The Year Ahead

Yesterday, there was a post on the blog of my Deborah Cooke website, about my month in the garden this past May and the decisions I made while weeding. The upshot of it all is that I’ll be focussed on historical romance for the next year, to the exclusion of other sub-genres. I’m curious to see where this takes both my stress level and my sales.

This decision is why I was able to add a new Regency romance series, The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction, to my schedule, and I’m looking forward to it.

So, here’s my publication schedule as it looks right now:

The Brides of North Barrows including all four Regency romance novellas by Claire Delacroix
The Brides of North Barrows
August 2022
The Dragon and the Damsel, book three of the Blood Brothers trilogy of medieval Scottish romances by Claire Delacroix
The Dragon & the Damsel
September 2022
The Masquerade of the Marchioness, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix
The Masquerade of the Marchioness
November 2022
The Widow's Wager, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix
The Widow’s Wager
February 2023
The Scot and the Sorceress, book four of the Blood Brothers trilogy by Claire Delacroix
The Scot & the Sorceress
April 2023
One Knight's Desire, book three of the Rogues & Angels series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix
One Knight’s Desire
July 2023

I know more and have my work planned through the end of 2024, but I’d rather share details once I have covers and pre-orders. There will be more stories in The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction published next year, for example. That series is planned to have seven books and will finish up in early 2024.

You probably noticed that One Knight’s Desire is back on the schedule for publication next July. I’ll be continuing with the Rogues & Angels series, which also is planned to be seven books long.

I’ve also decided to take my backlist titles out of Kindle Unlimited (not Blood Brothers just yet) and republish them at the other portals. That will probably take until the end of September, but if you’re reading in KU, finish up your series now.

This is a pretty relaxed schedule for me in terms of writing, so I have a number of other histrom projects that I’m hoping to tuck into the plan. I’ll write those first, then list them for short pre-orders when they’re done.

Something Wicked available in German

My Regency romance, Something Wicked This Way Comes, book one of the Brides of North Barrows series, is now available in a German edition. The entire series will be translated and is available for pre-order now. These books are exclusive to Amazon and enrolled in KDP Select. You can read them free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Something Wicked This Way Comes, a Regency romance novella and book one of the Brides of North Barrows series by Claire Delacroix, German edition

Vor sieben Jahren hat Sophia Brisbane alles verloren – ihren Vater, ihren Bruder, ihr Familienvermögen – aber schlimmer noch, sie wurde von dem Mann, den sie liebte, zurückgewiesen. Sie ist fest entschlossen, sich nicht nach der Vergangenheit und ihren Freuden zu sehnen – bis sie Lucien de Roye wieder begegnet. Obgleich er wusste, dass Sophia niemals die Seine sein konnte, schwor Lucien, ihr vergeudetes Erbe zurückzuholen – und verwettete dafür sogar seine eigene Seele an einen Dämon. Als Sophia erfährt, was er getan hat, kann keine Macht des Himmels oder der Erde sie davon überzeugen, ihn seinen Wetteinsatz bezahlen zu lassen, egal, was es sie selbst kostet.

The Christmas Conquest

The Christmas Conquest, book one of my new Regency romance series, The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction, is available today!

The Christmas Conquest, a Regency romance novella by Claire Delacroix

Love was not part of the plan when this marriage was arranged…

Rhys Bettencourt, Baron Trevelaine, had every intention of avoiding his family’s curse. An arranged marriage to a plain bluestocking of fortune should have ensured the provision of at least one heir. After all, it was beloved Bettencourt wives who always died in childbirth. But practical Catherine undermined her husband’s scheme by stealing his heart. The only way for Rhys to protect her is to deny them both physical satisfaction, against his own desires.


Catherine Carruthers was content to wed for practical considerations and accept an arranged marriage to please her family. Two years later, though, Catherine is certain that her dashing aristocrat of a husband regrets his choice and that her marriage will never be more. She accepts an invitation to Rockmorton Manor for Christmas to decide whether to leave Rhys and return to her father’s house. Upon arrival, though, Catherine discovers pages of sensual advice left in her room—as well as Rhys determined to convince her to stay. Can their marriage be saved?


Armed with information and with little to lose, Catherine embarks upon a campaign of seduction that Rhys is powerless to resist—even as he fears for Catherine’s fate if he surrenders to temptation. Caught between love and the wretched curse, can Rhys find a way to keep his cherished wife safely by his side?

Buy the ebook:


Upon a Midnight Clear, bonus epilogue to The Christmas Conquest, book one of The Ladies' Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction book one, by Claire Delacroix

Rhys and Catherine’s story has a bonus epilogue, available to my newsletter subscribers, called Upon a Midnight Clear.

The sign-up link is in the back of the ebook, but also right here:

Sign up for my newsletter to read the bonus epiloque, Upon a Midnight Clear. If you’re already a subscriber, please use this link anyway – your information will just be updated. Once subscribed, you’ll receive a link to download the story from BookFunnel.


Buy The Christmas Conquest in mass market paperback.

This edition includes Upon a Midnight Clear.

The Masquerade of the Marchioness on Pre-Order

Book two of The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction is listed for pre-order now. I wrote the beginning of this one before writing the cover copy and I just wanted to keep on going! Philomena and Garrett’s story is going to be so much fun.

Although The Christmas Conquest was supposed to be a novella (of 20,000 to 25,000 words), I had a hard time keeping it under 40,000 words. It just barely slid under the wire, and the bonus epilogue is another 6,000 words. For this book, I have no restriction on the word count, so it will be longer. That’s why the price went up a little bit. Remember that this series will be in wide distribution, not Kindle Unlimited. And because of that greater length, these books will be available individually in paperback editions.

Now, here’s a bit about The Masquerade of the Marchioness!

The Masquerade of the Marchioness, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix

Philomena Wright, Marchioness of Arlingview, is universally admired for her intellect, good sense and charitable efforts on behalf of widows and orphans. She seems to have every advantage, but secretly desires that her dashing husband, the one person indifferent to her accomplishments, would notice her. The issue, clearly, is that she is too dull to hold his attention—when she is offered the opportunity, Philomena cannot resist the temptation of pursuing her husband in disguise.

Garrett Wright misses the purpose—and the peril—of his work as a spy during the war and is bored with his long-time disguise as a reckless rake. When he accepts an assignment to identify a jewel thief preying upon London society, he meets a mysterious masked beauty kindles his passion with her bold touch. Could she be the thief? Garrett becomes determined to both possess and unveil the temptress, whatever the cost.

Philomena and Garrett’s game of cat-and-mouse enthralls them both, but when Philomena is revealed, Garrett fears his wife has another secret. Will catching the thief place his beloved wife in jeopardy? Forced to choose between honor and love, how will Garrett find a means to fulfill his duty and secure a happy future with Philomena?

Coming November 22, 2022
Pre-order available at some portals.