So happy to have my friend K.C. Bateman back! Kate is one of the most talented writers I've ever met, and you'll love her "kick ass heroines with interesting jobs," as she liked to describe them. She was on a few weeks ago, sharing an interview with us and the first in her Secrets and Spies Series, TO STEAL A HEART. Now she's back with Five Fun Facts about herself and the second in the series, A RAVEN'S HEART, released today!
1) I have a not-so-secret double life as a TV antiques expert. In addition to writing historical romance, I am also a Director of my own auction house in the UK - Batemans. Many people know me from my work as an antiques expert / appraiser on several British antiques-related TV shows; Bargain Hunt, Flog it! and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.
“The chemistry between Heloise and Raven is completely off the charts and their dialogue is just to die for. The highest compliment I can probably pay Ms. Bateman here is to say that many of these exchanges reminded me of Loretta Chase; they’re quick, snappy, witty, flirtatious, often quite revealing and, most importantly, feel completely natural and unforced.” Caz – All About Romance.
“Once you start reading it you do not want to put it down. I just can't wait for the next new book to come out by Ms. Bateman!! – Sissy’s Romance Book Review for You.
“Heloise and Raven make a fantastic pair -- the electricity is just zapping between them. I love that Heloise (Raven calls her Hellcat) is a code breaker and seems to be the brains while Raven is obviously the brawn. The juxtaposition of her light and his dark makes for a great story. This one sucked me right in and held me prisoner until the very end. A fun, sexy read.” Lisa – Goodreads Reviewer.
Author Bio ~
Five Fun Facts
1) I have a not-so-secret double life as a TV antiques expert. In addition to writing historical romance, I am also a Director of my own auction house in the UK - Batemans. Many people know me from my work as an antiques expert / appraiser on several British antiques-related TV shows; Bargain Hunt, Flog it! and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.
2) I once kissed the policeman guarding the door of No 10 Downing Street after attending a reception with the Prime Minister. I’m not saying any more about that!
3) I couldn’t live without teabags and a kettle. I really like a nice cup of English tea!
4) If I could live anywhere in the world I’d go to Italy. The landscape! The food! The wine! The art! I’d choose to live in a massive crumbling Italian castle perched on the edge of a cliff with a view of the sea and a lovely garden, scattered with good-looking Italian groundsmen and gardeners, of course! The fact that I don’t speak Italian would only be a minor inconvenience.
5) I can’t touch dry cotton wool – it sets my teeth on edge. And I hate writing on lined paper. I only buy square paper to make notes for my novels on; somehow the pages never seem quite as empty and daunting!
Now let's hear some more about A RAVEN'S HEART!
When a bookish codebreaker and a dashing spy are reunited in this steamy historical romance from the author of To Steal a Heart, their lives depend on their ability to resist temptation. But fate is a mistress who cannot be denied. . .
England, 1815.
In the war against France, Heloise Hampden is a high-value asset to the Crown. When she cracks the enemy’s most recent communication, French agents are sent to kill her. But it’s the agent assigned to protect Heloise who poses the greatest threat to her heart: William de l’Isle, Viscount Ravenwood. Heloise has quarreled with the man they call Raven since childhood, yet always maintained a chaste distance. She’s sure nothing will change, thanks to the disfiguring scar on her face.
Nothing has changed. Raven still wonders how Hell-cat Hampden’s lithe body would feel pressed against his, but for the mission he must remind himself that the woman takes more pleasure in ancient languages than she does in seduction.
His imprisonment six years ago broke him in a way that makes the prospect of love impossible—he’s a shadowed Hades pining for sun-kissed Persephone. Still, his heart beats like mad whenever he’s within ten paces of Heloise, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even if that means taking her to Spain as an unwilling hostage. Protecting her from danger will be a challenge; protecting her from desire will be pure agony.
3) I couldn’t live without teabags and a kettle. I really like a nice cup of English tea!
4) If I could live anywhere in the world I’d go to Italy. The landscape! The food! The wine! The art! I’d choose to live in a massive crumbling Italian castle perched on the edge of a cliff with a view of the sea and a lovely garden, scattered with good-looking Italian groundsmen and gardeners, of course! The fact that I don’t speak Italian would only be a minor inconvenience.
5) I can’t touch dry cotton wool – it sets my teeth on edge. And I hate writing on lined paper. I only buy square paper to make notes for my novels on; somehow the pages never seem quite as empty and daunting!
Now let's hear some more about A RAVEN'S HEART!
Blurb ~
England, 1815.
In the war against France, Heloise Hampden is a high-value asset to the Crown. When she cracks the enemy’s most recent communication, French agents are sent to kill her. But it’s the agent assigned to protect Heloise who poses the greatest threat to her heart: William de l’Isle, Viscount Ravenwood. Heloise has quarreled with the man they call Raven since childhood, yet always maintained a chaste distance. She’s sure nothing will change, thanks to the disfiguring scar on her face.
