wynn as my heroine – a bluestocking who is desperate for education and furious that society forbids her from university.

I loved writing this book. Mariah is probably one of my heroines who is most like me, and so I had a great time being angry on her behalf – or was it that she was angry on my behalf?

Because I am angry. Although I was able to go to university for an undergraduate degree and even my masters, there are women and girls all over the world who are denied that right.

Bluestockings are not a thing of the past. There are millions of girls in countries in almost every continent who are not allowed to go to school, whether because they are needed at home, because they need to work, or because education isn’t seen as valuable for girls.

I’d really encourage you to look at Unicef’s website about girls’ education, which you can find here: https://www.unicef.org/education/girls-education

I look forward to the day when every girl can get a good education! In the meantime, I’m going to keep supporting Unicef and writing books that have strong, powerful, and amazing women.

September 12, 2020 + new book

‘Always the Bluestocking’ is waiting for you!

by Emily

Thanks to such amazing reviews from my wonderful readers (that’s you!) the release date of Always the Bluestocking has been brought forward! That means you can grab it right now and lose yourself

Make sure you grab this gorgeous Regency romance and let me know what you think!

Always the bluestocking and never the bride – not that any woman should have to choose…

Book 6 in the bestselling series Never the Bride is now Available! Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

Miss Mariah Wynn was adopted and has spent her life attempting to prove herself worthy. Intelligent and witty, it’s nonetheless not a good idea to let a gentleman know you actually have brains. After all, no one marries the bluestocking, even if she is beautiful and but twenty one.

One man who laughs in the face of bluestockings is Patrick O’Leary, Viscount Donal. He knows the woman’s place, and that is most certainly in the home.

Until, that is, he sees Mariah attending a lecture at his alma mater. A woman – at university. He’s determined she won’t get an education. She’s ready to face down any ignorant man, title or no. A battle of intellect storms while a battle of desire fights under the surface.

Will Mariah and Patrick have enough focus to argue while every bone in their bodies wants to make love?

September 5, 2020 + Writing

I have Patreon!

by Emily

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!

August 29, 2020 + new book, regency

Grab this Christmas boxset!

by Emily

I ADORE Christmas. Honestly, I’ve been counting down for weeks until I could reveal this information, and I am so thrilled to now say that I am part of a Dragonblade Publishing Christmas boxset!

Enjoy this stunning holiday collection from some of your favorite Dragonblade Publishing authors in this collection of never-before published seasonal tales!

Amazon – https://bit.ly/DB-ONightDivine-Amazon

Nook – https://bit.ly/DB-ONightDivine-Nook

Kobo – https://bit.ly/DB-ONightDivine-Kobo

Apple – https://bit.ly/DB-ONightDivine-Apple

Imagine, if you will, that it is Christmas Eve.

The candles are guttered, one by one, and a hush falls over the parlor. The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.

A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…

The clock on the wall chimes midnight.

Now, the magic happens.

From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.

USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE.

This collection includes:
Kathryn Le Veque
Caroline Lee
Chasity Bowlin
Collette Cameron
Hildie McQueen
Maggi Andersen
Mary Lancaster
Meara Platt
Violetta Rand
Alexa Aston
Anna Markland
Anna St. Claire
Aubrey Wynne
Charlotte Wren
Elizabeth Ellen Carter
Elizabeth Johns
Elizabeth Keysian
Emily E K Murdoch
Emily Royal
Gabrielle Carr
Lynne Connolly
Maeve Greyson
Whitney Blake

From Dragonblade to you, we wish you a very happy holiday season!

August 22, 2020 + Uncategorized, Writing

What makes the best writing room?

by Emily

As many of you who are subscribed to my newsletter know, I moved just before the pandemic and that means that I’ve only just got my writing room into the order that I wanted!

I recently shared – for the first time – a sneak peek into the place that I write my bestselling historical romances, on the Dragonblade Publishing Readers Group. You can watch the video by clicking here.

So what makes the perfect writing room? Here at eh three things that I need to be able to write:

Natural light! Without natural light, I find it impossible to concentrate for more than twenty minutes – which makes writing in the winter really challenging! I’ve got a lovely window right by my desk.
Inspiration! I have a bunch of things in my study that inspire me. From my five bookcases full of my favourite books (though not all the books in my house!), I also have flowers, photos of my family and friends, an antique dagger, and a glass skull called Leonard…
Snacks! Okay, perhaps not a difficult thing to get set up, but when I am finding a chapter really challenging to write, then I use food and delicious drinks to motivate myself.

So that’s my perfect study! Have I missed soemthing off your list?

August 15, 2020 + Writing

Do you know the secret language of flowers?

by Emily

What is your favourite flower?

I have loads of favourites. My grandparents were horticulturalists with their own nursery, with my Mum working for them, and so I was surrounded by flowers and plants growing up. I love them. I love nature!

(I wish I was better at keeping them alive, but…)

But my love of flowers isn’t limited to my childhood. My boyfriend (now husband!) immediately understood my obsession with flowers, and has treated me with flowers throughout our dating life, engagement, and marriage.

In fact, one of my favourite flowers is the purple/blue orchid, the first flowers he ever treated me with.

Flowers have been used in courting for years, and the Victorian era solidified our ideas of the language of flowers, which existed as early as the Regency period.

