FROM LORETTA CHASE

answer to comment # 1 (andreina 65)

Andreina, I’m like you—I want the books in order, even if it’s OK to read them by themselves.
Oh, and the castles!  Borthwick was the only one we actually stayed in.  But we visited Edinburgh Castle, which is at the top of what used to be a volcano.  Also, we went to Castle Fraser (very pretty), Kildrummy Castle, Craig Castle, Huntly Castle, Balmoral, Crathes Castle, Drum Castle—well, you get the picture.  There are so many, and we visited as many as we could fit into our schedule.  Some are ruins, but a surprising number have been maintained or restored.  When I started the story, I didn’t know very much about castles and their construction or what the names of the different parts of a castle were.    Your blog does a good job of gathering all this information, and showing many examples of the varieties of castle.

Since Olivia is a redhead with freckles, I’d dress her in autumn colors—all the colors I can’t wear!  She might wear a dress of coffee brown—or maybe a beautiful dark tomato red—or a beautiful green—perhaps a forest green or a moss green.  If she visited in the autumn or winter, the material would be very fine, very expensive (Italian) wool, of course!    I wish I could remember the name of one of the places where they make the fantastic cashmere.

answer to comment # 2 (Niki)

Niki, thank you!  Your Scandalous Ways is the only book (I think) that is set completely in another country!  In two of my older books (The Lion’s Daughter and Captives of the Night), the characters are briefly in Italy.  I would certainly like to set another book in Italy—and I’m hoping to visit eventually, and get some inspiration!

answer to comment # 3 (Silvietta)

Silvietta, thank you!  And you’ve given me a good idea.  Since one story starts in France, maybe one of the other two stories could start in Italy.