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Full Transcript: Evelin Laczi Samples The Rose of Granborough Park

[00:00:00] Katherine Grant: Welcome to the Historical Romance Sampler Podcast. The place for you to find new historical romance books and authors to fan over. I'm award winning historical romance author Katherine Grant, and each week I'm inviting fellow authors to come on and share a little bit of their work and themselves.

They'll read a sample of one of their books, and then I'm going to ask them a bunch of questions. By the end of the episode, you'll have a sense of what they write and who they are. Hopefully, you and I both will have something new to read. So what are we waiting for? Let's get into this week's episode.

I am very excited today, we have as our guest, Evelin Laczi. Evelin is a debut author of historical romances set in Victorian England. Her obsession with the era began with Pride and Prejudice and it still propels her forward in her writing. When not writing romance stories of dashing English gentlemen and improper ladies, she works as a film editor.

Among her favorite hobbies are researching her family tree, watching TV shows and movies, visiting museums, and reading in coffee shops. Eveline lives in Budapest with her husband, and her debut novel, The Rose of Granborough Park, is out June 2024. Eveline, I'm so excited to have you all the way from Hungary today.

[00:01:30] Evelin Laczi: Hi, hi, I'm so excited as well. Thank you for having me.

[00:01:33] Katherine Grant: Yeah. So are you reading from your debut?

[00:01:37] Evelin Laczi: Yes, I chose an excerpt from that and it's not exactly the beginning of the novel, it's a little bit later, but I felt like this sets the tone and the main characters a little bit and introduces the main storyline

pretty well.

[00:01:53] Katherine Grant: Yeah. Great. Well, I'm excited to hear it.

[00:01:57] Evelin Laczi: Okay.

The next day, Jo awoke with a resolute wow to work on her project. She could not lose sight of why she was in Granborough Park. Nicholas Blackstone was an unwelcome side effect to her true agenda, the coveted mentorship. She still had two and a half weeks to finish this project, and she would have been damned to let that time go to waste.

She had excused herself early the previous evening to draft sketches for the house. That was the first step of this agenda. The Blackstones had some old furniture that could be incorporated into the public spaces, a few armchairs, a grandfather clock, and two grand bookcases. She had finished planning that yesterday.

Today, she was to work on the bedrooms. Jo hoped for a few minutes alone with Nicholas to discuss the budget and his preferences for his bedroom and study. Doing this would not have been her first choice in this case. Staying alone with him was perilous, considering the peculiar feelings he stirred within her lately.

However, as the man of the house, his approval was crucial for the upcoming decisions. Jo prepared herself for a strictly professional exchange. No drifting into memories of a certain dance or the accidental hand holding incident in the workshop. Absolutely not. And she most definitely wouldn't dwell on the strange discomfort she felt while seeing him with Miss Violet.

It was the peak of unprofessionalism. She was here to work, not pine. After finishing her breakfast, clad in her no nonsense grey dress, a sartorial testament to her determination to keep things strictly professional, Jo approached Nicholas's study with the resolve of a general marching into battle. She had mentally rehearsed her rules.

No more accidental touches, no getting lost in deep gazes, business only. Outside Nicholas's study, heart pounding with anticipation, she knocked three times. "Come in." Jo entered, her steps measured. She had sent Nicholas a note the previous evening with the butler, politely declining dinner in favor of a solitary meal in her room and setting the time for this meeting.

She spotted the note on his desk as she walked in, its presence there oddly reassuring. At least he'd read it. The study was snug, its walls lined with bookcases groaning under the weight of numerous volumes. Some she recognized, while others were completely foreign to her. Nicholas's desk sat amidst this chaos, a lone island in a sea of papers and books, suggesting that meticulous organization wasn't exactly his forte.

"Miss Metzger." Nicholas stood up as Jo entered, his movement fluid as he bowed. His attire was casual, yet impeccably tailored, with light trousers and a morning coat, hinting at a recent return from the outdoors. Jo offered a curtsy, her eyes still roaming around the room, taking in the sea of books. "Good morning, Mr.

