Tag Archives: Beauty & the Beast

#1 Bestseller • The Mannequin

Screen Shot 2016-01-20 at 4.53.23 PMThe Mannequin was a featured BookBub deal on December 28th, 2015, and it’s been a #1 Bestseller on Amazon since then. BookBub sent me a follow-up questionnaire, asking how I’ve publicized my bestseller status and it occurred to me I should at least announce it on my blog, right?

I’m so pleased readers have discovered my work. A great many reviewers have drawn comparisons to Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella, and The Secret Garden, and indeed, I reference fairy-tales within the work itself. I didn’t start writing the novel with those stories in mind, however. I began writing The Mannequin with the scene in the library, where Rosamund sees a debilitated Aubrey for the first time, and is overwhelmeCatherine_Walters00d by the task of trying to reach him. From there, I let the story unfold.

The latter part of the book was inspired by the courtesan Catherine Walters (“Skittles”), whose wardrobe and trendsetting style drew the avid interest of aristocrats. Understandably, her perfectly tailored riding habits created a demand for the garments, and drew custom (business) to their designers.

I’m especially pleased with the reviews thanking me for writing a book without the overt sexuality and harsh language that’s frequently found in romance books these days. Although there’s certainly a great demand for those often marvelous stories, I made the decision as an author to take a different path. I believe my work is finally beginning to find its market, and I plan to keep writing stories with plucky heroines, dashing heroes, dastardly villains, and a cast of supporting characters who lend warmth and humor.  ~ Suzanne

P.S. YES, I’m thinking about the sequel!

sgrmannequin6x9Blurb: When she was a poor country girl in a hand-me-down dress, Rosamund saved the Duke of Swanhaven from the brink of despair…only to fall in love with him. Now a celebrated mannequin for an exclusive London dressmaker, her glamorous life is empty without the man to whom she gave her heart. Can a beastly duke and a beautiful mannequin ever find a fairy-tale ending?

Available at Amazon HERE