Nothing has changed. Raven still wonders how Hell-cat Hampden’s lithe body would feel pressed against his, but for the mission he must remind himself that the woman takes more pleasure in ancient languages than she does in seduction.
His imprisonment six years ago broke him in a way that makes the prospect of love impossible—he’s a shadowed Hades pining for sun-kissed Persephone. Still, his heart beats like mad whenever he’s within ten paces of Heloise, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even if that means taking her to Spain as an unwilling hostage. Protecting her from danger will be a challenge; protecting her from desire will be pure agony.
Excerpt ~
England, June 1816
“I’m a spy, not a bloody nursemaid!”
William de l’Isle, Viscount Ravenwood, glared across the desk at his mentor, Lord Castlereagh.
The older man shook his head, supremely unmoved by his outburst. “Miss Hampden needs immediate protection. Someone’s targeting my code breakers and whoever killed Edward could also have discovered her identity. I can’t afford to lose her, too.”
Raven narrowed his eyes. “Use another agent.”
Castlereagh gave him one of those level, penetrating looks he so excelled at. “Who? Neither of her brothers are here; Nic’s in Paris, and Richard’s following a lead on that French forger he’s been after for months. Who else is left?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’ve lost too many good men. First Tony got himself killed in France, then Kit disappeared. There’s been no news of him for months.”
Raven frowned. He refused to consider the distasteful probability that his friend was dead. Kit was like him, a master of survival. He could be deep undercover. But with every week that went by with no word it became harder and harder to stay positive.
“And now another good man, Edward Lamb, had been murdered,” Castlereagh sighed. “I don’t want Miss Hampden to be next.”
The older man was a master of applying just the right amount of pressure and guilt. He hadn’t made it to head of the Foreign Office without knowing how to manipulate people.
“You think I should entrust her to a less competent operative?” Castlereagh mused softly. “You’re not burdened by false modesty, Ravenwood. You know you’re the best I have. I was hoping you’d use your exceptional talent for survival to keep Miss Hampden alive, too.”
Raven sighed, well aware he was being backed into a corner. If it had been anyone else he wouldn’t have hesitated. But Heloise Hampden was the fly in his ointment. The spoke in his wheel.
A total bloody menace.
Hellcat Hampden had been the subject of his guilty daydreams for years. What had started out as adolescent musings had matured into fevered erotic fantasies that showed absolutely no sign of abating. He’d told himself the attraction was because she was forbidden, tried to lose himself in other, far more available women. Nothing had worked. And while he’d rarely paid much attention to the monotonous sermons preached by the clergy, he was fairly sure there was something in the bible that said “thou shalt not covet thy best friend’s little sister.” Or words to that effect.
He was the last person she should be entrusted to. He’d sworn to stay away from her. Had avoided her quite successfully—give or take a few blessedly brief skirmishes—for the past six years. Hell, he’d traveled to the far corners of war torn Europe to try to forget her.
And now here he was, drawn back to her by some malevolent twist of fate.
As if his life wasn’t cursed enough already.
Over the past few years they’d settled into an uneasy, albeit barbed, truce; it was a sad reflection on his twisted nature that he preferred sparring with her to holding a reasonable conversation with anyone else.
His blood thrummed at the prospect of seeing her again and he smiled in self-directed mockery. Few things increased his heartbeat anymore. In combat he was a master of his emotions, sleek and deadly and efficient. Fighting barely elevated his pulse. He could kill a man without breaking a sweat. But put him ten paces away from that slip of a girl and a furious drummer took up residence in his chest, battering away against his ribs.
He shook his head. Being near her was a torture he both craved and abhorred, but he had a duty to keep her safe. A duty to her family, to Castlereagh, to the whole damn country . Much as he’d like someone else to deal with her, he didn’t trust anyone else. She was his to torment.
Castlereagh, the old devil, smiled, as if he already sensed Raven’s grudging acceptance. “That’s settled, then. She’s safe at home right now. You can go over and get her in the morning.”
He rose and strode to the door of the study, then flashed an amused glance at Raven’s immaculate evening attire and the mask resting on the desk. “I apologize for interrupting your evening, Ravenwood. I’ll leave you to your entertainments.”
“I’m a spy, not a bloody nursemaid!”
William de l’Isle, Viscount Ravenwood, glared across the desk at his mentor, Lord Castlereagh.
The older man shook his head, supremely unmoved by his outburst. “Miss Hampden needs immediate protection. Someone’s targeting my code breakers and whoever killed Edward could also have discovered her identity. I can’t afford to lose her, too.”
Raven narrowed his eyes. “Use another agent.”
Castlereagh gave him one of those level, penetrating looks he so excelled at. “Who? Neither of her brothers are here; Nic’s in Paris, and Richard’s following a lead on that French forger he’s been after for months. Who else is left?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’ve lost too many good men. First Tony got himself killed in France, then Kit disappeared. There’s been no news of him for months.”