Blackstone," she said. She was noting all the details of the space. The original hardwood floors were visible, lacking carpets. The wallpaper peeling at the seams appeared at least 30 years old. That would have to be remedied soon. "You seem to already have strong opinions about this room," Nicholas remarked, leaning back against his desk with his arms crossed.

The faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, almost teasing. Oh, they were definitely not off to a good start. His smiles had an unexpected effect on her. There was no way to tell how this visit would turn out if this continued. "Well, you have an impressive collection of books." Jo observed, her gaze finally meeting Nicholas's.

True to form, he was watching her intently. "I thought Granborough Park had a separate library." "It does." Nicholas nodded. "But I prefer being surrounded by books. It seems my uncle shared the sentiment, given the abundance here." "A passion for books is something we have in common then," Jo responded, her tone infused with genuine warmth.

"You're quite fortunate to have such a diverse collection. I've never had enough space for all the books I wish to obtain." He didn't respond directly, but diverted his gaze to his shoes, an almost boyish shyness about him. Jo wondered if this softer side was a private aspect of himself, concealed behind the door of his office.

"I wanted to discuss my plans for decorating your home." Jo quickly cleared her throat and decided that to keep herself to her rules, she had to stop being distracted from the task at hand. "You've already talked with my father about the general finances, but I need to know your budget for each room's decor."

Typically, discussing finances was a matter she would handle with the ladies of the household, room by room, after they had already come to an agreement with their husbands, of course. The idea of having this conversation with a man was not simply unusual, it was almost revolutionary. She braced herself, hoping Mr.

Blackstone wouldn't be like most men in this regard. Then again, expecting a man to engage in such detailed discussions about home decor with a woman might have been a bit of a tall order. "The sum I agreed on with Mr. Metzger was 200 pounds. That includes the drawing room. What's left for the bedrooms, I believe, is about 130 pounds,"

Nicholas said casually, as if discussing something mundane. Jo swallowed hard. Papa told her to let her imagination loose and not feel constricted, but that figure was leagues beyond what she had anticipated. She had been under the impression that the Blackstones were struggling financially, but now she saw he had a very different understanding of a financial struggle than Jo.

She fought to maintain her composure, though internally she was doing a dance of astonishment and glee. "Would that be sufficient?" "More than sufficient indeed," she said. Her voice studied despite the dryness in her throat. She really would not have to hold back on her most ambitious designs.

Her only constraint was the lack of time. "You will have the highest quality of everything, I assure you." "That's settled then." His casual notes sealed the deal, and the momentary silence enveloped them, their gazes inadvertently intertwining. This more relaxed, almost approachable Nicholas was quite disarming.

"Do you have any particular ideas for your office?" Jo ventured, her voice betraying a hint of vulnerability. She mentally kicked herself. Why did he have to have such a perplexing impact on her? She was here to discuss wallpapers, carpets and the such, not unravel the mysteries of Nicholas Blackstone's character.

"I'm quite fond of it as it is, but I would still love to see it in a better shape," he said, his hand gliding over the wallpaper with an unexpected gentleness. Jo caught herself momentarily entranced by the movement of his hand, her imagination running a tad too wild. She had to stop thinking about touching him.

"I would rather relocate most of my bedroom's budget to my office. Perhaps it could receive a carpet and new wallpaper. I remember looking through the catalogue you provided at the upholstery." The memory of their hands touching in the workshop resurfaced, exactly what Jo had hoped to avoid. She couldn't help but feel he was intentionally reminding her of that moment.

What an infuriating man. "Did anything in the catalogue catch your eye?" Jo asked, her voice slightly strangled. The air seemed to thin with his proximity, a fact he appeared to notice as he halted his advance. "Yes," he replied, his voice taking on a deeper tone that did absolutely nothing to help Jo's flustered state.

"I marked a few options." He retrieved the catalogue from his jacket pocket and held it out to her with a slow, almost inviting move. Taking it, Jo felt mortified by the tremor in her hand. The paper was still warm from his touch and its proximity to his body. Would he pick this one to snuggle against? Get a hold of yourself, woman, she chided herself, swallowing hard as she tore his gaze from him, and stared at the floor instead.