This secret code was designed to make sure that other people couldn’t immediately tell what you wanted to say to your beloved.

So did you know what a gentleman caller would be saying to you if they sent you…

…a mimosa? This delicate plant meant ‘chastity’, because of the way its petals close up when touched.

…a dark pink rose? This gorgeous blossom means ‘thankfullness’.

…a sprig of heath lavender? I love this scent, and when given as a gift, it means ‘admiration’.

…an orange lily? Run a mile if you receive this one – it secretly means ‘hatred’!

…a sweet pea posy? My absolute favourite flower, this heavily scented flower means ‘blissful pleasure’ or ‘goodbye’!

Did any of these surprise you? What is your favourite flower – let me know in the comments, and I will tell you what it means!

August 10, 2020 + new book

‘Always the Wallflower’ is out!

by Emily

Can you believe it? Always the Wallflower is now out! This is the fifth book of my Never the Bride series, and I’m so thrilled that so many of you are loving it!

Make sure you grab this gorgeous Regency romance and let me know what you think!

Always the wallflower and never the bride – imprisoned by fear to watch life at the sidelines…

Lady Letitia Cavendish is a Cavendish, but only a cousin of the current Duke so even her name isn’t enough for potential suitors to court her. She’s a wallflower, terrified of putting herself forward, and so life continues on without her.
But at two and twenty, things are getting desperate.

The most confident rake in town, Edward Wynn, is a handsome devil – and being the Viscount of Stulsemere doesn’t hurt. When, despite his best efforts, he’s partnered with the most boring lady at Almack’s, he resigns himself to twenty minutes of silence.

And is astonished. Lady Letitia is nothing like what he expected, and after she storms off and leaves him standing, Edward has to know more.

He’s determined to understand her. She’s torn between remaining invisible and finally making a good match. Personalities collide and compromise seems out of reach as the unexpected happens.

What will society say as the biggest rake courts the wallflower of the season? Can Letitia ever take a step towards a happily ever after?

August 1, 2020 + Writing

Do your friends read your books?

by Emily

Everyone has a hobby. For some people, it’s a sport: swimming, rugby, tennis. For others, it’s something that is more personal: gaming, or learning a language.

And then for others, it’s creative: knitting, crafting, music, or writing.

I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. My parents even found some of my earliest school reports from when I was around six years old, and even then I’m ignoring what I should do at school and writing stories instead!

I have always found writing a wonderful escape, and a way to explore different worlds.

Many people actively encourage their friends in their hobbies, either turning up to matches, or praising their creations.

But what has been really strange is that since I have become a published author, it’s been a bit strange seeing whether my friends want to read my books or not.

Obviously none of my friends should be forced to do it! I would hate for my friends to feel like they were obliged to read my books, but at the same time…

I pour so much of myself into my books. Writing is my passion, it’s what I spend – well, almost all my time doing! It’s such a huge part of my life, and so sometimes it is odd that you cannot understand a part of me without reading my books.

What about you? Do you encourage your friends to read the books you love, or get involved in your hobbies?

July 25, 2020 + Medieval, regency

Medieval romance vs Regency romance

by Emily

Okay, here we go: it’s time to decide which is the best, medieval romance or Regency romance.

Let me just be upfront right now and say that I have written romances in both the medieval era and the Regency era. I love reading books based in both of those eras, and a few in and around that!

But they are incredibly different…

Medieval romances

Usually set more in the Highlands of Scotland, medieval romances have a lot of clan or tribe rebellions, far more kings and queens, and some incredible clothing descriptions.

I love medieval romances partly because that is what my Masters was in (Medieval Studies), and I think there is so much we don’t know about the medieval era because it’s not really taught in schools that much. I learn so much about the medieval era whenever I read romances set here!

Regency romances

Probably the most popular type of romances on Amazon right now, these are books set around the same time as Jane Austen’s romances. Instead of clans, it’s card games and balls, with plenty of gossip and scandalous rumours!

I love Regency romances because of the hierarchies, the desperate need for so many ladies to marry, and how quickly a reputation could be utterly destroyed. The Regency era is so wonderful to be swept up in and it’s easy to imagine it – though perhaps that’s because I live just down the round from Bath, England!

So, which is the winner?

…don’t hate me – I can’t pick! I love romances set in the medieval era, and the Regency era. They have so much to offer, and if I didn’t read one, I would miss it so much.

What about you? Do you have a favourite – or perhaps a different time period? Let me know in the comments below!

July 18, 2020 + Writing

What makes the best historical romance?

by Emily

I have read and loved historical romances for…well, almost my entire life! So many of my readers share with me what they are looking for in a historical romance, and I wanted to share some of my favourites.

Titles! Readers love titles – Earls, Dukes, and Princes all round, please!
Friends to lovers. There’s nothing like a good friends to love story – I’ve even written a few myself.
Enemies to lovers. This is probably my favourite type of historical romance, especially if it’s warring clans or families!
A misunderstanding. If there isn’t a misunderstanding, is it even a historical romance?!
Letters, particularly letters from mothers to daughters – so cute!
Obviously, a period of history that is just wonderful. My favourites are medieval and Regency.
Gifts. I love gifts in historical romance, and when it’s jewellery, it’s even cuter.
And last but by no means least…epilogues! I love seeing what happens to the characters after they have found true love.

Have I missed something that you love from historical romances? Tell me in the comments!