Tuesday, June 25, 2019

New Release of Long Out-of-Print Book by Cheryl Bolen


In just a few days I’ll have a new release that’s not actually a new release. Allow me to explain. More than 22 years ago Harlequin Historical purchased my first book, though it was not the first book I wrote. A Duke Deceived was the first book I managed to get published. 
Original 1998 Cover

It was published in early 1998. In those days it was only available in paperback. It did very well. It sold about 80,000 copies its first year. It also managed to win some awards. Then it went completely out of print. That’s how “midlist” authors were treated.

When eBooks came along I was not able to get my rights back because Harlequin kept selling foreign rights to the book, and each time they did, they set the clock back seven more years on rights reversion, per my contract. Rights were sold in French, Italian, Portuguese, and three different times the book was sold in Japan!

Thirteen years after it was out of print in North America, Harlequin put it and many hundreds of other out-of-print titles out as a badly scanned eBooks as a “Treasure.” There was zero promotion. Sales were miniscule. 

After 21 years I was able to get back my rights on that first published book. But by then I knew (because I was now my own publisher) that solo books don’t sell. So I’ve sat on this book for more than a year while trying to decide what to do with it.

I think one of the reasons the book was so popular when it was first published was because I had two very satisfactory subplot romances in it, so readers got a three-for. Which basically killed sequels. In the nineties, we weren’t writing series.

It took a while for me to figure out how to pull a series out of this book, but I’m happy to say this first published book of mine is now the foundation not only of my career but also of The Deceived Series. 
New Cover

I’m completing a Christmas novella that takes place three years after A Duke Deceived and features a fresh romance. His Lady Deceived will release 90 days after the newly edited new release of A Duke Deceived


Now I need to think of a plot for a third installment in the series!

I loved my original cover. Harlequin had me fill out a 14-page art fact sheet, and I was thrilled with the final product. I am also happy with my new cover. Which do you prefer? —Cheryl Bolen has written more than 40 books, mostly Regency-set historical romances. Several of her books have won Best Historical awards, and she’s a New York Times and USA Today bestseller whose books have been translated into eight languages. In addition to being a PTA mom and team mom for both her (now grown) sons, she’s been a journalist, an English teacher, antiques dealer, super fan of college football and basketball (especially the Texas Longhorns), frequent traveler to England, and an addict of reading about dead English women. Check out these sites of hers:


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21 comments:

  1. Best of luck with the Deceived. That new cover is so interesting. It really pulls me in. Congratulations to on a long career.

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  2. Congrats on finally getting your rights back! I love the new cover. The guy on it is simply scrumptious! Good luck with the re-release!

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    1. Thank you, Kari. I was sure happy with the guy on the new cover.

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  3. What a great story and fabulous "new" release! Which cover? Humm... I can't decide. Having read romance for MANY years I love seeing the older-style cover. (It actually stopped me in my tracks) But the new one is awesome, too. Cover girls - like me - will definitely be taking a good look. Congratulations on getting your rights back. Much success to you with this series!

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  4. I'm like you, Kathryn. I like both covers. I couldn't decide between them. Of course, there's something very special about your first . . .

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  5. I like both covers...but the new one draws me more. One of the great things about publishing your own work is being able to create series when there wasn't one before. Congrats!

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    1. So true, Bonnie. And series are where the sales are.

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  6. Fantastic chance to introduce a whole new generation of readers to your voice. Well done! Love both covers, but the new one is definitely more current. Read likely to appeal to today's reader.

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    1. Isn't it interesting, Kathleen, that covers go in and out of fashion just like clothing. I remember I had a whole slew of "iconic" covers for my historicals at Kensington. Nobody wants those now!

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  7. I received an email from Amazon yesterday, Cheryl. The original cover was lovely, but I really like the new cover you are using. Good luck. A new generation of readers will discover and love it too.

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    1. Oh, thanks for letting me know about that Amazon email, Joan. I hope they sent out a lot of those! Preorders aren't doing so well.

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  8. Congratulations on getting your rights back leveraging it into a series, Cheryl. I love the new cover for the book.

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    1. Thanks, Satin. I lucked out on that new cover. The second one (for the Christmas novella) isn't as good. Win some, lose some!

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  9. I like both covers, but I think I like the original the best. They both gorgeous though. Congratulations!

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  10. I love both covers
    Can't wait to read it.

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  11. I like both covers and love that you were able to develop a series.

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  12. Now, Liz, if I can just think of a third book!

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  13. Looks like a few good classics, fond of the themes.

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