jacki delecki

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Bringing a Regency hero to life

I don’t like to make generalizations but it seems like many historical novels focus on the goals, motivation and conflict as it relates to the heroine. A marriage of convenience. A compromised reputation. The orphaned miss who seeks gainful employment. It’s important to remember that heroes need goals and motivations too. As authors, we must create emotionally compelling internal and external conflict for both our heroines and heroes.

While working on research for my book, A CODE OF THE HEART, I came across some interesting facts about Robert Fulton, an American inventor and engineer who is credited with developing the steamboat. During the course of his life, he traveled around the world, collaborating with other inventors and scientists on naval vessels and weaponry. He designed the first working submarine while in France before switching alliances and moving to England, where he was commissioned to build weapons for the Royal Navy. One of Fulton’s “secret weapons” was the torpedo-catamaran, which the British Navy hoped to use to blow French ships out of the water. Like many inventions, the early model had some functionality issues, but I was intrigued by the concept of French-British espionage.

When I began developing my characters for the story, I started wondering what it would take to redeem a disreputable young rake. Perhaps protecting his country by preventing a secret weapon from falling into the wrong hands would work. So that is exactly the challenge I put in front of Lord Derrick Brinsley, as well as the not-so-small matter of proving his worth to the very proper society miss, Amelia Bonnington.

By using the information I discovered during my research, I was able to create strong goals and conflicts for my hero, thus adding dimension to him on the pages of my book. Audiobook narrator Pearl Hewitt has been working with me over the last few weeks to make Derrick “sound” like a Regency hero. The audiobook version of A CODE OF THE HEART is in the final stages of production and will soon be available. I hope you’ll listen in and let me know what you think of Derrick and Amelia Bonnington, the heroine of the story.

Click on the audiobook cover for A CODE OF THE HEART to listen to a sample.

Audiobook survey and a chance to win!

I am in the final stages of production with the talented Pearl Hewitt, who is narrating A CODE OF THE HEART for release as an audiobook.

I’m curious about who listens to audiobooks, as well as when, where and why. For a chance to win my new audiobook, A CODE OF THE HEART, click HERE to complete a quick 5-question survey. I’ll announce the winner on June 30.

Now available ~ MEN UNDER FIRE

The release of a new book is always a thrilling event for an author, no matter how many other titles they’ve published. It’s with great excitement that I invite you to join me in celebrating the release of MEN UNDER FIRE, Book 3 in the Grayce Walters contemporary romantic suspense series.

Hollie Thomas, the feisty, tattooed office assistant to Grayce Walters, has come a long way from living on the streets. Along with finding a job she loves, she’s found friends and safety. When her new life unravels, she faces dangers that dwarf her troubled past. Fighting to survive, she discovers that sometimes what you need the most might be found in the one person you failed to see coming.

Returning home from the war and struggling to find his way, Sergeant Nick Welby, and his bomb-sniffing golden lab, use their skill set in the last place he’d ever imagined—Seattle’s Waterfront. To protect the one woman who matters, Nick and his trusty canine partner will risk everything to rescue her and Seattle from disaster.

Embroiled in Grayce Walters’ most perilous case—a terrorist plot with the threat of deadly explosives—can Nick and Hollie work together to save themselves and each other before it’s too late?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1FfYfRl
BN: http://bit.ly/1FakMhC
iBooks: http://apple.co/1KzAFWD
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1cixWSf
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1J0UWUu

A visit to Savannah

One of my favorite ways to celebrate a special event–oh, say a birthday–is treating myself to a trip. I recently visited Savannah, one of my favorite cities because of its southern charm and rich history. Walking tours or ghost tours are a great way to discover the tales and myths surrounding Georgia’s oldest city.

Savannah Walks is one such company that specializes in educating tourists about Savannah. Here are a few high points about the city:

Savannah was established in 1733 as a strategic port during the American Revolution.

The original town plan was designed by James Oglethrope.

Savannah’s cobblestone streets, shaded by tall oaks draped with Spanish moss, showcase prime examples of Gothic revival, Regency, Greek revival, Queen Anne and even Sears Roebuck architecture.

The homes in Savannah are distinguished by features such as wrought iron detailing, “embracing arms” staircases (women entered separately from the men to avoid exposing a stocking ankle) and rounded porticoes.

Savannah is notorious for its active phantom activity. Haunts and ghosts include Civil War soldiers, Indians and pirates.

Have you visited Savannah? What’s your favorite part about this beautiful, historic city?

Seattle's Pier 69

I love Seattle! Not only is it my hometown, it is also the setting for my Grayce Walters contemporary romantic suspense series. The city, with all of its unique features and elements, is practically a character itself, alongside Grayce, Davis, Hollie, James and the assorted animal heroes.

One of Seattle’s most distinctive features is its waterfront. Even this element has different nuances. From the actual port—a hub for international trade, regional transportation and industries such as tourism and commercial fishing—to the downtown shoreline along Elliott Bay, Seattle’s waterfront is by turns dark and gritty, bright and glitzy, urban and trendy, quiet and pristine.

I have featured the Seattle waterfront in all of my Grayce Walters books, including MEN UNDER FIRE, which releases May 26. The diversity of this Pacific Northwest coastline provides a variety of locations, each suited to a different mood or event within the story.

Pier 69 is one such locality you can “visit” in my upcoming release, MEN UNDER FIRE. The Central Waterfront piers are numbered 46 (in the south) to 70 (at the north end). Pier 69 is the location for the Port of Seattle headquarters where the commissioners hold their public meetings, as well as the passenger ferry that carries folks to the Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia.

There are many unique features that make Seattle the dynamic, vibrant city that it is. Read the Grayce Walters series and see how many well-known landmarks you recognize!