" Miss Metzger, are you frightened of me?" Nicholas inquired, his brows knitting together in a mix of concern and confusion as his hand retreated. "No, of course not," she replied, mastering a semblance of confidence.

[00:09:48] Evelin Laczi: "Why would I be?" She added, though her inner voice listed at least three solid reasons. However, Nicholas, seemingly unfazed by her response, stepped closer, his gaze scrutinizing her. This close she could see the minute details of his face, the freckles, the depth of his irises.

He was uncomfortably near, but a part of her longed for him to get even nearer. Her resolve to focus on business was rapidly deteriorating. "You are trembling," he noted, his voice gentle. "Would you like to sit?" Jo averted her eyes, focusing on regaining control over her wayward voice. "No thank you," she responded, her gaze accidentally catching his before darting to the safety of his jacket.

"I'd rather discuss your bedroom." As the words tumbled out, Jo wished for the ground to open up and swallow her. The unintended double entendre painted her cheeks a shade of crimson that could rival the most vibrant wallpaper sample in the catalogue she was clutching. Even from the corner of her eyes, she could see the surprise on Nicholas face.

"My bedroom." Jo inwardly cringed. How could she continue for three more weeks after such a blunder? "Decorating your bedroom," she corrected, forcing a strained smile. "You said you would rather not spend money on it, but I think we can split your generous budget between your bedroom and your office with ease."

Nicholas's broad grin indicated he was relishing her discomfort. It was at that moment Jo decided Nicholas Blackstone was a fiend in gentleman's clothing. Her sworn adversary, not the object of any sort of affection. It was easier said than done, jo had to admit to herself. "I must say, Miss Metzger, you are quite charming when embarrassed."

He remarked, turning back to his desk. Jo blushed anew, this time out of frustration and self consciousness. She stood silently, her mind racing as Nicholas eased back into his chair with the casualness that belied the tension in the room. "My bedroom is in quite good condition, actually. I spent such little time there that I think it is sufficient for now.

Of course," he paused, his smile way more suggestive than it would be appropriate. "You are welcome to see it yourself, if you wish." Jo felt as if her face might spontaneously combust. This had to stop. He was a gentleman, wasn't he? Engaged, no less. Yet here he was, throwing propriety to the wind with his flirtatious banter.

And worse, why did every teasing word from him send her heart into tizzy? "My lord, I appreciate light hearted jesting, but you are crossing a line," Jo said, striving to appear as stern as possible. Her not being able to look him in the eye must have severely undermined the seriousness of her words, though.

She could not help it. Looking at him made it way too tempting to allow this flirtation to continue. And that was simply out of the question. "I apologize," he replied immediately, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "I spoke without considering the implications. It won't happen again." "Thank you." Jo sighed and finally felt the blood slowly trickle back from her face to the rest of her body.

She watched from under her lashes as he shuffled some papers around on his desk. "Though, I must admit, it's been a long time since I've conversed so openly with anyone," nick added, his smile sincere and devoid of jest. "And I'm not referring to the flirting, just the conversation." Jo paused for a second, trying to decide if he was jesting with her again.

He seemed genuine in shedding the stern façade of Nicholas Blackstone for a more approachable demeanor. Simply Nicholas. "You certainly seem more at ease." Jo observed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I admit you are not the easiest person to read. You are far more affable in private." "Are you flirting with me now, Miss Metzger?"

He quipped, a smirk playing on his lips. Jo couldn't help but laugh at the suggestion. It was merely a compliment. He smirked softened into a gentle smile, though a veil of caution remained in his eyes. Perhaps he was wary of revealing too much of himself. "Thank you," he finally said with a small nod. "I find you quite affable myself."

Jo blushed this time from a sense of warmth rather than embarrassment. Sensing the conversation drawing to a close, she curtsied swiftly. He nodded in acknowledgment and she turned to leave the room, her heart racing. What effect was Nicholas Blackstone having on her? And that's it.

[00:14:08] Katherine Grant: Oh, what a fun scene. Oh my gosh. I'm literally at the edge of my seat being like, just get a room already. Well, I have a bunch of questions for you, but first we're going to take a quick break for our sponsors.