Raven frowned. He refused to consider the distasteful probability that his friend was dead. Kit was like him, a master of survival. He could be deep undercover. But with every week that went by with no word it became harder and harder to stay positive.
“And now another good man, Edward Lamb, had been murdered,” Castlereagh sighed. “I don’t want Miss Hampden to be next.”
The older man was a master of applying just the right amount of pressure and guilt. He hadn’t made it to head of the Foreign Office without knowing how to manipulate people.
“You think I should entrust her to a less competent operative?” Castlereagh mused softly. “You’re not burdened by false modesty, Ravenwood. You know you’re the best I have. I was hoping you’d use your exceptional talent for survival to keep Miss Hampden alive, too.”
Raven sighed, well aware he was being backed into a corner. If it had been anyone else he wouldn’t have hesitated. But Heloise Hampden was the fly in his ointment. The spoke in his wheel.
A total bloody menace.
Hellcat Hampden had been the subject of his guilty daydreams for years. What had started out as adolescent musings had matured into fevered erotic fantasies that showed absolutely no sign of abating. He’d told himself the attraction was because she was forbidden, tried to lose himself in other, far more available women. Nothing had worked. And while he’d rarely paid much attention to the monotonous sermons preached by the clergy, he was fairly sure there was something in the bible that said “thou shalt not covet thy best friend’s little sister.” Or words to that effect.
He was the last person she should be entrusted to. He’d sworn to stay away from her. Had avoided her quite successfully—give or take a few blessedly brief skirmishes—for the past six years. Hell, he’d traveled to the far corners of war torn Europe to try to forget her.
And now here he was, drawn back to her by some malevolent twist of fate.
As if his life wasn’t cursed enough already.
Over the past few years they’d settled into an uneasy, albeit barbed, truce; it was a sad reflection on his twisted nature that he preferred sparring with her to holding a reasonable conversation with anyone else.
His blood thrummed at the prospect of seeing her again and he smiled in self-directed mockery. Few things increased his heartbeat anymore. In combat he was a master of his emotions, sleek and deadly and efficient. Fighting barely elevated his pulse. He could kill a man without breaking a sweat. But put him ten paces away from that slip of a girl and a furious drummer took up residence in his chest, battering away against his ribs.
He shook his head. Being near her was a torture he both craved and abhorred, but he had a duty to keep her safe. A duty to her family, to Castlereagh, to the whole damn country . Much as he’d like someone else to deal with her, he didn’t trust anyone else. She was his to torment.
Castlereagh, the old devil, smiled, as if he already sensed Raven’s grudging acceptance. “That’s settled, then. She’s safe at home right now. You can go over and get her in the morning.”
He rose and strode to the door of the study, then flashed an amused glance at Raven’s immaculate evening attire and the mask resting on the desk. “I apologize for interrupting your evening, Ravenwood. I’ll leave you to your entertainments.”
What The Critics Are Saying ~
“Once you start reading it you do not want to put it down. I just can't wait for the next new book to come out by Ms. Bateman!! – Sissy’s Romance Book Review for You.
“Heloise and Raven make a fantastic pair -- the electricity is just zapping between them. I love that Heloise (Raven calls her Hellcat) is a code breaker and seems to be the brains while Raven is obviously the brawn. The juxtaposition of her light and his dark makes for a great story. This one sucked me right in and held me prisoner until the very end. A fun, sexy read.” Lisa – Goodreads Reviewer.
Author Bio ~
Kate Bateman (writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she’d ‘never finish the thing.’ She gleefully proved him wrong with a historical set in the Italian Renaissance. Now writing for Random House Loveswept, her latest ‘Secrets & Spies Regency-era trilogy features her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to alternately strangle and kiss—all mixed up in the intrigue and turmoil of the Napoleonic wars.
When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research’, Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a husband who has flatly refused to read any of her books ‘unless she hits the NY Times Bestseller list.’ It is—naturally—her fervent desire to force the semi-illiterate, number-loving cynic to do so. He still owes her that dollar.
When not traveling to exotic locations ‘for research’, Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a husband who has flatly refused to read any of her books ‘unless she hits the NY Times Bestseller list.’ It is—naturally—her fervent desire to force the semi-illiterate, number-loving cynic to do so. He still owes her that dollar.
Links~
Author email: kate@batemans.com
Author website: www.kcbateman.com
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/kcbateman
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14785249.K_C_Bateman
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/kcbatemanauthor/
Twitter: @katebateman
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kcbateman1/
You can buy A RAVEN'S HEART here:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/K.-C.-Bateman/e/B016CDKH0G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ravens-heart-k-c-bateman/1123105775?ean=9780804181518
iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-ravens-heart/id1118732769?mt=11
Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-raven-s-heart
Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/K_C_Bateman_A_Raven_s_Heart?id=-3UkCwAAQBAJ
All Romance:
https://www.omnilit.com/product-aravensheart-2003611-162.html?referrer=sbtb
It was a pleasure having you, Kate!
