Exclusive interview with author Christina McKnight for the audio book release of her novel of romance and horses
Review by Gabrielle Pantera
“At the time I was processing the sudden, and very unexpected death of my father, how I was not always there when he needed me,” says Shunned No More author Christina McKnight. “That loss inspired me to write a story in which it wasn’t too late to for my hero and heroine. With this tale, I wanted to impress upon my readers that forgiveness, compassion, and understanding are within all of us if we only look deep enough.”
Shunned No More is an historical romance set in the Regency Period dealing with themes of vengeance and ultimately of redemption for past misdeeds to mend a fractured family. As the book opens we learn that eight years previously Lady Viola Oberbrook was young, beautiful and spoiled. Forced to flee London after causing two brothers to die in a duel over her, she’s been living at her father’s country estate.
Brock Spencer, Earl of Haversham, has left military service and returned to England and since he inherited the title he is expected to repair the family estates and find a bride. His real intention is to find the woman considered responsible for the death of his twin brothers. However, Lady Viola regrets the past and hopes for another chance. The two form a bond through their love of horses.
“The plotline for Shunned No More started off as a simple idea,” says McKnight. “What if a woman of the ton (the term of the time for Britain’s high society) did something that society could not forgive? In this case, Lady Viola was responsible for inciting a duel between two brothers. In the end, both died. She was shunned by society and banished to the country. Over the next seven years, Viola realizes if she is to have a future she has to forgive herself and make amends with those she’s hurt, to have any chance at happiness and a family of her own.”
A theme in McKnight’s stories is the connection between the hero or heroine and their mother and father. “It took a long-time reader to point this out to me,” says McKnight. “These relationships are usually complex, convoluted, and filled with betrayal and ultimate sorrow. Maybe I’ve been trying to improve, or at the very least, explore, the relationship I had with my own father.”
McKnight became a fan of historical fiction from reading her great-grandmother’s collection of 70s and 80s Regency novels. “Since high school I’ve had a fascination with the time period; including decorum, fashion, society functions, and sports,” says McKnight. “With this project, I had the need to research the legality of duels. In this case, if a man dies during a duel it is classified as murder under English law, though the country was lax in prosecuting. And, since both men die in my story, it is only society who can punish my heroine.”
We typically review the latest book in a series, however readers may prefer to start with Shunned No More, A Lady Forsaken, Book One, before reading the four following books in the series: Forgotten No More, Scorned Ever More, Christmas Ever More, and Hidden No More. Shunned No More is has recently released in audio, and translations into German, Italian, and Spanish are in the pipeline.
Jen Blood at Adian Editing was McKnight’s editor on Shunned No More, and switched to Chelle Olson of Literally Addicted to Detail after Jen Blood became too busy with her own writing. “In mid-2016, I also added a strictly historical editor to my team, Scott Moreland,” says McKnight. “Together, we have completed six books in under eight months. Each of my books goes through a grueling six-step editing process…from beta reads, revisions, three passes by editors, a proofreader, and finally, a last read through by my closest circle of readers.”
McKnight is currently writing the Regency romance trilogy; The Undaunted Debutantes series, with The Disappearance of Lady Edith, The Misfortunate of Lady Lucianna, and The Misadventures of Lady Ophelia. She’s also started two Shunned No More spin-off series: the Craven House series and the Lady Archer’s Creed series.
McKnight lives in central California, near where she was born, “Equal distance from the beach and the mountains.” She will be in East Peoria, Illinois for Writers on the River on July 8, 2017, and Spokane, Washington, for the Historical Romance Retreat in September 2017.
Shunned No More, A Lady Forsaken Book by Christina McKnight. 346 pages. Publisher: La Loma Elite Publishing. Publication Date: May 20, 2014. Amazon Digital Services. Language: English. ASIN: B00KH961LG $12.29