​

[00:14:20] Katherine Grant: When a very attractive man shows up at Northfield Hall, Ellen Preston believes his claim that he is a man of all work. Even though he doesn't know how to do basic things like wield a hammer. She believes the best of people, so she gives Max the benefit of the doubt. Too bad Max is at Northfield Hall to write an article proving the Preston family is pulling off a major fraud.

When Ellen discovers Max's true identity, she is forced to choose between throwing him out, or putting her trust in her family's enemy. What happens next will change both their lives and their hearts forever. Read the Viscount Without Virtue for free as a loyal Sampler! Head on over to bit.ly/HRSFAN and use code HRSFAN to download the ebook for free.

We are back with Evelin Laczi, who just read a really fun scene from The Rose of Granborough Park, which is coming out June 2024. Very exciting. And. You know, we set it up. It's a Victorian romance. And one of the things that stood out to me in the scene is that it's a working class heroine who is there kind of building her business with the aristocratic hero.

So I wondered if you could start by telling us what drew you to the Victorian era and to the trope of working class versus aristocrats.

[00:15:53] Evelin Laczi: Well, it really, it didn't come from, I didn't think like, Oh man, I really want to write about the working class. It's like, I felt like that. It was more like it came from my family history actually.

And I spent a lot of time researching my family tree. And I had heard a lot of stories of my great grandmother and my great grandfather from my lovely grandma, who was just turned 92 this year. So

[00:16:21] Katherine Grant: congratulations to her.

[00:16:23] Evelin Laczi: Thank you. She had a lot of stories to tell me. And also my mom, her grandmother is Jo.

Because basically in Hungarian, her name was Jolan and it's like Jolanda in Okay. German. And I was thinking that I don't wanna write about Hungarian history because I wanted to write in English. So it's like, it, it, that would have been.

Maybe it's interesting, but I didn't want to do that just yet. So I was always drawn to English history and the Victorian era and the Regency era. So I was like, what if I just, put a little twist in it. And my great grandmother and my great grandfather both came from Germany to Hungary, but what if they went to England instead?

So that's where the inspiration came from. And hence this story became what it became. And it's actually nearly based on true events because the father of my great grandmother was an upholsterer and he was a very successful upholsterer here in Hungary. I mean, he had a very great business and his son became an upholsterer so it ran in the family, basically, and he really was called Joseph Metzger.

So,

[00:17:46] Katherine Grant: that's so cool.

[00:17:47] Evelin Laczi: Yeah, that's that's that's real. And then I just thought that let's put this into the English setting because I love that I just, you know, Bridgerton fan and so on and so forth. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen and everything. So this is what I grew up in. This is what I read most about.

So this is what I was most familiar with. So, yes, why this was. My first idea, but

[00:18:13] Katherine Grant: yeah. And when it comes, so your great, great grandfather was this upholsterer. Do you have family records or anything that you could use to inform yourself and research what was an upholsterer and what kind of fabrics did they have and what kind of projects did they do?

[00:18:32] Evelin Laczi: Yeah, I found like a article, newspaper article from the 30s or 20s or 30s. It's like very beginning of the 20th century and it had like a really short introduction of him and it was so fun because it just listed you know everything about this family and it was just a short piece in the newspaper but I was like oh my god this is like this is my great great great great great great father

[00:18:58] Katherine Grant: yeah

[00:18:59] Evelin Laczi: it's so fun so you know they made besides the furnitures they I don't know what it's called in English.

It's not the sheets that you put on the bed, but, but, yeah, like the, like the mattress, like the mattress and you know what the blankets and the filling of

[00:19:18] Katherine Grant: like, like, okay, like quilts and

[00:19:21] Evelin Laczi: anything you have to fill into a fabric. That's, that's the upholstery.

[00:19:26] Katherine Grant: Oh, interesting. That's interesting.

[00:19:28] Evelin Laczi: Yeah. So, you know, it's like, it makes sense now that, you know, they made couches and things like that, that you had to feel like feathers and stuff like that.

So that's what they did. And he even had, like, my grandma told me that in the cinema back in like the forties, there was like a advertisement for my great grandfather's business that ran between movies and between the movies.

