Author proof copies of Too Clever by Half.

The time is almost upon us. This Thursday, November 29, the first book in my Victorian romance series Harrow’s Finest Five will go out into the world. I’m having all the feels. Joy. Trepidation. Excitement. Dread. While I’ll continue marketing it, talking and writing about it, and sharing word of its existence far and wide, it’s well and truly time to let go of the story and let it find its own place in the world. Which, coincidentally (or maybe not so much), is what the hero and heroine of this series-launching novella are doing – finding their place in the world.

As you can imagine, I can think about little else this week. But unless you’re new to the blog, you’ve probably already read my posts about the series, the novella cover, and the story description. So what else can I tell you about Too Clever by Half and the HFF series during release week?

How about the fact that you can read the first chapters of this book, as well as those of the first two full-length novels in the series today? Yes, I finally did it. I finally finished the free give-away that’s a companion to the series, an ebook titled Harrows Finest Five Sneak Peeks Volume I. In addition to nine chapters from three different stories, the book contains a behind-the-scenes Q&A about the series and these first three stories in the HFF universe, and an exclusive introduction to all seven heroes. Just for fun, I’ve given thumbnail sketches of each of them, including their zodiac signs, which would have been en vogue during their time, and also gives the reader a sense of what makes each man tick. (Full disclosure: I developed the characters first, then matched sun signs that best fit their personalities, not the the other way around.)

If you’d like a copy of HFF Sneak Peeks Volume I, just clink on that link and sign up for my newsletter, and the download link will wing its way to your inbox! And there will be other benefits to signing up for Nancy’s News. (So clever, right? Insert eye-roll emoji here.) In future months, there will be:

• More free stories, for instance, Sneak Peeks Volume II, with sample chapter from the remaining four books in the series
• Outtake and pre-story (planning stage) scenes from the books
• Previews of my favorite scenes from later chapters of various books
• Give-aways. Think books. Think Victorian era. Think romance.
• An invitation to join my launch team to get ARCs of each book in the series, pre-release sale prices, and early glimpses of future covers, cover copy, and behind-the-scenes information

And now the obligatory part. Too Clever by Half is the story of two brilliant scholars engaged in a battle of wits and seduced by the lure of passion. It’s the kickoff novella of the Harrow’s Finest Five series, Victorian romances about smart women, sexy men, steamy passions, and the occasional scandal in 1870s England. Available for pre-order through November 28 and for immediate purchase as of November 29 here. The paperback version should also be available later this week and should show up at the same link. But it’s the Zon, so the whens and wherefores are a mystery.

Until next time, happy reading, happy creating, and if you give the book and the series a try, I hope you love it!