Announcing a New Historical PNR Series!
I’m thrilled—thrilled!—to announce that I’m writing a new series for Berkley Sensation! It’s a paranormal romance and takes place in 1920s San Francisco—pitched as a sexy, supernatural Boardwalk Empire. Here’s a one-line tease for the first book:
In 1920s San Francisco, a notorious bootlegger crosses paths with a spirit medium after a bizarre haunting in Chinatown.
I’ve always had a bit of a crush on the Roaring Twenties, and I couldn’t be happier to share this new world with you. If you’re a fan of my characters in Arcadia Bell, I think you’ll find a lot to love in this, and it’s set in the same general area of California (another crush of mine). However, this time you get: fog-covered San Francisco, speakeasies, ghosts, dark magic, witty banter, dirty sex, and a charming romance. My brilliant agent, Laura Bradford, said the hero of the first book (working title BITTER SPIRITS) made her swoon, and called the story “sexy and ribald.” (Huzzah!) My lovely new editor, Leis Pedersen, pronounced it “f***ing delightful.” (Huzzah x2!)
I’ll be sharing more about this series in the near future. Right now, I can tell you that I’m over the moon to be working with Berkley Sensation (Penguin), who publishes some of my favorite paranormal and historical romance authors, including Thea Harrison, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Sherry Thomas, Joanna Bourne, and Jennifer Ashley.
Mandy Patterson
December 6, 2012 @ 6:18 PM
Words cannot express how excited I am for you!!!!! So proud!!!!
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 7:38 PM
Thanks, Mandy. *sniffle* Miss you!
van
December 6, 2012 @ 6:25 PM
Congrats on your new book deal Jenn!
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 7:39 PM
Thanks so much, Van!
Laura
December 6, 2012 @ 7:07 PM
SO excited to hear that. My dad made sure that I grew up an avid P.G. Wodehouse fan, I did my dissertation on Clarice Cliff, and I have a slight obsession with the Jazz Age. I’ve also only ever found one mainstream romance novel set in that time and I can’t understand why it’s not a more popular setting. I suppose some people are put off by the later threat of WWII on the horizon for their characters.
Is there an age difference between the H/h in this series (er, possibly another guilty pleasure)? And which one is the bootlegger and which one the medium? 🙂
Also looking forward to the Cady novella at Christmas – kind of counting on that and the Downton Christmas special to compensate for an otherwise stressful month! The Amazon Kindle edition doesn’t seem to be available for the NZ/Aus/Pacific region yet, but I’m hoping that’s because it’s still pre-release.
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 7:49 PM
Laura: oh, P.G. Wodehouse! *love* And Cliff’s Art Deco ceramics—we are kindred spirits! Not sure why the 20s isn’t a more common setting for fiction. So much happening at that time. But hey: there is, now! 😉
Age difference: not for the first book, though don’t tempt me! Bootlegger is the big, scarred Scandinavian immigrant hero, spirit medium is the independent, quirky heroine. I love them both dearly!
Can’t wait for Downton Abby Xmas special, too! And regarding the Kindle quirk: it’s a rights/territory problem on my publisher’s end, but one that should be fixed very soon!
Laura
December 6, 2012 @ 7:57 PM
Bootlegger is the big, scarred Scandinavian immigrant hero
Um. Excuse me while I just have a private moment to imagine and enjoy that.
Laura
December 6, 2012 @ 9:18 PM
By the way, will the Cady novella be available in book or PDF format as well as ebook? (Librarian’s daughter. I’m hopelessly biased towards paper and ink.)
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 10:13 PM
I think Simon and Schuster US is selling it in some sort PDF format? I also think I’ll be giving away a few unbound paper copies on my website next week, so check back in!
Gail Cronquist
December 6, 2012 @ 7:27 PM
Sounds VERY interesting. Can’t wait
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 7:49 PM
Thanks, Gail!
Readsalot81
December 6, 2012 @ 7:34 PM
YAYYY!!!!!! Such great news. I’m absolutely over the moon that you’re getting another series. I really can’t wait to read it. 😀 I love mashups of the paranormal/historical. 2 of my favorites in 1!
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 7:50 PM
Thanks, Ronnie!! I’m rather partial to the mashup, myself. Can’t wait for you to read this!
Lee
December 6, 2012 @ 7:59 PM
As a native san franciscan and PNR junkie, I am soooooooo excited about your new series! When will it be released? Congratulations!
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 10:16 PM
Oh, good! That makes me happy, Lee! I didn’t know you were f/SF. Lucky! First book will probably be January 2014. (Sounds so far away, but I have it on good authority that the chances of paper ARCs are good for this one, so not TOO far away.) Second one will have a release date soon—hopefully not a year in between like 3 & 4 of Arcadia!
Cat
December 6, 2012 @ 8:23 PM
It’s alive! ALIIIIIIVE!!! This is going to be amazing. Can you even picture the cover art? The 20s give you so much decadence to pick from:) Huge congratulations, as you know. It’s going to be fabulous.
Jenn Bennett
December 6, 2012 @ 10:18 PM
Aww, thanks, Cat! Berkley does awesome, awesome cover art. I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with—you’re right, so much awesomeness from that era to choose from! 😀
Sarah
December 7, 2012 @ 12:09 AM
Ooooh! I love the 20s! Congrats on the exciting news.
Jenn Bennett
December 7, 2012 @ 12:38 AM
Thanks so much, Sarah! I can’t wait for you guys to read it!
Ann Aguirre
December 7, 2012 @ 8:52 AM
OMG, this sounds amazing! I’m so excited to read this!! Congrats!!
Jenn Bennett
December 7, 2012 @ 1:37 PM
Thank you, Ann! I’m muppet-flailing! 😀
Sandy Williams
December 7, 2012 @ 10:29 AM
ZOMG! You sold it! *bounces*
So so happy for you! Readers are gonna love it! And I totally love that its being described as a sexy Boardwalk Empire! 😉
Jenn Bennett
December 7, 2012 @ 1:39 PM
Thanks so much! I can barely believe it, myself—woo-hoo! (Of course, I had some awfully good crit, which helped tremendously. *wink*)
JenM
December 8, 2012 @ 9:36 AM
Awesome! Oakland resident here and I love books set in the Bay Area. I can’t wait to see what you do with a 20’s setting. Only problem is that this is way before the tiki craze, so I guess there’s no way to work that in is there?
Jenn Bennett
December 8, 2012 @ 4:13 PM
Jen: Woohoo, Oakland! No tiki craze back then, you’re right. No Bay Bridge or Golden Gate Bridge, either. But there’s lots of other fun things, like: speakeasies, Chinatown dim sum, Prohibition tunnels under the street, cool cars, hot jazz, and beautiful clothes. 😀
Carol M.
December 27, 2012 @ 2:10 PM
Congratulations, Jenn! I love Arcadia, and am really looking forward to this new series!
Jenn Bennett
December 28, 2012 @ 12:29 AM
Thanks so much, Carol! I hope you’ll like it just as much! 🙂