[00:19:54] Katherine Grant: That's very cool.

[00:19:55] Evelin Laczi: Even the jingle and everything. It's like I tried to find it, but I couldn't.

I couldn't find it sadly, but yeah.

[00:20:01] Katherine Grant: It's there

somewhere. Yeah.

[00:20:03] Evelin Laczi: It's absolutely the inspiration. And I just thought that, you know, what if his daughter wanted to go with the business, not his son. So this is how this is how. Yeah.

[00:20:16] Katherine Grant: Yeah. And so you mentioned you wanted to write in English and set it in England.

Can you talk about why what I can't imagine writing in a language that's not my first language. So, you know, what possessed you to do that?

[00:20:32] Evelin Laczi: English is So like incorporated into my life is so deeply because my sister lives in the U S and she's been living there ever since like 2000. So it's like years now she has a family there and everything. And so I visited a lot of times and I just, you know, English books were all I read throughout my teenage years.

So it was very much in my blood. Even though at home, I can't really speak it anywhere. So I, I had to, I wrote a lot of fan fiction when I was younger. So that was also in English. So basically all I knew all the time was writing in English and it feels weird when I try to write in Hungarian. Actually, it's like, it feels like somehow

it comes more naturally to me in literature. So yeah.

[00:21:28] Katherine Grant: That's so interesting. Yeah. And I know in your day job, you are a film editor of documentaries, mostly, but I'm curious, you know, that's a creative process as well. So how was it to sit down and write a novel compared to working on films?

[00:21:47] Evelin Laczi: Yeah, very similar, actually.

Before I decided that I would try to do the indie publishing way, I was actually, you know, querying this work. And even though I was not successful, I got back a lot of feedback. Like very nice feedback and one of the query agents actually replied that she could see my film background like glaringly from the way I wrote the book because every scene is so vivid and it's so cinematic, even, so it's very, very similar.

I actually do try to find the right scenes and put them right after each other so that they complement each other. It's the same as in films. Except with films me as an editor, I don't have really much power over what I put down next to each other.

[00:22:40] Katherine Grant: Right.

[00:22:41] Evelin Laczi: Here, it's all up to me. So that's, it's better and it's worse.

It's like, it's up to me, but it's, but it's up to me. Oh, yeah.

[00:22:54] Katherine Grant: Wait, no one else is going to tell me whether I did this wrong.

[00:22:57] Evelin Laczi: Yeah, I don't have a director sitting next to me. Like, don't put that there.

[00:23:01] Katherine Grant: Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting because I think of films as being very collaborative, and then writing novels is pretty.

uncollaborative. It's very much a solo project.

[00:23:13] Evelin Laczi: Yeah. It's solitary in films. We work so, so many people work on the same, even in documentaries, which are a lot smaller than, you know, big Hollywood films and stuff like that. Not in Hungary, you know, not Hollywood films, but like big Hungarian, you know, fiction films, but the small documentary studio.

And we still have like a bunch of people just coming and going and compared to that, when I, At the end of the day, just sit down and write at this desk, all on my own. It's, it's very different. And it's interesting that it's still very, very much the same feeling sometimes, but I think I, I will never be able to shed this.

So my film background and the way I think about scenes and the creative plots and then the stories, the way I write them, I will never be able to just shed my editor phase. So right. I would be ruthless when I'm cutting the everything. So it may be better. It may be an advantage.

[00:24:22] Katherine Grant: Yeah, well, so did you find that you wrote a lot that then you ended up cutting?

[00:24:27] Evelin Laczi: For my second novel, yes. This, this was my first novel ever that I've written. So it was way shorter in the beginning. Like, it was like half the length of, it was more like a novella kind of thing. Later when I wrote the second book, I had to go back to this. And then I was like, okay, this is not enough. You have to do something about this.

And ultimately, I think the plot really thanked me for this because it helped the stuff along. And actually the excerpt that I read to you that was added later. So something that Didn't make the first first round.

[00:25:10] Katherine Grant: I'm glad

you added it. It was a very yummy scene. I read that you also play a lot of video games like Baldur's Gate and Dragon Quest.

Do you have thoughts on the video game narrative versus the romance novel narrative? And are they complementary? Are they completely different? What do you think about that?

[00:25:31] Evelin Laczi: Well, I can't deny that I play the RPGs for the romance options. That's an undeniable fact that if a video game doesn't have any romance options, then I'm out.

I started with The Sims when I was like, I don't know, six or seven. And even from that point on, I was always looking for, you know, okay, how do I get married? How do I have children? Do this the best way ever? It's like, how do I make my crafting seams and everything? I've been a romance girl through and through from the moment I was born.

So I think it's very, I love this tendency in video games that they are trying to incorporate this. Freewheel and, and RPGs are just my favorite. It's like Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate. I could play it over and over again and just see the way that, you know, your choices make a difference and everything.

And it's just, I can't get very immersed in a game unless it has this element. Because I need to feel like I am making the choices, much the same way as in writing, actually, so it's all up to me. And that's, that's the best way. I mean, it's nice. It's like when, when I'm playing something that is not my on RPGs, not where I create my own character and make my own choices.

It's like reading someone else's book. Yeah. I'm, I'm, I can enjoy that. And I, I enjoy them immensely seeing what someone else comes up with and their stories that they want to tell. But ultimately I am, I feel so free when I get to create my own stories and based on my own decisions and my own tastes. So.

Yeah,

there's an overlap there. So that was

nice.

[00:27:27] Katherine Grant: Well, my husband plays video games. I don't play too many, but I did play Baldur's Gate with him for a little bit. And then I wasn't going to play it as often as he wanted. So he started his own game of it and started playing with his own characters. And I was like, well, did these two get together in your version?

And he was like, I don't know. I skipped the romance part of it. And I was like, how could you skip the romance part of it? That was the most interesting thing that happened.

[00:27:53] Evelin Laczi: Yeah. Yeah. Especially with all the freedom in it. Like there isn't, you know, no, the sexuality, the gender roles, nothing matters. And it's so nice.

It's so free. You can just go and roam free.

[00:28:12] Katherine Grant: Well, it is time everyone to find out how much of a rule follower you are with our segment, Love it or Leave it.

Love It or Leave It

[00:28:24] Katherine Grant: So do you love it or leave it? Protagonists meet in the first 10 percent of the novel.

[00:28:29] Evelin Laczi: Absolutely. I love it. I love it. I found that whenever I have to wait, like, it's like already 15 percent and then 20 percent and then I'm like, where, where is it?

Where is it? In, even in this book, I think Yeah, they meet in the first chapter. It's like, I don't know, eight pages or something. So it's like, I, I love it. Like I have DNF books because the protagonist just didn't meet, like I was just reading for an hour and it's still like, Oh God. So yeah. Love it.

Yeah.

[00:29:05] Katherine Grant: Okay. Love it or leave it. Dual point of view narration.

[00:29:09] Evelin Laczi: That's a tricky one. Dual is okay, I think. But anything more than two is off the charts. So I can't do like Game of Thrones style 20 person POV. Yeah. That's not my style. So I, when it's the two protagonists, I think that's okay because they are telling their story from different perspectives, which is, which is great, especially when a lot of them is

pining but the other doesn't know and you know you get to see sides and then it's it's interesting but even though my first book is dual perspective the second book is One perspective, because there is a secret from the other, for the other person, for the other protagonist. I got to do the dual perspective, then it, you know, the reader would already know, so it depends.

It depends. So I like, but a little bit, I lean forward toward like the one perspective, just a little bit.

[00:30:18] Katherine Grant: Okay, all right. Love it or leave it, third person past tense.

[00:30:24] Evelin Laczi: Yes, love it. I tried to write in present tense, but it just doesn't come to me. And I think first person is just, I think, I feel like first person is for fantasies or something.

I don't know. I've always picked up, maybe it's just chance, pure chance, but I always picked up fantasy romances that first person and always picked up historical romances that were third person past tense. So I lean toward that, I think.

[00:30:56] Katherine Grant: Yeah. All right. Love it or leave it third act breakup or dark moment.

[00:31:01] Evelin Laczi: Love it. I love it. I love it. It doesn't have to be a breakup, but just something, something that just throws off the status quo and throws off like a big plot twist or something, because that's, that's keeping me on the edge of my seat and the goal just gets me going. It's like, whenever I reach like 60 percent in a book and it just all looks so good and all looks so yummy and beautiful and oh my god they are so happy and I just know it's like, no, something is good.

It's just only 60 percent and it gives me that like a little, you know, anticipation. Yeah. Unputdownable.

[00:31:48] Katherine Grant: Yeah. Okay. Love it or leave it always end with an epilogue.

[00:31:55] Evelin Laczi: I can leave it. I think it depends. Sometimes, you know, it's that feeling when the protagonists are married and afterwards we don't care what happens to them. So it's until the marriage and the wedding and whatever happens, happens after that. And with historical romances, I feel like You need that happy ending.

And, and I just feel like it's epilogues are good for the word count. But. Not, they don't always add that little extra, but maybe if the couple gets together like in the very end of the book, and maybe I can be more forgiving because I didn't get enough. So I need some more and that's when I'm like, fine, okay, this made sense, but other times I just, and I say this as like someone who wrote the book.

So, but I am very well aware that it's hard to tell that, like, it's a good temptation to write an epilogue because you just can't stop. You don't want to stop. You don't want to leave them alone. So from a writer's perspective, I'm all in for epilogue, but from a reader's perspective, I'm on the edge about it.

[00:33:14] Katherine Grant: Interesting. All right. Love it or leave it, share your research in an author's note.

[00:33:20] Evelin Laczi: I love it. I think from all the research that goes into these books, especially in historical romance, you have this feeling that you want to share how much you read and how long you've stayed up all night and just read about these things and how they wore their clothes and what material they used and all of these the littlest things how did they take that did they drink coffee even or did they just take tea or or like you researched the most

amazing things sometimes. Sometimes I research even the most stupidest things, but but I, I am all in for showing that off. And I love reading about it even, so give a little background context. I think it's, it's very nice.

[00:34:05] Katherine Grant: Yeah, all right. Are there any other romance rules I didn't ask about that you think you break?

[00:34:14] Evelin Laczi: Oh I think there is one. I, I, I don't like two tropes that are very very popular. I don't like love triangles at all. It's like, it's like, I may have, I might have had some bad You know, experiences with young adult romances when I was 17 or something, I don't know what's that drives me off the wall.

And the other is a second chance romance. I just, there's something about people who have already, you know, shared their first kiss and all those intimate moments off page. And it's just like, I just can't, like, I need that tension. I need them to realize their feelings for the first time and how magnetic that is and how overwhelming that is.

And I want to feel all the feels and from a second chance romance, I just, I don't get the same feeling.

[00:35:10] Katherine Grant: Okay.

Well, that's good to know. I think Evelin, that you are a little bit of a rule breaker.

[00:35:17] Evelin Laczi: Oh, okay.

[00:35:19] Katherine Grant: In all the best ways.

Well,

I really appreciate you coming on the podcast. Where can our listeners find you and your books?

[00:35:32] Evelin Laczi: Well, I am on Instagram basically a lot of the times now that my renovation for my home is done. I am back on Instagram. I'm already online again, and I'm also on Goodreads and you can find my book on Amazon. And BookBub and all the places basically where books are sold. So you can find me anywhere and on my webpage.

[00:35:56] Katherine Grant: Awesome. Well, I'm excited. Your debut novel, The Rose of Granborough Park, this episode is coming out in June, 2024 and so is your book. So readers can hop on the train, join you on your writing career and be some of your first fans by reading your book and don't forget to review it Reviews make a huge difference for authors.

But yeah, thank you so much for joining the podcast and I hope to see more of your books throughout the next few months.

[00:36:28] Evelin Laczi: Thank you so much for having me. I had so much fun as my first podcast appearance. This was amazing.

[00:36:36] Katherine Grant: That's it for this week. Check out the show notes where I put links for my guests, myself, and the podcast. Until next week, happy reading.